Edge Magazine February 2015 Edition (Volume 29)

Edge Magazine February 2015

Warwickshire, Worcestershire, West Midlands and North Cotswolds

(Volume 29) FREE EDITION

The ultimate driving machine BMW 420d: A review

Declutter your style Create a capsule wardrobe Wedding wonder Our top venues

Food & Drink | Culture | Business | Fashion | Lifestyle

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Editorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Note Michael Abu-Zalaf Editor-in-Chief

A

new year often brings new things; new routines, new hobbies and new inspiration.

Mindful living is on many a resolutions list in 2015. And we have two ideas to pare down, savour and save. Our resident style writer Emma Jenkins has all the tips you need to create a capsule wardrobe; selecting sustainable style items to stand the test of time. We also have a list of delectable delis in the area to bring local food back into your store cupboard with the aim to rebalance quality and quantity in the kitchen.

Many couples had more than just the New Year festivities to celebrate this January and with that in mind we have a run down of some of our favourite wedding venues, a master class in tailoring from Adrian Barrows and pre-wedding pampering at the Avocado Rooms, Shipston-on-Stour.

Our creative space this month is filled with the Heather Duncanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fantastic exhibition at Harborne Art Gallery and the funny and compelling play The Honey Man, coming to the REP at the end of this month.

On behalf of the team at Edge, have a great February and we hope to see you all again in March.

If you like what you see in Edge Magazine, please show your support by liking our Facebook page and following us on Twitter, as well as checking out our website at: www.edgemagazine.org

February 2015

3

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Wedding Wonder Our top venues

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Declutter your style Create a capsule wardrobe

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In the kitchen with Bindles, Worcester

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The ultimate driving machine BMW 420d: A review

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Diglis Road, Worcester

Creative Construction McMinn Developments specialise in creating outstanding pieces of architecture. We build and refurbish high-end properties for our own portfolio and are also a building contractor for private clients who want the finest possible results.

We donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t just consider the cost of a project at the point of construction, we consider the ongoing financial and environmental cost of running a building for years to come. By using the most practical and cost effective techniques and processes available, we deliver a sustainable building with truly green credentials that is built to last.

Email info@mcminndevelopments.co.uk mcminndevelopments.co.uk

February 2015

5

If you’re on the lookout for a new home, there’s a great selection from Bovis Homes which offer sought-after locations, modern fittings and a variety of accommodation. Read on for a little inspiration…

Church Meadows, Bromsgrove SHOW HOME The Bromsgrove is a delightful four-bedroom home and one of a range of lovely homes that make up the picturesque Church Meadows development in Worcestershire.

This beautiful home can be found in the heart of the village of Catshill, a thriving community located less than 15 miles from Birmingham.

Accommodation: You won’t want to miss out on your chance to relax and unwind in your very own dual aspect 17ft sitting room with French doors to

the rear garden. You’ll also be able to cook up some mouth watering meals in the open plan kitchen and entertain friends and family in the dining area.

Long queues for the bathroom will be a thing of the past, as an en suite to bedroom one makes for leisurely living. An integrated fridge freezer, washing machine and dishwasher will make everyday chores a breeze, while a useful utility room will provide all the additional storage space you need.

Location: A number of amenities will be located right on your doorstep, as Catshill has its own Post Office, convenience store and bakery. Further independent stores, supermarkets and national brand stores are available in nearby Bromsgrove, including a monthly farmers’ market, while Birmingham’s Bullring has more than 160 leading shops. For further leisure opportunities, Bromsgrove’s Astrix is a cinema, music, theatre and comedy venue that’s well worth a visit.

Opening times: Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 5pm Phone: 0845 230 1216

Church Meadows | Catshill | Bromsgrove | Worcestershire | B61 0JY

Your search ends here...

You’ll find a superb range of Bovis Homes in Central England If the idea of a beautiful home in a great location is what you’re looking for then your search ends here.

Oldbury

Great Barr

Brook Road B68 8NA 2 and 3 bedroom homes from £117,995

Queslett Road B43 7EY 3, 4, 5 and 6 bedroom homes from £189,995 - £459,995

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Droitwich Spa

Help to Buy

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Worcester Road WR9 8AY 5 bedroom homes from £349,995 - £429,995

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0845 230 1014 Eden Park

0845 230 1219

Church Meadows Church Lane, Catshill B61 0JY 3 and 4 bedroom homes from £199,995

0845 230 8351

Nether Hall Park

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Stratford Leys

Ask about our purchase assistance schemes

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Bishopton Lane CV37 0UG 3, 4 and 5 bedroom homes from £269,995 - £569,995

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Coming soon:

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www.bovishomes.co.uk

Illustration and photographs depict typical Bovis Homes. *The Help to Buy scheme has specific terms and conditions and is subject to affordability criteria as prescribed by the homes and communities agency. Not to be used in conjunction with another purchase assistance scheme. Purchase assistance schemes are subject to terms, conditions and availability, are not available in conjunction with any other offer and are on selected plots and developments. YOUR HOME MAY BE REPOSSESSED IF YOU DO NOT KEEP UP REPAYMENTS ON YOUR MORTGAGE. Please see sales advisor for further details.

Contents PRODUCTION

Royal Leamington Spa

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Through the lens

12

Editorial

Sharp dressed man

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Wedding wonder

19

Declutter your style

24

A luxury collection

26

Moisturiser management

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Lucinda Bunn - Copy Editor @lucindabunn lucinda@edgemagazine.org

Find time for you

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Staying active

30

Do the detox

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Megan Ace - Content Editor @Megannelsey Megan@edgemagazine.org

Delectable delis

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Michael Abu-Zalaf - Editor in Chief @ZalafAbu michael@edgemagazine.org Tel:07809 702 992

Complex flavours and generous spicing 36 Success for Peelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

38

In the kitchen with

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The local kitchen

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Jackie Kamara - Warwickshire Sales @EdgeMag_Jackie jackie@edgemagazine.org Tel: 07834 538 284

Edwards Bar and Kitchen

44

The golden age

46

A hidden gem

48

Eat well and share the surplus

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Steve Picker - Worcestershire Sales @EdgeMag_Steve steve@edgemagazine.org Tel:07515 493 703

Bee is for beauty

54

The buzz about bees

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Plot to plate

57

From discarded to desirable

60

Lucie Abu-Zalaf - West Midlands Sales @LucieLincolnLew lucie@edgemagazine.org Tel:07714 490 943

Hidden treasures

63

Seeing is not always believing

64

The ultimate driving machine

66

Growing ambitions

68

Tax-efficient giving

70

Worked up

72

A slightly kinked world view

74

Black Champagne: A review

76

Pop of culture

77

Sales

Could this be you?

North Cotswolds Sales @EdgeMag_your name yourname@edgemagazine.org Tel: Call Michael if you spot this and would be interested in the position!

CONTRIBUTORS Laura Clay Becky Burden Mel Taffs Steve Picker Adrian Barrows

Mike Stafford Tom Ware Lucie Abu-Zalaf Hilary Collins Emma Jenkins`

WRITE TO US MLP Publishing Ltd 9 Salters Court Galton Way Hadzor Droitwich Worcestershire WR9 7EZ

info@edgemagazine.org www.edgemagazine.org

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Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s on at the theatres this February 78

A L L

T H E

magic ingredients F O R

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P E R F E C T V A L E N T I N E â&#x20AC;&#x2122; S M O T H E R â&#x20AC;&#x2122; S

& D A Y

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Nothing gives us a better opportunity to show-off our love for food than preparing the food of love. But itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not just about exciting the palette with our imaginative dishes. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also about the accompanying details, a selection of fine wines and real ales plus a polished and discreet service.

Book now and let our award-winning gastro team make this Valentineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s & Motherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day extra special.â&#x20AC;?

Sean Boyne Head Chef at The Stag

Welsh Road, Offchurch, Leamington Spa, Warks; CV33 9AQ. Tel: 01926 425801 www.thestagatoffchurch.com

West Midlands & Wales region Great British Pub Awards 2014

Les Routiers 2014

Myton Road, Leamington Spa, Warks; CV31 3NY. Tel: 01926 425043 www.themoorings.co.uk

1 Droitwich Road, Feckenham, Redditch, Worcs; B96 6JE. Tel: 01527 894422 www.theforestatfeckenham.com

Hospitality Awards 2014 Finalist

Eagle Star Awards 2012 Winner

February 2015

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Royal Leamington Spa A great place to shop, eat, drink and enjoy

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n preparation for our upcoming feature on independent businesses in Leamington Spa, we take a look at some of the great things which this town has to offer. Nestled in the heart of central Warwickshire is Royal Leamington Spa; a town steeped in Georgian and Edwardian architecture, wide boulevards, expansive parks and a treasure-trove of independent shops. Join us as we take you on a tour of the best places to visit, eat, drink and sleep in this picturesque town.

Grab a bite

Rest your head

With a multitude of alluring bistros, quintessential English pubs, cool bars and a rich choice of restaurants there’s plenty to tempt your taste buds; whether it’s just for a quick snack or a gourmet dinner.

Sample the delights of Cuba at Havana Casa de Café; home to the best Cuban coffee in Warwickshire. Sit back, relax and enjoy the fine art as you peruse the mouth-watering menu. Offering a delicious selection of delicatessen starters, quality light lunches, all day breakfasts, daily specials and an array of desserts and cakes this unique venue is definitely worth a visit.

Whether you fancy getting away for a short break or just a stop over one night, Royal Leamington Spa offers guests a medley of stunning locations. Located on Upper Holly Walk, you’ll find Leamington’s Episode Hotel, boasting 31 bedrooms, each individually decorated and furnished.

All rooms accommodate en-suite facilities, remote control TV, direct dial telephone, free Wi-Fi, tea and coffee facilities, ironing facilities, hairdryer, complimentary toiletries and 24 hour room service. All overnight accommodation also includes a full English breakfast unless otherwise stated.

Alternately if you prefer dining in a restaurant the Seasons restaurant may just be the perfect spot for you.

Let Leamington entertain you

This good, honest, family business serves a variety of cutting edge dishes at appealing prices; all of which use locally sourced ingredients, helping to establish locally based, self-reliant food economies. Each week a number of specials are served including a Tuesday steak night, Friday fish special and a midweek madness deal.

On March 15th the restaurant will also be holding a special Irish themed lunchtime treat with Irish dancing, music and Irish themed food.

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With theatres, music venues and cinemas throughout the town, Royal Leamington Spa holds the promise of an entertaining evening out.

From local theatre productions to internationally-renowned bands, you’ll be sure to find a great night out to suit your taste and budget. The theatre and cinema complex is dedicated to bringing the best available entertainment to audiences in the local area and from afar as well as playing host to a number of local amateur arts and drama groups alongside other community organisations.

February 2015

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Through the lens A photographer’s guide to wedding bliss Lucinda Bunn

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n the past decade, we’ve seen an explosion of some of the most beautiful and inspiring wedding photography since it became tradition.

There aren’t many other types of photography that require such a high degree of versatility because, even with their common threads, every wedding is different. A wedding photographer, as an artist, sees what others don’t.

With experience behind the camera, a trusted wedding photographer has an eye for what works. So we caught up with wedding photographer Barbara Burton to get her take on weddings, through the lens.

What makes a wedding fun to shoot?

The weddings that are most fun to shoot are those with life and character.

I love going to an amazing venue and finding the best angles for landscapes and indoor spaces. What makes my job easier is when a location has personality. I particularly like shooting in gardens with their individual features.

Which dress styles look best on camera?

In terms of colour, from bright white to ivory and cream, with a good camera it doesn’t matter. I would say that shinier fabrics often work against the camera and the light but luckily most brides are opting for more matte fabrics at the moment.

What’s more chic; delicate details or bold statements?

Delicate details are wonderful because you can pick them out with the camera to really highlight the intimacy of a

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wedding but I do also think you have to go for it with colour. There’s so much black and white around, you need something to really make your wedding pop. I have photographed weddings with royal blue, fuschia and tangerine and they’re always stunning both in photographs and on the day. I say, just go for it!

Should colourways be contrasting or complementary?

Which features make the most romantic images?

Fairy lights, lanterns, flowers and personalised accents look really romantic on camera. But most romantic to me are antique fountains in a topiary garden.

As a photographer, how do you make a wedding stand out?

The theme often dictates the colourway you choose. Some weddings I’ve photographed have used two contrasting colours and others work around a complementary trio. So for a nature inspired wedding I photographed, there were lots of green hues which created interest and looked fantastic in the summer. I think both options work and you should let your theme guide you.

Well, it depends on the theme. With experience, I think any photographer will find the angles to enhance your wedding on camera and create an impact with the images. I work with the theme to create photographs that tell a story. A wedding I recently shot had a 50s theme, so it was all-out vintage.

I used effects to create fantastic black and white photos that really highlighted the individuality of the wedding.

Is it more important for the bride and groom to practise poses or do what comes naturally?

From your experience, what are the best wedding tips you’ve picked up as a photographer?

A good, experienced photographer will either find the shots that work for you or they’ll direct you. But it’s all about being relaxed and having a good time.

Leave it to your photographer and trust their portfolio.

My first tip for the bride and groom is to buy your own confetti. Have your groomsmen and bridesmaids throw the confetti as you leave the ceremony.

These ‘confetti shots’ are always so beautiful. I would also recommend minimising the number of formal group photos you have planned. The guests get bored and it’s not ideal to have that waiting time outside when the weather’s so unpredictable.

In your opinion, which venues don’t work?

The venues that don’t work are those without character. A building that lacks intrigue is impossible to photograph well. It doesn’t need to be a mansion or a cathedral, just somewhere of interest.

Trees add depth and balance the composition of a photograph, so they’re good too.

www.barbaraburtonphotography. co.uk 01905 354886

February 2015

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Sharp Dressed Man

We speak to Adrian Barrows about the all-important wedding suit Adrian Barrows

C

hoosing the all-important suit for your wedding day is one of those decisions that a man can procrastinate over for ages. The pressures on, there is a weight of expectation and everybody expects you to look fantastic. Hang on a minute…. that’s the bride. Okay, let’s put this in perspective. More people will be looking at what the bride’s wearing rather than the groom but that doesn’t mean you should slack on style. On the contrary, your wedding day is one of, if not the most important days of your life so you need to look the business.

So where do you start?

Adrian Barrows

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Well, whatever form your wedding ceremony takes you need to be suited appropriately for the occasion and you may have to give some consideration to co-ordinating your groomsmen as well.

Yes…this means multi-tasking.

The options for looking sharp are numerous so here are a few basic guidelines. Your suit should be classic and elegant for the occasion and the type of ceremony you’ve chosen. This means tailored to perfection; whether you are going with a traditional suit or a more formal tuxedo or morning suit.

Going classic is always a good idea because nothing ages like a wedding photo. Wearing something trendy might seem a great idea at the time but when you look at those photos in 10 years time do you really want to be reminded of the era? Think timeless and you won’t go far wrong.

And then there’s the question of your size. Having a wedding suit tailored to your body type will make a world of difference to how you will look. For example:

If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re tall and slim then a heavier fabric will give some proportion and additional weight to your body. Lighter colours will be more flattering than dark colours or pinstripes because they will make you look even thinner. Go for single vent or a no-vent jacket to look more stylish.

For bulkier individuals then the opposite is better. Lightweight fabrics, dark colours and vertical stripes are all more flattering and a single vent jacket will give you the movement you need. Two button jackets look the best and a dark colour will make you look taller and more slender.

For shorter grooms then avoid suit patterns that are too loud and draw attention to your smaller frame. Solid colours work better and vertical stripes

will create the illusion of height. Doublevented jackets will also lengthen your frame and give you a longer silhouette.

Single-breasted or double-breasted jackets are a question of personal style.

The former is certainly more versatile if you intend to wear your suit for business reasons as well.

For black tie weddings or formal morning suit weddings then a whole host of other tailoring guidelines come into play. The challenge you have is to understand your options, how to co-ordinate the rest of your wedding party and how to keep things simple and elegant!

For more information about being a sharp dressed man on your wedding please see www.thebespoketailor.co.uk Adrian Barrows 07968 438717

February 2015

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Plan your ideal wedding during the month of love in Royal Leamington Spa With award-winning florists and hairdressers, plus adorable independent bridal stores and gentlemenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s outfitters, Royal Leamington Spa is the perfect place to prepare for your perfect day!

Our relaxing, Regency town is just 11 mins by direct train from Coventry, 30 mins from central Birmingham and 1hr 15 from London Marylebone.

Visit www.royal-leamington-spa.co.uk Follow us on:

February 2015

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Hillscourt is set in the beautiful Lickey Hills, just on the outskirts of Birmingham, offering a unique wedding/function venue.

HILLSCOURT Hillscourt has become an increasingly popular wedding venue in recent years and offers a warm and friendly environment.

We pride ourselves on quality service at affordable prices.

The centre has been refurbished to a high standard over recent years.

catering licensed bar Complimentary bridal suite 55 en-suite bedrooms Attractive grounds and gardens Secure car parking Friendly and helpful staff Good value for money

Wedding Showcase Sun 22 February 2015 12noon â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 4pm

Excellent Fully

Join us for an enchanting wedding event within the beautiful setting of Compton Verney.

Nestled deep in the Warwickshire countryside and surrounded by 120 acres of â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Capabilityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Brown parkland, Compton Verney offers a magical backdrop for your wedding day.

Visit our wedding showcase, entry is free and family and friends are welcome. When you arrive at Compton Verney you will be greeted by our winning wedding team with a glass of fizz.

ALSO LICENSED FOR CIVIL CEREMONIES

Explore the venue at your leisure, meet our wonderful wedding suppliers and get inspiration from styling demonstrations whilst enjoying tasty food and live music. We are located in between Kineton and Wellesbourne in Warwickshire.

For more details please visit our website www.comptonverney.org.uk

Compton Verney Warwickshire CV35 9HZ T. 01926 645 521 E: events@comptonverney.org.uk www.comptonverney.org.uk

Hillscourt, Rednal, Birmingham B45 8RS. Tel: 0121 457 6100 Fax: 0121 457 6111 Website: www.hillscourt.co.uk

Connect with us

Registered charity no. 1032478

Redhouse Barn

Wedding Open Afternoon

Sunday 22nd March 2015 3pm till 5pm. Free entrance - exhibitors - displays - garden tours Redhouse Barn Stoke Prior B60 4BG www.redhousebarn.co.uk 07875 142 493 18

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Wedding wonder Our top venues

Art deco, country house, classic; whatever your wedding style, these top venues will find a place in your heart. Beautiful rustic luxe at Redhouse Barn, historic charm at Compton Verney and views to impress at Eastnor Castle. Let’s take a look.

Hillscourt Just outside of Birmingham you’ll find Hillscourt, a great wedding venue with stylish function rooms, luxurious bedrooms and beautiful surroundings. The Victorian style manor house has many original features as well as modern touches to make your day run smoothly. At Hillscourt you can enjoy a wedding breakfast for up to 85 people and an evening reception or up to 200.

Summer weddings can make the most of the outdoor space with drinks and canapés on the grounds; perfect for photos and al fresco celebrations.

Rose Hill, Rednal Birmingham B45 8RS 0121 457 6100 www.hillscourt.co.uk

Compton Verney Nestled deep in the Warwickshire countryside and surrounded by 120 acres of ‘Capability’ Brown parkland, Compton Verney offers a magical backdrop for your wedding day. Visit our wedding showcase, entry is free and family and friends are welcome. When you arrive at Compton Verney you will be greeted by our winning wedding team with a glass of fizz.

Explore the venue at your leisure, meet our wonderful wedding suppliers and get inspiration from styling demonstrations whilst enjoying tasty food and live music.

We are located in between Kineton and Wellesbourne in Warwickshire.

Compton Verney Warwickshire CV35 9HZ 01926 645 521

www.comptonverney.org.uk

Redhouse Barn With the finest in bespoke food and service, awardwinning caterers and a vintage Rolls Royce is what you’ll find at Redhouse Barn. Catering for 60-160 guests, the elegant Redhouse buildings will bring a rustic country feel to your big day. There’s plenty of space for the vows, the reception, the party and champagne in the courtyard and gardens. The private

Bridal Room allows brides to touch up on hair and makeup, take it all in and relax before the ceremony with their bridal party. The beautiful countryside surrounds and Redhouse Barn makes the most beautiful wedding venue.

Shaw Lane, Stoke Prior Bromsgrove B60 4BG 07875142493 www.redhousebarn.co.uk February 2015

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Welcombe Hotel Spa and Golf Club Set in 157 acres of beautiful parkland, just outside Stratford-upon-Avon, the Welcombe Hotel Spa and Golf Club is steeped in history and tradition.

The hotel is wonderfully romantic.

Built in the style of a Calendar House with 7 entrances (days of the week), 12 fireplaces (months), 52 chimneys

(weeks) and 365 windows (days of the year), it is said to infuse luck and prosperity to everyone who stays; the perfect venue for your special day.

Warwick Road Stratford-upon-Avon Warwickshire CV37 0NR 01789 295252 www.menzieshotels.co.uk

The Berkeley

an adaptable large room to suit your requirements as well as Set in the heart of the beautiful an exceptional reputation for Worcestershire countryside, the food, fine wine and friendly service the Berkeley is a Berkeley makes for a stunning glorious setting that will provide setting for your big day. The wonderful memories of your big Berkeleyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Spetchley Suite can accommodate a maximum of 150 special day. guests for a wedding breakfast Evesham Road, Spetchley, and up to 200 guests for an Worcester WR7 4QL evening reception. Offering a 01905 345 269 number of beautiful features www.theberkeleyworcester. including doors opening onto co.uk the gardens, a private bar and

Eastnor Castle Eastnor Castle is the perfect fairy-tale castle for the most memorable day of your life.

You will find tranquillity, splendour and complete exclusivity with 12 beautiful bedrooms hosting a limited number of very special weddings each year. Every wedding that takes place at Eastnor is treated

Episode Hotel Located in the heart of Leamington Spa, on the banks of the River Avon, this picturesque town house hotel is the perfect intimate and unique setting for your special day. Catering to each individual taste the team at Episode Hotel are on hand to discuss all of your personal requirements.

Offering exclusive use of the venue, along with a designated 20

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wedding co-ordinator, personalised menus and an idyllic location for your photographs, Episode Hotel really is a perfect choice for your special day.

64 Upper Holly Walk, Leamington Spa CV32 4JL 01926 883777 www.episodehotels.co.uk

with utmost discretion and personal attention to detail ensuring that the bride and groom feel comfortable and relaxed in this truly exceptional family home.

Eastnor Castle, Ledbury, Herefordshire HR8 1RL 01531 633160 www.eastnorcastle.com

THE DOORS ARE OPEN AND YOU ARE INVITED TO JOIN US

VALENTINES JAZZ DINNER DANCE Join us for a Romantic Dinner Dance in our Orangery with entertainment from Jazz Band Joe Monteque Includes Canapes & Sparkling Reception, 5 Course Dinner with Entertainment Only £49.50 per Person

WEDDING OPEN DAY

Sunday 1st March 2015 – 12pm – 4pm Join us for a glass of Bucks Fizz and Canapes, see The Wood Norton set up for a wedding and meet our preferred supplier

FINE DINING WITH JAZZ Friday 27th March 2015

Join us for a sumptuous 5 Course Dinner in our traditional wood panelled Restaurant whilst enjoying delightful music from Jazz Band Joe Monteque

£49.50 per person

For For more information on either of our events please contact Naomi at the hotel who will be delighted to assist you.

Events@thewoodnorton.com | 01386 765 611 Worcester Road, Wood Norton, Evesham, Worcestershire, WR11 4YB

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Wharton Park Golf and Country Club

Avoncroft Museum of Historic Buildings

museumâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s extensive grounds and gardens, spread over 19 acres of English countryside, while the many historic buildings provide interesting and unusual settings for your Weddings, partnerships wedding photographs. The and receptions can all be Vintage Wedding package held at Avoncroft Museum. includes a high tea served The charming New Guesten in antique china and vintage Hall has a magnificent 14th table settings. For more century, Grade II listed roof which only adds to the historic information, head to the Avoncroft Museum website. surroundings. Blessings can be performed in Bringsty Stoke Heath, Bromsgrove Mission Church, a Victorian Worcestershire B60 4JR â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;tinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; chapel in the Museum grounds. After your ceremony 01527 831363/831886 www.avoncroft.org.uk your guests can enjoy the

Set in an area steeped in natural beauty, Wharton Park is an ideal venue to host your special day. With stunning view this picturesque location provides the perfect backdrop for your wedding album. Whether you are choosing the complete wedding package or youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re simple having the reception at Wharton Park you will find beautifully appointed banqueting suites with plenty of natural daylight and a private terrace area enabling everyone to experience breath-taking surroundings. Call now to speak to one of the highly experienced wedding co-ordinators who will arrange and advise on all aspects to ensure your wedding will be one of the most memorable days of your life.

Wharton Park Golf & Country Club, Longbank, Bewdley, Worcestershire DY12 2QW 01299 405 222 www.whartonpark.co.uk

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Edge Magazine February 2015

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Declutter your style Create a capsule wardrobe Emma Jenkins

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1. BMB cream silk back vest top - Stripes - £145.00 2. D6 grey soft leather jacket - Stripes - £449.00 3. AG The Stilt - Stripes - £225.00 4. Designer Duchess faux gilet - Emporio Clothing £169.00

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5. Hoss camouflage print scarf with tassel trim Emporio Clothing - £129.00 6. The Farm cashmere moss stich knit - Stripes £199.00 7. BMB trainers - Stripes - £185.00 8. D6 black jersey dress - Stripes - £169.00

I

t’s that time of year where we are all feeling the pinch (in more ways than one!) after over indulging and over spending at Christmas time.

For me, after years of being an avid bargain hunter, I’ve learnt that less is definitely more. As a result, I tend to shy away from the sales to avoid buying items I want, but don’t need. This is because those ‘wanted’ items tend to sit in my wardrobe, slowly being pushed to the back with the label still intact (and this is a common shopping confession I’m sure).

If we look at our wardrobes objectively, there are always going to be items of clothing we love and wear the hell out of whilst the other items sit there, looking pretty but never grace our body with their presence. If we are brutal with our wardrobe contents, analysing our own individual style along the way then it’s easy to departmentalise and JUST have the items we love wearing, feel amazing in and ready to take on the world.

I start my year capsuling my wardrobe. I believe a person’s individual style changes each year. As you adjust to life, your contents adapt to you as a person and the lifestyle you lead. When replacing old with new, I try to buy items I know I’ll wear, replace items I’ve worn a little too much and buy core and a few statement pieces I can combine and layer for any occasion.

Here are a few tips to simplify your wardrobe and a selection of beautiful capsule pieces available now.

Invest and wear forever.

Many thanks to; Stripes. 13 The Foregate, Worcester.

01905 26772 www.stripesfashion.co.uk Emporio. 33 Friar Street, Worcester.

01905 726643 www.emporioworcester.co.uk

A few tips to help: Ask yourself ‘what do you wear on a regular basis?’ Determine your style Try things on. If it doesn’t fit or looks tired, say goodbye and replace Select core neutral pieces you can combine for a totally different outfit, work and play Determine your neutral colour palette – greys, whites, blacks If you love colour, choose one or two tones that complement your neutral palette When shopping for additional items buy core pieces, accessories or statement pieces in the alternative colours. Look for natural gaps in what you already have When buying statement pieces, buy what you feel good in and what flatters. Do not fall into the trap of buying ‘on trend’ pieces because they are fashionable

The capsule contents: 1-2 pairs of fab fitting denim Skirts x 2 – one for day and one for night Knitwear x 2 – think of the styles and colours you wear the most and add a statement piece in a bold colour Plain jersey basics – v-neck or crew neck. Grey, white and black in different textures Shirts x 2 – for day and night. Find a style that suits you. I love the laid back loose Parisian style Camisoles or simple vest tops – try for black and white, a neutral and one bright for dressing up Dresses x 2 – pick one you can dress up or down then an absolute showstopper!

Coats for any occasion – a leather jacket is a must Accessories – a couple of belts, necklaces, statement scarves Bags – day bag, evening bag and an on trend piece for the weekend Shoes - Try for boots, a pair of sneakers and a fail-safe heel

February 2015

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A Luxury Collection Jill Wheelock-Lines Pearls and Fine Jewellery Lucinda Bunn

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orcester’s Friar Street is known for its beautiful independent shops and of course its historic charm. It’s also the place to find Jill WheelockLines Pearls and Fine Jewellery. A family run business, Jill Wheelock Lines is a specialist in luxury jewellery, diamonds, precious stones and pearls.

Jill designs and creates modern and often bespoke pieces. With her wealth of experience working with South Sea, Tahitian, fresh water, Keshi and Akoya pearls, Jill handpicks each pearl before its threaded and knotted onto silk by Jill’s favoured specialists in London, Manchester, Birmingham and Worcester.

It’s the details that make each piece unique. Jill’s extensive range of clasps bring each rope of pearls together, from rose gold baroque clasps to modern magnetic clasps. Earrings, rings, pendants and all other gem set jewellery are on display. Jill also has a collection of hand-enamelled solid silver cufflinks.

Jill has a keen eye for design and transforming older pieces into something contemporary. Many of Jill’s customers hope to reinvent their inherited pearls and diamonds into something reflective of their own style. Jill will work with you to create a piece you’re happy with, combining old pieces with new adornments so they are very wearable.

Stop by at Jill Wheelock-Lines for unique jewellery whether it’s ready to wear or created through Jill’s bespoke design service. Jill’s focus is on the quality of her jewellery and the experience for customers. Care and customer service are paramount.

Jill believes pearls and diamonds are everyday jewels when worn correctly in a casual manner. Her modern interchangeable diamond and pearl drop earrings along with other diamond set jewellery bring clever designs together with timeless beauty.

8 Friar Street Worcester WR1 2LZ 01905 613799 www.jillwheelock-lines.co.uk

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Moisturiser management Stay hydrated this winter

W

Becky Burden

ith the cold weather and long days at work our skin will take a real hit and lose some of the moisture and tone we worked so hard in 2014 to achieve. In lower temperatures our skin naturally decreases the amount of sebum it releases, so the sebum barrier that minimises the evaporation of moisture from our skin is not as effective and will allow that cold weather to wreak havoc. Giving your skin some TLC and adding moisture back is key so here are some of the top releases so far in 2015 that will help your skin stay hydrated: Chanel Hydra Beauty Serum (£66) - Launched late January this is now a must have for any skincare worshipper looking for a luxury product that actually works. The newly formulated microfluidic serum instantly absorbs into the skin leaving it feeling like you have a freshly washed face that is deeply moisturised. This is a great quick fix for under makeup in the morning or as the final step in your evening skincare routine.

For those who suffer with breakouts the new launch from Avene will become your new best friend. The Avene Eau Thermale Cleanance Expert (£15) claims to attack and alter those nasty bacteria that causes acne and cultivate healthy pores. Throw in their sebum regulating formula and thermal spring waters and you have a real go-to acne tackler at an amazing price.

A new release night cream by Clinique in their infamous Repair collection is a definite addition to anyone’s night moisturising routine. Called the Sculpting Night Cream (£42) this thick moisturiser absorbs into the skin leaving a fuller, even texture and throughout the night uses its eight antiageing ingredients to stop the passing of time.

The last addition to any skincare collection should be a facial oil and this year’s release by Laura Mercier’s Infusion de Rose Nourishing Oil (£43.50) is the most deeply hydrating for those who skin has been ravaged by the cold. A great way to enjoy this product is to use it whilst giving yourself a small facial massage before bed. This little massage can help prevent congestion and wrinkles alongside leaving you in a better, more relaxed mood – it’s a little treat for your face. www.bbyb.co.uk

February 2015

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Beautiful Bespoke Kitchens 5 Complete Kitchens on display at our showroom

Stockists of Karndean Floorcoverings

SHOWROOM OPEN: Tuesday to Friday 9am - 5pm & Saturday 9am - 3pm BLACKMINSTER BUSINESS PARK, BLACKMINSTER, EVESHAM, WORCS. WR11 7RE

T: 01386 830006

www.thepaintedkitchencompany.com

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Find time for you

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At the Avocado Rooms

he Avocado Rooms is an exclusive treatment space set within the George Hotel, Shipston-on-Stour. With two opulent treatment rooms, designed to encourage relaxation and harmony, the Avocado Rooms allows you to switch off and find calm.

Salon owner, Jody Wilson, believes in a focus on health and wellbeing.

Most treatments at the Avocado Rooms are designed for both men and women using ARK skincare products to stimulate the healing power of the body; perfect for eliminating stress and increasing immunity.

Using innovative technologies ARK skincare works with the age of your skin rather than your skin type. With three age appropriate product lines that are sensitive to your skin’s transition periods, ARK works with your skin, no against it.

At the Avocado Rooms, your experience will be a truly unique one, where you can take your time enjoying your surroundings from beginning to end. With a selection of fantastic spa packages available that can be enjoyed alone, or as part of a group, the Avocado Rooms is the perfect retreat.

You can even create your own bespoke spa package if you so desire by incorporating some of the luxury brands available at the Avocado Rooms.

Find the Avocado Rooms on Facebook (The Avocado Rooms) and on Twitter (@theavocadorooms) Gift vouchers available and free parking for spa clients 01608 661453 07751293170 www.letmemakeyoubeautiful.co.uk

Presents

The Avocado Rooms Receive an additional 20% discount by quoting “Edge” when booking

Our approach to Health & Well-being is a holistic one to allow for a balanced, serene entity, enabling inner & outer equilibrium.

The Body Temple was created to take care of your Beauty, Health & Well-being needs.

We offer an extensive range of Scientific Skincare & Body Treatments and can guide you through Nutrition & Fitness to maximise your body confidence.We also specialise in Male Grooming, making the daily ritual of shaving an extremely pleasurable experience.

Call Jody on 01608 661453 The Avocado Rooms at the George Hotel 8 High Street, Shipston on Stour CV36 4JA

www.letmemakeyoubeautiful.co.uk

February 2015

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‘Angie using the Reformer at the Pilates Place’

Staying active Am I too old to start doing Pilates?

Y

ou are never, ever too old to start Pilates. It is ideal for the more ‘mature’ physique and can aid recovery from injuries like slipped discs, joint replacements, and address low back pain, joint stiffness, and poor posture. Many people wax lyrical about the benefits of Pilates – including Joan Bakewell who values the “subtlety” and the “peaceful” nature of Pilates, which she says gives her

“a tremendous sense of well-being” At the Pilates Place, we see the benefits of Pilates first hand in our eldest client, Francis Tombs, who has recently celebrated his 90th birthday. Francis who started doing Pilates at 85 years young regularly attends Pilates maintaining his physical strength and flexibility. He is a shining example to us all.

Recent research in The Telegraph has shown that Pilates has benefits for mental health too. Scientists at the University of Edinburgh report that “physical exercise, whether aerobic, resistance or balance activity, was the most effective way to ward of cognitive decline in healthy older people and reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and dementia” How do I get started with Pilates?

Come along to our lovely bright and airy studio in either Stratford or Shipston on Stour and one of our highly skilled teachers will take you through an initial assessment. This will give us a better idea of things you might like to improve including; ‘Flexibility,

core strength, balance or reduce low back pain and joint stiffness.’

With all these benefits in mind, what’s stopping you from incorporating Pilates into your life?

For more information or to book your Initial Assessment please call 01608 666 999. If you are still not convinced we will give you a half hour FREE trial to see what Pilates can do for you.

Just visit us at www.pilatesplace.org.

Looking forward to seeing you soon.

Francis Tombs (90 years young) on the Pilates Cadillac.

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Peta Davies Studio Director Pilates Place 01608 666999

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New Pottery Studio in Stratford upon Avon

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Exciting range of daytime and evening classes

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We are also a Potterycrafts Distributor for all your pottery supplies Please contact us for further details The Pottery at Act Five 19 Sheep Street Stratford-upon-Avon CV37 6EF

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01789 292 544 www.actfive.co.uk enquiries@actfive.co.uk

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ROMANTIC ELEGANCE AT THE BIRMINGHAM MARRIOTT HOTEL.

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Spend time with your someone special and make your Valentine's Day one

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to remember

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Enjoy an overnight stay with breakfast in one of our beautiful Marriott bedrooms and enjoy

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a bottle of sparkling wine in your room before enjoying a sumptuous romantic 4 course dinner with coffee and chocolate.

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13/02/15 ÂŁ154 per couple. 14/02/14 ÂŁ194 per couple. Dinner

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only package available at ÂŁ30.00 per person to include a glass of sparkling wine on arrival.

To make a reservation call 0121 452 1144 Dinner reservations must be made at time of booking.

BIRMINGHAM MARRIOTT HOTEL Birmingham,

Subject to availabiilty. Offer valid on 13th and 14th February 2015 only. Pre payment required at time of booking for diners only

February 2015

31

32

www.edgemagazine.org

Do the detox Superfoods that cleanse your body and liver

W

Mel Taffs

e live in a world that is extremely toxic, our food and the environment we live in.

This article is all about the largest gland in your body: the liver. Without a liver a person cannot survive. The liver has many functions, most importantly detoxifying the blood to rid it of harmful substances like toxins, drugs and alcohol. The liver also stores vitamins and iron, converts stored sugar to usable sugar when the body’s sugar levels fall below normal, produces bile a substance needed to digest fats and destroys old red blood cells.

Because it performs many vital functions it is prone to disease.

These are just a few examples of superfoods to cleanse and detox your liver.

Beets and carrots: carrots are rich in glutathione a protein that helps detoxify the liver. Both are extremely high in plant flavonoids and betacarotene. Eating beets and carrots can help stimulate the overall liver function.

Tomatoes: these are also high in glutathione, see above.

Grapefruit: another source of glutathione and high in vitamin C and antioxidants.

Spinach: raw spinach triggers the cleansing enzymes of the liver.

Citrus fruits: lemons and limes contain very high amounts of vitamin C which helps stimulate the liver and aids the synthesising of toxic materials into substances that can be absorbed by water.

Walnuts: these also contain glutathione, omega 3 fatty acids and amino acids that support the liver’s cleansing actions.

Avocados: this nutrient dense superfood helps the body produce glutathione.

Apples: they contain high amounts of pectin which is essential to cleanse and release toxins from the digestive tract.

Brussels sprouts: the sulphur in them forces the liver to release enzymes that block damage from environmental or dietary toxins.

Garlic: also loaded with sulphur and high amounts of allicin and selenium, two natural compounds that aid in liver cleansing.

Asparagus: this is a great diuretic to cleanse the liver and kidneys.

Green tea: it’s full of catechins, a compound known to assist liver function.

Olive oil: cold pressed organic oils such as olive, hemp and flaxseed support the liver and provide the body with a liquid base that sucks up harmful toxins in the body.

Dandelion: this root assists the liver in breaking down fats, producing amino acids and generally ridding it of toxins.

Cruciferous vegetables: broccoli, cauliflower and kale also flush out toxins in your body.

Liver Boosting Beet Juice 1beet 1carrot 1lemon peeled 1 handful of parsley Put all ingredients in the juicer and enjoy.

Deep Green Liver Detox 2cups of kale 1lime peeled 1 cup of chard 1/2 lemon peeled Put all ingredients in juicer and enjoy Detoxing Green Smoothie 2 oranges peeled Hand of celery 1lemon peeled Half a cup of dandelions Half a cup of parsley Put all ingredients in a blender and blend till smooth Want to change your bad eating habits for life? Need to lose weight without putting it back on? Call Absolutely Flab u Less on 07792421080 / Email melanietaffs7@gmail.com.

February 2015

33

DELECTABLE DELIS The tastiest produce and specialist ingredients Lucinda Bunn

It’s not a sandwich shop, nor is it a café. A good deli makes fresh from scratch, celebrating the unique and individual. Fancy changing the way you shop this year.

Try these delectable delis.

Papsons (Cornmarket Deli) Worcester Independently owned Papsons – soon to be changed to Cornmarket Deli – prides itself on selling both local and continental foods, offering a vast array of sliced meats and cheeses. The team marinade their own olives and with homemade dips and soup on offer, you could easily indulge in a three-course meal here. The locally baked, Artisan breads are delightfully presented and deserve to be generously dunked into the finely - selected balsamics and olive oils. The wines and beers did not go amiss either!

Warwick Street Kitchen

2 Cornmarket Worcester WR1 2DJ 01905 25235 Facebook: Cornmarket Deli Twitter @CornMarketDeli e. enquiries@cornmarketdeli.com

The Deli @ Pershore Rachel and Craig Etherington eat, sleep and drink their deli in Pershore.

Both qualified chefs with over 15 years’ experience in the food industry, Rachel and Craig have a taste for delicious ingredients, locally sourced produce and creative recipes. With over 30 carefully chosen cheeses, a charcuterie and artisan breads, The Deli @ Pershore is the ultimate foodie experience. Savoury goodies include quiche, Scotch eggs, olives and patchwork pâtés. Of course, there’s also sweet treats, champagne, liqueurs and beer, as well as the lunch and sandwich counter, full of freshly prepared lunchtime snacks and baguettes.

Deli@Pershore 66 High Street Pershore Worcestershire WR10 1DU 01386 553689 www.pershoredeli.co.uk 34

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Warwick Street Kitchen is an independent deli and café focusing on British and ethical produce. Only the best products make it into WSK-most of which you will be unable to find in the supermarket.

The cheese counter is stocked with predominantly British farmhouse cheeses, sourced from Neal’s Yard, the best maturing house in the country.

All meat and charcuterie is British, and free range, and all the takeaway packaging is environmentally sound.

From fine ingredients and scrumptious gifts, to the best hot chocolate and coffee around, you would be hard pushed to beat Warwick Street Kitchen; a deli with a heart.

102 Warwick Street Leamington Spa CV32 4QP 01926 316273 www.warwickstreetkitchen.com

Deli | Sandwich Bar | Caterer The Cornmarket Deli Fine Food Artisan Breads

Specialists in corporate and private catering to suit any budget

Cured Meats

66 High Street Pershore WR10 1DU

Oils and Vinegars 2 Cornmarket Worcester WR1 2DJ 01905 25235

01386 553689

Facebook: CornmarketDeliWorcester Twitter @CornMarketDeli

www.pershoredeli.co.uk

e. enquiries@cornmarketdeli.com

Treat Someone special this Valentines Day with a gift they will really love.

Chocolate Deli

Beautiful Hand made chocolates, lovingly moulded by us using the finest Belgian Chocolate Visit our shops in Hanbury and Worcester to see our full range.

Jinney Ring Craft Centre, Hanbury Road, 53 New Street, Worcester, WR1 2DL Bromsgrove, B60 4BU 01905 611324 www.chocolatedeli.uk.com 01527 821693 info@chocolatedeli.biz

A Canine boutique with a difference.

Hand-made treats crafted to please every pallet, along side garments that will catch every eye.

Professional and modern grooming.

Tailor made treatments to suit, where coats are embraced and hygiene is maintained.

30 New St Worcester WR1 2DP - Tel 01905 731645

hodsboutique

@hods_boutique

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Complex f lavours and generous spicing The Arishana, Worcester Steve Picker

T

he Arishana in Worcester has built a reputation for its authentic Indian cuisine; it’s still got the gloss of Indian style but it delivers food with a serious kick. The relaxed restaurant is owned by Sam, whose warm front of house service adds to ever diner’s experience. Head chef Krishna is from Nepal and trained as a chef in Dubai. His focus on fresh ingredients and deep flavour makes the Arishana a hot spot for those who love real Indian food.

I opted for the Aloo Tikka, a street food favourite of minced potato, stuffed with grated cottage cheese and onion and served with tamarind sauce. It was the perfect light starter; healthy and packed full of flavour. It’s the food you imagine when you think of the hustle and bustle of bright and beautiful India.

A classic for main, I had to have the Goan fish curry. It’s a popular dish I’ve had many times in lots of restaurants but this was different. Head chef Krishna includes lots of fish in his menu; sea bass, coley, cod and haddock. For the Goan curry, Krishna uses whatever fish is in season. Served with a fragrant pilau rice, the curry brought together the rustic charm of Kashmiri chillies, ginger, cumin and coriander seeds to infuse coconut milk with delicious spice and earthiness.

There is plenty of options on the menu. From tandoori delights and seafood specials to biryani curries and traditional favourites. The Arishana is a contemporary Indian restaurant and new specials are often created to tantalise your taste buds.

Of course, the takeaway service is available too so you can take your delicious curries home to enjoy in the comfort of your own home.

51 Canada Way Worcester WR2 4XA 01905 339338 www.arishana.co.uk

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a

rishana Authentic fusion of Indian and Thai Cuisine

We like to let our food do the talking for us 51 Canada Way, Worcester WR2 4XA

01905 339338

www.arishana.co.uk February 2015

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Success for Peel’s

Peel’s Restaurant awarded prestigious third AA Rosette

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eel’s Restaurant, at Hampton Manor, has joined the region’s leading restaurants with the prestigious award of a 3rd AA Rosette. Only a handful of restaurants in Birmingham have made the big jump form 2 to 3 rosettes including Simpson’s, Purnell’s, Adam’s, Love’s and recently Turners.

It is the first time a restaurant in the borough of Solihull has achieved this status. 10 months ago Hampton Manor completed a significant change to the hotel, relocating their restaurant into the original dining room of the manor house, converting the drawing room into a sumptuous lounge and opening an 8 seater tasting room with kitchen window that allows guest to enjoy a unique connection with the chefs whilst watching them prepare the food.

The new restaurant only caters for 28 diners and is open Tuesday to Saturday for dinner only, allowing the chefs the opportunity to be highly focused on preparing innovative and delicious cuisine.

Head Chef, Rob Palmer, credits his team and career mentors for the superb achievement.

All of the Chef’s have grown up within 20 miles of the estate and have worked hard

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together to make this leap. The foundations of the restaurant were laid by former Michelin Starred Chef, Martyn Pearn, who trained the team from 2009 – 2013, nurturing the talented young locals and preparing them for this step.

The emphasis of the restaurant is simplicity, focusing on sourcing good produce and delivering dishes with clean flavours that marry together harmoniously. Over all the new dining experience has focused on deformalizing the country house experience, providing a comfortable but relaxed evening with high quality cooking. The staff set the scene dressed stylishly in casual tweed jackets, no ties, chinos and brogues. The dining experience starts in a sumptuous and contemporary lounge with canapés where diners can choose from A La Carte or Tasting Menus. For the less adventurous there is the option of Rib Eye or a Chateaubriand to share, cooked on the Big Green Egg BBQ and served with triple cooked chips or truffled dauphinoise. The evening continues in the dining room with comfortable bucket seat chairs and leather tables. Whilst escaping the formality of traditional dining rooms, the intimate and alluring space still offers

a timeless quality. Every element of the dining experience has been carefully crafted including handmade plates from Cotswolds potter Neil Alcock, bespoke wooden trays from Shirley based craftsman, William Self and furniture designed by creative director, Fjona Hill.

The independent hotel is owned by Janet & Derrick Hill, who have invested over £6million in the redevelopment of the estate since acquiring it in 2008. They have been in hospitality for over 25 years and praised the “focus and determination of the team” for this achievement.

Managing Director, James Hill, comments “We’ve worked hard to try and craft an experience that makes guests feel at home.

We now have a generation of diners that have highly sophisticated tastes but want to be relaxed and at ease when they go out.

Fine dining as we’ve known is becoming an increasingly limited market and restaurateurs are having to rethink everything. What doesn’t change though is the importance of sourcing the best produce and cooking it well.”

Hampton Manor is a 45 acre estate with 15 boutique bedrooms accredited as 5 star gold by the AA. The house was built by Sir Frederick Peel, son of Prime Minister, Sir Robert Peel in 1885. The facilities include spa treatment rooms and also offers a separate dedicated events space that hosts meetings, dinners and weddings for up to 120 guests. www.hamptonmanor.eu

The restaurant is hoping to harvest its first produce this year from its walled garden. Head Gardener, Darren Rutherford, is responsible for delivering a 10 year landscaping plan to help bring the grounds back to their former glory.

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In the Kitchen with….

Head Chef Sam Parsons of Bindles, Worcester Megan Ace

T

he unrequited charm of this effortlessly stylish restaurant, lies deep within its family-drenched history. There’s a tale to uncover about this emporium; you only have to skim the photographs on the walls and you’ll have observed an inbrief history lesson regarding the Bindles family.

However. I’m digressing. We’re not here for a history lesson. Not today anyway. I was here to uncover a little of Head Chef, Sam Parson’s past, pleasures and passions.

How long have you been working at Bindles?

Shy of three years. I started as Chef de Partie then I was promoted to Sous Chef.

Then progressed to Head Chef. I have three other Chefs in the kitchen team with me.

Where were you before?

Gordon Ramsay’s, York and Albany, amongst others!

Who comes up with the menu design?

I come up with the ideas, which tend to be pretty innovative and creative.

‘Cheffy’ as Manager and Owner Victoria Hamilton-Jones says. We then work on the dishes together, adapting them for a more commercial taste.

What inspired your menu?

I create a list of seasonal ingredients and then wherever possible, pair them up with particular food that will complement

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and of course, wherever possible, source them locally. Both Victoria and I feel adamantly that you should try to achieve this. Flying in asparagus from Peru is certainly not something we want to do.

We insist on fresh food, so we are affected by the seasons. Our new menu sees ingredients such as game, terrines, hake, haddock, coley, kale and rubarb.

What are your fondest foodie memories from your childhood?

My Grandma’s lemon meringue. That was what got me into cheffing.

What sort of customers do you get?

We always get a lot of local people – we have particularly good relationships with all our regular customers. We attract a lot of families, couples on a night out, pre and post cinema-goers etc. We offer fine dining upstairs in the restaurant, which tends to be a quieter experience, and a more casual/informal dining experience downstairs, which we’ve seen expand.

Have you seen a shift in the sort of dishes people are ordering?

Food trends are driven by the media and dictated by television programmes.

The media influences people into trying a more diverse range of meat and fish.

There’s a rise in food challenges and a rise in food portion size. The ‘cheapercut-of-meat’ trend, born by Gordon Ramsay, saw a huge rise in pork belly, for example, which has made what was once a ‘by product’, high end food. So yes, there has been a shift in taste.

If you were a customer, what would you order?

Off the new menu?! Game terrine, hake, pineapple and passion fruit.

What do you like to cook at home?

One pot wonders! I may offer up a recipe one day… ‘Err, yes please!’

Now taking bookings for Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day, which we have designed special menus for.

Facebook: Bindles Bar and Brasserie Twitter: @BindlesBar w. www.bindles.co.uk 55, Sidbury Worcester WR1 2HU 01905 611120

Do you like to eat out? Where?

I don’t eat out due to work! If I do, it has to be family friendly, as I have a young daughter.

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%10('4'0%'5 Bindles 55 Sidbury Worcester, WR1 2HU info@bindles.co.uk T: 01905 611120 www.bindles.co.uk Edge Magazine February 2015

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The Local Kitchen Everything that’s cooking in the four counties

Find Hard to Find Whisky in Birmingham

Exciting changes at Malmaison After a record-breaking December 2014, the Mailbox-based hotel, Malmaison’s revenue is up 10% year on year. The new year brought new changes for the hotel too. January marked the beginning of works that in completion will see 30 club rooms given complete makeovers. The refurbishment includes the introduction of coffee machines and Eames Chairs as well as interior design overhauls of exposed brick walls, luxurious carpets and faux fur soft furnishings.

inspired menu, with a few signature favourites remaining like the New York Strip Steak and mac’n’cheese. There will also be a direct entrance to the Mailbox mall, making it even easier to have a cocktail while you’re shopping.

The Mailbox 1 Wharfside Street Birmingham B1 2JR

The next transformation is the dining area which will reflect the new French-

www.malmaison.com/locations/ birmingham

084469 30651

Hard To Find Whisky, the specialist global online whisky retailer, and sister company of Hard To Find Records, has opened its first UK whisky store in the Jewellery Quarter in a move that will mark a new era of whisky retailing. The store that opened in late 2014 also marks Hard To Find Whisky’s transition into physical retailing and is the first of several destination stores planned by the independent retailer across the UK. At just under 2,000 sq ft, the store boasts 3,500 different collectable, rare and new release whiskies. Whisky enthusiasts and novices alike will also have the opportunity to take part in any of the fourteen walk-up masterclasses offered to customers in store; from a beginners’ class at £20 per head, to a tasting session of iconic whiskies from ‘silent distilleries’ priced at £1000 per head. www.htfw.com

Find your nearest veg box scheme Another great way to stick it to the man and the multi-nationals is to set up a weekly veg box delivery. With plenty of local farmers and organic growers running their own produce and delivery service, you can enjoy fresh, organic and most importantly local veggies. It’s eco-friendly, supports local business and encourages you to cook seasonally.

You can look up your nearest veg box scheme on the Soil Association website. www.soilassociation.org/boxschemes

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The Secret Kitchen cookery classes

Festival set for expansion as Birmingham whisky scene takes off Birmingham’s major whisky festival will return for a third year in 2015, after a successful second year that saw visitor numbers double.

Organisers have now released 600 tickets for the one-day event at The Bond on 7th March, with over 100 tickets already snapped up in the Christmas giftbuying rush. Outside of London, it now ranks England’s biggest whisky festival.

Whisky Birmingham 2015 will see whisky enthusiasts and novices gather to taste, try and buy from over 25 whisky brands and retailers at The Bond, a historic canalside venue in Digbeth.

Ron Lines, head chef at Upton’s favourite café The Secret Mess, has plenty of culinary knowledge to share. His creative flair in the kitchen makes him the perfect chef to learn from too. The Secret Kitchen cookery school offers various day courses so you and your friends can learn how to make sauces, simple desserts and the art of dressing a plate. Ron believes with the right guidance, anyone can cook delicious food in their kitchen at home. If you want to impress your friends at your next dinner party or treat your family to a feast made by you, invest time in The Secret Kitchen.

50% discount if you mention Edge Magazine.

1 Church Street Upton on Severn 01684 594892 07836646093

www.secretkitchencookery.co.uk

Tickets are available at www.whiskybirmingham.co.uk

Old fashioned cocktail recipe Maybe a swanky restaurant isn’t on the cards this Valentine’s day. But everyone loves snuggling on the sofa with a smoky whisky cocktail. So here’s a recipe that never fails to bring back old fashioned romance.

Dissolve a brown sugar cube in a whisky glass.

Wet it down with 2 or 3 dashes of Angostura bitters.

Crush the sugar with a wooden spoon.

Squeeze the zest of an orange to release its oil into the glass to perfume the cocktail.

Add one shot or two of your favourite whisky. Add ice and stir for a while until ice melts a little and the flavours are balanced.

Edge Magazine February 2015

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Edwards Bar and Kitchen Worcester’s new restaurant Megan Ace

T

he recently opened Edwards is all that it promises to be; an open-most-hours, relaxed bar and kitchen which welcomes customers for a late night coffee, or mid-day wine.

Italian owners, Sergio Dottore and Romano Mazzocchi have certainly influenced the European feel the abode offers. ‘We want to create an environment where local business people can come for a post-work drink and stay all evening if they wish. Whether customers simply want to pop in for one on their way home, or dine and drink with us all evening, all are welcome.’

The menu is bursting with choice: Starters including salt and pepper squid and tiger prawns; caramelised onion and goats’ cheese crostini and arancini. There are both fish and meat sharing plattters available all day, which sound so scrummy, I’d be tempted to not share them at all. The tapas menu catapults you to Spain; meatballs in a rich plum tomato and chilli sauce, lemon fried chorizo and hand skewered chunks of chicken sound like they’d smack you with a sun kissed taste of the Med. If it’s something more substantial you’re after, you can create your own ‘Edwards’ burger, select a steak or pick a main course of chicken fish, pasta or risotto.

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The wine list is extensive and includes grapes from old, and new world and if you’re after something more punchy, the cocktail menu is a delight. At the more sobering side, the soft drinks’ list is vast and as a must-have-a-coffee-before-I-can-function girl, the coffee is excellent, and hot too. Especially tempting to accompany one of the mouth-watering desserts as a secret 11’s.

For the impending Valentine’s Day, the Head Chef has created a bespoke, set menu and booking is recommended due to demand.

Opening Hours: Monday – Thursday, 9am – 11pm; Friday and Saturday, 9am - 1am and Sunday, 9am – 5pm Facebook: Edwards Bar and Kitchen Twitter: @EdwardsWorcs 100 High Street, Worcester Tel. 01905 611950

Relax or celebrate with our extensive drinks menu, from premium beers and ciders to cocktails, fine spirits, carefully selected wines and champagnes.

Come in & enjoy our exclusive menu for Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner or simply Grazing.

Edwards Bar and Kitchen 100 High Street, Worcester Tel. 01905 611950 Facebook: Edwards Bar and Kitchen Twitter: @EdwardsWorcs Tel. 01905 611950

February 2015

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The Golden Age How old is too old?

Laura Clay

O

ne of the questions I’m asked about most frequently is for how long a wine can be aged. To be honest, for most of us, this is not a question keeping us awake at night as apparently 98% of the bottles of wine we buy, we drink within two weeks. If that seems way out of line with your usual buying/drinking window then you may not be surprised to know that around 95% of UK wine purchases are opened in a matter of a couple of hours.

But recently I’ve been lucky enough to taste wines from the 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s, both red and white. So wine can age. Just not all wine. So how do you know whether you should squirrel the wine away or enjoy it right this minute? This is a tricky one to answer as there are so many variables, the most important one being whether you like old wines or not, and, despite Francis Bacon’s words of wisdom, ‘Age appears to be best in four things; old wood best to burn, old wine to drink, old friends to trust, and old authors to read.’, old wines just might not be your thing.

The key thing to know when buying an older bottle is that it will probably come from a premium winery, everyday wine is not made to keep, and will therefore carry a certain price tag; it will typically be red or sweet if it is white; it will usually be from a good vintage and certainly should have been stored horizontally at a low, constant temperature away from light and vibration. Even then there is no guarantee that the wine is what you’d hope for. Experts give drinking windows for top wines which can sometimes span 25 years! Hedging their bets, perhaps, but top end wines can be drunk from 3 years to whenever the mood hits you and experts are merely giving you an estimated guide based on their years of accumulated tasting knowledge. Sometimes they get it wrong but if the wine has turned to vinegar, rest assured, it won’t make you ill, just bitter and disappointed.

The wines which age best generally come from the Old World – France, Italy, Spain and Portugal. Red wines from these countries tend to have higher acidity which helps keep the wine. Sturdier wines with powerful tannins too are better potential keepers than anything light and fruity.

Dry whites which age include Burgundies and wines from the Graves in Bordeaux. Top Champagnes can age magnificently, too. If you’re not sure, ask your wine merchant.

So, should you keep a wine that is pretty good at 5 or 10 years old and miss the chance of tasting those complex, hedonistic aromas and flavours it may have developed at 20 years old? Or is the risk not worth taking?

The choice is yours. But if there is any advice you should take away from this, it is better to drink a wine when it’s too young than when it’s too old.

Looking at some of the dusty relics in my cellar, I need to take my own advice. www.bywine.co.uk

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A hidden gem The Manor Arms Inn, Abberley

T

he Manor Arms is a 17th Century Inn set in the picturesque village of Abberley, nestling in the rolling hills of the Worcestershire countryside.

The privately owned Inn has recently undergone a major refurbishment, creating a place which now combines modern amenities without losing the traditional character of this historic Inn. The benefits of being a Free House allow a wide variety of drinks to be served, meaning that alongside the expected offerings, ales from local breweries are also sourced and served.

The Manor Arms’ boasts a large patio and decking area overlooking the spectacular views of the surrounding countryside, which are ideal for alfresco dining. For those wishing to explore the area, the Inn is also the starting (and finishing) point of the beautiful Abberley circular, a 5 mile walk taking in some of Worcestershire’s finest countryside, combining woodland, country lanes, fields and pastures and the stunning views from Abberley Hill. What better way to work up an appetite? Serving lunch and dinner, the menu has been created to include as many locally sourced ingredients as possible using Worcestershire’s finest suppliers. Just reading the menu made my mouth water.

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Megan Ace The refurbishment has also extended to the bedrooms. The rooms are simple, fresh and clean. Very clean. All six are finished with en-vogue décor and bed linen which looks like it’s leapt from an interiors’ catalogue.

As well as a countryside retreat to drink, dine and stay, The Manor Arms Inn is also available for weddings and other special events. With the beautiful local scenery as a back drop and warm and attentive service, it’s the perfect place to celebrate.

This place is so very warm and welcoming, not only would I dine and bed down here for the night, I would marry here too. Shame it’s too late for that.

‘Our experienced staff are committed to providing our guests with the highest quality service and attention, whether you are having a relaxing weekend break away or that all-important celebration. We offer freshly cooked food using locally sourced ingredients, served with a good selection of ales and a comprehensive wine list.

We pride ourselves on our ability to make any occasion, whether it’s a wedding, birthday, christening or anniversary, unique to your specific requirements.

You can always be sure of a warm welcome here at The Manor Arms and we look forward to welcoming you to come and relax by the fire, here at our beautiful country Inn’.

4 Course Valentine’s Day Menu £60 per couple 3 Course Mother’s Day Menu £29.95 / £14.95 (Children) Facebook: The Manor Arms Inn Abberley Twitter: @manorarmsinn W: www.themanorarms.co.uk The Manor Arms Inn Abberley Village Worcester WR6 6BN Telephone: 01299 890300 Email: info@themanorarms.co.uk Opening Times Monday to Thursday: 11am to 11pm Friday & Saturday: 11am to 12am Sunday: 11am to 10:30pm

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Spinach, Marinated Tomato & Pesto Linguini With White Wine Cream Supreme Of Chicken, Garlic & Thyme Potatos, Creamed Leeks Grilled Smoked Haddock, Pea Risotto, Parmesan & Curry Oil

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Eat well and share the surplus Create a smart and casual potager

T

here is something very satisfying about basking in the sunshine, mug of coffee in hand, inspecting serried ranks of vegetables in the kitchen garden. A peaceful haven of regimented calm with the orderly and neat rows of food.

Tasting the first peas (they never made it to the kitchen), fresh baby carrots washed off under the garden tap, their unbelievably sweet flavour resembling nothing purchased at the supermarket.

There is nothing quite like the ephemeral scent of sweet peas mingling with the fruity aroma of ripening tomatoes on a humid summer evening.

This romantic notion of the kitchen garden is often a long march from the reality of the average British veggie plot.

Several I recall resemble a battleground rather than dig for victory. Treading

Hillary Collins

carefully through this vegetarian minefield, when it comes to design, I postulate that this is one instance where French style wins over British practicality. A triumph of Potager over Kailyard (14th century Scots from the Old Norse kรกl - meaning where the cabbages grow). Too often our vegetables are hidden away in gloomy garden corners, almost as though we are embarrassed by the sight of them. Better yields are achieved when vegetables are grown in good soil with full sun and this means turning over a prime piece of garden to production; so it needs to look good too.

The French, ever passionate about food, have spent centuries perfecting beautiful kitchen gardens. Whereas historically, we have tended to be a bit resistant about the green things on our plate. However, the great culinary renaissance of the

past decade has resulted in a quest for information; we want to know how our food has been produced and that it is chemical free. Growing your own vegetables is even better; from plot to plate in less than 20 minutes with no air-miles and flavour which knocks the spots off a tired, travel-worn supermarket runner bean.

So what is a potager?

In a nutshell, a potager is a collection of attractive and tasty vegetables, fruit, herbs and flowers are grown in an ornamental fashion, whilst providing food for the kitchen. They are not complicated or flashy, but simply laid out with a quiet sophistication and a certain style. The French cram in the plants so close, there is no room for weeds. This requires a non-mechanical, hands-on approach to cultivation and the gardener is rewarded February 2015

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for their diligence with a beautiful looking plot. The potager system is so productive there is plenty to donate to friends, with a few spare for the odd itinerant slug. Decide where to cultivate yours and to prevent jungle warfare (or the raising of a white flag), design it first on paper. Remember, simplicity is key.

On a small scale you could choose a formal parterre or rustic cottage-garden style. Traditionally a potager garden consists of symmetrical beds in geometric shapes, divided by pathways of grass, brick, flagstone, gravel or even bark chips. Accessibility is important, so make the beds no more than 1.5m wide so you don’t have to walk on them to cultivate the soil. Then you can use the no-digsystem, where you mulch thickly with compost and let the earthworms do the work. Beds can be ground level, edged with timber or raised; being constructed from wood planks, sleepers or even brick.

Use good soil and enrich with compost, sharp sand and fertilise frequently with Vitax Q4.

The vegetables are not planted just in straight rows, nor are you producing thousands of leeks to feed an army but growing with some military precision would be good. Think diagonals, triangles and square formations. As you become more confident you can experiment with intricate woven patterns in cabbage and dwarf French beans depending on how you feel.

Edge the beds with box hedging (choose the disease resistant Buxus mic.

Faulkner or Winter Gem) or shrubby evergreen germander Teucrium lucidrys.

You may not live at Versailles, but a little ornamentation goes a long way. You can even use single marigolds, tagetes, parsley or herbs as a border.

Which varieties to choose?

Whilst the potager layout and style is important, the choice of crops is equally critical. Not only should the produce taste good at harvest, but it should look beautiful whilst growing. For example, if you must have cabbage, select one with purple tinges to the leaves.

Choose runner beans for flavour and flower colour: the white flowered heirloom 52

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variety Czar (which produces edible dried beans as well as green pods) against the flame coloured ‘Firestorm’.

Beetroot: Quattro Gourmet mix has four different coloured roots. Feathery foliaged Florence Fennel looks terrific in the border; the bulb makes fantastic soup.

Grow tomatoes of different colours: chocolate, gold and scarlet. The fluorescent pink, gold and orange stems of Swiss Chard Bright Lights illuminate a winter border, but you can harvest the baby leaves for salad and steam the stems for a winter vegetable.

Herbs and flowers are an important part of the French potager system and are selected to co-ordinate with the vegetable bed-fellows. Nasturtiums, Borage and Calendula are ideal for attracting bees and butterflies with the added benefit that the petals make a great addition to the summer salad bowl. Introducing a more diverse range of plants will also ward off pests and diseases that are inherent with mono-cropping; in particular Tagete tenuifolia will confuse the rootfly which attacks your carrots and parsley. In addition, you will have created a pleasant place to sit as opposed to the traditional depressing rows of cabbages.

Tight on space? Grow small or grow tall.

Bring height to borders and bring structure to the winter garden with obelisks. Install arches over pathways for training Loganberries, primocane Blackberry Reuben or cordon gooseberries.

The secret to productivity is succession planting. Always have something ready to pop into a vacant space, once a crop is harvested. Furthermore, inter-

planting can work well. Mingle the hugely productive dwarf French bean with lettuce or under-plant newly sown runners with radish. Liberally scatter Eschscholzia californica seeds around perennial vegetables such are artichokes and rhubarb. I sow Cornflowers (for the bees) in-between the rows of perpetual spinach, grown for my chickens. Small can be beautiful, so try mini varieties of carrot, spring onions, little gem lettuce and tasty salad leaves for a quick turnaround.

‘Accessorise’ your potager tastefully.

No tatty bits of polythene, nor old bamboo canes. Plastic pots are forbidden!

This is to be a beautiful garden feature.

Use metal accessories for formal gardens and timber for rustic gardens, but try not to mix them up. If cottage-garden is your plan, choose hazel wigwams or salmon traps; team them with chestnut archways, edge beds with hazel mini-hurdles.

Complete the look with wicker baskets of scarlet geraniums in summer.

Find a good quality bench, use terracotta cane tops, give an old metal wateringcan a lick of paint, and deploy bamboo or metal plant labels. If the budget runs to it, acquire a terracotta rhubarb forcer.

Keep replanting with new things and rake the beds. Above all, tidy away old crops as soon as they are over (as you would tidy your herbaceous border). Don’t leave old leaves lying around; heavens, anyone might think it’s just a vegetable plot.

And when the beds are empty?

Pop in some instant bedding or cover the raked soil with landscape fabric and stand a few pots of seasonal patio plants, bulbs and a mix of herbs until you need the bed again. The trick is to keep the beds in use with something beautiful.

We’re not aiming to replicate Chateau Villandry gardens but you could visit Pinterest for some workable ideas. www.pinterest.com/bekytrail/raisedbeds-and-potagers So in the spirit of Entente Cordiale, pinch a leaf from the French.....“bon jardinage!”

Valentine’s Menu Glass of Prosecco on arrival *** Herb baked bread, olive oil & aged balsamic *** Amuse bouche *** Mulled pear, Roquefort & pecan nut salad (v) Chicken liver pate with cranberry chutney, baby leaf salad & toasted granary bread

Queen Anne artichoke tart with herb vinaigrette and rocket, tomato & parmesan salad (v) Seared loin of cod set on winter ratatouille with Beurre blanc sauce Chicken supreme stuffed with garlic & herb mousseline and wrapped in pancetta served with fondant potato, caramelised red onion & port jus

Smoked salmon gravalax with horseradish Chantilly, capers, lemon & cracked black pepper

Duo of Orchard Cottage farm pork – Seared tenderloin & slowly braised belly with apple puree, creamed cabbage & bacon, crackling & cider jus *** Assiette of homemade desserts to share Cheese & biscuits

***

£24.95 per person

Baked camembert with caramelized red onion and balsamic croutes (v) (for two to share)

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Selling exquisite vintage and antique Royal Worcester: Porcelain China Tableware Cake Stands Figurines Collectables Gifts ‘Royal Worcester’ and the C51 crown device are registered by and used under kind permission from Portmeirion Group UK Ltd to whom all rights are reserved.

MUSEUM OF ROyAl wORcESTER Severn Street, Worcester WR1 2ND t: 01905 21247 f: 01905 617 807 info@museumofroyalworcester.org www.museumofroyalworcester.org

OPEn MOnDAy TO SATURDAy March to October: 10 am – 5 pm November to February: 10 am – 4 pm Occasionally closed for private functions, please telephone for details.

GIFT SHOP GIFTS TO TREASURE

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Bee is for beauty Unlock the secrets to ageless skin Lucinda Bunn

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t seems everything produced by the busy pollinators is proving to have some kind of salubrious property.

And with that in mind, we thought we’d let you know what bees can do for your skin. So here’s the bee list.

Royal Jelly For bees, this rarefied goo is used to feed the queen but royal jelly has been shown to support cell regeneration and build collagen too. It’s powerpacked with antioxidants, minerals and proteins. Royal jelly has also been studied for its qualities in protecting the skin from the damaging effects of ultraviolet radiation from the sun.

This radiation damages the collagen that supports your skin and that’s what causes wrinkling. The damaging rays can also lead to unwanted discoloration of the skin. But royal jelly, with its nutrients, helps to protect the skin from the harmful rays. Collagen is stimulated and abnormal colouring is prevented. If it can transform a drone into a queen, imagine what it can do for you.

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Bee Propolis Propolis from trees and shrubs is collected by bees and combined with beeswax to produce an antiseptic resin which sterilises the hives and protects the colony from disease. It’s antibacterial and anti-inflammatory and so dermatologists recommend bee propolis for treating acne. The skin-purifying agent encourages tissue repair and regeneration so it’s perfect for broken and irritated skin. Using bee propolis is the totally natural way to cleanse and purify your skin.

Bee Venom Ever since K-Mids admitted to having a bee venom facial before the Royal Wedding, it seems Britain has been stung with intrigue. Apparently the venom stimulates the production of collagen and elastin while relaxing your muscles to provide a Botox-like effect when applied. The scientists say it hinders rapid nerve activity, acting like a topical neurotoxin to smooth muscles.

There are also studies revealing that bee venom can boost the number of epidermal keratinocyte cells, which

provide protection against water loss and sun damage. And what’s more, no bees are harmed in the harvesting of the venom. A plate of glass with a mild electric current is introduced near the hive; the bees sting it but their stingers remain intact. So your conscience will stay as clear as your skin.

Note: Cosmetics containing bee products can occasionally cause allergic reactions in some people.

Always conduct an allergy test and research ingredients.

Beeswax Versatile and widely used in the cosmetic industry, beeswax has the unique ability to add solidity to emulsified solutions, help stabilise emulsions and to increase the waterholding capabilities of ointments and creams. In lipsticks, beeswax improves sheen, consistency and stabilises the colour. In creams and lotions, beeswax creates a superior appearance and softness and in hair products, it not only ensures manageability but it nourishes your hair from root to tip. Beeswax is non-pore-clogging too, so it’s suitable even for problem skin. Bee-lieve it.

The buzz about bees Did you know?

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he majority of people assume that a bee visits a plant, takes the pollen and produces honey and whilst that’s true, there are other things keeping them busy. Now if you thought you knew everything there was to know about bees think again. We’ve conjured up some of the most amazing and unusual facts about our little garden friends.

blue and green, where as a bee bases its colours on UV, blue and green as they have a hard time seeing red and cannot distinguish it from the surrounding green, leafy backgrounds. Bees that frequently visit red flowers either perceive them in the colour they see, or it is due to the fact the red flower is not being lost against a green background.

Not all bees die once they’ve stung you.

A honey bee will only make one twelfth of a teaspoon of honey in its lifetime.

Surprisingly, it is only the honey bee that dies after stinging a victim. This is due to the fact that a honey bee’s stinger has a barb which anchors it into the body of the victim. Bumblebees, on the other hand, can sting multiple times as their stingers are smooth and do not get caught in the skin when they fly away.

Although each bee will approximately visit 200 million flowers in its lifetime, a bee will only ever be able to produce around one twelfth of a teaspoon of honey. On average bees fly 55,000 miles to make just one pound of honey; the same distance as flying one and a half times around the world.

Bees are carnivorous.

Nectar Points

For the majority of the time bees are herbivorous, foraging for the pollen and nectar gathered from the plants they visit. However, if a bee becomes stressed they can turn on their existing brood, cannibalising them as a means of survival.

· A teaspoon of local honey a day can ward off allergies such as hay fever.

This is also true for animals, as it helps to develop a resistance to pollen.

Bees communicate by dancing.

Often referred to as a ‘waggle dance’, the foraging female honey bee performs a dance once she has found a great source of nectar and pollen. The dance informs the rest of the hive in three ways; firstly it communicates the direction to the source, followed by a sample of the source and then finally distinguishing how far away it is so that the colony can retreat to collect the necessary pollen and nectar.

Bees cannot see the colour red.

Bees, similarly to humans, are trichromatic, meaning they have three photoreceptors within the eye. Humans base their colour combinations on red,

· When cooking with honey, some of the flavour ingredients will be lost, so its quality is less significant. · The runnier the honey and the faster its bubbles rise when the jar is turned upside down, the more likely it is to have been adulterated with sugar syrup. · Honey will never go bad. The unique chemical composition of low water content and high acidic level means that honey makes an unfavourable environment for bacteria or other microorganisms to grow. · Honey’s colour and flavour differs depending on the nectar source visited by the honey bees. Darker honeys for instance tend to taste stronger whereas lighter honeys usually have more glucose and crystallise quicker.

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Plot to plate Kate Farley talks textiles

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s advocates for homegrown food and getting back to local produce, we are in awe of Kate Farley’s collection ‘Plot to Plate’. In the age of the great battle between supermarkets and local producers, it’s great to find others flying the flag for fresh food. And just when you think the mighty supermarket has conquered all, you discover grass root power; through prints no less.

Born and brought up in Norfolk, Kate’s work has been shaped by an appreciation of space, simplicity and colour and inspired by the landscape. Kate responds to place, site history and memory while exploring elements of perspective, elevation and scale primarily through drawing and printmaking.

Following her first class honours degree in Printed Textile Design and an MA in Book Art, Kate has developed her practice spanning the field of art and design, completing site-specific commissions in surface design, producing a large number of artists’ books and several series of works on paper. Kate currently teaches part-time at the Birmingham Institute of Art and Design, part of Birmingham City University. But we caught her between her busy schedule of teaching and creating, to ask what homegrown food means to her.

Tell us about your process for prints.

How do your drawings become designs?

I make most drawings in situ at a garden, for example National Trust’s Baddesley Clinton, or Birmingham University’s Winterbourne Gardens, to capture a sense of the place; the rhythms, colours, shapes, and these often look quite map-like. Returning to the studio, I develop the drawings further, often combining elements of several drawings in order to create a composition suitable for a design. Some designs are extremely simple using only one or two motifs whilst others are far more complex. If I plan to screen print the final artwork, I need to consider the number of colours I am prepared to print and the qualities I can translate to screen.

Sometimes I digitally scan lino printed motifs that I make from the drawings and work with them in Adobe Photoshop

or Illustrator to finalise a design.

Alternatively, I may draw the final artwork directly on to film to expose on screen in order to capture the hand drawn qualities.

Accuracy in terms of placement and repeat are crucial if this is the case. I really enjoy working directly with drawing or handprinting but I do value the contribution that technology has played in enabling us to refine and adjust artwork so much quicker using the computer.

Your prints celebrate the natural world, was this always your intention?

Landscape has almost always been my primary creative inspiration and documenting journeys by making small editions of printed books was something I did for a number of years following an MA in Book Arts at Camberwell College in the late 90s. I’ve always kept sketchbooks of my drawings and looking back through them, it is clear that I have recorded our relationship with landscape; a ploughed field, a harbour wall, the simple line of a telegraph cable stretching across the flat fields. I like the combination of the natural world with signs of human life. My ‘Plot to Plate’ collection contains this idea but on a much more local scale. I record the way we work with the land in order to grow crops. I document the garden design as well as the seasonal changes and crops growing, the way we use the soil.

In relation to your collection ‘Plot to Plate’, what does home grown food mean to you?

Home grown food means fresh, flavour and honesty. We garden organically on our allotment, so yes, I fight the slugs but there’s something so special when all the veg on the plate is our own and due to our hard work.

I was brought up with home grown produce and I think once that’s the norm it’s hard to give it up.

You describe your inspiration as ‘our relationship with place’, where is your favourite place to be?

Tricky question, I’m a Norfolk girl and when I see the flat fields of harvested corn stretching for miles with the sails of a boat

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appearing to be moving through it (actually on the rivers of the Norfolk Broads), I’m most happy.

Realistically, a couple of hours digging at the allotment in south Birmingham does me well too.

How does working with textiles pose practical problems where other mediums might not?

I think I’ve always seen benefits of working with textile rather than problems. Albeit rather a simplistic mindset I’ve always liked the fact that you can iron fabric flat, unlike a sheet of paper and it’s portable unlike a lump of carved stone. I create problems by wanting to print textile products myself whereas outsourcing would make my life easier but I’m coming round to that idea in order to move my business forward.

Have you always expressed yourself creatively through art?

Yes, I was a huge fan of BBC’s Take Hart but never achieved Gallery success there! My family is creative and practical so I was exposed to art, craft and design from a young age. Once I had enrolled for art school, it felt right and I’ve always enjoyed the combination of fine art and design, thinking and practice.

As a lecturer in textiles, how do you encourage your students in their creative talents?

I am extremely committed in my drive to nurture a student’s own style; their own visual language that feels true to them. Drawing is so important; you can’t cut corners to create a great design. Even simplicity is hard work. There is too much imitation and lazy design out there and I try to encourage my students to be better than that and to realise their own potential for a lifetime, not a one hit wonder. There are so many ways to work in relation to textiles and I enjoy helping them to find their own way.

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What ventures have you got coming up this year?

I’m currently working on a solo show at Tinsmiths in Ledbury which is opening in May. Tinsmiths is a beautiful fabrics and lighting shop and the owner, Phoebe Clive and I have collaborated on developing a range of printed fabrics for cushions to launch alongside an exhibition of my prints. The linens are working brilliantly for the printed patterns.

I also have some exciting projects in the pipeline that I look forward to announcing over the coming year or so. I’m in talks with some key British companies in relation to bespoke designs and that’s really exciting. It was great to sell design work to Boden last autumn and I hope we can continue that relationship this year too. I’d love National Trust to stock my ‘Plot to Plate’ products in the properties that originally inspired my designs too; the same goes for Winterbourne Gardens here in Birmingham.

I’m working on convincing people that interesting and inspiring products can be found in and amongst a lot of the bland and generic. Just a small mission of mine.

What direction would you like your work to take in the future?

It’s important to me that I keep drawing to provide inspiration for my designs but I’m also keen to work with more British companies with a heritage, a history that can be interpreted in modern surface pattern. I’d love to design further bespoke pattern inspired by archives, collections and products, for example a company like Pashley Cycles, for their own products. Responding to a particular place or collection is key in all aspects of my work. It starts that way and I like the final design work to be appropriate for its destination. Full circle.

www.katefarley.co.uk www.katefarley.wordpress.com www.twitter.com/katefarleyprint

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We offer a superb selection of footwear from all the leading brands and always strive to offer our products at the most competitive prices.

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Our Redditch store is renowned for its childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s department which offers an unbeatable range of styles from all the leading brands.

We are the Clarks and StartRite Main Stockists for the Area and provide a level of service only found at a family run independent store.

Lelli Kelly

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Clarks First Shoes Other Brands Include: Tamaris, Lotus, Hotter, Caprice, FitFlop, Van Dal, H.B Shoes, Fly London, Merrell, Padders, Dr Martens, Josef Seibel, Anatomic, Ecco, Timberland, Loake, Barker, Skechers, Lelli Kelly, Geox, Radley, Tula and Many More

From discarded to desirable Launch of first dedicated upcycling website converts waste into designer goods

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he UK’s first retail website dedicated to the rapidly expanding consumer trend of upcycling championed by celebrities including Kirstie Allsopp, Kevin McCloud and Livia Firth has been launched.

Remade in Britain (www.remadeinbritain.com) is the first dedicated retail platform for businesses repurposing some of the 280m tonnes of waste produced each year in the UK and launches with over 300 upcycling retailers registered spanning furniture, interiors, lighting, clothing, jewellery and accessories. It aims to grow its list of retailers to more than 1,000 in the next twelve to eighteen months alone.

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Items listed on the Remade in Britain site range from furniture made out of discarded pallets to lamp stands created with motorbike parts, lighting fashioned from plastic drinks bottles and vintage textiles repurposed into clothing and home accessories.

Amongst the 300 plus retailers currently registered on the website is Max McMurdo, star of Kirstie Allsopp’s Fill Your House for Free and founder of eco design business, reestore, which was boosted after securing investment from Dragon’s Den’s Deborah Meaden and Theo Paphitis six years ago.

Max creates a number of bespoke furniture items including a V8 engine coffee table, bath tub chair and baby grand piano shelving unit.

He said: “Upcycling is a movement which is ever growing in both popularity and consumer interest and it’s great to see Remade in Britain offering a muchneeded platform to bring this vibrant community together. The beauty of upcycling is that there are quite literally no limits to what you can create and the wide selection of products and retailers showcased on Remade couldn’t demonstrate this any better.”

Remade in Britain founder, Donna Fenn said: “Increasingly the UK’s throwaway culture is being replaced with a resurgence of the ‘waste not, want not’ ethos from the past. The upcycling community is championing this with fantastic creativity, innovation and beautiful design and that’s what makes Remade in Britain so exciting.

“Upcycled products are highly sustainable, original in design and cost reductive so it’s no surprise that it’s a consumer trend set to grow exponentially in the next few years. The website provides an important platform to champion all the talented individuals and businesses who are already ahead of the curve and leading the way in repurposing unwanted items.

Remade in Britain provides a platform for retailers to sell upcycled products straight to consumers through their own online shop, with a commission fee taken on each product purchased. The site is designed to be a ‘hub’ for the upcycling community, offering a place to advertise courses, events, items available for salvage and upcycling supplies.

For more information visit www.remadeinbritain.com

February 2015

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Hidden treasures Unlocking the value of antiques in your home

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special collectables valuation event will be taking place soon in your area. The experts of Lockdales Auctioneers will be providing free valuations to the public on Wednesday 25th February, 11.30am to 3.30pm, at St Andrews Town Hall, St Andrews Drive, Droitwich Spa, Worcestershire, WR9 8AL. There will be experts providing valuations on the following types of collectables: Coins (including British & World, sovereigns, Krugerrands, Royal Mint commemoratives & proof sets), stamps, banknotes, medals & militaria, antiques, clocks, watches, jewellery, gold, silver, pre-1900 documents/books & maps, cigarette-cards, postcards, pre1960 sporting programmes & tickets, scientific instruments, swords, bayonets & de-activated weapons. No appointment is necessary at this event, simply turn up with your items and the valuers will be happy to see you.

Members of the public will have the option, if they wish, to consign their goods to auction (subject to terms & conditions).

Cash purchase offers are also available. Valuations will be provided free of charge, with no obligation. High quality illustrated catalogues from previous auctions will be given away on a complimentary basis in order for the public to get a better idea of the services available.

These valuation days have proven to be very popular in the past, and we have conducted hundreds of them across the UK. Some of the best items we have auctioned were brought to us at these events, such as two pieces of Russian 17th century enamelled silverware, a bowl and a lidded pot, which we later sold on behalf of the owners for over £75,000.

One of the most interesting items we have sold recently was a fragment of pennant flag belonging to the army of Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth. This was featured on television, and in newspapers nationwide. This we sold at auction on behalf of its owner for £2800.

Top Tips:The hottest markets for collectables at the moment are those of India, China and Asia in general, so if you have some old coins, stamps, postal covers or banknotes from those places you could be in luck!

First World War medals and militaria are very popular this year, being the 100th anniversary of the outbreak of war.

Be on the lookout for football programmes dated before 1960. Those from the 1940s and earlier are the most valuable.

If you have any questions feel free to contact Lockdales’ Martlesham offices: 01473 627110, sales@lockdales.com.

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Seeing is not always believing Worcester practice offers the world’s first undetectable hearing aid

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Worcester Hearing Centre is one of a select group of UK dispensers to offer a device that offers a completely new way to treat hearing loss. Placed deep in the ear canal, the small hearing aid - just 12mm in length - cannot be seen and is designed to be worn 24 hours a day and 7 days a week, for months at a time.

The Worcester Hearing Centre is offering Lyric, labelled ‘the contact lens for your ears’, which can even be worn while sleeping, in the shower or during exercise. Developed

by Phonak, the world’s leading manufacturer of hearing instruments, the device allows users to effectively ‘forget’ they are wearing it, providing a convenient and hassle free way for people to take control of their hearing loss.

Unlike any other hearing device on the market, Lyric is inserted just four millimetres from the ear drum providing exceptionally natural sound quality and a clean, undistorted signal. It is placed in the ear canal by a specially trained hearing aid audiologist, currently only 39 in the country, in a procedure that takes just a matter of minutes, with no surgery or anaesthesia.

Thomas Dixon from Worcester Hearing Centre says “Lyric is a major advancement in hearing aid development and ensures people, previously conscious about wearing a hearing device, now have the freedom to go about their daily lives without thinking about their hearing loss. Combining its tiny size with the latest micro-technology, Lyric provides the user with the opportunity to get the very best from their hearing.”

Approximately 12 million people (one in five adults) in Britain currently experience hearing difficulties and this figure is expected to rise to one in three by 2025 .

Lyric is suitable for mild to moderate hearing loss and will help meet a growing demand from the baby boomer generation, the young at heart consumers in their 50s and 60s who want to boost their hearing to stay at their best but don’t want to draw attention to a problem typically associated with ageing. According to experts, people currently struggle for 15 years on average before seeking advice.

There are no batteries to change, no maintenance needed and no daily insertion or removal is required. Users need only visit their audiologist every few months, whereupon Lyric is quickly and easily replaced with a new device. Using a magnetic adjustment tool, users can adjust the volume themselves and turn the device on and off.

Lyric is available from the Worcester Hearing Centre, 5 Cornmarket, Worcester, WR1 2DR. Call Worcester Hearing Centre on 01905 617 803 to make an appointment.

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A REVOLUTIONARY HEARING AID THAT CAN HEAR LIKE YOUR EARS DO Lyric, the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first and only 100% invisible, 24/7 wearable, showerproof* hearing device is now avaliable at your local Worcester Hearing Centre NO BATTERIES TO CHANGE NO DAILY INSERTION REMOVAL REQUIRED SHOWERPROOF* CLEAR NATURAL SOUND QUALITY *Lyric is water resistant, not waterproof, and should not be completely submerged underwater.

Risk-Free 30-Day Trial - Arrange your assesment today!

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65 February 2015 Worcester Hearing Centre, 5 Cornmarket, Worcester WR1 2DR

The ultimate driving machine BMW 420d x-drive M sport Lucie Abu-Zalaf

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ow, I’m no stranger to BMWs, in fact my last three cars have carried the ‘Ultimate Driving Machine’ branding. So when the opportunity arose to take the new 4 series for a spin I jumped at the chance, especially as the model I was getting had the X-Drive option- BMW’s not-so-new four wheel drive option.

The bodywork is typical of a BMW; smooth lines with a handsome edge to it and because of the M styling pack a little aggressive looking flair here and there.

It looks remarkably like a sporty, 2 door 3 series, which is pretty much what it is. The engine was a 2.0 litre, 4 cylinder turbo charged diesel, producing 182bhp and it’s reported to get 59 mpg. I also opted for the automatic transmission.

Jumping into the cabin, it again looks very similar to the new 3 series, except with the 4 series M sport model, you get leather seats as standard and BMW’s excellent business navigation system.

Mine also had the upgraded Harmon/

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Kardon speaker system, which didn’t fail to impress. The sat nav, stereo, telephone and all other electronic features are all connected and controlled through BMW’s idrive system. A little wheel on the centre console, once you have got the hang of it, allows you to control everything through the display screen with relative ease. It also offers voice control to activate most systems and generally doesn’t work too badly!

On start up, the engine was a little clattery, more so than what I was expecting and didn’t quite tie in with the refined look of the car, but once I was on the move, it settled down a lot and I didn’t really give it a second thought.

I was concerned that the frugal 2 litre engine would feel a little sluggish as there is quite a lot of car to haul around but there is a broad spread of torque and enough power to actually make it seem quite fast.

The X-Drive system, which I was so keen to test out, is absolutely fantastic. The car

genuinely feels like it is on rails, which is not something necessarily associated with BMW’s previous exclusively rear wheel drive fleet. I have to admit, the weather was fairly mild while I had the demonstrator so I cannot testify that it handles just as well in the snow or ice, but compared to the standard rear wheel drive option, you stand a much better chance of getting home, should snow hit! I should also state that it is an adaptive 4 wheel drive system, where the computer wizardry monitors each wheel independently and puts the correct amount of power to different wheels as required so you don’t lose the benefit of balance and fluidity that comes with having a rear wheel drive car.

In recent months BMW has added the 2 and 4 series into their collections, having previously had the 1 and 3 series, which you had the option to purchase as a coupe. The 2 and 4 series are exactly that- a 1 and 3 series chassis respectively, in a sportier 2 door coupe.

It may have increased the amount of cars that you have to choose from on paper, but it realistically comes down to whether you want 2 or 4 doors. The large doors on the 4 series make getting into and out of the back seats relatively easy (even when trying to get grumpy 1 year old into a car seat) and due to the large amount of cabin space you can comfortbly seat 4 adults in the car. There is also a very good sized boot on the 4 series, 445 litres with the seats up, to be precise. Ample room for the weekly shop, even with a pushchair in too.

Overall, this is a great car. It is responsive, economical and I cannot recommend the X-Drive addition enough. The only thing that I would possibly consider changing, would be to trial the 430d and see if the performance of the larger 6 cylinder engine is worth sacrificing the economy of the 420d.

For more information, or if you would like to book a test drive and try it out for yourself contact Rybrook BMW, Knightsbridge Park, Wainwright Road, Worcester WR4 9FA 01905 459600 February 2015

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Growing ambitions

K

At King St Alban’s

ing’s St Alban’s is a thriving, independent co-educational school in the heart of Worcester offering unrivalled facilities for children aged from 4 to 11 years. Outstanding teaching and excellent pastoral care combine to make King’s St Alban’s stand out from other schools in the area.

In response to an overwhelming demand for places, an exciting extension to our Pre-Preparatory Department has been constructed. We are now in a position to offer further places in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2. An ISI inspection, carried out in October, deemed our Early Years provision to be ‘Outstanding’ in all areas. Children here “are enthusiastic, inquisitive learners who enjoy coming to school and who make rapid progress”.

From a child’s first days with King’s St Alban’s our unique links with the King’s Senior School allow for a seamless journey through the different stages of their education. In both the Pre-Prep department and the Junior School, classes are small enough to ensure consistent attention for every pupil, but large enough

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to allow friendships to blossom and competition to remain healthy. We nurture the potential of every child; the excellent teaching and unrivalled facilities will ensure that every pupil can find ways to expand their horizons and take on new challenges. With the forthcoming opening of the Keyes building (named after Tim Keyes who retired as Headmaster of the Senior School in the summer of 2014), pupils at King’s St Alban’s and at King’s Senior School can look forward to a purpose built sports and performing arts centre which includes a new sports hall, fitness suite, dance and drama studios along with a climbing wall and sixth form centre.

If you would like to arrange a visit to see for yourself the many ways that a King’s education can benefit your child, please call Louise Robins, Registrar at King’s St Alban’s, on 01905 354906.

Mill Street Worcester WR1 2NJ www.ksw.org.uk/stalbans

IA SCHOLA

R EG

ORNIENSIS VIG

Independent co-education in Worcester for ages 4 to 11

‘Small classes, nurturing potential’ A thriving Pre-Preparatory and Junior School in the heart of Worcester, offering exceptional teaching and unrivalled facilities to children aged 4 to 11.

Call 01905 354906 to see what King’s St Alban’s can offer your child.

Confidence in a changing world

www.ksw.org.uk

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Tax-efficient giving A win win for everyone Tom Ware

Charitable giving can provide the warm glow that you are doing something good and being tax efficient into the bargain. There are a number of ways to donate to charity that ensure that both you and the charity benefits.

The first way to make donations is under the Gift Aid scheme. This scheme is useful for all UK tax-payers making cash gifts to charity.

All Gift Aid donations are regarded as having basic rate tax deducted by the donor. The charities, which include some smaller community-based sports organisations, take individual donations and reclaim the basic rate tax paid from the Inland Revenue. If someone gives £10 under a Gift Aid scheme, it is worth £12.50 to the charity.

There are also advantages for higher rate tax payers under this scheme. As long as the organisation is recognised as a charity by HMRC, higher rate tax payers can claim back additional tax. They will usually have to do this through their tax return and donors need to ensure they have paid sufficient tax in that year to be able to claim it back. The Inland Revenue uses the example of someone donating £100, where the total value of their donation to the charity is £125 - so they can claim back £25 if they pay tax at 40 per cent. Gift Aid can be carried back to previous years.

The other popular and tax-efficient way to give money to charity is through the Give as You Earn scheme. This is for those individuals

Tom Ware

Churchill Investments PLC Registered in England No. 3125227 Registered Office: 9 Woodborough Road, Winscombe.

BS25 1AB 01934 844444 info@churchillinvestment.co.uk www.churchillinvestment.co.uk IMPORTANT NOTICE The descriptions of products and services in this newsletter are not recommendations, which we will only make to individuals based on their personal circumstances and needs. Investment plans and funds may involve risks to both capital and income. Past performance is not a guide to the future and the value of investment can fall as well as rise. You might not get back the full amount invested particularly if an encashment is made in the early years. The descriptions of tax rules are based on Churchill Investments’ understanding of law and HMR&C practice. Tax rules are subject to change. Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.

Churchill Investments plc is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

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whose employer is signed up to a scheme. Donations are made from an individual’s salary after national insurance but before income tax. Individuals only pay tax on what is left as a result.

Therefore, for a basic rate tax payer, every pound donated costs 80p, or 60p for a 40% taxpayer. So if, for example, a higher rate tax payer authorises a monthly donation of £10, they will save £4 - the actual cost of the donation is just £6. The money can go to any UK-registered charity. In some cases employers will match any employee donations. Payroll giving does not affect the amount that can be claimed under the Gift Aid Scheme, providing individuals have paid sufficient tax to be able to claim relief.

Choosing a charity is extremely personal, but it is worth asking a few basic questions when deciding where to put your money. For example, some charities have significant overheads and only a small amount of an individual’s donation actually goes towards the good cause. In some cases, this can be as low as 20-30% of the overall donation. Diabetes UK, for example – only 26% goes to the charity, the rest going on administration expenses, including a final salary scheme for the staff. The tax efficient schemes are only available on registered charities, so it is worth ensuring that any charity is properly authorised. Overall, any charity should be able to give you a clear idea of where your money is going and how much.

ROYAL SHAKESPEARE THEATRE From 26 March STRATFORD-UPON-AVON

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Worked up A space to contemplate and create Lucinda Bunn

I

t can be a desk in the corner of a room, a private library or a summer house at the end of the garden, but a home office must be fun and functional to be efficient. Sitting at the kitchen counter with your laptop will not inspire creativity, nor will it stop others preparing food on your paperwork. Finding a quiet, organised and inventive space to ‘get things done’ is the key to working from home.

Easy organisers and decorative touches will ensure your work space is as stylish as it is functional. Consider the environments you work best in. If you need visual reminders and you like to be surrounded by books and magazines then put your walls to work with pinboards or even chalkboard paint to jot down all your exciting ventures. Or maybe a clean, Scandi-style sideboard with just your laptop and a houseplant would suit you. There are so many interesting and storage options to keep all the chaos organised. Think fabric boxes, paint-can cubbyholes and co-ordinated containers.

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Necessity is the mother of invention. And creating a workspace when there’s no space to spare is a chance to find a clever design solution. Fold-down desktops, secretaires and bookcase desks provide storage and a tabletop whilst neatly fitting in with little square footage.

Crafty creations are also a great way to cut costs as you design your workspace. An old door makes a cool upcycled worktop, or industrial-style light fixtures can be created with cord and filament bulbs. Hang them from the ceiling on either side of your desk for a modern and inexpensive addition. Scrap yards and antique barns are perfect for decking out your new office.

Keep things organised, stay creative and get worked up over inspiring office designs and desk decor.

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A slightly kinked world view An exhibition by Heather Duncan 6th February – 4th April Lucinda Bunn

D

erbyshire based painter Heather Duncan is showcasing her works at Harborne Art Gallery this month. The exhibition runs until April so there’s plenty of time to take in the colourful, ‘kinked’ world view of this vibrant artist.

The richly textured landscapes of Heather’s work are unmistakable. Exuding a feeling of freedom and exhilarating expression that goes deeper than a pictorial representation of the land. Based on the memory of the landscape, Heather delves into her own imagination, drawing on other inspirations, her emotionality and sensitivity to distort and colour her memory. Her paintings celebrate the natural world as much as our emotional reaction to it.

As her friend, poet Jo Bell wrote of her paintings, ‘Into those wide spaces, Heather Duncan splashes celebratory pink, deep sulky orange, a blue so deep that it bruises the eye. These are not colours that you can see – what would be the point of that? These are the colours that you feel as you stand on the ridge in the Peak District, or in an Arizona desert.’

Born in Yorkshire, Heather’s creativity is rooted in the northern countryside. ‘I have a deep and strong connection with the expansive open moorlands of the north of England where I spent my childhood. This openness into which I escaped both physically and emotionally is reflected in my work. I like the varied climatic qualities of a temperate landscape, the mood and the music that it creates within us and of itself. I find a calm beauty in the grey mist of an October morning, excitement in the gunmetal sky of an approaching summer storm. I love the sharpness of the wind as it assaults your face, or the gentleness of a salt-laden sea breeze.’

Heather Duncan studied Landscape Architecture at Leeds Metropolitan University, and her time living in America at the end of the ‘90s continues to bring inspiration.

By 2009, her work was reaching a national and international audience with exhibitions in London and placements in private collections in the UK, France, Germany and the US. Heather Duncan’s is a sensuous journey along the landscape. It’s poetry in motion.

Haborne Art Gallery at Frametec 8 Greenfield Road Harborne Birmingham B17 OEE 0121 428 1038 www.frametec.co.uk

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February 2015

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Black Champagne: A Review A novel by Martin Frankson Mike Stafford

B

lack Champagne is the debut novel from Belfast-based writer Martin Frankson. Set in modern-day Chicago but spanning four decades, it’s a piece of contemporary detective fiction that’s firmly in the hardboiled tradition.

As the curtain rises, we meet ex-detective Callum McCambridge, sitting in a police interview room in connection with the murder of Teamster union supremo Jimmy Hoffa. Soon after, we find him framed for murder and in a desperate bid to clear his name. This bid sees McCambridge digging up dirt from throughout his past, and revealing the darkness of his own soul and that of the American political establishment.

Frankson’s is a world where the dames are femme fatales, everyone is crooked, and redemption is just an empty word.

This is a detective novel with Raymond Chandler and Jim Thompson’s influence evident in every page. If you like your detective fiction stewed in scotch, stained with cigarette smoke and with simile and metaphor peppering the narrative like a flurry of buckshot, this is just the book for you.

Of course, when a writer delves into the world of noir fiction a la Chandler and Hammett, they face an old problem - how do you stand on the shoulders of those giants rather than just pick their pockets? How do you become more than just a tribute act?

For Frankson, the answer lies in philosophy. His rapid-fire use of similes may see him emulating Chandler, but Frankson also makes social, political and psychological comment that the godfather of pulp fiction never really attempted.

Casting a weary eye over the modern American political landscape, Frankson sees a nation “founded by giants but bequeathed to pygmies.” Watching the decline of an American metropolis, complete with urban decay and abandoned houses, Frankson has one of his characters suggest that, like people, dead homes should be buried for the sake of decency and dignity. Frankson also writes about long-term incarceration with authenticity that’s thoroughly impressive from a writer who has - to my knowledge - never known the soul-crushing clash of prison cell doors.

In terms of mood, Black Champagne is deeply pessimistic.

Frankson’s characters are too world-weary, too tainted by grim experience to see the glass half-full. Their histories hang about their neck like millstones. McCambridge in particular has a whiff of Al Pacino’s Carlito Brigante; his past infects his

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present and in turn robs him of a better future. Moreover, the world itself is a bleak and hopeless place.

Frankson’s Chicago is saturated with corruption. Run as a fiefdom by the Democrats on account of its never having voted otherwise, Chicago is infected with complacent and corrupt politicians. The guardians of democracy have become jaded, but so have the guardians of law and order. The cops in Frankson’s Chicago PD are not the white knights in the “protect and serve” school; they’re simply interested in getting paid and living out another day. Even so, despite the gloom there’s a humanity here, just beneath the surface there’s a yearning for something. This elevates Black Champagne above being a cynic’s rant and makes it - in places - a striking and profound piece of fiction.

Black Champagne would certainly earn an 18 certificate of adapted for the screen. Shot through with ‘sex, language, violence, other,’ it’s dark and gritty throughout. However, it’s also educated, self-aware, and worth a few days of any noir fan’s time. www.nudge-book.com/blog/contributor/mike-stafford

Pop of Culture Lucinda Bunn

Shelli Graham illustrates her talent Shelli Graham is a local illustrator who has an ever growing range of greeting cards and limited edition prints available to purchase online. Her work is created using coloured pencils and watercolours, making it stand out from the majority of cards available on the high street. Shelli’s work is perfect for animal lovers, she also has a range of prints and cards inspired by literature so there’s sure to be something for everyone.

For something special, that’s not mass produced, visit her online store: www.shelligraham.com

Eddi Reader to perform at the Artrix Eddi Reader found fame as the lead singer of Fairground Attraction with their single Perfect and the album First of a Million Kisses both topping the British charts in the 80s. Since then she has effortlessly developed into one of popular music’s most thrilling and affecting performers.

Eddi Reader is performing at Artrix on Sunday 22nd March at 7.30 pm.

Tickets cost £22.50 and are available from Artrix Box Office on 01527 577330 or via www.artrix.co.uk

The Ludlow English Song Weekend The Ludlow English Song Weekend is unique. Set in one of England’s most perfect market towns, in one of England’s most unspoilt counties, this friendly festival celebrates a musical tradition too often overlooked.

Great British composers like Vaughan Williams, Finzi, Gurney, and Butterworth wrote songs inspired by the works of our great poets, which can’t always heard above the din of our daily lives.

As spring turns to summer, come to Ludlow to enjoy the graceful beauty of a musical tradition that celebrates the literature, history, and geography of our great land.

Ludlow English Song Weekend 2015 May 29th-31st

Ludlow Weekend of English Song May 29th-31st 2015 Roderick Williams John Mark Ainsley Kitty Whately Marcus Farnsworth Iain Burnside

Ludlow Weekend of English Song

music Mayby29th-31st 2015 Finzi Vaughan Williams Roderick Williams Butterworth John Mark Ainsley Howells Kitty Whately Ireland Marcus Farnsworth Berkeley Iain Burnside www.ludlowenglishsongweekend.com www.ludlowenglishsongweekend.com

www.ludlowenglishsongweekend.com February 2015

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What’s on at the theatre this February Our picks of the month Megan Ace

Malvern Theatre Saturday Night Fever Tuesday 3rd – Saturday 7th February Theatre Royal Bath Productions in association with Robert Stigwood presents SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER at Malvern Theatres from Tuesday 3rd to Saturday 7th February, starring Danny Bayne (winner of ITV’s Grease is the Word) in the lead role of Tony Manero.

When John Travolta walked on to the dance floor in the smash hit film Saturday Night Fever, it changed the way we dance forever.

The date is 1979 and in Brooklyn, New York, Tony Manero, a young man with a dead-end job and an extraordinary ability to dance, has only one ambition in life – to become the disco king. When he meets Stephanie, who also dreams of a world beyond Brooklyn, and they decide to train together for a dance competition, their lives begin to change forever.

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This brand new production of Saturday Night Fever, one of the most loved dance stories of all time, is packed with legendary hits from the Bee Gees including the classics Stayin’ Alive, Night Fever, Jive Talking, You Should Be Dancing and How Deep is Your Love?

A large and hugely talented cast of actor-musicians will play instruments, dance and sing in this spectacular new musical production.

Co-producer Robert Stigwood is one of the world’s leading impresarios and entertainment entrepreneurs whose stage shows have included Hair, Evita and Jesus Christ Superstar and whose films have included Grease and the phenomenally successful film of Saturday Night Fever.

Andrew Wright won Best Choreographer at the WhatsOnStage Awards 2013 and was nominated for Best Choreographer at the 2012 Olivier Awards and Broadway World 2011 Awards for his choreography of Chichester Festival Theatre’s production of Singin’ in the Rain. www.malvern-theatres.co.uk

Belgrade Theatre

Only a Day

Twelve Angry Men Mon 9 – Sat 14 Feb

Starring Tom Conti, Reginald Rose’s gripping courtroom thriller Twelve Angry Men has been hailed as the “classiest, most intelligent drama in the West End”. A jury has murder on their minds and a life in their hands as they decide the fate of a young delinquent accused of killing his father.

Matinees: 2.30pm Evenings: 7.45pm

Tickets: £17.75 - £32.75 Concessions apply

Cheaper tickets available online at www.belgrade.co.uk

Birmingham Repertory Theatre

Sat 7 – Sat 21 Feb

A play with live music for children aged seven and over about the cycle of life and the power of friendship. Based on the book by award-winning German children’s writer and illustrator, Martin Baltscheit, it is alternately funny, sad and thoughtprovoking.

Evenings: 6.30pm Afternoons: 2pm

Tickets: £7 – £9.50 Families: £22 – £29

Cheaper tickets available online at www.belgrade.co.uk

The King’s Speech Wednesday 25 February – Saturday 7 March The HOUSE, Birmingham Repertory Theatre Featuring Raymond Coulthard and Jason Donovan, this acclaimed play that inspired the Oscar-winning film, is the uplifting true story of a man inspired to overcome a life-long setback in order to lead his country through the Great War, and his poignant friendship with the man that helped him.

The Honey Man

Tickets: £12.50 - £35 (concessions available). For times or to book: www.birmingham-rep.co.uk/event/the-kings-speech/or call 0121 236 4455.

Monday 16 – Saturday 21 February The DOOR, Birmingham Repertory Theatre Honey Man is an ageing West Indian recluse, trying to save his dying bees when 16-year-old Misty bursts into his world. 2.30pm/8.00pm. Tickets: £10-£12/£7-9 concessions. www.birmingham-rep.co.uk/event/the-honey-man/ or call 0121 236 4455.

February 2015

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