Salisbury Life - Issue 263

Food/Arts/Entertainment/Shopping/Property

CELEBRATING THE BEST IN SALISBURY & WILTSHIRE

ISSUE 263 / DECEMBER 2018 / £3

ISSUE 263 / DECEMBER 2018 / ALL PRESENT AND CORRECT

GLAD

TIDINGS

WE BLING GORGEOUS LOCAL GIFTS

THE HOLLY AND THE IVY

USING FLORALS IN A CHRISTMAS WAY

12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS COOKING

STEP-BY-STEP EXPERT ADVICE TO PREPARING THE FESTIVE FEAST

ROCK OF AGES

MEET THE GRAYS STONE CARVER

ALSO DANIELA MANUTIUS FORSTER / SUZANNE RAWLE / THE MESS AT MESSUMS WILTSHIRE

Editor’s letter

above: Wishing us all a very

berry Christmas (page 10)

below: It’s the gift of the fab

with indies like H R Tribbeck & Son (page 22)

O

ne year, when the internet was quite new and I was feeling a little lazy, I did all my Christmas shopping online. Never again.

The descriptions invariably failed to match up to what arrived – if they arrived at all that. Sizes were wrong, the colours looked odd and my eldest son broke that James Bond spy pen before he’d even had a chance to write down his first mission It was stressful, expensive, disappointing and decidedly unfestivey. Now I make a list, check it several times, and head first to Salisbury Christmas Market first for the tingly, sparkly, mulled-wine glow that cheery market traders always deliver. Then onto the delightful Salisbury indies where I can talk about the who, what and why of all things wonderland. We’ve helped you start your own list on page 22 On page 10 gardening experts and florists share their festive flower power advice and on page 34, local chefs reveal their kitchen secrets when planning the Christmas dinner. Now all that remains is for you to have a very merry Christmas!

sarah moolla

Cover Jewellery from www.elinorcambray.com; www.tribbecks.com; and www.wcarterandson.co.uk

Follow us on Twitter @Salisbury Life Instagram @salisburylifemag

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Issue 263/December 2018

cover feature

22 Christmas gifts From luxe to little, and from

affordable to blow the budget - we’ve got it covered

floral

10 festive flowers Expert advice on how to use

florals for Christmas, and planting for winter

the arts

44

15 INTRO Illuminated art installations at the Cathedral 16 WHAT’S ON Arts, gigs, festivals and family fun, it’s

time to update your diary

food

34 Christmas cooking countdown Local

chefs share their kitchen festive secrets

best of the our local makers

38 ed’s choice Larder choices from some of the 44 RESTAURANT The art of dining at The Mess in

Messums Wiltshire

47 Food and drink news A Christmas wrap,

another Cafe Diwali win, and a new artisan food shop

design

50 Marvellous makers Henry Gray of Grays

Stone Carving Studio

53 MY DESK The work space of Upholstery by

Susanne

health & beauty

61 massage Our reviewer unwinds at Suzanne

Rawle Therapies

Business

63 business insider News, views and interviews

from the region’s professionals

Property

70 showcase Explore perfect country living at

10

Littlecott Mill

Regulars

6 Spotlight Christmas post and Salisbury arts 54 scene Arundells, RABI and Car Fest 74 lives Daniela Manutius-Forster

Editor Sarah Moolla sarah.moolla@mediaclash.co.uk Managing Editor Deri Robins deri.robins@mediaclash.co.uk Senior Art Editor Andrew Richmond Graphic Design Megan Allison Cover Design Trevor Gilham Editor’s photo John Rose Contributors Adrian Harris, John Rose, Samantha Harford, and Clare Macnaughton Advertising Manager Hillary Thompson hillary.thompson@mediaclash.co.uk Production/Distribution Manager Sarah Kingston sarah.kingston@mediaclash.co.uk Deputy Production Manager Kirstie Howe kirstie.howe@mediaclash.co.uk Production Designer Gemma Scrine gemma.scrine@mediaclash.co.uk Chief Executive Jane Ingham jane.ingham@ mediaclash.co.uk Chief Executive Greg Ingham greg.ingham@mediaclash.co.uk Salisbury Life MediaClash, Circus Mews House, Circus Mews, Bath BA1 2PW 01225 475800 www.mediaclash.co.uk @The MediaClash © All rights reserved.

May not be reproduced without written permission of MediaClash.

We’re a Bath-based publisher, creative agency and event organiser Magazines Our portfolio of regional magazines celebrates the best of local living: Bath, Bristol, Cardiff, Exeter and Salisbury. We also publish foodie mag Crumbs (www.crumbsmag.com, @CrumbsMag) Agency From the design and build of websites to digital marketing and creating company magazines, we can help. Events We create, market, promote and operate a wide variety of events both for MediaClash and our clients Contact: info@mediaclash.co.uk

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spotlight Arts festival

UNFOLDING DRAMA The eighth annual Fest West is returning next year with a packed programme of film, dance and theatre. The arts festival, which is a collaboration with Wiltshire Creative venues Salisbury Arts Centre and Salisbury Playhouse, and The Pound Arts Centre, Corsham and Town Hall Arts, Trowbridge, will showcase talent from Bristol, Devon, Somerset and Wiltshire.

Among those performing are Poole’s The Shouting Mute with Grow Up and Just Love Chocolate; Womans by Scratchworks; and James Wilton in Leviathan. Wiltshire Creative associate director Jo Newman says, “This is the biggest line-up yet for Fest West; it’s fantastic to be bringing so many brilliant South West artists working across disciplines – dance, music, circus, theatre, film and visual arts – together to share their work as part of a celebration of what’s being made in this region.”

The festival starts from 14 February and runs until 2 March 2019, with tickets on sale now.

For more: www.wiltshirecreative.co.uk

clockwise: Scratchworks’ production of Womans; Heather Walrond Company presents The Rising; Leviathan tells the story of a ship captain hell-bent on capturing Moby Dick

The elves will be regularly collecting mail for Santa from the Salisbury depot

Christmas post

THE NORTH POST For those who don’t quite trust, or indeed might not have, a chimney to communicate their Christmas wishes, Santa has set up a letter collection point in Salisbury’s city centre. The handily named Santa’s Post Office can be found opposite the Christmas market and ice rink But before the letter is posted off the North Pole, there is also a walking trail with ten giant nutcrackers to be found and their names collected. Salisbury BID’s Robin McGowan explains, “Completed entry forms can be handed in at Santa’s Post Office with a winner, drawn at random in the New Year, to receive a £250 Salisbury Gift Card to spend in over 120 businesses in the city centre.”

For more: www.salisburybid.co.uk

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Find all 10 of the nutcrackers for a chance to win £250

Salisbury Museum

YOUNG AT ART Salisbury Museum has been collaborating with the city’s young people on its latest project. Look Again, which is a reinterpretation and redisplaying of the museum’s collection of costume and textiles, started in March this year and has been rapidly gaining momentum.

The museum’s learning project officer Katy England explains, “The young people have been working with artists, and some amazing works of art have been produced, many of which have helped with students’ GSCE art work. We have been adding these to the project’s Instagram account #lookagaintsm.”

The ultimate aim of the project, which was made possible from a grant of £115,360 from the Museums Association Esmée Fairbairn Collections Fund, is to run classes and workshops with local secondary schools and colleges, including Wiltshire College.

For more: www.salisburymuseum.org.uk

Examples of the work generated by the Look Again project

Social media

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The largest collection of tiles in Salisbury

Opening hours

Mon: Fri 07.30 - 17.00 Sat: 09.00 - 17.00

www.salisburytilestore.net Salisbury Tile Store, Unit 2 Faraday Centre, Faraday Road, Salisbury, Wiltshire SP2 7NR Also at: Unit 5, The Enterprise Centre, William Road, Nursteed, Devizes, SN10 3EW

01722 325306

info@salisburytilestore.net

An Aladdin’s cave of cookware At our cookshops we are known for our specialist kitchenware and great gift ideas. Whether you’ve seen an unusual gadget on TV or just need a wooden spoon, come to Dinghams first. Our shops are located in the centre of the historic cities of Salisbury and Winchester.

Cookware in Salisbury 28 Market Place, Salisbury, Wiltshire SP1 1TL 01722 506045 Cookware in Winchester 4 The Square, Winchester, Hampshire SO23 9ES 01962 863333

www.dinghams.co.uk

festive florals

Help feed the birds

A VERY BERRY CHRISTMAS

Catherine Thomas goes in praise of little red berries and the joy they bring this time of year

I

magine Christmas without brilliant, shiny red holly berries. Humble though it is throughout the year, the holly comes into its own in December.

No wonder our native holly has a particular association with Christmas, undoubtedly pre-dating our Christian festival by many centuries.

As one of our few native evergreens, a hedge of holly is a rare treat, the shiny leaves, setting off the red berries to spectacular effect. Its slow growth is a testament to permanence, and its density creates a refuge for wildlife, while the berries are a valuable source of nutrients and energy to help birds survive the winter. Our avian friends are not fussy eaters in winters, and much like children, are attracted to the bright and shiny. They are also opportunists and will eat any berries appropriate to their size, so blackbirds and thrushes especially like windfall apples which possibly lazy, but definitely wildlife-friendly, gardeners are kind enough to leave lying on the ground, whilst

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robins, tits and some finches will enjoy smaller berries such as cotoneaster and berberis.

Generally speaking, birds favour strong colours, especially red followed by orange then yellow, which promise, as far as birds are concerned, the appetising glow of a quick snack. Pale fruits, such as pink Sorbus or the snowberry with its sinister white fruits are avoided by birds until driven by starvation.

The common ivy is also inseparable from our midwinter lore and mature ivy produces flowers in October and November, perfect for bees on the wing in mild weather. As the ripening of blackberries late in the winter demonstrates, mother nature helps to ensure that there is less likelihood of hungry gaps for the birds.

Exotic berries such as those of myrtle and even olive trees, which are increasingly common in our gardens, add a new texture to the winter

garden. These are now are now happily surviving our temperate climate provided they never become waterlogged. I’ve seen hungry blackbirds eating my myrtle berries and I’ve heard that they also enjoy olives in my clients’ gardens.

As for the rest of the garden, rose hips, if you haven’t already harvested them to make syrup, are beautiful when rimmed with frost. Some roses are particularly valuable for their hips.

Rosa wichuriana cultivars, such as the vigorous white Kiftsgate, which can climb to the top of a mature forest tree such as beech, to produce sprays of tiny orange hips. Another species noted for its hips as big as cherry tomatoes is Rosa rugosa. This is native to China, is naturally repeat flowering, and smells heavenly.

Roses, which flower spectacularly just once in June, are reluctant to repeat flower even if deadheaded, so save your efforts.

“Berries are a valuable source of nutrients and energy to help birds survive the winter” Whatever cultivar or species you choose, avoid double flowers if you want to enjoy hips in the winter – single flowers are more easily pollinated by insects, and without the insects you won’t get fruit. The common herringbone

Cheers!

Use amaryllis for impact

DECK THE HALLS…

(AND THE WALLS, AND the DOOR, AND EVEN THE STAIRS) SLOE GIN RECIPE

Sloes are small wild plums that grow along hedgerow and the gin it makes is perfect to give as a homemade Christmas gift. This is my foolproof recipe.

1. Prick the tough skin of the sloes all over with a clean needle and put in a large sterilised jar.

2. Pour in the sugar and the gin, seal tightly, and shake well.

3. Store in a cool, dark cupboard and shake every other day for a week.

4. Strain the sloe gin through muslin into a sterilised bottle.

cotoneaster, bears its red berries on bare black branches. Grow it against a white wall for a monochrome study in line and form, punctuated by glowing red dots.

A native hedge can be planted specifically for berries, blackthorn for bloomy blue sloes, hawthorn for long lasting dark red haws, spindle for its funky pink and orange fruit but the seeds are poisonous to humans, guelder rose with translucent jewel-like fruit, holly, red berried honeysuckle, and wild roses.

For more: Catherine Thomas, Landscape & Garden Design, Fisherton Mill, 108 Fisherton Street, Salisbury SP2 7QY. tel: 01722 339936; www.catherinethomas.co.uk

Salisbury’s petal gurus share their wise words on how to decorate the whole house in festive florals

F

rom a holly wreath on the door to mistletoe in the hall and the Christmas tree itself, greenery is as much a part of Yuletide as turkey, trimmings, and tinsel. But unlike tinsel, plants are less tawdry, deliver a scent and, even if they aren’t evergreens, are biodegradable.

Heather Jackson of Gullicks Florists and the florist Kate Robinson suggest a few imaginative ways to decorate your home with fauna, foliage and flowers this Christmas.

HEATHER: “Your front door is the first impression of your home so go for a bespoke wreath to match your Christmas colour scheme. Decorate with a classic red, gold and green theme, or go for a more rustic twist with pheasant feathers and lotus heads.

“The staircase is another beautiful area to decorate with flowers and foliage as it creates a huge impact. Amaryllis in a tall glass vase accompanied with natural twigs can look stunning on a hallway table, or for a smaller option that works well in any room, a glass cube filled with scented hyacinths which also releases a wonderful aroma.”

For more www.gullicksflorists.co.uk

KATE: “Choose to decorate a few places around the house for maximum impact and make the most of anywhere with height. A trio of glass cylinders or storm lanterns filled with fir cones are simple but effective centrepieces for a table or windowsill, and are all the more personal if you or the kids have collected them.

Mantelpieces are crying out to be decorated for Christmas with trailing foliage but do be careful if using an open fire of course! Red and green combos are a timeless classic, but if you want to get more creative, there are many subtle metallic sprays to add a wintery edge to your floral designs – I love asparagus fern in twinkly white. For your table, bear in mind its shape and size – if small, a chunky candle in a ring of fresh flowers creates impact.

Don’t forget the outside of your home – lights wound around a tree or plant in the garden or on a balcony will look lovely from inside and outside, and gives visitors a lovely festive welcome.”

For more: www.gullicksflorists.co.uk

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festive florals

Here’s one Claire made earlier

CREATE A NATURAL CHRISTMAS WREATH Six simple steps to make your own festive garland

By Claire Whitehead

STEP 1 – YOU WILL NEED...

A wire wreath frame, a reel of florist’s wire, a sharp pair of scissors or secateurs and water based decorative spray. You may also wish to add dried fruit segments for decoration – you can dry fruit yourself or alternatively purchase a packet of mixed decorative fruits.

STEP 3 – GET ORGANISED Gather all your equipment, foliage and decorations together, using a large table or flat surface with plenty of space to lay everything out. It is wise to spend some time planning how you want your wreath to look, loosely placing out the foliage around the shape of the wreath frame before you start fixing.

STEP 2 – FORAGING FOR YOUR FOLIAGE At this time of year most gardens will have rich pickings of seed heads and berries and the hedgerows provide a treasure trove of stunning natural foliage. Choose a mixture of textures, sizes and colours. You will need plenty of twigs as these will be used to form the body and shape of the wreath.

STEP 4 – MAKING THE BASE OF THE WREATH Start by fixing the twigs to the wreath frame.

Collect and wire together small bunches of twigs, then securely wire them to the wire frame at intervals of 4-6 inches, continuing around the frame until you have a good base cover. This is a critical stage which will form the basic shape and body of the wreath. Using

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different length twigs around the frame will provide attractive trailing pieces around the edge of the wreath.

STEP 5 – DECORATING YOUR WREATH Make up small bunches in your hand, using a selection of your foraged materials and creating a mixture of shapes, textures and colours. Then wire the bunch round the base or the stems. Take another piece of wire, carefully push it through the twig base and wire each bunch securely to the wreath frame, using the twigs to cover the wire. Finally add in and secure pieces of trailing ivy.

STEP 6 – FINISHING TOUCHES Add in your pieces of dried fruit and berries, using the same technique of wiring each piece to the frame. A light dusting of a coloured decorative spray gives a bit of festive sparkle.

Choose a material to hang your wreath – ideas include natural garden string, hessian or ribbon, and simply tie a suitable length to the wreath frame and hang it in the position of your choice.

For more: www. cranbornegardencentre.co.uk

07906 580361 | kate@katerobinsonflowers.co.uk w w w. k at e ro b i n s o n f l ow e r s . c o . u k

the arts s n a p s h o t s o f SA L I S B U R Y ’ s c ult ur a l li f e

LET THERE BE LIGHT

Salisbury Cathedral and the Close will be transformed inside and outside with illuminated art installations. There is Light Wave by Squidsoup, an immersive walkthrough experience with 500 light and audio spheres, suspended in a 20-metre wave formation, which softly glows and plays plainsong, creating a dreamlike experience.

Will Turn Darkness Into Light, is a neon installation inspired by scripture, and Lumen by David Ogle, will sit among the grand cedars forming a luminous canopy of interlocking glowing branches. Suspended inside the Cathedral is The Light, a four-metre illuminated globe created by Richard McLester and his Poole-based studio team, which projects a galaxy of stars that whirl and spin around it until finally focusing on the symbol of the very first Christmas, the Star of Bethlehem.

Darkness to Light Illuminations can be seen at Salisbury Cathedral 3 December until 3 February 2019. www.salisburycathedral.org.uk

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WHAT’S ON 1 December – 2 January

Mercury Prize nominee Kate Rusby brings her beautiful, expressive vocals to City Hall Salisbury on 16 December

EXHIBITIONS Until 29 December

TERRAIN AND CONFLICT Arabella Dorman's Suspended is a powerful and heartbreaking installation of refugee clothes.

More artists will be featured including former UK serviceman Steve Pratt, now an artist, and a psychotherapist. Young Gallery; www.younggallerysalisbury.co.uk

Until 5 January

HEART, HEAD AND HAND WINTER CRAFT EXHIBITION Heart, Head and Hand is a contemporary craft exhibition showcasing work by members of Hampshire and Berkshire Guild of Craftsmen, with guests. A selection of disciplines on show includes

ceramics, jewellery, textiles and woodwork amongst others. This is a selling exhibition and is an excellent opportunity to buy some of the finest work created in the South. Salisbury Arts Centre; www.wiltshirecreative.co.uk

hoarding from Bronze Age weapons discovered in the River Thames and the first Iron Age coin hoards, through to the coin treasures buried following the collapse of Roman rule in Britain. The Salisbury Museum; www.salisburymuseum.org.uk

Until 5 January

Until 13 January

CHRISTMAS EXHIBITION: MISTLETOE AND MERRIMENT A specially picked selection of artworks for the festive season including Robin MacFarlan, Johanna Kennedy Wall and Zac Newham. Fisherton Mill; www.fishertonmill.co.uk

Until 5 January

HOARDS: A HIDDEN HISTORY OF ANCIENT BRITAIN The exhibition traces the story of

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ROBYN DENNY Denny’s large-scale, colourful abstract paintings embody the cool, modernising mood associated with the 1960s.

NewArtCentre; www.sculpture.uk.com

Until 16 February 2019

ANELLO FLOW: AN EXHIBITION BY ALMUTH TEBBENHOFF This exhibition expands on the origins of Anello Flow, currently on

display on the Wessex Plinth, and other work in this series, reflecting on Almuth’s fascination with the patterns made by water, and how this has informed her work. The Salisbury Museum; www.salisburymuseum.org.uk

3 December – 3 February

FROM DARKNESS TO LIGHT ILLUMINATIONS Best viewed after dark, this is a unique set of light installations in the Close and Cathedral celebrating the journey of Advent to Christmas.

Late night opening until 10.30pm.

Turn to page 15 for more. Salisbury Cathedral. www.salisburycathedral.org.uk

8 – 22 December

HARRY BUNCE Drawing from folk and artisan ‘low’

what’s on art rather than urban, intellectual ‘high’ art, this Somerset artist is billed as Beatrix Potter meets Quentin Tarantino. Meet the man himself on Saturday 8 December when he visits the Queen Street gallery.

Gallery 21; www.gallery21.co.uk

8 December – 3 February

MATERIAL: LIght Dante Marioni , pioneering glass artist, for whom making objects is about the art of glass blowing rather than the creation of glass art is exhibited alongside Elliot Walker and Michael Hulls. Messums Wiltshire; www.messumswiltshire.com

above:

Robin on Cutters

by E Hammond is part of the handcrafted gifts at the Artful Christmas Weekend left: See this early bronze age gold collar at Stonehenge's new exhibition below: Enjoy vintageinspired vocal harmonies from the Spitfire Sisters

Theatre/ Dance /Film BEAUTY AND THE BEAST From the team behind last year’s record-breaking and multi-award winning panto Jack and the Beanstalk, is the famous fairytale of Amorette who is taken prisoner by a prince who has been turned into a beast. £12-£28. Salisbury Playhouse; www.wiltshirecreative.co.uk

11 – 13 December

WHO SLEIGHED SANTA? When Santa announces he is going to make some changes to Christmas, not everyone is happy and there are murderous consequences. Help solve the murder mystery while attending the delicious three-course dinner party. 7pm, £45. Salisbury Arts Centre; www.wiltshirecreative.co.uk

Music / Comedy

SALISBURY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Salisbury Symphony Orchestra

SALISBURY LIVE AT CHRISTMAS Salisbury Live at Christmas returns with a programme of free live music events at the Guildhall Square every Thursday, Friday and Saturday evening throughout the Christmas Market. For more details visit www.salisburychristmasmarket.co.uk THE CHICAGO BLUES BROTHERS The award-winning spectacular is Europe’s biggest and best-loved production of the Blues Brothers. The show is a high-octane, adrenalinepumping musical mash-up which has jump started the legacy of Jake and Elwood for a new generation with its modern twist on this cult classic. 7.30pm, £24.50. City Hall Salisbury; www.cityhallsalisbury.co.uk

15 December

THAT’LL BE THE DAY XMAS SHOW The UK’s most popular rock’n’roll variety show celebrates the festive season with all your favourite Christmas classics from the 50s, 60s and 70s, plus plenty of hilarious comedy. 7.30pm, £27. City Hall Salisbury; www.cityhallsalisbury.co.uk

16 December

LUNCHTIME CONCERT: CHRISTOPHER GUILD Christopher Guild on the piano plays music inspired by native cultures from across the globe including Debussy and Percy Grainger.

Lunchtime Concerts are held in the College’s Butterfield chapel and are followed by a light buffet lunch (included in the ticket price). Each concert lasts approximately 45 minutes. 12.45pm, £12.

Sarum College; www.sarum.ac.uk

8 December

8 December

14 December

1 December – 13 January

7 December

returns for its annual December concert with Nicholas Walker performing Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No 2. Also on the programme is Humperdinck’s Overture Hansel & Gretel and Symphony No 7 by Dvorak. 7.30pm, £18/£10. City Hall Salisbury; www.cityhallsalisbury.co.uk

KATE RUSBY AT CHRISTMAS Forever proud to call herself a folk singer, Mercury Prize nominee Kate Rusby’s beautiful, expressive vocals never fail to connect the emotional heart of a song to that of her audience. Accolades include Folk Singer of the Year, Best Live Act, Best Album and Best Original Song winner at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards. 7.30pm. £27.50. City Hall Salisbury; www.cityhallsalisbury.co.uk

16 December

CAROL CONCERT Readings and music by the Amici Choir, Shrewton Silver Band, Salisbury Northumbrian Pipers and St Andrews Primary School Choir in aid of Cancer Research UK. 2pm. St Thomas’s Church Salisbury; www.stthomassalisbury.co.uk

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What’s on 17 December

WINTERY SONGS IN THE GARDEN Join Cranborne Community Choir in The Garden Room for festive singing. The café will be open (booking advised) and there’s the opportunity to stock up at the gift shop. 5pm-9pm. Cranborne Garden Centre; www.cranbornegardencentre.co.uk

18 December

THE OVERTONES Following the passing of their friend and bandmate Timmy Matley in April, Lockie Chapman, Mike Crawshaw, Darren Everest and Mark Franks are back on tour with their new self-titled album featuring their old-school cool, modern vintage vibe. 7pm, £24.75. City Hall Salisbury; www.cityhallsalisbury.co.uk

18 – 20 December

STAND-UP CHRISTMAS COMEDY NIGHTS Three nights of mirth, merriment and cabaret gold from some of the best comedians on the circuit.

8pm, £22. Salisbury Arts Centre. www.wiltshirecreative.co.uk

18 – 22 December

A CHRISTMAS CAROL The famous Dickens’ tale returns, brought to life by Olivier awardwinner Guy Masterson, who recreates Scrooge, Marley, and Tiny Tim in a spellbinding and enchanting performance. £13.50.

The Salberg; www.wiltshirecreative.co.uk

21 & 22 December

SPITFIRE SISTERS The internationally-renowned vintage-inspired vocal harmony group perform swing classics and Christmas favourites.

8pm, £22. Salisbury Arts Centre; www.wiltshirecreative.co.uk

22 December

THE FARRANT SINGERS This year’s Christmas Concert by the Farrant Singers, conducted by Andrew Mackay, is a performance of Handel¹s Dixit Dominus. 7.30pm, £15. St. Martin's Church, Salisbury. www.farrantsingers.org

Family FUN Until 6 January

ThE FESTIVAL OF LIGHT The stunning Chinese lanterns will light up Longleat with a fantastic voyage through time and space with explorers, Harry and Bea, and their

fearless terrier companion, Monty.

From the exotic to the glacial, filled with astonishing creatures, magnificent scenery, stunning structures and sensational modes of transportation. Price included with general admission. www.longleat.co.uk

Until 6 January

ALL-weather ice rink Christmas in Salisbury is offering extra magic and sparkle this year as the Guildhall Square hosts its first all-weather ice rink, running for the same period of time as the Christmas Market. There’s fun themed nights, DJs, plus the chance to skate with Santa. £7. www.salisburychristmasmarket.co.uk

Until 21 April 2019

MAKING CONNECTIONS: STONEHENGE IN ITS PREHISTORIC WORLD In partnership with the British Museum, this exhibition features stunning precious artefacts made between 4000BC and 800BC, from a jade axe to an elaborate gold neckpiece, and charts the changing relationships between the British Isles and Europe over the Neolithic and Bronze Ages. Price with general admission. Stonehenge; www.english-heritage.org.uk

above: Stunning illuminated displays will be lighting up Longleat left: The Heart, Head and Hand exhibition is at Salisbury Arts Centre until 5 January

4 – 9 December

ST THOMAS’S CHRISTMAS TREE FESTIVAL It is a community display of more than 100 decorated trees to raise money for nominated charities, with a full programme of music throughout the week. St Thomas’s Church; www.stthomassalisbury.co.uk

8 & 9 December

ARTFUL CHRISTMAS WEEKEND Lots of handcrafted gifts for sale alongside children’s workshops with the artists. 10am-4pm. Sir Harold Hillier Gardens, Jermyns Lane, Romsey; www.artfulevents.co.uk

9 December

FATHER CHRISTMAS CALLS BY! En route from The North Pole, a very busy Father Christmas finds time to call into The Maltings on his sleigh accompanied by a few of his trusty reindeer. 1pm-3pm. www.santatracker.google.com

10 – 30 December

THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS As snow falls and the gas lamps

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flicker into life, Father Christmas sets out on a joyful journey through the night time sky. £10. The Salberg; www.wiltshirecreative.co.uk

OTHER

Until 6 January

SALISBURY CHRISTMAS MARKET Salisbury Xmas Market transforms, for an extended run this year, with the heart of our city becoming a winter-wonderland with authentic German-style chalets, packed with

many locally sourced goodies. www.salisburychristmasmarket.co.uk

1 & 2 December

FROM DARKNESS TO LIGHT: THE ADVENT PROCESSION The spectacular Advent Processions are regarded by many as the unmissable prelude to the Christmas season. It begins with the Cathedral in total darkness and silence as the single advent candle is lit. By the end, the medieval interior is illuminated by the light of 1,400 flickering candles. Salisbury Cathedral; www.salisburycathedral.org.uk

Romsey arket Historic Hampshire M Town on the River Test.

Visit our website for more information: www.romseytc.org.uk

IN THE PRESENT MOMENT Use our lovingly, locally-sourced gift guide to find the perfect present for everyone on your nice list

MILLER HARRIS TENDER PERFUME, FROM £75 From Vita Skin Spa, 26 St Ann Street, Salisbury. tel: 01722 346324; www.vitaskinspa.co.uk

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CHRISTMAS GIFT GUIDE

IPER RXV288 ENDURO MOTOCROSS HELMET, £89.99 From VP Motorcycles Unit 23 Sarum Business Park, Lancaster Road, Old Sarum. tel: 01722 238594; www.vpmotorcycles.co.uk

DEAKIN & FRANCIS STERLING SILVER PENGUIN CUFFLINKS, £270 From Allum & Sidaway, 20-22 Minster Street, Salisbury. tel: 01722 325907; www.allumandsidaway.co.uk

HAND PAINTED TILES FROM ESFAHAN, FROM £10 From Bakhtiyar, The High Street, Stockbridge, Hampshire. tel:01264 811033; www.bakhtiyar.com

ELOISE MERINO WOOL JUMPER, £165 From Flock by nature, 16 Eastcott Common, Eastcott, Devizes. tel: 01380 812095; www.flockbynature.co.uk

LIMITED EDITION RINGLEADER CALL BELL BY MARCEL WANDERS FOR ALESSI, £950 From MA Cuisine, 40 The Market Place, Devizes. tel: 01380 724030

JELLYCAT FLORA FLAMINGO, £26.50 From The Bay Window Gift Shop, 17 North Street.

Wilton. tel: 01722 741287; www.thebaywindowgiftshop.co.uk

ESCAPE THERAPY BALM, £14.50 From Scentered, Windover House, 26 St Ann Street, Salisbury; www.scentered.me

TUSCAN CARBON STEEL KNIFE SET WITH OLIVE WOOD HANDLES, FROM £68 From The Artisan Studio, First Floor Fisherton Mill, Salisbury. tel: 07365 264560; www.theartisanstudio.uk

FRAGRANT WHITE CHOCOLATE, £3 From Alexander Chocolate. tel: 07510 156304; www.alexanderchocolate.co.uk

www.mediaclash.co.uk I SALISBURY LIFE I 23

CHRISTMAS GIFT GUIDE

HANDCRAFTED VINTAGE DOLL, £65 From Grace Decorative, 9 Chinns Court, Market Place, Warminster. tel: 07912 359770; www.gracedecorative.co.uk

LEICA SOFORT MINT INSTANT CAMERA, £249.90 From Castle Cameras, 11 Endless Street, Salisbury. tel: 01722 339909; www.castlecameras.co.uk

GEO F TRUMPER VIOLET SHAVING CREAM, £17 From Chas H Baker, 17-19 Milford St, Salisbury. tel: 01722 324234; www.chashbaker.com

WINE AND CHEESE HAMPER, FROM £40 From Maul’s Wine and Cheese Bar, 3 Fish Row, Salisbury. tel: 01722 416575; www.maulswinebar.com

AMINI GOLD BANGLE £29.95 From Casa Fina 62 High Street, Salisbury. tel: 01722 326428; www.casafinasalisbury.co.uk

PEACOCK DESIGN HIP FLASK, £35 From LR Leather Repairs, 44 Fisherton Street, Salisbury. tel: 07510158035; www.lukerobson.co.uk

DECEMBER DELUXE BY HARRY BUNCE, £495 From Gallery21, 21 Queen Street, Salisbury. tel: 01722 324000; www.gallery21.co.uk

24 I SALISBURY LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

KNIT YOU OWN STAG’S HEAD KIT £39.99, OR AVAILABLE MADE-TOORDER FOR £250 From Born to Knit Fisherton Mill, 108 Fisherton Street, Salisbury. tel: 07557 985935; www.borntoknit.co.uk

NAIM AUDIO MU-SO WIRELESS BLUETOOTH MUSIC SYSTEM, £995 From www.naimaudionewsroom.com

CHRISTMAS GIFT GUIDE

APPLIQUÉD SMART SANTAS ON GREY FELT, £29 From Pure Comfort, 14 Winchester Street, Salisbury. tel: 01722 322596; www.pure-comfort.co.uk

RICHARD COOPER NICKEL PLATED RESIN GIRAFFE AND CALF, £195 From W Carter & Son, 3-5 Minster Street, Salisbury. tel: 01722 324340; www.wcarterandson.co.uk

MAROON AND GOLD TIE, £69 From Regent, 73 New Street, Salisbury. www.regenttailoring.co.uk

ROBERT LEWIS LUXURY CHOCOLATES, BOXES START FROM £5 From Britford Farm Shop, Lower Road, Britford, Salisbury. tel: 01722 413400 www.britfordfarmshop.co.uk

EMMA BRIDGEWATER WINTER ANIMALS MUG, £19.95 From Dinghams Cookshop, 28 Market Place, Salisbury. tel: 01722 506045; www.dinghams.co.uk

TEAL PLAIN SUEDE GLOVES, £27 From Dents; www.dentsgloves.com

HARRY POTTER TOP TRUMPS, £4.99 From Cool Merchandise, 22 Cross Keys Chequer, Salisbury. tel: 01722 416780; From www.cool-merch.com

HALO ETERNITY RING IN STERLING SILVER AND TOPAZ, £360 From Elinor Cambray Jewellery Design, 75 New Street, Salisbury. tel: 07892 684676; www.elinorcambray.com

GARDEN CENTRE GIFT VOUCHER, PRICES START FROM £5 From Cranborne Garden Centre, Cranborne, Dorset. tel: 01725 517248; www.cranbornegardencentre.co.uk

www.mediaclash.co.uk I SALISBURY LIFE I 25

Robin & Reindeer Green Christmas Tea Towel, £12.50 From Fisherton Mill, 108 Fisherton Street, Salisbury. tel: 01722 500200; www.fishertonmill.co.uk

26 I SALISBURY LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

CHRISTMAS GIFT GUIDE

MICHEL HERBELIN NEWPORT CONNECT BLUETOOTH WATCH, £620 From H R Tribbeck & Son, 12 Bridge Street, Salisbury. tel: 01722 324395; www. tribbecks.com

COWHIDE CROSSBODY BAG, £129 From OSOboutique, 2 St. Thomas’s Square, Salisbury. tel: 01722 323465; www.osoboutique.co.uk

GLASS STAG COASTER, £10 From Clare Demetri Glass Design; www.clairedemetri.co.uk

NUMPH ELEUSINE SKIRT, £69 From Conker, 11 The Maltings, Salisbury, tel: 01722 328442 CHERUB MINI CANDLES SET OF 3, £1.95 From The Sharp Practice 2/8 Catherine Street, Salisbury. tel: 01722 410148; www.sharppracticetattoo.co.uk

PAINT YOUR OWN GINGERBREAD MAN PLATE, £16 (PLUS £3.50 STUDIO FEE) From Splash of Colour, 72 Fisherton Street.

Salisbury. tel: 01722 322250; www.splashofcolourcafe.net

TEIGN VALLEY GLASS ROBIN, £25 From Framemakers Salisbury, 9 Butcher Row, Salisbury. tel: 01722 421771; www.framemakersgalleries.co.uk

LAVENDER BAG, £3.75 From No44 Homeworks, 44 Fisherton St, Salisbury. tel:01722 324773; www.no44homeworks.co.uk

ON THE TURNING AWAY

BY PINK FLOYD ON PINK VINYL, £25 From Vinyl Collectors and Sellers, Cross Keys Arcade, Salisbury. tel: 01722 410660; www.vinylcollectorsandsellers.com

www.mediaclash.co.uk I SALISBURY LIFE I 27

The Bay Window GIFT SHOP, CLOTHING & INTERIORS

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Beautiful gift ideas in stock plus a whole floor of ladies clothing from Lily & Me, SuzyD, Brakeburn and Bohemia.

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christmas countdown

Good planning can help take the heat out of Christmas Day cooking

CHRISTMAS WINNERS Local chefs help make your Christmas dishes come true with their 12 day guide to festive food prepping

By Sarah Moolla 34 I salisbury LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

B

eing the chef on Christmas Day can be a thankless, stressful, and demanding job. While everybody else is still in their Christmas onesie, sneakily tapping and unwrapping their chocolate orange, and enjoying a cheeky buck’s fizz with one eye on the Channel 5 screening of Santa Claus: The Movie – you’re peeling the sprouts no-one will eat, rubbing the goosepimpled skin of a flabby white bird, and on the verge of staying stuff it to the chestnut stuffing.

By the time the tipsy, lazy ingrates have swooped in and demolished the feast, you’re exhausted and definitely not feeling goodwill and peace to any one at all. To help you make this year a happy Christmas, we present you with foolproof advice to festive food planning…

Make a list.

Check it twice

Mark Young, of The Bell Inn says, “I had the Inn’s Christmas Day and pre-Christmas party menu written in June! Planning yours well in advance, including checking that you have enough serving plates, glasses and cutlery, will reduce what can be a stressful day.” Rose & Crown’s John Tobin also likes it get it all down on paper as early as possible: “Decide now what you are going to serve for each part of the meal and write it down. This gives you time to discuss requirements and place orders with the butcher and fish monger.”

“It’s always great to go and visit your local butcher,” agrees Greyhound Inn’s Nikki McNulty. “Personally I try to avoid the big supermarkets, instead taking a trip to some local farm shops to find something a bit different and special. The feeling that your larder is all stocked and ready to go, can mean you relish, and not dread, the tasks ahead.” Head chef at Howard’s House Andy Britton also believes in tackling a few tasks early on, “If you make your Christmas cake four or five weeks in advance, it will taste even more moist and delicious on the day.”

12 days of Christmas

Be your own true love and get as much of the

Effortless feasting with our experts’ help

“I had the Inn’s Christmas Day menu written in June!”

Mark Young believes in early prepping

cooking that can be done now, done. “Stuffings, vegetable mashes, and mince pies can all be made in advance and frozen in the dishes you plan to serve them in.” says Mark. For Nikki, this is when she really starts to feel the Christmas spirit, and says,“Put on some carols, and get on with your sausage meat stuffing. I use lots of fresh herbs, dried apricots, chestnuts, smoky pancetta, onions and roasted garlic. Then shape in to a terrine mould, and pop straight into the freezer ready to get out on Christmas Eve.” John is preparing his pigs in blankets about now.

“They can be frozen in preparation. Don’t forget to source a good local honey which can be added before cooking on Christmas Day for that lovely caramalised stickiness, and then garnish with a few sprigs of fresh thyme.”

It’s the final countdown

Nikki says, “Making your own cranberry sauce about one week before is well worth the effort.

Sweat down the fruit with sugar and a large glug of port. Put it in a fancy jar, and your guests will think you are a Nigella or a Jamie.” Andy suggests, “Make the turkey stock for gravy and meat stock for dark meat dishes, label, and freeze.

On the day, the cooked turkey juices can simply be poured in on reheating.”

Twas the night before Christmas

“I cook my unstuffed turkey overnight, first blasting the buttered and seasoned bird at 200°c for 30 minutes, then dropping the oven temp to 75°c, to leave overnight,” advises Mark, “This always results in a moist bird and frees up the oven for roasting spuds, cooking stuffing, and root mashes throughout the morning.”

“Prepare all your veg and blanch the potatoes ready for roasting,” says Andy. “Tray up the turkey and cover with bacon, butter and herbs.

Remember to start defrosting all the dishes you’ve made in advance.”

Nikki says, “First off, pour yourself a glass of mulled wine. Stuff the turkey, adding a few clementines for extra zest and moisture. Par boil potatoes, parsnips, and any other vegetables you are roasting. Put them in the trays and season along with rosemary and whole garlic cloves.”

John suggests you ensure the kitchen is spotless and tidy before you go to bed on Christmas Eve. “You’ll thank yourself in the morning!”

So here it is merry Christmas!

John advises lists to help save stressing on the day, “Make sure you have a note of all the timings to hand.” Nikki also suggests enlisting help. “Get others to assist you, including the children. After all, this is a special day for all the family. Also this is the one day I swear by the disposable roasting trays – perfect for large groups and it means no one has to stand and scrub pots for hours.”

Mark has a great idea when it comes to serving Christmas dinner. “As plating up for lots of people is stressful, I suggest a buffet style presentation with everyone helping themselves from platters and dishes. And never, ever offer to wash up. This is your time to relax, with a glass of your favourite tipple in hand, and the praise for your food ringing in your ears.”

For more: The Bell Inn; www.bellinn-newforest.co.uk The Greyhound Inn; www.greyhoundinnwilton.com Howard’s House Hotel; www.howardshousehotel.co.uk Legacy Rose & Crown; www.legacy-hotels.co.uk

www.mediaclash.co.uk I salisbury LIFE I 35

An anatolian mood this Christmas!

£14.50 ~ 2 course Lunch £24.90 ~ 3 course Dinner Fisherton Street, Salisbury, SP2 7QY • 01722 327628 • baroushka.com

CHRISTMAS AT

THE OX ROW INN

THE OX ROW INN, 10-11 OX ROW, SALISBURY, WILTSHIRE, SP1 1EU 01722 349033 | OxRowInn.Salisbur y@fullers.co.uk | www.theoxrowinn.co.uk

f /TheOxRowInn

a @TheOxRowInn

@TheOxRowInn

Festive Dining 1 st - 23 rd December Hold your year-end party at ours this Christmas!

Enjoy a menu packed with locally sourced ingredients and full of festive forest flavours. Relax at tables dressed with candles, crackers and all things Christmas. Our extensive range of fine wines, gins, local beers, juices and pressés provides plenty to get you into the Christmas spirit.

3 course festive party menu from 27.95pp Visit our website to view menu

Add sweet treats and coffee for the perfect end to your festive feast £5 per person

For more information or to book a table call 023 8081 2214 or visit bellinn-newforest.co.uk Car parking available

The Bell Inn

Bramshaw, New Forest, Hampshire, SO43 7HE

Add canapés to your festive menu £5.95 per person (3 pieces)

After your Christmas party stay the night for just £69 (Sun-Thurs) or £80 (Fri/Sat) with full New Forest breakfast

CAFÉ DIRECT ORGANICS CHRISTMAS BLEND, £12 Handpicked in Colombia, this quality organic coffee is rich, full bodied with notes of praline and brown sugar From Oxfam Salisbury, 12/14 Catherine Street, Salisbury. www.oxfam.org.uk

SPREAD THE JOY!

CHRISTMAS POLAR BEAR BISCUIT, £3.50 Give a gingerbread biscuit, individually wrapped and ribbon tied. Or pile them high for crunchy yuletide sharing From Juliet Stallwood, Chaldicott Barns, Semley Shaftesbury, Dorset. tel: 07515 882030; www.julietstallwood.co.uk

Locally-sourced delicious treats to adorn your Christmas table

TRACKLEMENTS CRANBERRY, PORT & ORANGE SAUCE, £3.20 As red and rosy as a cherub’s cheeks, this bright, fruity sauce is jollity in a pot From A Pritchett & Son, 5 Fish Row, Salisbury. tel: 01722 324346

FRANCIS CHEESE, £31.90 FOR 1KG Based on Lyburn’s Stoney Cross, with a silky smooth and buttery paste, and pungent and mature depth to the taste From www.lyburnfarm.co.uk / www.thecheeseshed.com

38 I SALISBURY LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

KRUG GRANDE CUVÉE NV, £165 A king of champagnes with the aromas of baking brioche, coconut, candied citrus and leather picking up roasted coffee and grilled nuts on the palate From Cambridge Wine Merchants Salisbury, 5 Winchester Street, Salisbury. tel: 01722 324486; www.cambridgewine.com

ED’S CHOICE WILTSHIRE CHRISTMAS LIQUEUR, £25 Use as a post-shopping pick-me-up or pour over your mince pies for a similarly restorative effect From Wiltshire Liqueur; www.wiltshireliqueur.com

TEAPIGS IN A TIN, £7.95 20 spiced winter red tea temples in a gorgeous air-tight clip top seal storage tin. Just add biscuits when empty From Well Natural, 15 Queen Street, Salisbury tel: 01722 335965; www.wellnatural.co.uk

CAKE TOPPERS, £2.50 FOR 12 Make all your bakes Christmas ready with assorted seasonal edible wafer toppers From The Cake Forge, 2 The Maltings, Salisbury. tel: 01722 239249; www.thecakeforge.com TEN ACRE POPCORN, £1.25 Aunty Winifred’s handcooked sweet and salty popcorn, for those who like both seasonings From Goodfayre, Crosskeys, 17 Queen Street, Salisbury. tel: 01722 324235; www.goodfayre.co.uk

CHRISTMAS CAKE SLAB, £7.95 Rich fruit topped with thick almond marzipan and a layer of royal icing From Reeve the Baker, 2 Butcher Row Salisbury. tel: 01722 320 367; www.reevethebaker.co.uk

www.mediaclash.co.uk I SALISBURY LIFE I 39

THE MAYFLY

The Greyhound Inn at Wilton

CELEBRATE EARLY & SAVE 20% We’re experts in making your Christmas, so why not celebrate early with us?

Book for the 3rd, 4th, 10th or 11th December to enjoy a 20% discount.

Simply make your choices from our Christmas menus on our website, then make your booking online, call or email.

The Mayfly, F ul l erton, Stock bri dge SO 2 0 6 A X 01264 860283 | m a yf l yf ul l erton. co . u k Only 4 miles from Stockbridge

Wonderful food • Local produce Relaxed atmosphere • Cask ales • Fine wines Accommodation • Bed & Breakfast For accommodation and food reservations please call

01722 744050 4, Market Place, Wilton, Salisbury SP2 0HT info@greyhoundinnwilton • greyhoundinnwilton.com

E N J OY A TA ST E O F I TA LY T H I S C H R I STM A S Christmas lunch

Christmas dinner

from ÂŁ9.95 with a glass of wine

from ÂŁ24.99

Our cuisine means authenticity, assurance and rigorous attention to obtain the finest quality.

68 Castle Street, Salisbury SP1 3TS | 01722 324 350 | grillado.co.uk

Delicious Indian street food in relaxed surroundings Enjoy Rasheed and Dipender’s exciting menus along with Chef Kumar’s 25 years of experience. Ever-changing menus made with locally sourced ingredients and fine craft ales.

90 Crane Street, Salisbury, Wiltshire SP1 2QD 01722 329700 cafediwali.com

THE MESS

Messums Wiltshire has made café food an art form as SARAH MOOLLA discovers

A

Messums Wiltshire eaterie was always going to have be a cut above your average café to suit the majesty of the Tisbury art space. Housed in a vast and majestic 14th century tithe barn, it is the country cousin of Mayfair’s Messums London, and despite only having opened just two years ago, the gallery’s cross genre cultural offerings including sculpture, art, dance, talks, and music.

The Mess, established 2017, sits alongside the new gallery extension and is clean, chic and brimming with contemporary art and yet, thanks to the lovely Mess staff, emanates a warm welcome. We arrive on a crisp, cold, sunshine-and-blue-sky day, which even without experiencing the food, would have been a day well spent.

The exhibitions, the art, the sculptures, the aesthetics, everything about Messums is substantial, absorbing and beautiful And as it turns out, so is their café. Classic dishes are imaginatively reinterpreted and there’s a considered

44 I SALISBURY LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

presentation to each plate, but without compromising on portion size. The lunch time menu includes seriously grown-up sausage rolls made with freshly ground locally reared pork, mixed with apricot and spices and then wrapped in flaky, buttery puff pastry. There’s a freshly baked three cheese quiche, combining mature cheddar, brie and a Dorset blue vinney in a puff pastry case, served with a fresh green salad and watermelon radish. My mushrooms on toast are actually four types of meaty Japanese fungi, sautéed in garlicky olive oil, and piled high on a slice of toasted focaccia which is then drizzled with a coconut cream infused with galangal, chilli and lime leaves. The result is lightly Asiatic, totally autumnal, and decidedly moreish.

My fellow diner opts for a salad but her seemingly summertime choice is a toasty, winter season, triumph.

Warm roasted heirloom rainbow carrots are paired with squeaky, pan fried halloumi mixed with dressed salad leaves, garden-fresh herbs, a rich pomegranate molasses

restaurant

and is studded with jewel-like pomegranates seeds that pop with a refreshing sweetness.

The smoked mackerel kedgeree is a beautiful blazing work of art – the saffron yellow of the Indian spiced rice holds hefty quarters of free range, orange-yolked, boiled egg, dressed and garnished with Thai sweet basil, and daubed with spots of sharp pickled red onion relish. This visual and tasting delight comes on an emerald green bed of lightly steamed, succulent samphire, bringing a whisper of salt.

To finish it’s a pot of green tea and a carefully curated selection of freshly baked cakes. There’s sticky and nutty almond, hazelnut, and cranberry Turkish fig; a huge pillow of aerated banana bread muffin, speckled with poppy seeds and infused with a toffee maple warmth; and a spicy ginger cake with cinnamon cream cheese topping so thick, so you can see post-bite teeth marks, which is exactly how it should be.

The Mess will, just like its gallery counterpart, take root in the very landscape of this lush and increasingly fashionable corner of the Nadder Valley. It’s where tweed meets trendy, and where the DFLs talk about bringing London-ways to Wiltshire bumpkins, and by the looks of it, dogs. There are dogs everywhere at Messums Wiltshire. Little dogs, big dogs. Dogs with obedient owners, and dogs who appear to have just turned up on their own to enjoy the current exhibition of Brian Taylor’s powerful and purposeful figurative and animal sculptures. There’s even an altercation in the restaurant when two dogs, who it would seem have some sort of history, angrily go for each other. A few tables nearly get upturned, there’s some muted muttering and grabbing of collars of the adversarial mutts who continue to growl and lunge. If you love dogs, I guess this is all fine, and if you don’t, well, it is less so.

However Messums Wiltshire doesn’t feel like the sort of place that would tolerate any anti-dog talk, so we all politely put a muzzle on it, and get on with appreciating the rest of Messums. n

“Aerated banana bread muffin speckled with poppy seeds and infused with a toffee maple warmth” Dining details The Mess Restaurant, Messums Wiltshire, Place Farm, Court St, Tisbury, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP3 6LW. tel: 01747 445042, www.messumswiltshire.com Kitchen opening hours Wednesday to Friday 10am­-2.30pm, Saturday 10am­3.30pm, Sunday 10am-­3pm Names of chefs head chef: Sunny Sin, sous chef: Verity Ockenden Type of food served The emphasis is on Australasian flavours Atmosphere The cultured gentry and their trusty pooches Covers 34 inside, 15 outside Mains Between £7.50–£13 Disability access Yes Good to know The Mess now hosts monthly Supper Clubs

www.mediaclash.co.uk I SALISBURY LIFE I 45

food & drink news

CHRISTMAS WRAPPING

Want Christmas all wrapped up? The York Roast Co. Salisbury is about to make your wishes come true! Karl Wellbelove, manager of the family-run business on Butcher Row, explains, “The YorkyPig Festive Wrap is traditional Christmas vegetables, stuffing, mulled cranberry red cabbage, cranberry sauce, thick gravy, and pork all wrapped up in a crispy, giant Yorkshire pudding as an eight-inch whopper. The YorkyPud Christmas Wrap was a huge hit last year, and this is proving even more popular with our Salisbury customers.”

For more: www.theyorkroastco.com

HOT STUFF!

Some of the food that helps make Cafe Diwali a clear winner and inset, Rasheed with the award

Cafe Diwali has been named the ‘Casual Dining Restaurant of the Year’ after beating off hot competition from nationwide restaurants. The Crane Street curry house was recognised at the prestigious Asian Curry Awards, which were held at Park Lane’s Grosvenor Hotel in Mayfair on 18 November.

Owner and chef Rasheed says, “We are delighted, thrilled and very surprised to win.

We really want to thank our customers for their support and will always do our best for them.”

For more: www.cafediwali.com

Karl talks wraps

far left: Andrew with daughter Wendy; left: Ernie helps tell the tale of Courtyard Marketplace with his dog’s blog; right: Bespoke Christmas hampers can be ordered

A DOG’S TALE

A new foodie shop has opened up in Wilton Shopping Village specialising in artisan and gluten-free produce. Along with Chilli Billy Jelly, Otter Vale mustards, and Artisan Grains, the family-run Courtyard Marketplace, which opened up in March this year, sells handmade gifts and cards.

Owner Andrew Payne, who works with wife Gill, daughters Wendy and Helen, and Ernie their black mini schnauzer, explains, “We

started out working together in 2016 when my daughter Wendy and her husband set up a café and were trying to source great artisan produce. We all enjoyed this side of it so much, we set up the store.”

Ernie the dog has also proven to be quite an asset to the firm and has even started his own blog, charting the shop’s success.

For more: www.thecourtyardmarketplaceontour.com

www.mediaclash.co.uk I SALISBURY LIFE I 47

Jonathan GreenAntiques

WANTED Gold & Silver ANY QUANTITY ANY CONDITION

POCKET WATCHES • CHAINS • BRACELETS • RINGS • GOLD COINS • DENTAL GOLD • OLD TROPHIES • CUTLERY • TRAYS • SALVERS • ALL ITEMS OF SCRAP SILVER

jg@jonathangreenantiques.co.uk www.jonathangreenantiques.co.uk

01722 332635

The Antique Market, (rear of ground floor) 37 Catherine Street, Salisbury SP1 2DH

An inspirational full interior design service which includes, design, consultancy, project management, showhomes, installation and home staging to maximise sale potential.

Also offering various interior design workshops to learn the essentials. Contact Elaine to book a place!

For more information please call Elaine on 01722 501701 or 07919124382 elaine@aboxoftricks.com | www.aboxoftricks.com

ROCK STAR

Meet Henry Gray who has carved a name for himself in the world of stone masonry

H

enry Gray, who has worked on Salisbury Cathedral, describes himself as a stone mason, letter cutter, carver and teacher. His company, Gray’s Stone Carving Studio, is a small family firm which provides stonework of all kinds, specialising in the design and production of memorials, gravestones, inscriptions and the teaching of stone carving. We catch up with Henry in his Bowerchalke studio...

And the inspiration to pursue stone carving as a career?

Can you tell us a little about yourself?

That must be so incredible to see your work on the Cathedral where it will be admired by thousands of people…

I was born in Bristol, and moved to Salisbury more than 20 years ago to work on the restoration of the West Front of Salisbury Cathedral.

You have a fascinating job, how did that come about?

As it happens many of my family members are artisans, so I grew up with the idea that making beautiful things was normal.

Have you had any other jobs?

Lots – when I left school I went into the merchant navy until the age of 21. After that I worked in the theatre; I also learnt holistic massage and reiki; and I’ve worked with a goldsmith.

50 I SALISBURY LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

The inspiration to get into stone carving was from a friend who gently pushed me through the gates of Weymouth College, where I joined the course for fun. The idea caught fire, and a 15-hour-aweek course, became a 40-hour-a-week obsession.

What was the first thing you carved?

The first thing I carved after college was a ball flower on a plinth on the West Front of Salisbury Cathedral.

The Cathedral is where I continued to learn my craft. It was very exciting to be carving and working alongside such excellent craftsmen.

Tell us a little about Gray’s Stone Carving – how did that come about?

The company was born out of hiring a space to carve a sculpture in for myself, as a hobby.

I gradually started taking on commissions, between working for other masonry firms and conservation companies. Eventually I decided to change the hobby into a business, and in 2000, I became a sole trader.

main image: Henry’s work displays a warmth and humour; below: There’s a tactile quality to the stone carvings

marvellous makers

“I grew up with the idea that making beautiful things was normal” Did that change things for you?

Not really – the enjoyment of the work has never left me. I love being able to work and teach in our studio in Bowerchalke. The advantage is the variety of work, every job and client is different, and there is the possibility of choosing the work I want to do and can keep my own hours. One slight disadvantage might be the long hours.

Also, to be honest, I’m not keen on tax returns and administration. It’s not my skill set and what business acumen I have, has been hard won.

However clarity in finances gives peace of mind, freeing up space for creativity.

What was your first commissioned work?

It was an oak leaves and acorn relief panel for a garden wall on the Town Path in Salisbury.

Is there any particular item you are most proud of?

I enjoy seeing the happy and positive responses from clients on seeing the final product after spending time with them creating a memorial, inscription or sculpture. One item that stands out for me as something I am very proud of is a gravestone for a young woman, who died unexpectedly at the age of 21. I worked with her parents to make an unusual and fitting gravestone for her, which involved painted carvings of an Aboriginal design.

Tell us a little about the teaching aspect to your work..

I really enjoy teaching. Apart from instructing people how to use the tools, the reality of what

clockwise from left: Henry practising his craft; the studio also hosts workshops and classes with Henry; Henry’s work can be seen at Salisbury Cathedral; oak leaves and acorn design was one of Henry’s first commission

I do is about encouraging them to reach their potential. People believe all sorts of odd things about themselves, and arrive saying things like, ‘I’m not creative’, ‘I’m not artistic’, and ‘I’m not practical’. It’s very rare for any of these things to be true. I enjoy encouraging, teasing, supporting people through these beliefs to a point where people don’t just think they can carve, they see that they can from the evidence in front of them.

What are the changes you’ve seen in your line of work?

slow. One of the things that has happened over the last hundred years is the resurgence of the hand cut and drawn calligraphic and Roman letter.

Do you have carvings in your own home?

We have various sculptures in and around the house, made by myself and my family. Most of the walls are covered in pictures and paintings.

Outside our front door is a life size angel in Portland stone.

The bigger masonry firms are using CNC [Computer Numerical Control] machines to cut stone, which is amazing. However in some ways it hasn’t changed at all, there are tools that I use that are exactly the same as the masons and carvers used more than a thousand years ago.

What are your plans for the future?

Is stone masonry a craft unaffected by trends and fashion?

For more: Gray’s Stone Carving Studio, Knowle Farm, Bowerchalke, SP5 5BP. tel: 01722 341372; www.grays-stone-carving.co.uk

The trends in masonry and carving tend to be

Over the next five years I hope to employ someone to do administration, which would help make time to do three large carvings for myself.

I’d also like to employ an apprentice, and teach military veterans the art of stone carving. n

www.mediaclash.co.uk I SALISBURY LIFE I 51

Need help at home?

We have Time For You. For help with personal care, housework, sitting and more call:

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WARDEN ASSISTED HOUSING If you are retired you may be eligible for sheltered accommodation with Salisbury City • Safe, warm and Almshouse & comfortable flats Welfare • Warden support Charities.

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If you qualify for Housing Benefit you may only have to pay a small contribution towards the weekly cost of living in an almshouse.

For further information look at our website: www.salisburyalmshouses.co.uk or call: 01722 325640

PEOPLE

I am always looking for fabric that is a bit different

MY DESK

Chairs: 1000 Masterpieces of Modern Design, 1800 to the Present Day has so many inspiring examples of chairs

I enjoy an Earl Grey tea going cold in my favourite Gaudi mug from Barcelona

SUSANNE DOOR Desk photo by JOHN ROSE

The wooden owl and tiny brass hare are gifts from my daughters when they cut the ribbon to open my studio

With the work I do, hand cream is a must, and I like to have my nails painted!

My fountain pen is always filled with turquoise ink for notes and letters

Leather finger covers protect me from all the handsewn work

S

usanne Door is an interior designer and the owner of Upholstery By Susanne, which she set up five years ago. Based in Wilton Shopping Village, her business offers a renovation and reupholstery service for both traditional and contemporary furniture. ■

For more: Upholstery by Susanne, Unit 12, Wilton Shopping Village, Wilton, Salisbury SP2 0RS; www.bysusanne.co.uk

I always need a pack of Haribos handy

www.mediaclash.co.uk I SALISBURY LIFE I 53

SCENE AC ROSS SA L ISBU RY, O N E SH I N D I G AT A T I M E Sarah Hunt, Heidi Upton and Robin Pitkin

Robert and Josh Davies

Izzy Dixon-Clegg, Eric Parker, Sophie Mills, Adrian Matthews, Alice Rawdon-Mogg, and Chris Jowett

Claire Ireland, Simon Hedges, Kate Hedges, Stephen Bartlett, Sue Bailey, Jerry Bailey, Joanne Bartlett, and Rob Snook Charlie Vivian and Selina Shannon-Eyers

FARMED OUT

Emily Wilton, Stephen Noble and Tina Morris

The Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution Wiltshire Committee hosted a charity race night at Bowerchalke Barn on 26 September.

The 85 guests raised £2,100, with the help of Salisbury Livestock Market’s Charlie Coleman, who was the auctioneer for the evening, and compere Andrew Hodder of Whitehead Vizard Solicitors who were the main event’s sponsor.

Photos by Adrian Harris www.adrianharrisphotography.co.uk

Lucy Mather, Raymond King, Phoebe Wreford-Glanvill, James Berry, Jenna Copp and Aaron Kew

54 I SALISBURY LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

The beautiful Bowerchalke Barn

Music on the lawn

Harriet Corp, David Pardoe, Lizzy Norman and James Mackenzie

Donald and Caroline Anderson

Lulu Egerton and Sarah Moolla Mr Sloane Hickman

Andrew Reis, Tom Reis and Rhodri Thomas

ADDED VALUE

Arundells played host to the Strutt & Parker and Christie’s Valuation Day on 13 September. Christie’s experts gave free valuations of many items brought in by visitors including Chinese works of art,19th century paintings, silver pieces, and exquisite jewellery. Along with drinks, canapés and string quartet on the lawn, there were open tours of the Arundells house and its outstanding fine art collection.

Photos by Adrian Harris www.adrianharrisphotography.co.uk

Rebecca Pearce, Gail Shepherd-Cross and Jane Reeve Tim Moulding, Fred Cook and Bev Moulding

Mrs Adrian Farquhar and Mrs Sloane Hickman

www.mediaclash.co.uk I SALISBURY LIFE I 55

SOCIETY

Nathan Woods, Olie Kemp and Ed Hampton-Davies

Matt Jeffery and Edward Jeffery

MOTOR WAYS

Salisbury City Council held its very ďŹ rst Car Fest in September. Held in the Market Place and Guildhall the free event celebrated all things car including rally cars, luxe sports, and classic models. There was also live music from local band Break Cover throughout the day and street food for the car enthusiasts to enjoy.

Photos by Adrian Harris www.adrianharrisphotography.co.uk

Becky and Tim Partridge

Mark Wright

Harrison Brown, Lola Garry and Tracy Brown Tracy Whittle and Alun Wright

56 I SALISBURY LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

Simon and Lola Tregunna

Nigel and Owen Pass

Find Your Voice

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Campbell Road, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP1 3BQ | 01722 333094 | www.leehurstswan.org.uk |

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health & Beauty

left: The MLD massage is light of touch;

above: Suzanne favours Neal’s Yard Products for facials

THE GENTLE TOUCH

CLARE MACNAUGHTON takes a break from moving house to enjoy some downtime at Suzanne Rawle Therapies

I

am downsizing and I don’t mean losing weight. I mean that I am moving from a larger home into a smaller home against the tick, tock of the clock. It, as you can imagine, is very stressful, so I jumped at the chance to be able to visit Suzanne Rawle’s Reflexology & Complementary Therapy treatment room. Just talking about the options with Suzanne induces a sense of calm and peace I haven’t felt for months. Together, we decide on a Manual Lymphatic Drainage (MLD) massage to help alleviate the stress of my current huge undertaking.

Suzanne Rawle is an experienced, awardwinning complementary therapist and lymphatic drainage practitioner offering a range of holistic treatments including lymphatic drainage, massage, reflexology, holistic facials, and reiki, all from her therapy room located in her home on a pretty country estate in Bodenham, just south of Salisbury.

It is an old mill house and manages to invoke an atmosphere that is both welcoming and tranquil – from the thick, shag pile carpets to her lilac treatment room overlooking the lush estate grounds beset by blazing autumnal colours.

Highly qualified, Suzanne is a member of a number of governing bodies and makes sure that her knowledge is kept up-to-date on a regular basis to ensure her practice is current

and in-the-know with the latest practices and techniques. She specialises in the famous Dr Vodder technique of lymphatic drainage – a treatment created to boost the lymphatic system, which in turn helps the symptoms of a number of conditions including auto-immune illnesses, migraine, water retention, sinusitis acne and other skin conditions. Plus it is said to have a calming effect on the parasympathetic nervous system helping to relieve both stress and tension.

The treatment requires me to strip down to my underwear, lie down on the massage table, and be covered in soft towels and a fleece blanket. Gentle music is playing and I feel instantly more relaxed. Suzanne’s soothing tones make me feel very at ease as she explains in more detail about the massage method she will be using. The MLD technique deploys a light, repetitive skin stretching movement. Suzanne gently manipulates my skin in a specific direction and sequence to help accelerate the rate at which the lymphatic fluid reaches the appropriate lymph node groups for filtration and decongestion of the tissues. It feels as if butterflies are dancing over my body and occasionally, throughout the hour I drift off

and sleep lightly. This light touch technique encourages fluid into the lymphatics for absorption and removal in manner that could not occur with a deep compression.

Manual Lymphatic Drainage can be successfully used for aesthetic and dermatological indications, in wound healing and sports medicine, and to treat a variety of conditions such as pain, arthritis, bursitis, tendonitis, chronic head and neck tension, migraines as well as other conditions that create swelling. It can also be highly effective in treating autoimmune conditions such as fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus and more. Some research has found that MLD also speeds up the interstitial fluid’s filtering process through the lymph nodes, which can increase detoxification rates by up to 30 percent.

Having also qualified in MLD therapy levels II and III, Suzanne, who uses Neal’s Yard Remedies Organics products for her holistic facials, is also a practitioner in decongestive lymphatic therapy, which enables her to treat and manage the symptoms for clients living with lymphoedema and lipoedema.

The treatment although very light of touch, is incredibly and deeply relaxing. At home, on the same night as the massage, I enjoy a deeper night’s sleep than usual and 72 hours on, I notice that some leg bruising on my shins due to poor circulation, has cleared up. The treatment has lifted my mood, raised my energy levels, directly benefitted my health – all it needs now is to do my packing for me, and my life would be complete! n

“It feels as if butterflies are dancing over my body”

Clare’s Manual Lymphatic Drainage treatment costs from £38. For more Suzanne Rawle, Longford Park, Salisbury SP5 4EG. tel: 07870 517338; www.suzierawle.wixsite.com

www.mediaclash.co.uk I salisbury LIFE I 61

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businessinsider salisbury gets serious

Quote of the issue

“My immediate response was shock, that this was something from a spy novel” Wiltshire Council's Pauline Church talks us through the shocking events of this year Use the Salisbury Gift Card at The Cosy Club

CHRISTMAS CARDs 120 Salisbury businesses welcome the BID’s Gift Card

M

ore than 120 citycentre businesses are encouraging shoppers and employers to buy the Salisbury Gift Card as Christmas presents this year. Launched by Salisbury Business Improvement District (BID) in June, the card is designed to support local consumer spending and keep money in the city.

BID chief executive Robin McGowan explains, “Thousands of pounds has already been spent by cardholders in participating shops, cafés, bars, restaurants and other businesses. With Christmas on the way, we are urging more employers in and around the city to consider offering the card to employees. It’s an ideal opportunity to reward staff with a Christmas bonus and say thank you for their work this year

or to honour long service over a period of years. Everyone will be buying Christmas presents over the coming weeks and the gift card is a perfect way to keep some of that spending within Salisbury.”

The card, which can be purchased online, or in person at the Information Centre in Fish Row, Salisbury Playhouse, and Salisbury Museum, operates the same way as any other store

The Big Number

£7,000

Turn to page 66 to read about funds raised for Salisbury Hospital

gift card and is pre-loaded with spending options from £10 to £500. Shoppers can readily see if businesses are taking part as each has a branded window sticker on display. Local stores and independents signed up to accept the card include Pritchetts Butchers, Fisherton Mill, Shirley Snells and Allum & Sidaway.

For more: www.salisburygiftcard.co.uk

mediaclash.co.uk 115

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BUSINESS INSIDER

How important is serving the community to you?

I live for this – my purpose is to make a positive difference. Wiltshire Council in my view is corporate life with a heart. Our role is communities – how we support and help them to be strong and healthy.

Are there negative perceptions about the work you do?

People generally only see what the council does when it impacts on them personally. Often the really good work that the council does, particularly for those people that need a safety net, goes unnoticed.

PAULINE CHURCH

Pauline is Wiltshire Council cabinet member for economy and South Wiltshire recovery. Here she talks us through the challenges Salisbury has faced over the last year and how the city will move onwards and upwards…

What is your personal connection to Salisbury?

I was born in Elgin in Scotland from a military family. I moved to Salisbury more than 40 years ago.

What were you like at school?

And what were your favourite subjects?

I went to Westwood St Thomas School, which is now known as Sarum Academy. I would describe myself as sporty and shy, with a love of art and history.

Did you have a career plan?

No, not at all. I left school at 16 and completed a secretarial course at Salisbury, before going on to train as an accountant. My last corporate

job was six years ago where I was the vice president at JP Morgan providing global investor solutions for hedge fund clients.

What was that like?

The role was challenging, hugely interesting and highly creative. I’m a risk taker and take any opportunity that comes my way, and I never shy away from a challenge or hard work.

I now run my own creative retail business in Salisbury and Wilton.

How and when did you join Wiltshire Council?

I was elected in 2017. My first role was as a portfolio member for children’s safeguarding. I was asked to join the cabinet in May this year.

Can you talk us through your personal experience during these recent challenging and unprecedented times?

It was clear very quickly that we were dealing with a major incident in Salisbury. My immediate response was shock, that this was something from a spy novel, it wasn’t something that happened in my hometown.

What was the priority?

It was to provide reassurance to the local community and to ensure support to those directly affected by the incident. We held community meetings and offered one-to-one support for local businesses so that we could answer questions and provide information where it was needed.

What were the particular bad times during this period?

The death of Dawn Sturgess following the second incident in Amesbury was terrible and so, so sad. It came just as Salisbury was starting to get back on its feet and it affected everyone deeply.

How do you think the city has been coping?

Salisbury has been through the most challenging time this year. In the face of adversity, the way the local communities have pulled together and been so stoic and resilient is testament to our county and its community spirit. There is a strong sense of purpose and commitment

to help return to normal and rebuild confidence. All the partners and organisations across the city are united and focused on how together we take south Wiltshire forward.

“I LIVE FOR THIS – MY PURPOSE IS TO MAKE A POSITIVE DIFFERENCE” Talk us through putting Salisbury back on the map for all the right reasons…

Salisbury has global recognition.

The priority is to make sure that Salisbury and Amesbury move forward and can be even better than before. Working together we can restore confidence and attract shoppers and visitors, and showcase just what makes our city and town so attractive and special, and the place to visit. We are focused on raising awareness of what this beautiful city offers and why tourists and visitors should come – for example the amazing Christmas market and ice rink. We are also looking at long-term plans to regenerate the city and create a cultural area and enhanced retail offerings.

What’s in the calendar for 2019 to help facilitate this?

We will see the return of the OVO Cycle Tour Series in May, and in June we are delighted that the city has been chosen to host National Armed Forces Day. This nationally acclaimed event is expected to attract 250,000 visitors over the three-day programme of events and entertainment. It will recognise and celebrate our Armed Forces and the support provided this year to Salisbury and Amesbury to get them back to normal.

For more: www.wiltshire.gov.uk

www.mediaclash.co.uk MEDIACLASH.CO.UK I SALISBURY LIFE 117 I 65

NEWS STORIES Our pick of the most exciting, intriguing or important local business stories happening right now Charlie and his family received a much-needed boost during his treatment

Movers and shakers etc

Enjoying a Christmas tipple at Casa Fina

HOME HELP A Salisbury family, who stayed at a charity Home from Home whilst their son was undergoing gruelling cancer treatment, are backing an appeal to transform a former bed and breakfast into a new haven for families of children and young people with cancer, to stay for free, to be near their child.

Charlie Claydon, five, was diagnosed with a rare form of acute myeloid leukaemia, in March 2017, when he was three-years-old. Dad David explains, “Following the shock diagnosis, it was a whirlwind as we were sent via ambulance to Southampton General for scans and tests for suspected leukaemia.

OH CHRISTMAS SPREE!

Reeve the Baker and Casa Fina recently hosted a Gisela Graham Christmas tree decorating evening at the High Street homeware store.There were demonstrations, opportunities to buy decorations and Christmas food, and a raffle in aid of Salisbury Hospice. www.reevethebaker.co.uk | www.casafinasalisbury.co.uk

Charlie then underwent intensive rounds of chemotherapy at Southampton General Hospital.”

The family were able to stay in CLIC Sargent’s Home from Home near to Southampton Hospital for free. David says, “We planted sunflowers together in the garden, and as they grew, Charlie was able to see them from his ward window, peeking over the fence. Without this home, we simply couldn’t have managed keeping our jobs and also being with Charlie throughout his thankfully successful treatment.”

WELLBEING WORKS

For more: www.clicsargent.org.uk

Personnel Placements recently held a dinner to help fundraise for Salisbury District Hospital’s Stars Appeal.

The Salisbury recruitment agency’s marketing director Lynne Rose, who plans to trek the Great Wall of China next April to raise awareness for the charity’s work supporting patient care, explains, “Over 50 people joined us at Salisbury’s Charter 1227 Restaurant where an auction and raffle of a Salisbury Hamper of goodies were up for grabs, as well as enjoying a four-course meal created by local award-winning chef Danny Bozie.”

The night, held on 19 October raised £3,100 bringing Lynne’s fundraising total to £7,000.

For more: www.starsappeal.org

66 I SALISBURY LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

© spencer mulholl and photography

STAR QUALITY

Lynne, far right, with the guests who helped raise funds

Representatives from Salisburybased businesses attended a free seminar at Milford Hall Hotel exploring the issue of improving mental wellbeing at work. Dan Jenkins, managing director of HJS Human Resources, who co-hosted the event on 16 October along with HJS Human Resources and breatheHR, explains, “This isn’t something employers can ignore – absence because of mental health has increased by 72 per cent since 2011.” www.hjshumanresources.co.uk

WINDOW DRESSING

Salisbury BID is running a best dressed Christmas window competition. Nominations will be upload entries to their Facebook page and the public will be invited to vote for their favourite. The photo with the most likes will be the winner and will be announced 10 December. www.facebook.com/salisburybid

BUSINESS INSIDER

LEGAL Q&A Trethowans, MARIANA CRAWFORD looks at what to do once you have found your property Arrange a solicitor and surveyor. The solicitor will deal with the legal side of your property purchase. The surveyor will check for structural problems which may affect the cost of the property.

Both are experts in their own field and will advise you accordingly.

Exchange contracts. Your solicitor will exchange contracts on your behalf once all legal, structural and financial aspects of the transaction have been dealt with and you are happy to proceed. This marks the point when the transaction becomes legally binding and the moving in date is agreed. You must pay a deposit equal to 10% of the purchase price to the seller at this point. You must have sufficient buildings insurance in place from this date onwards.

Final steps before moving in.

Your solicitor will arrange for the mortgage advance to be released and will ask you to pay to balance due for the completion of the transaction on the agreed date.

You will arrange for a removal company to move you in on the day, once you collect the keys from the estate agent.

For more: www.trethowans.com

Five Rivers welcomes its Japanese guests

FOSTERING GOOD RELATIONS The Salisbury-based charity Five Rivers Child Care welcomed Japan’s Welfare Association on 9 October and shared their specialist knowledge.

Pam McConnell, of Five Rivers which provides high quality foster care, explains, “The delegates, who included social workers, care-home managers, psychotherapists and academics, were interested in our research studies and in the way we advocate

integrated care for vulnerable children.”

In Japan, a significant portion of welfare is funded by corporate social responsibility and the group are exploring the mixed economy of care where voluntary, not for profit, state, and the private sector all work together to help improve childcare.

For more; www.five-rivers.org

Honouring those Salisbury heroes

HEROIC ACTS As the momentum builds for the Salisbury’s Local Hero Awards 2019 with hundreds of nominations pouring in, many local businesses have been lending their invaluable support. Among those sponsoring the event, which is being held at The Stone’s Hotel on 18 January, are Rob Beale; Elite Care; Memory Opticians; Cholderton Charlie’s Farm; Northwood; Smith England; Unstuck Design; Nicholas & Harris; HJS Human Resources; Chas H Baker; and Landmarc.

For more: www.spirefm.co.uk

www.mediaclash.co.uk I SALISBURY LIFE I 67

ADVERTISING FEATURE

Bringing peace of mind Bethan Ferguson, Head of the Bright Futures Programme of GODOLPHIN School, talks about lessons in student happiness

W

e know that anxiety, low mood and other mental health difficulties are a growing issue for teenagers. With 50 per cent of mental health problems established by the age of 14, the first few years of secondary school are a vital time to equip students to understand, protect and sustain their mental health throughout their school career and beyond.

So for the last two years, sixth form students at Godolphin School have volunteered to deliver lessons to eleven-year-olds on maintaining good mental health. The Peer Education Project is part of an initiative from the Mental Health Foundation, the charity that started Mental Health Awareness Week in the UK, and it has not only proven to be great fun, but has also made a real difference to student life. The results of the before and after questionnaire reveal: ● 38 per cent increase in students knowing where to get help and support for mental health issues in school ● 24 per cent increase in students knowing how to keep well mentally ● 95 per cent of students feel they would use what they have learned The project introduces mental health as something that we all need to look after and passes on plenty of practical strategies for keeping us on an even emotional keel. All the material and activities used in the project have been developed by teachers and psychologists working for the Mental Health Foundation, and the sixth formers involved have ten hours of training to get to know the material and to understand their role.

The Peer Education Project grew out of an observation that young people benefit from engaging with older students on this issue.

Younger students can relate to sixth formers as having successfully navigated school life; and older students understand the modern pressures of teenage life from the inside.

As one of our younger students says, “I think it was easier that they were close to our age – they understood our feelings and experiences a bit more.”

The older students benefit from this programme as much as the younger students, growing in the confidence that comes from making a difference to another’s life. They also found they were able to embed the same mental health strategies they were teaching in their own everyday lives.

Teens students give a helping hand to their younger counterparts

68 I SALISBURY LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

Finding this ability to cope with the ups and downs of life is essential for students as they face the greater independence of university life and a competitive job market. This rootedness is something employers are looking for too. Qualifications are a key element of the package students need to develop, but breadth and character are vital too – not just for career success, but for happiness in life.

The Elizabeth Godolphin Award, a programme which has been tailor made for Sixth form students, has a diverse menu of extra-curricular activities which encourages students to develop this breadth. Whether they take part in Model United Nations, or BBC School Report, or the Homework Helpdesk, they begin to flex those muscles of long-term commitment that teach resilience.

They also learn that they have something valuable to offer the community that would be missed if they didn’t get involved. As one sixth former says, “It was great fun to work on the Peer Education Project. Godolphin has that sense of community that I haven’t really found anywhere else, and this sort of project brings this out and reinforces it.” ■

Godolphin School, Milford Hill, Salisbury, Wilts, SP1 2RA www.godolphin.org

residential lettings & property management

It’s the little things that count www.piccoloproperty.co.uk 01722 580059

A home in a mill(ion) Elsie Chadwick channels her inner romantic heroine at a characterful Wiltshire mill house 70 I SALISBURY LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

M

oving to the country has never been more popular, judging from the number of television programmes dedicated to finding that perfect rural retreat.

However, does the reality of country life live up to the media hype, offering peace, privacy, glorious views and an abundance of wildlife gambolling through the meadows? In the case of Littlecott Mill – actually, yes it does.

This handsome eighteenth century mill house, situated on the north western edge of the village of Enford, is situated in a tranquil position in gardens and grounds of about 1.9 acres, yet just six miles from Pewsey, from where you can be in London Paddington in about 70 minutes. It’s no surprise to find the delightful River Avon meandering through the grounds – it is a mill house after all – but even so, it’s beguiling just how picturesque the setting proves to be. It’s so easy to visualise picnicking in the water meadows, a glass of wine in one hand, a cucumber

property

sandwich in the other, whiling away a lazy hour or three.

It’s this kind of glorious rural scene that reminds you, Old England isn’t lost forever, despite what some may think, it’s simply been hiding away in Wiltshire.

However, the riverbank isn’t just somewhere to lunch, and to dream; there’s a rugged and an active side to this picture-perfect life – the house comes with extensive fishing rights, including course and trout. If watching the wildlife rather than catching them is more to your taste, then the grounds are profuse with many different species.

The current owners have photographed so many animals here, such as egrets, snipe, otters, and water voles, that several of their images have been featured in Country Life magazine.

While Littlecott Mill steadfastly retains its original charm, it’s also quite happy to take a canter into the twenty first century. For example, the traditional elegance of the drawing room, with French doors leading to the terrace, is offset by what can only be described as a truly jaw-dropping kitchen / breakfast room. At over forty feet in length, it’s capacious enough to invite the entire village

around for coffee and croissants of a Sunday morning; and just imagine the kind of Christmas parties you could hold here – you’ll have no shortage of people who’ll want to stay and help with the washing up afterwards.

Speaking of guests, this is a house which is superbly set up for entertaining. With four reception rooms and six bedrooms, there’s room aplenty for dining, dancing and dozing – and did we mention that there is also a separate self-contained two bedroom cottage situated opposite the main house, with its own private garden and seating area?

As for the master bedroom suite, it’s a unique and luxurious space that immediately invokes a sense of calm and belonging. A beautiful spiral staircase rises from the vast, timbered and vaulted room, ultimately revealing its second floor secret – a private dressing area and bathroom, complete with free-standing roll top bath and separate shower.

From the tumbling rose gardens to the babbling brooks, from the charming period features of the house to standalone island of fruit trees, this is a home to fall in love with for the rest of your life. n

House numbers Bedrooms 6 Reception Rooms 4 Studies 2 Price £1.95 million Bathrooms 4 Separate annex 1 For more: Savills Salisbury, Rolfes House, 60 Milford St, Salisbury. tel: 01722 426880; www.savills.co.uk

www.mediaclash.co.uk I SALISBURY LIFE I 71

Lives

“In my head a symphony resounds, and words help illustrate the music I hear” my own private collection in my London home for private clients.

I also sold my work through Harrods, Harvey Nichols, Fortnam & Mason, and Bergdorf Goodman in New York.

Daniela ManutiusForster The German-born and Salisbury-living artist shares a few insights into her fascinating and colourful life...

Daniela Manutius-Forster is an international artist living and working in Salisbury. Born in post war Germany, Daniela studied in New York before making her home in England in the 1980s. Her work, with its deeply spiritual emphasis, is available from her studio in Fisherton Mill and online at www.saatchiart.com.

Daniela is currently composing an illustrated memoir about her life.

I grew up in what seemed to be a straight–laced suburb of Nuremberg after the war, living in a household of women: my mother, grandmother and myself.

At times there was a silence that embraced evasion, keeping secrets, particularly about my father.

I first went to a Catholic kindergarten, until I was moved to a Montessori school where I was able to relax and be myself.

I loved school, mainly because of the library.

The first thing I can recall drawing was a pine tree branch and a pine cone.

My first job was peeling potatoes, as a summer job, in an industrial kitchen for three months. I was 16.

I stopped studying medicine to go to film school, and as a student I wrote many film columns – something I loved doing.

I worked in Parisian fashion houses, as well as working on

74 I SALISBURY LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

The musician and composer Les Reed asked me to write a lyrical piece for his ‘Symphony in progress’. It was a powerfully creative experience and a special friendship remains. This part of my nature happens very impromptu. I wake up in the middle of the night or early hours of the morning, and in my head a symphony resounds, and words help illustrate the music I hear.

My passion for invention and creating virtual worlds has been a preoccupation of mine since childhood. I’ve come to realise I am a future thinker, with a great interest in historical cultural connections.

Back in 1995, I left London via Switzerland for work with Swarovski, then onto Ischia, and the island of the Bay of Naples where I lived and worked for seven years. My pact was that I would always return to England when I was ready to plant roots and settle. Almost all my life, I have longed to live in the countryside, somewhere in Britain.

I love Salisbury’s sacred history and architecture plus the music, literature and festivals.

I also love the fringes of beautiful countryside that surround the city.

The expression and evolution of my artistic thoughts developed as I explored my curious nature, questioning many experiences I have had, and witnessed others having. The way I live my life is being aware of my

aesthetic sensitivity, like a beautiful symphonic poem.

I am comfortable creating wherever I am. I do love a spacious studio, like an old barn, because then I feel able to paint large pieces. However there is no formula to my creative process, but there is formula in the way I paint, it is alchemistic.

I have creative blocks when I am working in deep levels of the artistic process. They can feel terrible and disruptive.

Singing during these bouts feels good, and releases pain.

I have a few creative collaborations planned, and I’m looking forward to being more involved in the Salisbury arts scene, offering creative ‘heart-art’ workshops, and both afternoon and evening courses.

I’ve had a near death experience. I’m glad to be back with most of my senses intact, and a few are more sensitive than they were before. My dreams since this experience have been very vivid.

My life motto is from Mae West: “You only live once… but if you do it right…once is enough.” n For more: www.manutiusforsterstudios.co.uk

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