Stamford Pride June 2019

PRIDE

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STAMFORD

STAMFORD’S FINEST MAGAZINE

£4.50

Summer Entertainment in Stamford

Summer shows, live events and more to ensure you enjoy the area!

Celebrating the Bard at Tolethorpe

All the world’s a stage for Stamford Shakespeare Company

Local and Luxurious: Stamford’s Finest Magazine Local food & farming, luxury homes, fashion and motors

RUTLAND

SHOW SUNDAY 2ND JUNE

READ

FREE ONLINE

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WELCOME

H

igh summer is always a treat in our area and accordingly, we want to welcome you to our June edition. Naturally we enjoy bringing you the best events and live performances, dining out opportunities and features each month, but in June especially, the area is really busy and we’ve lots of potential features and ideas to choose from.

To name a few, this month sees the Rutland County Show - a local event that grows and improves consistently, year after year. Live performances from the Stamford Shakespeare Company are also being held, as are myriad National Garden Scheme openings for horticulturally-inclined visitors.

Also, in this edition we’re meeting Uppingham art dealer Mike Goldmark, we’re finding out about one local couple’s post-retirement vocation setting up a school in Kenya, and we’re stepping back in time by 90 years to see what Oakham’s town centre looked like in a simpler age.

Do please come along to the Rutland Show on 2nd June to meet the whole Pride team, and if you’re not a regular subscriber to Pride, you can read the magazine for free, each month, at www.pridemagazines.co.uk, or via the Readly ‘online newsstand’ app on your tablet or smartphone.

Executive Editor rob@pridemagazines.co.uk 3

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CONTENTS NEWS & EVENTS

HOMES & INTERIORS

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WHAT’S ON Rutland and Stamford’s best events in June.

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CAFÉ CULTURE Where to find the

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NEWS A roundup of the best good news

stories from across the area in June.

HIGHLIGHTS 36

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best beans and homemade cakes in Stamford and Rutland.

MY TOWN Local man Mike

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WELCOME HOME A beautifully restored Grade II* property.

HOMES & INTERIORS Luxury kitchens and summer homes.

GARDENS The parterres of Deene Park and garden redesigns.

OUTDOORS 54

HISTORY Oakham’s High Street as it appeared 90 years ago!

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WEDDINGS Bella and Joe’s wedding and botanical themes.

Goldmark talks art, business and life in Uppingham.

LADIES & GENTLEMEN

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THE RUTLAND SHOW A preview of the 2019 Rutland County Show.

124 FASHION & BEAUTY Your holiday

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DINING OUT Admirable dining at the Admiral Hornblower.

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BARD INFLUENCE Shakespeare returns to Stamford’s Tolethorpe.

FOOD & DRINK 76

RECIPES & WINE The joy of summer.

wardrobe and Christian Dior’s legacy.

142 MISCELLANY Facts & trivia for June.

147 HIGH LIFE Fundraising for Anna’s

152 MOTORING Porsche’s 911 drop top.

Hope and a 911 launch for Porsche.

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THE WEALTHIEST PEOPLE IN THE AREA READ PRIDE MAGAZINE

99 READ

FREE ONLINE

Pride Magazine is delivered free of charge, via Royal Mail, to high value homes in the county.

Our circulation is to properties in the top three council tax bands - homes which are predominantly worth over ÂŁ300,000. This guarantees the magazine has an affluent readership commensurate with our content. In addition the magazine is also sold in supermarkets and newsagents including Waitrose, Marks & Spencer, WHSmith Tesco, Asda, Co-Op and Morrisons.

Our in-house distribution team also works hard to hand-deliver the magazine to selected hotels and restaurants, doctors, dentists, executive motor dealerships and golf clubs.

This helps to ensure we have a continued presence, right across our catchment area.

Our magazines also have more social media fans than any other local magazine, and we are available to read free of charge, online on your tablet, computer, laptop or mobile phone via our website and via the Readly and Issuu platforms.

If your business would benefit from being showcased to the wealthiest people in the area, please call our friendly sales team on 01529 469977.

THE LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE FOR HIGH QUALITY HOMES

In print, and to view on your computer, tablet or mobile device from www.pridemagazines.co.uk

LEGAL DISCLAIMER

By supplying editorial or advertising copy to Pride you accept in full the terms and conditions which can be found online at www.pridemagazines.co.uk.

In the event of an advert or editorial being published incorrectly, where Pride Magazines Ltd admits fault, we will include an advert of equivalent size, or equivalent sized editorial, free of charge to be used in a future edition, at our discretion.

This gesture is accepted as full compensation for the error(s) with no refunds available.

Selected images in our content may be sourced from www.shutterstock.com.

THE PRIDE TEAM

Managing Director: Julian Wilkinson.

Production Director: Ian Bagley.

Sales Director: Zoie Wilkinson.

Sales Manager: Charlotte Aiken.

Executive Editor: Rob Davis.

Editor: Tilly Wilkinson.

Customer Care Manager: Mandy Bray.

Distribution: Joe Proctor.

Office Managers: Sue Bannister and Melissa Trestrail.

Aftersales Manager: Carissa Smith.

Sales Executives: Cassy Ayton and Emily Brown.

Pride Magazines Ltd., Elm Grange Studios, East Heckington, Boston, Lincs PE20 3QF

Tel: 01529 469977 Fax: 01529 469978

www.pridemagazines.co.uk | enquiries@pridemagazines.co.uk

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NEWS & EVENTS

Lineup announced for film festival

TICKETS ON SALE FOR NEXT MONTH’S BURGHLEY OUTDOOR CINEMA EVENT STAMFORD Here we go again... not just with another Burghley Film Festival, but for another Abba film, too. Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again is one of the flagship films on show this year in the parkland of the stately home, along with Mission Impossible: Fallout, Queen biopic Bohemian Rhapsody, and musical The Greatest Showman.

Mary Poppins Returns is a remake of the Disney tale, whilst Burghley House itself makes a cameo in Pride & Prejudice.

For children Shrek 2, Peter Rabbit and Incredibles 2 plus The Jungle Book and SpiderMan will all provide lots of entertainment during the festival, which runs from 24th - 28th July 2019.

Alongside five days and nights of fabulous films the film festival will also include food with American classics

Photo: Lee Hellwing.

served from our airstream trailer. Gates open for morning sessions at 10.30am and close at 4.30pm. Gates open for the evening session at 5.30pm. Films will be shown

Welcome back! Osprey Maya returns from holiday RUTLAND’S SUPERSTAR OSPREY MAYA HAS RETURNED FROM HER WINTER BREAK WITH HER PARTNER ‘33’...

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on a state of the art 40m2 screen, with Pimm’s, cocktails and soft drinks also available.

Bring a picnic blanket, pop up chairs and a picnic or your own snacks.

n Films shown in the parkland of Burghley House, for a full roundup of film on offer, a timetable of screenings and to purchase tickets in advance, call 01780 752451. or see www.burghley.co.uk.

RUTLAND Did you have a nice time? “Oh yes... and the weather was lovely!”

And where did you go?

“West Africa. For the winter.”

Rutland’s superstar osprey Maya has returned from her winter break with her partner ‘33.’ Maya was the first of Rutland’s ospreys to land, which means osprey cruises on the Rutland Belle can take place this summer for those hoping to catch a glimpse of the birds, relocated from Scotland in the 1990s.

“They’re coming in thick and fast!” says the Marie Dipple, reserve manager.

“We expect around nine pairs with a few others giving us around 20 birds. yes, we have a few new ones and their numbers are increasing.”

“Maya and her partner are showing signs of fondness still; seen copulating early this morning, and then spending the day fishing for perch and trout, and building a very luxurious nest cup for their eggs.

33 and Maya have been fishing equally, bringing back sticks and twigs for the nest, as well as soft material to line the inside of the nest.” n www.ospreys.org.uk.

New High Sheriff

MARGARET NAMED FOR SHRIEVAL ROLE...

RUTLAND Margaret Miles has been announced as Rutland’s High Sheriff for 2019/2020.

“I’m very much looking forward to visiting, learning about and encouraging many of these amazing organisations,” says Margaret.

“Any funds raised during my shrieval year will be collected in the High Sheriff of Rutland Fund, managed by the Leicestershire and Rutland Community Foundation.”

The High Sheriff is appointed

by Her Majesty the Queen to represent her in the County of Rutland in matters relating to law and order. In practice, this means supporting the police, judges, magistrates, coroners, prison and probation services, the armed forces, emergency services and the wide range of other public and voluntary sector and community services that contribute towards making sure that Rutland is a safe, healthy, vibrant and caring. n

Helen launches homeware LOCAL DESIGNER CHANNELS HER LOVE OF NATURE TO CREATE A BEAUTIFUL RANGE OF HOMEWARE...

Archbishop pays a visit to Peterborough Cathedral

PETERBOROUGH The Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Revd Justin Welby, visited Peterborough Cathedral, Rutland’s ‘mother church’ last month as part of a tour of Peterborough, Leicestershire and Northamptonshire churches and community projects. n

STAMFORD Stamford born and bred illustrator Helen Cox is growing her business at trade exhibition for exclusively British made products. Trading as Orange Pippin, Helen has released a brand-new product range recently at the British Craft and Trade Fair in Harrogate, in which nothing is wrapped or provided in plastic.

Feature items include tea towels, aprons, mugs and tableware which all have a recurring theme of the natural world but there is also a distinctly British theme too. We love Helen’s Bumblebees of Britain and British Garden Birds collections! n See www.orange-pippin.co.uk.

RUTLAND RESIDENT Genevieve Margrett has succeeded in attracting £1,100,000 in pledges for a dedicated cinema in Oakham which would be known as the Rutland Kino. Her plans, though, have suffered a setback with news that plans to purchase the town’s Baptist Church building won’t come to fruition. With funds promised, all that’s needed is a building. If you can help, see www.rutlandkino.co.uk n

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LOCAL

NEWS RUTLAND

RUTLAND VILLAGE GAINS ITS FIRST EVER BROWNIE PACK Local girls in Barleythorpe are now able to promise to do their best to help other people and to be true to themselves thanks to the fact that Barleythorpe has gained its first ever brownie pack.

Having been meeting at Voluntary Action Rutland since March, 12 girls and two adult leaders made their official Brownie promises at Oakham Castle, including Nichola Resoli who set up the group, for girls aged seven to 10, to enjoy a world of new opportunities, challenges and above all, fun! n

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NEWS & EVENTS

Tea for Pets to benefit local charity

HOLD YOUR OWN TEA PARTY TO RAISE MONEY FOR PETS IN NEED IN JUNE...

PETERBOROUGH This June Wood Green, The Animals Charity is encouraging pet lovers to use their passion for baking and raise money for Wood Green rescue pets.

“Too many pets have a terrible start in life. All too often, they are treated badly or even abandoned,” says the charity’s Nicole Perez. “And when vulnerable, homeless animals need help the most; when life hangs in the balance, Wood Green, The Animals Charity dedicated team of vets, nurses and pet carers work relentlessly to deliver essential treatment whatever the hour, whatever it takes.”

“Without kind donations from passionate people like you, Wood Green simply would not be there day by day, week by week, with the critical care that animals need until they find a loving home. If you love baking or just love

LOCAL NEWS In Brief

COOL FOR CATS BUT SCARY FOR LOCALS... LOOK OUT FOR THE STAMFORD PANTHER!

Here kitty kitty... if you see a large black cat, probably best not to feed it. It could be our elusive local panther, often seen lurking around Stamford & Rutland. Local man Craig Smith was driving through the area when he spotted the beast last month at Fineshade Woods. n

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cakes and have a little time to spare, you can hold your own tea party and raise funds that will make a difference to the lives of pets in the care of Wood Green.”

Get your hands on their Big Green Tea Party pack and start planning! Choose the date, make invitations for your friends and family, spread the word!”

2019 Great Eastern Run

FUNDRAISING ENTRIES ARE NOW BEING INVITED FOR THE PERKINS GREAT EASTERN RUN IN PETERBOROUGH...

n Wood Green is based at Godmanchester. To request your own Big Green Tea Party pack visit www.woodgreen.org.uk/fundraise or contact the team on 0300 303 933.

PETERBOROUGH Lace up your running shoes and put a date in your diary; 13th October 2019, form 10.30am!

The Perkins Great Eastern Run will return this year as part of Peterborough’s City of Festivals programme. Perkins teamed up with Peterborough City Council back in 2006 to bring the Great Eastern Run back to Peterborough and since then, support for the half marathon, the wheelchair race and the 5km fun run has grown and grown. Last year, more than 5,000 people took part! n Registration is now open at www.perkinsgreateasternrun.co.uk, or call 03301 593878

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Lower BitchfieLd, LincoLnshire £1,350,000

Built c1870 The Old Rectory is an imposing stone built house set in a private tucked away location at the end of a no through road in the attractive village of Lower Bitchfield. The property still retains much of its period character & charm and offers ample space and opportunity. The current owners have occupied the property for the last 23 years and have sympathetically refurbished throughout to create a welcoming home whose traditional interior combines high ceilings, grand entertaining spaces, original features with 21st century luxuries such as a bespoke kitchen and modern bathrooms.

The property further benefits from a self-contained 1 bedroom annex, indoor swimming pool and 4.2 acres of grounds and paddocks.

tel: +44(0)1780 750200 12

email: stamford@fineandcounty.com

tel: +44( 0)1572 335145 email: rutland@fineandcounty.com

fineandcountry.com

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swanhiLL, wansford £925,000

225 offices across Great Britain Plus 75 offices globally

Cob House has a pleasantly secluded and private aspect tucked away behind wellestablished trees and borders. Built ten years ago using local stone which is distinctive to the area, it has been finished to a high standard with features such as double-glazed timber windows, oak doors throughout, under-floor heating on the ground floor and air conditioning throughout the first floor. Internally the house is immaculately presented and filled with natural light; patio doors lead from all the main living areas out to the pretty garden at the back. With plenty of well-appointed bedrooms along with its mix of formal reception rooms and more relaxed living space, the house makes a practical and stylish home in an excellent location.

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Guide Price £800,000

Guide Price £675,000

Lincoln House, Lyddington

Sundial House, Wing

A handsome five-bedroom Grade II listed village home, sitting in a commanding position on the green in the middle of this very sought-after village.

A 17th century, Grade II listed, four-bedroom cottage with spacious and flexible accommodation, positioned on the edge of this Rutland village with far reaching countryside views.

Offers In Excess Of £475,000

Offers In Excess Of £475,000

Jubilee House, John O’Gaunt

Hilborough House, Whissendine

A handsome, double-fronted, four-bedroom red brick Victorian home with light-filled and generous accommodation offering far reaching country views.

A Grade II listed four-bedroom cottage offering deceptively spacious accommodation over three floors, with pretty cottage gardens, a double garage and ample off-street parking.

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facebook.com/struttandparker twitter.com/struttandparker

struttandparker.com

2 The Coach House, Burley on the Hill, Rutland

A lovely first floor apartment in part of a Palladian Mansion providing stunning views and ease of living

ENTRANCE HALL SITTING/DINING ROOM KITCHEN 2 BEDROOMS FAMILY BATHROOM

Michelle Gooden 01858 433 123 Michelle.Gooden@struttandparker.com

GARAGE RIGHTS OVER 67 ACRES OF GROUNDS PARKLAND AND WOODLAND

OIEO £325,000

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NOAIN CH

W E N

RUTLAND WATER VILLAGE

Guide Price £1.20 million

DiScREET LiSTinG: A fine country House with Guest Accommodation and Equestrian Facilities set within approximately 3.2 acres of Grassland, close to south shores of Rutland Water. Energy Rating: E. Please contact Murray's for further details.

ASHWELL, RUTLAND

£795,000

A beautiful Grade ii listed detached country House offering extensive family accommodation with a wealth of character throughout and set within very private, glorious gardens and grounds of approx. 1.0 acre in the centre of this desirable village. 3 Rec. Rooms, Farmhouse Kitchen, 5 Bedrooms, 2 Bath/Shower Rooms; Dbl Garage, parking. EPc Exempt.

W E N

GREETHAM, RUTLAND

£567,000

A unique opportunity has arisen to acquire a substantial character property comprising a semi-detached 3-bedroom stone cottage with a single-storey barn conversion providing self-contained 1-bedroom accommodation, set on a good sized corner plot in a highly regarded Rutland village. Energy Rating: corner cottage E, Toll cottage c.

NOAIN CH

BARROWDEN, RUTLAND

WHISSENDINE

£565,000

A charming substantial detached character property with a detached Annexe, lovely gardens and outbuildings set in the heart of a sought-after village. The property offers spacious, well-proportioned family accommodation which requires a degree of modernisation and refurbishment. 3 Reception Rooms, Kitchen/Diner, Utility, 5 Bedrooms, 4 Bath-/Shower Rooms; dbl Garage, ample parking. Energy Rating: E.

W E N

£525,000

immaculately presented, spacious detached family home situated within exclusive, small development on the outskirts of a desirable Rutland village. The property was constructed in 2007-2008 and features an array of quality fixtures and fittings throughout. Sitting Room, open-plan Living Kitchen/Diner, clkrm, 3 dbl Bedrooms, En-suite, Bathroom; Garage, lovely gardens. Energy Rating: c.

MARKET OVERTON, RUTLAND

£500,000

A substantial detached family home set a good sized plot with dbl Garage, ample parking and lovely wrap-around Gardens within a popular Rutland village. The property offers well proportioned and tastefully appointed accommodation with 2 Reception Rooms, conservatory, shaker-style Kitchen, Utility, clkrm, 5 Bedrooms, Master En-suite and Family Bathroom. Energy Rating: D.

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Bespoke Property. Bespoke Advice.

A substantial unlisted family home with glorious west facing orchard gardens and ample parking in approximately 0.54acres (sts).

• 1920’s Architect Designed Home • Family Bathroom & Separate Shower Room • Spacious Reception Hallway • Study / Bedroom 5 • Drawing Room & Dining Room • Private driveway with Garage • Breakfast Kitchen with Sun Room • Large Gardens & Orchard • Principal Bedroom & 3 Further Dbl Beds • No onward chain

WANSFORD – GUIDE PRICE £950,000

A modern stone built 5 bedroom family home on the edge of Yarwell village within striking distance of Peterborough Stamford and Oundle.

• Principal Bedroom/Dressing room/En suite • Entrance & Reception Hall with Cloakroom • Drawing Room & Dining Room • Four Further Double Bedrooms, • Family Sitting Room & Sun/Garden Room one with En-Suite • Kitchen/Breakfast Room • Private South-Facing Garden • Separate Utility • Integral Double Garage

YARWELL – GUIDE PRICE £795,000

A substantial, individually designed 4 double bedroom family home enjoying an edge of village location with a large garden and extensive countryside views.

• 3 further Dbl Beds 1 with En suite • Drawing room with vaulted ceiling • Large Double Garage with Extensive • Breakfast Kitchen & Separate Dining Room • Study & Separate Family room storage space suitable for conversion • Laundry room • Rear Garden with Balcony overlooking • Principal Bedroom/Dressing room/En suite • Expansive Countryside Vistas

RIPPINGALE – GUIDE PRICE £650,000

A 5 Bedroom Contemporary Family Residence Situated in this highly desirable Rutland Village on the shores of Rutland Water and equi distant between Stamford & Oakham.

• Expansive Reception Hall • Detached Double Garage • Drawing Room with Access to Garden • Studio Annex Accommodation • Large Kitchen/Breakfast Room with Pantry • Principal Bedroom/Dressing room/En suite • Four Further Bedrooms, One with En-Suite • Separate Utility Room • Gardens with Balcony Overlooking • Dining Room with Access to Garden

EMPINGHAM - £1,050,000

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With an increasing number of buyers from London and the South looking to relocate to our area and commute back and forth to London, the opening of a second train station office at Peterborough Station earlier this year was a natural follow on to Moores Country & Commuting’s Grantham Train Station office, explains Managing Director, Vernon Moore...

The PeTerborough oFFice for Moores country & commuting is on the London platform of Peterborough station, next to Waitrose, with less than half a dozen paces for commuters stepping from the London train. Their grantham office is similarly on the London Platform.

“With the increase in flexible working practices, the request for homes within easy access of grantham and Peterborough Train Stations has increased significantly; coupled with the good value for money our area offers and the excellent schooling, out of area buyers are drawn to homes along the A1 corridor and by extension, the main London train line,” explains Vernon. exclusive to Moores is their Meet & greet Service where they meet relocating buyers from either train station to take them around properties on their books.

“each visiting buyer is shown any number of properties which fit their requirements and it’s amazing what you can learn about their requirements whilst sat in the car with them for a few hours!” adds Vernon.

The firm’s Meet & greet Service is supported by its Spring & Summer Property road Shows.

This is where Moores takes its properties to buyers, visiting its partner agents to meet their vendors who are looking to move to our area.

These partners have branches in greater London, hertfordshire, buckinghamshire, bedfordshire etc., and are selling for exactly the Vendors that are looking to move to our area. To have your property included in a road Show, all Moores need is a front photograph and floor plan; a contract to fully market isn’t always necessary to tempt these buyers to view! n

For a further insight in to our Meet & Greet Service, please call Peterborough 01733 788888 or Grantham 01476 855618.

We also have offices in Oakham 01572 757979, Stamford 01780 484555, Uppingham 01572 757979 & Melton Mowbray 01664 491610.

For more information visit: www.mooresestateagents.com

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PROPERTY FINDERS

NOTHING FOR SALE? The Rutland and Stamford property market is frustratingly short of stock so smart homebuyers are turning to experts for help.

Rutland Pride recently spoke to Kate Vincent from Garrington Property Finders to understand how they can help you.

Why are people using property finders in the current market?

One of the most noticeable effects of the recent political upheaval on the housing market is that many potential sellers have decided ‘sit-tight’ and ride out the uncertainty rather than putting their home on the market. As a result, homebuyers looking for something special in Rutland and Stamford have soon discovered that there are not enough impressive properties to go around. This shortage of stock coupled with bullish vendors and a seemingly continuous arrival of new buyers means that the housing market around Rutland and Stamford is a difficult place in which to transact. One solution to this problem is engage the assistance of a local property finder to give them a competitive edge and help buyers secure their dream home.

Can you provide us with some examples of why your clients require your assistance?

Clients that seek us out may have been searching unsuccessfully themselves for several months whilst for others, it’s a shortage of time or specialist knowledge that is a key factor.

Often, those from outside the area make use of my local knowledge when looking to relocate and some want assistance negotiating in a

market that is currently both price sensitive and cautious. There are also those who may be downsizing and do not feel confident about entering the housing market after many years in the same house.

What can you do for your clients that average buyers can’t achieve for themselves?

I have a huge network of contacts and can achieve unique levels of access to otherwise unavailable properties. We also offer the comfort of thorough due diligence and detailed market knowledge to ensure our clients have the opportunity to buy the right house in the right price – a tough ask in this difficult market.

Do you have an example of any clients you have helped recently?

I was recently asked by a client who had already found a property to handle the complex negotiations on their behalf. Not only did this involve restructuring the vendor’s expectations of the property’s true value but also required negotiations about including additional buildings and land in the deal. I have also worked with a family from London looking to relocate to the area. They had been searching for a suitable property for nine months before asking Garrington for help. I am pleased to say that we were able to find an exciting gem and had an offer accepted within weeks of starting the search.

Kate Vincent Garrington

What do you like most about being a property finder?

Can I say it all? Seriously though, I am fascinated by property so keeping tabs on what is available in Rutland and Stamford and viewing those with the most potential is very enjoyable. I also like working with my clients who are often, quite naturally, emotional about buying their next property. It is very satisfying to be able to provide calm support when things get difficult and to provide solutions when the inevitable problems arise.

Can you offer any advice to people who are looking to move to the area?

Be clear about your priorities, thorough in your research and realistic in your ambitions.

Property prices in Rutland are noticeably higher than in the east of Stamford so whilst the former offers many charms, buying in other areas around the town can deliver a lot more square footage and land for your money.

Garrington work for private and/or corporate clients who want to buy, rent or invest in property throughout the UK. They also provide a negotiation only and oversee of sales service. Contact Kate Vincent on 01780 408377 to discuss your requirements and arrange a commitment free initial meeting.

Alternatively, email info@garrington.co.uk or visit www.garringtoneastmidlands.co.uk

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Truly Independent Financial Planning • Efficient Portfolio’s Charlie Reading • Author of The Dream Retirement

Could Retirement Be Bad for You? When you look ahead to your retirement, are you excited and full of hope, or does the prospect of stopping work fill you with dread? Having the time to pursue your passions may sound like the ultimate idyll, but could the reality be damaging for your wealth and wellbeing?

I

N 2011, THE ECONOMIST Josef Zweimuller, co-authored a study that found that early retirement, as much as we may crave it, seems to be bad for our health. e study showed that for every extra year of early retirement, workers lost about two months of their life expectancy.

care of yourself by managing your time, health and relationships. e book gives you innovative solutions, so you can turn your new life into a fantastic, fruitful and fulfilling existence. It’ll show you how to design the retirement of your dreams packed full of activities that stimulate your body and mind, whilst ensuring you have the health to do so. It’ll show you what to do NOW for an amazing THEN!

Sadly, this is not the first study to show a strong relationship between early retirement and earlier death. e facts point to one conclusion: It seems we aren’t actually very good at retirement. e truth is that retirement is a hugely painful and emotional stage in life. You spend your whole life earning money, and now you need to turn off that tap and live off what you have accumulated for the rest of your years. Will you run out, or will you die the richest person in the graveyard? And that’s just the money; retirement is about so much more than the money, but that gets forgotten. Will you be living out a boring, broke and brief retirement because you don’t have the health or the balance of activities to facilitate something better?

As a truly independent Chartered Financial Planning business, we know the secrets to a successful retirement from a financial perspective and have helped many individuals achieve this. Our mission is to deliver the best financial planning possible to our clients, but there are only so many people we can see, and the financial side of retirement is merely the tip of the iceberg.

With many of us spending in excess of 25 years in retirement, it should be a time of happiness, new adventures and enjoying the fruits of our labour. As a company, we want to help many more people create the retirement of their dreams. is isn’t just about the money, we want to show them how to

And best of all, you can have a copy for free!

Simply visit our website, www.efficientportfolio.co.uk, and click on ‘Get My Copy’ on the home page. You will then be sent a downloadable version of ‘e Dream Retirement’ to enjoy at your leisure.

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Will you be living out a boring, broke and brief retirement because you don’t have the health or the balance of activities to facilitate something better?

n I hope the book becomes a valuable resource for your future, but if there is anything else that Efficient Portfolio can help with, please do not hesitate in contacting us on 01572 898060 or by emailing hello@efficientportfolio.co.uk.

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design a rewarding and fulfilling Life 2.0, the new version of their life, and to create the health and wellbeing to allow them to enjoy it.

So, to help with this, I wrote ‘e Dream Retirement: How to Secure Your Wealth and Retire Happy’, which was published in 2015. ‘e Dream Retirement’ shares secrets on how you can have a fulfilling life after retirement. It has valuable information on what you can do in ensuring how you can maximise your funds without taking unnecessary risks and how you can take

Charlie Reading created Efficient Portfolio to offer entirely independent financial advice and helping people clarify and realise their dreams and goals through financial planning.

Call 01572 898060, see www.efficientportfolio.co.uk or visit Portfolian House, 30 Melton Road, Oakham, Rutland, LE15 6AY

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HIGHLIGHTS

GRIND THE DAILY

Rich roasts, dark brooding aromas of arabica and perhaps a richly aerated froth as a creamy crown. is month David Corfield trades work for the daily grind, as he explores Rutland & Stamford’s café culture and sets out on a quest to find the perfect coffee...

Words & Images: David Corfield, Features Editor.

Our love of a quick coffee or a reviving pot of tea has become a national obsession, fuelled by a steady influx of new flavours, techniques and – of course – cafés. is ‘café culture’ is nothing new, of course, but in our area over the last five years there has been an explosion of places to go to indulge in our love of a warming beverage.

It’s not just teas and coffees we like, either. We are a nation of cake lovers, too! And as for the infamous chocolate brownie; well, it’s got so much to answer for. at glorious sugar rush as you first bite, breaking the crisp surface and savouring the delicious moist chocolatiness within… “I couldn’t possibly have another bite…” you say, as your eyes devour every crumb. What a guilty pleasure!

independent coffee shops in the area, looking for the best breakfast, brownie, muffin, tea and coffee combinations.

I’ve undone my belt a notch and suggest you do the same…

Rutland may be the smallest county in England, but it’s certainly not short of fabulous independent coffee shops. From delightful cafés on the streets of Oakham and Uppingham to special little hotspots nestling deep in the countryside, there is a perfect pot of tea or coffee for every occasion.

Above: Pride contributor David Corfield this month explores the café culture of Rutland and Stamford.

As your guide to all things great in Stamford and Rutland I welcome you on a calorific and caffeine-fuelled journey where, over the next eight pages, I profile four of my favourite (and finest)

Stamford has also blazed its own rather spectacular trail of independent coffee shops with an almost daily addition of somewhere new to go.

From cafés in the front rooms of old beautiful houses to funky street-side businesses full of vivacity and character, you’re never short of a brew in one of the most beautiful Georgian towns in England.

Later in this feature I’ll present two fine Stamford establishments! >>

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BEST FOR: Healthy Eating around Rutland & Stamford...

SCANDIMANIA

10B High St E, Uppingham, Oakham LE15 9PZ Tel: 07951 345807.

Swedish-born Julia Falk and her partner Josh Thirlwell are juggling a young family and a young business with gusto, relishing the inevitable multitasking such busy lives demand and yet savouring the challenges of running a business and living the highs and lows with a broad smile.

“We’ve been going just over two years now,” she tells me. “I did a degree in nutrition and health education and always wanted to run my own business.”

Above: Julia Falk runs Scandimania with her partner Josh Thirlwell.

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Right: Scandimania café’s food remains healthy, thanks to Julia’s degree in nutrition.

“When I moved to Uppingham I felt like the town was lacking something like this, so it was a bit of a calculated risk but it’s working for us.”

“People really appreciate the healthy eating options and our vegan cakes and freshly squeezed juices - certainly our open sandwiches like salmon and chowder or avocado on sourdough toast, which reflects a Swedish style.”

There’s no doubt this is a popular little coffee shop, and on the day of my visit it was full of locals enjoying chatting and savouring a uniquely Swedish style of cuisine, in the heart of Rutland.

We highly recommend the vegan almond, raspberry and plum cake. It’s absolutely mouth-watering and is made by Julia’s friend and local supplier Romy Letteri. >>

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BEST FOR: Loving Local Ingredients...

THE LARDER

Mill St, Oakham LE15 6EA Telephone: 01572 770732

Joint owners of The Larder in Oakham, Iain Stares and Alyson Kyle, are passionate about local food, going out of their way to support local suppliers.

Frothys, great for cakes and hot chocolate!

A look inside their smart, well laid out café throws up numerous clues to their devotion to the area.

A big poster on the wall gives names and distances of trusted associates: bread from Hambleton Bakery five miles down the road, meat from Leeson the butchers in the High Street, eggs from Northfield Farm a couple of minutes away… the list goes on.

“This area is the rural capital of food and Oakham puts up a bit of a fight against loads of big names coming into the area and it’s fantastic to have a community that really loves the independents. I was a business analyst in a previous life and Alyson was a tax accountant; we had both become disillusioned with the city grind so left the nine to five to go and work in ski resorts which is where we started cooking.”

“I retrained to become a chef about six years ago and we worked as freelance private caterers for the lodges in Scotland, then came back and set up this place. So, I’m in charge of the kitchen here and do all the savoury side of

Top: Breakfast brioche bun which features sausages, bacon, black pudding, egg, rocket and a special chilli jam.

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things plus some of the service while Alyson does all the baking and service.”

“We open Sundays here for brunch. And we try to do different things and mix the menu up a bit at weekends. Going forward as we get into the summer we want to offer a more summer-themed menu with nice salads and cold foods.”

“Obviously, that’s not at the expense of our regular specialities such as the breakfast brioche bun which features sausages, bacon, black pudding, egg, rocket and a special chilli jam. We are also really pleased to have such a great relationship with Two Chimps coffee which is roasted a few miles from here on the Ashwell Road, so we get it beautifully fresh and you can really taste the difference.

We order on the Monday; they roast it on Tuesday, and deliver it on a Wednesday.

You can’t get better service than that!” >>

Louise and Richard Wright.

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FULL of bEAnS Five interesting facts about coffee

1. In the UK we consume over 70,000,000 cups of coffee a day. 80% of people in the UK visit a coffee shop at least once a week.

BEST FOR: Great Cakes & Hot Chocolate...

FROTHYS

3. Coffee beans need to be roasted to turn them from green ‘cherries’ to brown beans.

This is a process which relies on an exothermic reaction with an audible ‘crack’ of the beans which typically occurs at 196°c.

Ironmonger St, Stamford, PE9 1PL Telephone: 01780 751110

Now into its 12th year, Frothys has earned itself an enviable reputation for fantastic service and diet-busting cakes, hot chocolates and coffees that many competing businesses seek to emulate. But competition is good, say Louise and Richard Wright.

“There’s one popping up every year, or so it seems,” jokes Louise, “I hear that Starbucks might be coming to Stamford, too!”

While some might regard the arrival of multinational coffee houses as a huge threat, Louise rolls up her sleeves and just gets on with what she does best: welcoming customers with a smile and making them feel like they’re her best friends.

2. The ideal conditions for brewing coffee are to use 200ml water heated to 93°c left to brew for four minutes and stirred four times. The flavour of coffee is determined by the presence of chlorogenic acids - the ester of caffeine acid and quinic acid functioning as an intermediary in lignin biosynthesis...!

“Competition is really good, but when you get really saturated it starts to become a problem.

I think we are reaching that point in Stamford.

People choose to come here for character and personality and they know that all our ingredients are from local businesses and it tastes better. We have three or four ladies that make our cakes and our courgette cake made

by Sharon just flies off the shelf !” >>

Left: Louise and Richard Wright. of Frothys. People choose to come here for character and personality and they know that all our ingredients are from local businesses and it tastes better. “Our courgette cake made by Sharon just flies off the shelf!”

4. The best way to ensure great coffee at home is to use a special coffee kettle like a Buena Vita (£130) which reaches 93°c and has a gooseneck spout.

5. Ethiopian and Kenyan coffees are higher grown and tend to provide fruitier coffees with chocolate and berry flavours.

Lower altitude coffees such as Costa Rican and Mexican coffees have earthiness and nuttiness in their flavour profiles.

Most coffee is grown between the tropics of Cancer and Capricorn in the equatorial belt at heights of between 1,000m and 2,000m. n

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It’S JUSt my CUp OF tEA...

BEST FOR: Breakfast & Outstanding Coffee...

Five interesting facts about tea...

1. The health benefits of tea have long been celebrated among those on the continent of Asia think of Japanese tea ceremonies, for example. Modern science has identified a substance called polyphenols as responsible at least in part for the health benefits of tea. These are antioxidants which help to guard against heart disease, cancers and diabetes among other conditions.

2. To make just half a kilogram of tea, you’ll need to pick 2,000 tiny leaves. Tea is usually grown on countries with high elevations such as China, Kenya, Sri Lanka and India. There are 1,500 varieties of tea plant - otherwise known as camellia sinensis.

3. In the UK we consume over 165,000,000 cups of tea each day, 60,200,000,000 a year worldwide, and it’s the second most popular drink in the world, after water.

4. There’s an unofficial encyclopaedia of tea compiled by author Will Battle. It’s a 400-page book, compiled by the former buyer of tea for Tetley and Dowe Egberts.

5. Unlike coffee which should be made with water at about 93°c, tea should be made with water just off the boil and brewed for between three and five minutes.

Milk should be added last if you’re using bagged tea as the fat globules prevent water flowing through the perforations. n

STAMFORD LODGE CAFÉ 66 Scotgate, Stamford, PE9 2YB Telephone: 01780 482932

Now here’s something a little different.

But different in a wonderful quirky and vibrant way that Stamford tends to do so well.

A beautiful quirky café in a someone’s front room? Welcome to Stamford Lodge Café!

It’s owned by Gemma Larke and run by herself and business partner Tracy Gordon.

Gemma is a lady of many talents (including acting) and Tracy is a cake maker par excellence.

Together they make a great team and in

Full English? Yes please! Below: Gemma and Tracy.

Gemma’s lovely Georgian terraced home that doubles up as a charming and very special bed and breakfast, the Stamford Lodge Café has become the place to visit after its launch earlier in the year.

Gemma’s business partner Tracy continues: “We will change the menu seasonally and everything is based around our cakes and home baking. Our sole remit is good quality food and exceptional coffee.”

“Coffee is the big thing really, and we are lucky to be supported by the Monmouth Coffee who supply our beans and even gave us training on our coffee machine to make the perfect leaf ! Though there are just the two of us running it at the moment we are making it work.”

“We will open the garden up in the summer and then maybe we might take on another staff member.”

“But for the time being, we are laughing and loving making this a happy and welcoming place for our lovely customers!” n “It’s such a personal thing, isn’t it, finding a coffee shop or café that you feel really at home in.

One thing I’ve noticed from living here in Stamford, is that we are slowly turning our back on the big chains and seeking instead to support our much-loved local businesses.

The #ShopStamford campaign, started by local businesswomen Sarah Sewell from clothing store ‘Energy’ in Ironmonger Street, has galvanised many people to abandon their corporate loyalty cards and instead give a helping hand to businesses brave enough to give the locals what they want. And what they want is a smiling face and great service from local people.

And I’m all for that. Now, more tea anyone?” n

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RECIPE FOR PERFECT HOMEMADE BROWNIE Preparation Time: 15 minutes.

Cooking Time: 30 minutes.

Ingredients: 1/2 cup of melted, salted butter 1 cup of granulated sugar • 2 large eggs • 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract • 1/2 cup of melted milk chocolate chips 3/ cup of plain flour • 1/ cup of unsweetened cocoa powder 4 4 1/ teaspoon of salt • 1 cup of milk chocolate chips 2

Preheat oven to 175 °c. Line a metal 22cm square pan with greaseproof paper.

Pour melted butter into a large mixing bowl.

Whisk in sugar by hand until smooth for around 30 seconds. Add in eggs and vanilla extract then whisk for a further minute.

Whisk in melted chocolate until combined and smooth then use a rubber spatula to stir in flour, cocoa powder, and salt until all combined.

Stir in whole chocolate chips and pour the mix into a prepared pan and smooth out.

Bake in a preheated oven for 30 minutes.

Let cool in pan 30 minutes before slicing. n

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Above: Uppingham from over Tod’s Piece. Uppingham School is seen centre, Bottom right is Tod’s Piece, Eye Brook Reservoir is on the horizon.

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UPPINGHAM MY TOWN >

MIKE GOLDMARK BY

FOUNDER AND MANAGING DIRECTOR, OF THE TOWN’S GOLDMARK GALLERY How long have you been in Uppingham?

I’ve been in Uppingham since 1972. I needed to move somewhere with my young family, and I had a dear friend here so thought this would be a good place to be. I had a second-hand bookshop in the early days, which soon became quite popular. Offering free cups of coffee meant that I soon found I had lots of friends who would drop in for a chat. From quite early on I also sold prints. Over the years the business grew, gradually morphing into what it is now. For better or for worse, I still work seven days a week, spending more time here than I do in my own home, so in a somewhat self-indulgent way I surround myself with things that I like.

Tell us about your career...

I’ve always considered myself a shopkeeper. I left school at 18, with virtually no qualifications, and worked for short periods of time, first with Sainsbury’s and then with Marks & Spencer, learning how retail is meant to work. I have to tell you that I now ignore most of that and tend to do things very much in my own way.

Back in the Swinging Sixties - yes, I’m getting on in years now - I was the General Manager at a small public company in London, selling fashion menswear, before starting a fashion tie business. I think I might have inadvertently invented floral ties.

All that changed during the three-day week and I lost everything that I had. That was when I relocated to Uppingham and I have been here ever since.

Things were not easy in Uppingham during the early 1980s; the town had been by-passed and there was not enough trade. At that time, I had to resort to living in the roof of my bookshop in Orange Street.

Above: Mike Goldmark’s claim that he’s a simple shopkeeper is rather modest... the gallery owner has been an Uppingham institution since arriving in 1972.

During one sleepless night, I wandered around the town and identified some 12 under-utilised buildings and the next day, visited all the owners and told them if they were ever interested in selling, I would like to buy. I had no money, but it was a time when the banks were still helpful. During the next six years, I bought 11 out of 12 of those buildings, started a small building company, and undertook conversions, adding some 20 more shops, which I let to antique dealers, second-hand book sellers and the like in an effort to revitalise the town’s trade. I built an art gallery in Uppingham. Slowly the books disappeared, to be replaced with sculpture, paintings, and ceramics. >> 37

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Below: Uppingham in Bloom this year celebrates 36 years of brightening up the town of Uppingham for locals.

>> The gallery has grown over the years to the point that we now have a separate print studio and business called Goldmark Atelier where we scan, screen print and create limited edition prints for artists all over the world.

My job is to welcome customers and do what I have always done; be a shopkeeper. I have a fantastic team around me who take care of the many different aspects of this place.

We open major art and ceramic exhibitions on a regular basis, write and publish fine art books, make films, design and produce our own catalogues and put on many, many shows for galleries all over the world with our vast archives. Not bad from a little town in Rutland!

What makes the town unique? What do you miss if you’ve been away?

Uppingham is the centre of the universe. Actually, it really is! If you take a globe and stick a pin in Uppingham and then look carefully you’ll see that I’m right! But seriously, the town is mostly great independent traders and that’s what gives it such a good atmosphere.

UPPINGHAM IN BLOOM This year, Uppingham in Bloom celebrates its 36th birthday.

Founded by three traders who were members of the town’s Chamber of Trade – June Smith of Stocks, Mary Lloyd of Minerva and Maureen Sumner of Clutter – these ladies all wanted to have floral displays at their premises and their vision and passion soon sparked other business owners and members of the town’s various groups and

organisations to follow suit.

As the years have elapses, so Uppingham in Bloom has grown to become an annual riot of colour in the Market Place, High Street, and the periphery supported by the Town Council, the Women’s Institute, the Church and The Scout Association, helping the town to win many awards. n If you’d like to find out more, visit the organisation’s website at www.uppinghaminbloom.co.uk.

A G A L L E RY L I K E N O O T H E R The Goldmark Gallery is much more than just a Gallery. It’s a thriving hub of hard-working creatives who are passionate about art and together work to nurture the talents of artists around the world.

The gallery now holds over 50,000 items of art in stock, with prices from £10-£150,000.

Founded by Mike, who oversees operations as well as creates some stunning films created to showcase the work the gallery displays, he now offers a framing service, print service with stone

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lithography and fine art printing, and music events in its 65-seat auditorium, a music venue known as The Front Room, to clients and appreciative audiences, with jazz music and the off shortnotice big name gigs.

There’s a range of ceramics, too, all curated with love, care and expertise. n

From high end design such as Priddy Essentials and Blue Gryphon to butchers Culpin & Son and the famous Baines bakers, there’s something for everyone. Traders like Wendy Grindley, who runs the Uppingham Antiques Centre or Mark at the Rutland Antiques Centre or the town’s independent coffee shops, make Uppingham a great place to visit.

Who inspires you around Uppingham?

There are some quite extraordinary people who live here. I greatly value the contribution that Robert Wills has continued to make over many decades.

His generosity has always been extraordinary, not only has his manufacturing firm, Arnold Wills, been one of Uppingham’s biggest employers, he has also created The Falcon Hotel, The Vaults and Don Paddy’s, which are great places to entertain and meet friends. Most shopkeepers identify a gap in the market that people want and the independent traders of Uppingham have done that very well.

Less known, but also inspiring, is Don Collins, who 25 years ago became chairman of a local youth brass band, open to all-comers who can blow their instruments. That band has now become the greatest youth brass band in Europe, six times winner of the UK National Championships, twice winner in Europe which is an amazing achievement.

Another Uppinghamian who has inspired me is Christopher Richardson; teacher, designer, artist.

Many years ago, he created the Pleasance Theatre, now a huge part of the Edinburgh Fringe, and then the Pleasance in London.

His generosity towards young people who want to go on the stage has been extraordinary. When he ran the Uppingham Theatre, we were privileged to see talents like the young Rowan Atkinson... Christopher even designed the front door of our gallery.

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M Y

TOW N

>

I’m also constantly inspired by the dedication and talent of my own 30-strong team here at Goldmark. I’m very lucky to work with so many special people.

What’s the area like in summer and where should we visit?

Uppingham in Bloom do great work to make sure the town always looks fresh and I would recommend everyone comes to Uppingham Feast Day on the 16th June. That augments our great pubs and cafes with a wealth of street food and drink and wonderful live music!

Where would you take friends and family to dine or have a drink?

Well this is a hard one to answer as we offer lunch to visitors to Goldmark in a daily basis, so I tend to be here every lunchtime.

However, the Tap Room in the Falcon Hotel is good for lunch, as is Lake Isle. Don Paddy’s is ideal for sitting outside with a glass of wine on a summer evening and I know our PR likes the area’s traditional pubs; The Crown and the recently upgraded Exeter Arms. Both Scandimania and Javawocky are excellent coffee shops and the latter has a very nice courtyard garden for morning coffee in summer.

Which shops and businesses would you recommend to visitors?

I have probably answered this as I think the independent traders of Uppingham make the town what it is. But as well as the above the

U P P I N G H A M

Friday market is a must for fresh vegetables, seeds and a truly excellent cheese van. The Falcon hotel and Lake Isle both offer good rooms in the centre of town and outside of Uppingham we must not forget Hambleton Hall on the peninsula.

What are the best views by day and the best by night?

We are surrounded by the most amazing countryside here in Uppingham. You don’t have to walk far to get a great view of Rutland.

Walk across the Middle and see the town from the Uppingham School playing fields and at night, when it’s Christmas, the lights and the tree in the Market Square are really heart-warming.

What about nature or a quiet place to escape to in the area?

Well I go for long walks through the fields but if one wants a nearby escape for a few minutes then the Arboretum is a good place for a summer stroll.

Would you change anything about Uppingham?

In terms of the character? Absolutely nothing. In terms of logistics... well, I really do think everyone would welcome and benefit from free parking in the main car park! n Goldmark Gallery is based on Orange St, Uppingham, LE15 9SQ. To see what’s going on in the gallery, visit www.goldmarkart.com.

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BARD WHAT’S ON

S H A K E S P E A R E I N S TA M F O R D : C E L E B R AT I N G L I T E R AT U R E ’ S

INFLUENCE

Whether it’s all Greek to you, or you’re more sinned against than sinning... if something is fair play or it’s a case of more fool you, the long and short of it is that Shakespeare remains the father of English and has introduced these and many phrases into common parlance. Celebrate the Bard this season with three stunning performances courtesy of the Stamford Shakespeare Company...

Words: Rob Davis.

ThE joy of consuming Shakespeare is not just the pleasure of intricately woven stories of tragedy, comedy or history, but in recognising the continuing influence that the dramatist still has on our language 400 years after his death. Many of our common phrases - such as ‘alive and kicking’ - have their roots in Shakespeare’s plays, and his work has formed the basis of operas, musicals and stories predicated on his work.

Celebrating the playwright in our area is the Stamford Shakespeare Company and over 34,000 literary fans who enjoy the company’s three plays each year. Last year saw the 1,000,000th ticket sold and the quality of each production ensures that year after year, the company’s success is - to coin another of Shakespeare’s wonderful phrases - a foregone conclusion. “e company was founded in 1968 by RADA graduate jean harley,” says eatre Manager David Fensom. “At that time the company put on its shows in the Monastery Garden at e George of Stamford.”

“When the hotel needed to complete building work on the gardens in 1977, the hotel could no longer accommodate the

company, so it began looking for another place to operate from.”

With just £78 in the bank the company found the near-derelict Tolethorpe hall.

A private loan of £36,000 secured the property and has since been paid back, ensuring the company owns its estate, including the 600-seater amphitheatre.

As we write, the Grade II* Tolethorpe hall is a hive of activity. Planning and preparation for the company’s trio of plays begins a year in advance. Even before 2019’s plays have made their debuts, the following year’s performances have been settled on, cast the previous october and by about April, major creative decisions are made, such as the miseen-scène against which each play will be based. A script is refined and edited to facilitate rehearsals, which will also provide more guidance for the creative teams, too.

As well as a cast of seven to 30 actors, each play has a technical team and around 20-30 people working in and around the hall during a show. ese are overseen by 10 board members to whom the three play directors - responsible for the creative elements and management of their plays - report. >> 43

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S H A K E S P E A R E

I N

S TA M F O R D

“The company has its own wardrobe mistress, Miriam Spring Davies, who works with her costume designers and makers to create up to 200 costumes each year...” >> The company has its own wardrobe mistress, Miriam Spring Davies, who works with her costume designers and makers to create up to 200 costumes each year. If you’re a fan of dressing up as a 1920s flapper or a 1940s spiv, or like me your inclination is towards a skimpy Elizabethan codpiece in plush velvet, you’ll be intrigued by the prospect that the company also has over 1,000 costumes in its storerooms. And they can now be hired out. Mr Benn eat your heart out!

There’s also a very hard-working group of set designers who construct backdrops measuring 30ft x 20ft and weighing up to 2.5 tonnes each. “Once scripts have been confirmed and we’ve cast our actors, set design and production meetings take place in October and November,” says David.

“By Christmas we’re ready for a full read-through and set production will be underway. Many of Shakespeare’s plays are quite bloody, so we also use professional fight coordinators to ensure we can handle foils realistically and safely... we don’t want a tragedy on our hands, even if that’s supposed to be the genre of the play!”

It seems grossly disrespectful to suggest that the actors on the stage of Tolethorpe Hall are amateurs. Though it’s true that they’re not paid, their commitment to their production is unquestionable, and because of the high production values throughout the theatre, the company attracts a very good calibre of acting talent as a way of giving aspiring performers a way into professional theatre.

Tolethorpe is often a way for youngsters to prove their commitment to theatre prior to employment in the arts. Lead actors dedicate around 500 hours to rehearsing and performing for their roles.

Each year sees two Shakespearean plays staged at Tolethorpe, plus a third ‘wildcard’ play. This year’s productions are shipwrecked love triangle, The Twelfth Night, and the tragedy of Julius Caesar.

The company’s wildcard will be the witty supernatural comedy courtesy of old wag Nöel Coward, Blithe Spirit, which sees novelist Charles Condomine accidentally summoning the spirit of his ex-wife and being caught in an expectedly acrimonious pickle between two wives - one dead; one alive!

Shakespeare may have remarked that all the world’s a stage, but few stages are as well presented and directed as those of Tolethorpe Hall.

It’s easy for locals to overlook a regular highlight in Stamford and Rutland’s summer calendar, but to do so would be an affront to the hard work of over 100 volunteers labouring to produce some very special evenings of summer entertainment for all of its patrons. After all, as Shakespeare himself points out in Hamlet, this summer, The Play’s The Thing! n

Above: Tolethorpe Hall is a Grade II* country estate owned by the Stamford Shakespeare Company.

Its 600-seater amphitheatre provides entertainment for over 34,000 patrons each year.

n The Stamford Shakespeare Company will host Twelfth Night in June, July & August, Julius Caesar in June, July & August and Blithe Spirit in July and August. Tickets £11-£19.

To book see www.stamfordshakespeare.co.uk or call Stamford Arts Centre on 01780 763203. Stamford Shakespeare is based at Tolethorpe Hall, Stamford PE9 4BH.

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THE RUTLAND SHOW IN 2019

Family Entertainment at

THE 2019 RUTLAND SHOW It’s created over 150 acres, spanning 13 fields. It attracts around 12,000 visitors plus over 1,000 livestock and equine entries a year.

Costing £120,000 to stage and taking a whole year to organise, The Rutland Show is back for its 187th show and promises more of the entertainment and fun that families love this month...

The 2019 Rutland Show takes all of the most popular elements of last year’s event, then improves those and adds even more besides.

This year’s event will see even more Shire horses - over 50, in fact - making it one of the area’s largest displays of heavy horses, with ridden and dray classes.

Scurry driving makes a welcome return, and new this year in the Main Ring will be the motorcycle display team Broke FMX.

A new Meet the Animals area will allow children to hold and cuddle small animals, whilst the countryside area will feature farriers, tractor pulling and The Wye Valley Axemen’s chainsaw carving skills.

Pedal Power will present a new BMX-versusfreerunner event, and as well as the havea-go dog show and The Sheep Show, both enjoyed in previous years, there will be a new Hog Show and ferret show, as well a donkey rides for children plus giant tortoises.

The Eastern Region of the Highland Cattle have chosen the Rutland Show to display their impressive animals, whilst fans of showjumping will enjoy a special 70th anniversary of the Polly Phillips showjumping team. Another new attraction this year will be a demonstration by Leicestershire Fire & Rescue who will show the public what

happens after a road traffic collision when a casualty needs extricating from a vehicle.

Joining the emergency services as part of the demonstration will be East Midlands Asset Department - Highways England - who will demonstrate how new roads are created and repaired.

In the Main Ring, there’s the usual vintage and the very latest modern farm machinery, the Cottesmore Hounds, and grand parade of livestock. Of course, the show wouldn’t be complete without 220 trade exhibitors including Rutland Pride - as well as the area’s best local food and drink producers in The Larder.

Don’t miss out on the county’s most enjoyable mid-summer celebration of the very best that Rutland has to offer! n

The 2019 Rutland Show will be held on Sunday 2nd June at Showground Way, Barleythorpe, LE15 7TW. Tickets £10/adults; £free/under 18 with adult, advance tickets save 20% on gate prices. For enquiries call 01572 757110 or see www.rutlandshowground.com.

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PRIDE MAGAZINES

Come and see us on 2nd June!

Our marquee is situated around the Main Ring of the Rutland Show, you can meet the whole Pride team!

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A H I S TO RY O F THE RUTLAND COUNTY SHOW

The Rutland Agricultural Society’s origins date back to 1788 to the Leicestershire and Rutland Agricultural Society. The first supporter of this was the Earl of Winchelsea, owner of Burley on the Hill Estate.

The first Rutland County Show was held on Monday December 5th 1831 at an indoor riding stable in Catmos Street, Oakham (now Rutland County Museum), and was attended by 500 people.

Eventually, the riding school soon became too small a venue and the show moved to South Street, Oakham (now Oakham fire station and South Street car park). The show then moved again to a 17-acre site in Barleythorpe.

The 1965 Society’s accounts show that Rutland County Council eventually bought the original Barleythorpe site for £21,750.

The show soon outgrew this site and in 1976 it moved out of Oakham to Burley on the Hill’s Court d’Honneur, supported by the goodwill of Mr Hanbury, who was President that year.

In 2003, the show moved into the main Parkland area at Burley on the Hill. Around this time the show was struggling financially after a number of wet years, Chairman Steve Brewin struck a three-year sponsorship deal from John Barson of Burley Fires, which along with other sponsors and donations kept the show afloat.

The move to the new Showground took place five years ago. The first show saw a huge increase in numbers through the gates as the sun shone and once again many visitors could walk to the new showground from town. n

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WHAT’S ON

What’s On...

OAKHAM

STAMFORD

Saturday 15th June

Saturday 8th June

Oakham vet

Billy Ocean at Burghley hOuSe

Oakham Veterinary Hospital will be holding an Open Day on Saturday 15th June from 11am - 4pm. Both the Equine and Small Animal department will be open, with hospital tours and a chance to meet the team of vets, nurses and support staff. There will also be demonstrations, activities and competitions as well.

Refreshments will be available and both entry and parking are free of charge. The day is a great opportunity to find out more about the work that goes on at the Hospital.

Billy Ocean is the biggest black recording star Britain has ever produced, one who has sold over 30 million records in his lifetime to date.

His many hits include Love Really Hurts Without You, Love on Delivery, Stop Me, Red Light Spells Danger, and the million selling American number one single Caribbean Queen. He also released When the Going Gets Tough and the now classic Get Outta My Dreams; Get Into My Car. See him live at Burghley House on 8th June 2019 alongside special guest Heather Small. n £25-£45, 01775 768661 or see livepromotionsconcerts.co.uk.

Sombreros at the Ready!

HEAD TO UPPINGHAM IN JUNE FOR THE TOWN’S FEAST...

THIS YEAR’S THEME IS MEXICAN FIESTA! ¡ÁNDALE, ÁNDALE!

n Ashwell Road, Oakham LE15 7QH, 01572 722 646.

STAMFORD

Saturday 29th & Sunday 30th June

eddi reader Award winning songwriter Eddi Reader, former frontman of Fairground Attraction, brings her band to Stamford for a performance which has got to be... perfect!

UPPINGHAM

Sunday 16th June

uppingham FeaSt day

Get the summer into full swing with the annual free Uppingham Feast Day, it promises to be fun packed day for all the family to enjoy. The Market Square, Town Hall and High Street will be full of family entertainment for young and old alike, with many activities including Street Entertainers, Live Music, Hot & Cold Food, Craft Faye, Children’s Entertainment, and a Street Market – plus, much, much more. n www.loveuppingham.org.uk.

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n 7.30pm, tickets £23, Stamford Arts Centre, PE9 2DL. 01780 763203, stamfordartscentre.com.

RUTLAND

Saturday 1st June

time tO ride Parkinsons UK presents Time to Ride, a virtual cycling challenge. Aim to cycle 200 miles throughout June and ride when it works best for you.

n localsupport.parkinsons.org.uk.

STAMFORD

Friday 21st June Sunday 23rd June

rOllS rOyceS The largest Rolls-Royce and Bentley gathering anywhere in the world. Trade stands and a parade of prize winning cars.

n Burghley House, see www.burghley.co.uk.

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Send your press releases and events to: the Features Editor via editor@pridemagazines.co.uk.

OAKHAM

1st-29th June

osprey cruises

LEICESTER

1st & 2nd June

ian mckellen: on stage With tolkien, shakespeare, others (and you)

In advance of Sir Ian McKellen’s (ssh!) 80th birthday, the actor is promising a tour of the UK’s arts centres.

“I’m celebrating my 80th birthday by touring a new

solo show to theatres I know well and a few that I don’t.

The show starts with Gandalf and will probably end with an invitation to act with me on stage. In-between there will be anecdotes and acting.”

This is an intimate event, likely to sell out quickly.

There’s a Champagne and canapé reception prior to the performance too. n The Curve, 7.30pm. Call 0116 242 3595, www.curveonline.co.uk.

Food & Drink in Stamford

ZOOM EVENTS HOSTS ITS FOOD AND DRINK FESTIVAL ON STAMFORD MEADOWS, NOW IN ITS FOURTH YEAR OF PROVIDING FOOD FOR THOUGHT

The highlight of Rutland’s ornithological calendar.

Take a guided trip with members of the project team aboard the Rutland Belle. The idea is simple; sail to the parts of the reservoir where you stand the best chance of seeing fishing ospreys and, with a bit of luck, are rewarded with spectacular views.

Dawn, afternoon and twilight cruises available throughout June, pre-booking essential, £14-£28. n See www.ospreys.org.uk.

STAMFORD

BELVOIR

saturday 1st & sunday 2nd June

belvoir castle’s knight’s quest

Step back in time with the Belvoir Knights. Experience the excitement of jousting.

Taste history with an authentic hog roast.

Joke with jesters; fly with falcons. It’s far from ordinary and an experience never to forget. See the beautiful horses and knights dressed in all their glory! n Tickets £20/adult £10/child, NG32 1PE. Call 01476 871001 or see www.belvoircastle.com.

FARNDON

saturday 8th & sunday 9th June

Friday 28th & saturday 29th June

stamFord Food & drink Festival 2019

summer shopping Festival

Now in its fourth year, the Stamford Food & Drink Festival offers an informal, family friendly experience on the picturesque Town Meadows.

Quality foods and drink together with a selection of International Street Foods, music stage, dining area and a wide selection of ales, ciders, craft lagers, spirits and fizz. n Organised by Zoom Events, www.zoomevents.co.uk.

For the second year running, Farndon Fields will hold its Summer Shopping Festival.

This year is set to be two days packed with free tastings from local suppliers, Kadai Firebowl cooking demonstrations, local ice cream cones and the farm shop’s famous strawberries & cream. Free to attend.

n Farndon Fields farm shop, Market Harborough, LE16 9NP www.farndonfields.co.uk.

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WHAT’S ON

Send your press releases and events to: the Features Editor via editor@pridemagazines.co.uk.

Open Farm Sunday 2019...

1,600 FARMS ACROSS THE UK INVITE 2,200,000 MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ONTO THEIR FARM FOR OPEN FARM SUNDAY RUTLAND AND STAMFORD

Sunday 9th June

Open Farm Sunday

It’s a sad indictment that our convoluted food supply chains and industrialised processes have left too many children - and even adults - clueless as to where their food comes from.

Less so in our part of the world, perhaps, but we’re all increasingly distant from the origins of our vegetables, salads and fruit, milk, meat & poultry.

With fewer farmers working on larger expanses of land, to tighter deadlines and skinnier margins, it’s rarely practical for

farmers to reach out to the public, but there’s still one day a year when the public can visit their local farm, learn about modern farming practices, issues affecting the industry and more.

Open Farm Sunday takes place on Sunday 9th June and is a national initiative that offers a fascinating day out for families children and adults alike - but also represents a very necessary opportunity to connect with an industry that is more meaningful to the national economy and to feeding the UK population than ever post-Brexit, when we should be looking closer to home to feed ourselves.

LEAF Open Farm Sunday, managed by LEAF (Linking Environment And Farming), is one of the farming industry’s biggest success stories.

Since the first Open Farm Sunday in 2006, over 1000 farmers across the UK have opened their gates and welcomed people onto their farm for one Sunday each year.

It is a fantastic opportunity for everyone, young and old, to discover at first-hand what it means to be a farmer and the fabulous work they do producing our food and managing the countryside.

n Find a participating farm at www.farmsunday.org/visit-a-farm.

KILWORTH

28th may – 7th July 2019

JOSeph and the amaZing technicOlOur dreamcOat

Full of unforgettable songs including ‘Those Canaan Days,’ ‘Any Dream Will Do’ and ‘Close Every Door To Me.’ A glorious family musical filled with non-stop action, a kaleidoscope of catchy songs and colourful dance numbers, laughter and fun.

The production this year delighted theatregoers of all ages and is guaranteed to do the same in 2019!

Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s sparkling musical brings to life the Biblical story of Joseph, his eleven brothers and the coat of many colours!

With its familyfriendly story, familiar themes and irresistible music, this musical is one of the most enduring shows of all time. n Tickets £37-£42, kilworthhouse theatre.co.uk.

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PA S T & P R E S E N T

Oakham’s High Street

125 years this year, three different townships came together to create the parish we now know as Oakham. At its heart is the High Street, which has changed a great deal in the past 90 years or so, as our past and present images show...

Words: Rob Davis.

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PA S T

&

P R E S E N T

The market town of Oakham likes to take things easy. In the 1800s,

when most market towns’ populations were booming, Oakham’s growth remained unhurried at about 3,500 people. It only managed to double by about 1970, and perhaps only then because of the influx of commuters who wanted a good lifestyle within relatively easy reach of the city. Rutland was established as a separate county in 1159, and Oakham became its administrative centre, with the 12th century Castle playing a role right up to the present day as a judicial facility. A court hearing still takes place in the castle each year, even though the town’s magistrates now sit elsewhere.

Vintage Image: Copyright The Francis Frith Collection.

1929

Today, Oakham’s population stands at about 11,000, and though the layout of the town has remained the same, the shops have changed a great deal. One of the most notable differences 90 years apart is the fact that the site of the Crown Hotel has become Crown Walk, a building which was then listed from 1971. The Crown, alongside The George, was one of the oldest hostelries in Oakham, with references made to it as far back as 1611. The mark left behind from the removal of its glass canopy can still be seen above the arch. The building currently occupied by Boots and Langrick and Co is listed, with the south aspects dating back to the 1400s and the High Street frontage created in the 19th century.

Two Oakham shops you’ll want to call in at, should you find yourself in possession of a time machine any time soon, are Sharpe Bros, a general grocers selling such items of confectionery as cola - invented only 40 years or so earlier, and having first been imported to the UK only 20 years or so after making its US debut - and J Furley.

Oakhamians might know the Furley name as offering fine furniture and interior design today - but 90 years ago, John Furley was in fact a wine merchant. Furley and Arthur Hassan then ventured into fine furniture.

Finally, we believe that the car in the foreground - with the registration FP1263 - is an Austin 7, produced from 1922-1939.

290,000 were made. They sold for about £175; £7,300 today! n

2019

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10 YEARS SUPPORTING LOCAL BUSINESSES

Making Tax Digital Making Tax Easy...

With a move towards ‘Making Tax Digital’ and with new technology ensuring making your business affairs less-labour intensive than ever, it’s time to change the way you tackle tax!

Call Barnstone Accountancy for a ‘one stop’ partner who can help you with self-assessment and personal tax affairs, accountancy, bookkeeping, payroll & auto-enrolment, PAYE, VAT and Making Tax Digital...

...and let us help with your personal finances, as well!

As well as providing help with your business, we can assist with your personal tax affairs too.

Self-Assessment can be via a one-off submission or ongoing. We can help with HMRC queries and investigations too.

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“We promise to respond to enquiries within 24 hours; weekdays from 8am-6pm (last appointment available 7.30pm), Saturdays 9am-1pm. No jargon, no waffle, just good, honest, unbiased advice, and the support you need to run your business!”

Barnstone the Cat, Your Purr-fect Accountant Good afternoon Julieanne

“Your company has made all aspects of our accounts simpler, more efficient and very much less stressfull. I am very happy with the system you apply to our payroll, my personal tax and all my invoices and payments to suppliers.

Barnstone has helped me to meet all security requirements and also has been an extremely supportive business advisor. I could not have embarked upon the next phase of our business growth without the critical knowledge, support and friendly personal approach of Barnstone Accountancy and Management.”

Yours faithfully Lynn, Rutland Sewing

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SCHOOLS & COLLEGES

Schools & Colleges

Peterborough School

“Modern outlook and traditional values...”

The Peterborough School is the City’s only independent day school for boys and girls from Nursery to Sixth Form.

Small class sizes are key to us unlocking every child’s potential academically and vital soft skills are developed by our extended curriculum.

Our ‘Outstanding’ Nursery gives children the best possible start in excellent facilities, which include three garden areas as well as access to the school’s sports hall, fields, IT suite and auditorium.

Pupils are happy and safe in our Prep, Senior School and Sixth Form. We aim to develop a passion for learning

in all areas and success is celebrated throughout.

Laxton Junior School

“Learning is at the centre of all that we do...”

Our consistently strong A Level results show high value-added scores, meaning children do better here because of the excellent teaching and high levels of individual attention.

Our new Library and Sixth Form Centre, opened last September, have provided Senior pupils with high-tech and comfortable environments for studying and socialising. n Visitors are very welcome to look around our productive, friendly and happy school during our Open Days or by appointment. Tel: 01733 343357, email: office@tpsch.co.uk,

Laxton Junior School is more than just a school: it is an engaging and inspiring experience that fosters the confidence and resilience children need to develop in the most fantastic ways across and beyond the curriculum. Children and their learning, care and happiness are central to all that happens at Laxton Junior School and, as a result, they bound into school every day excited to interact with the multitude of opportunities available.

In fact, some of the children were asked what they considered to be so special and magical about the Laxton Junior School experience and this is how they captured it: Sophie, in Reception, said: “I like to play outside on the grass best because I can play catch with my friends”; whereas Jack, in Year 3, spoke of the “kind and helpful teachers; they listen to what we say and show us how to get better.”

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Henry, in Year 4, explained that “it’s great how boys and girls can play every sport at LJS; boys can play rounders and girls can play cricket, I’m really looking forward to this exciting opportunity next term”; whilst, for Gabriella, in Year 6, “having a suggestion box where we put our ideas for the School Council is something I really enjoy; I like that we have a voice and can help make our school a better place.” n If you would like to find out more about Laxton Junior School, you are more than welcome to organise a meeting and a tour with the Head, Mr Sam Robertson, who would be delighted to introduce you to some amazing children and give you an insight into how the School designs an individually tailored experience around them; this can be organised through Mrs Lesley Taylor, the Registrar, by telephone 01832 277159 or email lat@laxtonjunior.org.uk.

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Brooke Hill Academy Trust “Nursery & Pre-School Provision...”

The Brooke Hill Academy Trust is proud to offer exceptional Nursery and Pre School education in a fun and friendly environment across our three sites in Oakham, Edith Weston, and South Witham.

Our skilled, highly-qualified and committed teaching staff prepare children for primary school through an exciting curriculum of learning through play and exploration.

We make use of our natural surroundings with a number of outdoor activities in our woodland areas, as well as taking advantage of the range of on-site provisions (including technology, arts and sporting opportunities) available at each school.

We are also able to use the indoor swimming pool at Edith Weston. The pool is also open

for parent and toddler swimming classes, and can be hired privately for parties.

Oakham School

“Social Sciences are thriving at Oakham...!”

We currently have places available for children aged between two and four across our sites, and can work with parents to find the best way to use funded hours to suit their needs.

If you are interested in finding out more please get in touch or arrange a visit to look around we’d be delighted to see you to show you how we deliver our mission statement of creating a brighter future and making learning fun. n For more information on the schools, call 01780 720025 (Edith Weston); 01572 724214 (Brooke Hill) or 01572 767233 (South Witham).

Alternatively, see www.brookehill academytrust.co.uk.

Oakham School’s newest development, the Faculty of Social Sciences, is a state-ofthe-art learning space for students studying Business, Citizenship, Economics, and Politics and International Relations.

The Faculty boasts some of the latest ideas and technologies for learning – including ‘brainstorming’ desks and walls, Harkness tables, presentation rooms and ‘break-out zones’.

“The physical environment has been designed to be flexible – to best suit the needs of each lesson,” says Oakham’s Director of Teaching and Learning, Jon Andrews. “It is an inspiring learning environment which is much more akin to what students will find when they move on to university and the world of work.”

The Social Sciences have always been popular at Oakham with one third of all Upper School students studying Economics.

Politics thrives both in and outside of the classroom, with Oakham being regarded as one of the leading Model United Nations schools and students having been selected to represent the UK as MEPs at the Euroscola Conference, held at the European Parliament, for the last 10 years. Whilst Oakham was one of the first independent schools to teach Business (starting in 1969), students can now choose to study the subject in one of three ways: IB Diploma, A-level, or BTEC. n Visit the school’s website on www.oakham.rutland.sch.uk or call Oakham on 01572 758500.

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Scallywags Day Nursery “High quality early years education...”

Scallywags Day Nursery & Pre-School in Oakham are committed to maintaining high quality early education all year round, ensuring all children reach their potential.

The nursery includes a state of the art Pre-School with a large outside play area and vegetable patch, where the children enjoy growing sunflowers and producing their own fresh vegetables.

Scallywags professionals enjoy being active with local initiatives in the community. As part of the Early Years Community Practitioner scheme they run Stay and Play groups for parents and their children, supporting families at a variety of different locations across Rutland. During the last year they have also been involved in a project which has seen a

group of Pre- School children visiting Brambles Social Centre at Rutland Care Village, spending quality time and carrying out planned activities with a small group of residents aged 71 to 90 years. The project is a great success with positive benefits being observed for everyone involved.

Scallywags are rated ‘good’ by Ofsted and boasts professional qualified nursery nurses and teachers including degree and masters level qualifications, with professionals totally dedicated to providing the finest childcare and ensuring children are well prepared for Primary School. n Scallywags Day Nursery is based on Cold Overton Road, Oakham. Call 01572 723810 or see www.scallywagsoakham.co.uk.

Stamford Academy

“Passionate about language-learning...”

Stamford Academy was founded in 2005 as a language school specialising in teaching English to international students.

benefits of learning a second language, at any age, can improve a learner’s ability to problem-solve, multi-task, recall and manage information.

We regularly provide One-to-One and small group tuition for A Level and GCSE students as well as private clients looking for bespoke classes tailored to a range of settings; from preparing for business meetings through to moving overseas in retirement.

Tutors often bring a slice of their culture (and food!) into the classroom to share with students to bring lessons to life, while the directors are constantly looking at ways to keep classes feeling fresh and innovative.

Since then, the Academy has expanded its offering to include beginner and intermediate level classes for UK-based students in up to 10 different languages including Chinese Mandarin, Russian and Arabic.

Everyone at the Academy is passionate about language-learning, but we understand why many adults find the idea of grappling with a new language or re-engaging with an old one, a daunting prospect. A multitude of physiological studies have demonstrated that the health 62

As a family-owned and run school, we understand the need for a welcoming setting, so we keep our classes small (no more than 10), informal, but professional.

In September, the Academy will be holding an hour-long taster session in several languages at beginner level for new students to come along and try for free. n To get in touch with Stamford Academy you can visit their website: www.stamfordacademy.co.uk or alternatively you can call the school directly on 01780 489400.

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BROOKE HILL ACADEMY TRUST IS SHOWING WHAT THE POWER OF COLLABORATION CAN ACHIEVE IN EDUCATION. The Trust comprises three popular and successful schools that have a shared commitment to encouraging children to thrive both inside and outside the classroom. The schools work closely to provide a wide range of activities to support the development of the whole child, sharing a rich pool of resources. All three schools enjoy the use of a swimming pool at Edith Weston Academy, and they have embarked on a number of joint projects, including a Green-Powered Car Challenge, with the children helping to build the vehicle before racing it around Rockingham race track.

A committed and skilled team of staff works hard to maintain high standards and provide a varied and engaging curriculum across all age groups. Each school caters for preschool and nursery children, offering a child-centred approach with an emphasis on learning through play. However, it is not simply a case of one-size-fits-all education; each school is unique, ensuring it can meet the needs of families it serves.

It’s refreshing to see that, in amongst all the statistics and league tables, helping children to develop a love for learning and exploring is still a priority for Brooke Hill Academy Trust.

Brooke Hill Academy in Oakham has the motto ‘making learning fun’, something that sits at the heart of everything the school does. The children are provided with a vast array of learning opportunities, from video editing and coding on banks of iPads, to enjoying music and drama sessions with outside visitors. The school also has a Gold Sports Mark, recognising the wide variety of sports activities on offer to all students, and provides outdoor learning through its Forest Schools initiative.

At Edith Weston Academy, which sits next to Rutland Water, staff and pupils benefit from a commitment to small class sizes in order to best support every child’s learning needs. It also boasts a Gold Sports Mark, with children enjoying use of the on-site swimming pool as part of an extensive range of extracurricular opportunities. The school has participated in the regional Young Voices project and recently performed at the Stamford Corn Exchange as part of the Spotlight Dance Competition, along with Brooke Hill.

South Witham Academy is at the heart of a picturesque village with a tight-knit community, situated just over the border in Lincolnshire. The school provides a good all round learning environment for children aged 2 – 11 years, having recently launched its Little Hedgehogs nursery group. Teachers foster creativity through a varied curriculum, which incorporates outdoor learning in the school’s large, well-maintained grounds. Sport is also a highlight in the school and they are also proud to have achieved the Gold Sports Mark.

01572 724214 www.brookehillacademy.com

01780 720025 www.edithwestonprimary.co.uk

01572 767233 www.south-witham.lincs.sch.uk

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MUSTARD SEED CHARITY

PRECIOUS

SHOOTS

If you’re retired or heading toward retirement, what will fill your time? Long lunches with friends? Golf perhaps?

Or a few trips away a year? That’s just what local couple Rita and Geoff had in mind. But God laughs when men make plans, so instead they found themselves pursuing a vocation to make a difference to the lives of children in Kenya. This is the story of their charity, which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year...

Words: Rob Davis.

“It’s not fair.” As any parent knows, it’s the most infuriating statement a child utters. My own seven year old boy uses the expression with infuriating regularity when asked to put down his iPad, eat his vegetables or - horror of horror - bathe. Like all parents I’ve tried pointing out that some children elsewhere in the world don’t have electronic devices. Some go hungry and would love a proper meal in the evening. Indeed, some don’t have water to drink, let alone a whole bath full of the stuff - warm and clean with a squidge of bubble bath - in which to bathe.

And that’s the thing. How do you explain to a child the fortunate circumstances they’ve arbitrarily been born into? Indeed, do we as adults realise how fortunate we are to live in a developed country in the western world, either? Rita and Geoff were hardly ignorant to how hard a life some children have, being an ex-teacher and the former trustee of a number of various local charities respectively. But after a safari trip to Kenya shortly after they retired, the Deeping St James couple wanted to see for themselves how some children have to live.

It was that experience ten years ago that would stay with them, lead them to found a charity to create a school for Kenyan children living in poverty and accidentally establish a new post-retirement vocation to keep them both very busy.

“I feel 20 years younger when I’m out there,” says Geoff, reflecting on the charity that they founded in 2009. “It’s not an easy place to work but we have a lot of fun and get a lot out of making a difference.”

The couple initially wanted to resource an existing school and supported the Mustard Seed School Mgongeni - in Bombolulu, a suburb around 10 minutes from Mombasa, the second largest city in Kenya after Nairobi and home to 1,500,000 people.

“We had our first meeting in February 2009 to see what we could do to help the school, but we were perhaps a bit naive in our approach,” says Rita. “We didn’t realise the import duties on materials we took into the country were so steep, and that we’d have no control on how the resources were used in the school.”

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Above: Rita and Geoff Fowler founded their school having taken an interest in education in Kenya since 2009.

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K E N YA N

S C H O O L

Education in Kenya “From a teaching perspective too, education was very much about rote learning - parrot fashion teaching - so our influence was limited. The school was being run by two young, unqualified teachers, so we knew we had the skills to offer and couldn’t walk away.”

Bombolulu Kenyans typically live in Swahili homes, with eight tenements sharing a communal corridor and often a single toilet.

Most have electricity; televisions and an internet connection are also common but the provision of running water is often limited.

Few people vote because they’d have to pay steep taxes and there are few proper roads of cars. Medical care is free in respect of diagnosis, but medicines (other than those for state-funded immunisation) and operations must be paid for, so even when illnesses are diagnosed, they can’t necessarily be treated.

Employment prospects are poor and most children leave school at 14 with limited literacy and do whatever they can to fund the means to feed themselves. Women sometimes fall pregnant and are often abandoned by their partners, necessitating children in the family working as soon as they’re able to do Top/Left: Rita and Geoff say they’re motivated by how happy and keen the children at the school are.

Right: Rita with headteacher Irene.

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so and preventing them from pursuing further education.

Children from the age of three to 14 study toward the state’s KCPE. Only 20% of pupils nationally emerge literate.

It’s a cycle of poverty which is predicated by lack of food, and a historic failure to encourage schoolchildren to pursue education and create good, permanent jobs for themselves.

Suddenly, issues which concern education bleed into issues of welfare, creating a sustainable community and the need to ensure there are careers for schoolleavers to pursue.

Whilst each of the above represents significant challenges in their own right, many can be addressed at least in part from the development of the couple’s school. A year after Rita and Geoff worked with the existing school, they soon realised that the educational and social problems that the area faced were greater than they realised. In September 2009 they moved into a rented building and moved into a second rented building in September 2010, creating a school in a new which they named Miche Bora Primary; the name in Swahili means Precious Shoots. The couple soon realised that with each intake they were becoming increasingly short of space. In January 2015 the charity completed the first phase of its own school - a single storey building with separate toilets for boys and girl, dedicated toilets for older girls, a medical clinic which opened in 2016 to address

vaccination, contraception and other health needs, and a kitchen to provide meals.

“In addition to the school itself we set up a feeding programme in 2010 providing breakfast and in the following year breakfast and a balanced meal at lunchtime. To feed a child two meals a day for an entire week costs just £1.50. Parents appreciate the quality of education seeing it as way to future opportunities. Children would probably prefer to be at home but all need the feeding programme and see the advantage of having their children properly fed,

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SMITH ELIOT’S CHOSEN CHARITY

Financial services provider Smith Eliot has adopted The Mustard Seed Foundation as its chosen charity for 2019.

The company was founded over 30 years ago and now has offices in Oakham and as of three years ago, a second office in Stamford too.

so this also serves as an inducement to ensure their children attend school daily.”

“Last year 2018 the government made holidays nine weeks long and we started a feeding programme for a few families as they would otherwise starve. We also dug a well and bore hole to provide drinking water, set up adult education classes, teacher training to ensure we have our own staff members, and we provided shoes, which are otherwise prohibitively expensive for children.”

Children in Kenya are schooled from the age of six years to 14, by which time they graduate with the state KCPE education qualification. Those who can afford this go to secondary school for four years and take their KCSE (Kenyan Certificate of Secondary Education). The couple have also created a nursery school, so they now have the whole age range in the school.

The first intakes of pupils from when the couple founded their school are now reaching the age when they need to be in new classrooms to continue their education. So, Rita and Geoff have launched a bid to create an upper floor to the school accommodating six new

classrooms. Unlike the ground floor, which could be built in four stages, the upper floor classrooms must be constructed in two stages - the classrooms followed by a hall. Each classroom will cost £15,000.

The couple hope to have £60,000 by September in order to begin construction, so they’ll be able to accommodate the current school population of over 250 pupils.

“It costs just £15 a month to keep a child in our school. Parents pay just £6 - more to ensure the continuity of attendance than anything else; they’re more likely to attend if they’re contributing to it financially.”

“But regular donations have now become the lifeblood of the charity,” says Rita.

“Everyone who gets involved with the charity finds that the happiness of the children, warms their hearts.”

“This year we’ve a place in the London Marathon and Smith Eliot has adopted us as their annual charity. We’re very grateful because what we want to achieve goes well beyond just education. We don’t just want to teach our children, we want to change their lives forever.” n

Find Out More: Geoff and Rita Fowler’s charity is The Mustard Seed Foundation which has funded the Miche Bora school.

Find out more, arrange a talk for your group or contribute by visiting www.mustardseedproject.co.uk, or call 01778 341855.

The firm offers pension advice and retirement planning, mortgages, investment planning and tax & trust management.

Whilst many businesses can profess to be family firms, Smith Eliot is run

by Stephen Smith with his son Oliver working as a director and advisor, daughter Charlotte, and wife Lisa plus son-in-law Craig as advisors too, alongside family friend Sean Connolly.

Johnny Smith and his partner Rosie also work in the business!

In total the firm has six advisors who collectively possess a significant breadth of knowledge across the whole financial sector. More importantly, though, as a family they recognise the importance of helping to plan and structure your financial affairs to ensure not just short-term security but long-term peace of mind too, forming a lasting relationship that adapts as your life and circumstances change.

The company is helping The Mustard Seed Foundation towards its goal of raising £60,000 to complete the second storey of its Miche Bora school in Bombolulu Kenya, and will be hosting events throughout the year for its valued clients. n Find Out More: Smith Eliot Financial Management is based in Market Place, Oakham LE15 6DT, call 01572 759759 and on Ironmonger Street, Stamford PE9 1PL, call 01780 437500, www.smitheliotfinancialmanagement.co.uk.

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FOOD & DRINK

THE ADMIRAL HORNBLOWER in Oakham

Dining is shipshape and Bristol fashion at one of Oakham’s most recommendable and renowned quality pub restaurants. The busy, bustling Admiral Hornblower in Oakham is sublime. Just keep the present Mrs Davis away from its generous promotions...

Words & Images: Rob Davis.

meet the CHEF

Some people just won’t be told. I did point out the ill-advised nature of a bottomless Prosecco promotion with the present Mrs Davis lurking ominously behind every Champagne flute, but Charlotte Crawford and the ever-generous team at Oakham’s Admiral Hornblower just didn’t listen.

Our visit caught the tail end of one of the pub restaurant’s bottomless Prosecco glass deals, offered on occasions throughout the summer, which my dear wife regarded less as a promotion and rather more of a challenge.

Whilst a cold shiver runs down the spine of a thousand Trieste winemakers at the thought of la donna del diavolo del vino inglese ravaging their labours, it’s characteristically benevolent of the Crawford family and warms the hearts of their diners.

Heeding the bottom line for their pub restaurants is just a means of allowing them to continue their fine work in the hospitality trade, knowing that prioritising their customers’ satisfaction and satiation (counting smiles, not pennies) is the secret to running a great pub or restaurant.

The family came into the hospitality industry rather by accident and with no previous experience, took on their first pub in 1987 having experienced the trade only as customers, not as publicans or restauranteurs.

“PRIORITISING THEIR CUSTOMERS’ SATISFACTION OVER PROFIT IS THE SECRET TO RUNNING A GREAT PUB...”

Colin & Celia Crawford purchased the Peacock pub in Redmile near Melton back in the late 1980s. They did so to convert it into private accommodation, but fancying themselves as evanescent publicans, the couple though they’d have a giggle and run the place for one last night before its permanent closure. Little did they realise that evening would be a tremendous runaway success and would take them in a rather different direction, accidentally falling in love with hospitality and keeping the place to run as a pub.

This has given them a diner and drinker-led perspective on the industry. Because they look after their customers - like with their Prosecco promotion - customers return time and again. So, the profitability of Oakham’s Admiral Hornblower (which celebrates its third anniversary as Pride goes to press) and its sister pub restaurant, Hambleton’s Finches Arms (which the family has owned since 1997) are a fait accompli; their success is a natural consequence.

The restaurant is offering a new way to dine for late spring and summer; ‘Small Plates.’

It’s a sort of anniversary gift to the diners of Rutland, we suppose... >>

MARK GOUGH HEAD CHEF, THE ADMIRAL HORNBLOWER

Food History: Worked for the company as sous chef before heading up the kitchen to pioneer a new summer menu.

Food Philosophy: Using quality ingredients and taking care of your customers will always result in a better experience for diners.

Food Heaven: I really love our new Small Plates options.

They’re packed with flavours, and are really very satisfying!

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>> The Admiral Hornblower’s Small Plates will be added to the set menu (£15.95/two courses; £19.95/three courses) and à la carte menu. They’re designed to be an ‘easy dining’ option that can be enjoyed as grazing snacks when you’re sipping a glass of wine, or taken as a ‘mix and match’ starter option.

Larger than tapas; smaller than snacks, the philosophy is large amounts of flavour and even larger amounts of satisfaction.

As with all of the restaurant’s other dishes, the Small Plates options can be enjoyed anywhere in the Grade II listed stone pub; the restaurant; ‘kitchen table room;’ the

OPEN FOR FOOD Lunchtime Service Monday - Saturday 12 noon - 2.30pm

Evening Service Monday - Saturday 18.30pm - 9:30pm.

Sunday Lunch 12 noon - 8pm.

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on the MENU FROM THE MAIN MENU AT THE ADMIRAL HORNBLOWER, OAKHAM Small Plates

Battered squid rings with chilli salad.

Thai Duck Salad with Asian Slaw & Coriander Dressing.

Breaded ham hock parcels with homemade piccalilli.

3 dishes for £15 Starters

Roast chicken, sun-dried tomato & basil terrine, tomato chutney focaccia £7.00.

Crispy king prawns, cucumber, coriander & peanut salad, sweet chilli dressing £7.95.

library - which is also available for private dining for up to 20 people; in the study, another potential private dining room for up to 12 people, or in the bar area.

In the summer, there’s a large courtyard garden showing live sports: Wimbledon and golf tournaments - occasionally football too so expect a few tennis hooligans and golf ruffians, but don’t worry; it’s still a civilised atmosphere - and the pub also hosts the odd gourmet barbecue in the summer.

Inside, there’s an à la carte menu for lunchtime and evening service, a set lunch menu and a set evening menu, plus brunch options a dedicated menu for Sunday lunch.

Desserts, bread, ice creams and sorbets and the biscotti served with morning coffee is all home made and the coffee culture is assured by quality freshly ground fairtrade coffee and homemade cakes.

Charlotte describes The Admiral Hornblower as the ‘fun little sister’ of Hambleton’s Finches. Whilst the latter has a laid-back reservoir-side location and peaceful terraces, the former has a bit more ‘busy and bustle’ by virtue of its in-town location.

But that’s not to say it doesn’t deliver when it comes to quality dining. Our lamb dish was perfectly executed, whilst the Small Plates were little flavour bombs; breaded ham hock with homemade piccalilli? Oh yes, sir! Meanwhile our panna cotta, whilst squidgy and loaded with fine vanilla flavour will also be served with Manton strawberries as Pride goes to press.

The Crawford family’s entry into the pub restaurant trade came just prior to the gastropub revolution. At that time, the family just wanted to make their customers happy and go the extra mile for them, especially in the respect of providing better food than most other pubs were doing at back then.

Without realising it, they pre-empted the revolution in quality pub restaurant food, and gained a well-deserved foothold in the local pub restaurant scene with a philosophy of just looking after diners and doing a good job, producing interesting, well-executed food.

Three years on from opening The Admiral Hornblower, the place is one of the best pub restaurants in the area. It’s easily one of the most recommendable places for satisfying summer dining in the heart of Oakham. n

Main Courses

8oz rump of lamb, new potato terrine, green beans, celeriac remoulade, lamb sauce £18.50.

Potato Gnocchi with Courgettes, Tomato & Basil, Gremolata Dressing (V) £13.95.

Dessert

Strawberry panna cotta with crushed meringue £6.50.

Chocolate brownie with white chocolate ice cream £6.50.

NB: Featured dishes are subject to change. n The Admiral Hornblower is based on High Street, Oakham LE15 6AS. Call 01572 723004 or see www.hornblowerhotel.co.uk.

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In the KITCHEN

If, like a certain Jellystone bear, you enjoy dining from a pic-a-nic basket in the summer, this dish is al fresco inspiration for truly movable feasts...

EASY PEASY PITTAS

Preparation Time: 15 minutes. Chilling Time: Six hours.

2 chicken breast fillets • 1 fresh or dried bay leaf • 1 large carrot, coarsely grated 25g pack fresh mint, chopped • 1 bunch salad onions, thinly sliced 75g radishes, thinly sliced • 5 tbsp salad cream 8 white pittas • 4 curly lettuce leaves Place the chicken breasts in a pan large enough to accommodate them both snugly in the bottom.

Cover with water, add the bay leaf and bring to the boil.

Lower the heat and simmer very gently for 10 minutes or until thoroughly cooked and there is no pink meat when pierced with the tip of a knife.

Then turn off the heat and leave to cool completely in the poaching liquid. Remove the cooled chicken from the liquid

and shred into small pieces. Toss the pieces with the carrot, mint, salad onions and radishes.

Add the salad cream and mix together until the salad is evenly coated then chill in the fridge until ready to serve.

Griddle or toast the pittas until nicely browned then split them open.

Tuck half a lettuce leaf into each pitta to line it then spoon in the chicken mixture and serve. n

Recipes & Dishes: Thousands of recipes can be found at www.waitrose.com/recipes.

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THE ART OF INFUSION

Wine of the Month

New gin liqueur is the taste of summer

William Fevre Chablis Premier Cru Vaillons Domaine Côte des Vaillons Chardonnay £25.99 70cl / 13% ABV

Apple and apricot are among the finest fruits in an English country garden, and now they’re available in a wonderful gin liqueur from the region’s Burleigh’s gin distillery.

A full bodied flavour combination with a silky smooth finish, drink this long with generous amounts of Sicilian lemonade and a slice of lime! Delicious!

The Wine Cellar £20 / 50cl / 29% ABV. n

THIS MONTH BLOW THE BUDGET WITH SOME HIGH-END WHITES OR ENJOY A LOCAL CIDER. ALTERNATIVELY, WE’VE THE FRUITY TASTE OF SUMMER IN A DELICIOUS GIN...

WHITE HOT: THREE HIGH END WHITES FOR A HIGH SUMMER TREAT...

1. Created from Viognier grapes, 120,000 bottles of this fresh fruity wine were produced in 2016.

Harmoniously balanced with apricot and peaches. £35 / 75cl / 13.5% ABV.

2. If there was a heaven for Chardonnay grapes who have proved especially pious whilst on earth, it would be the Grands Vin Domaine de Jaques Carillon. Bang on the nose with extreme dryness and fruity honey flavours. £60 / 75cl / 13.5% ABV. 3. Blow the budget and celebrate summer in style with this knockout white Burgundy with its yellow fruits and mango notes and sumptuous vanilla echoes. £189 / 75cl / 13.5% ABV.

If you’re keen on wines as dry as a laconic art house film script and as crisp as a summer morning shortly before sunrise, we’ll direct you to this knockout Chablis, available exclusively at Waitrose.

Chill it, and enjoy the pedigree offering of Vaillons from the comfort of a hammock in the garden, or pair it with fish or shellfish.

Domaine William Fèvre has an excellent range of Chardonnay based wines, but this is undoubtedly the finest. n

In-Cider Information We recommend Grainstore’s Lady in Pink Cider

Patriotic sentiment celebrated in the form of cider, this high summer hero is made from 100% Great British apples.

For a gorgeously fruity medium pink cider it possesses an intense fruity aroma and drinkability.

There are so many mediocre fruit-based ciders that this thoroughly local offering is almost an entirely different drink. Picture yourself sitting in the garden, strawberries and cream in one hand, chilled, slightly sparkling fruity cider in the other!

n Our featured wines are available from the best local independent wine merchants, supermarkets and online, prices are RRP and may vary from those stated.

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HOMES & INTERIORS

UPSTAIRS, DOWNSTAIRS

roughout history, life below stairs was characterised by endless labour and servitude.

Fortunately, the cellars of Rushton’s Dower house these days are full of laughter and levity instead... that’s because David Seabourne and his family have incorporated some fun spaces into their gorgeous 18th century Grade II* property following a very successful refurbishment!

Words: Rob Davis.

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What a Sunday night treat Downton Abbey was; the upstairs classes enjoyed a life of privilege, whilst below the stairs, life was a little more gruelling. Ironic, then, that in the 21st century, it’s life below stairs which proves more fun in Rushton’s Dower House, home to David Seabourne and family.

The kind of giggles you can have in the converted cellars of the Grade II* property would make the monacle of Downton’s faithful butler Carson pop out: there’s a bar for indulging in 1920s style speakeasy and flapper antics, a large well-stocked wine cellar, plus a games room, a snug and a formal dining room too.

Main: The drawing room has bespoke fireplaces from Harborough Stone.

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Right: A French polisher spent almost a year restoring the panelling and walnut staircase.

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Built around 1690, the house has a history too lengthy and too fascinating to do justice to here, but briefly, it was the village boozer of the Cockayne family’s estate, before finding itself requisitioned for troops during both wars then becoming a school for the blind until 2003. It served as a private home owned by the adjacent Rushton Hall Hotel, whose owners sold the property to David and Amanda Seabourne in 2004.

When the couple viewed the house it was a mere shell. Fortunately as Amanda is a fashion designer and David was a designer of homewares for some pretty weighty multinational companies, the two were very well placed indeed to bring some serious clout to bear on a 14 month restoration... originally intending to use it as a boutique B&B before falling hopelessly in love with

“The couple intended to use it as a B&B before falling in love with the place and acquiescing to a desire to create a pretty country home instead!” the place - quite understandably - and acquiescing to a desire to create some enormously pretty interiors.

Local tradespeople completed not just the pretty bits but work on the roof, the wiring and the plumbing too, and completely integrating lots of hard-wired Bose home cinema and media systems before standing back and admiring the invisibility of cables and systems, just before the whole world went all wireless and inconspicuous anyway.

Thanks for that, technology...

Arranged over four floors, the house has a grand reception hall, formal drawing room and media room, as well as a living kitchen and utility.

It’s in the basement, though, that you’ll find all of the really fun spaces, which leaves the more formal ground floor rooms looking like traditional spaces in a country home - albeit brought right up to date.

The first floor and second floors, meanwhile, have another look to them which David and Amanda describe as resembling a luxury ski chalet. The bedrooms are all beautifully decorated with chunky rustic furniture and a wealth of different textures from chunky cable-knit throws to faux fur and thick carpeting surrounded by wide perimeters of solid oak flooring. >> 83

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>> Even the entrance hall with its wood panelling meticulously brought back to life with a skilled French polisher and the walnut staircase which had countless coats of paint and many centuries washed away represent spaces that complement the grandness of the house even in thoroughfares.

Wonderful touches like a bespoke dining table commissioned by local craftsperson Christian Blake, or the twin terrazzo sinks and teak washstands of the master bedroom’s en suites have been chosen thoughtfully.

The dramatic ballroom has original wood panelling to one end painted in Farrow & Ball’s Mouse’s Back, and Cotswold stone fireplaces designed especially for the property by Harborough Stone.

Left: The cellars incorporate a media room, bar, wine cellar, games room and dining room!

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Flooring in the drawing room is walnutcoloured timber, whilst bathrooms have been created using materials like imported Jordanian limestone. The kitchen, too, is bespoke and finished white and Mouse’s Back with a cream Aga, engineered stone and timber surfaces and integrated appliances.

Bordered by mature trees and adjacent to the thoroughly luxurious Rushton Hall Hotel with its marvellous dining, its spa and leisure facilities, the property has its own sun room with wood-fired oven for outdoor cooking, and a gazebo to take advantage of the evening sunshine.

A move closer to their older family members beckons for David and Amanda but for the next custodians of the property, The Dower House will prove a stunning property.

“We really have loved living here. It somehow manages to be quite cosy but the place can also accommodate a great number of people too...” says David. We’ve had some amazing parties here and try to throw a summer party once a year. We’ll miss the place a great deal.

It has been a really incredible home... but it needs more noise than we can provide!” n

THE DOWER HOUSE NEAR RUSHTON Location: Uppingham 12 miles; Oakham 18m, Stamford 21m.

Style: 18th century period home with Grade II* listing and 2.5 acres of grounds.

Bedrooms: Eight; four baths.

Receptions: Seven, currently arranged as living kitchen, drawing room, media room, games room, bar, snug, dining room.

Guide Price: £1,950,000.

Find Out More: King West of Market Harborough & Stamford, call 01858 435970 or 01780 484520.

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MOIR WADE

MOIR WADE Reinventing a Room with

Totally bespoke, always impressive. e designers of Moir Wade work with discerning householders to provide stunning kitchens and other rooms in the home of clients across the region...

How bespoke is bespoke? Sounds like an odd question, but sometimes when a company professes to offer a bespoke kitchen, what they really mean is pre-fabricated cabinetry and a choice of a few doors in a few colours.

For a room with a rather practical purpose, even the utility room is beautifully appointed with handcrafted ladder, wicker storage baskets and neat rows of Kilner jars.

Moir Wade was founded in 2002 by Jonathan Wade heading up the design & creative team and Will Moir who oversees a six-strong team in the workshop.

Moir Wade’s kitchens can be created in an assortment of hard woods or a range of veneers, paired with Corian, granite, quartz, timber or Pyrolene work surfaces. >>

Proper bespoke, though, means being able to specify exactly what you like and commission a kitchen that comes from your heart, not from a brochure, with no request that’s technically feasible ever denied to a customer.

“We found our Grade II listed Manor House and fell in love with it immediately,” says Olivia Fennell. “We love the original proportions, the symmetry and the high ceilings, but like all old properties the kitchen would have been a utilitarian space. We redesigned the rest of the property but the kitchen needed serious consideration. We wanted a space where the family could connect. We’ve two young children so we needed storage space, somewhere to cook and somewhere we could spend time with each other.”

The main kitchen’s engineered stone surfaces are seamless and glossy with built-in butler sink, boiling water tap and integrated cooker. There’s a four-oven Aga with glass splashback too, whilst in-frame shaker-style units are painted in Farrow & Ball shades.

Olivia Fennell needed a kitchen contractor who would do justice to the space and was attracted by Moir Wade’s many impressive references from previous customers. Olivia commissioned Moir Wade to create a country kitchen in a new glazed extension creating a new living space that would prove both stylish but also practical for day-to-day family life.

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>>Appliances are sourced from Aga, Miele, Gaggenau, Wolf & Sub-Zero, as well as Qooker who provide boiling water taps. Sinks and taps, meanwhile are typically from Franke, Kohler or from Villeroy & Boch.

The company typically works with budgets of between £40,000 and £60,000 but have accommodated projects for more conservative budgets as well as those dramatically more expensive and demanding projects.

Only the client’s imagination and technical feasibility of a design limit the craftsmen who work in the firm’s 6,500sq ft workshop.

“Moir Wade really were beyond comparison,” says Olivia. “Everything was done on time and on budget, the installers were polite and clean and the aftercare was great.”

“Our relationship with our clients really is one of trust,” says Jonathan Wade. “You’re looking after someone’s investment and embarking on a costly improvement to their home, so right from the start we avoid salesmanship and instead only guide our clients through a design process we hope will be completely collaborative. Satisfied customers and being able to stand by our craftsmanship are values that matter to us enormously, and that’s the reason we’ve enjoyed a great reputation across the region for 18 years.”

“At every stage our work is fully project managed so our clients only have one point of contact among various trades with one person taking responsibility for a job well done.”

n Moir Wade is based on Nelson Street, Syston, Leicester LE7 2JQ. Call 0116 269 5915 or see www.moirwade.co.uk.

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K I T C H E N S

“We’re keen to ensure every room we install is meticulously created and installed to make sure a kitchen, bedroom or study will serve its owners for a lifetime,” say Jonathan Wade and Will Moir.

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Home, Garden and Gifts at

The Showrooms, Great North Road, Markham Moor, Nr Retford DN22 0QU

01636 822000 www.elizabethandstevens.com Open from Monday-Saturday 9am-5pm, 24/7 online.

Please call ahead if you are making a special journey.

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KITCHENS • BEDROOMS • BOOT ROOMS • STUDIES INDIVIDUALLY MADE FREE STANDING FURNITURE

Call 07534 808903

richwood-cabinetmakers@hotmail.com BRING RICHWOOD INTO THE HEART OF YOUR HOME

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OUTDOORS

DEENE Living the Dream at

e gardens of Deene park are living, breathing canvases which the brudenell family – who have been living here continually since 1514 – have been developing and refining. And now, under the watchful eye of head gardener Andrew Jones it’s time to plan and plant, for the next generation…

Words: David Corfield.

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“I’ve been gardening for a living since I left school, 35 years ago,” Andrew tells me. “I started off on a YTS scheme tending parks and town gardens with my local council where I lived in Walsall in the West Midlands, but actually, I’d been gardening at home since I was a toddler. It was always what I wanted to do and the experience you build up over the years helps you to plan and maintain a garden the size of this one.”

DEENE PARK Deene Park is steeped in history; it’s a Tudor and Georgian mansion developed and owned by the Brudenell family since 1514.

When Andrew first arrived, 18 years ago, Deene Park was a very different place. Austere, shabby and in need of a lot of tender loving care, he remembers sizing up the task and wondering how he was going to tackle it.

A Tudor and Georgian Mansion developed and owned by the Brudenell family since 1514, it was the seat of the Earls of Cardigan, of whom the most notable was the 7th Earl who led the charge of the Light Brigade at Balaklava in 1854.

“The place was very overgrown with overhanging trees and untended rose bushes,” he recalls. “But to me that was fantastic as I was able to treat it like a blank canvas and bring it back to life, my way.”

He continues: “To me that’s much better than inheriting a beautifully tended garden from a retired gardener as you’d just be expected to keep it as it’s always been. This garden was mine for the taking, and I rolled up my sleeves with relish to take it on for Mrs Brudenell when she took it over from her mother-in-law.”

“I’m more of a vertical gardener,” laughs Charlotte Brudenell as she shows me around. “I’m good at project managing,” she continues, “But the real credit must go to Andrew and his assistant Sam who do all the hard work. Andrew and I have many lively 100

discussions about how these gardens should be, and soon we both came to agree the term ‘country garden’ is most appropriate.”

While both Charlotte Brudenell and Andrew Jones have a shared vision of what Deene Park should be like, establishing a structure and a seasonal flow of new colours every year is down to Andrew and Sam to implement.

And they do that with steadfast devotion.

From within various greenhouses grow hundreds of plants, ready to find their rightful place in the gardens. The garden is loosely divided into various areas; from the Golden Garden and White Garden to the Long Borders and the magnificent centrepiece David Hicks’ designed parterre with its immaculate box hedges and carefully colourschemed plants, every plant - generally - has a place. And yet I discover that there’s a certain carefree cultivation going on here, too.

“We don’t mollycoddle this place,” Andrew explains. “We allow plants to self-seed – in fact I encourage it because it gives areas like our Long Borders a relaxed and easy-going

Main: The most striking feature of the gardens at Deene Park is the box hedge parterre designed by David Hicks and planted out in the early 1990s.

Opposite Page: The planting consists of clipped lavender, perennials such as Geraniums, Salvias, Iris and Nepeta.

Right: Head Gardener Andrew Jones.

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feel – and if things die in drought, because there is no irrigation system here, then so be it. Fundamentally, because there are only two of us working here full-time, this is a garden that has to cope and look after itself.”

One of the major challenges Andrew faced when he first arrived was to prune quite considerably. Many areas of the garden become overgrown with trees left unchecked and so letting light back in was crucial to stimulate new growth.

He explains: “Removing some of the taller trees was actually a matter of urgency as some of the conifers had been allowed to grow so high they ran the risk of falling into the house or the garden walls in high winds.

Getting rid of them actually opened up so much space and really helped bring some of the older shrubs back to life.”

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“We don’t mollycoddle this place,” Andrew explains.

“We allow plants to self-seed because it gives areas a relaxed, easy-going feel...”

Andrew reflects: “I love this place because Mrs Brudenell lets me - by and large - just get on with what I feel works best.”

“And when I have visitors come up to me as I’m working, to compliment us or seek advice, I feel that is the ultimate vindication that what we are doing here is going down well. People love coming here, and love returning too.”

And coming back is exactly what I shall be doing as the garden starts its inevitable cycle for another year.

By the time you read this the Golden Garden will be a riot of yellows and oranges and the old roses trained up the ancient walls will be ready to show off their glorious blooms once again.

If you find yourself driving along the A43 towards Stamford anytime soon, do yourself a favour and divert for tea, cake and glorious gardens! I promise you won’t regret it. n Deene Park is open to the public, including pre-booked Group Visits between the months of April and September. The House, Gardens and extensive Parkland are available to hire for special occasions, large scale events and as a wedding venue for ceremonies and receptions. For more information call 01780 450278 or visit the website at www.deenepark.com.

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Slope and Glory

There are tricky gardens to design... and then... well, take a look at this Oakham plot.

It’s an English country garden, but reimagined in a contemporary way by local garden designer, Soo Spector, to delivering a land of slope and glory!

Words & Images: Rob Davis.

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G A R D E N

Below: The creation of a basement below the original bungalow left a legacy of a sloping site which was tricky to work with.

This garden is truly a land of slope and glory.

Take a look at your own plot and hopefully you’ll see it’s nice and level; nice and even...

It wasn’t so with this plot, right in the middle of Oakham. The new owners fell in love with the house’s position very close to the town centre, with the views from the house over the site and with the drama of the sloping plot. But there’s drama, and then there’s... well... a 1:5 gradient and hundreds of tonnes of soil needing to be excavated from the site before a new garden could be created.

D E S I G N

The property used to be a bungalow, but the previous occupant decided to dig down, extending their property down into the slope.

All well and good as regards living space but the georgraphy of the site meant that creating a new garden was not just tricky, but inadvisable. Worse still, the lack of drainage within the land meant soggy soil could seep out, running the risk of a landslip.

Enter local garden designer Soo Spector, to create a new garden on the site. “The creative part came easily,” says Soo. “The design just flowed out of my pencil and I offered the clients two concept designs - a rectilinear design and a circular design. After much thought, the client opted for the rectilinear one, as this allowed for greater functionality within the garden space, through the creation of different ‘garden rooms.’”

“There is now a ‘lush lawn’ adjacent to the house, surrounded by over flowing herbaceous beds, a ‘sun-bathing lawn’ with a sail, aromatic plants on three sides, a kitchen garden, fruit beds and a wild flower meadow.” >>

Top: The ‘she shed’ is a pleasant space to read and enjoy a glass of wine, overlooking a wildflower lawn of Erigeron daisies.

Above: Three beds adjacent to the sunbathing lawn include summer herbaceous plants like peonies and roses, plus palm white birch trees and a third bed with heavily scented Mediterranean planting. The whole garden has integrated irrigation and drainage.

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>> “Colin Rutherford was selected as the landscaper for the project, not only through his many building skills but also his amazing-ness at the controls of a digger!”

The site also presented the challenge that the old earthworks kept moving, so Soo and Colin used the corner of house as the fixed point from where they measured and laid out the garden - to the millimetre - creating the ‘zig-zag’ colourful herbaceous beds, and path with lengths of string strung across the width and length of the plot. Soo’s client wanted plenty of colour, all year round, so below the patio, the terraced beds are a riot of spring, summer and autumn colour. Around the corner, adjacent to the path is a peaceful Acer and Box bed with Hellebores, Luzula and Geraniums.

Another item on the client’s wishlist was a kitchen garden. That would have been tricky, to say the least, so the creation of raised beds using sleepers and a glasshouse achieved the right environment for growing summer salads, herbs and soft fruits.

At the top of the garden perpendicular to the house are three further beds; a lush lawn bed, packed with roses and peonies - the later is the client’s favourite flower, and so it was another must-have - then a calm white bed with young birch trees, and finally, a scented Mediterranean bed next to the ‘sunbathing lawn!’

All of the borders are filled with bark to suppress weeds and retain water so the beds don’t dry out in summer. Beneath each border is a foundation of between six feet and 12ft. They all have automatic irrigation pipes and drain into an underground water tank 110

to use recycle rainwater. The terrace uses Indian sandstone with a huge range of visible leaf and fish fossils, whilst a render on the borders will flex, rather than crack when moist, and can be jet-washed rather than having to be repainted every few years.

Towards the old stream there’s a ‘she-shed’ for enjoying a good book and a glass of wine, overlooking a wildflower meadow supplied by Pictorial Meadows.

The southern-most part of the garden was a tangle of brambles and nettles before being cultivated and overseeded, creating an area of lush thick grass with acers on the left hand side and fruit trees on the right hand side.

Our visit in late spring was frustratingly lacking in all the summer flowers because of the time of year, but as Pride goes to press, the garden will have matured to become a riot of colour.

It’s a visual reward for a garden that’s been hard-fought but now looks absolutely stunning, even if a good deal of the really hard work and clever constructions is hidden away under the surface! n

Top: The ‘zig zag’ borders hide a huge amount of foundation work and drainage below.

A 1:5 slope and lots of horrid spoil on the site made it tricky to work with.

Above: Soo Spector.

n Soo Spector is a garden designer based in Rutland who works across Rutland Lincolnshire and Leicestershire.

For a free, no obligation discussion about your garden, call 07545 007323 or see soospectorgardens.co.uk.

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Making the most of your garden by creating new “living rooms� for your relaxation & pleasure.

We offer a full design across your entire garden, through to upgrading a bed or part of your outdoor space.

You get the garden you want, an investment in your property and improved well-being through the pleasure of your enhanced outdoor living areas and plants.

Call Soo on 07545 007323 for an initial chat.

Email soo@soospectorgardens.co.uk See our portfolio of work and client testimonials at www.soospectorgardens.co.uk

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WEDDINGS

A True Family Wedding

When Bella and Joe’s toddler woke up in a bad mood, it could have been a disaster!

But even the prospect of a toddler tantrum couldn’t spoil a perfect summer wedding.

It ended up being the perfect family wedding the couple had always dreamed of...

Photographer: Alan Howe Photography, 07776 154698, www.alanhowephotography.co.uk

Bella and Joe enjoyed a fairytale wedding recently, with the weather proving kind and the stunning venue of Barton Hall, the couple had a day they’ll remember for the rest of their lives.

“We actually met because my best friend was courting Joe’s brother, and we were introduced through them. We’ve been together for 10 years now and my best friend got married before us, and now we are sister-in-laws! Our wedding was a year after Joe’s brother, and we almost had the same day too, but we ended up tying the knot in June instead.”

“We wanted to keep our wedding venue close so that our friends and family wouldn’t have to travel too far. We wanted everybody to be able to join us on our big day! I work in accounts and Joe works in construction and we both really enjoy our jobs. I work from home a lot so I get to spend time with our one-year-old Noah who ended up being a huge part of our wedding day!”

“Joe proposed to me on Christmas Eve and we were engaged four years before we finally got married. He was supposed to propose to me on Christmas day, but he was so excited he kept saying ‘just open one now!’ and with that, he was down on one knee! I was so shocked but I couldn’t have been happier.

Little did I know, he had been to my parent's house for coffee and asked them if he could marry me beforehand, so they knew all along! It was so out of character for him, but it was lovely to know we had their blessing.”

Choosing a wedding venue is a very important part of planning the big day, and this was no exception for Bella and Joe, It can set the tone of your whole wedding day. “The venue was the first thing we tried to plan, and it

The Wedding of BELLA & JOE TOWNSEND

took us forever! We just couldn’t find one that really spoke to us, until we found Barton Hall.”

“We originally wanted to enjoy our wedding day on a Saturday, but that wasn’t an option at Barton Hall for another two years! I just couldn’t wait that long and decided on a Friday instead. There are forty guest rooms at Barton Hall which was ideal for our family because we like to party through the night and we ended up dancing the night away until two in the morning. I really loved the outdoor space too, the garden was amazing and was a perfect place to take our wedding photographs.”

“We chose Alan Howe as our photographer and he was absolutely brilliant. We have so many stunning photos that we can cherish forever, with all of our family and friends in them too. My favourite photographs Alan took are of me, Joe and Noah. Especially the one of us signing the wedding certificate with Noah on my knee. He also took some stunning shots of me and Joe together that I absolutely adore” “My wedding cake was made by Kirstie’s Cakes in Spalding, and it turned out exactly how I wanted. I wanted the pink so it tied in nicely with my bridesmaids and the orange details just set off the whole thing beautifully!

I wanted a cake that wasn’t too traditional and had plenty of colour.”

“Our flowers were all from Daisy Chain florists in Peterborough, and they also organised all of our decorations! It was so easy this way because we didn't have to worry about lots of suppliers and they did a fantastic job. Barton Hall did all or our catering and entertainment apart from a live band we brought in for the evening and a strings quartet playing as I walked down the aisle.”

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- WEDDINGS -

“If I had any advice for other brides, it would be to let your children be as involved as possible, share it with them!”

“My friend styled my hair for me as I usually like to wear my hair down, but I wanted to show off the detailing in my dress. I loved my dress from the moment I tried it on, I wanted everything to be perfect as I had been planning for so long, so I had already tried on ten or so dresses beforehand. I took a huge risk when I chose my dress because the boutique only had an off-white sample and I really didn’t like the colour at all! I took the plunge and order my dress in ivory, the colour I really wanted, and thank goodness it turned out to be perfect!”

Every bride has many moments on her big day that stand out as treasured memories, but Bella’s almost turned out the opposite!

“Noah had woken up in a particularly bad mood that day and just wouldn’t settle for everyone apart from me! At first, I was worried, but when my dad walked me down the aisle, he held Noah with him and it turned out to be a wonderful memory.

He stayed with me for most of the ceremony including the signing of the registry, which was amazing because we got to share our special day with him and we got some stunning photographs as a family.”

“If I had to pick one piece of advice to other brides, it would be let your children be as involved as possible because although it is your big day, it is amazing to be able to share it with them too. Me, Joe and Noah will have those memories to cherish for the rest of our lives and it was completely unplanned!” n

Photographer, Alan Howe Photography, 07776 154698, www.alanhowephotography.co.uk.

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The Big Fizz is designed with solid oak, bespoke fixtures and fittings, a cream interior and soft amber lighting makes it a delightful place to be.

Alternatively, you can chill in the shade of our gazebo. Whatever, the weather we have it covered.

When it comes to the technology, the Big Fizz has the latest wine and Champagne chillers, a large triple drinks fridge, a freezer and an ice machine. There is also additional equipment to run a second bar area if needed.

Thanks to a wealth of experience, we know how to make your event sparkle. We can put the fizz into any occasion, be it a wedding, anniversary, garden party, christening, festival, show, or corporate event.

You can sit and relax and soak up the sun on our tables and chairs whilst enjoying our very finest range of drinks sourced from a variety of mainly local sources.

SO WHY WAIT? Get in touch and make sure your event is a sparkling success with the help of the Big Fizz events team. This is reflected in our 5***** feedback.

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call 01780 740250 Main Street, Ufford Stamford PE9 3BH lisa@whitehartufford.co.u www.whitehartufford.co.uk @WhiteHartUfford The White Hart, Ufford

Weddings at The White Hart, Ufford We would be delighted to look after you on your special day. Each wedding is unique and as such we take pride in spending time with you to ensure that all your requirements are met.

We have two areas that are licensed for civil ceremony marriages. Our Orangery can hold upto 50 guests and the Pantry can be hold up to 40 guests. Our venue is ideal for a less formal, intimate and relaxed wedding. We can cater for up to 150 guests for an evening reception.

An ample car park ensures that guests do not have to worry about parking.

Please contact us at The White Hart so that we can arrange a showround and meet to understand your requirements.

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WEDDING THEMES

INSPIRATION FOR A

BOTANICAL

WEDDING Perfect for a summer wedding in a rural county such as ours... taking botanical inspiration for your wedding with a palette of fresh mint and sage greens will help you create a wedding thats naturally beautiful...!

Some sage advice for those planning a wedding... incorporate some mint, sea or sage greens into your big day. They work extremely well as part of a botanical or woodland theme, perfect for the area’s rustic weddings.

Combine them with rough-sawn timber signs and blackboards directing guests to your wedding, hay bales and hessian table plans for rustic looking weddings with big bushy bouquets of eucalyptus or gypsophila for rustic looking summer weddings.

Alternatively, you can glam up green with watercolour botanical invites backed by simple cream, and tables that have shiny slivers of copper hues to them.

In the case of the later, you could even use a stronger green shade and create a dark sophisticated look with bright white Old English roses in your bouquet and straight-sided white cakes with simple elegant sage ribbons.

Alan Hannah provides our white A-line wedding dress, and is also the designer of our sage bridesmaids’ dresses. n

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T H E

L U X U RY

B R A N D

Christian Dior

Following on from last month’s Luxury Brand story on Chanel, we delve into the world of Christian Dior and the ‘New Look’ that revived France’s illustrious fashion industry in addition to creating many controversies...

Words: Tilly Wilkinson.

Christian Dior was born in Granville, a seaside town in Normandy.

He was the second of five children born to Madeleine and Maurice Dior, a wealthy fertiliser manufacturer.

Dior’s family had hoped he would become a diplomat, but Dior was artistic and wished to be involved in art. In 1928, Dior left school and received money from his father to finance a small art gallery, where he and a friend sold art by the likes of Pablo Picasso. Three years later, the family experienced a financial disaster and the gallery had to be closed.

Dior went on to be employed by designer Robert Piguet, working alongside big names like Balmain, Dior left Piguet when he was called up for military service. In 1942, when Dior left the army, he joined the fashion house of Lucien Lelong, where he and Balmain were the primary designers.

For the duration of WWII, Dior designed dresses for the wives of Nazi officers and French collaborators.

In 1946, Marcel Boussac, a successful entrepreneur known as the richest man in France, invited Dior to design for Philippe et Gaston. Dior refused, wishing to make a fresh start under his own name rather than reviving an old brand. With Boussac’s backing, Dior founded his fashion house.

In 1947, Dior launched his first fashion collection. The show was presented in the salons of the company’s headquarters at 30 Avenue Montaigne, Paris. This new collection went down in fashion history as the ‘New Look’ (right).

The collection was a revolutionary era for women in the 40s, credited with having revived the fashion

industry of France. Its silhouette was characterised by a small, nipped-in waist and a full skirt falling below mid-calf length, which emphasised the bust and hips. It showcased stereotypically feminine designs in contrast to the popular fashions of wartime. Dior retained some masculine aspects as they continued to hold popularity through the 1940s, but he wanted to include more feminine style.

The full-skirted silhouette influenced other fashion designers well into the 1950s, and Dior gained a number of prominent clients from Hollywood and the European aristocracy. It was embraced by stylish women such as Princess Margaret. It’s still influencing designers now from Miuccia Prada to Vivienne Westwood.

However, not everyone was pleased with the New Look. Some considered the amount of material to be wasteful, especially after years of cloth rationing. Feminists were outraged, feeling that these corseted designs were restrictive and regressive, and that they took away a woman’s independence.

Dior went on to revolutionise the perfumery industry with the launch of the Miss Dior parfum. In 1949, the ‘Diorama’ perfume was released and the New Look line alone made a profit of 12.7 million Francs. By the end of the year, Dior fashions made up 75% of Paris’s fashion exports and 5% of France’s total export revenue.

In 1950, Jacques Rouët, the general manager of Dior, devised a licensing program to place the now-renowned name of ‘Christian Dior’ visibly on a variety of luxury goods.

It was placed on neckties, furs, hats, gloves, handbags, jewellery, lingerie, and scarves. Licensing became a very profitable move recognised globally and all couture houses followed suit. By the mid-1950s, the House of Dior operated a well-respected fashion empire. >>

ree ings You Didn’t Know About Christian Dior...

HUMBLE BEGINNINGS He was born the second of five children to a wealthy family, but after the Great Depression and the collapse of his father’s business, Dior supported himself by selling fashion illustrations worth 10 cents each.

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A HOMAGE TO HIS SISTER Dior’s younger sister Catherine was a member of the French Resistance sent to the Ravensbrück concentration camp. She was released and Christian paid homage to her by naming his debut fragrance Miss Dior.

A MYSTERIOUS DEATH Some reports say Dior died of a heart attack after choking on a fish bone, while one of Dior’s acquaintances rumoured that it was caused by a ‘strenuous sexual encounter.’ The exact circumstances of his death are still unknown.

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Christian Dior - a portrait taken by Lord Snowdon for British Vogue.

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>> Dior launched more highly successful fashion lines between the 1954 and 1957, although none came close to the profound effect of the New Look. 100,000 garments had been sold by Dior’s 10th anniversary in 1956.

Christian Dior appeared on the cover of TIME magazine in 1957, but sadly the designer died soon afterwards from a third heart attack on 24th October 1957.

His death left the House of Dior in chaos, and general manager Jacques Rouët considered shutting down operation worldwide.

This possibility was not received graciously the Maison Dior was too important to France’s financial stability to allow such an action - so Rouët promoted 21 year old Yves Saint-Laurent to Artistic Director. Laurent was picked out by Dior himself for the position of the first ever and only Head Assistant.

The clothes were as meticulously made and perfectly proportioned as Dior’s in the same exquisite fabrics, but the young designer made them softer, lighter and easier to wear.

Saint Laurent was hailed as a national hero.

Emboldened by his success, his designs became more daring, culminating in the 1960 Beat Look. His 1960 bohemian look was harshly criticized. Marcel Boussac was furious, so when Saint Laurent was called up to join the French army, Dior management raised no objection.

Laurent was replaced by Marc Bohan in late 1960. Bohan instilled his conservative style on the collections and they were very well esteemed. The Christian Dior Cosmetics business was born in 1969 and the Christian Dior Homme clothing line was created in 1970. Dior graced the bodies of royalty for the wedding of The Prince of Wales and Lady Diana.

But in 1978, the Boussac Group filed for bankruptcy. Bernard Arnault purchased Christian Dior for ‘one symbolic franc’ in 1984.

Operations changed for the better under Arnault. Italian Gianfranco Ferré replaced Bohan as head designer in 1989. The first non-Frenchman, Ferré left behind Dior associations of flirtation and romance, introducing concepts and styles described as refined, sober and strict. 1990 revenue for 126

“Christian Dior’s designer John Galliano was famed for drawing attention to the brand through ‘porn chic’ ads soon used by other designers...”

Dior was $129.3 million Arnault opted ‘for quality and exclusivity over quantity and accessibility,’ reducing licensing.

Under the influence of Anna Wintour, editor of Vogue, CEO Arnault appointed British designer John Galliano to replace Gianfranco Ferré in 1997. This choice of a British designer, again instead of a French one, is said to have ‘ruffled French feathers.’

Arnault even stated he ‘would have preferred a Frenchman, but talent has no nationality.’

While other brands in the 1990s, notably Gucci, had resorted to porn chic as a means to draw attention, Dior ads had such an impact that porn chic became a trend in most fashion ads. Galliano had revolutionised Dior more through his advertising campaigns than through his designs. The designer didn’t have as much success in the 21st Century. In 2011, the House of Dior

was in scandal after accusations of John Galliano making anti-Semitic remarks made international headlines. He had landed the company in a public relations nightmare.

Galliano was fired in March and the presentation of his latest collection went ahead without him. Before the start of the show, chief executive Sydney Toledano gave a sentimental speech on the values of Christian Dior and alluded to the family’s ties to the Holocaust (Dior’s sister Catherine was a member of the French Resistance, captured and sent to a concentration camp until her liberation in 1945).

The company appointed Bill Gaytten as head designer interim in absence of artistic director. Gaytten had worked under Galliano for Dior and for the John Galliano label. The first collection under Gaytten’s management was presented in July and was received with mainly negative reviews.

During its 13-month period of having no artistic director, Dior began undergoing subtle changes in its designs as the influence of the theatrical and flamboyant Galliano faded. Belgian designer Raf Simons was announced as the new artistic director.

Simons was known for his minimalist designs, and this contrasted against the dramatic previous designs under Galliano.

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T H E

L U X U RY

B R A N D

Celebrity Influence

The big names that have endorsed Dior over the years from actresses to singers...

Charlize Theron - J’Adore Dior perfume (2004 - present)

Monica Bellucci - Dior cosmetics (2006 - 2010), Lady Dior handbag Eva Green - Midnight Poison perfume (2007 - 2008)

Marion Cotillard - Lady Dior handbag (2008 - 2017), Miss Dior handbag (2011) Jude Law - Dior Homme fragrance (2008 - 2012)

Natalie Portman - Miss Dior fragrance, Dior cosmetics (2010 - present) Mélanie Laurent - Hypnotic Poison perfume (2011 - present)

Mila Kunis - Miss Dior handbag (2012) Jennifer Lawrence - Joy Fragrance and Miss Dior handbag (2012 - present)

To emphasize the appropriate choice of Simons as the right designer, the company made comparisons between Simons and Christian Dior.

Reportedly, Bernard Arnault was keen to move Dior from the Galliano years. Simons spent much time in the Dior archives and familiarising himself with haute-couture.

Simons was then scheduled to debut his designs in July.

The company referenced the start of a new Dior through the work of Simons ‘wiping the slate clean and starting again from scratch.’ The designer’s collection harkened back to Dior’s post-WWII designs.

While previous runway presentations under Galliano were held at the Musée Rodin,

Simons’s show was held at a private residence near the Arc de Triomphe, with the address only disclosed to very important people exclusively invited.

This included Azzedine Alaïa, Marc Jacobs, Donatella Versace, Princess Charlene of Monaco, Marion Cotillard and Jennifer Lawrence. Live satellite feed of the show was provided. In 2015, Rihanna was chosen as the official spokeswoman for Dior. In 2015, Israeli model Sofia Mechetner was chosen to be the new face of Dior. Dior began heavily associating itself with celebrity influencers... n Left: Current Creative Director of Christian Dior Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli fashion designer of Valentino.

Above: Dior’s 2019 Paris collection. Red carpet stars sporting Christian Dior; Reese Witherspoon and Marion Cotillard.

Rihanna - Diorama bag, J’adore Dior perfume, Dior sunglasses (2015 - present)

Johnny Depp - Dior Sauvage fragrance (2015–present)

Right: Charlize Theron.

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1.

3.

2.

Mono Holiday Edit

12.

Be bold in black and white this summer. Here are summer essentials in monochrome...

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4.

1. Tom Ford Mini Canvas Tote Bag, £800. 2. Seafolly Active Bandeau Swimsuit, £96. 3. Lucy Folk Crochet Pineapple Earrings, £285. 4. Jonathan Simkhai Ruffle Dress, £370. 5. Jimmy Choo Leather Wedges, £425.

6. Seafolly Belted Swimsuit, £90. 7. Tom Ford O’Briens Opticians, call 01652 653595. 8. Stella McCartney Transparent Tote Bag, £454. 9. Balmain Striped Skirt, £750. 10. Eugenia Kim Do Not Disturb Hat, £400. 11. Victoria Beckham Fitted Dress, £1,050. 12. Burberry Horseferry Silk Scarf, £290.

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9.

7.

Featured Items from Designer Brands: Featuring Tom Ford, Seafolly, Lucy Folk, Jonathan Simkhai, Jimmy Choo, Stella McCartney, Balmain, Eugenia Kim, Victoria Beckham and Burberry. Sunglasses from O’Briens Opticians, 01652 653595, www.obriensopticians.co.uk.

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PETERS’ DRY CLEANERS

CONVENIENCE FOR

COMMUTERS We’re living busier lives than ever, so for those who commute into the city, Peters’ Cleaners and Moores Country & Commuting are offering the ultimate in convenience...

Time is a precious commodity for many people these days, but even more so when you spend your time commuting back and forth for work. What if you could maximise the hours you spend gazing out of the window of a train knowing that as you commute to London for work or enjoy a trip for leisure purposes, your dry cleaning or laundry is being carefully cleaned and pressed ready for collection at your convenience?

It’s exactly that idea Vicky Whiter hit upon after getting fed up of her own commuting misery whilst working as an International Business Development Manager in the city. That’s why, in 2016 having returned to her native Stamford, Vicky took over Peters’ Cleaners and partnered with Moores Country & Commuting to create an automated DIY drop-off and collection point.

“I’ve lost dry cleaning during my commute, or returned to it on the train to find other commuters have dumped bags and suitcases on my neatly pressed laundry. It’s a hassle carrying it around, fitting in drop offs and collections in between trying to catch a train and paying London prices for dry cleaning. That’s why our system is so much better.” >> 132

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Country & Commuting: Three quality commuter properties...

COLD OVERTON ROAD, OAKHAM, £1,300,000: Situated in the desirable village of Cold Overton. This property has been extended since the original build in 1765 and sits in approx. 7.3 acres including stables and paddocks.

Moores offers this beautiful five bedroom, three bathroom, Grade II listed 1765 Manor House in an elevated position with panoramic countryside views. Close to the market towns of Oakham and Melton Mowbray allowing easy access to amenities and main road links, train lines and schools. n

LAUREL COTTAGE, HAMBLETON, £995,000/OIRO: A rare opportunity to purchase a property on the peninsular of Hambleton in such good order throughout. The five-bedroom character home has an impressive, recently fitted and extended living kitchen with large centre island and AGA, leading out to the patio area. Bright reception room with fitted storage/television unit, drawing room with an open fireplace with a stone surround, double height sun room with feature beams and roof lights. The guest suite sits under a delightful newly thatched roof and with the sun room could form self-contained annexe accommodation. n

MAIN STREET, MARKET OVERTON, £750,000/Guide Price: Substantial detached character cottage set in its own walled grounds of approx. 0/4 acre. Part of one of the most attractive Rutland villages, this six bedroom, three bathroom home has a Tardis like layout. Extended to the rear to give a light and bright contemporary garden room it has a good size breakfast kitchen with a family room off. Additionally, there is a more formal drawing room, study area leading through to a separate dining room. The master bedroom has a dressing area and walk in wardrobe, en-suite to both master and guest bedroom. There are four further bedrooms and a family bathroom. The detached barn has fully opening doors for garaging plus a carport. No chain. n

For more information on any of these properties, see www.mooresestateagents.com or call 01572 757979.

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>> Vicky’s automated system allows customers to deposit their clothing in a bag with a membership card through a drop-off hatch. Items are then collected by Peters’ Cleaners staff. They’re laundered, returned to the unit and stored securely, accessed via a barcoded membership card with three cards supplied to customers at a time. The cards are scanned to release the pick-up door, with clothing returned on a hanger.

Not only is the service more convenient for commuters, clients also take advantage of the skills and experience of a firm established since 1963 who can provide dry cleaning, wet cleaning, stain removal and pressing.

The system is ideal for delicate garments, shirts, or anything than can be placed onto a hanger. With both standard and express services available, the 13-strong team clean around 25,000 shirts a year alone, and some

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“Customer experience and delivering a really good service will ensure our customers are happy to return time and time again!” members of the team have been bringing their expertise to the firm for over 30 years.

“Customer experience and delivering a really good service is more important than ever,” says Vicky. “To find and train really good people takes time, but it’s an investment in the business because the right people professional and committed to delivering great service - will help to ensure your customers are happy to return time and again.”

“As an independent company, not a chain, we can be more responsive to customers’ needs. It’s an approach which has been validated by a Best Customer Service Award

and a Best Independent Retailer Award in 2018. The High Street is enduring difficult trading conditions, so it’s important to offer convenience as well as a really good service, and to segue that into someone’s daily routine will help to make your customers’ lives easy.”

“We’ve managed to increase revenue by 40% and with a new service that provides 24/7 convenience, we believe that commuters are going to be even better accommodated.

It’s also set to be very popular with shift workers, plus, adjacent to Waitrose, shoppers can also fit their laundry and dry cleaning into their grocery shopping routine.”

Peters’ Cleaners is located at Peterborough Station, adjacent to Moores Country & Commuter, a full-service estate agency offering a range of properties under its Country & Commuting and Equestrian brands.

“We pride ourselves on being a family owned (husband and wife) run business; we are wholly independent – not a franchise or owned by a Building Society,” says Vernon Moore. “Our local office directors are all born and bred in the area and we dare not calculate their combined years of experience in local agency! We will always aim to get our vendors the best possible price, in the best timescale, in a professional manner!” n For more information on Peters’ Cleaners, based at Peterborough, Stamford and Crowland, call 01733 562997 or see www.peterscleaners.co.uk.

For more on Moores Country & Commuting, call 01733 788888 see www.mooresestateagents.com.

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BEAUTY

GOOD as GOLD

NO MATTER WHAT YOUR PLANS FOR HIGH SUMMER, YOU CAN UNDO THE HARSH EFFECTS OF STRONG SUN AND SALTY SEA WATER WITH THESE BEAUTY BOOSTERS THAT ARE GOOD AS GOLD

1. A GOLDEN FRAGRANCE

Travel in scent-sational style with this inspirational fragrance from Kilian. The perfume house’s Pascal Gaurin was apparently inspired by Klimt’s 1902 Beethoven Frieze, and has create a perfume that blends finery and eroticism, with a glistening quality of deep sensuality. Evidently that translates into deep floral patchouli with bergamot and vanilla. 30ml refillable travel spray is elegant and ideal for when you’re travelling this summer. £125.

3. Sublime Glow

Luxury protection against the harsh effects of the sun, with SPF 30 and broad spectrum UVA and UVB filters, as well as antioxidants.

Lightweight with a subtle summery fragrance of Polynesian fragrance, this is skin protection par excellence courtesy of Dior. £27.50/50ml.

4. Lip Radiance

Coco Chanel Gold-shrouded Colour Shine top coat for lips has a buttery feel with natural waxes to keep lips smooth, moisturised and non-greasy for up to eight hours. Intense high shine thanks to highly reflective ingredients. £31/4g.

5. Absolute Richness

Lancôme’s Absolut skincare range’s Crème Riche is a halo product for ensuring soft, nourished and moisturised skin all summer long, no matter what the effect of the sun, sea or late evenings enhanced with rose Damascena and Centifolia. £190/60ml.

2. BEAUTY BOOSTER

Shake to awaken this high-end oil designed to awaken the skin.

Designed for delicate skin, it’s designed to be no-greasy, weightless and provides a perfect makeup finish prior to makeup application.

Contains Juvenessence algae, Vitamin A and BioPlasma to brighten and rejuvenate skin. £115, 30ml.

6. Healthy Hair Care

Heat may be a prerequisite for an enjoyable summer, but high temperatures can be hell on your hair. That’s why GHD have put all of their technology into the word’s first smart styler which varies it temperature and uses just enough heat to style your hair whilst being careful not to damage its structure.

The result is hair that’s 70% stronger and 20% shinier.

In it’s Healthier Styling kit, there’s a paddle brush included. £175.

n All our beauty products are available from local high quality independent stockists unless otherwise stated, prices are based on RRP. Visit each makeup brand’s website for up to date information on local stockists.

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FITZWILLIAM HOSPITAL

nO pAIn, JUSt GAIn Bad posture, sedentary lifestyles and an overburdened healthcare infrastructure have all contributed to an epidemic of chronic musculoskeletal pain. But the answer is rarely invasive operations. “No one needs to live a life of pain,” says Consultant Spinal Surgeon and pain expert Mr Dimpu Bhagawati of Ramsay Healthcare’s Fitzwilliam Hospital & Boston West Hospital...

“No one needs to live a life of pain,” says Dimpu Bhagawati, demonstrating what happens to the spine when the spongy discs of tissue in our backs - which act as shock absorbers between the vertebrae - bulge and cause chronic pain, or just weaken with age.

“I have patients coming to see me who are in terrible pain, and they’re always surprised just how many options there are available to us to make them more comfortable.”

“More than half of the patients I see are experiencing chronic axial pain - in the back or sides, like sciatica whilst half are experiencing neuropathic pain - pain in their shoulders, legs or arms, for example.”

Dimpu estimates that over 90% of patients can be treated conservatively with postural advice or physiotherapy.

A further 8% of patients have their pain alleviated with injections of anaesthetic or steroids, with most being successfully treated and discharged afterwards. Only 2% of the patients the consultant sees end up having an operation such as most fear when they put off seeking treatment.

For patient’s wishing to self-fund or use their medical insurance, consultants can arrange diagnosis, tailored care pathways such as physiotherapy or procedures like pain relieving injections where appropriate.

Private healthcare such as that from Ramsay Health Care’s Fitzwilliam Hospital in Peterborough or its Boston West facility means accessing independent healthcare via self-pay, or insurance-funded services means immediate advice is available without a patient having to live with chronic pain.

Peterborough’s Fitzwilliam Hospital.

Patients can access other services such as diagnostic procedures (such as MRI and CT scans) and physiotherapy.

“Our physiotherapy services can work alongside consultants to ensure patients remain in control of their treatments,” says Senior Physiothearpy Manager Kate Smalley. “We set sustainable health goals, with sessions and programmes tailored to the individual. People are often surprised by how much they’re listened to, and how personal their care is.”

The number of people suffering from back and neck pain increased by 12% last year, with 44% of the population now affected. An older population, sedentary lifestyles, driving and office-based professions mean more people than ever before are living in unnecessary pain when consultant led-healthcare with clinicians like Dimpu Bhagawati and Kate Smalley can give patients their lives back... n

Find Out More: Ramsay Healthcare’s network of hospitals include Peterborough’s Fitzwilliam Hospital and Boston West Hospital. For a no-obligation consultation call 01733 842304 or find out more at www.fitzwilliamhospital.co.uk.

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Why should you wait for your treatment?

Ramsay Health Care’s Patient Pledge policy means flexible appointments, no cancellations, price matching, unlimited aftercare and 0% finance...

Rethink private healthcare with Ramsay Health Care. With facilities in Boston and at Peterborough, consultant-led care is closer to you and more accessible than ever.

Medical experts also have links to national centres of excellence, too, and can provide diagnosis services, as well as services like physiotherapy across a range of disciplines from orthopaedics, general surgical, ear, nose and throat, ophthalmological and cardiac disciplines, as well as access to pain relief, weight loss and cosmetic procedures. n Boston West Hospital is a purpose built day case hospital for consultant led common investigative and diagnostic procedures as well as operations in its modern theatre.

n Meanwhile Peterborough’s Fitzwilliam Hospital is a 55-bedroom facility with four state of the art operating theatres with ultra-clean air laminar flow technology to minimise infection risk, plus dedicated fixed MRI, CT, X-ray and physiotherapy facilities.

Mr Dimpu Bhagawati explains what happens to the spine when the spongy discs of tissue in our backs - which act as shock absorbers between the vertebrae - bulge and cause chronic pain, or just weaken with age.

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“They have looked and felt like my

own teeth” Implant treatment at the Dental Health Centre in Grantham has changed our patient’s life.

“My teeth are actually better now than they were before the implant and crown! From the very start they have looked and felt like my own teeth, I’m over the moon.”

J.S. near Grantham

Dr Colin Sutton, principal dentist consulting with a patient.

I was faced with the prospect of needing a dental implant and had lost confidence in my own dentist.

It was clear to me from the information provided by the Dental Health Centre that Colin Sutton is a long established professional in this specialised field.

Not wanting to take any further chances with my treatment I chose them and was impressed from the very outset.

Mr Sutton assured me he would be able to give me an implant and also carry out further treatment, which my own dentist said wasn’t possible. My husband came with me to the first appointment and he too was impressed.

Work carried out by my dentist meant that a previously filled tooth had to be removed. Having looked after my teeth all my life this was a huge shock to me and I felt if I needed to pay for this treatment privately, I want someone extremely competent and highly experienced.

The implant is at the side of my mouth and the crown is nearer the front. I was a bit worried that the crown would be obvious as some of my others have a line near the gum. But you wouldn’t know I’d had any treatment. They look superb.

I was initially nervous but plucked up the courage to give them a call. I thought it was brilliant that they could give me an appointment the same week.

My teeth are actually better now than they were before the implant and crown! From the very start they have looked and felt like my own teeth, I’m over the moon.

The minute I walked through the door at the Dental Health Centre I knew I had made the right choice.

Everyone is totally professional, and I have to mention Paula and Tracey as they are absolutely amazing. I didn’t feel uneasy – I felt like I was in very good hands.

I opted for 0% finance, which has helped. The quality of the treatment and the professionalism of the team have made my treatment well worth the price. I feel so confident with my teeth now and I would recommend the Dental Health Centre to anyone.

The implant treatment was absolutely fine, and all my treatment was on schedule as explained initially. I was never in any pain and had no reason to feel fearful.

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Miscellany

Waste some time this month with our jubilant jumble of June trivia, our pick of the most fascinating information we could find!

Edited by: Rob Davis.

bLUE pLAQUE

Jeffery Hudson

Little guy... 1619 – 1682:

Proverbially, the best things come in small packages. Indeed, it seems the best courtiers do as well.

Take Jeffrey Hudson, for example.

He lived from 1619 to 1682 and served as court dwarf to Henrietta Maria of France. There were a number of theories for his stature including our favourite; that his mother choked on a gherkin during pregnancy which resulted in her unborn child’s stunted growth(!).

Obstetrics wasn’t then what it is today... his height of 18 inches was probably more the result of a pituitary gland disorder.

In any case after Jeffrey was presented to the Queen by the Duchess of Buckingham in 1626, on his seventh birthday, he made a big debut by bursting out of a large pie at her banquet, as one does...

LAUnChED, LOvED & LOSt

From lost weekends of DIY to comedy catchphrases, we look back at what was happening locally and across the country 10, years, 50 years and 100 years ago...

100 years ago, whilst Rutland was still reeling from its losses in the Great War, the village of Belton in Rutland dedicated its War Memorial.

Its base is supposed to be the original stone on which Charles I rested after the Battle of Naseby. Meanwhile the Royal Flying Corps (RFC Stamford) - which had been in use since May in 1916 - closed in summer 1919.

It would reopen as RAF Wittering in 1924.

50 years ago Back in June 1969 when Monty Python completed filming of Monty Python’s Flying Circus and the first B&Q store opened, Stamford Shakespeare held their second play, and the 15 metre skeleton of ‘Cetiosaurus

Oxoniensis’ - a dinosaur from the Jurassic period - was unearthed at Great Casterton.

It’s now in New Walk Museum, in Leicester.

With the closure of Pilton Quarries in June 50 years ago, locomotive Stamford went to the Bluebell Railway before being loaned to Rocks by Rail, the living museum on ironstone in Cottesmore.

10 years ago And finally, a decade ago, Rutland osprey Maya first came to Rutland Water. Making her home on lagoon four, she’s beautiful and has raised 16 chicks since she first bred a year after her arrival. Her name refers to her ‘Manton Bay’ home and the Greek goddess of spring, Maia. n

Hudson spent 25 years as a slave before returning to Oakham and died in an unmarked pauper’s grave. Hudson is seen here with the Queen in Anthony van Dyck’s 1633 painting. n

Belton in Rutland’s Memorial in 1919.

Image from www.rutlandremembers.org.

Quote of the month

“i don’t care what her critics say about my view - i have massive admiration for eresa may’s fortitude and sense of duty. how has she managed to go through every day taking so much flak from less decent people?”

Tweet by Sir Alan Duncan, MP for Rutland & Melton

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MISCELLANY: WASTE SOME TIME

ROLLS ROyCE REnDEzvOUS

bOOk OF thE mOnth

“memories Are made of ese”

Who would be a teacher these days; presiding over a room full of precocious iPhone-wielding youths... it was easier in the 1970s, surely?

Let’s ask Stamford author Jack Dawes who has written a book on the subject!

national milk Day 1st June 2019 See www.ahimsamilk.org.

As they say, what comes around, goes around. Jack Dawes - nom de plume of Peter Grey, doubtless gave his teachers hell growing up in the 1960s and 1970s.

thoroughly brilliant book on the subject from a Stamford author which looks back at the decades we all grew up in with a realistic shade of warmth and good humour.

Via a career as a tax inspector (boo!) he became a teacher (yay!) and soon the boot was on the other foot. Peter spent 42 years teaching in Oakham and Peterborough schools, and this is a warm, funny, autobiographical and

A blissful retro sojourn into the pre-internet era when, rumour has it, people talked to one another, instead of texting them!?! It’s a nostalgic book we can all relate to.

An easy, enjoyable read for those long summer afternoons in the garden; £7.99.

In udder news, June 1st is World Milk Day. Ahimsa Dairy in Manton is a slaughter-free dairy where cows are hand

milked and grazed on organic pasture. Calves remain with their mums and the herd throughout their lives. n

Burghley House will host the Rolls Royce & Bentley Owner’s Club’s concours d’elegance, its annual summer rally, from Friday 21st June - Sunday 23rd June.

Rolls Royce was founded in 1904 by electrical and mechanical engineering businessman Henry Royce and car fanatic Charles Rolls, who owned one of the first motor dealerships.

Their first car was a 10hp model (above) with two cylinders. It sold for £395 (about £45,000 today).

Three other models followed with 15hp, 20hp and 30hp.

Top models had six cylinders and were priced at £890 (£95,000). n

national picnic Week: 21st-30th June 2019: Our Four Favourite Picnic Places...

n Cutts Close, Oakham: Picnics permitted, no barbecues.

Live music events through the season around the park’s Queen Elizabeth II bandstand.

n Whitwell/Normanton R/Water: Picnics permitted all year round, BBQs permitted but not in nature reserve areas. Disposable BBQs must be used on metal stands.

n Food & Films at Burghley House: Picnics are encouraged during July’s Burghley Film Festival; enjoy Jungle Book, Mamma Mia 2, Bohemian Rhapsody or The Greatest Showman.

n Fineshade Woods: There is a seating area in the courtyard of the visitor centre at Fineshade, and a picnic area next to each of the play areas.

www.oakham.co.uk/cutts-close-park

www.anglianwaterparks.co.uk

www.burghley.co.uk/film-festival2019

www.forestryengland.uk/fineshade-wood

The average person picnics at least three times every year, that’s 94 million picnics per year. The average family spends £26 per picnic, totalling a cool £2,479,720,000.

Most popular at picnics fifty years ago was the cheese sandwich. Now, it’s a bag of crisps.

John W Bratton was the man responsible for the tune of the famous children’s song The Teddy Bear’s Picnic, composed in 1907.

It was originally called The Teddy Bear’s Two-Step but that changed to Picnic in 1930 a when different the lyric was used.

The French started the modern fashion for picnics when they opened their royal parks to the public after the revolution of 1789.

The most popular day for picnics in the UK is the last Sunday in June. In the US it’s the 4th July; in France, it’s Bastille Day. n 143

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Download Readly and read Rutland Pride, Stamford Pride plus all of your other favourite magazines every month...

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ENJOY RUTLAND PRIDE AND STAMFORD PRIDE, PLUS 3,000 OTHER MAGAZINES, EVERY MONTH ON YOUR TABLET OR MOBILE PHONE...

Download Readly onto your iOS, Kindle or Android device to read and download over 3,000 magazines...

VISIT THE APP STORE OR GOOGLE PLAY STORE, AND DOWNLOAD READLY TODAY. UNLIMITED MAGAZINES, NO FIXED CONTRACT.

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PR

ID

E MA GA Z I N

ES

This MonTh: funDrAisers for AnnA’s hope ‘MAD As hATTers’ AT ChAriTY lunCh...!

to feature your event call 01529 469977. Our magazines are free to read online, so you can share the magazine with your friends. visit www.pridemagazines.co.uk.

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MAD HATTER’S LUNCH

They were all mad as hatters at the Alice in Wonderland fundraising lunch for Carole & Rob Hughes’s Anna’s Hope charity... but we’ll let you into a secret; the best people are...! The event was held at Wansford’s Haycock Hotel...

to feature your event call 01529 469977 to speak to our events desk, or email editor@pridemagazines.co.uk.

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PORSCHE 911 LAUNCH The sublime new Porsche 911 made an impressive debut at Porsche Leicester recently with a launch attended by over 350 people keen to see the new model...

to feature your event call 01529 469977 to speak to our events desk, or email editor@pridemagazines.co.uk.

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MOTORS

BEAUTY

BEFORE AGE

It’s unmistakably a Porsche 911, albeit more sophisticated, more comfortable and more beautifully made than ever, especially in its brand new convertible form...

It’s my 40th birthday this year. Facing my dotage, I’m increasingly in the market for a car less practical. More... fun. The man looking back at me from the bathroom mirror each morning, holding the razor, is increasingly haggard and with alarming frequency, there appear new wrinkles and crevices to shave around with bristly bits to remove from inexplicable places like my ears and nose.

I’m not aging that well. Unlike the Porsche 911; a car which could suit my midlife motoring requirements admirably. It’s aging beautifully.

The 911 made its debut in 1963, evolving over eight versions, yet still it’s instantly recognisable. Like the Volkswagen Golf or the Land Rover Defender, its shape has changed so little that it still looks like an evolution, rather than a revolution of its forebears.

Porsche has sold a million of them - coupés, convertibles, targas, speedsters and stripped-back GT2/GT3 models. Engines are always in the rear; air cooling was ditched in 1998; two or four wheels are driven; turbos can be strapped to the belly of the beast and driver aids and automatic gearboxes have crept in. But it’s still, ostensibly, the legend it always has been and always will be. But golly, it’s better than ever... more comfortable; quicker; more sophisticated and certainly the best looking 911 Porsche has ever made. >> 153

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Go Topless this Summer: Desirable drop tops to turn heads...

Audi R8 V10 Spyder, £134,135: Audi’s dramatic-looking R8 has a 5.2 litre V10 engine and a cockpit packed with technology. A Virtual Cockpit MMI Plus system with navigation and heated leather and Alcantara sports seats ensure the Spyder certainly looks the part. There’s performance in abundance too with 60mph reached in 3.5 seconds and a top speed of 200mph. Fuel economy is 21mpg, and handling is secure by virtue of Audi’s Quattro four wheel drive system mated to a seven speed automatic gearbox. n

Mercedes S560 £115,855: Whilst the 911 is performance and handling-focused, and the R8 is about pure speed, Mercedes takes a different approach to six-figure open-top motoring with the S-Class. It’s oriented towards comfort in this non-AMG version. Sumptuous leather, heated electrically adjustable seats, automatic parking and reverse camera, wireless phone charging and navigation are all standard. The interior is a beautifully designed masterclass in technology and comfort. For £5,000 extra, a Premium package gives a 360° camera, massaging seats, and heated steering wheel and armrests. 155mph top speed, 60mph in 4.6 secs. n

>> A new 911 reaches the UK this month and the top has been removed to allow wind -in-the-hair motoring. The firm has always eschewed a folding hard top (like a Mercedes SLC) in favour of a traditional soft top.

There’s something perverse about the fact that despite our climate, the UK is the world’s second biggest market for convertible cars.

That’s right, convertibles are more popular in the UK than anywhere but the US.

BMW i8 Roadster £126,935: Having explored the best handling car, the fastest car and the more luxurious car, our fourth offering is the eco-friendly option. BMW’s i8 may cost more but it’ll save money on fuel, as it’s a plug-in hybrid with a 1.5 litre three-cylinder petrol engine, working alongside an electric setup to offer 128mph, 31 miles of range on pure electric mode and a 60mph time of 4.6 seconds. Gullwing doors are fancy, and there’s cruise, climate, parking sensors, navigation, heated electric seats and leather as standard. n

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We buy more of them per capita than the Spanish, Italians or French with their sunshine climates. And our weather can dramatically increase our buying habits. Last year’s heatwave saw convertible sales rise by 50% - a miserable summer can see a similar fall in sales.

Porsche must be watching the UK weather forecast like hawks.

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This is a car to buy with your heart, not your head. It’s 911, but better, more modern and more beautiful than ever before...

The coupé version of the 911, launched in January, is 50kg heavier than its predecessor, the convertible 70kg heavier still, as its body has undergone stiffening and rollover protection. You wouldn’t know.

The new model is brimming with feedback.

It’s as though you’ve turned up the brightness and contrast on your driving experience or transitioned from HD to 4k TV; with either coupé or convertible 911, everything is sharper, brighter, with more feedback. Suddenly you’re feeling driving, not just operating a machine.

It’s beautiful. It’s lucid. It’s visceral.

The 911’s new interior is more modern too and whilst the car has its fair share of technology, there are still physical switches; ergonomics and materials are spot on.

Ubiquitous and arguably more practical, air con and climate control systems have dented convertible sales and whilst there’s a £9,600 premium over the coupé, none of those practical, cold hard facts will stop you from buying the convertible derivative. This is a car to buy with your heart. 911 is better, more beautiful than ever, and its convertible version is the perfect 40th birthday gift, from me, to me. n

PORSCHE 911 CONVERTIBLE Price: £102,722 (Carrera S).

Motor/Drivetrain: 3.0-litre twin-turbo flat-six.

Performance: 0-60mph 3.9 secs; 190mph top speed.

Economy: 24.6mpg - 28mpg.

Equipment: Electric leather sports seats, Park Assist, reversing camera, cruise/climate controls, heated seats, digital instrument

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MOTORS

Morgan’s model is a retro masterpiece A new Morgan is a rare occurrence, and the firm’s Plus Six model brings a hitherto unseen wealth of fancy-pants features to its retro masterpiece...

A new Morgan is not something you see every day. Its last release - the Aero series - was released in 2000 and still featured bmW mechanicals over an ash timber frame.

It had a radical design compared to the more traditional looking 4/4 model it sat alongside a car which was launched in 1955 and only just ceased to be sold with the launch of morgan’s new offering, the plus Six. What is it? Well, it’s all new. All new. e car is made of 4,000 parts and only 1% of them are shared with the firm’s existing models. made of metal, albeit retaining a bit of ash in the structure, the car has a fresh v6 engine and gearbox created in collaboration with bmW. It’s 2cm longer than its predecessor, but offers 20cm extra legroom and 31% more storage space. Weighing 1,075kg, it’s also lighter than a Ford Fiesta.

So, imagine a v6 bmW m-Series engine in a Fiesta. en imagine that Fiesta goes on a diet. now imagine the kind of performance you can expect. Finally, imagine ditching the roof and adding retro styling... that’s what the morgan is.

Morgan Plus Six, First Edition Price From: £89,995.

On Sale: June.

Engine: 2019 BMW 3.0 inline 6-cylinder.

Performance: 166mph top speed, 60mph 4.2 seconds

Economy: 38.2mpg.

Of course, morgans have always been two things; analogue and expensive. e basic plus Six costs £78,000. With a ‘touring’ hard top it’s £85,000, and ‘First Edition’ models have more standard equipment.

Amazingly, every plus Six has leather seats, air conditioning and power steering, plus an automatic gearbox. First Editions have smarter leather, wood veneer and sun visors. you can choose from 28 exterior colours, 19 hides, seven veneers and so on. modern, but unmistakably morgan, this is a Great british classic, but one made for a more modern era. beautiful, individual and wonderfully crafted! n

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BUSINESS & FINANCE

Duncan & Toplis ‘Best Large Practice’ ACCOUNTANTS CONTINUE A FIVE-TIME WINNING STREAK AT THE ICAEW...

STAMFORD They beat Deloitte.

The beat Price Waterhouse Coopers. For the second time in a row, accountancy firm Duncan & Toplis, on Stamford’s All Saints’ Street has won the Best Large Practice title at the ICAEW East Midlands Awards, having also won the award for Best Medium Practice for three years previously.

Duncan & Toplis, which is now the 30th largest accountancy company in the UK, won the Best Large Practice Award 2019 at a recent blacktie ceremony in Nottingham.

The ICAEW East Midlands Awards are one of the region’s most prestigious awards for the accountancy profession.

The body is a world leading professional membership organisation for chartered accountants with more than 180,000 members, including 6,000 members in the East Midlands.

Judges at this year’s awards praised Duncan & Toplis for its commitment to client service its support of a wide range of charities and for the support it’s given to companies

10 Years of Relaxation at The Grange Spa, Pointon

CONGRATULATIONS TO EMMA & MATT AND THE TEAM AT THE AREA’S CLOSEST AND COSIEST LUXURY DAY SPA!

in rural areas which it’s helped to switch to digital accountancy solutions ahead of changes to taxation laws, for its work to support the local community and good causes like the IBCC. BOURNE Has it really been 10 years? Husband and wife Emma and Matt Craven have created a stunning place to relax in the form of the area’s nearest day spa, The Grange at Pointon. Having converted a private home into a luxury spa with swimming pool, heat and cool experiences, treatment rooms, health and fitness suite, quiet rooms, The Grange is now the perfect place to relax during either half-day, full-day or twilight experiences.

“Matt and I own and run the spa with a small team of just eight employees and it’s our family feel and our personal 158

Adrian Reynolds, MD said: “I couldn’t be more proud of our team at Duncan & Toplis and this award shows just how good we are!” n See www.duntop.co.uk. involvement with the day to day running that our customers love,” says Emma.

“It has taken many hours of hard work and the support of some great team members.”

“We offer all the facilities of a larger spa on a smaller more personable scale and only accept a maximum of 20 guests at any one time.”

The spa has created a 10th anniversary package, Take Rest at £160/person which Prosecco, includes 70mins treatments and a full day of relaxation. n The Grange Spa is open Tuesday to Saturday. Call 01778 440511 or see www.thegrangespa.co.uk.

Gates Farm Shop

NEW BUTCHERY & FARM SHOP OPENS

Harborough Stone says “Don’t wait until autumn!”

MARKET HARBOROUGH

extensive free parking, Gates Farm Shop will cover over 12,000sqft of retail space.

The shop will feature a large butchery by Hambleton Farms and meat will come from only a small select group of farmers. Gates Farming has developed its own beef herd consisting of three Aberdeen Angus, Beef Shorthorn and South Devon, as well as Kerry Hill sheep to provide lamb n See www.gatesgardencentre.co.uk.

Choose a Firsby Lakes solid timber lodge for the quiet life!

A GREAT WAY TO DOWNSIZE AND DE-STRESS!

MELTON MOWBRAY If you are considering downsizing and opting for a quieter life with less stress, visit Melton Mowbray’s family run Firsby Lakes Lodge Park. The owners have developed the park over the last five years, planting over 3,000 trees, establishing nature reserves and creating perhaps the best thing about the site... the Lodges!

All lodges are solid log homes, sold on a renewable 99 year lease and are all bespoke and built to last a lifetime. You can stay 365 days per year and the lodges here have actually increased in value since the establishment of the park. n For more information call 01664 434108 or see www.firsbylakes.com

£2,400,000

OAKHAM Building for a new large-scale, traditional farm shop is already well under way at Gates Garden Centre in Cold Overton.

Gates Farm Shop will open its doors late this summer, with a key focus on offering the finest locally sourced produce; complemented by the best from national producers.

Located adjacent to the Gates Garden Centre main building and benefitting from

It’s high summer, so chilly weather is probably far from your mind but don’t wait until Autumn to find your new fire or stove.

There’s always an autumn rush of people wanting a new open fire grate, electric or gas fire, but looking around in high summer will ensure your new fireplace can be installed in time for Autumn.

The firm specialises in fires, fireplaces and masonry. n www.harborough-stone.co.uk, or call 01858 410033.

RUTLAND COUNTY COUNCIL will invest a total of £2.4million into Rutland’s highway network over the next year, making sure the county’s roads and paths remain among some of the best in England. All of the funding comes from central government, rather than Council Tax contributions, and will be spent on: repairing potholes, replacing damaged sections of road and repairing and replacing paths. n

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BUSINESS

NEWS In Brief

LUTTERWORTH

LUXURY TOILETS ARE WORTH SPENDING A PENNY ON If you’re planning a wedding, party or outdoor function this summer, you’ll be relieved to hear that luxury conveniences are available to ensure your guests don’t have to endure unpleasant loos.

Heidi Carrington has owned and run Lodge Farm Luxury Toilet Hire for 14 years. Her facilities have proper running warm water, luxury toiletries, heating & lighting.

The firm’s units are setup and run, and are cleaner and much more habitable than some of the facilities that we’ve endured at public events, creating the right impression no matter what the occasion.

We cover all of Leicestershire as well as parts of Northamptonshire, Warwickshire and Lincolnshire,” says Heidi.

Definite worth spending a penny on, as far as we’re concerned. n Call 01858 882176 or 0777 3272711 or see www.lodgefarm

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ADVERTISING FEATURE NFU MUTUAL

new office, but same great service It’s all change for the staff of NFU Mutual Stamford as the insurer relocates the office from their Sheep Market digs into a new home on St Mary’s Street.

But some things will remain the same, like the agency’s commitment to looking after their customers and offering a range of quality insurance and investment products, available to anyone... not just farmers!

A new home for a very established business. The paint is hardly dry on the walls of NFU Mutual Stamford’s new office but already the team have the kettle on and are welcoming in their customers to catch up with them and ensure they’re properly protected.

The NFU was established in 1908 as the voice of British Farming. NFU Mutual, is a separate company established in 1910, providing insurance and investment products, making these available to everyone not just farmers - in the 1990s.

Insurance can be really complicated and you could find yourself underinsured or lacking in adequate protection for the things that matter to you. Getting to know the customer, building a relationship and taking the time to find the correct cover is essential for avoiding that.”

“NFU Mutual Stamford is one of 300 offices across the UK protecting the assets of around 900,000 members,” says Miles Baker, unpacking the teabags.

“The Stamford office was established in 1925 and has been situated on Sheep Market for well over 20 years, but as the agency has grown we have gradually run out of space for the kind of service we wanted to provide.”

“We believe that getting the right insurance is really important and although it can be easy to deal over the phone or buy online, not only is that really impersonal, but it results in a missed opportunity to sit down with the customer, have a cuppa and really understand their requirements.

“Our new offices on St Mary’s Street gives us private meeting rooms for discussions and to meet with Chris Gormley, an NFU Mutual Financial Adviser. It is also more accessible and allows us more room for face-toface meetings with customers to discuss their home, motor or commercial insurance needs. Insurance

is more than simply a tick-box exercise that’s completed online. It should be carefully considered, so that you have peace of mind that you have the right cover and plans in place for you, your family and your business, giving you one less thing for you to worry about should the unexpected happen.”

“We’re a local office and have always valued the ethos that getting to know our customers and understanding them properly offers a better service,” says Miles. “We also have the benefit of the financial strength of NFU Mutual behind us, which means we pay out on 98% of claims.

And now, after spending a good deal of time looking for the right building, we’re able to ensure that we’ve a space to work that’s commensurate with our aim and are able to house a 15 strong team to continue to provide exceptional customer service.”

“Our business isn’t just insurance, pensions and investments, it is making sure our customers are properly protected to ensure their peace of mind. And now we’ve a better environment from which to look after our customer’s needs and continue provide the excellent service they deserve.” n

Find Out More: NFU Mutual is now based at 41 St Mary’s Street, Stamford, PE9 2DS. For more information call 01780 762421 or visit nfumutual.co.uk.

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