Edge Magazine September/October 2012 Edition by MLP Publishing Ltd

EdgeMagazine Your essential guide to Warwickshire, Worcestershire and the West Midlands

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2012 FREE EDITION

RUSKIN GLASS CENTRE A festival of glass

QUEEN ELIZABETH HOSPITAL Behind the scenes

WHISK AWAY

We talk to Nick Holzherr

KIDDiVOUCHERS

Save money on childcare

THE SLOE LIFE

How to make your own sloe gin

Food & Drink • Culture • Business • Fashion • Lifestyle

COMING NEXT MONTH Edge Magazine’s Food & EdgeMagazine Drink Guide Autumn/Winter 2012

Food & Drink Guide to Worcestershire, Warwickshire & West Midlands

•15,000 copies •Over 300 bars and restaurants •Delivered to over 5,000 homes across 3 counties Yo u r E s s e n t i a l G u i d e t o E a t i n g i n t h e M i d l a n d s

For more information, or to enquire about featuring in our forthcoming edition, please call 07809 702 992 or email

foodanddrinkguide@edgemagazine.org

Fourteen amazing zones One fantastic day out 0844 880 7667 or visit cadburyworld.co.uk

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September/October 2012

EDITOR’S BIT

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Welcome to the September/October edition of Edge Magazine. With the Olympics behind us, we’re holding onto the great British spirit of London 2012. We’ve got an exciting and eclectic mix of British fashion, fantastic local charities and a special Edge Magazine offer on back to school satchels from Mybag.com. We’ve got the low-down on everyday technology, from Nick Holzherr’s clever ingredients finder, Whisk, to planning your wedding with Pinterest. To celebrate the launch of our upcoming Food and Drink guide, we thought we’d bring you a special foody focus. We’ve got restaurant reviews, a curry competition, a seasonal recipe of the month and an exciting new venture for Birmingham’s golden boy, Glynn Purnell. Oh, and if you’re heading to Stratford Food Festival this month, we’ve covered everything you need to stick your teeth into. Don’t miss it. 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 On behalf of the team at Edge Magazine, have a wonderful autumn and we hope to see you all again for our next edition in November.

FEATURES Ruskin Glass Centre ........................................8 The Joys of Sloe Life ...................................44 A Festival of Glass

KIDDIVOUCHERS..............................................34

Making your own sloe gin this season

Whisk Away ..................................................60 Nick Holzherr becomes his own boss

Saving money on childcare

The Queen Elizabeth Hospital Charity.............24 Making a difference

September/October 2012

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September/October 2012

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CONTENTS Ruskin glass centre

Food for thought

Pinterest bride

Worcester Snoezelen

Your big day with the organiser

British wine

A fishy feast

The tweeting tailor

Paradise found

Clean and lean foods

Who is your favourite?

Recipe of the month

Back to school

Bistro culture

Harris Tweed & Clarks

From Birmingham to Bombay

Portas pilots

The joys of sloe life

Only uncle

Whisk away

Hello curry

Smart money

Off to a flying start

Top 10 investment mistakes

Education and the world

Are you covered?

Kiddivouchers

Malvern Theatre: a review

Eucalyptus

Winter Birds

Queen Elizabeth Hospital Charity

STAY UP TO THE TEAM DATE

Michael Abu-Zalaf - Editor in Chief @ZalafAbu - michael@edgemagazine.org

Like us on Facebook

Facebook.com/ WeAreEdgeMagazine

Lucinda Bunn - Copy Editor Eileen Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Kane - Accounts Manager

@WeAreEdge

INFO@EDGEMAGAZINE.ORG TEL: 01608 682 749 OR 07809 702 992 September/October 2012

CONTRIBUTORS Meg Hanlon

Vanessa Staite

Tom Ware

Ryan Edge

Hillary Collins

Mike Stafford

Kathryn Watts

Melanie Taffs

Claire Love

Alan Coxon

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Ruskin Glass Centre www.edgemagazine.org

RUSKIN GLASS CENTRE

Celebrating the art of glass The new Glasshouse Arts Centre along with Ruskin Glass Centre are just two of the venues across the Glass Quarter that are proud to host the fifth International Festival of Glass this summer. The festival will take place from the 24th-27th of August and is set to be a fantastic celebration of Stourbridge’s history in glassmaking. In 2010, the festival welcomed 13,000 guests to the Stourbridge Glass Quarter and this summer’s festival is expected to be more special, as it marks the 400th anniversary of glassmaking in Stourbridge and 50 years of studio glassmaking worldwide. Following a £1.4m refurbishment in 2010, Ruskin Glass Centre is continuing to help the glass trade thrive in Stourbridge. The Glasshouse site home to Ruskin Glass Centre (Visitor Attraction home to 18 independent art and craft businesses), Glasshouse College (a specialist further education college operated by Ruskin Mill Trust, providing Practical Skill Therapeutic Education for young people aged 16 to 25 years who have a range of learning difficulties) and the new Glasshouse Arts Centre, have an abundance of arts, crafts, retail, local history and heritage. Once home to the glassmaking greats, Webb Corbett and Royal Doulton, the site was purchased in 2001, by Ruskin Mill Education Trust. Purchased with the objective of keeping the indigenous trade of the area alive, the Ruskin Mill Education Trust set out to create a vibrant, craft based environment for independent businesses to continue to thrive as well as provide meaningful work experience for the students of Glasshouse College. At Ruskin Glass Centre, the glass crafts range from live glassblowing, respected studio glass artists, engravers and glass decorators to the complementary trades of handmade soap, textiles, photography, printing and

September/October 2012

publishing. The new and improved site also has a fantastic café, open daily and serving exciting hot dishes, organic snacks and freshly baked cakes. Glasshouse Arts Centre has recently undergone a major refurbishment just in time to be used as the venue for the famous Biennale Exhihibiton. The Centre includes a large auditorium, studio theatre, new multi use spaces and the Webb Corbett Visitor Centre. The International Festival of Glass celebrates the new skills from around the world in the historic centre of glass crafts across the whole Glass Quarter. Expect world class exhibitions, demonstrations, open studios, performances and family entertainment. Why not try your hand at glassmaking with one of the fantastic masterclasses from furnace building and flameworked sculpture to digitised glass design. There’s even the Glass Heap Challenge; a competition to upcycle waste glass. And you definitely don’t want to miss the Fun Auction, with lots of opportunities to buy unique pieces of glass. At the International Festival of Glass, you’ll find the fusing of art and history. The bank holiday event includes an amazing cinema auditorium for presenting newly commissioned work, performance pieces and live international link-ups. If you were planning to check out the new venue this summer, then go for the Festival of Glass and experience it in all its glory; the Festival will be showcasing an innovative take on all aspects of the craft and everything that goes with it. Ruskin Glass Centre & Glasshouse Arts Centre Wallaston Road, Dudley www.ruskinglasscentre.co.uk 01384 - 399 419

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www.edgemagazine.org Pinterest Bride

PINTEREST BRIDE A guide online Planning a wedding is a joyous process but it can be a stressful one. Well, there’s a lot to consider. Here at Edge Magazine, we’ve been thinking about the big ‘I do’s’ and we’ve scouted out the best local services for your big day. We’ve also got a few tips and tricks to help you get organised. To create a style or theme for your wedding, you need inspiration. Instead of spending your precious pennies on a pile of wedding magazines, go online. The internet has so much to offer and with lifestyle blogs of ‘real’ people becoming increasingly influential; they’ll inspire you more than the high-fashion ‘pretend’ nuptials. Here are a few wedding bloggers you might want to check out: Beyond Beyond www.beyondbeyond.co.uk/blog Check out Beyond Beyond for a modern and quirky answer to wedding stationery and ideas for your big day. Writer, photographer and graphic designer Amma has a passion for design, an impressive portfolio and a back catalogue of pretty pictures to inspire you. If you’re looking for a beautiful space with a tongue in cheek edge, go Beyond Beyond. Rock’n’Roll Bride www.rocknrollbride.com For the bride who wants to inject some individuality into their wedding day; a bit of spunk and a lot of attitude, Rock’n’ Roll Bride is the blog for you. Founder Kat Williams is a regular contributor to wedding and lifestyle magazines, she’s a photographer so she’s got a good eye and she understands the charm and unique nature of ordinary people’s extraordinary weddings. English Wedding www.english-wedding.com English Wedding is focused only on weddings and ideas from the UK. Claire Gould has worked as a calligrapher specialising in weddings for years; she’s got the inside track on the wedding industry. English Wedding showcases the brightest and best new talents in all aspects of wedding design, paying particular attention to the UK’s finest wedding photographers. Love My Dress www.lovemydress.net/blog Founder Annabel and her dream team update the blog daily, covering all aspects of weddings, but with a focus on glamorous, elegant, chic, vintage inspired and the all-round pretty. Love My Dress includes inspiration content and real weddings, with a smart and savvy commentary on the big day. Annabel hosts wedding industry networking events and Love My Dress is considered one of the best wedding blogs in the country.

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www.edgemagazine.org WEDDINGS

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September/October 2012

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A Warwickshire Wedding

Creations By Caroline

www.awarwickshirewedding.com

If you know anyone who literally will ‘buy a hat’ when you announce your engagement, then direct them to Creations by Caroline. A regular at Worcestershire wedding fairs, milliner Caroline designs bespoke hats for all seasons and occasions. Caroline uses the finest quality materials including sinamay and silk to craft her hats and fascinators with individual adornments using crystals, pearls, feathers and flowers. If you go to Caroline you’ll get a one-of-a-kind piece you can wear again and again.

For a truly personal account of the wedding process, check out A Warwickshire Wedding. Pamela Davis will be marrying the love of her life John on October 6th. Read all about her count down to the big day and some of the hiccups she encounters on the way. LOVE-IT, PIN-IT, SHARE-IT One of the best ways to collate all of your ideas is using Pinterest. Pinterest is an online pinboard to share the things you love. You can create mood boards with the images, blog posts, articles and video tutorials you find online. By arranging all the flower arrangements and wedding favour ideas together, you’ll be able to come to an informed decision, combining elements from your favourites. It’s easy to use, easy to edit and easy to share with your friends at the click of a button. All you have to do is go to www.pinterest.com, request an invite and start pinning. Most websites have a Pinterest icon next to their Facebook and Twitter icons. By clicking on the ‘P’, the image you like will automatically be saved to your pinboard. Easy as pie.

www.creationsbycaroline.co.uk 07734257210 Lea Marston Hotels Located in North Warwickshire, Lea Marston Hotel and Spa is an impressive wedding venue and they offer packages for receptions, civil services and partnerships. Lea Marston have thirty years experience in weddings; hosting them, coordinating them and planning them. The team guarantee the highest standards of personal service to ensure you have the day of your dreams. www.leamarstonhotel.co.uk

Abacus Hair Salon

01675 470468

If you didn’t catch the review in our July edition, you might not be aware that the award winning talents of the Abacus team are often commissioned for bridal party hair styling. On your wedding day, you need to know that your hair is in good hands and the stylists at Abacus put everything into perfecting your tresses. Whatever your hair length, colour or style, Nick and Allison will work with you and your ideas to create your dream ‘do.

The Menzies Welcombe Hotel

www.abacushair.co.uk

www.menzieshotels.co.uk

Set in the heart of Warwickshire, The Menzies hotel is stunning and historic. The surrounding parkland and Jacobean country house hotel would be the perfect setting for any wedding and civil ceremony. The four star hotel has an impressive injection of modern facilities including their luxury spa and they’re award winning restaurant.

01299 402401

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Your big day with the organiserwww.edgemagazine.org

YOUR BIG DAY WITH THE BIG ORGANISER At Edge Magazine, we know all too well how tricky it can be, organising a wedding. So we’ve gone straight to an expert. Helen Marshall, Managing Director at The Big Organiser, gives you the low down on everything from budget to bridal wear.

So, the big question has been popped. You’ve said yes. And now the fun starts. Unless you’re a bigamist or a wedding planner, you’ll not necessarily have a lot of experience in organising a wedding. Luckily, I’m the latter, so here is my quick guide on what you need to know when planning your big day. Set a budget – You need to know what is realistic. If you want a wedding in a Scottish castle with a free bar for everyone and you have £2000 to blow, this isn’t going to happen. Any budget is doable, and some of the best weddings I have managed have been with small budgets, you just need to know where to spend the cash. The ceremony – Remember,this is YOUR day. You don’t have to get married in a church if it’s not your thing (even if Great Aunt Mildred will think you’re the devil incarnate). Most wedding venues are licensed for civil ceremonies and the cost of a church wedding versus a civil ceremony is pretty much the same. If you decide on a church wedding, the first step is to contact the church and book a date. If you decide on a civil ceremony, in a registry office or another venue, you must contact the local registrar’s office first to check they’re availability. The venue – Your choice of venue is 100% down to personal taste. You may love large country manor hotels and your partner might like the idea of a barn wedding. You must do your research. Go online or pop in and pick up a wedding brochure. Talk to your friends – a recommended venue is worth its weight in gold. Write a shortlist of 10 of your favourite venues; a real mixture of styles. Shortlist this to the best 5, then book viewings and get a guide price for how much it will cost.

wisely! Just because a photographer costs a fortune, does not mean they’re any good! Pick a photographer that is right for you. If you’re not one for being the centre of attention, pick a journalistic photographer, who will get amazing shots without you having to give yourself jaw ache posing. You may want to contact suppliers for items and services such as chair covers, table decorations, invitations, cake, wedding stationery, hair and make-up and entertainment (see below). Book everything early and keep a spreadsheet of what you have paid and when the next instalment is due. A good wedding planner will arrange all of the elements of your wedding and make sure you don’t book an unreliable supplier. Outfits – This can either be the most exciting bit, or the most frustrating. Shop around, some of the best one-off dresses are often found at the place you drove past and turned your nose up at! Don’t follow what’s fashionable and the current wedding trends. Go with what suits you. After all, in fifty years time, you’ll want to look timeless, not tragic. Everyone should have an input into their outfit; it’ll be obvious if someone in your wedding party is wearing something they don’t like. Choose your bridesmaid dresses according to your bridesmaid – you don’t have to get identical dresses for each. Most good collections now have around 4/5 different styles of the dress in exactly the same colour. Entertainment – This is your day but when it comes to the entertainment, it’s important to ensure that your guests enjoy it too. A good band or DJ is usually enough but depending on your guests, there are added extras you can throw in, such as kids’ entertainment, illusionists or fire eaters and drag queens! Keep calm and enjoy it – No matter how stressful all the planning becomes, don’t let it dampen your excitement. Enjoy each choice as you pick out all the fun and fabulous extras. You’ll improve the entire experience if you plan ahead, remain relaxed and don’t sweat the small stuff.

TOP TIP: Negotiate! There will always be ways to shave off a few quid from the price!

For more information on how The Big Organiser wedding planners can help you:

Theme – This sounds scarier than it is! Basically, this means `branding` your wedding to represent your taste and style. You can go as far as you like with the theme. Most people use colour to brand their wedding, so the bridesmaids’ dresses, flowers and table dressing have the same colour scheme. Start with the look that you want your venue to achieve. It may be monochrome, vintage, Parisian chic, rock’n‘roll or classic. Once you have decided, it is a lot easier to have a design and brief in mind to give to you’re your chosen suppliers.

www.thebigorganiser.com

Suppliers – The lasting evidence people will have of your wedding will be the photos, so choose your photographer

September/October 2012

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A FISHY FEAST

A fishy feastwww.edgemagazine.org

We send our food writer to sample the culinary delights of Kenilworth Vanessa Staite

Loch Fyne in Kenilworth is a hidden gem. It’s tucked away on the picturesque old high street away from the hustle and bustle of the over-flowing pubs and restaurants on the main drag. The building dates back to the 16th century, which gives it great character. The wooden beams and bright light give it an almost seaside feel. It is a deceptively large building. Above the restaurant is Milsoms Hotel, which occupies thirty boutique style bedrooms. Through the front door of Loch Fyne, you’ll find yourself in a small pub that’s perfect for relaxing before and after dinner. The restaurant at Loch Fyne is welcoming and spacious. There are two open kitchens, one for hot food and one for cold. There’s something intriguing about watching a chef at work. The cold kitchen has a cabinet, where the selection of fresh seafood is displayed, so you‘re able to see exactly what it is you’ll be eating. It was a warm evening so we sat by the open doors which lead out onto a lovely little patio area, a proper little lunch time or early evening sun trap. At Loch Fyne, it’s all about fish! They are unbelievably passionate about the stuff. The quality and range of seafood is astounding. Honouring and preserving the environment is of great importance to the team at Loch Fyne; they only source their fish from abundant wild or responsibly farmed stocks. We wanted to try something classic and something a little bit different. To start with we shared the Moules Marinières and the Loch Fyne Smoked Ashet. Their moules are sourced from Loch Fyne, in Scotalnd, itself. They were served with a warm crusty bloomer; perfect for soaking up the creamy, garlicky sauce. The Smoked Ashet was served on a slate tile. We enjoyed Bradan Rost (kiln roasted salmon fillet), Kinglas Fillet (sashimi style) and Loch Fyne Smoked Salmon. There was a droplet of wasabi purée, a pot of soy sauce and a pot of mayonnaise. It looked simple but the demonstration of the three different flavours and textures was genius. Every piece of salmon was a delight. We particularly liked the sashimi, it just melted in the mouth. And the kiln roasted salmon fillet was succulent and smoky. For mains, we ordered the Lobster Frites, a whole baked Canadian lobster with garlic butter and French fries.

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Lobster can be a bit of a pain but at Loch Fyne, all the dissecting and peeling is worth the extra effort. We also tried the exciting option of ‘fish, your way’. The Loch Fyne team coined the concept to give customers a creative input. You choose your fillet of fish, how you’d like it cooked, what sauce you’d like and what two sides you’d like to accompany it. I chose a pan-fried fillet of wild Scottish hake with slow roasted tomato and chilli pesto accompanied with buttered new potatoes and pan-fried samphire in garlic butter. The hake was beautifully cooked. It was fresh, soft and sweet. There’s definitely satisfaction in picking and choosing the components of your meal. It’s a unique and fun way to improve your dining experience. For pudding we chose the traditional Scottish dessert, cranachan, and homemade banofee pie. Cranachan is made from whipped cream, honey, oatmeal, raspberries and whiskey. Boy, could you taste the whiskey! It came served with two pieces of shortbread, balancing the texture and perfect for dipping. Whether you’re seafood savvy or you’d like to be a little more adventurous with fish, Loch Fyne is the place. Not only will you be experimenting with the finest fish, you can be sure of the quality and the fact that it will be cooked to perfection. The menus are informative, describing the type of fish; oily round, white round, white flat and shellfish and the Loch Fyne website provides nutritional content charts. I highly recommend a visit to Loch Fyne in Kenilworth. It is perfect for a lunch bowl of Moules Marinières or an informal dinner with friends. Quite frankly, there aren’t many places where you will find the choice and quality Loch Fyne has to offer.

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PARADISE FOUND Invest in Mexico

f you’re looking to invest in a second home within the next couple of years, you may have considered Spain or even Dubai. But have you looked at Mexico?

Mexico is long established as a favourite family getaway and a luxury celebrity hotspot. If you’re interested: Jennifer Aniston, George Clooney and Kate Hudson have all been there this summer. Mexico has it all; beautiful resorts, stunning landscapes, the ocean and wildlife, and a vibrant and relaxed culture. Not only does Mexico’s natural beauty entice visitors worldwide, investors are also becoming aware of the emerging markets and the potential of the great tourist wave. Mexico has grown in popularity for travellers and holidaymakers, so much so, that airlines are accommodating them with more flights. It’s a great sign for anyone thinking about taking the plunge into the property pool. Did you know that in 2011, 87% of all Mexico real estate purchases started on the internet? With that in mind, we’d like to tell you about Investment Properties Mexico. They’re one of the largest independent real estate brokerages in Mexico. They’ve sold millions of properties in Mexico and yet they remain dedicated to providing you with a personal and friendly service, guiding you through the purchasing process. As Investment Properties Mexico are one of the few companies with a 100% buyer agent status, their services will cost you nothing. They’re revolutionising the real estate industry by going far beyond sales transactions and developing an entire system committed to bringing the best value to their clients. Using a secure brokerage like Investment Properties Mexico is the safest way to buy property in Mexico; they’ve got everything covered. It’s worth getting in touch and taking a look at the Investment Properties Mexico website for listings and more research on the thriving economy. You’ll find everything you need at: www.investmentpropertiesmexico.com

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To book 01789 298 682 The Waterside Brasserie’s eclectic décor and relaxed ambience combine to create an exceptional dining experience… A la carte menu Pre and post theatre dinner Sunday brunch Champagne Bar Afternoon tea Social season events Jazz events All weather terraces

Waterside, Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire CV37 6BA enquiries@theardenhotelstratford.com www.theardenhotelstratford.com

Throughout September, The Oak will be offering a chance to sample their signature fish dishes to celebrate the autumn months.

d n e k e e w g n ... o l d e r h a T f bo sur

From Cornish clams to whole sea bream, T-bone steaks and mackerel fillets, The Oak are using the freshest catches to celebrate surf and turf. The Oak will be serving their surf and turf boards every weekend. And get this, they’re going for long weekends too, starting with offers on a Thursday night!

Worcester Road, Upton Snodsbury,Worcester, WR7 4NW T: 01905 381 631

www.theoakuptonsnodsbury.co.uk September/October 2012

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www.edgemagazine.org Who is your favourite?

WHO IS YOUR FAVOURITE? Nominate your favourite restaurant for a free place in our upcoming food & drink guide

COMING THIS AUTUMN

Do you have a favourite pub, restaurant, wine bar, café or hotel in our coverage area? Do you think they deserve to be recognised for their local ales, excellent service or exceptional culinary creations?

Edge EdgeMagazine Magazine’s Food & Drink Guide Autumn/Winter 2012

Food & Drink Guide to Worcestershire, Warwickshire & West Midlands

•15,000 copies •Over 300 bars and restaurants

Yo u r E s s e n t i a l G u i d e t o E a t i n g i n t h e M i d l a n d s

•Delivered to over 5,000 homes across 3 counties For more information, or to enquire about featuring in our forthcoming edition, please call 07809 702 992 or email

Well here is your chance to do something about it! As some of you may have heard, we have a new food and drink guide coming out this autumn and we are offering one establishment the opportunity to feature in it completely for free. The rules are pretty simple, the one with the most votes wins! All you have to do to register your vote is send us a message, either by email, Twitter or Facebook and we will do the rest. Edge Food&Drink will be the ‘go to’ guide for the three counties and will bring you informative reviews of the best places to dine and stay; for couples, families and travellers passing through, there’ll be something for every palate and pocket. Read about innovative chefs and the hidden gems you have yet to discover on your own doorstep.

Coming this autumn, so keep your eyes peeled.

foodanddrinkguide@edgemagazine.org To register your vote by email, simple send a message stating the name of your chosen establishment to foodcomp@edgemagazine.org To register your vote by twitter simply send a message to @weareedge along with the twitter name of your chosen establishment and don’t forget to add #edgefavourite To register your vote by facebook simply visit our page @ We Are Edge and register your vote on the relevant post pinned to the top of the page, if you do not see your choice on there please feel free to add it yourself. Competition closes on the 20th October 2012

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KINETIC ART art in motion STEAMPUNK quirky gizmos and artifacts with a Victorian twist AUTOMATA interesting mechanical contraptions The museum is engaging for all ages. Each quirky and fascinating machine has been artisically and intricately made by hand. An extravaganza of gears, chains, pulleys and whirligig paraphernalia!

Sheep Street, Stratford Upon Avon, CV37 6EF www.theMADmuseum.co.uk

01789 269356

M A G E N TA W A L L PA P E R S Wallpapers • Curtains • Blinds

YOU’D BE MAD NOT TO!

Call 01926-858 618 Visit 3 Abbey End, Kenilworth, Warwickshire

Sheep Street, Stratford upon Avon, CV37 6EF

Mon, Tue & Fri 9.30am - 5pm Wed & Sat 9.30am - 1pm

Email steve.magenta@yahoo.co.uk

10% OFF TICKET PRICE WITH THIS VOUCHER Not to be used in conjunction with any other offer. Photocopies will not be accepted. Expires 31st October 2012.

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Astwood Galleries Picture Framing & Fine Art

Astwood Galleries has been in the Fine Art trade for over 23 years and offer a second to none picture framing service trusted since 1989. Artists work we stock include: Rozanne Bell • Barbera Brody • Leslie Thiel • Allan Morgan • Doug Hyde • Tony Smith • Paul James • Peter Wileman • Ian Ridley • Lew Bennett • Sam Toft • Amy Chapman • David Shepherd • Phillip Byrne • Henderson Cisz Sarah Jane Szikora • Dylan Izaak • John Waterhouse • Rolf Harris• Zinsky Todd White Jonathan Moult • Hillary Grew •Darren Baker • Fabián Peréz

1244 Evesham Road, Astwood Bank, Worcestershire B96 6AA T: 01527 893 965 info@astwood-galleries.co.uk

www.astwood-galleries.co.uk September/October 2012

Pottery Painting • Parties Baby Hand & Foot Prints Doggie Paw Prints

SP ECI

AL OF

Chi ldr ER ! p a rt i e n's es S

ave £

12 Bo o mo re k f o r 10 o r a f re e wn d ge t o ne ith th is a d ve r t. The Pottery Paint Shop 36 West Street, War wick CV34 6AN 01926 258087

www.thepotterypaintshop.co.uk Email: contactus@thepotterypaintshop.co.uk EdgeMagazine 19

www.edgemagazine.org Back to School sentimental about the baggy old jumper that has so many fond memories attached but is so unflattering. The first thing I do when I’m sorting someone’s wardrobe is to take everything out. Yep, the whole lot. That may sound daunting but it’s much more effective than trying to work through all the items when they’re still hanging around inside. We then pick up each item, one by one, and make one of three choices: 1 Keep it - if it suits you and makes you feel good then it goes back in the wardrobe 2 Bin it - sell if possible, donate to charity or recycle; whichever way it’s going out 3 Adapt it - dye it, shorten it, take it in, belt it, customise it; find a way to make it work Be prepared to try the clothes on and be honest with yourself. Is it a flattering shape? Does the colour suit you? Does it reflect your personality? Is it past its best? If you answer no to any of those then think carefully about whether it’s really in your best interests to keep it.

BACK TO SCHOOL

How to organise your wardrobe

s the children don their new school uniforms, our style expert, Meg Hanlon, is timetabling in a wardrobe masterclass.

September is always my favourite month. Of course, having a birthday to look forward to helps considerably but for me it also feels more like New Year. It’s time to have a good sort out and refresh the wardrobe. Plus it’s much easier to do now than in January, when clothes seem to mysteriously shrink a little! When I say wardrobe it could range from just one small rail of charity shop finds to a whole dedicated walk-in closet of designer labels and anything in between. Whatever you wear, it’s important to make your clothing, and the way it’s stored, work for you. It also needs to make you feel good. That may sound like stating the obvious but I’m willing to bet that everyone has at least one item stashed away that makes them feel less than fabulous for some reason. Do you have any clothes that fit that particular bill? You might feel guilty because you’ve only worn that expensive dress once, miserable that those trousers don’t fit anymore or

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When you put your clothes back in the wardrobe, you can avoid wearing the same outfit combinations all the time by grouping similar garments together and arranging them in colour order. It’s much easier to see what you’ve got and you’ll probably find new looks that you wouldn’t otherwise have thought of. Also, use the right types of hangers for each item, preferably wooden or the flocked ones that prevent slipping. Oh and while you’re there, snip off those annoying ribbons inside the shoulders of tops so that they don’t work their way out while you’re wearing them; not a good look. Now, this is where I get very strict and go into teacher mode. Don’t be tempted to put anything back in the wardrobe that you’re going to slim into. Only clothes that fit you now are allowed to stay. Remember, when it comes to flattering clothes - size doesn’t matter, shape does. But what to do with the more tricky items that are harder to get rid of? Liberate that expensive frock at your local dress agency; set it free to enjoy more parties and use the proceeds to buy a new one. Take the too-tight-trousers to the charity shop and reward yourself with some new ones when you reach your target weight. And the favourite jumper? Well, that would make a gorgeous cushion to relax on after a hard day’s wardrobe weeding. So even if your days in a blazer and tie are now behind you, there’s still plenty you can do to be top of the sartorial form class and look your best this term. Having an organised wardrobe will save you time, make your clothes more versatile and (should you need it) give you a good excuse to go shopping. On that note, I’m off to spend my birthday money.

Meg Hanlon Leading Stylist, Colour Me Beautiful www.changeyourlook.co.uk 01684 773166

September/October 2012

Harris Tweed and Clarks www.edgemagazine.org

HARRIS TWEED AND CLARKS A classic collaboration

s 2012 is the year of celebrating Britain, two of our oldest heritage brands have teamed up for a one time, limited edition collection of shoes. Inspired by craftsmanship and quality design, Clarks and Harris Tweed have collaborated to bring us unique and on-trend silhouettes and styles. Clarks have perfected the shoemaker’s art over their history, while Harris Tweed is the world renowned cloth created from pure wool gathered and hand-woven in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. For this autumn/ winter season, tweed is going to be back on the radar of the fashion-savvy. As a British classic, tweed is sophisticated, stylish and embodies the heart of the countryside. With that in mind, Clarks have given Harris Tweed a kick into the contemporary, with the legendery Desert boots getting a modern makeover, with a hi-top sporty look and a range of stylishly practical chunky heels, that are perfect for work and play.

collaboration boasts a totally ecological production process, relying on natural materials and with the wool woven on a treadle powered loom, without automation or electricity, this collection is back to basics, from start to finish. From dying to delivery, from design to manufacture, the AW12 collection from Clarks and Harris Tweed is a toast to British craft, with the vision of our future, bringing industry back to Britain.

All the materials used by Harris Tweed have been hand-woven by the islanders at their homes in the Outer Hebrides and finished in the Outer Hebrides. It’s also made of pure virgin wool dyed and spun in the Outer Hebrides. The

Special offer exclusive to Edge Magazine readers: Free Next Day Delivery on Orders over £80 on MyBag.com Code: EDGE www.mybag.com/home.dept Valid: 22/8/12 – 22/9/12

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EdgeMagazine 21

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NEW THIS SEASON

Chopard

- Exclusive to Harrisons Opticians Stratford-upon-Avon

Once again Chopard offers the utmost in luxury. The 2010 Prescription Collection offers eyewear as precious as jewellery accessories for an élite elegance that confirms the close link between the brand’s eyewear, jewellery and watch collections. Particularly feminine, elegant, lightweight styles are created with great precision using precious materials, becoming essential accessories for women who love luxury. There is a lot of metal in this collection, which has traditionally abounded in gold plating and details, though plastic is also essential for creating more contemporary, fresh styles with a glamorous look enriched with precious details associated with the Chopard style.

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22 EdgeMagazine

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September/October 2012

Portas Pilots www.edgemagazine.org

PORTAS PILOTS Leamington Spa’s Old Town makes the cut Michael Abu-Zalaf

f you didn’t know already, Leamington Spa’s Old Town residents and local business campaigners have been successful in their bid for Portas Pilot status. Mary Portas set up her Portas Pilot scheme as part of her campaign to revive the high street. Through the scheme, the campaigners were awarded £100,000. As a Portas Pilot town, Leamington Spa’s Old Town will be part of an exclusive group working with their council to boost the area, not only economically, but also improving community spirit and cultural unity. The application was led by Jeremy Ireland (Old Town resident) and Helen Wild (Old Town Business Association Secretary and local businesswoman). Winning the bid will mean £100,000 of government money being put into the team’s projects, along with additional funding from local businesses and the Town Council, Warwick District Council and Warwickshire County Council.

on rumours. We’ll be spending our time and the bid money on chipping away at that unfounded reputation and showing people that our town is a great place to be’. He adds, ‘the initial Portas money will be available as a “safety net” for new start-up businesses that will be able to bid for a sum of the money to help fund wages, should they need it. Other plans include developing artwork on bridges and developing community schemes to encourage our community to love the area’. The importance of winning this bid is not just the short term cash injection. Jeremy Ireland and Helen Wild have worked with the ideas of their community to create a legacy of growth for Leamington Spa’s Old Town. If you’d like to know more about the bid and what it’s going mean for Leamington’s Old Town head to: www.maryportas.com/portaspilots

The main aim for the bid team is to bring activity and business back to the Old Town. It’s not just about the money; it’s about inspiring positive change and pride in the community. Jeremy Ireland says, ‘Leamington’s Old Town has a bad reputation but it’s a reputation founded

September/October 2012

EdgeMagazine 23

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EdgeMagazine 25

www.edgemagazine.org Only Uncle

ONLY UNCLE The new social media

o doubt you’re already on Facebook and Twitter, but you may not have heard of Only Uncle, a local networking site for small businesses and their customers. Vinny Hira, founder of Only Uncle, has built a business directory and search engine to make it easy for businesses to share with their customers and to give their customers a trusted avenue to find businesses; it’s selfserving. Vinny started Only Uncle 18 months ago. As a business owner, Vinny wanted to promote his services to his customers. He wanted to build a platform that will be good for customers and good for businesses, an online presence in a world increasingly reliant on the web, and he wanted an easy way for his customers to share their experiences of their business with each other. The only problem was that to have all of these things, Vinny would have had to hire techies, manage different systems to deal with different things and it would cost him a lot. So, in Only Uncle, Vinny has built a unique platform for SMEs to be able to create deals for customers at 0% commission, something that has never been done before with the sole purpose of helping small businesses to support themselves and support each other. No fuss, no hassle, just excellent results. The Only Uncle platform is taking on daily deal sites and offering something back to businesses that no one in the industry is or has. They are effectively setting the standard! By registering your business with Only Uncle, you are listed on the site for all visitors to see. The service also includes other social media marketing strategies to promote your business and its online presence. Don’t worry because Only Uncle keeps it simple. By opening accounts on the different social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter and publishing the same information on each, it’s a sure fire way to widen your reach. Minimum input, maximum publicity. Simply click the platform icon you're subscribed on, write a little message to accompany your link and click the share button. It’s the mission statement of Only Uncle which sets it apart from other business related endeavours. Vinny started Only Uncle because he believes that small businesses are stronger when they work together. By signing up to Only Uncle, you can showcase your services and even make discount offers available for your customers so it’s beneficial for them to find you there too. It’s a totally interactive strategy in marketing. With a direct correspondence with your customers, you’ll get constructive feedback for improvement and all your praises will be on view for other visitors on the site to see. Only Uncle is the easiest and fastest way to reach potential customers and communicate with them. Vinny has not only built the Only Uncle website, he’s built the reputations of many local businesses.

find businesses and for them to show you what they do. Only Uncle lists businesses based upon their feedback and reviews. You can completely trust in the presence of businesses on the Only Uncle website because they don’t pay for their listing. What’s nifty, is that by registering an account with Only Uncle, you can use the ‘Favourite’ icon to store a list of businesses you’ve been impressed by. Once you’ve done that, your favourite businesses can send you their latest updates and offers straight to your inbox. Unlike daily deal websites, Only Uncle will never charge a commission to businesses for providing this capability. That way, you get the best deal available. This function is fast, simple and will save you money. It’s increasingly important to support local business. It’s all about investing in our community, driving out the big corporates and boosting our local economy. If local businesses benefit, we all benefit. So, show your support for local businesses, promote your own business and find the best deals and offers from your favourite businesses, all with Only Uncle. Only Uncle is launching in September 2012.

As a customer, Only Uncle makes it easier for you to

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EdgeMagazine 27

www.edgemagazine.org Hello Curry

HELLO CURRY

Five Rivers triumphs in final

ive Rivers á La Carte restaurant have beaten off stiff competition to be named winners of the first Hello Curry competition by Birmingham Airport.

The competition saw a high number of entries from all around the city, with chefs taking on the challenge to develop a signature curry that signified the importance of the dish to the city’s personality and reputation. The winners were announced at Birmingham Chilli Festival on 13th July, one of the launch events for this year’s Birmingham Food Fest. The team led by Head Chef Rashpal Sunner cooked a creamy Saag Punjabi served with Makhi di Roti (roti made with chickpea and maize flour) that was rated first class by the judges. Shamim HM, Director of Marketing at Five Rivers á La Carte in Walsall said, “We are very proud to be representing Birmingham internationally and are delighted to have won this prestigious award. It’s a massive achievement for us as we have only been established for 6 months. We are looking forward to seeing the dish re-created internationally; our first stop is Abu Dhabi. This is definitely a milestone for us and I believe our journey shall now begin!” Jo Lloyd, Marketing Director at Birmingham Airport, said “We’re delighted to name Five Rivers á La Carte restaurant as the winner of our Hello Curry competition. The team clearly went to a great deal of effort to produce this wonderful dish, which we will be proud to showcase around the world.

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“Every restaurant that entered also deserves a special mention, for making this competition a great success. The standard throughout the entire process has been extremely high, bringing the very best out of Birmingham.” Five Rivers á La Carte were among seven finalists who created a signature curry dish to represent Birmingham globally. Second place went to Lasan in St Paul’s Square and third place went to The Horseshoe Bar and Restaurant in Hall Green. Emma Gray, Director of Marketing Services for Visit Birmingham, which manages Birmingham Food Fest, said “Birmingham is internationally renowned for its burgeoning culinary scene, talented chefs and diverse range of restaurants that cater to every taste. “Restaurants such as Five Rivers demonstrate the phenomenal Indian cuisine found in Birmingham, for which the city is famed, and the high calibre of chefs to take part in the competition. “Our foodie reputation is a huge attraction for the international traveller and we work closely with Birmingham Airport to promote the city as a must-see destination – the signature Birmingham curry is a great way to further showcase the fantastic culinary offering awaiting visitors to the city”. Earlier this year, The New York Times named Birmingham number nineteen on its ‘Must-see Destinations of 2012’ shortlist due to the city’s culinary credentials and growing international reputation as a food haven.

September/October 2012

www.edgemagazine.org

Long gone are the days when the kitchen was just a place to cook and prepare food - today it is the focus of the home. It has become a meeting and social area, not just for the immediate family, but extended family and friends and in many cases now also encompasses the formal dining area, or at the very least casual eating. Visit our large showroom where you can view six fully equipped kitchens from our range. We also have a selection of worktop materials for you to choose from.

“We design, build and install handmade bespoke kitchens from both solid natural wood and painted wood, to fit the customers individual budgets.” SHOWROOM OPEN: Tuesday to Friday 9am - 5pm & Saturday 9am - 3pm Blackminster Business Park, Blackminster, Evesham, Worcs. WR11 7RE tel: 01386 830006 www.thepaintedkitchencompany.com

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EdgeMagazine 29

www.edgemagazine.org Off to a flying start

OFF TO A FLYING START Birthplace of the Archers opens its doors

he Vernon, formerly known as The Vernon Arms in Hanbury, has re-opened its doors to customers after a £1.5 million refurbishment. Having undergone a complete overhaul, the pub has been thoughtfully restored and will now be enjoyed by many future generations to come. The inside has been opened up to create two completely new and equally fantastic spaces, one area for the restaurant and another for the bar. The rest of The Vernon has been transformed into a modern boutique hotel, due to take bookings around the beginning of September. The changes made to the exterior have also been significant. In place of the old beer garden is a new terraced area which allows customers to make the most of the outdoors, particularly the stunning country views. The

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restaurant is due to wow its diners this autumn with the open kitchen. You’ll see all your food being prepared and the amazing chefs with their amazing culinary creations. At the Vernon, you’ll be treated to classic dishes with modern twists and the chefs pride themselves on using only the freshest, finest locally sourced ingredients. The food at the Vernon will soon be making its mark on the area.

The Vernon Droitwich Road Hanbury B60 4DB Tel: 01527 821 236

September/October 2012

Edge magazine 2012:Garage Doors Worcestershire

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info@gdoor.co.uk September/October 2012

www.gdoor.co.uk EdgeMagazine 31

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EDUCATION AND THE WORLD Kathryn Watts

s a parent, the summer has been a wonderful and challenging time, juggling work commitments around the kids and I have to admit that I’m rather pleased the autumn term is now well and truly underway. Living in the UK, we are all extremely fortunate to have the fantastic educational choices and options available to us and I am one parent who is indeed grateful that we do have so much choice, to find the right school for our children. Children, as we know, have so many different talents, each requiring attention and needing to be nurtured and fed, just like my poor apple tree which I’d forgotten all about. I noticed it only had one apple, and what looked like seaweed growing on its trunk and branches. The apple, hanging on for dear life and trying to gain as much as it could from the poor soil in the corner of my garden, had no chance. The horticultural challenge I had presented was akin to putting my child in the wrong school and expecting it grow and succeed regardless. As I was saying, for today’s young people and parents, choice has enabled greater opportunity for study, travel and the experience of what it is to be a true member of this vast global community, which even now has yet to establish total connectively to all parts of the UK, never mind the deep dark depths of the Amazon. With good schools coming in all shapes and sizes as they always have done, free and paid-for, and from all cultures and communities, affluent or not, these schools are good precisely because of the teaching and the focus they place on the child; you only have to look at the range of successful students, and young and mature working adults we have across the country to see this is the case. Skill-based learning helps ignite pupil interest from a very early age, and thankfully this form of teaching is both acknowledged and growing in popularity. I’m delighted that this is the case as I’m a hands-on type of girl and always have been. I need to touch it or have a mental image, diagram if you like, before I can understand the concept, a personal ‘talent’ thankfully a number of fantastic teachers understood when I was at school, and to

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www.edgemagazine.org whom I am still extremely grateful! Don’t get me on to the subject of alphabetical order, as I still can’t find any CD I want to listen to in my husband’s extensive CD collection, even after 13-years of trying and him explaining the reasoning for filing a particular CD here, and not there, because it falls in to this category and therefore it doesn’t come after ‘K’!!... Yes, he is a very patient man and no I can’t ‘see’ what he means!? Back to education. The landscape is continuing to change, with new qualifications introduced and then withdrawn helping to devalue the perception of today’s student examination success. As a parent, I’m grateful that we have alternatives such as PYP - Primary Years Programme and the IB - International Baccalaureate; skills based, highly regarded and accepted across the globe, with international travel and conference calls made in a whole range of languages daily the norm for many in work today. On a final note, we need to stop being so lazy and expecting everyone to speak English. I include myself in this as my language skills could do with a tune-up. In 2012, children are no longer socially isolated, with most having access to the internet and making friends across the road just as easily as across a continent. We are all part of a wonderful and exciting international community. If you ask me, we should embrace our diverse and multicultural country and encourage our kids to do the same.

September/October 2012

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www.edgemagazine.org Kiddicouchers

KIDDIVOUCHERS W

hether you have kids or you’re thinking about having kids in the future, it’s worth knowing about KiddiVouchers. Considering how expensive it is to raise a child, it’s crazy that more people don’t know about this government scheme. More of us are working in order to provide for our families but in doing so, we’re facing further costs in childcare. But with KiddiVouchers, you’ll be surprised how much you could save.

The cost of childcare continues to make the headlines, with the Government considering options ranging from taxbreaks on nannies through to deregulation of childminders, free nursery places for disadvantaged two-year olds and free parenting courses. Despite recent cuts to childcare tax credits, support for working parents seems to be firmly back on the agenda.

give them more choice about which childcare provider they use and how much childcare they use. It can also make a big difference for mothers who are deciding whether to return to work after maternity leave. By making childcare more affordable, childcare vouchers can open your childcare business to a wider market. When parents sign up for childcare vouchers, they usually receive the vouchers instead of part of their salary. This means they automatically have part of their salary set aside to pay for childcare, which helps to ensure that you get paid promptly. The team at KiddiVouchers are supporting a campaign called “Mind the Gap – Raise the Cap”, aiming to highlight the gap between the true costs of childcare and the taxexempt childcare voucher allowance. The campaign is

So, how do childcare vouchers work? Well, childcare vouchers are a tax-free way for parents to pay for childcare. Instead of receiving taxable salary, you swap part of your salary for vouchers. You can use these vouchers to pay for nurseries, childminders and even out-of-school activities for your older kids. It’s as simple as that. You can choose how much you receive in childcare vouchers, up to the tax-exempt threshold of £55 per week (or £28 a week for higher-rate taxpayers). You can enjoy automatic savings in tax and National Insurance and these savings are often worth hundreds of pounds a year. And get this, both parents can take part to benefit even more. To make the whole process even easier, the team at KiddiVouchers have set up a web system so you can set up a secure online account. Most parents choose electronic vouchers, which can be transferred straight into their childcare provider’s bank account, for quick and convenient payment. All you have to do is sign up, with your employer’s agreement. For employers, the KiddiVouchers scheme can be just as beneficial. There are clear financial benefits for employers, as childcare vouchers are exempt from employer National Insurance. By implementing a salary sacrifice scheme, employers can save up to £402 a year for each scheme member. As well as saving money for your employees, KiddiVouchers make it more viable for mothers to return to work after maternity leave, reducing the costs of staff turnovers and promoting a family-friendly business, attracting and maintaining a happy and healthy workforce. Similarly, if you’re a start-up childcare business in the community, you could benefit hugely from the parents in your area signing up for KiddiVouchers. Childcare vouchers make childcare more affordable for parents. This can

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September/October 2012

www.edgemagazine.org calling for Government to raise the tax-exempt childcare voucher cap from £55 a week to £75 a week.

To add your name to the online Government petition, just follow the links from the KiddiVouchers homepage.

Daycare Trust’s 2012 childcare cost survey showed that average childcare costs for under-twos had risen by 5.8% in a year. Increases in childcare costs have also outstripped wages in previous years: in the 2011 survey, average costs for children aged two and over in England rose by 4.8%, while in the 2010 survey the increase was 5.1%.

This autumn, with the stress and strain of organising everyone’s back to school schedule, it’s important to be aware of schemes like KiddiVouchers. They can help you. So get online, take a look at the KiddiVouchers scheme and find out how much you could save each week. www.kiddivouchers.com

Despite rising childcare costs, the tax-exempt childcare voucher threshold of £55 has remained fixed since 2006. But the “Mind the Gap – Raise the Cap” campaign believes it’s high time the Government considered raising the cap.

Abbotsholme an education for life

Set in beautiful, rural surroundings, Abbotsholme is an independent co-educational boarding and day school for ages 4-18, with additional nursery provision. It is a school unlike any other. • • • • • • • • •

Individual academic excellence and achievement; Small class sizes (around 15), enabling individual attention and support; Separate Prep school facilities, with access to all senior school facilities; Outstanding Outdoor Education programme with indoor climbing wall and Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme to Gold level; Sporting excellence with key focus on hockey, rugby and cricket; 70 acre working farm and BHS approved Equestrian Centre; New dedicated sixth form centre for independent learning; First class facilities for music, art and drama; Scholarships and forces bursaries available.

COMEOPEN ALONGDAY TO OUR NEXT OPEN EVENT NEXT - SATURDAY 29TH FRIDAY 22ND JUNE, 5-7PM SEPTEMBER Contact Jessica Ash on 01889 594 265 or visit www.abbotsholme.co.uk Abbotsholme School, Rocester, Uttoxeter, Staffordshire, ST14 5BS

September/October 2012

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www.edgemagazine.org

EUCALYPTUS A 21st century approach to an ancient tree

weetly spicy foliage, citrus fruit, the smell of Christmas, cinnamon and the faint but reminiscent aroma of Olbas oil. No, I’m not describing a bowl of potpourri, but a walk through an English eucalyptus plantation. This is a feast for the senses; enveloped not only by heavenly fragrances, but surrounded by the gentle susurration of silvery blue and sea-green leaves chattering overhead in the breeze. Everywhere I look there are coloured tree trunks in hues of violet overlaid with silver, rich coffee brown, seal grey stripes and olive green. Some are striking, clothed in pure white wax, others peeling, shedding bark in long strips of flaking chocolate, revealing new creamy caramel layers beneath. Nearly all of the 700 or so Eucalyptus species are native to Australia, New Zealand and Tasmania. More excitingly, around 50 species are hardy enough to grow in the UK. Loved by those with fond memories of an antipodean excursion or dismissed by some as growing too large, Eucalypts are guaranteed to evoke a strong reaction in most people. They have a reputation of thuggish behaviour, growing quickly to a gargantuan size, falling over at the drop of a hat or expiring in the first whiff of an autumnal frost, but I think they are simply misunderstood. Eucalypts have much to offer. All are evergreen, many have stunning bark, interesting leaf shape, colour and fragrance; what more could you want in your winter garden? They also flower, usually in summer, with creamy white clusters

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of fluffy ‘brushes’. The buxton gum (e. crenulata) has very sweetly scented flowers, beloved by bees. Traditionally grown as specimen trees, the large eucalyptus gunnii (suited only to large gardens) has been the most frequently offered species. However, several hardy species will grow to less than 20 ft in maturity; that’s smaller than a silver birch tree. Just three examples are: the wolgan snow gum (e. gregsoniana): smooth silvery white bark, with emerald green buds and lanceolate sage green leaves. the kybean mallee ash (e. kybeanensis): a delightful multi-stemmed very hardy, small tree with deep green leaves with a habit not unlike an olive tree. the varnished gum, (e. vernicosa) may only grow to 3ft tall and could reach 8ft over 20 years, depending on conditions. Most importantly, only purchase an air-pot grown eucalyptus with a fibrous root system. Avoid traditional nursery pots at all costs, they produce a spiral root system so your tree will not thrive. Conscientious eucalyptus nurseries will source their seed carefully to ensure it hails from hardy provenance. Check out www.hardy-eucalyptus. com who promote responsible eucalyptus ownership with advice on where and how to plant, pruning, size and rate of growth. All you have to do is follow their suggestions and choose from their list to find the right eucalyptus for your garden.

September/October 2012

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Eucalyptus stellulata Juvenile foliage

Eucalyptus archeri Juvenile foliage

Eucalyptus pauciflora pauciflora bark

Research work over the past few decades has highlighted many other ways to use and enjoy these wonderful trees. Alternative ways to grow your eucalyptus include:

Eucalyptus urnigera Juvenile foliage

Patio pot: Long-leaved Box (e. goniocalyx): Light sea-green bluish round young leaves and thick shaggy bark one of several suitable species. Coppiced to keep it as a manageable shrub or small multi-stemmed tree E. nicholli is beautiful and feathery. Cut foliage for flower arranging - look at e. pulverulenta baby blue, spinning gum (e. perrininana) has funky foliage e. rubida has red tinged foliage As a hedge: e. archeri and e. subcrenulata are excellent Chicken bedding: shred the foliage to reduce pesky red mite infestations e. crenulata has a strong fragrance and high oil content Firewood: Grow your own hardwood logs with e. nitens or e. glaucescens For fun: a sensory garden experience, listening to the sap gurgling up the trunk of e. dalrympleana Hilary Collins www.envisage-gardens.co.uk 01905 888 098

September/October 2012

Eucalyptus urnigera bark

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THE QUEEN ELIZABETH HOSPITAL CHARITY Making a difference Lucinda Bunn

he Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham is the city’s first new acute hospital for 70 years. Admitting its first patients in June 2010, the QE has been treating and caring for the public for over two years. The magnificent structure fully equipped with state of the art, innovative technology and comfortable and private facilities. University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust’s £545 million hospital took on the A&E and inpatients from Selly Oak Hospital and other services from the old Queen Elizabeth Hospital. The Trust employs around 6,900 staff and provides adult services to more than half a million patients every year, from a single outpatient appointment to a heart transplant. The Trust is a regional centre for cancer, trauma, burns and plastics and has the largest solid organ transplantation programme in Europe. It was a huge building project, about one and a half times bigger than the construction of the Bull Ring and the time and funding it took to build the QE is visible throughout the entire space. Each ward has been specifically designed for the needs of the patients within it. From the outside, the QE is a modern, awe-inspiring building but the impressive oval structure isn’t quite what it seems. On the inside, the QE has a hollowed centre, so it doesn’t feel cold and devoid. Every patient’s room has windows and every corridor has natural light. The old style Nightingale wards have been replaced with same-sex, four-bed rooms and

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single rooms with en suites. Every measure has been taken to ensure comfort, privacy and a refreshing, calming and brighter hospital. Whilst the NHS Foundation Trust has funded the big build, the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham Charity supports patients and provides those added extras which make a huge difference to patient recovery and staff rooms. So far, the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Charity has raised money for hats for chemotherapy patients, adjustable parallel bars for military patients learning to walk again and therapeutic massage for the Young Person’s Unit. The charity is also heavily involved in larger projects, such as funding grants for research which have totalled £1.5 million in the last year and a new £2 million state of the art cancer treatment machine. Scientific research carried out at the QE ranges from cancer and heart disease to intensive care medicine and transplants. The QE is also a teaching hospital with the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Charity working with staff to train junior doctors and nurses, reinvesting donations into the future of our healthcare system. The money goes a long way with the highly trained staff passing on their expertise to the next generation of caregivers and the best brains in Britain receiving the funding to carry out their lifesaving research. Well, the stats are impressive but we wanted to know what the new QE hospital means to those who work there, the incredible NHS staff who provide a world class service for our community.

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Alison Heap, Extended Scope Physiotherapist (Right) Louise White, Extended Scope Practitioner – Spinal Surgery (Left) The Queen Elizabeth hospital facts and figures •30 theatres; 23 inpatient theatres and 7 daycare theatres •Separate dedicated visitor and patient lifts •44% of inpatient beds are single rooms •All inpatient rooms have en suite bathrooms •All wards have clinical handwash basins at their entrances to support hand hygiene

Did you know? • More than 10,000 tons of steel was used to build the new hospital - that is equivalent to the weight of 83 blue whales and, if you consider the heart of a blue whale to be the same size as a hatchback car, that's a lot of steel • Approximately 225,000 cubic metres of ground was excavated - that's enough to fill 90 Olympicsized swimming pools • About 55,000 metres of concrete foundation piles were bored into the ground - which is 35 miles, or roughly the distance from Birmingham to Worcester

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“We work out whether patients are surgery candidates and we help them with recovery, managing chronic pain and motivating many patients through the psychological battle that comes with their mobility problems. Patients come in and they’re extremely frustrated, not knowing what’s wrong. Our job is often about identifying the kind of help each patient needs, which can be surgery and it can be teaching a patient about their diagnosis and the things they can do at home to improve their quality of life. With the new hospital, we’ve been able to oversee the entire treatment process. The way everything was organised before meant that you could see a patient at their first appointment and not necessarily see them again. You’d never know what treatment they received and how it all worked out for them. The changes have enhanced the patient journey. The resources at the new hospital are fantastic and it’s made it easier to care for people. The design of each floor, from the wards, to the corridors and lifts has been designed in consideration of our patients’ privacy and recovery. It’s really important in what we do, to have an environment that inspires a positive outlook in our patients. Sometimes the most rewarding parts of our job are those cases where a patient’s pain is caused by an underlying problem. By identifying the real issue, that patient can get the answers they need and begin the appropriate treatment. For example, a patient has come to us before, complaining of back pain but this was just the most prominent of several symptoms, which together were synonymous with the onset of Parkinson’s disease. We’ve benefitted from rotational training, so that we have a grasp of many different areas before we specialise. It’s all part of the training programs which, through the funding we receive from the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Charity, we can replicate for our junior practitioners.”

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www.edgemagazine.org Queen Elizabeth Hospital Charity

Carlton Murdock, Deputy Associate Director of Nursing “My role at the QE means I aid the Director of Nursing and I support the nurses, ward sisters and nursing assistants. The hospital infrastructure is divided into divisions. I’m in Division B which encompasses renal medicine, cardiology and liver medicine. I’ve worked in various divisions and different roles within the NHS for thirty four years so I’ve experienced a lot of changes. The move to the new QE has definitely been a positive one and I can’t believe we’ve already been here two years. I work with a great bunch of people and when the plans for the hospital were getting underway, it was really important to have staff involvement. As one of the five commissioning leads, I played a highprofile role in helping prepare the wards for the move to the new QE. It was my job to inform team leaders and ward teams of the ideas that were proposed in meetings with the commissioning masterplan group. That way, staff had an input into which facilities were chosen for the new QE. After all, we’re the ones using the equipment day to day, so we know how things work and what’s best for the patients. I think that’s what makes the QE so fantastic, every detail has been considered to make it easier for us to make our patients better.”

For more information on the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham, head to: www.uhb.nhs.uk/new-hospital.htm And to find out more about the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Charity and see how you could help donate, go to: www.qehb.org

Faye Prince, Ward Sister “In the absence of the Ward Manager, I manage the ward and collect patients from theatre and administer postoperative care. I make sure that each staff member is delegated to perform the jobs most suited to their skill set. In terms of the difference the new QE has made to my job, each of the staff rooms, the medication rooms, are just stunning. When the patients come here and see the rooms and the views, they’re blown away. As Ward Sister, I’m very much involved in patient recovery after treatment. I worked in the old QE before and whilst I couldn’t possibly say that the level of care and excellence is any different here, the new hospital has brighter, more spacious wards and it makes for a better healing environment. On my ward, we’re always looking to improve procedure, communication and the experience of our patients and the new QE has certainly lifted the spirits of everyone here. Ultimately, the most important thing for all of us is patient care and I feel that the new hospital is a place that finally reflects our high standards and the level of service we provide”

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September/October 2012

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The perfect country day out

Visit our award winning FARM SHOP & DELICATESSEN and purchase your fresh vegetables, fruit, meat, fish and other groceries. Enjoy a hearty homemade lunch at THE GARDEN CAFÉ or try our popular EVENING BISTRO, with a special offer this month of 2 courses for £15.95 and 3 courses for £18.95. Browse in our GIFTS & INTERIORS store and view our new range of summer clothes, gifts and accessories. THE HILLERS GARDEN & PLANT CENTRE are on hand with advise and expertise on planting for spring. Enjoy a walk around our beautiful display gardens where many of the plants on display are for sale.

Dunnington Heath Farm • Alcester • Warwickshire • B49 5PD 01789 772771 • www.hillers.co.uk

September/October 2012

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Sponsored by

FOOD FOR THOUGHT Stratford gears up for a fabulous food festival

he historic setting of Stratford Upon Avon will once again be the backdrop for a fabulous food festival bringing a wealth of edible and quaffable treats as well as great live entertainment for all to enjoy. Celebrity chefs, artisan producers and great local watering-holes will come together on the banks of the River Avon and the home of Shakespeare in a fantastic two-day foodie event, which takes place on Saturday 22nd and Sunday 23rd September 2012. Visitors to this year’s festival, now in its sixth year, will be able to munch their way through an amazing selection of artisan food products, many of them locally produced,

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as well as sample superb wines, champagnes and craft beers, then sit back and watch inspirational culinary demonstrations. There’s a brilliant line-up for all the family, and the really good news is that once again this year, children under 16 go free. Topping the culinary bill will be the Fabulous Baker Brothers, recently commissioned for a second series on Channel 4, and chef and TV presenter Alan Coxon, as well as talented chefs from the local food scene. There will also be a packed programme of entertainment and activities for all the family, in what’s become the highlight of the Midlands food and drink calendar.

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Stratford food festival www.edgemagazine.org Wander along the beautiful river banks, in the shadow of the world-famous RSC, and try delicious cupcakes and award-winning sandwiches from Rachel’s, yummy locally made confectionery from Clever Sweets and top-notch pies from Simon’s. Hook Norton Honey will be available to sample, and you can stock your kitchen from Apron Strings and your bookcase from Waterstone’s, Stratford. Turkey livestock from Heart of England Farms will also be on show and the Stratford Beekeeping Association returns for a second year to sell local honey. Then, pop along to meet Tom and Henry Herbert, fresh from their hit Channel Four series The Fabulous Baker Boys. Find out how the dynamic Cotswold duo – one a butcher, one a baker - rustle up mouth-watering savoury and sweet bakes and learn some of their tricks of the trade. Watch their cookery demonstrations on the Sunday – they’ll be doing a sausage roll bake-off competition to close the festival with a flourish – and afterwards you can take home a signed copy of their amazing new book ‘The Fabulous Baker Brothers’, which is packed full of mouth-watering recipes for breads, pastries, pies, cakes and confectionery. You can perfect your BBQ skills by chatting to Ben Bartlett, one of the world’s leading authorities on cooking and eating al fresco, who will also be signing copies of his book ‘The BBQ Manual’ - and learn about cooking with more unusual cuts and ingredients with French chef and traiteur Franck Pontais. Festival ambassador Alan Coxon will be sharing his passion for Indian cuisine by taking visitors on a journey from Birmingham to Bombay – an inspirational spice trail which takes in some of the recipes and ingredient combinations behind some of the most popular Anglo-Indian classics. Afterwards, it’s time for a well-deserved beer at one or more of the town’s most popular watering-holes who will be fully in the festival spirit. The One Elm, Stratford’s friendly neighbourhood pub which this year has been completely refurbished making it better than ever, will have a great bar serving perfectly chilled beers and wine, a big BBQ with great burgers and steaks, and plenty of comfy

spots to sit back and listen to live jazz artists. The team from The Lazy Cow Hotel & Steak & Ale House in Warwick will also be back again doing butchery demos, mixing some tempting cocktails and serving a wide choice of real ales, all to live music on their stand. Taking their place on the band-stand on the two day extravaganza will be the UK’s number one Paul Weller tribute show The Modfathers. Relive The Jam years, the mellow tones of The Style Council and the classic hits of the great man’s solo career. Check out the finalists in this year’s Stratford’s Got Talent competition on the Saturday and enjoy infectious melodies from Blue Nation as well as many other music and dance acts. There will also be face painting and cookery themed activities to keep the children entertained. Getting to the festival has never been easier thanks to a special festival travel and ticket package put together by local travel company Johnsons. A choice of five different routes takes in more than 25 pick up points from across the West Midlands and the Cotswolds, from Worcester, Broadway, Coventry, Bromsgrove and Birmingham, meaning you can really make the most of the day out. Why not leave the car at home and travel to and from Stratford in style in luxury coach? To find out more about this great offer and to reserve seats, simply visit www. stratfordfoodfestival.co.uk. “There’s so much going on at this year’s festival, which is going to be a great day out for all the family,” says Charlotte Parkin from organisers Showplace. “Whether your passion is for artisan cheeses, fine wines, rustic bread, locally produced honey or freshly baked cup cakes you’ll find it all here. And if you just fancy a relaxing day out in the beautiful setting of Stratford’s riverside gardens, drink in hand listening to some mellow jazz, you’ll love what we’ve got planned this year. With entertainment for adults and children alike, it’s really going to be an unmissable event. Make sure you join us.” The Stratford Food Festival takes place from 10am to 7pm on Saturday 22nd and from 10am to 5pm on Sunday 23rd September. Tickets cost £5 on the gate though an early bird discount will be available by booking online at www.stratfordfoodfestival.co.uk. Children under 16 go free. Great new producers are being added to the line-up all the time so keep an eye out on the festival web site and why not sign up for more information? Simply visit www.stratfordfoodfestival.co.uk

September/October 2012

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WORCESTER SNOEZELEN Introducing a secret you can shout about….

hink about it, it wouldn’t be Christmas without that colourful box of sweets in their shiny wrappers rustled to the muffled sound of the television as you lie warm, and sleepy. Now consider a similar kind of sensory happiness that appeals to a special collective of people all year round… Since 1993 a small independent charity has been growing into what is now a vital community facility. Considered by some to be something of a secret set within a quiet and peaceful urban location, Worcester Snoezelen (pron. Snoozelen) provides a unique brand of sensory happiness to a vibrant and diverse network of people with disabilities and individual needs. The term ‘sensory happiness’ embodies the kaleidoscope of arts-based leisure-therapy pursuits the charity offers. Worcester Snoezelen’s core activities are based within its purpose-built Sensory Centre. Step inside and you’ll find a maze of private spaces designed to promote a feeling of well-being. Living in a busy and chaotic world can often be unsettling, so for anyone with disabilities and individual needs it can be reassuring to know that such a place exists where it’s possible to take control of an environment and design it as you wish for it to be. Worcester Snoezelen sees over 400 people every week from across the West Midlands and beyond and the charity is recognised internationally for its range of residential and day courses where more can be learnt about how sensory happiness might be facilitated in the home and in various other care settings. At Worcester Snoezelen, providing a high standard of sensory happiness means fundamentally understanding the person behind a disability. It’s about empowering each person that passes through the door to make choices, but for that to happen it’s necessary to identify an appealing and bespoke set of options from which a person can choose. Sessions are taken on a bookings basis and activities such as music, dance, drama art and sport can be accessed by self-referral. The verve and energy of the charity’s many clubs, workshops and sporting events qualifies Worcester Snoezelen to be highly spirited social centre for people of varying ages and abilities to come and do what they enjoy most. It’s music that frequently brings people together. It’s not unusual to hear people making a song and dance

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about Rock School. Every fortnight a loyal group of people come together, supported by a full band, to perform rock and pop music that results in public performances at citywide locations. The many seasonal parties that the charity hosts annually are a testimony to the friendships and connections it facilitates. The Worcester Snoezelen Project is always moving forward but it will soon be making one giant leap as it builds

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enhanced facilities on its existing site to make more space, creating a bigger activity base so as to provide an increase in opportunities for the people it supports. The charity will soon be twenty years old. Marking two decades of its care in the community will be a milestone. What seems to be unique about the place is that itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not shy of sentiment. The charity realises the value of legacy and remembrance.

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If you are interested in supporting Worcester Snoezelen or would like to find out more please visit the website or contact the charity for details. www.worcestersnoezelen.org.uk 01905 748229 3 Turnpike Close Worcester WR2 6AB.

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www.edgemagazine.org Malvern Theatre

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September/October 2012

BRITISH WINE

www.edgemagazine.org

Claire Love

Putting the weather aside for a few moments, 2012 has been a great year to be British. We have had the Jubilee celebrations and we’ve just embraced two awe inspiring weeks of the Olympics. Now, I am not a sporty girl, but I was rather hooked on the games. I’m sure many of us reached for a Pimm’s or a spritzer whilst we barbequed our sausages in the rain this summer but how many of you reached for a bottle of English wine? Ten years ago, we wouldn’t even have been talking about it, but this year is all about British wine. And we should be proud; our wines in England (and Wales), are better, more readily available and winning more awards than ever before. It is indeed the sparkling wines that continue to impress and the usual suspects including Chapel Down in Kent, both Ridgeview and Nyetimber in Sussex and Camel Valley in Cornwall that are really setting the bar very high for all others to follow. But why sparkling wines? Our climate, incase you haven’t noticed, is not great! Great wine, or in fact even just decent wine needs a certain amount of sunshine, matched with a temperate climate, to allow the grapes on the vine to ripen at an even and unhurried pace. I could count on one hand the amount of great days we have had this year, but all is not lost. We are unlikely to be the host of a great full-bodied Shiraz but there are a whole host of grapes that do seem to thrive in our damp, rainy and muggy climate. Elegant and soft grapes like pinot noir and blaufränkisch have shown some remarkable qualities in small estates across the South of England, but it is really the white grapes that seem to thrive. The best examples include pinot gris, sauvignon blanc, chardonnay and Bacchus. There isn’t the need to ripen the skins as much for the flavour and in the case of sparkling wines, the high acidity that comes from grapes that are not fully ripened by the sun, is perfect for sparkling wines. As we move into late summer, I tend to start drinking wines that have a little more age to them and a lovely rich wine is Chapel Down Pinot Reserve 2005 from Kent. Made from pinot noir and pinot meunier (two of the classic grapes grown to make champagne), this elegant white sparkling wine has had the benefit of a further three years aged in bottle and reminds me Bollinger. The bubbles are softer and it isn’t quite as toasty, but it is very drinkable, with lots of fresh melons and Braeburn apples on the finish. The medium dry white, from the Three Choirs estate in Gloucestershire is a surprising win with its blend of grapes including seyval blanc and muller thurgau. It offers a very light colour and nose but shows off on the palate. A touch of sweeter fruit like peaches is well balanced against fresh lime acidity. Just because the Olympics have finished and the summer’s drawing to a close, it doesn’t mean we can’t continue the celebration, with British wine and a new season.

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THE TWEETING TAILOR Suiting up in style

eet Adrian Barrows, he has been tailoring suits for over fifteen years, with high-profile clients up and down the country. If you’re looking for the highest quality, fine suit; a modern twist on classic tailoring, then speak to The Bespoke Tailor. As Birmingham’s nod to Saville Row, The Bespoke Tailor’s Adrian Barrows is a self-taught tailor. His Uncle, Geoff Walker was the chief cutter for Aquascutum and Daks in the 1960s and 1970s, so you could say his passion for men’s fashion is in the family. Most recently, Adrian has been involved in the Olympics. Adrian’s been working with MGMT Concierge, crafting beautiful suits for superyacht owners and their friends. With 5,000 cloths at his disposal, including those from traditional manufacturers Scabal, Brook Taverner and J & J Minnis (who supply Balmoral tweed to the Royal household), Barrows’ suits start from £800. But with the Tweeting Tailor, as he’s known by his social media following, this is good value for money. For a suit to last a lifetime, it needs to be crafted with the finest materials, and Adrian Barrows and his team source only British milled fabrics. There’s passion and service that lasts longer than the purchase point. Adrian and his team will rework and repair your suit for as long as you own it.

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With The Bespoke Tailor, you’ll have a variety of deigns and fabrics to choose from. You can rest assured, Adrian uses the same care and detail to create each of his masterpieces, and considering he makes suits for the celebs, you know you’re in good company as one of his clients. From concept through to design and manufacture, Adrian is on hand with his tape measure, fabric book and killer eye to create a suit, tailored to you. If you want to follow Adrian on Twitter and Facebook (and we suggest you do), you can find him at @TweetingTailor on Twitter and www.facebook.com/thebespoketailor. For more information on booking a consultation with Adrian and more on The Bespoke Tailor, head to: www.thebespoketailor.co.uk Tel: 07968 438 717 adrian@thebespoketailor.co.uk

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Upcoming Event Listing: Steak Tuesday’s Fizz & Fish Friday’s Tue 11th September Wine Club - Spanish Theme this month Fri 14th September Alfonzo’s Pancake Breakfast Live from 9pm Fri 21st September “Dean Gee - The ultimate Rat Pack and swing show” Spernall Lane, Great Alne, Warwickshire, B49 6HY Tel: 01789 488 800 September/October 2012

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CLEAN AND LEAN FOODS

Melanie Taffs

It’s important to understand that your weight and health are not separate issues; in most cases being overweight is a symptom of being unhealthy. If you focus on your health, the weight is sure to drop off. This is the advice I give to clients that come to see me and nine times out of ten they have all been successful in losing the pounds and keeping them off. Most importantly, you must believe that you can do this, it does not matter if you have failed before. REMEMBER, the past does not equal your future. Most diets are a waste of time, you can live on processed, low fat food but your body will be so toxic that you will find it hard to keep it off. Our body stores toxins in the fat cells. If you go on a diet yet still eat the wrong foods you will lose weight at first, but the toxins have nowhere to go other than back into your system and that’s why you feel tired, lethargic and headachy when starting a diet. What are clean foods? Foods that have not changed much from their natural state They don’t have any added artificial flavouring The shelf life is short They don’t have a long list of ingredients on the packet Sugar is not in the first three ingredients on the packet

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The bad stuff: Sugar: Cut it out. It’s found in most cakes, biscuits, diet foods, chocolate and fizzy drinks. Sugar converts to fat quicker than fat does because it raises your insulin level which causes fat storage. Studies have shown that 40% of sugar that you eat is converted straight to fat which stores around the waist. Alcohol: Not many people know that alcohol is a carbohydrate and that it is full of sugar, making you fat round the middle. It also produces a hormone called oestrogen which promotes fat storage. It’s good to remember that your liver is a fat burning organ and that it cannot do two things at once. Therefore, when it’s processing alcohol in your body, it won’t be processing the fat. Processed foods: The less processed the food you eat, the cleaner and better it is for you. Processed foods are usually made in factories. The ingredients are stripped of their natural goodness then filled with preservatives and additives. Stay away from white bread, pasta, ready meals, some tinned foods, most breakfast cereals and frozen chips and wedges. Caffeine: Cut down on it or limit your intake to 2 to 3 cups a day. This won’t do any harm, as it can help with fat burning but too much caffeine stresses the system and when we are stressed we release a hormone called cortisol which makes our body cling to fat.

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Health and Beauty Naturally

The Kick Start Weight Loss Programme Step 1: The Healthy Starter Pack is a ten day programme providing natural herb supplements.

The good stuff: Fat: Yes, it’s true. Good fat is found in nuts, avocadoes, oily fish and olive oil. It encourages your body to burn fat around the middle, absorb nutrients, lift your energy levels and keep your concentration levels up.

Step 2: Fat Grabbers combine high-quality fibre, chickweed and lecithin for a unique formula that traps fat molecules inside the intestinal tract before they can get into the bloodstream. Step 3: Carbo Grabbers safely reduces the absorption of starchy carbohydrates and reduces the available calories your body

Breakfast tips: I advise my clients to include protein into their breakfast if they can; it fires up your metabolism. Choose from eggs (not every day though) salmon, meat, cheese, milk and yogurt. Eat breakfast within 1 hour of waking up. If you leave it, your body goes into starvation mode. Have a glass of cooled hot water with lemon or green tea, as it detoxes the body, hydrates you and you will look and feel less bloated. Lunch tips: It’s the second most important meal of the day and better to eat clean foods to make you feel full of energy and feel full for the rest of the afternoon, than to want to pick at something less healthy later in the day. Have a palm sized portion of protein in the form of meat, fish, cheese eggs, beans or lentils with a huge portion of your favourite vegetables; broccoli, lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes, cabbage, peppers, sprouts, carrots. If you’re eating at your desk, remember to concentrate on eating and chewing your food thoroughly to extract all the nutrients.

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Step 4: Solstic Slim is a low calorie supplement which can be used as part of a calorie controlled diet.

Feel great about yourself this summer For more information, call Priti on 07578 254 496 or visit our facebook page Health & Beauty Naturally @HealthBeautyNat

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RECIPE OF THE MONTH Apple mille-feuille with apple and stem ginger ice-cream

or four months now, Ryan Edge has been the Executive Head Chef at Marco Pierre White at the Cube, Birmingham. At the age of 32, he has worked for Marco in London and as a head chef for Jamie Oliver prior to that. As a chef in the RAF for six years, Ryan’s had his fair share of culinary challenges but he likes nothing better than creating simple, tasty dishes using local produce. “I love cooking with apples and seeing as the new season is approaching, this is the perfect autumn dessert. In the Midlands, we’re really lucky to be surrounded by loads of great apple varieties. You can pick your own too, which is really fun. From the sweet and crisp Herefordshire russet to the fantastic orangey, red colour of the Cox’s orange pippin, there’s something for everyone. Apples are versatile too; puréed with pork or baked in a pie. For me, nothing says autumn like an apple based dessert, so here is my apple millefeuille with apple and stem ginger ice cream.”

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September/October 2012

Recipe of the month www.edgemagazine.org For the apple purée:

Method

8 x apples of your choice

•Peel, core and roughly chop the apples

1 tbsp caster sugar

•Add apples, vanilla, sugar and water to a pan

1 vanilla pod

•Cook gently over a low heat until soft (approx. 12 minutes)

100 ml cold water

•Mash with a fork, then leave to cool.

For the apple and steam ginger ice cream:

Method

500ml double cream

• Place the milk, cream and vanilla in a pan and bring to the boil, then set aside

500ml full fat milk 170g caster sugar 6 egg yolks 1 vanilla pod 80g chopped stem ginger

•Whisk the egg yolk and sugar until pale and fluffy •Slowly stir the cream mixture into the eggs and cook on a low heat for 5 minutes, stirring continuously. Then leave to cool for 15 minutes •Add ¾ of the apple purée and stem ginger to the cream/egg mixture and fold together. •Place into a plastic container, then into the freezer. •After 30 minutes, beat the mixture for 4 minutes then place back in freezer. •Leave for at least 2 hours before serving.

For the mille-feuille:

Method

180ml double cream

•Whip the double cream

30g icing sugar

•Add sugar/lemon juice and cinnamon

½ a vanilla pod

•Fold together gently

A pinch of cinnamon

•Place in fridge to chill

1 tsp lemon juice The puff pastry: 300g ready-made puff pastry Method

•Cook in oven at 180◦C/gas mark 7 for approx. 10 minutes or until your pastry is golden brown •Remove top tray and slide puff pastry onto a cutting surface

•Roll out pasrty as thinly as possible

•Before the pastry cools, cut squares 8cm by 3cm squares bearing in mind you need 3 squares per portion

•Place on a lined baking tray and then cover with a sheet of grease proof paper

•Place on a cooling rack and leave to chill

•Place a second baking tray on top to form a sandwich with the pastry in the middle Now it’s time to build your dish… •Take puff pastry squares, spread apple purée on the base, pipe the cream about 2 cm thick on top, then place on the next puff pastry square and repeat the process again

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•Finally, place the last square of pastry on top and finish with a shake of icing sugar •Serve with a large scoop of the apple ice cream, perfect!

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www.edgemagazine.org Bistro Culture

BISTRO CULTURE Michelin starred chef re-launches second fine dining venture as an eclectic bistro

irmingham’s renowned Michelin starred chef Glynn Purnell has made the decision to close his second fine dining restaurant in the city in favour of launching his own brand of bistro.

The Asquith, 11 Newhall Street will officially close after the last evening service on Saturday 1st September ready for the launch of Purnell’s Bistro, which opens on Wednesday 5th September. Glynn Purnell said. “I promised myself that I would achieve certain ambitions in my career. Firstly, to gain a Michelin star at Purnell’s, the second to open Ginger’s Bar with The Asquith and the third being to launch Purnell’s Bistro. Birmingham is fortunate to have a variety of cultures and flavours which is visible in the city. Glynn believes that serving simplistic, classic dishes, with an outlandish twist will be a welcome addition to the thriving food scene. He adds: “It is well-known that I am driven by my passion to excite people through food, especially the innovative dishes inspired by my childhood. The concept of Purnell’s Bistro will continue to entice people with honest portions of food, inspired by rustic home-cooking but with an eclectic twist. “Running a Michelin starred restaurant allows you to be at the forefront of British food, there has been a massive movement in the bistro culture from Paris into London, with the likes of Bruno Loubet and Bistrotheque opening in the capital. “The fine dining scene in Birmingham has gone from strength to strength and we have some top chefs already in the city, with more wanting a slice of the action. Well known chefs are choosing to open their brand of restaurants in the city centre but I want to go that step further. “I want the new bistro to encompass much more than just my name. I am an extremely hands on chef and I will continue to support the new team at the bistro, whilst cooking my fine dining menu at Purnell’s Restaurant on a daily basis. “I know questions will arise from the closure of The Asquith, especially since its relocation from the original address in Edgbaston. The answer is simple, in this life we meet challenges and it is how we face them. I have met this challenge head on and want to aspire to greater things. I want to also stress that Ginger’s Bar will remain at the same venue and will operate alongside the new bistro. “I opened The Asquith to give a younger management team the opportunity to grow the business and make their mark. For a variety of reasons, people chose different paths in life and I wish the original duo only the best in what they do, one heading off to travel the world and the other to start a family. “After such positive feedback on the food served at The Asquith, now is the time to embrace a new challenge under the Purnell’s brand and after identifying a gap in the market and from listening to my customers, Purnell’s Bistro is to open in Birmingham.”

Purnell’s Bistro 11 Newhall Street Birmingham B3 3NY www.purnellsbistro-gingers.com

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Glynn Purnell: After training with top chefs including Gordon Ramsay, Gary Rhodes and Claude Bosi, Purnell worked as head chef at Jessica’s, which was awarded Birmingham’s first Michelin star back in 2005. He is now the proud owner of three establishments in Birmingham, Purnell’s, which was awarded a Michelin star in 2007, Ginger’s Bar and Purnell’s Bistro, formerly The Asquith. Glynn has appeared on the Great British Menu, winning twice and recently as a mentor. He has previously featured on The Great British Food Revival and will appear in the new series in the autumn. He appears at the BBC Good Food Show and is a regular guest chef on Saturday Kitchen with James Martin, check him out on Saturday 17th November. Being passionate about Birmingham is extremely important to Glynn. He is at the forefront of the food scene and contributes heavily to campaigns like FoodFest and Love Food, Hate Waste to help improve the reputation of the city and place it firmly on the culinary map. Purnell’s Restaurant recently received the BMW Square Meal Best UK Restaurant award. This is the 12th year the BMW Square Meal UK award has been awarded, with past winners including The Kitchin, The Fat Duck and Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons. Glynn is also a Patron for Care Leukemia.

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FROM BIRMINGHAM TO BOMBAY A journey of discovery

Alan Coxon

Having spent over a year developing and planning a new TV food and travel series, I am now delighted to announce to the readers of Edge magazine that all filming and editing is complete and the series is ready to hit TV screens around the world. I always think that it is a surprise and possibly a disappointment for many people when I start talking about the amount of work and time spent on trying to make a good TV cookery series on a budget that`s tighter than George Osborne`s smile! We’ve tried to create a show with a point of difference and with relevance, so despite every second of me looking as though I am on a luxury holiday without a care in the world, jetting to marvellous locations, it is actually all hard work, honest. With all this in mind and as a true martyr to the cause, I wanted to do a TV food series of historical interest. I embarked upon From Birmingham to Bombay with the aim of revealing the secrets of the recipe behind the world`s five most popular curries. As curry is officially the number one most popular meal in Britain, I asked myself, do our curries actually derive from India or are they a British creation? In India, do they cook a korma, rogan josh, tandoori, vindaloo or madras the same as we do in the UK ? My film crew and I travelled across two continents and took a total of nine international and internal flights with many hours by car and train journeys to reach seven locations, all within twenty one days and all whilst filming five shows back to back; it was pretty hectic. On arriving at Delhi we then had a six hour wait in the airport lounge for an internal flight to get us to our first filming location in the northern state of Punjab and the city of Amritsar, sadly this was delayed by four hours due to smog. Eventually having had my ticket stamped eight times before boarding (they do like to have official rubber stamps in India), I sat on the flight like a child on his first school trip, stretching my neck to see through the window and to catch glimpses of the country below. Alas, the thick smog lay like a blanket between reality and my imagination. I was hoping the sun would reveal itself at some point to burn away and expose the country’s exotic charms, not

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forgetting that a food and travel show always looks good with a bit of blue sky. A backdrop of the dazzling sun reflecting on the famous Golden Temple is certainly what I had in my head at the production meetings. In reality, we disembarked in pea soup, with a temperature struggling to hit 1 dgr! Where did it say this in my travel brochures? I thought we were in India. Instead, it looked like Manchester in February; if I’s known I would have packed a jumper instead of cotton t-shirts. Having had my boarding pass and passport stamped once again, we then went through customs. Whilst this is fairly straight forward for most people, when you have cameras and tripods that need special permission to import into the country, it takes a long while.

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Nearly two hours later and more stamped paperwork, we were eventually released and my Birmingham to Bombay journey of discovery was finally underway. â&#x20AC;&#x153;From Birmingham to Bombayâ&#x20AC;? will be screened on food network UK (freeview channel 49) transmission dates to be announced soon.

For more information about Alan please visit www.alancoxon.com

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THE JOYS OF SLOE LIFE As the seasons shift, sloes will be ripening and so if you want to try your hand at making sloe gin, now is the time. As a rule, the fewer ingredients in a recipe, the more variation and complexity in the finished product. And with only three ingredients, this autumn tipple is as delightful as it is experimental. It’s a homebrewing favourite and whilst the process is a long one, it will be worth the wait. First of all, if you’re planning on harvesting your own sloes, and we suggest you do, here’s what you need to know: You need to pick your sloes very carefully due to the vicious sepsis-inducing spines, for which the shrub gets its name, prunus spinosa.

About 500g ripe sloes About 250g sugar (the more sugar you use, the quicker the flavour comes out but obviously, the sweeter it is) About 1 litre of gin (any gin, or even vodka if you want a purer flavour) Prick the sloes with a fork. Put them in a suitably sized Kilner jar, pour over the sugar and the gin, close the lid and shake. Shake the jar every day until the sugar has all dissolved and store in a dark cupboard. Strain the sloes through muslin after about three months, bottle, store in a dark cupboard, and wait.

The berries must be ripe for sloe gin. There’s much debate over harvesting sloes before or after the first frost but as long as you leave it as long as possible and the fruit is soft, we don’t think it matters. So, here’s how to make your very own sloe gin. You will need:

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Nick Holzherr www.edgemagazine.org

WHISK AWAY

Nick Holzherr becomes his own boss Lucinda Bunn

As Nick Holzherr embarks on the launch of his clever online ingredients finder, Whisk, we asked him about his recipe for success. What did you learn from your experience on The Apprentice? Well The Apprentice is a very tense process. It’s amazing how much goes into creating it. Every task is a different business environment, with a different challenge to do and I think in that respect it’s like doing a mini practical MBA. It’s a high pressure group with a lot of egos. You learn about the business environment but I think I actually learnt the most about myself. I think maybe I should be more forceful with my ideas. Learning more about team work, respecting your colleagues and group dynamics was absolutely vital on The Apprentice. Were you pleased with how you were presented on the show? It’s a massive risk going on the show, definitely. I asked everyone for advice before doing it and they thought it was a bad idea. I think I came out of it quite well though. I think I had quite a good start to the process, taking leadership when nobody else was willing to. Winning the first task through strategic decisions, although it wasn’t planned, really set me up well. You worry every week about the editorial process. Every Wednesday evening, about 8pm, we’d all be itching, wondering whether our reputations were going to be destroyed that night. In my case, I don’t think there were too many negatives. The one that stands out was the bit with the calculator in the restaurant. I don’t think they showed all of it. I said to Jade ‘can I please do this pitch?’ and she said ‘no, I’ll do it, I’m the Project Manager’. I assumed Jade had covered the numbers but when it came to it, she asked me. I wasn’t prepared. They handed me a calculator and it was set to scientific mode. It’s things like that, when you sort of know you’ve been set up to look stupid. How does it feel being fired by Lord Sugar? It’s actually quite a shock. And you are worried about it constantly in the process. Everybody starts to behave a little bit strategically. You become louder than you should be, take on anything you weren’t sure about. Every candidate is aware that being fired is something they will more than likely have to face.

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Realistically, you can’t go into the process expecting to win. How has your heightened profile benefitted the launch of your project, Whisk? Massively. We were in the newspapers; that helped getting interest from the public. It got us meetings with big brands, big publishers and our reputation was enhanced. Instead of trying to get people to talk to us, now we’ve got too many people to talk to. It’s a fantastic place to be and it’s totally changed what I do. We just want to make lasting business relationships and hopefully, in time, people will still care. So tell us about Whisk, how does it work? Whisk brings online recipes together with online grocery shopping. It allows people to people buy the ingredients they need for any online recipe they see in a few clicks. All you have to do is say how many portions you’d like and the ingredients are in the online supermarket basket of your choice. People can use it on their favourite recipe websites using the browser plug-in, as well as being available on an app, where there will be lots of recipes to choose from. You can then check out all the ingredients you need and it’ll all get delivered with your shopping. One of my favourite features is its leftover calculator. One thing I find frustrating about cooking is having leftover ingredients and not knowing what to do with them. Whisk can suggest alternative recipes to make with these items. This means I can try out different dishes and use up leftovers at the same time. If it’s free for users, how will you make a profit? Most of our revenue will come from the supermarkets. Many supermarkets have affiliate schemes, so when we direct people towards their checkouts to buy the ingredients they need. We get a small affiliate fee for every transaction. Could you explain how Whisk will help its customers save money and be economical with the food they buy? As I mentioned, the leftover feature will really help. For me, after a dinner party for friends for instance, having all those ingredients left in my fridge that I wasn’t quite sure what to do with meant they would

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Nick Holzherr

often go off and I would end up throwing them away. I’m quite environmentally conscious, and hate waste, so this pattern frustrated me. There were recipes I could have cooked the day after, using these leftovers, but because I wasn’t aware of the recipes, it seemed such a hassle. This was one issue we really wanted to solve with Whisk. It’ll mean people get more out of the ingredients they buy, which is great for people’s purses and the environment. You must love cooking, so what might we find in your virtual shopping basket? I would have all the ingredients for rosti and geschnetzeltes; it’s potato pancake, then the geschnetzeltes is any meat of your choice fried in onions and garlic. It has a creamy, white wine sauce. I’d probably buy some gruyère to make a fondue. And maybe some beef to slow-cook. When did you realise you had an entrepreneurial flair? I don’t think anybody really has a flair for business at an early stage. Anyone who claims to has maybe got a bit caught up in their own story. I think sometimes it is just a story. I mean, on The Apprentice, they wrote about how I sold golf balls back to golfers at the age of nine. It’s not really true. Like anyone who says they washed the car for pocket money, it’ll be twisted into ‘they ran a successful car washing company’. I don’t think it’s about flair, it’s about coming to the realisation that the person running the businesses is no better than the people in the businesses and it’s not about what you know, it’s about common sense. You just get experience. I don’t think there’s anything genius about it. You need vision and foresight. And confidence. With those tools, you can make your own luck. So what are the plans for Whisk in the next few months? The launch, of course! We’re going to use the launch to show people what we’re about, the fact that we’re a useful service. Our challenge going forward is to secure great partnerships and really make people’s day to day lives easier. We launch in the autumn; to keep updated, sign up at www.whisk.co.uk

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Smart Money

SMART MONEY Equity Investment Strategy Tom Ware

individual countries such as Asia, the US or Europe. These can provide diversity to an equity income portfolio, which might otherwise be concentrated in a few sectors.

Income strategies â&#x20AC;&#x201C; investing in companies with a higher dividend yield has proved a protective strategy over the past 10 years and should continue to be so while the economic environment remains rocky. Markets have increasingly placed a premium on companies with the ability to maintain and grow dividends.

Growth strategies â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the best performing growth strategies have delivered fantastic returns for investors. Smaller companies, in particular, have been the best-performing sector year to date. However, investors need to exercise caution - they need to ensure that they are with a strong manager, with a good risk discipline, that they are investing for the long-term and can ride out volatile periods. The markets have rewarded companies that can deliver genuine, organic growth in the current environment, but not necessarily companies simply with strong revenue growth.

quities have been an uncomfortable place to invest over the last decade. Volatility has been high and returns unpredictable. Investors would be forgiven for asking whether they should look at alternatives to equity altogether. However, strategists from Goldman Sachs to Alan Greenspan now agree that, in most scenarios, equities look cheap compared to history. But investors still need to exercise caution in the strategies in which they invest.

A recent report by analysts at Morgan Stanley suggested that US and European stock markets are likely to remain flat or decline for the foreseeable future. In this environment, it concluded, dividends are likely to be the most important source of return. There is also more choice of income strategies. Just a few years ago, investors were limited to the UK, but now there are a number of top-performing global equity income funds. There are also equity income funds specialising in

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Low volatility strategies â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a number of groups, including Lazard and Schroders, have introduced low volatility strategies, which aim to invest in equities that are likely to be low volatility in the future. These work on the premise that it is always more important to minimise losses when equity markets are falling, than make chunky gains as they are rising, particularly at the moment. These strategies are often based on quantitative models and tend to be low cost.

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Top 10 Investment Mistakes www.edgemagazine.org Absolute return strategies - these strategies can be pure equity strategies, but may also include bonds, commodities or other assets. They aim to deliver absolute returns in all market conditions and usually have a cash benchmark. Some have been extremely successful, delivering positive returns in some very difficult markets. Others, however, have not lived up to their billing and have been disappointing. Discernment is key. The recent history of equities has left them looking unappealing to many, but the right strategy can provide a vital growth engine for an investorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s portfolio. There are a range of options for investors that mean that they can avoid much of the volatility and still harness the growth potential.

TOP 10 INVESTMENT MISTAKES Keeping everything in cash - this is unlikely to protect the purchasing power of an investment over the long-term. Inflation is currently running at 2.4% as measured by CPI (June), higher than the interest rates offered on most cash accounts. Following the herd - as the technology bubble showed in spectacular fashion, the herd is often wrong. Following the herd tends to mean that people are buying at the top of the market, when it has only one way to go. Down. Taking tips from the cab driver/neighbour - Unless a neighbour or a cab driver is phenomenally rich, it is probably best to ignore politely any investment tips. The best fund managers in the world will only get it right 6070% of the time. Over-optimism - It is important to be realistic about the type of returns available. With interest rates at 0.5%, investors simply cannot get a 10% risk-free return on their savings. Relying too heavily on past performance - It is worth knowing a fund manager's track record before investing, but also that the market environment may have particularly suited their style and that strong performance may not endure. Forgetting about your investments - It would be great to tuck away investments in the back of a drawer and forget about them, but it is worth reviewing them from time to time to ensure that they are still fit for purpose.

Trying to time the market - Even the best asset allocators struggle to predict the best time to enter and exit the market. Regular savings can provide a better solution. Not having a goal - Investing aimlessly can create an unfocused, poorly thought-out portfolio that does not meet an investor's needs. It is important to establish goals when investing. Ignoring compounding - The so-called 'only free lunch in finance', compound interest means that your money is working for you all the time. It also means that it is better to protect money in difficult times than chase returns in better times. Putting it off until tomorrow - The power of compounding means that it is always better to start investing sooner rather than later.

Churchill Investments plc 9 Woodborough Road, Winscombe. BS25 1AB Tel (01934) 844444 www.churchillinvestments.co.uk admin@churchillinvestments.co.uk

IMPORTANT NOTICE Past performance is not necessarily a guide to the future and the value of investments can go down as well as up. You might not get back the full amount invested particularly if an encashment is made in the early years.

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ARE YOU COVERED? Speak to the professionals

n the current economic climate, it has never been more important to make sure that all of your documents are in check and that if the worst happens, you are prepared and covered.

A recent study by Barrett Corp & Harrington showed that some 96% of commercial premises - including factories, workshops, warehouses, offices, shops and hotels - are lacking adequate insurance cover. Insurance protects your premises, material goods and staff, but the insured value is often left to the insured party, leading to drastic differences between the cover taken up and the cover needed. It is thought that one of the main reasons that consumers are falling short is due to the recession. Insurance premiums are often considered a necessary evil and when only looked at on price, people can be inclined to just go with the cheapest quotation which can leave you underinsured, or even worse, not covered at all. It is also believed that people are undervaluing their properties; as the price of property has dropped, people presume that the insured value decreases, but as the value is often based on rebuilding (rather than market value) the difference in price between the two can often be two very different figures, leaving you out of pocket. Ellis Clowes & Company Limited have pledged to be ‘a service driven broker for the fast moving world’. The origins of the company are the iconic and highly respected Lloyd’s Broker, TL Clowes, whose expertise was motor sport insurance. Over time, the Ellis Clowes name has expanded beyond this remit and established itself today as a company providing flexible insurance solutions with unparalleled levels of service and expertise. The Ellis Clowes team is well known for delivering a personal service, understanding business environments and providing specialist, bespoke cover for a range of businesses. Ellis Clowes Commercial can help with: •Buildings and Contents •Material Damage, Burglary, Theft, Stock and Goods in Transit •Employers' Liability: required by UK law if you employ staff •Public and Products liability •Business Interruption •Stock and goods in transit •Money: either held on the premises or by an authorised employee •Personal Accident and Travel Insurance Contact Colin Jones or Michele Drinkell at Ellis Clowes for a comprehensive review of all of your commercial insurances. Ellis Clowes (Commercial) Limited 27 Horsefair Banbury Oxfordshire OX16 0AE 01295 221190 www.ellisclowes.com

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5 Reasons to choose Ellis Clowes • Personal and professional service

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Blue-glazed shabti of the Pharaoh Seti I. From the Valley of the Kings, Egypt, c.1285 BC ÂŠ The Trustees of the British Museum

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www.edgemagazine.org Malvern Theatre

MALVERN THEATRE: A REVIEW Mike Stafford

n inspiration to Elgar and the destination of choice for centuries of discerning tourists, Malvern’s credentials as a place of beauty and culture are long established. The jewel in its cultural crown is surely the Malvern Theatre, where visitors can enjoy sublime entertainment in a grand but affordable setting. Completed in 1885, the complex is flanked by the opulence of the Priory at the front and the tranquility of Priory Park at the back. While the exterior celebrates Victorian splendour, the interior is a triumph of tasteful modernisation, with hardwood floors and brilliant white walls. In addition to the Festival Theatre and a cinema screen, the complex boasts a newly refurbished restaurant, Scene Bistro, which is due to open in September. Promising to focus on high-quality dining and locally

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sourced produce, the Scene Bistro is set to encourage more visitors to the Malvern Theatre. The prospect of enjoying a Severn and Wye Valley Smoked Salmon sandwich before heading into the auditorium for an evening of quality amateur dramatics, classical music or comedy is quite literally mouthwatering. Given Malvern town’s size, the auditorium is particularly vast, with seating for over 500. Despite this, legroom shouldn’t be a problem even for taller patrons, and comfort is all-but guaranteed thanks to the softness of the seating. The quality of the venue is matched by the quality of its resident company. I was fortunate enough to catch the Malvern players’ recent performance of ‘We Happy Few,’ an Imogen Stubbs play based on the exploits of real life troupe, the Osiris Repertory company. Aided by a magnificent script, the players laid on uniformly superb performances. Sue Lupton

commanded the stage as zealous but impassioned leader Hetty, Meg Russell provided sly wit as embittered RADA grad, Helen, and a tear-jerking monologue from Angela Meredith drew marked gasps from the audience. But ‘We Happy Few’ was not just a showcase of acting talents as Lucy Fothergill showed off a crisp, cultured singing voice, counterpointed by Lawrence Astill’s haunting performance on saxophone. Tasteful monochrome portraits adorning the bar speak of the topclass talent the theatre has hosted over the years, and with such a gifted troupe for a backbone, the future seems equally bright for the Malvern Theatres. So whether it’s high culture, luxury local cuisine, or an evening of affordable opulence you’re looking for, make the Malvern Theatres the next date on your calendar.

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www.edgemagazine.org Winter Birds

WINTER BIRDS

How to attract them to your garden this year Food. To attract the biggest variety of birds to you garden in the winter, put out black-oil sunflower seeds. They’re much easier to crack open than striped sunflower seeds and they have a good meat-to-shell ratio. It’s important for birds to consume a lot of fat in the winter. Don’t worry, they’re built to turn fat into energy so it’s good for them. Suet is great to leave out for the birds and you can easily get hold of some from your local butcher. Water. When it’s cold enough for snow and ice, birds can’t access the natural water points around them. Whilst they can eat snow, melting it wastes their vital energy. So, if you provide a shallow bowl or pool of fresh water, the birds in your garden will appreciate it. Shelter. Have you ever noticed how birds never really perch out in the open, leafless branches of the trees in the winter? Woodpeckers and other cavity nesting birds look for holes in trees, somewhere with a defensive advantage. If you have a nest box, this is the perfect hideout for any feathered friend. Be sure to clean out your nest boxes at the end of the breeding season and then hang them back up for the winter. If you want to go for a more long-term shelter for winter birds, planting an evergreen shrub in your garden will do the trick.

For everything you need to know about birds, go to: www.rspb.org.uk

74 EdgeMagazine

September/October 2012

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