NEWS The best ‘good news’ stories from across Rutland & Stamford, including Stamford’s newest resident, Strictly judge Craig Revel Horwood.

A Boom in Biking for Stamford...

FROM THREE MEMBERS TO OVER 100! IT’S BEEN A BUMPER YEAR FOR BICYCLES!

STAMFORD It’s less than a year old, but The Cyclists of Stamford group has seen the number of its members grow from just three to over 100! The group cycles around the area on Sunday mornings and Thursday evenings, and during the pandemic, they have divided themselves into smaller groups in order to adhere to rules. The group also prides itself on inclusivity and has a tandem to allow less able people to enjoy cycling, which has already proved popular with one visually impaired member of the group. Elsewhere the group divides itself into the ‘quicks, reasonably quicks or relaxed’ cyclists. “If you love cycling or want to give it a try, The Cyclists of Stamford is almost definitely right for you. We are a community cycling group happy to share our knowledge of great local routes, café stops and the joy of road cycling,” says cofounder Paul McCormick. “Hilly or flat, fast or leisurely, long or short, we will endeavour to deliver the right combination of fitness, fun and camaraderie We are also keen to help and support the people around us, whether this is with our time, experience or with fund raising.” “As a minimum we will give at least 50% of any remaining monies to a local charity (at the end of each financial year) and organise a specific charity ride.”

n For more information on the group see www.thecyclistsofstamford.com.

Celebrating Diversity

WORLD MUSIC, CUISINE, ARTS & CRAFTS CELEBRATED ON STAMFORD’S BANK HOLIDAY

STAMFORD It’s a celebration of world culture from music to food to arts and crafts as Pride goes to press. Stamford Diversity will take place on the town’s recreation ground from 11am-6pm on Bank Holiday Monday. The event has been funded by South Kesteven District Council’s Community Fund, Stamford Town Council and from sales of the Stamford World Cook sold by All Good Market and Cakes + Co. Headlining the event’s selection of world music is ‘King’ Don Saunders, who was born in St Vincent and the Grenadines but has lived in the area for three decades. He’ll be entertaining crowds with the steel drums, whilst Latino Sound’s Moises Sanchez and Mellow Baku will be bringing Latino music and Trinidadian Rastafarian blues to the event. The event will also feature a range of arts, crafts and world food from Thai, Mexican, Caribbean and Indian food as well as cakes and crêpes. n Stamford Diversity has been organised by Stamford Anti-Racism Group, more information can be found on the group’s Facebook page.

Two charities team up

CREATING AN ACCESSIBLE CANAL WALK

OAKHAM Two local charities have teamed up to create an accessible footpath through woods near Oakham canal. St John and St Anne is the oldest charity in the county, dating back to 1399 and provides social housing for older people in need. The charity has recently given permission to the Oakham Canal Green Corridor Project to develop 1km of footpath through woodland and grass verges, providing a better experience and an accessible route for walkers and dog owners. Ramps, fencing and signage will now be provided, and overgrown parts will be cleared to make the route easier to navigate. The aim is to clear a complete route between the town centre and Oakham Enterprise Park. Oakham Canal opened in 1802 as an extension of The Melton Mowbray Navigation which was established in 1797. The canal closed in 1847 and was abandoned 30 years later. n

Thank you to our front line NHS workers from SKDC

STAMFORD South Kesteven District Council has marked the first ever NHS Social Care and Frontline Workers’ Day by raising a flag to recognise and express gratitude for everything that NHS and frontline staff and key workers have done and continue to do and to remember those who lost their lives during the Covid crisis. A one-minute silence was followed by a prayer of thanksgiving from Father Stuart Cradduck. n

A great place to live Daaarling!

STRICTLY STAR CRAIG SWAPS HAMPSHIRE HOME FOR PROPERTY IN STAMFORD AS HE MOVES INTO THE AREA...

STAMFORD He’s the showbiz star set to add some sparkle to Stamford. Strictly judge Craig Revel Horwood is swapping his £2.75m Hampshire home, Middlecott Manor, for a house ‘in Stamford, near to Rutland Water’ and has already booked a nearby church for an August 2023 wedding with a marquee in the garden. “It’s really lovely. Seven bedrooms, bigger pool... I’m upsizing,” he said about the period property which dates back to 1867. Craig and partner Jonathan Myring will make their home in the area, as the latter has family in Leicester. n Eventus at Market Deeping has been given the green light, paving the way for the building to A £1.4m revamp of

BOURNE incubate new businesses. The building opened in 2009 and is 95% occupied, and a year long refurbishment will build on n its success at providing space for businesses to establish themselves and grow.

£1,400,000

LOCAL NEWS

In Brief

MANTON x

Completion of £2.8m project to refurbish railway bridge

Network Rail has completed a £2.8m project to reconstruct a 150 year old railway bridge over the A6003 in Manton. A team of civil engineers have worked hard to demolish the bridge and then install a new, stronger one from underneath. The work will mean train services between Melton Mowbray and Stamford can continue running safely and reliably. The structure weighs a whopping 425 tonnes and work to secure its use for another 150 years has been completed by Network Rail slightly ahead of schedule, with residents’ patience praised by the company. n

STAMFORD, LINCOLNSHIRE OIEO £1,050,000

The most delightful, five bedroomed house stands on a corner overlooking the

River Welland in the centre of Stamford. An early 18th century property, the yellow stone house with its Collyweston slate roof, has generously proportioned rooms with timbered vaulted ceilings displaying a wealth of character and quirkiness. Not surprisingly Grade II listed, the property’s interior has an abundance of original features including old stone fireplaces, exposed structural beams and a mix of Georgian timber sash and casement windows. Three of the five bedrooms and the family bathroom enjoy beautiful, vaulted ceilings. Presented in exceptionally good order, a complete renovation project was carried out by the previous owner who installed high quality fixtures and fittings. The sheltered, south facing garden partly enclosed by fencing and trelliswork, is quite a sun trap. Mainly lawn edged by gravel, a raised, walled area in one corner acts as the perfect place for alfresco dining.

ELTON, CAMBRIDGESHIRE OIEO £1,250,000

With an outlook of All Saints’ Church behind, this new stone property was

completed in 2017. It has been built to the highest specification with attention to detail and finish second to none. Designed for modern living, the well-proportioned rooms flow seamlessly from one to another. The front reception room links beautifully with other areas via double doors. The impressive living space at the back is illuminated by large windows and bi-folding doors creating the perfect place for entertaining. Three en suite double bedrooms are found on the first floor and further two double bedrooms and a shower room on the top floor. Outside, automatic timber gates open into a landscaped, enclosed driveway and parking area. There is a double garage with room above and an adjoining oak framed car barn for two cars. The charming walled garden is immaculately presented in a formal, Italianate style with dwarf box hedges, lawns and patio areas directly off the house.

NEW PRICE

LANGHAM Offers Over £1.0m

A superb, substantial single storey family residence set on a private plot of approximately 0.5 acres of beautifully landscaped gardens and grounds with a range of amenity outbuildings, all located down a long private driveway on the edge of this highly regarded village and enjoying delightful views over adjoining fields. 2 Reception Rooms, Farmhouse Kitchen/Diner, 2 Cloakrooms, Utility, Pantry, 5 Bedrooms, 5 Bath/Shower Rooms; Garaging. Energy Rating: TBC

UPPINGHAM £500,000

Beautifully presented, spacious detached house with superbly landscaped, private rear garden set in a sought-after residential area and enjoying views over open countryside to front. This immaculate property provides energy-efficient, high-specification accommodation with quality fixtures and fittings. Lounge, Study, open-plan Kitchen, Dining and Sitting Room, Clkrm, 4 Bedrooms, en-suite Shower Room, Family Bathroom; oversized single Garage. Energy Rating: B.

THE RIG TH

P OPR E YRT TIME TO MAR TKE YOU

SI RIG WT NOWH R

OAKHAM 755555 UPPINGHAM 822587 STAM RDOF 766604 UPPINGHAM £850,000

Superb stone-built period property with mature south-facing gardens offering elegant, extensive character accommodation on town outskirts. Drawing Room, Dining Room, Dining Kitchen, ample Ancillary Accommodation (including Cellars), Study, 5 Double Bedrooms , 2 En-suite Shower Rooms, Family Bathroom, Garage. Energy Rating: TBC. Viewing is highly recommended.

COTTESMORE, RUTLAND £395,000

Stunning detached two-bedroom Cottage with one-bedroom Guest Annex providing beautifully presented accommodation with a wealth of character and charming private gardens situated in a popular Rutland village. The property features log-burning stove, exposed timbers and button doors with latch furniture. The kitchen and 3 bath-/shower rooms have been all refitted to a high contemporary standard. Energy Rating: TBC.

Offers in Excess of £700,000 Offers in Excess of £675,000

Ketton Road, Hambleton

An individual and unique three-bedroom stone property sitting in the soughtafter location of Hambleton, in need of modernisation.

Offer in Excess of £425,000 Pickwell Road, Leesthorpe

This beautiful four-bedroom cottage sits in a peaceful location in the hamlet of Leesthorpe with a mature garden and lovely countryside views.

Guide Price £325,000

Station Road, Oakham

A handsome, red-brick period home with an abundance of character, off-road parking & garaging sitting within easy walking distance of Oakham town centre. Main Street, Wymondham

A charming and beautifully-presented three-bedroom character cottage, nestled into the heart of this quintessential village.

Looking for your forever home? Look no further!

VALLEY VIEW, CASTLE BYTHAM, NEAR GRANTHAM £POA - CALL FOR AVAILABILITY

A DEVELOPMENT OF 4 & 5 BEDROOM EXECUTIVE FAMILY HOMES PLOTS 3 & 6 ALREADY SOLD STC

Drawing upon the expert knowledge of our in-house designers and architects, Valley View offers six 4 and 5 bedroom executive family homes on an exclusive gated development, finished to the highest of standards and specification: an exceptional build quality that has been designed to stand the test of time. A large luxurious kitchen to accommodate the whole family designed to make the most of the exceptional valley views; plenty of spacious bedrooms and bathrooms big enough to survive the chaos on those busy weekday mornings. Not forgetting the large gardens for those gorgeous summer days.

HIGH SPECIFICATION TO INCLUDE:

Oak stairs with oak newel, handrail & spindles or glass balustrades. Quartz, granite or Corian worktops and upstands. Air source heat pump system... Plus: the reassurance of an NHBC backed 10 year warranty.

Call 01733 558505 or visit www.oakwoodhomesltd.co.uk

New priorities for families

Kate Vincent from Garrington property finders discusses the challenges of buying a home that works for all the family in a location with the right schooling.

Kate Vincent Garrington

For many, the demands of a home have changed considerably over the past eighteen months and whilst schooling options continue to be a priority for most families, a new home must meet the practical needs of the whole family – usually meaning more space and probably a dedicated home office.

Across Rutland and Stamford there are many highly regarded state and independent schools and competition for places remains fierce, as does the demand for homes in the surrounding areas. This makes searching for the perfect property in the ideal location that much more challenging.

Family priorities

The priorities and needs for many families have changed considerably following the periods of lockdown and now as an increased number of parents work from home there is a new requirement for a dedicated at-home workspace.

Whilst fewer parents may have to commute daily, working hours remain the same and rarely align perfectly with school timings. Parents who have more than one child, perhaps finishing at different times with after school clubs and activities, can find this particularly difficult to manage and may find that living close to a school can be an attractive option. With less property for sale and with such limited stock of ‘best of breed’ homes fitting these criteria across many prime locations, it is easy to understand why premium prices continue to be paid for properties close and convenient to highly favoured schools.

The right location

With the high cost of independent education, the attraction of obtaining a place for your child or children in a top performing state school may be an appealing one for many. The most sought-after state schools will see parents focusing their efforts to find a new home within the catchment area. Finding that ideal home can be notoriously difficult, expensive and stress inducing. Also, as the school becomes more popular the catchment area can sometimes shrink and there is often a trend of increasing house prices within those catchment boundary lines. Choosing independent schooling can present further challenges. With the significant cost difference between day pupils and boarders at some of the top establishments, living nearer to the school of choice could be a financially savvy move. If this financial saving was instead used to service mortgage borrowing costs, it might make a substantial difference to the level of available borrowing for buying a home and the potential equity gain from a higher value home if property values continue to rise.

Help is at hand

With the continuing shortage of housing stock, it has become increasingly common for families to move into rental properties ready for the start of the new term. This has the double advantage of allowing parents to settle their children in an orderly fashion and it also, places them in the strong position of being fully proceedable when the perfect property is eventually found. Even with this relative advantage, finding and securing one of the elusive prime properties in and around Stamford and Rutland is far from easy as many are being sold off-market and there is considerable competition to contend with. A professional property finder often gives buyers access to a wider choice of prime and off-market properties. They will also offer an objective assessment of properties and locations, enabling them to make well- informed decisions, and being professionally represented will further elevate a buyer’s position. Garrington’s consultants help buyers find and purchase properties that meet their lifestyle requirements. Their local expertise and in-depth knowledge of the property market assists homebuyers to consider a wider choice of properties and purchase more effectively.

If you are thinking of moving this year and would like further information on how Garrington can assist, contact Kate Vincent: Tel. 01780 408377. Email info@garrington.co.uk www.garringtoneastmidlands.co.uk

Carefully selected artists from the Royal Academy, Royal Institutes, Federations and Societies

David Hockney RA OM CH | Untitled No 281 ‘My Window’ Edition B | Limited Edition Signed and Numbered iPad Drawing | 17″ x 13″

New Fine Art Gallery Now Open in Stamford

5-8 The Mews • The George Hotel • Stamford • PE9 2LB Tuesday - Sunday from 11am to 5pm | 01780 480800

Also at Lees Yard • Holt • Norfolk | Monday - Saturday 10am - 4pm | 01263 713883

Please visit the website to view and purchase our artworks www.adrianhillfineart.com