South Warwickshire NOW - September 2018

Warwickshire South

AND NORTH COTSWOLDS

Now

CHEF JEAN-CHRISTOPHE NOVELLI GREAT BRITISH BAKE OFF’S SELASI GBORMITTAH

EAT WELL FOR LESS’S CHRIS BAVIN

L L U H I L SO

D O FO INK & DR L A V I T S E F

8 1 0 2 R E B M E T P 28 - 30 SE

SNOOZE YOUR WAY TO HEALTH QUESTIONS ABOUT DEMENTIA PREPARING FOR SECONDARY SCHOOL SEPTEMBER 2018 | ISSUE 28

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HOMES • GARDENS • FOOD & DRINK • WALKS • HEALTH & BEAUTY • WHAT’S ON • COMPETITIONS

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Warwickshire South

AND NORTH COTSWOLDS

Now

08

Contents

16 20 20

SEPTEMBER 2018

HOME & GARDEN 08

Snooze Your Way to Health

12

Grand Open Day Weekend

14

Rothesay Bennett Financial Planning

16

Wyevale Garden Centres

20

Nature’s Notebook

Health & Beauty 22

The Perfect Hairstyle for Your Wedding

24

Competition Blaze Hair

25

What Are Your Feet Worth to You?

Food & Drink 26

Recipe Pear Cinnamon Tarte Tatin

28

The Best Cocktails for Autumn and Halloween

south warwickshire

NOW

01905 723011 nowmagazine.co.uk 2nd Floor, Richardson House 24 New Street, Worcester, WR1 2DP

26

editor

design

Dawn Pardoe PW Media & Publishing Ltd dawn@pw-media.co.uk

Paul Blyth paul@pw-media.co.uk

Advertising

Bex Small bex@pw-media.co.uk

Mel Penkoks 01905 727901 mel@pw-media.co.uk

Contributors

Genna McCann-Taylor 01905 727902 genna@pw-media.co.uk

Warwickshire Wildlife Trust Miles Jones Wye Vale Garden Centres

Front Cover: Solihull BID www.solihullbid.co.uk

Glynis Dray Hanson Auctioneers The Sleep Council Broadway Parks Rothesay Bennett Blaze Hair Health First Podiatry Eckington Manor Alzheimer’s Society Republic Media Kings High Warwickshire College Group The Kingsley School

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42 30 Golden Years 30

Use Style to Blow Away Negativity During the Menopause

34

Questions About Dementia

EDUCATION

44

38

King’s High

40

Make Time for Yourself With a Part Time Course

41

The Kingsley School

42

Preparing Your Child for Secondary School

43

Bromsgrove School

Our Events Diary

46

44

Walks Alvechurch to Bittell

45

Hanson’s Auctioneers

46

Competition From The Jam

48

What’s On This Month

competition winners Shakespeare Distillery L. Higham, Shirley

Hillers Afternoon Tea A. Mitchell, Shipston-on-Stour

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ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: Reproduction in whole or in part is prohibited without permission. Colour transparencies, prints or any pictoral media for this publication are sent at owner’s risk and whilst every care is taken, neither PW Media & Publishing Ltd or its agents accept liability for loss or damage. No editorial submissions will be returned unless accompanied by a Self Addressed Envelope. DISCLAIMER: Whilst every effort has been made to ensure that adverts and articles appear correctly, PW Media & Publishing Ltd cannot accept responsibility for any loss or damage caused directly or indirectly by the contents of this publication. The views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of its publisher or editor. Please note that if you enter a competition in the South Warwickshire magazine your name and address may be forwarded to the host of said competition.

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here & Now

Learn new skills at the British Motor Museum

Reading charity launches ‘Back to School’ volunteer appeal As the new academic year approaches, national reading charity Beanstalk is stepping up its search for volunteers across the Midlands to help reach more children than ever before with its potentially life-changing reading support programmes. This academic year the charity is aiming to support more than 1,300 children aged 3-13 across the region who are at risk of falling behind at school without intervention. In order to achieve this, Beanstalk needs volunteers to join its network of trained reading helpers to help deliver this one-to-one support in local primary schools and early years settings .

The British Motor Museum is inviting people

According to the latest statistics, 25% of children across England left primary school not meeting the expected levels in reading last year (2017-18). This can have a devastating effect on those children’s futures leading to all sorts of problems in secondary education and beyond.

participants can visit the extensive collection

“The start of the new academic year is always a critical time for us to ensure that we have enough trained volunteers ready to deliver our key programmes across the region,” explains Gail Washington, Area Manager at Beanstalk. “However, this academic year we have more programmes to deliver in more settings than ever before, which means we urgently need to increase the number of volunteers we have so we can reach more children that need this vital support.”

Beanstalk provides full training and ongoing support to all volunteers. For more information or to apply, please visit the website at www.beanstalkcharity.org.uk or call Beanstalk on 0845 450 0301.

to come along and learn a new skill with its series of motoring related workshops this autumn. These popular and fascinating workshops enable participants to learn new skills in photography, creative writing, drawing and classic car ownership. Each course includes entry to the Museum so of British historical cars.

The popular ‘Classic Virgins’ Experience Day returns on 20 October. This is a handson, informative day aimed at those who wish to buy and own a classic car. Experts will deliver guidance on the theory of car ownership and provide basic practical workshop based maintenance sessions.

There will also be the opportunity ride in a variety of classic cars. One of this April’s Classic Virgins Experience attendees said “The day was a great introduction to classic cars, and a really good opportunity to meet experienced owners”

Heidi Meyers Receives Honorary Degree The University of Warwick has awarded the honorary degree of Doctor of Laws to Heidi Meyer, Master of the Lord Leycester Hospital in Warwick.

Ms Meyer hopes her award will help her in her mission to encourage women of all ages to experience education. She is the first female Master of the Lord Leycester Hospital, a community of retired and wounded soldiers founded in 1571. She was appointed in 2016 after a career in the Army and as an adviser to the US Government and NATO, and has taken on the challenge of securing the hospital’s future. She said: “The Lord Leycester Hospital is an icon of Warwick – it’s a medieval gem, and it stands for 700 years of governance, civil society and philanthropy, in the heart of Warwick. At the moment it’s a heritage site at risk, so a lot of my work will be galvanising the local community, in Warwick and Warwickshire, to ensure that the Lord Leycester Hospital has a future.” The Hospital is as relevant as ever and has recently welcomed new resident Guardsman John Dawson, who suffered serious head injuries in Helmand, Afghanistan. Ms Meyer said: “He has really blossomed in the environment we offer him. Physical injuries can be looked after by a good team of experts but there’s always this spiritual, personal element that finds sanctuary in environments like ours, where there are other men – and women, if you include myself - who have served in battle. It’s good to be in an environment of kindred souls.”

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For those interested in photography, the Museum is offering three workshops. ‘Cars through the Lens’ on 6 October, ‘Lights, Camera…Cars’ on 7 October focuses on developing lighting skills for the more advanced. Finally ‘Cars through the Lens goes Studio’ on 17 November is perfect for those looking to develop photographic techniques, composition and lighting in a home studio setting.

Five

art

based

workshops,

‘Sketching

and painting Land Rovers’ on 7 October, ‘Sketching from Automotive History’ on 20 October, ‘Automotive History in Watercolour’ on 21 October, ‘Automotive Sketching in Perspective’ on 24 November and then an advanced perspective workshop on 25 November. For more information and to book please visit www.britishmotormuseum. co.uk/events/workshops-1

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Home Home & & Garden Garden

Snooze Your Way to Health

During Sleep tember

As schools go back and regular routines resume after summer, The Sleep Council suggests September – or Sleeptember – is the time to focus on a better night’s sleep.

Sleep tember is a month-long campaign dedicated to promoting the healthy benefits of a good night’s sleep.

Said Lisa Artis of The Sleep Council: “During the summer months our sleeping patterns tend to change – longer, lighter evenings and holidays can result in us finding it difficult to get back into a routine. Yet many people don’t realise that sleep fulfils a vital role in keeping us healthy and happy, much like proper nutrition and exercise.

“In our September campaign, we want people to become more aware of how well they sleep and the host of health benefits quality sleep can bring.

“Poor sleep and fatigue are common problems affecting millions of people, and just one bad night’s sleep can influence our mood, concentration and alertness. Longterm sleep deprivation has far more serious consequences and has been linked to heart disease, diabetes and stroke.”

If you’re struggling to get a good night’s sleep, try following The Sleep Council’s Sleeptember tips: 1. Do you have the right bed? Having the correct bed for you is the foundation of a quality night’s sleep. Research shows that sleeping on an uncomfortable bed could deprive you of up to an hour’s sleep a night. We’d advise replacing your bed after around seven years.

2. Create the ideal sleep environment: A calm and relaxing bedroom is key to a good night’s sleep. Keeping your bedroom quiet, cool and dark will help create the ideal environment.

3. Turn off electronics: TVs, smart phones, laptops, radios and games consoles all have a significant impact on our sleeping habits. Using a gadget just before bed makes it harder to switch off and wind down. Even exposure to the weakest glow of blue, electronic light – such as a notification flashing up on your mobile phone – can unconsciously play havoc with your body’s circadian rhythms, keeping you alert when you should be sleepy.

4. Keep a routine: Our body’s love routine when it comes to sleep, so make sure you don’t neglect it. Going to bed and getting up at roughly the same every day helps to program the body to sleep better.

5. And breathe… Bedtime is your time to switch off – or it should be. Meditation is a great tool to help calm our minds down and relax our bodies. You could also try having a warm bath before bed, listening to quiet music, deep breathing or yoga. If you’re the sort of person who starts to worry when you get into bed, or makes ‘to do’ lists in your head, try writing down the things you need to tackle – you can deal with those in the morning after a good night’s sleep!

Continued over the page

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Home & Garden Time to change your bedding?

We’ve all seen Tog Values on duvets, but might not necessarily know what they really mean. In a purely scientific sense, a tog is a measurement of thermal insulation, with a low number indicating quite a low level of insulation and a high number meaning something that will keep you as warm as toast. However, a higher tog value isn’t always better, as most people sleep more soundly when their body is kept at a cool to normal temperature. So most sleep experts agree that you should set the thermostat to around 65 F or 18 C and manage your body temperature with a duvet that’s designed for the season of the year.

That ideally means choosing a tog value of 3.5 to 7.5 in Summer, changing to something between 7.5 and 10.5 in Spring and Autumn. Then if you want to stay warm in bed throughout the Winter, you should consider a duvet with a tog value of 13.5 to 15.0.

Which type of duvet filling is right for you?

There are a wide range of duvet fillings now available, with options to suit those who suffer from allergies and asthma as well as to meet personal preferences ranging from slim and light to deep and downy.

Anti-Allergy Duvet Fillings It has been proven that 25% of allergic conditions and 50% of asthmatic conditions are caused by house dust mites, which are most commonly found living in bedding such as pillows and duvets. So if any member of the family suffers from allergies or asthma, it is well worth choosing an ‘anti-allergy’ duvet filling, Hollowfibre Fillings Hollowfibre fillings are made from spun polyester and so are naturally non-allergenic and machine washable.

There are lots of different grades of hollowfibres available so it is always best to view and feel the quilt rather than buying online.

Natural Duvet Fillings Made from the feathers and down of ducks and geese, many people still love natural duvet fillings for their softness, lightness and natural breathability. After all, it was the softness and warm of natural products like these that inspired the first continental quilts, as duvets were once known. Natural duvet fillings are also incredibly durable, though they may need ‘fluffing up’ a little more often than hollowfibre duvets. It is also worth bearing in mind that those who suffer from allergies or asthma are best avoiding natural duvet fillings, and choosing hollowfibre instead. n

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Home & Garden

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Maximise Your Pension Benefit!

Much has been discussed about the recent pension freedom reforms which have given over55s the opportunity to spend their pension benefits when and as they wish. The controversial overhaul has allowed savers unrestricted access to their pension pots and removed the need to buy a guaranteed income for life in the form of an annuity.

At the time the reforms were introduced, many were concerned that people would thereafter treat their pensions like a cash windfall and blow them too quickly, with little thought to their future needs.

What has been more concerning in practice is that the reforms have led to retirees paying far too much tax as a consequence.

There are both tax saving opportunities created by the reforms but also traps that one could easily fall into depending on individual circumstances. To give you just a flavour of some of these opportunities and risks: • 25% of a pension can be accessed as a tax-free lump sum.

If you have other assets such as cash or investments to fund your retirement, it might make more sense to delay accessing the pension pot so that the pension can benefit from potential investment growth and actually increase the tax-free lump sum when you do take it.

• The reforms also revamped

the pension death benefit rules.

Of particular note is the return of the entire pension as a lump sum, to beneficiaries, free of tax prior to age 75. In the early stages of retirement, hastily accessing your pension and paying income tax may therefore be misguided and detrimental to family wealth.

• Some pensions (not all) are also outside of estates for inheritance tax (IHT) purposes. Ensuring that your pension allows this is therefore important for families with IHT issues and can be key to avoiding the 40% IHT charge.

The trap is pulling pension monies unnecessarily into your estate and causing a double taxation effect (income tax paid on the drawdown followed by potentially 40% IHT if the monies are then unused).

The above points emphasise that expert knowledge upon the new pension rules and taxation are required when you are drawing up your retirement plans and looking to preserve family wealth.

DISCLAIMER: This article is provided for general information purposes only and must not be construed as specific investment or tax advice or an offer to buy or sell any investment. It should not be relied upon as including sufficient information to support an investment decision, which should always be taken in the light of our own personal circumstances.

John Taylor APFS John is a Chartered Independent Financial Adviser from Rothesay Bennett Financial Planning. He has over 10 years financial planning experience and is a qualified and practicing pension specialist.

John qualified in London working in Fitzrovia and Mayfair helping high net worth individuals and their families and now looks after a broad range of private and corporate clients in Warwickshire and in the South East.

Rothsay Bennett’s financial planning advice covers several key areas, including: • Pensions & Retirement Planning • Investments • Estate and Inheritance Tax Planning • Protection

If you would like further information on how John can help you or to arrange a free initial consultation meeting, please contact him on 07736835230 or email jtaylor@rothesaybennett.co.uk.

John Taylor APFS • 07736 835230 • jtaylor@rothesaybennett.co.uk Rothesay Bennett Limited (FCA Reference: 795885) is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority

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Home & Garden

Ten Pollution-Tolerant Plants

and How to Care For Them

Just like humans, plants that live in cities, industrial, or built-up areas are susceptible to pollution. As they rely on carbon dioxide in clean air for photosynthesis and to prevent fungal diseases, most plants struggle to thrive in polluted areas, however there are some species that will stand the smog, says Wyevale Garden Centres.

Platanus x hispanica, better known as the London plane tree is the city’s most common tree and it’s because it does so well in highly polluted areas. Other varieties that will also do perfectly well include the ornamental pear, an exceptionally good tree for small urban gardens, buddleja, well known for attracting butterflies and buxus sempervirens, the classic British native evergreen that has formed the backbone of formal planting schemes for hundreds of years.

David Mitchell, Buying Manager for Horticulture at Wyevale Garden Centres, says: “Plants do have a hard time with pollution. Since the leaves need to ‘breathe’, anything that limits that exchange, such as airborne gasses or if the pores are blocked by dust and grime, will limit their potential. Fruit trees in particular can struggle and yields can be as low as half of what they would be in cleaner air.

Never water the leaves as if they are coated in grime, salts or pollutants it will get right into them, so always water from the base. Every so often take time to wipe the leaves down and clean them to get the grime or dirt off. A good time to do it is when it’s raining heavily.

You might not clean every leaf at every level but it will make a difference. I use an old paintbrush to do this.

Time spent on this will be very worthwhile. Also, expect plants in pots in cities to need a bit more feeding.” n 16 | South Warwickshire and North Cotswolds Now | Issue 28 | September 2018

Wyevale Garden Centres lists 10 pollution-tolerant plants and how to care for them: 1. Pyrus calleryana ‘Chanticleer’: This ornamental pear is an exceptionally good tree for small urban gardens, with its upright, narrow shape and branches that are smothered with white blossom early in spring (April to May). The leaves turn a vibrant red and purple in the autumn before falling and some years, the tree will produce small inedible brown fruits. It does best in a moist but well drained soil (clay, sand or loam) and in full sun.

2. Buddleja: Known as the butterfly bush, Buddleja produces clusters of deep scented flowers from midsummer into autumn (July to September). Rich in nectar, this fast-growing, hardy deciduous shrub attracts butterflies, bees and other insects and thrives in any well-drained soil (chalk, loam or sand).

3. Camellia: Producing rich, colourful flowers with ruffled petals and golden stamens in late winter into spring (February to April), which are offset by glossy evergreen leaves, the Camellia proves that beautiful plants can also be tolerant to pollution. Plant in light shade and in shelter and in moist but well-drained, humus-rich, limefree soil (loam) or in a container, in ericaceous (lime-free) compost.

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Home & Garden 4. Buxus sempervirens: This classic British native evergreen is ideal for low hedging, boundaries or divisions in formal gardens in both modern and traditional settings. It responds well to being trimmed and thrives in the shade and most well-drained soils (chalk, loam or sand). It’s excellent for growing in containers, as topiary and for training as feature plants.

5. Lonicera x heckrottii ‘Gold Flame’: This honeysuckle flowers in summer (June to August) and bears tubular pink flowers with warm orange-yellow petals. It has a delicious fragrance and bees and butterflies love it!

It doesn’t have the twining branches that many other honeysuckles do, so needs to be supported. It’s best in moist but well-drained soil (chalk, loam or sand) in sun or partial shade and ideal for informal borders and cottage garden style planting.

6. Ginkgo biloba: This large deciduous tree will be too big for small urban gardens, but it’s worth mentioning, as it’s very tolerant to pollution. It has fan-shaped leaves, which turn yellow in autumn and on female trees, produce yellow fruits which smell rather unpleasant! It will thrive in well-drained soil (chalk, loam, sand or clay).

7. Viburnum x bodnantense ‘Charles Lamont’: This is a superb variety of viburnum as it has bright pink, sweetly scented flowers which open on dark stems from November to May. It’s a vigorous, upright shrub, that looks good all year and is easy to grow in moist but welldrained fertile soil (chalk,

loam or sand), in sun or light shade and sheltered from cold winds.

8. Berberis: This easy to grow barberry has spiny shoots and simple leaves. Soft yellow or orange flowers appear in spring (April to May) and are followed by small berries in the autumn. This deciduous or evergreen shrub will succeed in a wide range of conditions. Plant in full sun or partial shade in well-drained humus-rich soil (chalk, loam or sand), although it will be tolerant of most soils as long as they are reasonably well-drained.

9. Chaenomeles: Chaenomeles flower in spring and produce edible fruits in autumn, which can be used for jellymaking. It provides early nectar for bees and thrives in any well-drained, fertile soil (chalk, loam or sand), in sun or light shade. It’s great for training under house windows or on low walls and fences.

10. Escallonia ‘Iveyi’: This is a handsome, vigorous, large evergreen shrub, quite different from other escallonias, with larger, glossy, rich green leaves and clusters of scented white flowers in mid and late summer (July to August). Plant in welldrained, fertile soil (chalk, loam or sand) in full sun or partial shade, sheltered from cold winds. It can be grown in the open in mild areas, but it’s best grown against a southfacing wall in cold areas. n For more information about Wyevale Garden Centres, visit www.wyevalegardencentres.co.uk.

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nature Photo credit: Neil Aldridge

Colours of Autumn

Colourful goldfinches are now a common sight

in our gardens with 2018’s RSPB’s Big Garden Watch confirming their numbers are still on the up. With a rise of 11% since 2017 they are now at number 6 in the top 20 birds seen. Studies have found their favourite foods are sunflower hearts and nyger seeds so fill up your bird feeders with these treats to attract a gang of these cheerful birds. By offering these particular seeds bird lovers have helped increase goldfinch numbers attracting them to suburbia from farmland. Many farmland bird species have declined so it seems goldfinches have adapted to environmental changes. You can also plant teasels and thistles as the seeds are popular with goldfinches. They rattle their beaks in the teasel seed holes to loosen the seeds and if you listen closely you can hear the vibration!

It’s mushroom month!

September is a great time to go looking for fungi! With an estimated 14 to 15,000 types of fungi in the UK, there’s plenty out there. Not all are the toadstool varieties you may think of - some live on animals and even on animal dung. However there’s some funky ones to find more easily. Look amongst woodland and hedgerows for the collared earthstar. It looks dull at first, shaped like a small, brown bulb, then the outer skins peel back into a star shape! Its final look is like an egg in a saucer with a central puffball that sends out spores when it’s wafted by wind. A prettier fungus is the scarlet waxcap which emerges from late summer onwards. Seek n 20 | South Warwickshire and North Cotswolds Now | Issue 28 | September 2018

it out in parks or churchyards and in older lawns. Spot the bright red caps and orange to yellow gills on the underside.

And if you fancy foraging for one to eat try the Giant Puffball - the safest mushroom to find in the UK. There is simply nothing that grows in the UK to confuse it with; it’s a giant white ball which grows to the size of a football and larger. The world record holder was 168cm in circumference and found by a schoolboy in Huddersfield. Eat it while it’s still young and fresh inside, fry breaded slices of it, use in omelettes or even have thick slices as a pizza base.

Hoglets exploring Baby hedgehogs, called hoglets, are usually born in June and July and start to explore outside the nest with their mother at three to four weeks old. After ten days of foraging for food together the young hedgehogs feel confident to head off on their own. So in September you may see younger hogs out alone. If you see a hedgehog in your garden you can put out food for it like tinned dog or cat food, or crushed cat or dog biscuits; though nothing fish-flavoured. Never leave milk out as hedgehogs are lactose-intolerant and will cause an upset stomach. Hedgehogs do love mealworms but they are like chocolate to them, tempting and tasty but little nutritional value! n

Louise Barrack, Communications Officer Warwickshire Wildlife Trust #staywild

Warwickshire South

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If you would like to advertise in our next issue please contact one of our sales team.

Mel Penkoks

Genna McCann-Taylor

Tel: 01905 727901 Email: mel@pw-media.co.uk

Tel: 01905 727902 Email: genna@pw-media.co.uk

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beauty

The Perfect Hairstyle For Your Wedding

Amongst sorting out the flowers, catering, keeping the in-laws apart and making sure the seating plan doesn’t go awry there is one aspect of the day that won’t go neglected but is certainly not at the top of the priority list: Getting your hair under control. Everyone has different hair so this may prove easier for some and harder for others. Whether you get the hair right in one go or if you have to wrestle with an unruly nest atop your head, read our tips below for getting this small but important aspect right for the big day.

Organising a wedding requires militarygrade planning so it’s going to be hard to make time. However getting your hair right for the big day will prove an important, yet tricky, task. Makeup can be easily touched up and rectified. Hair, on the other hand, can go wrong at the slightest guest of wind or change in climate - requiring an extensive re-do.

With time a precious commodity it’s going to be difficult to spend much time -if anythinking about the type of hair you are going to have. However it’s always a good idea to plan ahead (which you will be doing anyway). Since hair is not something that you can change quickly or fix quickly make sure you do all your experimenting several months before the big day. There will be enough stress in the weeks leading up to the wedding.

These experiments should not be anything too drastic - no bright colours or extensive

cuts but mild colour changes and wearing your hair differently for a few days will give you a better idea of what you will like on the big day. Anything too ‘wild’ and you may regret it on the day.

Gather these ideas into one place to make sure you cover all your options. If it’s doing an old school scrapbook or creating a board on Pintrest, there will be plenty of styles and colours that you want to explore with a hair stylist or hairdresser.

Most women will have a regular hair stylist or hairdresser that you will feel obliged to use. However, you don’t have to use them out of personal loyalty. They may not be able to produce the results you want. Do some shopping around and experiment with other stylists - just don’t be afraid to use someone else.

Finding the right stylist can be difficult, especially if you simply search online. For something as important as your wedding, use your friends and personal recommendations instead. It means you don’t have to waste even more precious time if it turns out the stylist isn’t right for you.

Once you have decided on a stylist, book in some trial appointments as quickly as possible to experiment with your chosen colours and styles. As stated previously, you don’t want to be leaving your hair style and colour to the last couple of weeks - you will have enough to worry about closer to the time.

Last but certainly not least is the style itself.

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The key idea of your hair is to make sure it compliments your dress and even the venue. A high neckline will go better with a undercut or a bob while half up-half down or something with braids and twists will suit a lower neckline.

Something else that people might neglect in the run up to the wedding is the venue and how this can be an important decision.

If you are planning a more formal and traditional wedding then a more formal hairstyle will be a better choice. Or if you plan on having an outdoor wedding, something less formal and more tailored such as half up-half down could prove more practical and require less upkeep during the day.

Whatever you decide in terms of style, the one factor you might not think about is the weather. English weather is predictably unpredictable but if you are thinking of having a wedding abroad where the weather may be hotter and more humid, take note of how these environmental factors might affect your hair on the big day.

The time and effort to get the perfect hair for your big day may seem insignificant and something you could leave until a few weeks beforehand. However, if you really want to get perfect results on the day - get experimenting in the months before. Sorting your hair will seem like a low priority in the grand scheme of things but leaving it too late in the plan means less time for correcting any mistakes that might occur. n Miles Jones

Warwickshire South

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If you would like to advertise in our next issue please contact one of our sales team.

Mel Penkoks

Genna McCann-Taylor

Tel: 01905 727901 Email: mel@pw-media.co.uk

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beauty

Competition

win a hair cut, finish and treatment!

We are giving away a Ladies hair cut, finish and OLAPLEX hair treatment worth up to £85.00 and a Mens hair cut and finish worth up to £45 this month, courtesy of Blaze Hair Salon in Leamington Spa! Our winning formula is being true professionals using over 50 years of experience, always using the best quality products and giving our staff quality training to ensure that we deliver excellent and consistent results.

With our loyal team we focus on the needs of our clients - many of whom have been with us in Leamington Spa for over 28 years! We care about the way your hair looks everyday - not just on the day you leave the salon.

Before reaching for the scissors or a tint brush our stylists will carry out a full consultation, paying careful attention to each clients lifestyle, personality, face shape, skin tone and hair type.

Trends come and go, for example in the 80’s crazy coloured punk hair was all the rage - lately we have clients requesting dramatic flashes of pink, blue, turquoise, white blonde in their hair.

The timeless question - Does colour damage your hair? Simply, yes it does.

But so does vigorous brushing, use of straighteners, a hairdryer set too hot and not using conditioner before combing through the hair etc. But now we have Olaplex which is a turbo-charged conditioning treatment that will repair the disulfide bonds within the hair structure which can be damaged by heat, colouring or other chemicals. It’s been described as The Holy Grail For Hair Colour this makes it the perfect treatment for maintaining colour, condition, giving hair a soft lustrous finish. Our test found that one week and five washes later the hair was still looking good with a mirror-like shine.

Truly, this product needs to be tried by anyone with coloured damaged hair.

Since we re-located to Park Street in Leamington Spa, (we were on Regent St for 20 years), we have become an accredited European Training Salon. Our regular clients are used to hearing many foreign and interesting accents within the salon while the students are taught advanced hairdressing techniques by Dominick and Rachel. Blaze was chosen for this because we are able to offer a high standard of training not available elsewhere. Please listen out on BBC CWR Radio for Dominick, who often can be heard talking about trends for hair and lots of interesting tips.

www.blaze.uk.com

To be in with a chance of winning a Ladies hair cut, finish and OLAPLEX hair treatment worth up to £85.00 or a Mens hair cut and finish worth up to £45, simply fill out the form with the correct answer to the following

Answer: Name:

question:

Address:

Where is Blaze Hair Salon Based?

Tel: Send your answers in a sealed, stamped, addressed envelope to: Blaze SWN, PW Media & Publishing Ltd, 2nd Floor, Richardson House, New Street, Worcester, WR1 2DP. Closing date

Email:

for entries is 18th September 2018. n 24 | South Warwickshire and North Cotswolds Now | Issue 28 | September 2018

If you DO wish to receive information on forthcoming events, news and offers from Blaze Hair please tick this box

Beauty

What are Your Feet Worth to You? Imagine for a moment what your life would be like if you didn’t have your feet (and no high-tech carbon-fibre artificial replacement model!). Firstly you wouldn’t know when you were in contact with the ground and you’d lose a vital feedback mechanism for moving yourself from one location to another.

Then your mobility would be restricted as you’d struggle to propel your body in whatever direction you wanted to go. Next your knees, hips, and low back would ache and complain as you wouldn’t be able to absorb all the shock from impact forces created when walking / running (and you’d no doubt seek treatment from osteopaths, chiropractors, physiotherapists etc. to help give you some relief from the pain). Also your speed would be severely reduced as there would be no spring mechanism to facilitate efficient gait. Finally, what would you wear at the bottom of your legs that you like the look of, yet functions like footwear, including staying attached to your body for

each and every step you take.

However, you don’t have to imagine any of these, as the vast majority of people will develop a foot-related problem at some point in their lives that will impact in the same way as any or all of the above. If you don’t believe me, just look at someone trying to walk with a painful foot. For instance, they could be elderly with a painful corn that hurts each step they take, puts them more at risk of having a fall and breaking their hip. Or they could be younger with heel pain that is affecting their ability to work or enjoy recreational / family activities. Or they could be a teenager with a painful ingrowing toenail that can’t even tolerate a shoe pressing on it, yet alone their nice footwear for going out in. Or they could be a child with a sore verruca that is stopping them from doing their favourite gymnastics activity at school.

Yes when our feet go wrong, they can have a significant impact on our lives. Sometimes

we can’t appreciate the impact until its too late, such as the case with diabetic foot disease or rheumatoid feet. Fortunately, suffering with foot-related problems is unnecessary as there are people called Podiatrists (Foot Specialists) who fix feet every day. We’ve been doing it at our clinic for over 25 years, and have helped over 6000 people to achieve their goals for their feet, whatever their age or foot-related problem.

The Podiatry services we offer at Health First Foot & Gait Clinic aren’t generally available on the NHS nor from other private Health Care Professionals. So the only question that really matters is that in the title. It all comes down to the priorities we have in our lives, and as someone who has seen the devastating consequences of those who don’t prioritise their feet, we can strongly recommend that you make your feet a priority if you want them to enable you to enjoy pain-free mobility and last you for life. n

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Food & Drink

Pear & Cinnamon Tarte Tatin

with Vanilla Mascarpone Cream

Ingredients Serves 2

Method

The Tarte • 80g butter – soft • 80g caster sugar • 2 pears • 1 stick of cinnamon • 1 sheet puff pastry • 1 heavy based tin/dish – 14cm approx

1. Butter heavy bottomed pan.

Vanilla Mascarpone Cream • 125g mascarpone cheese • 1 vanilla pod • 40g icing sugar • Zest of one orange

The Tarte 2. Sprinkle sugar over butter.

3. Peel and core pears, cut into quarters. Place on sugar, butter and add cinnamon stick. Lay puff pastry on top, cut to the same size as the pan.

4. Place pan on heat and caramelise butter and sugar until golden.

5. Cook in pre heated oven 180°C/350F/ Gas Mark 4 until puff pastry is golden, approx. 15 mins.

6. Turn out onto a plate - careful of caramel!

7. Serve with vanilla and mascarpone cream.

8. Traditionally this is caramelised on the stove with the lid on but if it’s your first time making Tarte Tatin place the Tarte Tatin dish with pear, butter and sugar onto the heat, then allow to

n 26 | South Warwickshire and North Cotswolds Now | Issue 28 | September 2018

caramelise without the pastry lid. This way you have full control of the ‘gold’ colour before you put the pastry top on.

Vanilla Mascarpone Cream 1. Mix mascarpone in a bowl with icing sugar.

2. Cut the vanilla pod length ways, scape knife the length of each side of vanilla and add vanilla seeds into mascarpone mixture.

3. Finely zest one orange and mix into mascarpone until combined.

4. Store mixture in fridge and serve with hot tarte tatin. n Eckington Manor Cookery School, Manor Farm, Eckington, Worcestershire, WR10 3BH Telephone: 01386 751600 Email: info@eckingtonmanor.co.uk www.eckingtonmanor.co.uk

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Food & Drink

The Best Cocktails

For Autumn & Halloween • 50ml Jawbox Gin • 20ml Lemon Juice • 15ml Marchino Liqueur • 7.5ml Creme de Violette Fill a shaker with ice and add all ingredients.

Shake and fine strain into a chilled coupette glass. Garnish with a marchino cherry.

Pinkster Gin ’N’ Jam A blood red cocktail oozing with jammy raspberry goodness.

• 50ml Pinkster • 10ml Lemon Juice • Large spoon of Gin Jam Fill shaker with ice and add ingredients.

Serve over crushed ice and garnish with second spoon of jam and raspberries

Bloody Cow Black Cow vodka, tomato juice and sherry makes for a devilishly good twist on a bloody mary. Double shot of Black Cow. Single shot Sweet Sherry. Top up with tomato juice. Good splash Lea Perrins.

Good splash Tobasco. Dash Celery Salt.

Black Pepper. Lemon juice. Served over ice

Glen Moray Lion Heart With figs ripe and ready in early Autumn it’s great time to enjoy this fruit in a seasonal cocktail.

• 50ml Glen Moray Port Cask Finish • 20ml Primitivo Italian wine • 10ml Amarena cherry syrup • 1 dash Prosecco • Fresh fig slices

Malfy con Arancia Sicilian Sour A great Halloween cocktail with plenty of zing.

Mix 4 parts Malfy con Arancia with 1 part fresh lime juice. Add 1 dash of simple syrup, 1 dash of angostura bitters and 2 dashes of orange bitters. Serve over ice in a tumbler and garnish with a strip of (Sicilian) orange

Jawbox Gin Aviation Created by Greg Buda of The Dead Rabbit Grocery & Grog and Blacktail cocktail bars New York City. A ghoulishly blue cocktail for a grown-up’s Halloween

n 28 | South Warwickshire and North Cotswolds Now | Issue 28 | September 2018

Pour 50ml Glen Moray Cask Finish over a rocks glass filled with ice. Add 20ml primitive Italian wine, 10ml Amarena cherry syrup. Top with a dash of Prosecco before stirring. Garnish with thin slices of fresh fig.

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GOLDEN YEARS

Use Style to Blow Away Negativity During Menopause Menopause is steeped in negativity, rarely talked about openly and is often associated with weight gain, mood swings and hot flushes.

However, menopause is different for every woman and there are many ways we can halt the negative association of this all-important phase in life that every woman goes through. To follow are tips on how to build your confidence using style and colour during menopause.

1. Its not always easy but try seeing this as a new phase to your life; perhaps a new chance to reinvent yourself and to celebrate your body, skin and confidence. Always highlight your body parts that you like and don’t think, just perhaps because you are on the good side of fifty, that you must fade into the background! Now is your time!

2. Oestrogen is key to building collagen in our skin, so during menopause your skin may lose elasticity, or look duller and feel thinner or drier. Being well moisturised and wearing the right coloured makeup will make you appear healthier and more radiant. The right lipstick is key!

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3. Black is often thought of as a slimming colour but if according to the House of Colour Wheel, you are not a winter season, then it is not your colour. As we age even some winters begin to struggle to carry it off! Tailoring and the art of layering is far more helpful in creating a slimmer look.

4. If you feel like foundation is too chalky on your skin now, try using a BB cream as it has all the benefits of hydrating like a moisturiser, providing the coverage of a light foundation and often contains a sunscreen.

5. It is important to exercise when going through menopause so keep active and choose great sportswear to keep you motivated. Get re-measured for a good fitting bra, invest in some quality sports kit including a great sports bra and choose some trainers in a fabulous colour from your colour palette and you are ready hit the gym or pound the pavements!

Continued over the page

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Golden Years 6. If you are feeling flushed, know that the right colours will bring down high colouring and if you feel your complexion needs a lift try the more vibrant colours in your colour palette. Importantly, autumns and springs suit warm tones whilst winters and summers should wear cool tones.

7. Use accessories close to your face such a scarves, necklaces or earrings in one of, or an assortment of, your wow colours to highlight your complexion and to look radiant.

8. Comfortable dressing will be another vital consideration during menopause so wearing the right size and shape is important. Some of us may want our clothes to skim over our torso, but make sure you do not swamp your body; you can always add a belt to bring the silhouette in a little. Learning where on your body to best wear a belt is key. It is absolutely possible to prioritise style whilst still being comfortable.

9. You may be getting hot flushes, so wearing more breathable fabrics that allows the air to flow such as linen or 100% cotton will really help.

Avoid anything labelled 100% polyester.

10. Patterns are a great way to hide sweat but choose one that really suits you. Different patterns suit different style personalities. You may have something with a lovely pattern in your wardrobe right now that fits well but never feels quite right. It probably isn’t a pattern that suits YOU. n Jane Brook, House of Colour Jane.brook@houseofcolour.co.uk Tel: 07070 293341

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Golden Years

Questions about Dementia Dementia is the 21st century’s biggest killer, with someone developing it every three minutes, yet a few years ago we didn’t talk about the condition with the frankness and openness that we do today. We’ve come a long way but too many are still facing dementia alone without adequate support. We urgently need to find a cure, improve care and offer help and understanding for people affected. Many of us still have questions and I’d like to take the opportunity to answer some of the most common ones people ask us at Alzheimer’s Society in Herefordshire

Continued over the page

n 34 | South Warwickshire and North Cotswolds Now | Issue 28 | September 2018

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Golden Years

What is Dementia? Is it the same as Alzheimers?

Dementia and Alzheimer’s are not the same thing but they are closely linked. Dementia is a condition which describes a set of symptoms which might include memory loss, mood changes or problems with communication and reasoning. The most common form of dementia is Alzheimer’s Disease, which is a disease of the brain. However, there are dozens of other types of dementia such as Vascular Dementia or Dementia with Lewy Bodies.

Alzheimer’s Society is committed to ensuring the rights of people affected by dementia are recognised and until the day we find a cure, we will be here to support anyone affected by any type of dementia.

Is dementia an increasing problem?

Whilst dementia doesn’t just affect older people, your risk of developing the condition does increase with age. Most research predicts that with people living longer we will see a steady increase in the number of people with the condition over the next few years. In the UK, there are 850,000 people with dementia today and we expect there to be more than 1.1 million people with the condition by 2025.

How can I avoid getting dementia?

Dementia is caused by diseases of the brain and anyone can develop it. However, there are steps we can all take to reduce our risk of developing the condition. Research has shown that your risk of developing dementia increases significantly if you smoke, are obese, have high blood pressure or have high cholesterol. Regular exercise has been shown to lower the risk of developing dementia, as well as reducing the amount of salt in your diet. Eating plenty of fruit and vegetables provides your body with high levels of antioxidants which may help to protect against some of the damage to brain cells associated with Alzheimer’s Disease.

What should I do if I’m worried about my memory?

Memory loss isn’t the only symptom of dementia but if you are concerned then we advise people to visit their GP. Other symptoms might include mood swings, becoming n 36 | South Warwickshire and North Cotswolds Now | Issue 28 | September 2018

withdrawn and having difficulty with communication. Do bear in mind that everyone experiences occasional lapses in concentration such as forgetting where we have parked the car or where we have left our keys. Our advice is to seek professional advice when memory loss starts to frequently interfere with your daily life. Alzheimer’s Society believes that with the right support it is possible to live well with the condition.

What help is available to people with dementia and carers?

We want everyone affected by dementia to know that whoever you are, whatever you are going through, you can turn to Alzheimer’s Society for support, help and advice.

We are the UK’s leading dementia charity, working tirelessly to challenge perceptions, fund research and improve and provide care and support. We can also put people in touch with local support groups provided by other organisations.

Where can I find out more?

You can contact Alzheimer’s Society on 01926 888899 in Warwickshire or our national helpline on 0300 222 11 22 can point you in the direction of our other local offices.

Our website is also a valuable source of information about dementia (alzheimers.org.uk) and we have dozens of useful videos at youtube.com/alzheimerssociety which show real life examples of people living well with the condition.

You can also become a Dementia Friend by visiting dementiafriends.org.uk. Dementia Friends is the biggest ever initiative to change people’s perceptions of dementia.

It aims to transform the way the nation acts, thinks and talks about the condition. n Tony Refson, Alzheimer’s Society Services Manager in Warwickshire For local support, you can contact the Alzheimer’s Society on 01926 888899 in Warwickshire or our national helpline on 0300 222 11 22 can point you in the direction of our other local offices.

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EDUCATION

King’s High The dawning of a new era for a ‘best of both worlds education’ The

Independent

extension to the Sports Centre, as well as

School Foundation, comprising

Warwick

new and improved all weather pitches, with

Warwick Prep, Warwick School

the boys and girls sharing one ‘campus’ for

and King’s High, Warwick, is heralding a new era for the future of the schools, and in particular King’s High, by relocating the School and Sixth Form Centre, from the Warwick location it’s had since 1879.

the first time in the foundation’s history.

enhance the opportunity to experience a coeducational environment outside of the single gender classroom, giving both the boys and girls the opportunity to socialise, learn from and interact with the each other”

Richard Nicholson, Head Master of King’s High School, explains why the move is important for the Sixth Formers: “For our year 12 and 13 girls, the Sixth

The move, which will take three years to

Form is the final step before their first steps

complete, will see the creation of world

towards full independence, whether that

class facilities with a new main state of the

be via the UCAS route into University, the

art school building, a new shared music

world of apprenticeships or whatever path

building, and a new Sixth Form Centre, all

they choose. Although our girls have a great

fully equipped with the latest technology.

blended experience with the boys’ school

There are also plans for improvements and

currently, moving into one campus will further

n 38 | South Warwickshire and North Cotswolds Now | Issue 28 | September 2018

The completion of Project One Campus, which is considered one of the biggest school campus projects of its kind is being undertaken by contractors while Nicholas Hare Architects, London, have undertaken the master planning and design work is scheduled for September 2019 and September 2020. n

For more information visit www. projectonecampus.co.uk

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education

Make Time for Yourself With a Part-Time Course September is traditionally the time that our children go back to school or off to college and university. So it’s a time for getting back into education – and that can apply to all of us. A parttime course is a great way to balance your work or home life with developing a new skill or hobby. Whether it’s a leisure course or a professional one, you will meet new people, challenge yourself and learn something new. And all of those things are good for your mental health and wellbeing, subjects that are very much talked about these days.

Other courses that apply to the workplace include Food

Leisure or recreational courses can include a huge range of subjects so there’s lots of choice. At Leamington Spa College, for example, there are creative courses such as ceramics, watercolours, stained glass and creative textiles.

For would-be craftspeople, there are furniture workshops and upholstery classes. Most classes are typically over ten to twelve weeks but at Moreton Morrell College, the Christmas Table Decoration course is a single day. At Rugby College the Pottery and the Drawing courses are 12 weeks while the introduction to Digital Photography takes only 5 weeks.

exam online, anywhere and at any time. Online subjects

If while you were on your summer holidays you were inspired to learn a new language, you can do that too.

Spanish, German, French, Italian and Portuguese are offered from beginners level. If English is your second language, we also offer courses that can help you improve in that. Learning a language is a great way of making really good friends and you will know more when you go on holiday next year!

Part-time courses are not just about recreation, of course, several professional qualifications are on offer, to support your career development. AAT courses in Accounting, CIM courses in Marketing and CIPD courses in HR management are on offer at Leamington with daytime or evening classes for AAT students. n 40 | South Warwickshire and North Cotswolds Now | Issue 28 | September 2018

Safety, Welding, First Aid and Barista Skills as well as a range of Microsoft courses for the office. For engineers Warwick Trident has CAD and CNC courses in the evenings.

Of course, in this high tech age, you don’t always have to leave your house to study as there are several courses available via Distance Learning, which WCG colleges offer in partnership with ACS Distance Learning Education.

These courses are so flexible – you can complete them in your own time, in as little as 20 hours or less and take the range from Designing Gardens and Planting What Where to Caring for Horses and a Dog Owner’s Guide. All of the online courses cost just £99.

Any of these options are a great way of getting back into education in a way that suits you, without too much of a commitment. If you ultimately have an ambition of studying for a degree, but for whatever reason don’t have the necessary qualifications, the Access to HE courses offered at College are a good option. They are also part-time so that you can carry on working while you study them. They typically have around 12 hours of contact time per week plus the studying you would have to do at home. On an Access course you will be very well supported by your tutors and other students who are all in a similar situation to you. Access courses prepare you to study at degree level and you are entitled to apply for a Government Loan to cover the cost. This loan is written off if you carry on to a degree programme as many of our students do.

So the message is clear, make time for part-time and you will never look back. n Peter Allen WCG

EDUCATION

Be the Best Version of Yourself

at The Kingsley School in Royal Leamington Spa Since 1884 The Kingsley School has

talents in everyone. At Kingsley, you are a name

had an excellent reputation for high

and not a number. The school is fortunate to own

academic standards and first-class

extensive sports fields and outstanding facilities,

pastoral care in the heart of Royal Leamington Spa.

including 3 brand new state of the art science

The Kingsley School motto is Esse Quam Videri – be what you seem to be or be true to yourself.

Individuality is important at Kingsley and celebrated

laboratories and the multi purpose STEAM (science,

technology,

engineering,

arts

and

mathematics) room, which are being unveiled in September 2018.

throughout the school. The co-educational Prep School and girls-only Senior School and Sixth Form

Our co-educational Prep School aims to

supports and develops pupils to achieve highly in

discover and develop each child’s unique

whatever they want to do and excel academically.

talents. Alongside a well-established core curriculum we have developed an exciting

“Our ethos is one of positivity and we promote

Creative Curriculum and our pupils enjoy

a love of learning and a can-do attitude,” says

specialist teaching in languages (including

Heather Owens, Headteacher. “We have a broad

Mandarin), sport, music and the arts. Our

curriculum built on the backbone of sound

Innovation Station, Cookery Corner, Forest

academic rigour.”

School and Outdoor Classroom allow pupils

A huge advantage of Kingsley is that the school is small enough for each pupil to be known and

to explore their own solutions to real world problems.

yet it is large enough to offer a wide selection of

Our doors are always open. Book a tour with

enrichment opportunities to develop gifts and

our Registrar and come and see us in action. n

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education

Preparing Your Child For

Secondary School

Remember when your child was 4 and you were getting ready to send them to the big bad world of primary school? We all spend hours worrying about how they will fit in, what they need to know… will they manage to make it to the toilets, will they be harangued for not being able to get dressed after PE? Yet when they start secondary school, we often think we have big, grown-up children who will take it all in their stride. However, there are still plenty of ways in which parents can help the transition from primary to senior school go smoothly.

Talk about the changes with your child Ask your child what they are looking forward to, what they will miss about their old school and what they are worried about at secondary school. Then you have plenty of time to work out strategies and talk through any issues.

Familiarity can be comforting Make sure you go to school open days with your child so they can get a feel for what they will be going into. Even if they are a couple of years away from making the move to secondary education it’s worth visiting schools and then revisiting them closer to the time your child will be making the leap.

It will alos prove useful for you as a parent to see the envirnonment your child will learn in.

Give your child some leeway You expect 4-year-olds to be tired when they start at school but they’re not the only ones.

Find some quiet time during the first couple of weeks at the new school as your child may find it tiring adjusting to everything.

Encourage independence

Is your child going to have to take a bus to school? If so, and they’re not used to doing this, have a few practice sessions in the year leading up to school. Make the first go on a Sunday or at a quiet time of the day. The school bus can be a scary place, especially when you’re 11 and some of the other students are almost grown-up. Ensure your child knows to let you, the bus driver and teachers know if any bullying occurs.

Don’t leave things to the first morning of secondary school If your child has to wear a tie, make sure they know how to tie it – don’t leave it until the first morning of secondary school!

Help your child become more responsible Your child will have to organise him or herself far more than in primary school. They may have a two-week timetable, so you can’t rely on the fact that ‘Thursday is games day’.

In the final year of primary, help your child become more responsible for their PE kit, homework and books, so they’re prepared when it comes to secondary school. Get them into the habit of getting their bags ready the night before, especially if they have to leave early to catch a bus, train or get a lift. Have a homework and activity schedule on the wall, which they can use to help them.

Use the school’s website Take a good look around the new school’s website and encourage your child to do the same. Try to find out about the unfamiliar – the school layout, how they go about getting a locker, do they have prepaid swipe cards for the canteen?

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Get your child ready to make new friends Talk about making new friends and discuss when they last made new friends how they did it. Make sure they have time to see old friends too. Encourage them to make the first move, to smile, to look people in the eye and make their body language open.

Talk about new school nerves It can be quite a transition from being a big fish in a small pond to a small fish in a big pond. Confident children can become very shy because they found the first year so hard. Talk to them about how you felt when you started somewhere new – let them know it is normal to be nervous. Encourage them to ask if they can’t find their way round, or don’t know how to do something - don’t suffer in silence. And assure them that although other people may look and sound very confident, they may well be just as nervous as them.

Prepare yourself as a parent You won’t be walking your child to the school gate anymore, you may not see many of the children or new friends they talk to you about. The whole process is a big change for you too. Teachers are very conscious that the transition from primary school to secondary is a major step. Staff are aware that the prime objectives for parents are that their children are safe, happy and will develop both academically and socially.

This may not happen immediately but if you take every opportunity to familiarise yourself with the new setting such as attending open evenings or induction events, it will help alliviate many of your concerns. n

EDUCATION

Bromsgrove School Celebrates

Superb Examination Results

Following on from a strong set of results spanning A level, IB and BTEC qualifications released earlier in the summer, the GCSE results published today are amongst the very highest ever achieved by Bromsgrovians.

41.1% achieved an A*/9, the highest proportion of the top grade in the School’s history. Five pupils gained a full sweep of straight 9s (A* equivalent), with a further seven students only dropping one grade.

At A level, just under 80% of the year group scored 144 UCAS points, equivalent to 3 As at A level. The School’s largest ever IB cohort achieved an excellent average IB score of 38.3 points (equivalent to 4A* at A level); two pupils scored 44 points and both the Heads of School scored over 40 points.

The breadth of academic offer at Bromsgrove also includes BTECs in Sports Science and Business studies. Of the 48 BTEC entries this year, students achieved 30 Distinction* and 14 Distinctions.

210 pupils in the Upper Sixth cohort achieved 56% A*/A in all exams.

Most significantly, 80% secured their first choice university place, with most off to the very best universities in the world. Just under 70% of them are destined for Russell Group universities. Headmaster Peter Clague commented, “This year’s public examination results are especially pleasing, given that they are set against a backdrop of uncertainty around the qualification reforms. To have set new School records under a tougher regime is testimony to the academic tradition of the School, the culture of aspiration amongst our pupils and the dedication of excellent teachers. They include not only those in the Senior School, but also those who have educated Bromsgrove’s pupils throughout the Pre-Preparatory and Preparatory Schools. All can take credit for these exceptional results.

Given the huge commitment that Bromsgrove’s pupils make outside of the classroom, in sport, music, drama, service, CCF and DofE, their academic achievements are doubly impressive. I commend all of them on their tenacity and commitment and know that they will build on their educational successes in the years to come. We wish all our leavers every success and happiness in the future.”. n

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KEEPING ACTIVE Start / Finish: Walk starts/ends at Alvechurch Railway Station.

Public Transport: Alvechurch has its own railway station and is also served by buses. Please check ‘Traveline’ and current timetables.

Parking: Try arriving by train! There is street-parking around Alvechurch. Please do not use Station Car Park - for rail travellers.

O/S Map: Explorer Map 220 Distance: The main walk is 8 miles. Shorter option of 4 miles is to do a ‘There and Back’ walk along the canal as far as Lower Bittell Reservoir. Worth crossing the ‘dam’ to see the old ‘Lock Cottage’.

Time: Allow all day to do this pretty country and canal walk. (Note: If you keep this walk to use later, be aware that the causeway just beyond Point 7 may flood or be very muddy after prolonged periods of rain or in winter months.)

Refreshments: You could take a picnic or call in at one of the canalside pubs along the route. Stock up on food and water while you are in Alvechurch.

Terrain: This walk is undulating in the country and almost level along the canal.

Alvechurch Village and the first few miles along the canal are suitable for wheelchairs and pushchairs. There are gates, kissing-gates, steps, stiles and some lanes to negotiate. You will need comfortable walking shoes and poles are useful to cope with brambles, thistles and nettles in summer and Autumn.

History: The canal is 203 years old and the history is well documented on line.

There are a number of brick bridges, locks, lock cottages, aqueducts and the Wast Hills Tunnel making this a fascinating walk. The tunnel was constructed in 1796 and is 2726 yards long. Narrow boats can cross inside the tunnel but there is no towpath in the tunnel itself. The main walk circumnavigates the Upper and Lower Bittell Reservoirs. (Note: the ‘Upper’ reservoir is currently drained for essential maintenance work to the dams – September 2018 but this does not affect the route of the walk at time of going to press.) The reservoirs were built to supply water for the canal. St. Michael and All Angels Church at Cofton Hackett is mainly 14th and 15th century but has Norman origins and is worth a detour.

Alvechurch

1. The walk starts/ends at Alvechurch Railway Station. Turn left along Station Road, cross railway and continue to canal bridge taking path on left down to tow-path.

Worcestershire Path (LDP). Keep straight on along causeway with Upper Bittell Reservoir (currently drained) on left. Path very uneven and is muddy after prolonged rain. (If impassable, retrace steps to return along canal.) At end of causeway, cross planked footbridge and go through small metal gate into field. Turn left and walk along left side of field to another small gate. Walk through woodland to open field then up well-marked path towards barn, veering left to corner turning right down two steps and through two small metal gates into track. Turn left to junction then left along bridleway leading to Barnt Green Sailing Club.

2. Turn right beneath bridge 60 to walk in a northerly direction. Shortly you will walk through Alvechurch ‘Withybeds’ Moorings, named after ‘pollarded’ willows in the water-meadows. ‘Crown Inn’ is across Bridge 61. Walk quietly through Alvechurch Visitor Moorings. Notice new marina on left. Continue beneath railway bridge 62. There is no longer a ‘stock-bridge 63’. Bridge 64 carries road round to Coopers Hill. Shortly canal turns sharply left - casualty of M42 alignment. The resultant ‘arm’ has become ‘Crown Meadow Nature Reserve’.

3. Bridge 64B was erected in mid-1980’s to carry M42 over canal.

Shortly you will cross an aqueduct over Old Birmingham Road.

4. Red brick bridge 65 is an attractive canal bridge that carries B4120 from Redditch to Barnt Green. Canal now veers right and crosses long ‘dam’ of Lower Bittell reservoir, built 1837 to top up canal. The Upper Bittell reservoir was built to support it and prevent drought conditions in neighbourhood. The reservoirs are used for sailing and fishing. At far end of dam is an attractive ‘canal cottage’ with an adjacent sluice-gate from lower reservoir into canal.

(Note: short walk turns back here and retraces route along canal to Alvechurch).

5. The main walk continues beneath bridge 66 (A441), notice slots for wooden boards used to dam the canal for sluice-gate repairs.

Continue through a straight, wooded cutting, past ‘Hopwood House’ PH and Visitor Moorings. Shortly pass a ‘winding-hole’, where boats could be turned. Bridge 68 is near ‘Newhouse Farm’.

6. Walk beneath high bridge 69. Follow towpath up slope beside ‘Wast Hills Tunnel’ entrance, turning right down lane then right again over bridge 69. Walk along Lea End Road to Westmead Hotel at A441 junction 7. Turn right then left along track signed ‘St. Michael’s Church’.

Go through kissing-gate into field and cross to stile in top right corner. Walk along bank through narrow woodland strip to North n 44 | South Warwickshire and North Cotswolds Now | Issue 28 | September 2018

to Bittell

8. Pass fishing pools, bearing right at end pool then left alongside River Arrow to barrier at Bittell Farm Road. Turn right.

9. Turn left along busy B4120 for 1/3 mile. No pavement for last 100 yards.

10. Re-join canal via steps on right or ramp on left and enjoy two miles back along towpath to Alvechurch Station where walk ends. n Written and illustrated by Glynis Dray

Kate Bliss Howled over by ‘amazing’ Elizabethan

Ring worth thousands found in Warwickshire Jewellery expert Kate Bliss has uncovered a gold Elizabethan ring – crafted nearly 500 years ago - at a free valuation event in Warwickshire.

and experienced metal detector. It has been

The signet ring, featuring an eagle, dates back to between 1550 and 1650 making it around 468 years old. Its value is estimated at between £7,500 and £10,000.

seven years and this is the first gold I have ever

assessed by the Portable Antiquities Scheme and was returned to him to sell.”

Ben said: “I’ve been metal detecting for about found. I dug it up last August in a farmer’s field near Glastonbury.

“My metal detector said it was likely to

Metal detectorist Ben Bishop, 30, a factory worker from Bridgwater, Somerset, drove up to Stratford to show Kate his one and only gold find – which the digital display on his metal detector initially told him was a can ring-pull.

be a Coke can ring-pull. When I lifted the turf and dug up the ring I was so gobsmacked I had to sit on the ground for about 40 minutes just staring at it.”

The ring will be sold at Hansons’ Fine

He met Kate, a familiar face on TV’s Bargain Hunt and Flog It!, at The Malt House, The Rookery, Alveston, Stratford, where she carries out free valuations for Derbyshire’s Hansons Auctioneers.

Kate said: “This gold signet ring bowled me over. What an amazing find. Ben is an avid

Art Jewellery Auction on September 27. Entries invited until September 7. n

Hansons hold free monthly valuation events in Knowle, Stratford on Avon, Kenilworth and Bishops Cleeve. To find out more, call Carol Jones on 07802 839915.

The ring encased in mud just after Ben dug it up.

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OUR EVENTS DIARY

Competition

from the jam - live in leamington spa

This Autumn, From the Jam comprised of legendary former ‘The Jam’ bassist Bruce Foxton, vocalist & guitarist Russell Hastings, drummer Mike Randon, and Andy Fairclough on Hammond and piano, will be celebrating the 40th Anniversary of The Jam’s 3rd studio album, All Mod Cons, playing it in its entirety. The tour is stopping off at The Empire, Coventry on October 19th followed by The Assembly, Leamington Spa on November 15th. Performing classics like ‘Down in The Tube Station at Midnight’ and ‘A Bomb in Wardour Street’ the band are also excited about playing ‘Billy Hunt’, ‘Mr Clean’ and the ‘The Butterfly Collector’, which only featured on the US release of All Mod Cons originally. Over the past 11 years From the Jam have toured relentlessly, having played almost 1000 headline shows in the UK since their inception in 2007. Throughout this time, they’ve gained a reputation for the kind of incendiary live performances that sealed the reputation of The Jam all those years ago, being described as “incredibly exciting” by the Daily Mirror and “sounding dynamic as ever” by the Daily Record.

In 2007 Russell Hastings was fronting ‘The Gift’ (which featured Rick Buckler) when he was joined on stage by Bruce Foxton (who was touring with Casbah Club) for a ‘one off’ performance. This performance sparked the genesis of From The Jam, and an enduring partnership between Foxton & Hastings.

Off-stage Foxton and Hastings wrote the album, ‘Back In The Room’ released in 2012, which received critical acclaim and solidified Foxton & Hastings as an excellent and contemporary song writing duo. They then returned to the studio in 2016 to record and release ‘Smash The Clock’, which reached number 31 in the UK charts. The album also entered the independent album chart at number 4, whilst the vinyl edition entered the vinyl chart at number 7. On December 1st 2017, to celebrate 10 years since From The Jam formed, Bruce Foxton and Russell Hastings released From ‘The Jam Live!’, featuring songs performed at various venues across the UK. Support in Coventry comes from rhythm and blues band ‘Nine Below Zero’ who have secured their reputation as “one of the best Blues bands around today”. Following the release of their first record in 1980 ‘Live At The Marquee’, Nine Below Zero became one of the most popular British Rhythm and Blues acts of the time – warranting regular TV performances on The Old Grey Whistle Test and The South Bank Show, as well as support slots with The Who and The Kinks.

www.fromthejamofficial.com

To be in with a chance of winning one of two pairs of tickets to see From The Jam live at The Assembly in Leamington Spa on 15th November 2018, simply fill out the form with the correct answer to the following question:

Who is the legendary former bassist from The Jam? Send your answers in a sealed, stamped, addressed envelope to: From The Jam SWN, PW Media & Publishing Ltd, 2nd Floor, Richardson House, New Street, Worcester, WR1 2DP. Closing date for entries is 18th September 2018. n 46 | South Warwickshire and North Cotswolds Now | Issue 28 | September 2018

Answer: Name: Address: Tel: Email:

If you DO wish to receive information on forthcoming events, news and offers from Republic Media please tick this box

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What's On

OUR GUIDE TO THE BEST EVENTS THIS MONTH

Leamington Food & Drink Festival Saturday 8th and Sunday 9th September

SEPTEMBER

Working primarily in Bronze with earthy

Question Time and local chefs entertaining

rich patinas, Adam’s work is recognised

in our, free to enter, Cookery Theatre

Saturday 1st to Sunday 30th

adambindersculptures.com

01789 762 090

Andy Gage (The Firepit Company) - Andy

Cost: £6/£5

Sculpture Exhibition Batsford Arboretum and Garden Centre Batsford, Moreton-in-Marsh GL56 9QB A section of Batsford Arboretum will be transformed into an open-air gallery this September as we display an eclectic mix of sculptures.

The exhibition will run for the month of September and will include mix of wood, metal and bronze sculptures inspired by nature. Our exhibitors include: Rhys Davis - Rhys is a tree surgeon and woodcraftsman who creates natural wooden sculptures, working with the wood’s natural form to reveal the beauty beneath! www. rhysdaviswoodcraft.co.uk Adam Binder - One of Britain’s leading wildlife sculptors, Adam takes his influence from the beautiful Cotswolds countryside.

and collected all over the world. www.

creates beautiful, sculptured fireballs, which are spherical firepits. They work great as patio heaters for warming up chilly evenings or just fantastic garden sculptures, especially

Saturday 8th to Sunday 9th Leamington Food and Drink Festival

when illuminated with electric lights. www.

Royal Pump Gardens

thefirepitcompany.co.uk

Leamington Spa, CV32 4AA

All sculptures on display will be available to

The hugely popular Leamington Food &

buy from Batsford.

Drink Festival returns this year on Saturday

Contact: 01386 701441

8th & Sunday 9th September at the Royal

Friday 7th to Sunday 9th Home, Garden and Food Show Ragley Hall Warwickshire B49 5NJ A great opportunity to meet and talk with experts in Home & Garden design,

Pump Gardens. The Festival, now in its 11th year! is FREE to attend and will yet again feature an exciting action packed programme over the two days.

planning and layouts with Garden experts

01926 470 634

manning the, free to enter, Gardening

Cost: Free

n 48 | South Warwickshire and North Cotswolds Now | Issue 28 | September 2018

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What's On

OUR GUIDE TO THE BEST EVENTS THIS MONTH

The Lionel Richie Songbook

They will have over 75+ REAL ALES, CIDERS,

Tuesday 11th September

from the Friday to the Sunday.

wines & Gins and a brilliant music festival www.leamingtonbeerfestival.org/ contact/ Cost: from £10

Saturday 22nd to Sunday 23rd Stratford Town Centre Food Festival Stratford Town Centre Food Festival is one of the highlights of the Stratforward events calendar, showcasing Stratford-upon-Avon as a premier food and drink destination.

The Stratford Town Centre Food Festival is all about local, featuring a bustling regional food producers market with over 100 stalls spread throughout our historic streets. Also showcasing a mouthwatering selection of the finest food and drink with a top-notch

Tuesday 11th

Returning for its 28th year, the SsangYong Blenheim Palace Horse Trials are a must for any eventing enthusiast.

The Lionel Richie Songbook Belgrade Theatre Belgrade Square Coventry, CV1 1GS From the creators of Talon – The Best of Eagles Endorsed by Lionel Richie, this brand-new production features a stellar line-up of world class musicians and the awesome talent of Malcolm Pitt as the voice of Lionel Richie in this high octane show which includes all the greatest hits including Easy, Say You Say Me, Stuck On You, Dancing On The Ceiling, Three Times A Lady, Hello, All Night Long and many more.

Following

his

recent

TV

appearances

on the BBC’s Graham Norton Show and ITV’s Sunday Night At The Palladium with the man himself, Malcolm Pitt delivers a

The competition is now firmly established in the eventing calendar, attracting the World’s best riders and thousands of spectators who come each year to watch the five-day event.

The first two days of the event will consist of Dressage competitions, with the weekend hosting Cross Country and Show Jumping.

There can’t be a sporting event with a more spectacular setting with the palace itself forming the backdrop to all the action for a great day out with family and friends! There is much to do on all days in addition to the showcase eventing classes, such as complimentary displays and demonstrations, enhanced children’s activities and of course a plethora of shops, food outlets, bars and entertainment.

powerhouse and breathtaking performance theatre production.

01993 810 530 Cost: from £14

02476 553 055

Friday 14th to Sunday 16th

as the iconic Lionel Richie in this must-see

Cost: £24

Thursday 13th to Sunday 16th Blenheim Palace Horse Trials Blenheim Palace, Woodstock, Oxfordshire, OX20 1PP

Leamington Beer Festival The Band Factory Unit 13, Althorpe Street, Leamington Spa CV31 2AU The Leamington Beer Festival returns between 14th – 16TH SEPTEMBER 2018!

n 50 | South Warwickshire and North Cotswolds Now | Issue 28 | September 2018

programme of free demonstrations and hands-on workshops from the best of our town’s culinary talent, and there’s plenty of fun on offer for all the family.

There is also a great opportunity to discover the array of independent eateries and watering holes throughout the town centre by participating in one of the popular Taste and Ale Trails. Tickets can be reserved on this site from August 28th. (A limited number of tickets will be available on the day from the Site Office on Waterside.)

01789 299011

Friday 28th to Sunday 30th Solihull’s Food and Drink Festival Solihull’s favourite food and drink festival is back again for the 8th year running and its going to be even better than before, with demonstrations from some famous names including Jean Christoph Novelli, Britain’s Best Home Cook’s, Chris Bavin and GBBO’s, Selasi Gbormittah. Tingle your taste buds with a choice of over 120 stalls, enjoy a refreshing drink, get access to exclusive offers, watching Mr Bubbles amazing skills and join us for live music, a new element of the event running into the evenings. www.solihullbid.co.uk

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n 52 | South Warwickshire and North Cotswolds Now | Issue 28 | September 2018