SO Magazine September 2020

CULTURE

WEDDING SPECIAL

EDUCATION GUIDE

Paul Dunton reveals the musical line up for Tom Kerridge’s Garden Party

Don’t miss our exclusive guide to ensure you and your partner say ‘I do’ in style

Meet those running the top schools in the area and how they’re coping with Covid

Music to our ears

TEAM SPIRIT

Bridal path

Learning lessons

WHY ONE OF TUNBRIDGE WELLS’ MOST POPULAR RESTAURANTS WANTED TO SUPPORT THE NHS AND WIDER COMMUNITY THROUGH THE HEALTH PANDEMIC September 2020

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welcome

Editor’s LETTER

A

fter months of feeling like time has stood still due to lockdown, here we suddenly are in the month of September, packing up our summer gear, heading towards autumn and sending our children off to school – six months after they shut due to coronavirus.

Never again will we think six weeks of summer holidays seems like a long time eh?

Traditionally of course this is the time of year when, whether you have kids returning to the classroom or not, most of us have that ‘back to school feeling’. But this time round it truly does feel like we are nervously entering unknown territory – the new normal if you will.

Now that life revolves around having to wear masks and practicing social distancing every time we want to go out, plus waiting for a Covid-19 vaccine, we are certainly trying to maintain as upbeat and optimistic as we can in the pages of SO magazine.

Take for example the inspiring story of our cover star Sedat Zorba and his team. When they were forced to shut down their popular Mediterranean restaurant Zorba’s in Tunbridge Wells, instead of panicking about survival they turned their focus on helping those in need and NHS staff by delivering them weekly meals. Turn to page 8 to read more of this uplifting story of solidarity through adversity.

Then we have an interview with Lewis Chapman who runs the Secret Art Parties painting club (p13). Again, he could have looked

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contents September 2020

Culture vulture: where to go when this September

Art for arts sake: Lewis Chapman talks to us about his online creative club p13

Party on: Paul Dunton celebrates live music’s return at Tom Kerridge’s Garden Party

on the negative side when the Covid crisis began, but instead he thought about how he could still engage with his art fans and has now grown an even bigger and more successful community online.

Returning to the topic of education, we also have a special guide to some of the area’s best schools and the measures they have put in place to ensure pupils’ safety as they go back this term from page 16. And there’s also a fascinating read by local writer Ana Sampson on the power of poetry on page 24.

And as wedding venues are allowed to reopen we’ve also got a fabulous bridal feature which kicks off from page 33 telling you all you need to know so you can still walk up the aisle in style.

I hope you enjoy the issue,

Eileen Editor, SO magazine Don’t forget to follow us on Instagram @somagazines

Issue 146 SALOMONS ESTATE Tunbridge Wells Kent TN3 0TG Tel: 01892 779650 www.timeslocalnews.co.uk

EDITOR Eileen Leahy info@somagazines.co.uk

HEAD OF DESIGN Lee Smith lsmith8@markerstudy.com

SALES DIRECTOR Robin Singer rsinger@markerstudy.com

EDITORIAL Victoria Truman Rachael Hale

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Richard Moore rmoore@markerstudy.com

DESIGN & PHOTOGRAPHY David Sexton Rose Bainbridge

Turkish delights: How Zorba’s Mezze Grill nourished the NHS and needy during lockdown

Education special: All you need to know about the area’s top schools Poetry in motion: Local writer Ana Sampson on the forgotten female poets

33 39 42 49 50 54 58

Tie the knot in style: Don’t miss our guide of where to celebrate your marriage Match made in heaven: all the makeup must haves to ensure you’re a wedding belle Veg with edge: Riverford’s Sally Beare explains how her delivery team coped through Covid

Live the high life: Experience a fabulous holiday high up in the Swiss mountains Enrich your life by losing the coronavirus pounds: our resident hypnotherapist tells us how Nordic and nice: Talented local tradesperson Rikke Mitchell on her passion for design Late summer flourish: Victoria Truman’s advice on how to make the most of your garden

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All rights reserved. The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher. The publisher cannot accept responsibility for any errors or omissions relating to advertising or editorial. The publisher reserves the right to change or amend any competitions or prizes offered. No part of this publication may be reproduced without prior written consent from the publisher. No responsibility is taken for unsolicited materials or the return of these materials whilst in transit.

Drink it in: We meet local organic wine producer extraordinaire Will Davenport p28

SO Magazine | September 2020 | 3

calendar

CULTURE HUB

Our edit of the most entertaining events happening this month

Following the ongoing easing of the Coronavirus lockdown many of our favourite beauty spots, galleries, museums and places of interest are now open. There’s also a lot more alfresco experiences to enjoy too. Here’s our pick of where to go this September...

LET OFF SOME STEAM The Spa Valley Railway’s postponed 2020 Gin and Steam Event will now be held on September 5. The gin tasting experience will take place on a train hauled by a fabulous Steam Locomotive which will leave Tunbridge Wells West station at 14:30 for a return trip to Groombridge. During the journey, which takes you past High Rocks and through the glorious countryside, everyone can enjoy three different gins from Anno Distillery, who are based in Marden. The gins on offer include the artisan brand’s popular Kent Dry Gin, Berry Pink Gin and Orange and Honey Gin. Drinks will be accompanied by selection of canapés or Light snacks. Tickets cost £30 per person and must be booked in advance by visiting www.spavalleyrailway.com

PARTY IN THE PARK After having to postpone his very popular Pub in the Park event this year, celebrity chef Tom Kerridge has come up with a clever Covid-19 safe alternative event: a ‘Drive In Garden Party’.

Taking place at Eridge over the weekend of September 18-20 it’s the perfect opportunity to enjoy some delicious food cooked by Tom and his team as well as a few of his celebrity chums who include Atul Kochhar all from the comfort of your own private ‘garden’ area.

As well as being able to enjoy the ambience in a socially distanced manner in and around your car, visitors will also be able to listen to live music sets from the likes of local lads Keane, Gabrielle and Squeeze. Car tickets cost from £47 and individual walk in tickets are also available. See www. driveingardenparty.com

Tea Garden Lane in Tunbridge Wells from September 15-26. Briefly the plot is about a tribe that haven’t eaten for month and now on the eve of their hunting ritual, suspicious powers are arising after the group’s leader goes missing. As always the audience is invited to truly immerse themselves, helping to find out what happens by roaming around the expansive set which is all outside.

Sounds brilliant! For ticket and timing details go to www.gooms.co.uk

JUST FOR LAUGHS Trinity Theatre is back doing what it does best: entertaining the people of Tunbridge Wells and beyond. Last month it started a raft of social events including comedy nights every Friday evening and Saturday Jazz Brunch sets. Hosted in the former church’s ‘Secret Garden’ they have proved to be incredibly popular and will therefore continue to run into this month.

For more information on who’s on when visit www.trinitytheatre.net

FLORAL TRIBUTES Pashley Manor in Ticehurst is usually buzzing with plenty of exhibitions around this time of year.

In addition to its famous rose and tulip festivals it also hosts a wonderful sculpture event every summer too. And although things BACK ON TRACK The popular Spa Valley railway has reopened

are very different this year, for obvious reasons, the good news is you can still visit its gorgeous grounds – all 11 acres of them – and its charming café most days of the week. Just visit www. pashleymanorgardens.com

LET’S GO OUTSIDE GOOMS the immersive theatre company are back performing and this time they present a spooky story of betrayal, power and honour. The title of the piece is Rotten States, and it runs every night at The Beacon on

ALL THE FUN OF THE FAIR After months of not being able to indulge in the simple pleasure of browsing around a variety of stalls at some of our favourite local craft fairs, the good news is the first major one is happening at Hever Castle over the weekend of September 10-13.

Organised by Maidstone based Craft in Focus, it will feature some of the UK’s best designers and artists. “All exhibitors have designed and made the work on display and TESTING THE WATER Don’t miss this spectacular boat race at Bewl

ENTER THE DRAGON Another popular event that’s still able to go ahead despite the current Covid crisis is Bewl’s Dragon Boat Race.

It takes place on September 5, and sees crews of 16 paddlers (plus a drummer) race in Chinese-style Dragon Boats over a 250-metre course, and is usually done in aid of various charities.

As well as the races there’s the opportunity for visitors to explore the various marquees on the lawn which will be selling all manner of goodies from sweet treats to items for the home. For more information call the management team at Bewl on 01892 628 245.

4 | September 2020 | SO Magazine

TIME TO GO APE Go Ape at Bedgebury is up and running once more, with all the necessary safety and social distancing measures in place. It is great for thrill-seekers to get stuck into with its tree top walks, swings and zip wires. Children must be aged at least ten years old to participate and be a minimum of 1.4m tall in this external adventure. For tickets and timings, visit www.goape.co.uk

DID YOU KNOW? The origin of the Dragon Boat Festival is said to be from the Warring States Period when the patriotic poet, Qu Yuan, drowned himself in the Miluo River on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month.

calendar

FAIR PLAY Hever Castle hosts the first craft fair since lockdown

have been selected for their individuality and ALL THAT JAZZ innovation in contemporary design, as well as outstanding technical ability,” said a Craft in Usually The Pantiles would have been buzzing Focus spokesperson. Exhibitors are both local every Thursday night thanks to the annual Jazz and from elsewhere around on The Pantiles live music event the country and include but sadly it too - like so many DID YOU other things - had to be brands such as The Little Etching Studio, Canterbury temporarily postponed due to the KNOW? Pottery, Seesaw Children’s coronavirus.

Steam engines were Clothes and Romney Marsh Happily though it returned last invented by blacksmith Wools. Also exhibiting at the month, albeit in a different way event will be Kent-based to normal, and now every Thomas Newcomen sculptor, Steven Ritchie who Thursday throughout September in 1705. They were has recently appeared on you can still enjoy listening to the originally used to BBC1’s Home is Where The ambient sounds of live music pump water out Art Is programme. while you sit and dine nearby. In of mines.

The event also includes line with social distancing guides, demonstrating artists and visitors will be spaced two metres artisan food exhibitors alongside the apart and must be seated. There will also be exhibiting craftmakers. For further information hand sanitising stations on entering and on tickets call 01622 747325 or visit www. leaving The Pantiles. A suggested minimum craftinfocus.com donation of £5 to help pay for the band.

ALFRESCO DELIGHTS Trinity Theatre is putting on a number of outdoor events

SO Magazine | September 2020 | 5

Music

Over the weekend of September 19-20 Tom Kerridge Paul Dunton brings his Pub in the Park’s Drive In Garden Party to Eridge Music Editor Park. As well as the chance to experience some delicious Follow Paul @PaulDuntonmusic dishes cooked by Tom and his chef pals you can enjoy some great live music too. SO’s Paul Dunton reveals more…

A

fter months of not being able to socialise with friends and enjoy the pleasure of live music, celebrity chef Tom Kerridge has come up with an innovative and safe way for people to do just that.

Designed for these unusual times, Pub in the Park’s Drive In Garden Party is an innovative way of being able to enjoy amazing food and a great line-up of live music – all from the safety of your own private enclosure.

After the huge success of previous Pub in the Park events in Dunorlan Park, Tom and his team decided to create an adapted version of his much loved ‘good grooves and great grub’ festival.

The result is the Garden Party Drive In,

6 | September 2020 | SO Magazine

which offers food and music lovers the chance to relish some delicious food and great tunes from the safety of their own private parking area – or specific cordoned-off space if people are attending the event which runs from September 19-20 without a car.

The music line up is quite something, with local lads Keane headlining the Saturday slot and the likes of Soul II Soul, Gabrilelle and Squeeze also on the bill.

And I am delighted to announce that there will be three Local & Live acts playing live over the weekend too. I will be performing on Saturday afternoon and evening while local singer-songwriter Marie White will be on just before Soul II Soul and headliners Keane later that day.

We all feel very elated and fortunate to have been invited to play by Tom Kerridge

Interestingly, Marie White, who won the emerging music Glastonbury prize in 2019, toured with Keane around the UK earlier this year. Their gigs included two nights at The Royal Albert Hall so it will be lovely to see them reunited.

Ramping up the grooves on Sunday afternoon will be popular local singersongwriter Mike Wilton who has previously headlined The Local & Live Music Festival with his band The Standard Lamps. They too have enjoyed a taste of time in the spotlight courtesy of being the main support for The Who on their recent UK tour.

Mike is very much looking forward to getting up on stage and performing again at the Garden Party Drive In. He told me earlier this month: “Pub In the

Music

Local & Live to play at Pub In The Park is a real honour and privilege!”

For all three of us, it is an incredible opportunity to open for such esteemed acts on a professional festival stage in the idyllic setting of Eridge Park. Physical gigs are pretty much non-existent at the moment and as an independent musician myself, I can definitely say on behalf of all three acts, we all feel very elated and fortunate to have been

invited to play by Tom Kerridge and his team.

These are the type of gigs you dream about and nothing is more motivating than knowing you have a world class act following your performance. Time to get rehearsing!

Pub in the Park’s Drive In Garden Party takes place on September 19 to 20 in Eridge Park. For tickets and timings please visit: www.driveingardenparty.com

PHOTO: Abigail Harris

Park will be amazing, it feels so good to be doing a real physical show, I cannot wait!”

Marie White is also excited about the prospect of playing live again, telling me: “I am so pumped about playing Pub In The Park! To be on the bill with Keane once again is amazing, they are lovely people and incredible musicians. I can’t wait to hear Soul II Soul either, they are an amazing live act! To be invited by

SO Magazine | September 2020 | 7

Cover feature

SERVING UP THE PERFECT

recipe for support and survival W

Zorba’s Mezze Grill is one of the most popular places to eat in Tunbridge Wells, but when the coronavirus crisis hit its owner didn’t think about himself, but how he could nourish those in need.

Eileen Leahy spoke to Sedat Zorba (below) to find out more about his inspiring sacrifice for others...

hen Boris Johnson effectively locked up the country on March 23 in order to help stem the spread of coronavirus, life as we knew it ground to a shuddering halt. In addition to schools, community centres, art galleries, surgeries and theatres having to shut, all of our much-loved pubs, cafés, bars and restaurants had to cease trading too.

One of them was Zorba’s Mezze Grill, which it’s fair to say is one of Tunbridge Wells’ most popular eateries, regularly packed out and getting top marks on Trip Advisor thanks to the smorgasbord of delicious Mediterranean delights it serves up from its impressive Mangal grill – not to mention its friendly, welcoming service.

Since it opened in 2017 Zorba’s – as it’s more affectionately known – has

8 | September 2020 | SO Magazine

attracted an extremely large and loyal customer base. Originally opened as a café in 2009 by owner Sedat Zorba, the premises has now doubled in size and boasts two spacious and stylishly appointed dining areas, as well as a big open plan kitchen and pleasant alfresco space to ensure your Turkish inspired feasting experience is as pleasant and authentic as possible.

Trading for over a decade, Mr Zorba and his team have certainly got to know their clients over the years which is why when lockdown happened, the Turkishborn businessman’s first move wasn’t to think how he could keep his business afloat, but instead how he could help to support the community.

HELPING “Obviously we are a local business and we make our living here in Tunbridge Wells, so our job is to serve the public,” explains Sedat.

Cover feature

“We’re in the public eye so when the time of lockdown came it was clear that we wanted to step up and do whatever we could to help. I just knew I wanted to support the NHS in whatever way I could.”

That resulted in Sedat and his kitchen staff providing NHS staff at Tunbridge Wells hospital with meals every week during the peak of the coronavirus crisis.

“We delivered food to the hospital every Thursday and always ensured that we followed the correct guidelines. We also took extra care buying special packaging for food so staff could eat safely.

“I wanted to tell those working in our local hospital who were risking

their lives every day because of coronavirus that we as a business were standing with them. Providing food to staff was my way of saying ‘you are not alone’.”

Sedat goes on to say that this was possible because he didn’t have to furlough his chefs – just his front of house staff – which he is keen to tell me he paid in full himself with no assistance from the government.

“We didn’t take any funds from anyone or anywhere – we used our own funds to furlough our waiting staff and I have no problem with that.”

All of the Zorba kitchen team however kept on working which meant they could help fire up the grill in order to provide dozens of meals to the NHS

every week but also to the more vulnerable and isolated members of the Tunbridge Wells community.

“I said to the kitchen staff we are going to stay open. We might not be able to do any business on the premises but we’ll cook for NHS staff, those who are elderly and self-isolating and anyone who is vulnerable.”

Sedat says he and his team were able to provide meals to many others in the town too after he contacted Tunbridge Wells Borough Council and told them he was prepared to provide free meals to those in need.

COMMUNITY “It’s not always about the money,” continues Sedat, “When the

Zorba’s first move wasn’t to think how he could keep his business afloat, but instead how he could help to support the community

community needs you, you just have to be there. Yes you make money when things are working but when the time comes and the public needs you, I believe you have to be there. I believe that everyone should do this and then we will be stronger.”

Tunbridge Wells Borough Council gave Sedat some names of those classified as vulnerable or elderly who were unable to source food for themselves.

“One lady was self-isolating in The Russell Hotel with her two kids who hadn’t eaten for the past two days.

That was hard for them so we were pleased to do anything we could to serve these people. If there is a second wave of coronavirus we would have no hesitation in helping again.”

Thankfully though Mr Zorba and his colleagues have also been able to keep trading, satisfying the palates of their many loyal diners throughout lockdown and beyond with their signature chargrilled meats, delicious dips, seasonal salads and fresh fish dishes.

“We never actually closed,” says Sedat. “We just needed to remodel how we delivered our food. The first couple of weeks of lockdown were quiet and then people started to order from us and we got very busy.

DELIVERY “Although we are on Deliveroo and Just Eats delivery services we decided to improve our website so people could order directly through us and then we could deliver food safely ourselves. We took on a few new drivers too, who we trained with the necessary PPE gear and set up with contactless payment. I also delivered some of the meals with my brother!”

So well is the home delivery side of the business working that Zorba’s has just launched its new ‘Zorba to Go’ app so customers can order directly from the restaurant.

Sedat, who is married with two young children, says that Zorba’s has also participated in the government’s SO Magazine | September 2020 | 9

Cover feature

but a free meal is what I’ve Eat Out to Help Out initiative done to show my appreciation. which offered up to 50% off I wish I could have served the meals to the value of £10 (not whole of Kent’s hospitals and including alcohol) last month the vulnerable with a every Monday to van full of food.”

Wednesday.

Yet although “Business-wise Sedat no one knows concentrated where we are “To me coronavirus is on those who heading, but no different to a war – we really needed the their help at are fighting against an government an made a great unknown enemy.” unprecedented decision to moment in support the history he will hospitality industry never forget how with the Help Out to important Zorba’s many Eat Out scheme. They have customers are. saved many restaurants from “My team and I are so closing down and for that I’d grateful for all those who have like to say thank you.” supported us during this In terms of having a long difficult time and who continue term game plan Sedat says that to do so. instead he likens the Covid-19 “Tunbridge Wells is a pandemic to that of a ‘war.’

“To me this is no different to brilliant town, full of really nice people, so we at Zorba’s just a war – we are fighting against want to do what we can to an unknown enemy. I see the help. When the community NHS as our soldiers and our needs you, you just have to be heroes. If they asked me to there for them.” clean their shoes I would do it,

SUPPORTING THE NHS During lockdown Sedat Zorba and his team safely delivered hundreds of meals to NHS staff at Pembury Hospital in order to boost morale and ensure they remained well nourished during the coronavirus crisis.

“I wanted to tell our local hospital staff who were risking their lives every day because of coronavirus that we as a business were standing with them.”

10 | September 2020 | SO Magazine

Cover feature

GIVING YOU A FLAVOUR OF THE TURKISH DELIGHTS AND MORE AVAILABLE FROM ZORBA’S MENU Many from Tunbridge Wells and beyond clearly relish the tempting selection of perfectly grilled meats, delicious platters of Mediterranean meze treats and the relaxed atmosphere on offer at Zorba’s. Here’s a tempting array of dishes you’ll find on the menu.

www.zorbamezzegrill.com SO Magazine | September 2020 | 11

Arts & Culture

The most exciting craft event in the South East

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9.30am – 5.30pm Daily (Garden open until 6pm daily)

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Free entry for Hever Castle Annual Members but advanced booking required.

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G A R D E N S

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The Noise Next Door Thursday 3rd September · 7.30pm The charismatic quartet have always astonished with their ability to spin audience suggestions into comedy gold, but for this show they’re putting the audience in charge in brilliant and bombastic new ways.

Wind in the Willows Sunday 6th September · 11am This family-friendly unique adaptation of Kenneth Grahame’s original book oozes with charm and wit, with big characters and big hearts!

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Jazz Brunch, with Cafe Society Saturdays from 10am - 3pm, booking recommended!

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12 | September 2020 | SO Magazine

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Arts & Culture

PHOTOS: Craig Matthews

“I BELIEVE THAT MAKING ART IS A REAL OPPORTUNITY TO UNDERSTAND OURSELVES” By day Lewis Chapman is a teacher, but at night you’ll find him helping lots of local people hone and refine their drawing and painting skills courtesy of his Secret Art Parties. Here he tells Eileen Leahy how his popular art club had to temporarily move online due to Covid, but instead of floundering it has actually flourished into a lively virtual creative community…

L

ewis Chapman very much enjoys his career teaching History and Creative Art at Moor House School in Hurst Green.

“It’s a specialist school which provides life-changing education and therapy to children and young adults with language disorders including Developmental Language Disorder (DLD),” the father of one (who has another on the way later this year) tells me.

“I feel lucky to be working alongside so many highly skilled and caring professionals on a daily basis and raising awareness of DLD is key to these children getting the support they need to live their best lives possible.”

In addition to his gratifying professional work Lewis, a graduate of the prestigious Goldsmiths College who moved to Tunbridge Wells four years ago, also greatly enjoys another artistic vocational element: the popular collaborative Secret Art Parties he’s been running for nearly three years here in Tunbridge Wells.

“I hosted my first one in November 2017, but the idea had been growing in my mind long before then,” continues Lewis.

But he says that it wasn’t a single ‘lightbulb’ moment that inspired Lewis to begin hosting guided painting parties for adults.

“It was more down to a recurring experience that was frustrating me a great deal. Over the years, friends and family have said to me they felt they had no creative talent or lacked any ability or confidence to begin drawing or painting.

“I have always found that drawing came naturally to me, however for painting it took years of perseverance to learn how to paint in a way I began to be happy with. It was only through years of trial and error, and luckily being introduced to the work of great painters such as Monet and Van Gogh by my mother, that I pieced together my creative identity.”

ENRICHING

This personal experience inspired Lewis to try and help others gain more confidence in their artistic endeavours – something he believes will not only help hone their artistic skills but also enrich their lives.

“I believe that making art, in whatever form it takes, is a beautiful affirmation of our existence and a real opportunity to understand ourselves and to SO Magazine | September 2020 | 13

Arts & Culture

Secret Art Parties are about feeling good about taking creative ‘me-time’

ALL IN THE DETAIL . . .

Who’s your favourite artist?

Kandinsky – I love how throughout his artistic career he was always searching for a way to transcend what was thought to be possible with painting. His work is deeply felt and moving to me. I love his vision to create paintings that would be free from needing to represent subjects in the world much in the way music has always been free.

Where’s your favourite art gallery?

Tate Modern in London. It is such an inspiring space and it gives me a real sense of how artists have flourished across the modern period.

And is there a local one you like?

I love visiting the galleries on The Pantiles and keeping an eye out for new venues that will support both emerging and mid-career artists. I’m looking forward to seeing what the newly reopened Art Hub gallery on Mount Ephraim will do.

WHY ARE THE ART PARTIES SO ‘SECRET’?

Apart from surrounding the events with blazing hot intrigue, I know that members come to my Secret Art Parties with a variety of questions depending on where they are on their own creative journeys.

Answers to practical questions such as, ‘how do I mix the

perfect green?’ can seem like secrets until someone shows us how. I have spent the past twelve years of my life painting and studying brilliant modern painters and teaching acrylic painting techniques with excellent results for members.

Some members want to know

connect with our friends and family. Everyone has the ability to achieve great things with the right support and guidance.”

Before Lockdown, Lewis’ Secret Art Parties were live collaborative events where he would guide guests to recreate their own painted version of modern masterpieces by the likes of Monet and Kandinsky. They were held at various venues around Tunbridge Wells including the Hotel du Vin and St John’s Yard, as well as many of the Elite Pubs’ establishments like The Poacher and Partridge in Tudeley.

And it’s fair to say they were in fact so much more than just a guided art class as for the price of a ticket (£50), guests would not only receive expert teaching from Lewis but also have the opportunity to enjoy a few drinks and feast on some nibbles, as well as meet other keen painters.

But then lockdown happened and Lewis admits that this time was pretty hard for his fledgling business.

“Initially it was really tough when I had to make the choice to cancel my future Secret Art Party events. However after a while I saw that creating a virtual version of my painting and drawing classes was an amazing opportunity.”

In late March Lewis chose to go online with Zoom-based sketching sessions and then launched the Secret Sketch Party membership in May. 14 | September 2020 | SO Magazine

the secrets of technique, others wish to unlock the secrets of a creative mind set, others the secrets of trying something new and having no clue whether they’ll be any good or not. All of these secrets I share with my members at my Secret Sketch Parties.

“Currently I have 62 wonderful Secret Sketch Party members and anywhere between 75 and over 100 who participate in the weekly free sessions.

“We meet every week virtually on Thursdays to go step-by-step through a sketch, the subject of which has been voted for the week before. There are four categories to choose from: Places, Figure and Faces, Still Life and Patterned Design. The first line sketch session is free and open to all and that is then followed by a members’ session straight after to explore colouring techniques.”

UNIQUE

Lewis says the Secret Sketch Party is unique in that it is a membership that offers protected creative ‘me-time’ every Thursday as well as a rapid art skills transformation via step by step guidance, full members’ guidebooks and printable references.

Lewis adds that he loves seeing new faces and hearing how the Secret Art and Sketch Parties have had a positive impact on the lives of his members.

“This has especially been apparent during lockdown. It has been wonderful to have this social and creative outlet and I love it when everybody’s face pops up on my screen every Thursday.”

So what do those who participate in the parties

What do you think about the art scene in general in Tunbridge Wells?

I think there are some great local artists such as Andrew James RA and Louise Dean and some well-established and supportive art groups such as the Royal Tunbridge Wells Arts Society. I would like know of any large naturally lit studio space that could be a place for a community of emerging and mid-career artists to work and cross-pollinate ideas. If there isn’t one, then I think the art scene in Tunbridge Wells would really benefit from this.

Give us three tips on how to create a decent picture…

1. Trust you have what it takes to make a painting you will like, and begin.

Buy some paints, set up an easel, set aside some time, and start.

2. Laugh at your mistakes and learn from them. All my paintings are works in progress.

3. Look at art as much as you can and begin to ask yourself how and why it is making you feel the way you feel. This will fuel your creativity.

enjoy most about being part of this creative hub?

“Feeling good about taking creative ‘me-time’, experiencing a rapid art skills transformation and being party of a lively Facebook group, where guests can see all the amazing work people post after each week’s sketch. I think members also really enjoy having access to recordings of each week’s sessions to go through at their own pace.”

And in terms of the type of people these fun online art sessions attract, Lewis says that he is constantly ‘surprised’ by how different everyone who joins in is.

“I am always surprised by how many different walks of life my members come from. We have people working in everything from air conditioning contracting, radiology, videography and astronomy to catering, accounting, teaching, parenting and healthcare. It gives me great pleasure when people hit it off at my parties and enjoy exploring their mutual interest in painting.

We now also have people from all over the world tuning in!”

As for the standards of painting, Lewis admits that it includes all levels of talent: “Absolute beginners can follow me step-by-step with as much support as they want and more experienced sketchers are free to experiment as much as they like. Everyone has fun, regardless of their artistic background and I make sure everyone has the support that suits them in the moment.”

And with lockdown measures easing and pubs being open again Lewis says that he would love to return to hospitality venues, however this time round it’ll be slightly different.

“Next time I’d like to do it virtually. All venues would need is a big screen and reliable internet to give access to the Secret Sketch Party sessions.

“When everything has settled down and it is safe to do so, I will be running a yearly Secret Sketch Party Retreat too. I’m hoping for Summer 2021!”

To stay updated on Secret Art Parties events and the weekly online Secret Sketch Party via Zoom subscribe to their e-mail list by visiting www.secretartparties.co.uk https://www.facebook.com/groups/ secretsketchparty

EDUCATION WITH

SO Magazine • How our schools are coping with Covid • Virtual open days • Meet the Head • Where is the best place for your child? in association with Childrensalon

SO Magazine | September 2020 | 15

education special

W

elcome to our SO magazine Education Special. Every September we always provide our readers with a wealth of expert information regarding the area’s excellent offering of educational establishments – both private and state – and this year is no exception, despite most schools being shut since March due to the coronavirus health pandemic.

16 | September 2020 | SO Magazine

So, with this in mind we have spoken to a number of heads about how they have dealt not only with having to teach pupils remotely and support those unable to sit their GCSEs and A Levels, but we also discover the steps they are currently taking to ensure a smooth and ultimately safe return for students this September.

It is interesting to read about the measures some are putting in place which include virtual open days and staggered return dates, but it’s also

reassuring to know how many of our much loved schools are prioritising students’ and teaching staff ’s wellbeing and safety on returning after months away.

We hope you enjoy reading about each school’s academic and wider curriculum offerings as well as a little bit about their history and that of their results. In addition to this we feel confident that you, as parents or guardians, will feel that many of the questions you have if you have a child who is about to start prep, primary or

It is reassuring to know how many of our schools are prioritising students’ and teaching staff ’s wellbeing

secondary school will be answered over the next few pages of essential school information.

Best wishes, Eileen Leahy Editor, SO magazine

BEECHWOOD SACRED HEART SCHOOL INDEPENDENT CO-EDUCATIONAL PREP & SENIOR SCHOOL

discover BEECHWOOD

conf discover

Register for our

VIRTUAL OPEN MORNING on our website

Saturday 19 September & Tuesday 29 September

www.beechwood.org.uk 12 Pembury Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN2 3QD T: 01892 532747 E: registrar@beechwood.org.uk

Mayfield AN IN D E PE N D E N T DAY A N D BOA R D IN G S CH O O L FOR GIR LS AGE D 1 1 TO 1 8

“THE QUALITY OF THE PUPILS’ ACADEMIC AND OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS IS EXCELLENT”

“ONE OF THE FINEST SCHOOLS IN THE LAND”

INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS INSPECTORATE

COUNTRY LIFE

Virtual Open Morning SATURDAY 26 TH SEPTEMBER 2020 TO REGISTER FOR OUR OPEN MORNING PLEASE CONTACT OUR REGISTRAR, MRS SHIRLEY COPPARD, REGISTRAR@MAYFIELDGIRLS.ORG

A MAYFIELD EDUCATION COMBINES ACADEMIC RIGOUR, BREADTH OF OPPORTUNITY AND A STRONG SENSE OF COMMUNITY. The School has an excellent academic record, exceptional pastoral care and an extensive co-curricular programme. Every girl is encouraged and supported to find her strengths and develop them in an inspiring learning environment, which encourages independent critical thinking, determination and resilience. Mayfield girls develop a lifelong love of learning, a range of transferable skills that will prepare them for their futures and friendships that will last a lifetime.

Mayfield’s ethos reflects its Catholic foundation and encourages integrity, initiative, respect and a desire to be the best you can be within a vibrant and inclusive community.

For the past 150 years, Mayfield has nurtured generations of enterprising, purposeful young women with the skills and confidence to make a positive difference in the world.

To experience all that is special about Mayfield, we invite you to visit via our Virtual Open Morning on Saturday 26th September 2020. To register or for further information, please email our Registrar, Mrs Shirley Coppard, at registrar@mayfieldgirls.org.

We look forward to welcoming you.

FACILITIES INCLUDE • State-of-the-art Sixth Form Centre • Concert Hall • Tennis Academy • Fitness Suite and Dance Studio • Heated indoor swimming pool • Equestrian Centre on-site with facilities for up to 28 horses • Olympic sized indoor and outdoor sand schools • Extensive daily minibus service covering large areas of Kent and Sussex

SET IN THE BEAUTIFUL AND EASILY ACCESSIBLE SUSSEX COUNTRYSIDE

WWW.MAYFIELDGIRLS.ORG

Education Guide

Hilden Oaks, fit for now, fit for the future! RETURN TO

F

“During this time everyone discovered new talents and new ways of working which we hope will be of continued value as we adapt to the new normal” Headmistress, Mrs Joiner

aced with unprecedented challenges last term, staff and pupils of Hilden Oaks made a successful transition from physical to virtual learning. From day one children had a full timetable of lessons delivered through the school’s intranet.

Lessons were a blend of live on-line teaching and guided self-learning. Throughout, Hilden Oaks continued to offer all pupils a nurturing, family-oriented school experience hand-in-hand with teaching that maintained its ‘Excellent’ standards (ISI report Dec 2018). Across the school, pupils showed high levels of progress and attainment.

Headmistress Mrs Joiner said, “During this time everyone discovered new talents and new ways of working which we hope will be of continued value as we adapt to the new normal”.

From September, adaptations have been made to allow all the children to make a safe return to school.

This, of course, has been made easier by Hilden Oaks’ commitment to small class

sizes. With contingency plans in place to allow for any future disruption, the school is well placed to maintain its reputation for excellence and to prepare pupils for a successful transition to their secondary school of choice.

For the foreseeable future, Hilden Oaks are unable to hold physical open mornings to welcome prospective parents. Instead, they are offering personalised virtual tours with the headmistress, Mrs Joiner, who will converse directly with parents as she guides them around the school, answering questions along the way. If you would like to find out more about how Hilden Oaks can help your child reach their full potential or to arrange a virtual tour of the school, please email registrar@ hildenoaks.co.uk or call 01732 353941. Further information may be found at www.hildenoaks.co.uk

SCHOOL

I

n a letter to parents last term, I wrote that the day all the pupils and staff are back at Kent College will feel, for me at least, like crossing the finishing line having run a marathon. From experience, that feeling is one of both euphoria and exhaustion.

Our Prep School pupils have already enjoyed being back in school for the last two weeks of the summer term and it was wonderful to see them so happy to be with their friends and teachers again. Senior girls were not so fortunate with only Year 10 and Lower Sixth students able to come in at the end of June.

Pupils and teachers will undoubtedly have mixed emotions. I know that everyone is looking forward to coming back but they are bound to feel nervous and anxious. Whilst we have lost time in the classroom, unless everyone has the headspace and mindset to engage in effective teaching and learning, it will be futile to launch straight into the curriculum. With that in mind, here at Kent College,

we will be investing time at the start of term to focus on coping skills and resilience building. It will be important for pupils to acknowledge the things that helped them during lockdown and to build on the positives. There will be time for re-building bonds and self-reflection too, by asking questions such as ‘what have I learnt about myself?’, ‘do I feel differently about anything?’ and ‘what am I grateful for?’. We set up a buddy system before the end of term and we have created a team of Sixth Form ‘Well-being Officers’, who will spend time with the younger girls, providing support and advice.

Going forward, we will be building on this initial work to help pupils develop their own coping mechanisms

‘toolkit’. Life has changed and it is our responsibility to ensure that we do all we can to ensure that this generation of young people develop the resilience to make the change that they want to see in the world. There is no doubt that this ‘Covid’ generation will have been deeply affected by their experiences and I think that they will be an extraordinary generation who will achieve great things.

The long haul of the marathon to get our pupils back to school is nearly over.

We are so nearly there and I can’t wait for that day to come.

Ms Julie Lodrick Headmistress Kent College www.kent-college.co.uk

ENJOYING TODAY EDUCATING FOR TOMORROW PRE-PREP & PREP | BOYS & GIRLS 3-13 YEARS | DAY & FLEXI BOARDING

Open Morning Friday 9th October, 9.30am – 12pm Meet our new Headmaster, Mr Eddy Newton Pre-register online marlboroughhouseschool.co.uk Marlborough House School, Hawkhurst, Kent, TN18 4PY

20 | September 2020 | SO Magazine

100% Common Entrance Exam pass rate 100% Cranbrook Entrance Exam pass rate ‘Excellent’ academic and pastoral care (ISI rated)

Education Guide

New headmaster starts at Marlborough House “WE FOSTER A SPIRIT OF

E

xperienced Head Mr Eddy Newton joins Marlborough House this September; previously Head of Felsted School and Chafyn Grove School, Chairman of IAPS and Chief Executive of The Cothill Trust. Mr Newton arrives amidst a series of recent successes, with the school’s Year 8 Leavers achieving a 100% Common Entrance pass rate and a 100% Cranbrook Entrance Exam pass rate, and the school being shortlisted for an Independent Schools of the Year 2020 award. In addition, MHS delivered a

strong online learning provision, featuring live link-ups and events, during the first half of the Summer term, and is remarkable in enabling all its pupils to return to school in the second half of the Summer term.

Marlborough House invites prospective parents to meet Mr Newton at their next Open Morning which takes place from 9.30-12pm on Friday 9th October 2020.

Email registrar@ marlboroughhouseschool. co.uk to book your place.

About Marlborough House School:

Enjoying Today, Educating for Tomorrow.

Marlborough House is a traditional Pre-Prep and Prep School for boys and girls aged 3-13 years, set in beautiful countryside on the Kent Sussex border. The school has a distinctly familial feel; small enough for everyone to be known and cared for whilst still embracing the future that our children will be part of.

Approaching its 150th Anniversary, the school continues to look ahead with an ethos based on Enjoying Today, Educating for Tomorrow and introducing the Pre-Senior Baccalaureate. Values and Character Education are actively taught alongside the Academic, Creative and Sporting Curriculum to ensure our children are ready for their next steps.

Results are strong with leavers achieving a 100% Common Entrance pass rate and 100% Cranbrook Entrance Exam pass rate in 2020.

Further Information: https://www. marlboroughhouse school.co.uk/

INQUIRY AND CURIOSITY AS PUPILS VALUE THEIR LEARNING”

B

The size of our school means everyone is known as an individual and is afforded the attention they need to develop their natural talents. With the foundations of kindness, respect and service, our caring community means pupils learn in a positive learning environment

eechwood Sacred Heart School is a coeducational independent day and boarding school, committed to giving outstanding opportunities to both girls and boys from ages 3 to 18. We are blessed with a picturesque setting in Royal Tunbridge Wells that offers an invitation to roam and our surroundings reflect the open minds and curiosity that we encourage in our pupils.

The size of our school means everyone is known as an individual and is afforded the attention they need to develop their natural talents. With the foundations of kindness, respect and service, our caring community means pupils learn

in a positive learning environment.

In this rapidly changing world, our school motto resonates with the times and encourages our young people to keep ‘calm amidst the waves’. From Nursery through to Sixth Form, we equip pupils with our core attributes of CALM, to ready them for their bright futures: We promote imagination and collaboration, so pupils can be Creative.

We applaud effort and ambition, with Aspirational pupils who seek to excel in all their activities.

We foster a spirit of inquiry and curiosity as pupils value their Learning.

We encourage pupils to be Mindful, so they can take responsibility for themselves, care for one another and protect the environment.

We would be delighted to welcome you on a visit to meet our pupils and staff and to discover for yourself the warm and caring atmosphere for which we are known.

Mr Nick Waite Head of Beechwood

everyone at Tonbridge looks forward to following their progress at university and beyond.”

GCSE results: Tonbridge boys make it a record year Boys at Tonbridge School once more achieved an excellent set of GCSE and IGCSE results. In what is the school’s strongest performance on record, 95 per cent of all GCSE results were at Grades 9, 8 and 7, the equivalent to A* or A. An impressive 79 per cent of all results were at Grades 9 and 8, equivalent to A*; and exactly half of all grades were at Grade 9.

Twenty-two boys achieved a ‘clean sweep’ of Grade 9s / A*s; a further 60 boys achieved 9s/8s/A*s. These results continue a tradition of strong

GCSE performances at Tonbridge in recent years.

The school’s Headmaster, James Priory, said: “The boys can be rightly proud of these results, which reflect how hard they have worked over the two years of their GCSE courses. Well done to all. We understand, of course, the disappointment that many pupils felt this year by not having the opportunity to prove themselves in the exam hall. Nevertheless, today’s news will enable our boys to move forward with confidence to the next stage of their education, when they start a new and exciting chapter by entering the Sixth Form.”

A-level success There was also success for boys in this year’s A-levels. More than 70 per cent of all results were graded at A*/A; 93 per cent of grades were A*, A or B (or their Pre-U equivalent); while 42% of students achieved solely A*-As or equivalents.

The Upper Sixth cohort at Tonbridge will now be taking up places at leading universities in the UK and overseas.

Mr Priory said: “We are extremely proud of all that the boys achieved in a hugely challenging year. They have made a fine contribution to the intellectual, pastoral and co-curricular life of the school, and

“We are extremely proud of all that the boys achieved in a hugely challenging year. They have made a fine contribution to the intellectual, pastoral and co-curricular life of the school” Headmaster, James Priory

Shortlisted for ‘Community Outreach’ award Tonbridge has been shortlisted for the second year running in the Independent Schools of the Year awards. Currently Independent Boys’ School of the Year, it has been nominated in the 2020 awards as best school for ‘Community Outreach’.

Student-led activities at Tonbridge saw £113,000 raised for national and international charities last year. In a normal year, 24,000 hours of volunteering time is given by pupils and staff.

‘Meet The Headmaster’…

Virtually Tonbridge is running a series of virtual ‘Meet the Headmaster’ sessions, for parents with an interest in making an application. James Priory will speak ‘live’ and introduce a typical day at the school. These are taking place on 12th September (for Lower Sixth entry), 3rd October and 17th October.

Places can be booked via the website. www.tonbridge-school.co.uk admissions@tonbridge-school.org SO Magazine | September 2020 | 21

Education Guide

Claremont School given the Green Flag SITSMART – PROTECTING YOUNG

A

s a new school year begins, and the effects of lockdown have left us wondering if life will ever be quite the same again, we reflect on what we, as a school, achieved in a year before anyone had uttered the word ‘pandemic’.

Inspired by Greta Thunberg’s work and remarkable address at the U.N summit, pupils from Year 7 and 8 decided to launch the Claremont Eco Store and what we believe is one, if not the first of its kind in a school. Working with charity onetreeplanted.org, the children used their profits to ‘plant’ trees in areas of the world most in need, and by February, over 225 new trees were donated to Kenya and Australia.

Meanwhile, pupils up and

down the school worked alongside a determined band of young ‘Eco Warriors’, to drive numerous other initiatives to educate and empower the whole school community to play their part in safeguarding the environment.

Eco issues were addressed in Science, Art, Maths and even French, where a residential trip included a visit to the Nausicaa Sealife Centre in Boulogne and the chance to learn more about the problem of plastic pollution in our oceans.

Older pupils researched the world of Fairtrade as part of their Geography curriculum before hosting their own all-school assembly. Global citizenship was highlighted during Fairtrade Fortnight, when the whole school took

part in the 90kg Rice Challenge to show solidarity with rice farmers in Malawi.

Beach cleans at Hastings and litter picks around the school grounds became a regular part of ‘Warrior work’, and our ‘Switch off ’ Week encouraged everyone to turn off unused electrical appliances at home as well as in school. The recycling of paper, card, plastic and batteries continued throughout the year and the school dining room became a focus of eco activity ahead of the ‘The Great British Spring Clean’. By Easter, the Newspaper Club produced a special Eco Edition of the school Magazine to recognise and celebrate the ongoing work of the Eco Warriors and school community.

At Claremont we have been on a journey to embed principles of sustainability in all that we do. The children’s efforts were finally recognised in July of this year, when the School received the much coveted, Green Flag Award. But this is just the beginning...

“All we have to do is wake up and change!” Greta Thunberg

Our students think about the world they will step into and the young women they will become.

They work hard, have purpose and ambition.

They experience community strength, understanding, support and respect.

They are the future.

Find out more at our Virtual Open Mornings and Individual School Tours.

Applications open for Years 7 and 9 for September 2021.

For more information visit www.kent-college.co.uk

KENT COLLEGE INDEPENDENT DAY AND BOARDING SCHOOL

Old Church Road, Pembury, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN2 4AX Telephone 01892 820218

22 | September 2020 | SO Magazine

BACKS FOR THE FUTURE SitSmart, the posture seating specialist based in Tunbridge Wells, offers a range of stools and chairs for children and teenagers

R

esults from a recent study by the National Back Pain Association revealed that a substantial two thirds of schoolchildren had experienced back pain, while one in four suffered from back pain regularly or every day.

Neck and shoulder pain were also common problems. With figures like these can we afford to ignore our children’s posture?

To try and lessen the strain on developing spines, it is essential for all schoolchildren to be sitting on ergonomically

designed chairs, both at school and while studying at home.

SitSmart, the posture seating specialist based in Tunbridge Wells, offers a range of stools and chairs for children and teenagers, which will teach young bodies to sit in an ergonomically correct way and so protect their backs for the future.

“Health and safety are major factors in most workplaces, but often children are overlooked when it comes to ergonomic seating,” commented SitSmart Sales Director Matt Hutchinson.

“Most schoolchildren sit on a basic, unsupportive chair, but if they have good posture and support they will be less tired, more able to concentrate and their developing bones will learn to grow correctly. And it doesn’t have to cost a fortune to make sure our children are sitting comfortably!”

SitSmart has worked with local schools for many years, including the Weald of Kent Grammar School, Tonbridge School for Boys and the Slade Primary School.

For advice please call 01892 510202 or email: sales@sitsmart.co.uk

Education Guide

“WE HAVE AN ABUNDANCE OF EXCELLENT YOUR ULTIMATE PREPARATORY, INDEPENDENT AND STATE CHECKLIST FOR SCHOOLS HERE IN KENT AND EAST SUSSEX” MAKING SURE

W

e have seen, in the months after lock-down, that the housing market is extremely busy with many, many families looking to move out of London, into the beautiful towns and villages of Kent and East Sussex. However, we are also experiencing a severe shortage of sellers and therefore a lack of good houses coming to the

market. This makes it so crucial to have a buying agent “on the ground”, working for you and responding quickly on your behalf. We are often able to show you properties before they come onto the open market, giving you that all important opportunity to secure your dream home.

With over 13 years of experience, we have built up a close and extensive

network of all the local estate agents and other contacts in the industry, such as architects and developers, ensuring we never miss opportunities on your behalf.

We have an abundance of excellent preparatory, independent and state schools here in Kent and East Sussex, which leads to huge demand for those truly wonderful family homes – which are so few and far between!

We can guide you through the school selection process, with advice and knowledge of all the individual schools in the area, be they preparatory, independent or state schools. We will always advise and help you make the right choice of school for your children before searching for your dream family home. We would never advise finding you the home before the school!

Please do get in touch to discuss how we can help you.

Tel: 01580 713825 Email: fiona@fiona penny.com

YOUR CHILD IS READY TO START SCHOOL Sarah Ockwell-Smith, author of The Starting School Book, gives her tips on the best ways to prepare children for their first days at primary school: “In these uncertain times, the more parents can prepare their children practically and emotionally for starting school, the more likely children are to embrace the experience and avoid anxiety.”

1. Ask for a video tour and visit the school website If your child’s school hasn’t managed to run any settlingin sessions, ask them if they can film a video tour of the school, to include important areas your child will visit regularly, plus staff photos (which you may be able to find online).

2. Walk past school frequently Try to walk past the school as often as you can with your

child, pointing out their classroom, playground and entrance if visible, so the building and grounds are already familiar.

3. Have practice runs This will familiarise the process and the journey so there are no unfortunate surprises for your child, or you, on their first day.

4. Practice putting on the uniform If you’ve got younger children teach them how to put on and take off their school uniform independently. At school they’ll need to do this for PE lessons. It’s also a good idea to wear new shoes at home for a few days.

5. Make sure they know

which coat is theirs Make sure your child recognises their own coat, can take it off, put it on and do it up independently; teach them how to hang it on a peg too.

6. Be toilet-savvy Teach your child how to lock and unlock a public toilet door, flush the toilet and make sure they know how to wipe independently and also wash their hands afterwards.

7. Buy as uniquely as possible Try to get easily identifiable water bottles and bags, so your child can easily spot theirs in a sea of 30 others.

The Starting School Book

by Sarah Ockwell-Smith is published by Piatkus, priced £14.99. Available now.

Virtual Tours with the Headmistress Please contact the Registrar to book.

01732 353941 registrar@hildenoaks.co.uk

WE’ V E G O T Y O U R B A C K S H O WR O OM : 1 4 D EC IM U S PAR K, KIN GSTAN D IN G WAY, TU N BR ID GE WEL L S, KEN T TN 2 3 GP

38 Dry Hill Park Road, Tonbridge, Kent TN10 3BU www.hildenoaks.co.uk

T: 0 1 8 9 2 5 1 0 2 0 2 SAL ES@SITSM ART.C O.U K

FREE TRIAL > FREE FITTING > PERSONAL SERVICE SO Magazine | September 2020 | 23

poetry

“Poetry is

an escape hatch from the everyday” Although it is not being included on next year’s GCSE English curriculum due to Covid-19, local author Ana Sampson – who has just published her second anthology of poems celebrating forgotten female writers She Will Soar – explains why poetry is still a powerful literary force to be reckoned with...

“I

n 2018, She is Fierce – an anthology of poems by women from the ancient world to the present day – was published. I had edited it to fill a gap on my own bookshelf because I couldn’t find an accessible volume that gathered diverse women’s voices from across the centuries. We were delighted when it found an appreciative audience and I was thrilled when my editor suggested there was room for more.

I suggested a theme of wanderlust, escape and freedom (and ironically, I finished the book during lockdown.) I’ve always found poetry an escape hatch from the everyday and I had noticed that women seemed especially drawn to these themes. This was perhaps because in many periods and places their lives had been so constrained – from eighteenth century Bluestockings being reviled by critics for discussing literature, to Victorian ladies cloistered in the home and their corsets, unable to step outside without

24 | September 2020 | SO Magazine

chaperones. As well as including today’s brightest talents, in editing She Will Soar I met a remarkable cast of writers from the past, many of whom were unfamiliar to me because they had been overlooked during their lifetimes or forgotten since. It’s been an education and a pleasure to discover their stories and include their biographies as well as their poems in the book.

Anna Letitia Barbauld (1743 – 1825) Anna badgered her father to teach her languages, the classics and other things not considered necessary for a woman’s education – much to her mother’s consternation, as she thought her bookishness would put off potential husbands. She was wrong – Anna had offers from several men including, it is thought, French revolutionary Jean-Paul Marat. The man she chose was, tragically, deeply disturbed and became violent, once chasing her round the kitchen with a knife until she leapt out of the window. He was institutionalised, but when he escaped and

Anna Letita Barbauld

was discovered drowned, Anna was distraught.

Anna’s glittering literary career saw her hobnobbing with the foremost writers of her day, producing poems, political essays, criticism and children’s literature. Praised as one of the nation’s greatest writers during her lifetime, her reputation suffered in following centuries and she was remembered – if at all – as a children’s writer, until rediscovered in the late twentieth century.

Phillis Wheatley (c.1753 – 1784) The first African American poet, Phillis was seized from West Africa and sold into slavery in the household of John Wheatley in Boston aged only seven. The Wheatleys did not excuse her from domestic work. but they did ensure that she was well educated, and she began to write and publish in her teens. Phillis always enjoyed greater success in England than in America, even visiting London in 1771. After the Wheatleys died, Phillis married a free black man called John Peters,

poetry

A D V E R TIS IN G FE ATU R E

PENSIONS SPRING CLEAN HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED…?

Early edition of Phillis Wheatley’s poems

but in the harsh job market following the American Civil War, they descended into poverty. She died, along with their last surviving child, while John was languishing in a debtor’s prison, though she never stopped writing and endeavouring to publish her work.

Gabriela Mistral (1889 – 1957) Born in a remote village in the Chilean Andes, Gabriela was determined to qualify as a teacher despite being barred from studying because of her political journalism. On succeeding, she taught all around Chile

“Editing She Will Soar I met a remarkable cast of female writers from the past”

and, later, organised educational programmes in Mexico. Travelling widely, Gabriela spent her life writing and acting in defence of the downtrodden. She worked for the League of Nations in Paris and as a diplomat, always opposing fascism, in Spain and Italy during the turbulent 1930s.

In 1945 she was the first Spanish American writer to be awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature.

She Will Soar: Bright, Brave Poems about Freedom and Escape by Women, edited by Ana Sampson, is published

by Macmillan.

• • • • • •

where are my pensions held? what are they worth? what are they invested in? what are the charges? what are my options at retirement? who will they pass to upon my death?

FIND YOUR LOST PENSION PLANS Having a job for life seems to be a rarity these days and it is likely that people will have multiple jobs and pension pots with different providers. People can lose track of these over time.

The best place to start is by writing a list of where you have worked, add a timeline, and try to marry up the pensions that you know of.

If you have gaps in your pension history, try to find details of the provider or plan. Do this by searching your old documents, contacting past employers or colleagues, or using the Government’s Pension Tracing Service.

Once you have found the pension plan details, phone the providers and update personal information. Ask for the current valuation, where it is invested and charges, for example.

EXPRESSION OF WISHES Pensions can be passed to beneficiaries upon death and the details of those beneficiaries may not have been updated, even though family circumstances may have changed considerably. It is important to refresh your preferences by amending the expression of wishes or names of survivors.

FINANCIAL PLANNING Financial planning should include a pensions spring clean as part of the evaluation of your current circumstances.

Advantages can include finding lost pensions, ease of administration, matching investments to your attitude to risk and capacity for loss, retirement planning and your pension passing to your chosen beneficiaries.

For further information about financial planning or to arrange a no-obligation meeting, please contact Richard Cox Wealth Management by phone on 07971 594647 or by email at richard.cox@sjpp.co.uk or visit www.richardcoxwm.co.uk.

Richard Cox Wealth Management is an Appointed Representative of and represents only St. James’s Place Wealth Management plc (which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority) for the purpose of advising solely on the Group’s wealth management products and services, more details of which are set out on the Group’s website www.sjp.co.uk/products.

SO Magazine | September 2020 | 25

CLEAR YOUR CLUTTER

FREE YOUR MIND

Sophia Mace started My-OHM, a decluttering and home organising business in 2019. After a successful career in the City and bringing up her 3 children whilst working, she understands the key to mental and physical wellbeing is living in an organised and clutter free home. She works alongside Emma Allchorne who has a background in events for a large accounting firm. Emma has a great eye for detail. The pair have found their services are in demand more than ever. Covid in particular has changed how much time people are spending in their homes and how they feel, or want to feel, about the space they live in.

WHAT’S THE BEST BIT ABOUT YOUR JOB? I love helping people regain their peace of mind, which enhances their quality of life which can be lacking when your home is cluttered and unorganised.

Finding storage solutions for everything in the home is a joy.

When the job is complete, everything will have a place and a purpose.

WHY DID YOU START MY-OHM? Clutter increases feelings of stress and anxiety, this can leave you feeling buried, overwhelmed and tired. Having helped numerous friends and family reorganise their homes, I realise there is a real need for nonjudgmental, sympathetic, practical help. I am passionate about helping people declutter and organise their homes and I love feeling the energy change in the house as I complete the task.

When we live in a world of beautiful living spaces being posted over social media making us feel that we can’t aspire to these high expectations, the reality is not many of us live with walk in wardrobes and open plan granite topped kitchen islands.

BUT… whatever the space we can always work our magic to enhance your daily living experience.

WHAT HAPPENS TO ALL THE STUFF YOU DECLUTTER? We work with you to decide what you want to keep, donate, sell and bin. At the end of the job I can make sure you aren’t left with anything you no longer need.

HOW CAN YOU HELP? We can help with general decluttering, moving house or downsizing, dealing with a deceased estate, organising kitchens, offices and wardrobes.

No job is too big or to small and sometimes organising the smallest spaces can have a huge impact.

WHAT IS THE PROCESS? After the initial enquiry I will arrange a free consultation where I can talk you through everything and send you an estimate for the job.

GET IN TOUCH sophia@my-ohm.co.uk | 07811 113050 www.my-ohm.co.uk

FOUR FANTASTIC OFFERS Offer 1 For all NHS workers or people with children under the age of 18 we will write your Will for £29.99 (inc v.a.t) when you donate £5 to the NHS Charities Covid-19 Appeal.

Offer 2

Are you over 60 and considering Power of Attorney?

If so, we will provide you with A registered Lasting Power of Attorney for Health and Welfare + A registered Lasting Power of Attorney for Property and Finance + A Living Will/Advance directive All for just £495 inc v.a.t and all OPG* fees when you donate £10 to the NHS Charities Covid-19 Appeal.

Offer 3

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Single Person and Couples Wills Single Will £139 when you donate £5 to the NHS Charities Covid-19 Appeal.

Couples Wills £259 when you donate £5 to the NHS Charities Covid-19 Appeal.

Offer 4

Prevent your home ending up in the wrong hands with a Property Trust

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A correctly set up Property Trust guarantees to prevent: • Your property having to go through probate • Generational inheritance tax • Your children getting nothing if you die and your spouse remarries • Your home being used to fund your care in the future† Just £1995 including v.a.t. and all legal fees and we will also provide a brand new Will Free of Charge for each person. A trust insurance for £9.99 per month will also need to be taken out to keep the trust up to date every year. † Remember if you have reason to believe that you my go into care soon or if your sole reason for implementing this package is simply to avoid paying

foreseeable care fees and you are not implementing it for any other reasons such as protecting your family against divorce, bankruptcy, marriage after death or generational inheritance tax then you could be accused of deliberate deprivation of assets.

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Local firm Thy Will Be Done takes national stage with best Will Writer nomination in The British Wills and Probate Awards

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To protect its most vulnerable older clients in the last few months, Worthing-based will writers and estate planners Thy Will Be Done have worked hard in arranging telephone consultations, setting up video witnessing and offering heavily discounted products and services in exchange for small donations to the NHS COVID-19 appeal. The company has also provided a fully Covid compliant office for their clients to drop their paperwork into while passing. As a result, they have been recognised in this year’s prestigious National British Wills and Probate Awards in the category of National Will Writer of the Year.

Thy Will Be Done Director, Paul Blackmoore has a priority to communicate with clients in a straightforward, jargon-free and friendly way - and to provide upfront transparency on fees, which really helps less confident clients to forget any nervousness they may otherwise have about visiting a slightly foreboding solicitor’s office in order to arrange what can in fact be a fairly simple piece of estate planning, confident in the knowledge that they will always know in advance the precise amount that their work will cost.

It is a rare achievement indeed for a small family-run firm from Goring to be in the final 3 of a prestigious national will writing award along with household names Farewill and Co-op legal services.

Paul Blackmoore is very proud of the way the company he bought out of administration just over 3 years ago has, with the help of its hardworking staff and loyal customers, turned its fortunes around to become known locally for exceptional value and friendly service and now since lockdown, and the transition to holding all consultations remotely, to be competing for business on the national stage also.

Paul with Benny on the left and ‘’one eyed’’ Frankie on the right

Paul regularly appears in the local media with his two rescue French Bulldogs Frankie and Benny by his side. Paul says, “Frankie and Benny are a big hit with our clients, many of whom have reported that their presence in the shop helped them to quickly settle and relax.’’

Paul goes on to say that, ‘’wider recognition as one of the UK’s best will-writing companies in the British Wills and Probate awards is of special value to us because the awards are voted for by our industry colleagues and peers.”

The finals of the awards will this year be held online on 22nd October and will once again be hosted by TV celebrity Jenny Bond.

We wish Paul and his team at Thy Will Be Done all the very best of luck this year.

www.thywill.co.uk Brighton 977385 • Chichester 278303 • Crawley 278453 • Dorking 898089 • Eastbourne 364029 East Grinstead 457006 • Hastings 532029 • Haywards Heath 682047 • Horsham 458042 Pulborough 368003 • Redhill 423001 • Tunbridge Wells 278109 • Uckfield 278373 • Worthing 649021

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d paying ge after Thy Will Be Done is a trading style of Thy Will Be Done (Spain) Ltd Registered in the UK at 36a Goring Road, Worthing, West Sussex BN12 4AD. Companies House number 10791190

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SAY I DO

in Style • The best venues for your special day • Expert advice on how to prepare • And who will help you party...

SO Magazine | September 2020 | 33

finishing touches

THE BIG DAY IS NEARLY HERE

now add the final Finishing Touches...

Mint DJs

Mint are a team of highly experienced, reliable DJs specialising in weddings and events.

They mix and blend the tracks to ensure you get exactly the music you want for your big night.

They supply sound systems, club lighting rigs, microphones for speeches, dance floors and LOVE lettering.

They have performed at some of the top venues around the world and even alongside acts such as Pete Tong, Tinie Tempah, and even Chas and Dave.

3 Lanthorne Mews TN1 2DS 07899 973312 www.mintdjs.co.uk

London Golf Club

Your wedding is a unique occasion and we would be delighted to help you celebrate at London Golf Club, located on the beautiful North Downs, providing a picturesque and private venue for your special day.

We will help you plan the day down to the very last detail including the ceremony, reception, flowers, photography, toastmaster, entertainment and all the little things that will create the perfect start to your married life.

Set in the heart of 700 acres, the

Clubhouse is approached from the gatehouse by the impressive 1-mile driveway – a real wow factor right from the start. A fountain stands in front of the elegant porch awaiting your arrival.

You enter the clubhouse via The Great Hall where magnificent oak beams are a prominent feature.

The patio and terrace area provide the perfect setting to relax and enjoy your drinks reception and wedding photographs. With a stunning view over the lakes and manicured fairways, this backdrop overlooking our two Championship Golf Courses is a must for your memorable group photographs.

London Golf Club Stansted Lane, Ash, Nr Brands Hatch Kent TN15 7EH 01474 875720 weddings@londongolf.co.uk www.londongolf.co.uk

Florence Berry Photography Your wedding day is full of gorgeous moments, most of them planned years in advance. Your photographer will capture them all beautifully, but the in-between moments should never be overlooked.

I’m constantly looking for parts of the day that will help tell your wedding day story through your images. Some of them are obvious – sunsets, first looks and sparklers!

However, some of them are those small details that make up a

Salomons Estate

With its elegant Victorian mansion and 36 acres of beautiful grounds, there can be few settings to match that of this stunning estate. Whether you require an outdoor ceremony, a winter celebration or whirlwind wedding, the Estate provides a stunning backdrop for your special celebration.

With the opportunity to have both your wedding ceremony and reception at the Manor House, we pride ourselves in offering a

Knowle Grange Health Spa

Whether you’re considering membership to help you trim up for the big day, a hen spa day or bridal beauty treatments, the team at Knowle Grange Health Spa can help you with your wedding preparations.

We all want to look the best for the big day. To have your skin looking radiant, consider a course of facial treatments- buy five and get the sixth free, saving up to £87.

The bridal party can have fun having their gel manicures over a glass of fizz.

The spa team take pride and 34 | September 2020 | SO Magazine

wedding day: the handmade favours, the surprise gifts and the tearful guests. I love catching these parts of the day and they really help to show the energy and happiness in you and your guests.

The whole day goes so quickly and it’s my job to document everything, from the key parts like the ceremony to the thoughtful finishing touches.

07772 891062 www.florenceberry.com visions@florenceberry.com

personalised and bespoke service.

Our couples are able to say their vows on our sun-soaked south facing Terrace, or in our elaborate Gold or Drawing Rooms, with the guarantee you will be the only wedding party at the Estate enjoying our charming views.

To enquire email leisuresales@markerstudy. com to discover late 2020 availability as well as 2021/22 pricing and information pleasure in making you feel special and in the quality of their spa treatments and food. Enjoy swimming in the heated natural spring water swimming pool, relaxing in the candlelit jacuzzi with a tasty 2 course lunch with a glass of wine or fruit juice. Catch up with your friends and loved ones in your cosy relaxation room.

The cost of your spa day is £58 (midweek) £65(Saturdays) plus the cost of treatments www.knowlegrange.co.uk Call 01892 750055

Your wedding is a unique occasion and we would be delighted to help you celebrate at London Golf Club. It is one of the few Kent wedding venues located on the beautiful North Downs, providing a picturesque and private venue for your special day.

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finishing touches

THE WEDDING PLANNER

It’s also a good time to have your hair trial and start thinking about a beauty regime. Begin having pedicures so your feet are ready for the day, and if you’re having a spray tan it’s a good idea to book in a practice one first.

Your go-to guide to get 1 you from ‘yes’ to ‘I do’...

1

YEAR TO GO:

This is the ideal time to start making some of the bigger decisions about your wedding, of course bearing in mind that current Covid-19 regulations on Weddings are likely to change by then. Write a provisional guest list so you have an idea of numbers, as the length of your list will determine the type and size of venue you go for. Once you’ve got an idea, book appointments to see venues. Also bear in mind that you may need to book a registrar and arrange a wedding licence.

Although it might seem too early, 12 months before the wedding is also a good time to start thinking about dresses. Finding ‘the one’ can take a while and boutiques have limited weekend appointments, so there’s no harm in getting organised and booking a try-on session.

9

MONTHS TO GO:

If you’ve managed to find and book a venue, then this a good time to send your guests ‘save

36 | September 2020 | SO Magazine

the date’ cards to let them know about your impending nuptials.

At this stage you may be overwhelmed by websites, bridal magazines and lists. To see the bigger picture, book to go along to a wedding fair. This will give you a great idea of what’s available from cakes, caterers, bands and photographers. Plus, many

exhibitors have discounted rates for brides booking on the day.

6

MONTHS TO GO:

Now hopefully the bigger elements of the wedding, such as your venue, caterer and dress are all sorted, which makes way for you to focus on the finer details, like decorations and accessories for

the day, bridesmaid dresses and your groom’s suit.

This is also the time to get booking – if you’re planning to have your hair and makeup done on the day, book these now. The same goes for securing a wedding car and a hotel for the night of your wedding. It’s also time to think past the wedding to the honeymoon and start making arrangements for that too.

3

MONTHS TO GO: Your guests should all have the date firmly in their diaries, but now’s the time to make it official by sending out your invites.

Allow guests enough time to RSVP but also bear in mind that until you have their replies you won’t be able to firm up numbers and complete those crucial table plans.

2

MONTHS TO GO:

As the wedding gets closer there’s lots to confirm. Choose your ceremony music, finalise your menu choices and speak to your suppliers to ensure everything is in place.

MONTH TO GO:

Obviously the most important thing to focus on is the hen and stag parties, whether it’s meals out, a night away or something completely outside the box. You should also book in a final dress fitting where you can try on your shoes and accessories and give your venue copies of supplier contracts.

2

WEEKS TO GO:

Write a list of photographs you’d like on the day and give it to your photographer. If you can, meet them at your venue so you can run through everything with them. If you’re jetting off straight after your wedding, begin packing now so it’s not a stress on the big day.

WEDDING WEEK This week will be busy but try to relax! Have some beauty treatments booked so you’re ready for the big day, confirm the final details with your venue and suppliers and get any DIY projects and setting up completed. Then, have a glass of wine and an early night before the wedding day commences…

finishing touches

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Weddings at Salomons Estate

THE PERFECT, TRADITIONAL VENUE

© PENNY YOUNG PHOTOGRAPHY

© CHRIS BLACKLEDGE PHOTOGRAPHY

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© PENNY YOUNG PHOTOGRAPHY

SO Magazine | September 2020 | 37

FINISHING TOUCHES

38 | September 2020 | SO Magazine

Bridal Beauty

Wedding

belles

If you’re busy planning your wedding day you’ll probably be consumed by dresses, table plans, canapés and what the weather is going to be like.

But have you thought about how you’re going to ensure you look like a beautiful, beaming bride on the big day? If not, here’s Eileen Leahy’s definitive check-list of all the things you should be doing in order to look radiant and ravishing on one of the most special occasions of your life...

CROWNING GLORY Whether you opt for a simple or sophisticated style, your hair will be your pièce de résistance on the big day, so to avoid any possible chance of disaster take the necessary steps to success. Always be honest with yourself – and whoever is doing your wedding day hair. If you don’t like something just say it. If you don’t feel comfortable you certainly won’t look it. *Three Months To Go: Find a hair stylist. If you visit a salon regularly and like the staff then there’s no reason why they shouldn’t be able to treat your tresses on the big day. But there are plenty of make-up artists who do hair too, so maybe you might want to employ one person to do both? *Two Months To Go: Arrange a styling appointment with your hairdresser. Bring along a picture of your dress and some tear sheets depicting styles you like. If you’re wearing a veil or tiara then bring that too. Book yourself in for a couple of deep conditioning treatments.

*One Month To Go: Have a trial run with your hairstylist so you know exactly how your hair is going to look on the day. Bring a friend along so they can glean some tips on how you put it up if it needs redoing later on during the wedding. *Three weeks To Go: To avoid nasty roots showing through have your colour done. By now you should be using a conditioning treatment every week. *Two Weeks To Go: Have a trim as this will revitalise your locks and give you the time to change or grow out anything you don’t like.

MUST HAVE PRODUCT: Prior to your big day get your crowning glory into shape by using a tress taming product such as Kérastase’s Discipline Fluidissme Spray (£21.50 150ml www.feelunique. com). Not only will it nourish but it’ll also provide shine and control.

And more importantly it offers 72 hours of frizz free styling – what could be more perfect for your wedding day?

MAKE YOUR MIND UP: Remember you’re after an understated and elegant look, not a dramatic diva one, so don’t go overboard on heavy hues or start experimenting with a bold catwalk look.

The idea is to look beautifully natural and you can do this by enhancing your best features with lots of pretty romantic colours.

Sugar pinks and peach shades work best on pale and fair skin while pale golds and subtle bronze will complement tanned skin. * Three Months To Go: Book a trial with a hair and make-up artist (MUA). Personal recommendations are always a good yardstick but alternatively you could search up the hashtag #MUA and your local area on Instagram to have a look at their work and take things from there.

For your initial appointment bring a picture of your dress, plus

your veil/tiara so your MUA can get a good idea of your overall look.

Tear sheets from bridal magazines depicting make-up styles you like can also be helpful. *Two Months To Go: If you’re not using an MUA book an appointment with one of the many beauty brands who now offer make-over services and skin consultations. Bobbi Brown, Clinique and NARS counters are worth checking. *Six Weeks To Go: Have your make-up rehearsal with you make-up artist. *Two Weeks To Go: Have your eyebrows groomed and eyelashes tinted. *One Week To Go: If you’re doing your make-up yourself then double check you’ve bought

all your kit including concealers, powders, skin illuminators and lipsticks etc.

MUST HAVE PRODUCT: According to recent research by Bobbi Brown, 47% of their searches were for multi-tasking products such as cheek blushes that double up as lipsticks or a bronzer that also cuts it as an eyeshadow. And on your wedding day it’s even more vital to multitask to the max. We find Bobbi Brown’s pot rouge collection pretty perfect as it covers cheeks and lips effortlessly. Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge for Lips and Cheeks, Fresh Melon (£23) SO Magazine | September 2020 | 39

Bridal Beauty

FACE FACTS: Ideally keeping to a regime that includes body scrubbing, gentle toning exercises and regular exfoliation will all help both you and your skin feel great

Flawless skin is a must as you’re going to be photographed all day long so you’ll need a picture perfect complexion. Try to have at least three skin smoothing or brightening facials once a month in the run-up to your big day.

The final one should be done about a week before hand. Any nearer the date and you’ll run the risk of breakouts and blotchy skin. Due to coronavirus, rules may change so always check at the time of booking that your chosen salon is still carrying them out. *Three Months To Go: Book yourself in for a facial. Not only will it give your complexion a headstart to looking good on your big day you’ll also get some expert advice about how to look after your skin too. Clarins, Espa and Elemis *Two Months To Go: Book your second facial. Adopt a strict twice-daily cleansing, toning and moisturising routine. Gently exfoliate your skin once a week to keep it looking fresh and smooth.

BODY BEAUTIFUL If your dress reveals your arms and décolletage then you’ll want them looking smooth and toned.

Ideally keeping to a regime that includes body scrubbing, gentle toning exercises and regular exfoliation will all help both you and your skin feel great. *Two Months To Go: Start to exfoliate your skin once a week while in the shower.

Good products to try which also have complementary toning treatments in their collections include brands such as Decleor and Dermalogica *One Month To Go: Start dry brushing your skin before stepping into the shower each morning to really kickstart your circulation and regularly moisturise your skin after cleansing it. *Three Weeks To Go: If you’re going to wear a self-tan then give yourself the best possible start by exfoliating your skin twice a week and putting on lots of rich moisturiser to keep it nicely nourished.

40 | September 2020 | SO Magazine

*One Month To Go: Book your final facial. Try to keep out of the sun as you don’t want any problems with sunburned or overly dry skin. *Two Weeks To Go: Try not to wear any foundation or powder etc. in order to let your skin breathe. *One Week To Go: Try not to drink any alcohol otherwise your skin will end up looking dull and dehydrated – and you’ll feel pretty awful too!

MUST HAVE PRODUCT: We’ve been fans of former MasterChef finalist Angela Langford’s skincare brand for quite some time now. If you haven’t heard about it then quite simply her products are the perfect recipe for amazing looking skin. They are all organic, vegan and cruelty free, and made by hand in Pembrokeshire. Harnessing nature’s rich larder to feed your skin, the range is suitable for even the most temperamental of complexions. For your wedding day prep your skin with her Clean Sweep cleansing balm (£18 www.angelalangford.com) and we guarantee you’ll be good to glow...

MUST HAVE PRODUCT: For many, working in a moisturiser can be a bit of a chore but when you have an oil it’s just so much easier and it leaves your skin not only looking instantly nourished but lingering for longer. We love Olverum’s collection of bath and body oils (£38 www.olverum. com), which are full to the brim of conditioning properties and essential oils. Simply spritz on, rub in and your skin’s perfectly sleek.

Advertising Feature

We’re back!

WORK OUT WITH TUNBRIDGE WELLS PERSONAL TRAINING Reopening & Reconnecting Reopen from 25th July, TWPT is a dedicated personal training gym located in the heart of Tunbridge Wells, offering a unique approach to working out. Upon joining you will be matched with a personal trainer who will work with you on an individual basis, creating a bespoke exercise and diet plan to suit your aims, mentoring and motivating you through your sessions, and curating and adapting your program as you smash those goals!

Whether you have reconnected with your health during lockdown and now want some professional help to guide you to the next level of your fitness journey, you’re a regular gym goer who would like to work out in a more COVIDsafe environment or you are completely new to exercise, TWPT can help you.

“A silver lining of lockdown has been that so many people have

used the extra time they have to reconnect with their personal health and fitness, be that doing workouts at home, or simply exploring their local areas by going on walks. Now is a great opportunity for people to capitalise on the healthy habits they have put in place and build on that through personal training” says Senior Trainer, Jon Manners.

Our Ethos “A core belief of TWPT is that anyone, regardless of experience, can benefit from personal training with us. We are an inclusive gym with a holistic approach to health, so whether you’re focussed on losing weight, building muscle, pre or post-natal exercise, injury rehabilitation or general health, we are on hand to help. Our trainers work with you on a one-to-one basis to create a custom work out and nutrition program that fits within your lifestyle and maximises

your results,” explains Senior Trainer Dan Green.

With six friendly, professional, and highly qualified personal trainers at TWPT, each with their own set of specialities, you’re sure to find the right match for you. All of our trainers are available from 6am until 10pm so they can be flexible to work around you and your busy schedule. There is no membership so you are free to have sessions every day, every week, or perhaps just once a month to keep you on track.

Form & Function Located in a historical property on Mount Pleasant, the TWPT studios are fully equipped with the highest standard of equipment, as well as featuring an array of beautiful period features like large dual aspect windows that bathe the space in natural light and keep it well ventilated, making for a bright and inviting environment you’ll actually

Are you looking for a safe and welcoming environment to exercise in with one-to-one support to enable you to meet your health and fitness goals?

TWPT is the answer.

look forward to working out in!

“We’re not your typical gym, there’s no waiting in a queue to use equipment, we offer a beautiful, private and safe setting with the full attention of a highly qualified personal trainer” explains Senior Trainer, Jon Manners.

COVID Safety The health and safety of all at TWPT is our priority and we have a variety of measures in place to ensure we are as Covid-safe as possible. As a private personal training gym we have complete control over who comes in and out of the building and have temperature checks upon entry, as well as deep cleaning of the premises and equipment between appointments.

We also have a single occupancy room available for clients who are at risk or shielding; meanwhile in all other rooms we have a maximum occupancy of two clients with more

than enough space for adequate social distancing.

“As we are operating significantly under the government guidance for occupancy in gyms, we offer a much safer environment than you may find at a traditional gym,” Dan explains.

You can therefore feel confident and relaxed while working out at TWPT that you are in a safe and clean space, allowing you to 100 per cent focus on those squats!

We are now open and are taking on new clients. Please visit our website www.twpt.co.uk to find out more or contact us today on 01892 545 400 or at enquiries@twpt.co.uk

SO Magazine | September 2020 | 41

Food and Drink

PHOTOS: Rose Bainbridge

s l e e h w e h t t u p e c i v r e s y r e v i l e d s e i s n i o r c s u r i How v a n o r o c e h t e v i v r u s o t n o i t o in m

Organic veg box company Riverford faced a dramatic increase in demand for their produce as the country went into lockdown and supermarket shelves were suddenly empty. Sally Beare, who runs the Riverford Tunbridge Wells franchise, tells SO how she and her team coped One Friday evening last March, I noticed something strange happening. I run the local deliveries for the organic veg box company Riverford and I began to get updates from our farm, saying that a spike in demand meant that products were selling out. By the end of that evening in March our website was closed – to both new customers and to existing ones wanting to change their order.

It was a week before lockdown was announced on March 23 and people were clearly realising what was about to happen.

I had seen one aspect of the coronavirus crisis coming: the need to ensure that we took precautions to keep our customers and drivers safe. What I didn’t predict was the growth in demand. Our deliveries in Tunbridge Wells and the surrounding area increased by around 60 per cent, driven by existing customers ordering more veg, more frequently. We had to stay closed to new customers for a while – yet we still faced a tsunami of demand from our existing customers.

I needed to increase capacity

42 | September 2020 | SO Magazine

which meant an extra van and a new driver. Yet I didn’t know how long the situation was going to continue – could I risk taking on extra costs, when the demand might subside again? What’s more, how was I going to interview and train a new driver and still abide by new social distancing measures?

Thankfully we managed: I hired an extra van for a while and then bought a second-hand one from another Riverford area. I conducted interviews remotely and kept face-to-face training for the new driver to the minimum.

SURREAL TIMES The weeks in early lockdown were surreal, as I imagine they were for anybody who was working at that time. When we were out delivering, the roads were silent. I worried as by then we were all aware that the virus could be very serious. I was still working out and about, so if anyone was going to bring the virus into our home, it was likely to be me. I fretted about our drivers, wondering what more I could do to keep everyone safe.

In the early months of Covid,

while our website was closed, the only way that customers could make even simple changes to their order was through me, so I ended up working seven days a week.

On the upside, we received lovely notes and gifts from customers. My office and the vans were adorned with wonderful vegetable pictures from customers’ children. Everyone seemed so grateful for getting their veg box every week.

Riverford grows most of the veg in our boxes on our own farms, supplemented by produce from other organic farmers we know well. We couldn’t just suddenly boost supply thought as there are only so many veg in the fields. The weather was kind and the crops did well, but we still had to change the way we worked, to make sure we could meet demand. In addition, now we were packing so many extra boxes every week, we needed to make those boxes easier to pack.

BACK TO BASICS We took our website right back to basics, so that customers could only order from a range of set

“My office and the Riverford vans were adorned with wonderful vegetable pictures from customers’ children”

boxes, rather than picking and choosing their items for a bespoke box.

By May we were comfortable in the new routine and could open up again to new customers – first to our waiting list, then to all new customers. Our deliveries peaked again, but now we were ready for them and so we coped with ease.

As lockdown measures have further eased over the summer, our weekly deliveries have settled down, as people return to their normal routines. We’re taking advantage of the lull to extend the range on our website, so that customers can choose more individual fruit and veg items.

By October we plan to be back to our pre-lockdown offerings, whereby customers could either have one of our set boxes, or make up their own box, or do a bit of both. We expect demand to rise again in the autumn, so we’re planning to keep things simpler than they were before the coronavirus crisis. There’ll still be plenty of choice, but there’ll be less choice than before the virus.

Everybody is finding it hard to plan, as we don’t really know what the coming weeks and months will bring. Nevertheless, I feel blessed to have a business that’s helping people to eat well and healthily and is thriving in these uncertain times.

Food and Drink

Wine Wednesday’s

The Wine Rooms

Now that the dust has settled here at The Wine Rooms we are delighted to launch a new wine Wednesday Offer.

40 The Pantiles

The Wine Rooms celebrates its first birthday!

Thank you for the continued support!

Wine Bar Cocktail Lounge Extensive Gin Selection Cured Meats and Cheeses Tastings For bookings please head to our website www.thewineroomstw.com

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www.thewineroomstw.com

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Reservations. 01892 522 022 info@thewineroomstw.com

01892 522022 | www.thewineroomstw.com 40 The Pantiles, Tunbridge Wells TN2 5TN

£ 40

Whole baked Camembert with a carafe of wine for 2 people.

Selection of artisan saucissons from the Comte region of France Sourdough breads, Olives and marinated caper berries

Dryhill Lane, Sundridge, Sevenoaks, Kent TN14 6AA Tel: 01959 561274 coblandsgardencentre.co.uk

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Why not make an appointment with our personal shoppers: Lindsey who loves all things plants and shrubs or Liam who is passionate about trees.

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Lindsey’s favourite plant

Lindsey

Ferns as they remind me of my traveling around New Zealand, with their beautiful textures and leaves. There are so many varieties that can be used around the garden.

Liam’s favourite tree

Liam

Amelanchier Canadensis, is a beautiful small single stemmed tree. That has Spring blossom and orange leaves in winter with berries that the birds love.

We are pleased to announce the launch of our New Orchard Club loyalty card.

Come into the Garden Centre to sign up and you will automatically receive: 5% discount off all purchases in the Garden Centre and Café 10% discount off all purchases in the Garden Centre and Café for the over 55’s on Tuesdays Weekly emails with our special offers and gardening tips and inspiration Exclusive invites to events.

Judith

Judith Kerr-Sheppard Garden Centre Manager

SO Magazine | September 2020 | 43

Food and Drink

“Being a hands-off winemaker means I have to be even more in touch with the winemaking process”

A

school, at a small winery and s a wine writer for vineyard based in Riquewhir, many years I was where I learnt pruning and basic intrigued to hear that cellar tasks. Then after university I organic wine is worked for a winery in California booming and before getting a job with a London becoming increasingly popular wine merchant. I also did a onewith both consumers and year post-grad wine making course producers. Recent data from in 1989 at Australia’s famous Nielsen indicated that during the Roseworthy Agricultural College. year before the end of May 2020, organic food and You now have your drink sales rose by own winery – 6.1 per cent, almost Davenport, based in twice the growth of “The vines Rotherfield. Which non-organic food and didn’t know grape varieties do drink products (3.2 that there was you grow there? per cent).

A wide range which In order to find out a pandemic, so includes Chardonnay, what was driving the they continue Pinot Noir and wine element of this to grow” Meunier, plus trend I decided to talk Auxerrois for sparkling to Will Davenport of wines, then Ortega, Davenport Vineyard in Bacchus, Huxelrebe, Faber and Rotherfield. If you Siegerrebe for our dry white. haven’t heard of him then he’s one of the country’s most respected Which grapes do you pick first eco-friendly winemakers, who in and when will this year’s harvest spite of local climatic and disease likely commence? pressures, has been making wines We expect to pick the Siegerrebe made from grapes grown without around the first weekend of man-made insecticides, pesticides, September, followed by Ortega herbicides, fungicides and around a week later. The crop is fertilisers for around two smaller than the last two years decades… (which were both very big harvests), so we’re back to an average yield.

At what point and why did organic viticulture and What is, for you, the best winemaking become the main and most interesting aspect emphasis for your business? of your work?

Spraying poisonous chemicals is Every day is different, my role just not an option for me, for the includes working in the winery environment – both on a local and vineyard, but also maintaining scale and in the wider machinery, doing the accounts, environment. speaking with customers and lots of other things too. My favourite How did you get into the job is pruning in the winter on a wine trade? cold sunny day.

I worked in Alsace after leaving 44 | September 2020 | SO Magazine

Organic September is the Soil Association’s month-long campaign to raise awareness of the many benefits of organic food and farming. SO’s drinks editor James Viner caught up with local sustainability and winemaker guru Will Davenport, who’s based in Rotherfield, to discover the joys of drinking organic

Will Davenport

DAVENPORT VINEYARDS AT A GLANCE Owner: Will Davenport Vineyard Manager: Phil Harris Winery Location/Capacity: Limney Farm, Rotherfield, capable of making 80,000 p.a.

Established: 1991 Area under Vine (2020): 10ha Estate Production (2018): 47,000 bottles (‘Great quality & the biggest harvest we have ever picked’) Estate Production (2019): 36,000 bottles (Will also does contract winemaking for other organic vineyards) Elevation: Around 80 metres Vine Density: 2400 - 2600 vines per hectare Average Yield: 30-40 hl/ha. Pinot is lower’ Chardonnay & Bacchus can be up to 80 hl/ha

C h ri st m a s 2020 M

enu

STARTER Goat’s Cheese, Melon and Beetroot Salad with Toasted Pumpkin seeds and a Honey and Balsamic dressing

Seafood Bisque (Mussells, Monk, Crab) with Saffron Aoili, Croutons and Crusty Bread Lamb, Pea and Mint Croquettes with Tzatzicki and Dressed Leaves Smoked Salmon and Spinach Mousse with a Lemon and Lime Dressing and Melba Toast Red Wine Marrinaded Venision Brockette with an Apple and Blackberry Chutney and Tomato Sourdough

MAIN COURSE Pan Fried Turkey Parcel, Stuffed with Parma Ham and Emmental Cheese with Seasonal Veg and Onion Sauce

Rainbow Curry, Spinach and Red Lentil Stir Fry with Saffron Rice, Picccalilli and Corriander Pitta Bread

Medallions of Pork Fillet with Prunes and Kentish Blue Rosti Potato and Seasoned Spinach 8oz Rib Eye Steak, Mushroom, Tomato, Greens, Pepper Sauce, Chips Baked Salmon Tail with Olive, Lemon and Tomato Butter and New Potatoes DESSERT Baked Lemon Tart with Rasberry Sorbet Chocolate Profiteroles stuffed with Baileys and Toasted Almond Cream Baked Fruits of the Forest Chessecake with a Mango Coulis Christmas Pudding, Brandy Butter, Vanilla Ice-Cream Four Cheese Selection

£62.50

For more information call or go to our web site: www.rendezvoustw.co.uk 01892 525830 86 Camden Rd, Tunbridge Wells TN1 2QP @rendezvousrtw /Rendez Vous

Food and Drink

Grape expectations: Davenport’s timeline 1991 – Will Davenport planted 2 ha of vines at Horsmonden, Kent, while concurrently working at a Hampshire vineyard 1993 – First vintage of white wine 2000 – Will decides to convert all the vines and winery to organic systems 2003 – Received full organic certification from The Soil Association 2004 – Will received £27,000 of Defra funding enabling the transformation from a small-scale operation into a medium-sized business 2010 – First vintage of red wine 2018 – Will wins the Amorim Sustainability Award at The Drinks Business’ Green Awards – the only international wine trade competition of its kind in the world 2019 – 2020 A cut above the rest — for two successive years, Will’s team has won WineGB’s annual vine pruning competition, the aptly named ‘Battle of the Secateurs’

HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE What makes Davenport winery so special? n We have built up the winery over 30 years and gradually made improvements as the finances allowed. n Every aspect is designed around minimising the impact of winemaking on the environment (reducing energy and water use), while making the wine as naturally as possible. n We don’t use yeast in the winemaking process or fining agents. Filtering is kept to only those wines that absolutely need it and sulphite levels are as low as we can make them. n The result is that the wines show their own character which can sometimes be covered up by too much manipulation in the winery. Every wine is different and each plot of vines will be unique.

46 | September 2020 | SO Magazine

What is your biggest challenge as a committed maker of organic wines in the Southeast?

The way we make the wine relies heavily on getting premium quality grapes. If the grapes aren’t perfect then the winemaker needs to make adjustments in the winery, often by chemical additions. So, to make wine without relying on chemicals requires a great vineyard team and a winemaker that is in touch with each and every wine. In a bizarre way being a ‘handsoff ’ winemaker means that I have to be even more in touch with the winemaking process. We spend most hours in the vineyard to ensure we get the best grapes possible.

Which wine do you produce most of?

Horsmonden Dry White makes up about half of our production each year; five grape varieties but most years it’s comprised of 60% Bacchus and Ortega.

How has COVID-19 affected your day-today job since so much of winemaking is hands-on?

We are really lucky as the winery, office and wine storage are all near my house, so I have been able to continue working.

Our vineyard and winery team have also continued work through the pandemic. The vines didn’t know that there was a pandemic, so they continue to grow and we have to keep up with caring for them. The main negative effect of the COVID-19 is that our sales have suffered because of the restaurants shutting. Luckily,

we have managed to survive by selling wine on our website.

As one of the country’s leading organic producers, what is your philosophy of winemaking?

My winemaking philosophy is to preserve as much of the flavour and character from the vineyard as possible and not to try to develop added character in the winery. I find that wines that are adulterated in the winery (over-filtration, acidity adjustment, fining, etc) tend to have their character flattened out.

Outside of Kent & Sussex, what’s your favourite wine region in the world?

Alsace – it’s a beautiful place, fab wines and a real love of gastronomy.

For more information on Davenport Vineyards and to buy Will’s wines head over to: www. davenportvineyards.co.uk where you’ll find free delivery on orders of six bottles or more plus lots more information.

Follow James @QuixoticWine

DID YOU KNOW? Organic farms have roughly 50% more bees, butterflies and other pollinators than their non-organic counterparts, according to the Soil Association, the UK’s leading food & farming charity and organic certification body

My winemaking philosophy is to preserve as much of the flavour and character from the vineyard as possible.

Food and Drink

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September at Salomons It’s back!

Salomons Sunday Lunch

Traditional English Afternoon Tea

To celebrate the return of the Great British Sunday Lunch, you can now enjoy our traditional three course lunch for the price of two courses, just £24.50 pp. Includes a delicious choice of three dishes for each course.

Children always welcome, just £13.50 per child* for three courses. Reservations available on Sunday 20th September only, midday to 5pm.

overlooking our picturesque grounds Just £17.50 pp, available every Monday in September only midday to 4pm.

To book please visit www.salomons-estate.com call 01892 628187 or email reception@salomons-estate.com *Children’s menu available for guests aged 10yrs and under.

To book please visit www.salomons-estate.com

or call 01892 628187 or email reception@salomons-estate.com

CONFERENCE AND EVENTS VENUE

SO Magazine | September 2020 | 47

Come and enjoy getting fit and relaxing in our boutique Health Spa set in tranquil Victorian walled gardens. www.knowlegrange.co.uk Whether you join as a member or come for a spa day you can have fun with a socially distanced work out in our fully equipped gym or you can exercise outside. Take advantage of being able to swim all year round in our heated natural spring water swimming pool, relax in the candlelit jacuzzi and receive some well- deserved spa and beauty treatments from our expert team of therapists.

The cost of your spa day is £58 per person (midweek) £65 (Saturday) per person PLUS the cost of your choice of spa treatments or treatment packages.

Health Spa Membership costs £62 per month (single) £103 (joint).

KNOWLE GRANGE SIGNATURE TREATMENT In the words of one client “the greatest treatment I’ve ever had”

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75 minute treatment for a special September price of just £75 (usually £90) To Book Call 01892 750055 or email enquiriesknowle@gmail.com

To book or find out more call 01892 750055

Travel

How e-biking in the Swiss mountains offers freedom N

estled in the Alpine glory of Switzerland’s Valais canton, Verbier is stunningly beautiful. But as is the case with so many places, Covid-19 has taken its toll – streets are quiet, nightclubs are unusually empty and hotels welcome guests with hand sanitisers and face masks.

But despite the lack of crowds, Verbier pulsates with an energy that’s a little at odds with its quiet aesthetic of wooden chalets clustered cosily between snow-topped mountains.

After months of lockdown, Verbier’s vast spaciousness feels like an exhilarating breath of fresh air – particularly after a day of travelling in a mask. The cliché of Switzerland as a tonic for good health feels especially relevant right now.

Verbier is famed for its skiing and party-hard lifestyle. How this year’s season will fare is still anyone’s guess.

The après ski scene looks unlikely, although Verbier Tourisme is in the process of developing activities that will cater to smaller groups. For now, the area is making the most of its summertime outdoor activities.

If you stay one night or longer in Verbier, Val de Bagnes or La Tzoumaz,

you’ll receive a free Verbier Infinite Playground (VIP) Pass +. It provides access to a host of activities for free or at significant discounts.

E-Biking up and down the Alpine slopes is bound to get your adrenaline (and heart) pumping. I take part in the Verbier E-Bike Festival, which provides signposted routes around Verbier and Le Châble. I choose the Rando Gourmande, a scenic route punctuated with four gastronomical

stops, each providing local treats such as pastries, meats, cheeses, wines and local beers.

A bike ride such as this is guaranteed to deliver lifelong memories. You might start to ache, but don’t let this put you off. The bike provides almost all the power, which is very much needed on the sheer uphill stretches But finishing the route still feels like a massive achievement. After all, why let the bike take all the credit?

The festival runs until September 27, but my guide, Jess Koon from MTB Verbier (mtbverbier.com), offers cycling packages throughout the year. Given I’m a doublewhammy novice to mountain biking and e-biking, Jess sticks with me as the rest of the group (and a family with toddlers in tow) whizz past.

The festival caters to all levels of biking experience but does require a high level of commitment to new challenges.

A half-day foraging course offers a unique opportunity to get up close and personal with edible plants.

Foraging host Cherrie, of Cherries Walks (cherrieswalks.com), is a qualified Swiss-American Mountain Leader, and her walks have been

How to plan your trip Hotel Bristol (bristol-verbier.ch; +41 27 771 65 77) offers rooms from £120 per night with breakfast.

SWISS (swiss. com; operates up to 180 weekly flights to Switzerland from London Heathrow, London City, Manchester, Birmingham, Edinburgh (seasonal during summer) and Dublin from £52 one-way.

The Swiss Transfer Ticket covers a round-trip between the airport/Swiss border and destination.

Prices are £70 in second class and £130 in first class.

voted TripAdvisor’s top activity in Le Châble.

It’s not hard to see why. Her passion for plants is contagious, and you’d be hard pressed to find a more charming way to spend a summer morning in the Alps.

Surrounded by wooden chalets and the gentle tinkling of cow bells, the biggest challenge is refraining from breaking into song.

The Mauvoisin dam, built in the 1950s, is a crowd-free way to take in some spectacular views. Cherrie takes us on a day trip, including a moderately challenging hike through a James Bond-esque underground tunnel that serves as a museum showcasing historical images of how the dam was built.

On the way, we look out for lammergeiers, a species of bearded vulture. A pair have been spotted on the slopes around the dam – but they have plenty of space to hide.

Simon Wiget, Director of Verbier Tourisme, is spot on when he says: “We have big, open spaces, which is what people need when they can’t gather together indoors.”

The possibility of an adventure, albeit a socially distanced one, is certainly a healthy relief.

SO Magazine | September 2020 | 49

Hypnotherapy

HOW TO LOSE THE

CORONAVIRUS POUNDS E F I L R E H C I R A A ND LI VE Salomons based hypnotherapist Karen Martin has been helping furloughed clients get back in shape over the past few months. Her regular column in SO centres around the topical issues affecting all of us in day to day family life and the workplace and this month it focuses on how to get rid of the Covid-19 induced pounds…

M

The humble crisp is a perfect example. Made any whose busy lives have been with potato starch (which the body processes the interrupted by lockdown have same as sugar), fried in fat and seasoned with piled on the pounds and are salt, most of us will eat all the crisps in an open having difficulty squeezing back packet regardless of its size. And our into workwear after living in supermarkets are rammed with the best snack trackies and snacking all day. The government has launched an obesity strategy aimed at reducing the food on the planet. Whatever your tastes, there’s something to tempt you.

Covid death toll, because statistics demonstrate Regardless of what the nanny state or the latest that we’re far more likely to succumb to this killer social media guru tells us to do, none of their disease if we’re fat. advice will quieten the inner argument Skinny, fit people who are many of us have between our asymptomatic are a lucky minority in conscious, logical understanding of the UK, where 64 per cent of the There’s no what is healthy and our population are overweight or unconscious, impulsive desire obese. So something has to be one size fits all for ‘bad’ or ‘naughty’ food. done to focus attention on for this. No two To cause further confusion, getting the nation in better people have the same even the ‘good’ food can be shape to face the next wave of bad for you. The food the pandemic. genetic make-up, industry is brilliant at Measures include calorie personal taste or tapping into healthy eating counts on menus, banning junk preference trends and meeting food ads before 9pm, offering diet demand with an array of club discounts and, at the same ‘functional’ foods. Many time, feeding us policies which of these are priced at a conveniently fatten the profits of the food premium and marketed and and diet industry. But even if six out of ten of us packaged to deceive. For can be persuaded to diet, statistics prove that diets example, something labelled don’t actually work and an estimated 97 per cent low fat will invariably be of losers will end up feeling like big fat failures high sugar, anything low when they regain all the weight and more. sugar will be high fat, Powerful and profit driven, the food industry anything low calorie makes vast fortunes out of selling processed foods will be smaller made of chemically enhanced cheap ingredients. than a Twix.

These include combinations of fat, salt and sugar None of these which are described as ‘hyperpalatable’. Nutrient will make you low and additive rich, ready meals and snacks are thin, any more than formulated in science labs to create a ‘bliss point’ low fat foods thickened with starches or or ‘mouth feel’ which stimulates cravings and sugar loaded gluten free products will. overrides feelings of fullness.

50 | September 2020 | SO Magazine

It’s not as if we don’t know when we need to lose weight and most of us are aware of how to eat healthily. But our relationship with food is a complex mash up of habits, accumulated through a lifetime, and unconscious emotional triggers to overconsume. And there’s no one size fits all fix for this. There are no two people on the planet who have the same genetic make-up, level of activity, personal tastes and preferences, general health, mindset and disposition, or cash to buy cakes with.

A two pronged individual approach to weight management, aimed at easily and comfortably reducing fat stores and permanently changing eating habits, is how I help overweight people to

Hypnotherapy

How you can cash in by losing the pounds

If you did just one of the following things, they would help you create a healthier body and overcome disordered eat ing habits: Keep a food and mood diary for a week or two to identify mi ndless overeating tendencies and comf ort eating habits. If you’re bored, do someth ing, if you’re lonely, talk to someone, if you’re tire d, sleep more, if you’re anxious, hug, talk or cry it out. Eating to distract yourself doesn’t work.

Change what you snac k on and how often. Every time you eat the opportunity to overeat and re is an many of us try to avoid even the slightest of hunger pangs. Hunger is how our body tells us wh en we need to eat and we enjoy food more when we’re hungry.

When you shop, read labels and you’ll soon realise many ingredients in packaged food come from a science lab and hav e no place in a kitchen. Better still, don’t buy any processed food and it won’t be in the cupboard to tempt you. turn their lives around. Hypnotherapy creates subconscious changes in motivation, improving impulse control and focusing on the delayed gratification of achieving a healthy, lean fit body whilst sorting out the mindless tendency we all have to be sabotaged by our emotions.

Dieters associate misery and deprivation with losing weight. We live in a culture that condemns the overweight as lacking in willpower, greedy, lazy and unattractive. This insidious discrimination is widespread and unfair. Most overweight people have exercised incredible self control during a lifetime of dieting. Many will

body will naturally have lost their body Dieters remain at a weight several times associate metabolic ‘set over and then gained point’ maintained it again when their misery and by stable blood heroic effort deprivation with sugar. This becomes losing weight… and approach also unsustainable. staves off the risk And yet eating is, yet eating is one of of type II and should be, one of life’s great diabetes, which life’s greatest pleasures makes Covid all the pleasures. Once dieters more deadly. stop being the food police or treating food as the HOW TO GET IN enemy they can learn to savour CONTACT WITH KAREN: the joy of eating a varied, nutritious, balanced diet restricted only by feelings www.hypnotherapykent.co.uk karen@hypnotherapykent.co.uk of fullness and satisfaction. Then the

Reduce portion sizes at mealtimes and also change proportio ns on the plate.

Your food diary will tell you how much sugar and starch you’re eating and you will find it easy to reduce or eliminate wit hout missing it by piling up more of the hea lthy stuff. You can binge on broccoli as much as you like and still lose weight Don’t buy artificially sweetened food or drinks. They mainta in a sweet tooth and you’ll crave sugar more.

Sugar (and excessive sta rchy foods) cause physical inflammation and are them down or out and you addictive. Cut soon won’t miss them. Going cold turkey (or snacking on cold turkey instead of biscuits) takes commitment at first because you have to check the ingredients of everything you consum e. Lo or sauces have loads of sug ts of ready meals ar for example. Look for hea hidden in them, lthier substitutions for sugary food and your tas te buds will adjust so you won’t crave it any mo re.

During lockdown, ma ny people started drinking earlier in the day and more often.

That’s a habit that needs breaking before it becomes a dependency.

Bear in mind, it’s only in recent history that there has been such an abu ndance of food available. There are many people still alive who remember the privations of rationing. Before the advent of the welfare sta te, significantly more of the population suffered rea l deprivation and parents showed love by putting as much food on the table as they could.

Our subconscious mind wa the primary purpose of ens s hard-wired with uring our survival in primitive conditions when food was scarce.

We’re genetically predispo sed to see food and eat it. We only exist bec ause our ancestors appetite for high calorie food was part of their survival instinct. In order to stay lean and fit, we have to challenge an evo lutionary imperative to overeat. Maybe coronavi rus is the crisis that will jolt our primeval survival instincts into adapting to the 21st century obesi ty pandemic and finding the cure within ou rselves.

SO Magazine | September 2020 | 51

First Drive

Motors

Evo RWD

Is Lamborghini’s entry-level supercar the best one it makes? Darren Cassey finds out WHAT IS IT? It’s perhaps a mark of just how desirable Lamborghinis are that a car with ultraexotic looks, a screaming V10 engine and more power than anyone could ever need on the road could ever be considered an ‘entry level’ model.

However, that’s exactly what we have here, with the Huracan Evo RWD. Although the Italian supercar-maker has earned a reputation for building flamboyant all-wheel-drive performance monsters, in recent years it’s the rearwheel-drive models that have been considered the best drivers’ cars. Now the Huracan Evo line-up has been graced by such a variant, it’s time to find out if it’s still the one to have…

WHAT’S NEW? Unsurprisingly, it’s the switch from all to rear-wheel-drive that’s required the biggest updates. The drivetrain’s been overhauled, with Lamborghini developing a new traction control system specifically for this model. It’s been designed to deliver torque smoothly, even before the car is fully stable again, to create a more predictable power delivery. It also gets the latest version of Lamborghini’s infotainment system and styling revisions, to differentiate it from the four-wheel-drive version.

Elsewhere, it’s largely similar to other Evo models, with a body made from aluminium, carbon-fibre and thermoplastic resin to keep weight low, servo-assisted Dynamic Steering (which runs a RWD-specific tune) and a sevenspeed dual-clutch gearbox.

52 | September 2020 | SO Magazine

WHAT’S UNDER THE BONNET? If Lamborghini failed to deliver on every aspect of this car, but still gave it this engine, it would honestly be tough not to recommend it. The 5.2-litre, naturally aspirated unit makes it a joy to drive. It has a fantastically smooth yet ludicrously punchy power delivery that makes the charge to the redline utterly addictive.

And the noise is just something else.

While Audi’s seen the R8 (the Huracan’s ‘sister’ car) become quieter, thanks to a gasoline particulate filter needed to meet emissions regulations, Lamborghini found a clever trick to avoid this, so it sounds like an old Formula 1 car when you’re really pressing on.

Facts and figures are almost irrelevant in a car that delivers such an emotional experience, but they help to complete the performance picture. It makes 602bhp and 560Nm of torque with a top speed of 202mph and a 0-60mph time of just 3.1 seconds. It’s rapid.

WHAT’S IT LIKE TO DRIVE? In recent years, the biggest complaint that’s been levelled at the Huracan is its trick Dynamic Steering technology, which artificially minimises the steering input needed. However, Lamborghini has been constantly developing it, and in the Huracan Evo RWD, it’s at its best yet. While you might lose some precision on track, for road driving it delivers an incredibly precise response to inputs and makes the car feel more agile.

Elsewhere, it’s clear the Huracan has

been tuned to be driven quickly. At slower speeds, it jiggles and skips on its stiff suspension, but once you’re pushing on, the car settles and rides out road imperfections brilliantly. The gearbox is whip-crack quick to shift to deliver an almost imperceptible break in performance between gears, and the way the engine pushes you into the seat under hard acceleration is addictive.

However, speaking of the seats, this is the biggest complaint to be levelled.

Modern supercars are well-regarded for being so easy to drive and comfortable you could use them every day, but the seats in the Huracan Evo RWD are so uncomfortable that long journeys quickly came to be dreaded.

The lumbar support on our optional ‘New Sport Seat’ was so aggressive, I would get back pain not long after setting off.

HOW DOES IT LOOK? If there’s one thing Lamborghini understands, it’s how to design a headturning car. It helped that our test model was wearing bright green Verde Selvans paint – a £9,540 option – but you couldn’t go anywhere without seeing passers-by having a look, many in open-mouthed delight.

Its low wedge design and sharp angles make it stand out even in the supercar segment, and this RWD version gets a few extra touches to differentiate it from other Huracans. For example, it has a new front splitter, larger front air intakes, a high gloss black rear bumper and a unique rear diffuser.

WHAT’S IT LIKE INSIDE? The cool, angular design continues on the inside. The instrument binnacle houses a cool digital display, while the centrally mounted touchscreen is a new 8.4-inch unit that controls pretty much all interior functions. As such, there are a lot of menus to navigate and it’s not the most intuitive system, so it will take some getting used to.

Otherwise, it’s not as cramped as you might expect when it comes to headroom and shoulder room between passengers. However, 6ft-plus drivers might find the driving position a little compromised, which doesn’t help comfort on long journeys.

As for storage, it’s unsurprisingly limited, but again it might be better than you think. The front trunk easily swallowed a camera bag with room for another travel bag, while there are a few small cubby holes in the cabin.

WHAT’S THE SPEC LIKE? The Huracan Evo RWD Coupe starts at £137,000 and for that, you get a decent amount of equipment, such as the drive mode selector, launch control function, heated and folding side mirrors and a 12.3-inch fully digital instrument cluster.

However, as with any luxury car, the price can be dramatically increased in the options list, with our car specified up to £185,500. On top of the aforementioned paint, choice options included 20-inch Narvi alloy wheels (£4,950), transparent engine cover with LEDs (£4,050), and a Sensonum sound system (£2,520).

Two surprising additions to the options list are DAB radio for £540 and smartphone integration for £2,440. Both should really be included as standard on a car this price.

VERDICT The question we set out to answer was whether the entry-level Huracan Evo was the one to have – and honestly, for those who enjoy driving, it is. While some buyers will prefer the extra security that comes from all-wheeldrive, the rear-wheel-drive version has a sense of playfulness that its more expensive sibling is missing.

What’s more, Ferrari has always been the go-to supercar maker for the true driving enthusiast. With this Huracan Evo RWD, Lamborghini might have completely closed the gap.

FACTS AT A GLANCE Model: Lamborghini Huracan Evo RWD Base price: £137,000 Model as tested: Lamborghini Huracan Evo RWD Price: £185,800 Engine: 5.2-litre V10 Power: 602bhp Torque: 560Nm Max speed: 202mph 0-60mph: 3.1 seconds MPG: 16.8 Emissions: 324g/km CO2

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Shutter Specialists SO Magazine | September 2020 | 53 19/09/2019 08:22

Interiors

“I’M GREATLY INFLUENCED

BY MY EXPERIENCE OF GROWING UP IN DENMARK WHERE THE BUSINESS OF FURNITURE DESIGN IS HUGE” Photographs by Rikke Mitchell

This month’s SO interiors’ focus turns the spotlight on local business entrepreneur Rikke Mitchell, founder of Nordhus Furniture. Rachael Hale meets the talented Danish creative who is now based in Tunbridge Wells ahead of her new showroom opening later this month…

R

ikke Mitchell’s a very busy lady. She’s recently rebranded her construction business, Baltic Star Build, launched a bespoke furniture making business, designed a range of tables and is now opening a showroom in Langton Green. Here she tells us how it happened and reveals how you can be one of the first to see the new showroom.

How Did Nordhus Furniture Begin?

It’s actually due to my construction firm’s clients. I’m always being asked, ‘Can you just…make me a table, design my kitchen, build me a bookcase, fit some wardrobes, create a bed’. It just evolved. At first, we made pieces on site but in 2017 I took over a tiny workshop in

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Horsham. We soon outgrew that and in August last year we moved to a much larger space in Langton Green. It’s been so successful that in March I launched Nordhus Furniture as a separate entity and now have three full-time craftsmen working for me.

What makes Nordhus Furniture special?

Everything we make is handmade by talented craftsman, using solid wood sourced mainly from great local family company JW Timber. There are no limits to what a client can have. If we can help you imagine it, we can definitely create it.

Where do you get your inspiration from?

I’m greatly influenced by my experience of growing up in

Denmark where the business of furniture design is huge. Fritz Hanson and Arne Jacobsen are still big influences. I may not make things that look like theirs but whenever I listen to a client and design something unique for them, I always have in the back of my mind the Danish approach to working with natural materials and solid timber.

What’s your typical working day like?

It usually starts before I leave home because there are always deliveries and queries to attend to. The workshop opens just before 8am and we shut off production at 4pm.

Now my children are older, Erik is 9 and Isla 11, it’s easier to fit around their school day and I usually start working again once they’ve gone to

“I always have in the back of my mind the Danish approach to working with natural materials and solid timber”

bed. I like to design in the evening because I don’t like to be disrupted once I’m in the ‘zone’ and when I’m doing it, I don’t want to stop.

What inspired you to launch your own table-based range of furniture?

It’s very exciting. It’s been a long time coming but this range was inspired by a special walnut and brass inlaid console table. When I went to visit my client, she said to me, ‘I want a console table and I want it to be this big, but I don’t know what I want.’ I thought she was going to show me a picture she liked but it soon became apparent she wanted me to design a unique piece for her. And, when I talked, and listened to her, it became clear what she wanted.

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“I like to design in the evening because I don’t like to be disrupted once I’m in the ‘zone” She has a big lounge with fretwork-patterned wood panelling and an inherited piece of walnut furniture she wanted the console table to match. She also likes brass accents, so I went away and created a design based on what she’d told me. It was a little nerve-wracking when I sent the design to her, but she immediately emailed back to say, ‘Yes that’s exactly what I wanted!’

After that I just couldn’t stop designing tables. So now we’ve launched a range of consoles, dining and bedside tables, desks and, hopefully very soon, metal inlaid coffee tables. There are lots of options and some of the first pieces are on display in our new showroom.

When does the showroom open and how can people come and see it?

It’s opening on Wednesday September 16 and my guys have been working really hard to get it ready. It’s not very big so we had to be creative with its design, but it showcases our work and craftsmanship perfectly. Anna’s Family Kitchen will be running two canape demonstrations and tasting sessions, and free kitchen and furniture advice and design will be available. It’s going to be great and tickets are available via our Facebook page.

How to get in touch with Rikke www.nordhus.co.uk Insta – nordhus_furniture FB – nordhusfurniture Showroom opening event link – https://www.facebook.com/ events/883740572034914/

WHY I LOVE TUNBRIDGE WELLS Rikke Mitchell

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It’s the elegance of the place. The Georgian and Victorian buildings nestled in amongst beautiful parkland, and the people are so friendly.

Favourite Place to eat: We love The Hare in Langton Green. It’s amazing and for those who are gluten free, like me, or coeliac, they have a massive menu.

Favourite Shop: It has to be Brewers Decorator Centre on North Farm Road.

Favourite family day out?

My son is obsessed with Clip N Climb in Tonbridge and both kids love Mr Mulligan’s Dino Golf. I’ve also just started wild swimming at Haysden Lake due to a dare. It’s cold and tastes of duck but it’s quite good fun. I’ll be going back.

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SO Magazine | September 2020 | 57

Gardening

Outside Edge

This is the time of year when your garden is giving its last horticultural hurrah, so ensure you make the most of these late September bursts of colour, says SO gardening expert Victoria Truman

S

Victoria Truman Garden Designer

eptember is here, but there’s still plenty to be done while you’re outside enjoying the last of the year’s warmth.

Harvesting crops will certainly keep you busy this month – and there’s plenty of work to do tidying and maintaining plants and equipment.

Having enjoyed such a dry and arid summer, perennials will need constant care so make sure you keep watering and feeding them. It’s also important to keep deadheading too in order to extend the floral season.

Other important jobs to do right now, before autumn sets in, include mowing your lawns every other week, but ensure you do so on a high setting so it takes the tips off any growing grass and cuts any weeds that have found their way onto the lawn!

If you’ve been growing your own then carry on harvesting your crops. If you have a glut of fruit and veg try freezing, drying, pickling, and storing so that you can benefit from them later on.

In any borders where you want to change colours, heights or the type of plants, I usually do it now so I can see exactly where I am going instead of waiting until spring where it is a bit of a guessing game. If there is a plant that

58 | September 2020 | SO Magazine

doesn’t please you, remove it and plant something that gives you joy and works with the overall feeling and vibe of your garden.

Pot up some mint and parsley for the kitchen windowsill which, if picked correctly, will give you fresh herbs through the winter.

can see it in full bloom, just before autumn arrives. I tend to place my order for spring bulbs now as you get the pick of the bunch and discounts with many bulb growers.

Pick ripe apples. To test when they’re ready to eat, gently lift them in the palm of your hand or give them a slight pull – they should come away easily. Pick off rotting fruits from pear, apple WEED OUT ANY PROBLEMS and plum trees as they will spread disease if Gardening is hard work in all senses of the left on the tree. Pick blackberries as they word: physically it works every muscle ‘In any borders ripen and use straight away, or freeze and mentally it constantly challenges, as where you want to some for use later on. plants need love and understanding to change colours, heights Feed your lawn with an autumn thrive and produce their best results, fertiliser which is rich in potassium much like people! Don’t be put off or the type of plants, do it though – ask the questions and learn now so you can see exactly and low in nitrogen, and you can control lawn chafers with a biological as you go. I remember asking my where you are going control such as nematodes. Now is also mother at five years old why she was instead of waiting a good time to create compost bins in pulling flowers up and she explained the preparation for all the fallen leaves and difference between weeds that take over until spring’ dead plant material which you’ll be and plants that don’t. collecting over the coming months. Autumn A simple question but actually the most leaves make a great addition to compost bins relevant of all: What is the definition of a weed? and are ideal for making leaf mould.

A wild plant growing where it is not wanted and Finally, I’d also recommend searching in competition with cultivated plants.

Pinterest and Houzz for inspiration if you are looking to change your garden dramatically PICK OF THE BUNCH next year. Enjoy carrying out your research!

Start thinking about the changes you want to www.victoriatruman.com make in your garden as now is the time you