Sussex Style Magazine September 2014

Be Inspired / September 2014

New term

September’s fresh start

Plus: Julie Graham Tracy-Ann Oberman Wayne Hemingway Autumn fashion Sussex food festivals

Have you heard...

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S u ss eStylex

REGULARS 10 A note from the team 12 News 64 Mum on the run 88 Comment 90 WIN a hotel break

CONTENTS 28

FEATURES 14 Julie Graham roadtrips around Sussex 18 Interview: Charlotte Vohtz of Green People 20 Legendary artist Roger Dean’s Sussex exhibition 76 Focus on elegant Eastbourne 80 Tracy-Ann Oberman holidays in Camber Sands

FOOD & DRINK

32

24 Food news 25 The best Sussex food festivals this September 26 Taste the boutique wines of Western Australia 28 Autumn harvest: recipes to tempt

52

FASHION & BEAUTY 32 How to work the new season preppy trend 38 Beauty notebook 41 The perfect fragrance for autumn 45 Health update 46 Perfect abs: how to work an exercise ball

HOME & GARDEN 50 Revamp your home with expert help from The Fabric Lady 52 Boudoir chic: new bedlinen for the dark nights 56 At home in West Sussex with Wayne Hemingway

72

LIFE & STYLE 66 Understanding the new school meals legislation 68 Want to be a school governor?

72 Help in choosing the right prep school 85 Gadgets: new toys for the whole family 86 My Sussex: what to do, where to go this September 89 Book club: relax, read, recharge

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80 90

DISCOVER THE SUMMER COLLECTION

w.bruford - Inspired, Jewellery & Watch Collection.pdf 1 10/12/2012 13:39:20

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Arndale Centre Eastbourne, East Sussex BN21 3NW, 01323 410264 www.inspiredbybrufords.com Be inspired at pandora.net

Name: w.bruford

Contact: Karen

Date: 5th December 2012

All Artwork is the property of PKW Sign Studio Ltd. unless otherwise stated.

Scale: NA

Revision Number: 1

t. 01323 639073 e. pkwsignstudio@btconnect.com

www.pkwsignstudio.com

ABOUT OUR CONTRIBUTORS Julie Graham One of the country’s best-loved and most accomplished TV and film actresses, Julie has graced our screens in such hits as The Bletchley Circle, Doc Martin, Survivors, Death in Paradise and The Sarah Jane Adventures.

In this issue, Julie accepted the challenge of packing loved ones into a campervan and taking off for an adventure across Sussex. You can read all about how they got on – and what they discovered about our fair county, and each other – on page 14.

Tracy-Ann Oberman Best known for her role as Chrissie Watts in EastEnders, Tracy-Ann has also starred in Doctor Who, Mistresses, Robin Hood, and Doctors, among others. She trained at the Central School of Speech and Drama in London, then spent some years with the Royal Shakespeare Company and the National Theatre, cementing her reputation as a versatile actress. Tracy-Ann’s also a writer, including columns for the and radio plays. Now she adds Sussex Style to her list, with a fun story all about her holiday in Camber Sands. Take us with you next time, Tracy-Ann…

Karen Spinner Writer and journalist Karen can be found on the A3 most weekends, making the pilgrimage south from her London base. A Sussex girl through and through, she is currently house hunting in the county with her husband (a Geordie converted to the delights of Sussex) and cocker spaniel puppy, Monty. As a lover of all things Sussex, Karen jumped at the chance to write for Sussex Style. This month she revisits childhood favourite Eastbourne (page 76) and finds out how one Sussex mum has created a skincare revolution from her Horsham base (page 18).

Sam Bilton Our esteemed food editor Sam is a Sussex-based food writer and recipe developer who also blogs at comfortablyhungry.com. Sam’s a real foodie and knows the trends before they hit the high street. She’s interested in culinary history, too, and has a passion for great food and wine. In this September issue, Sam picks the very best food and drink festivals taking place around the county this autumn, interviews a top local chef and shares some mouthwatering seasonal recipes.

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likE drinking your firsT day of Holiday Tequila evangelist Cleo Rocos created AquaRiva® Premium Tequila and Organic Agave Syrup in 2011 after working with a Master Blender in Mexico for 10 months.

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A note from the team

Welcome to autumn, our favourite season of the year. September may mean cooler days, longer nights and an end to glorious summer, but it’s also such an exciting month: that ‘new term’ feeling offers us all a fresh start.

Food drink

If your children are beginning a new term for real, turn to our education section for some in-depth analysis of the new school meals legislation, and what it will mean for Sussex pupils. And on the subject of concerned parents, are you facing the task of choosing a prep school? With so much choice in Sussex, we’ve done the research for you: check out our feature on the facts, figures and questions you should be asking before signing up your child.

&

We pick the best food festivals around Sussex this autumn Celebrating the boutique wineries of Western Australia

Oodles of inspiration for autumn cooking A delicious autumn recipe to try from top food writer Xanthe Clay

life style

&

&

home garden

Design icon Wayne Hemingway opens the door to his Sussex home

Actress Tracey-Ann Oberman visits gorgeous Camber Sands Become a school governor: your new season challenge?

Bed into autumn with decadent new linens for the boudoir

My Sussex: plenty of ideas for your must-visit

Learn how to give vintage furniture a new lease of life

list this September Mum on the Run: school meals are back, and

New ideas and inspiration for a cosy autumn at home

Laura’s sceptical…

Autumn is harvest time and our county is rich with produce and – hurrah! – fabulous food festivals this September. In our food and drink section, you’ll discover a wealth of foodie days out: we’ve rounded up the very best, so you can plan your gastronomic journey... and read all about the celeb chefs and wine experts who will be on hand to tempt all-comers.

MARKS & SPENCER

We’re delighted to welcome a host of famous faces to Sussex Style this month. Acclaimed actresses Julie Graham and Tracy-Ann Oberman both share their holiday snaps with us, and iconic designer Wayne Hemingway invites us into his breathtaking Sussex home.

&

Fashion beauty

Tweed for Fall: we explore fashion’s demure new mood

Get in touch

Post-summer skincare: time to invest in a few miracle-workers New fragrance: September scents, and an interview with Jo Malone’s perfumer Matt Guy Wright on easy exercises to boost core strength

We’d love to hear comments,

Elsewhere, we hope you’ll enjoy our fashion and interiors pages: they’re packed full of new season trends, ideas and inspiration. Beauty fans will be interested to read our interview with Charlotte Vohtz, the powerhouse behind organic beauty brand Green People, which is based in Sussex.

views and suggestions:

Gorgeous products, yes, but also an admirable attitude to ethical business: so rare these days, and that’s why we’re happy to support and celebrate it.

PIC: EAST.CO.UK

editorial@sandrpublishing.co.uk

Enjoy September!

Sussex Style team

Editor-in-Chief Sarah Drew Jones

Commercial Manager Jacqueline Nicholson

Published by S and R Publishing Ltd

facebook.com/ SussexStyleMagazine

Food & Drink Editor Sam Bilton

Contributors Tracy-Ann Oberman Julie Graham Laura Jandac Matt Guy Wright Sam Bilton Karen Spinner Lizzie Enfield

Sussex Style™ Copyright 2014-08 ISSN 2049-6036

twitter.com/ SussexStyleMag

Creative Director Tommy Rockett Head of Finance Richard Judd Publishing Director Seán Kane

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Summerhill House Hythe Road Kent TN24 0NE 01273 358850 sussexstyle.com

Cover image: Christ’s Hospital School Christ’s Hospital, Horsham, West Sussex RH13 0YP 01403 211293 christs-hospital.org.uk Photo: Toby Phillips

All rights reserved. except for normal review purposes, no part of this magazine may be reproduced without written permission of the publishers. No artwork or editorial content may be used in any other form or publication without the publisher’s consent. Every care is taken in the preparation of this magazine, but the contents are only meant as a guide to the readers.

The proprietors of this publication ARE publishers, not agents or sub agents of those who advertise therein. They cannot be held liable for any loss suffered as a result of information gained from the publication. Copyright 2014 S and R Publishing Ltd - Sussex Style TM

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news style

News

If you’ve got news from around Sussex, let us know! editorial@sandrpublishing.co.uk

diary date

HEIGHT OF THEATRE Four performers bring their imaginative version of Wuthering Heights to Brighton Dome Studio Theatre on Saturday, September 20, in the bold theatrical debut of Peter McMaster who was called ‘one of Scotland’s most interesting young theatre makers’ by The Scotsman. McMaster’s allmale, award-winning interpretation of Emily

Brontë’s classic re-visits the iconic landscapes and characters from Wuthering Heights and places them alongside the stories of the male performers to consider how, almost 200 years after the book was published, the lives and aspirations of men are now different.

Tickets £12, 01273 709709, brightondome.org

Investment in art

A number of fascinating historic items are due to come up for auction in the next month at Summers Place Auctions in The Walled Garden at Billingshurst, West Sussex.

The next Sculpture and Design for the House & Garden Sale on October 21 will include a fine and rare double-horizontal brass sundial from circa 1690, which is estimated to sell for £20,000 to £40,000. Other highlights include a pair of extremely rare Coalbrookdale cast iron stag’s head basket planters on rustic pedestals from 1870.

The catalogue will be available from a month before the sale: more information at summersplaceauctions.com or call 01403 331331.

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COOK, EAT, LOVE

Sunday, September 21

Pirates & Smugglers Day at Arundel Castle Set at the end of the 18th century, this lively event sees a band of notorious pirates and smugglers position themselves in Arundel Castle’s Keep. They will be pitted against the Queen’s 2nd Regiment of Foot which has been sent to help deal with the rogues and villains.

Visitors can witness the opposing sides battling for control of the Castle. Tickets from £9, children under five go free: arundelcastle.org Several celebrity chefs will give cookery demonstrations at West Dean Gardens’ Grow!

Cook! Eat! event on Saturday and Sunday October 4 and 5, including ITV’s Daybreak chef Dean Edwards and This Morning chef Marcus Bean. Thane Prince, Preserves Judge on BBC2’s The Big Allotment Challenge, will be preparing jams and preserves, and sharing tips on how to get the best from your own garden harvest, and local food writer Rosemary Moon will be preparing seasonal dishes and signing copies of her book A Feast of West Sussex.

With live music, stalls selling kit and produce, plenty to see in the gardens and activities and workshops for children, it’s a great day out.

Early Bird prices from £8.60 for an adult for either Saturday or Sunday, and £1 for a child, standard prices from £10.40 per adult.

Free entry for Friends of West Dean: westdean.org.uk/Events/Outdoorevents/ GrowCookEat

PLAN AHEAD

autumn fun

Brighton will be transformed into a magical wonderland this winter, when it welcomes the return of the German-style Christmas Market. Situated in Churchill Square piazza, there will be beautifully decorated festive huts, and plenty of food and drink to try: dates will be unveiled soon at visitbrighton.com

The National Trust wants families to get outdoors and closer to nature this autumn.

Among its ideas for things to do outdoors in Sussex is run around in the rain – try it on the Judas tree lawn or around the orchard at Alfriston Clergy House, on Bateman’s flat lawn by the pond, the wild meadow or the secret quarry garden, or around the 14th century castle grounds at Bodiam Castle.

Why not go on a really long bike ride at Blackcap (there are downloadable suggested routes available) or play pooh sticks on the two bridges in Bateman’s wild garden?

Forage for food

ALL RISE

Imagine a Sunday morning in early October along Saltdean seafront. Picture the light reflecting off the chalk cliffs and the sound of the waves as you run, walk or relay to raise money for freedom from domestic abuse. On October 12th, you can do just that.

RISE provides vital services to local families affected by domestic abuse including counselling, helpline and refuge. One refuge resident said ‘I feel like I arrived here a shell of my real self with no confidence or inclination to do anything. I am leaving here studying to go to university to become a social worker and a lot of that is due to the support of RISE.’

RISE is marking its 20th birthday with extra special touches: a souvenir tee, shiny medal, the legendary RISE goody bag and of course there will be cake! Choose from the 8K Undercliff Run for Women, the 4 x 2K Women’s Relay or the Family Fundraising Walk. As an added bonus runners are offered FREE run training on Tuesday and Thursday mornings with Jo’s Thing, starting on September 4th in Brighton’s Preston Park.

On Sunday October 5th, you can join the annual Mushroom Forage with lunch at Ashdown Park Hotel & Country Club. From 10.30am guests will be given the opportunity to explore Ashdown Park’s woodland with the hotel’s Fungi expert and long-standing Estate Manager, Kevin Sweet. Kevin will help identify the best, and safest, mushrooms to pick, which the hotel’s talented team of chefs will transform into a delicious lunch. The Mushroom Forage with lunch costs £46 per person. To book, call 01342 284988 or for more information, visit ashdownpark.com

They can also help you put together a relay team if you’re a runner or two short. Full details and registration: riseuk.org.uk/ RISE8K september 2014 | sussexstyle .c o m | 1 3

Julie & Delilah

We set actress and campervan fan Julie Graham a summer challenge: pack up the family and roadtest the swanky new VW California van around Sussex. This is Julie’s diary of her fun week with ‘Delilah’

Above: Julie sets off with her daughters Edie and Cyd and dog Striker in tow: let the adventure begin!

I

am a self-confessed VW Campervan nut.

Martin Clunes and I bonded over our love of them (of course he had two, just to show off!) and we would kill time between scenes on William and Mary pouring over Just Kampers magazine, coveting all the beautiful campervans and marvelling at the new gadgets you could acquire for them like a pair of geeks! It’s probably why we had such great chemistry.

I’ve had my camper Tallulah (all campers must be named!) for 15 years. She’s pink and although she’s a bit of a wreck she is a beautiful one, like Liz Taylor in her latter days! She’s very much part of our family and has transported us around the UK and Europe on numerous escapades with very few mishaps. She’s our weekend cottage in any county of our choice.

For me campervans are the very embodiment of adventure and she allows me to indulge my inner vagabond and embrace the hippy in me.

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I feel totally free and never happier than when I’m pootling about in her whether it’s off on a long road trip, an outing to the beach or simply going to the supermarket.

Old campers have tons of character but you have to have muscles on your muscles to do a three point turn!

There is something about old campers which seems to bring out the milk of human kindness in people and put a smile on their faces. For children they are like a magical moving Wendy House and it’s sometimes hard to get them to shift their behinds out of it even when the sun is splitting the sky and they are surrounded by stunning countryside. They are simply super!

So when I was offered the chance of going

away for the week in the brand new state of the art VW California I jumped at the chance.

The prospect of power steering alone was tantalising. Old campers have tons of character but you have to have muscles on your muscles to do a three point turn!

The week didn’t start well. There was rebellion in the ranks from my kids with cries of ‘what about Tallulah?!’ as if we were somehow being disloyal to her. So I set them the task of naming our new home for the week which seemed to distract them sufficiently enough to get them on board and hit the road. They settled on Delilah so off our wagon rolled into our beloved Sussex countryside.

There are so many beautiful places to camp in Sussex or just rock up to for the day to hang out, and the plus side is that if the unpredictable English weather rains on your parade everywhere is close enough that you can just go home!

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Above: a fun playdate with fellow actress Anna Maxwell Martin and her children

First port of call was a place called Waydown Farm so we could spend a couple of nights with my fellow The Bletchley Circle girl and allround fabulous woman Anna Maxwell Martin and her two kids. She had arranged to stay in a shepherds’ hut and the plan was for us to camp next to her and spend some time catching up, drink copious amounts of wine and generally just have a total hoot! Basically like being on the set of The Bletchley Circle (but without the wine bit: well, mostly!).

Unfortunately the place itself was not what we expected. It was located practically next to a main road and the impractically small shepherds’ huts were in a tiny field along with a couple of very depressed looking donkeys corralled in by an electric fence. Call me old fashioned but children and electric fences don’t, in my book, generally go together so we hotfooted it out of there and went to the nearby excellent Ram Inn pub in Firle to regroup and hatch a cunning Bletchley style plan!

Anna made a phone call to her lovely friend Sally who, conveniently, has farmland on the beautiful Sussex downs and who very kindly allowed us to camp there so as not to disappoint our adventure hungry children. The location was stunning and we had the whole place to ourselves for a spot of wild camping and a load of laughs!

The beauty of the new VW California is that it does everything for you. Electric roof, instant awning, easy to pull out bed plus all the mod cons including a fridge, cooker, music system, wifi and heating! For you geeky types out there it has Bluemotion technology which in my book just means a very smooth and easy drive!

Oh and it’s incredibly green apparently, which is great, of course.

With terrific storage space it sleeps four comfortably but we managed to squeeze in six with the kids sleeping ‘upstairs’ as they liked to call it. It even has a detachable table and two

camping chairs niftily stashed in the roof. So were set up in a jiffy allowing more time for chinwagging and drinking!

After a couple of fun filled days exploring the Downs and visiting nearby Lewes for a good old rummage in their fabulous flea markets and quirky shops - and two extremely comfortable and cosy nights looking out over the twinkling lights of Newhaven and laughing till our faces hurt - we said our goodbyes and headed off to hook up with some more friends at Wowo near Uckfield.

For anyone who hasn’t been, Wowo is one of the best family-friendly campsites in Sussex.

Every spacious pitch has a fire pit and big old wooden tables and benches which cuts down on the amount of paraphernalia you have to lug about. Wood is delivered to you by a Lady Chatterley’s lover type and there is a games barn for kids in case of bad weather and wifi for bored teenagers who have been dragged september 2014 | sussexstyle .c o m | 1 5

Above: Julie’s week with Delilah

camping. There really isn’t anything they haven’t thought of.

Surrounded by pretty woodland it has the capacity to keep the kids entertained for hours building dens, paddling in streams and playing on the copious amount of rope swings dotted around. Swallows and Amazons eat your heart out! They only reappeared when hungry and would disappear off again returning hours later caked in dirt and exhausted from the sheer fun of it all.

Luckily Wowo has excellent facilities for demudding plus a fully stocked shop which has everything you have probably forgotten to bring and great entertainment on a Saturday night in their gorgeous tipi field. Musicians stay for free! The only problem with the place is actually getting a spot because it’s so popular.

For those with a low camping tolerance you can rent yurts, tipis, shepherds’ huts and even a gypsy caravan all beautifully equipped with comfortable beds etc.

If you can’t get into Wowo nearby Kits Field is a lovely alternative. Although it doesn’t have the facilities of Wowo it is set in acres of beautiful farmland and is probably more suited to those without kids, looking for a more chilled vibe.

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Plus it has a great pub called The Sloop within staggering distance. In fact in the surrounding area you’re a bit spoilt for choice for lovely pubs and most are within walking distance. Or if you have small kids ‘moaning distance’.

The Bluebell Railway is very close by too which is a real treat if you can drag your children away from their feral activities. After a few nights round the campfire we headed to one of my favourite spots in Sussex: East Dean near Chichester. I’ve been camping there since my kids were babies and it’s a much loved destination.

The facilities are rudimentary and you are now, because of silly council rules, restricted to where you can pitch up but you’re enveloped by the majestic forests of the Goodwood estate with acres of rolling hills and grazing sheep.

There’s a great pub in the village called The Star and Garter which does excellent food for when you can’t face another barbecued sausage!

The other benefit of the California is that you can pack her up fairly quickly (unlike Tallulah) and head off for daily expeditions to surrounding areas if you so wish. We stopped off at Climping on the way home which has a pretty sandy beach where you can park up and just potter around in rock pools for hours on

end and the sea there is great for swimming.

You can even pop into Bailiffscourt Hotel which is nestled behind it and have posh afternoon tea in their walled garden with peacocks for company if that’s your bag. The nearby Witterings have a few campsites close to some stunning beaches and although some of the sites can be a bit prissy for my taste the location makes up for it.

I would recommend Wick Farm close to the lovely West Wittering beach. It’s also very flat so it’s great for cycling and the California comes complete with a top of the range bike rack. We headed home in our new friend Delilah, all covered in a fine coating of camping grime and slightly knackered from a jam-packed week of we outdoor frolics. I really did enjoy the sheer luxury and comfort it provides.

Did we miss Tallulah? Yes, we did. You cannot beat an old VW campervan for sheer character but boy did I love that sexy power steering!

Farewell Delilah. We had a total blast! You were a fun ride and a wonderful travelling companion.

The Volkswagen California range starts from £35,830. For more information, visit volkswagen-vans.co.uk or pop into your local Volkswagen dealership.

‘ Sussex is such an inspiring place to be’

Charlotte Vohtz’s determination to find a natural treatment for her daughter’s allergies changed her life dramatically — and led her to fall in love with Sussex. Karen Spinner meets the woman behind one of the UK’s biggest success stories in ethical beauty

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Sussex style

‘I

f you can cook, you can make a face cream.’ So says Charlotte Vohtz, founder of organic beauty company Green People.

In just two decades Charlotte has gone from experimenting with ingredients in her kitchen, to running an award-winning business with 25 employees and an annual UK turnover of £4.5million.

And while Danish-born Charlotte’s approach to business is utterly Scandinavian — ‘every member of my staff is equal’ — much of the inspiration for her brand comes from an idyllic West Sussex hamlet.

‘Our location in Horsham has definitely influenced the business,’ she admits. ‘Just the fact that you can go outside and breathe fresh air is so important. And to have such beautiful countryside on our doorstep is wonderful — and fantastic for photo shoots too!’

Not so natural Green People was born out of circumstance but make no mistake — Charlotte has all the attributes of a savvy businesswoman. ‘I have always had an entrepreneurial soul,’ says the 55-year-old. ‘I was trained as a nurse, but didn’t last long as I found the hospital system frustrating.’

By 1994 Charlotte had two children and a successful career in pharmaceuticals. But her focus was her daughter Sandra’s battle with skin allergies. With conventional steroid treatments failing to help, Charlotte turned to natural products and was surprised at the poor results she got.

‘I looked into the ingredients and was shocked to find out so many ‘natural’ products were actually 99.9 per cent synthetic chemicals,’ she says. At the same time Charlotte’s husband wanted a change of scenery.

‘We decided to come to England,’ she explains.

‘I had spent time here with work and have always thought that the Danes and Brits have the same sense of humour. We were really attracted to the area around Horsham,’ she adds. ‘It has a lovely feel to it, the countryside is stunning and it’s not far from the sea — an

WIN GREEN PEOPLE SKINCARE! We’ve teamed up with Age Defy+, Green People’s skincare range for women aged 35+, to offer five lucky readers the chance to win a youth boosting skincare kit worth £54.90. Age Defy+ combats the signs of ageing, by lifting, firming, tightening and

important consideration for any Dane!’

Charlotte’s five Sussex hotspots 1. Favourite restaurant: Tristan, 3 Stans Way,

The couple bought a property in The Haven, a sleepy hamlet west of Horsham. ‘For the first time in my life I wasn’t working and so was able to sit down and think about what I wanted to do,’ explains Charlotte.

Horsham (restauranttristan.co.uk, 01403 255688).

‘I absolutely love it here and have been following chef Tristan Mason from day one.

She started mixing natural products for Sandra’s skin. So good were the results that Charlotte decided to try to create her own line of organic skincare products. ‘My husband fully supported the idea and helped finance the first step,’ she says. ‘I was able to use my pharmaceutical contacts back home to get the products blended and manufactured on a small scale and I contacted the food industry for help with organic ingredients.’

And Charlotte has some reassuring advice for would-be entrepreneurs. ‘You can get off the ground without a lot of money,’ she remarks.

‘You just have to start off small. And you have to be like an octopus, creating the products, convincing shops to stock them, looking after the accounts and being a mum!’

Organic trailblazer

2. Fantastic night out: Wabi, 38 East Street, Horsham (wabi.co.uk, 01403 788140). ‘A great place for drinks — they do wonderful cocktails — and delicious Asian-fusion food. It’s currently being refurbished after a fire and I can’t wait for it to open again later this year.’

3. For blissful me-time: Simply Healing, Hill House Lane, Rudgwick (simplyhealingcentre.com, 01403 822117). ‘Wonderful treatments in a lovely setting out in the countryside. The massages are fantastic.’

4. For shopping: Horsham town centre. ‘Horsham on a Saturday is a delight. There is a great fishmonger and lots of fantastic local produce... and I always manage to find something I like in TK Maxx, much to my team’s amusement!’

5. For a day out: Worthing. ‘I’m very taken by the town and wish I’d bought a house here with sea views 10 years ago!’

Crucial to Charlotte’s success is her passion for high-quality organic ingredients — most products in the range are at least 90 per cent organic and Green People is the only cosmetics company in the UK to be independently certified by three organic bodies.

After humble beginnings at the kitchen table, the range now comprises 140 products. It is stocked in more than 500 stores across the country and has a growing presence on the Continent. Next is a possible move into the American market.

‘I feel extremely lucky and blessed,’ says Charlotte, who retains a close hand in the development of every product in the range.

‘But a brand cannot be established without the staff and I have been fortunate to attract like-minded people. We are all working on something we believe in and in a part of the world we love. I could never imagine moving away from Sussex.’

Find out more at greenpeople.co.uk

brightening skin: find out more at agedefyplus.com For your chance to win, tell us which age the Age Defy+ range is aimed at: simply email your answer to organic@greenpeople.co.uk with subject line Sussex Style. Closing date October 1, 2014: terms and conditions apply.

‘It’s all about balance’ It’s a sorry fact of life that most of us feel under pressure at some point in our lives about the way we look.

‘There is no Holy Grail,’ admits Charlotte, ‘it’s all about balance. If you are looking after what goes in your body and then ensuring the products you put on your body aren’t full of man-made chemicals, then you are doing your best.’

And her number one beauty tip? ‘Always exfoliate,’ she says. ‘As we get older our rate of cell turnover slows down, which leaves a layer of dull, dead skin on the top. This means that any products you use won’t be able to penetrate the skin — you need a gentle yet effective exfoliator to do this.

‘Our Age Defy+ Soft Buff Skin Exfoliator is a great exfoliator for everyone over 35 and contains pineapple and silica from bamboo, both of which are fantastic gentle but effective exfoliators.’ september 2014 | sussexstyle .c o m | 1 9

Artfully yours Well-respected artist Roger Dean – creator of both the Yes and Virgin logos and countless seminal album covers - is to exhibit both classic and new works in Sussex this September in an exciting showcase

Clockwise from above: Roger’s artworks for the exhibition Frozen, Condemned to Hope and the iconic Yes logo. Below: Roger in his studio

A

new exhibition by internationally acclaimed artist and designer Roger Dean opens in Sussex this month and is set to be a fascinating showcase of his eclectic work.

Roger is responsible for some of the most iconic images over the past five decades. His paintings for album covers, as well as logos for Virgin Records, Tetris and bands such as rock legends Yes and Asia, have given him a worldwide following.

Dean’s exhibition will be hosted by Trading Boundaries, and will run from Tuesday, September 23rd to Sunday, October 19th. Roger’s daughter Freyja will also be exhibiting a number of her paintings for album covers and logos.

As

I don’t really think of myself as a fantasy artist but as a landscape painter

Roger’s official UK outlet, Trading Boundaries will be exhibiting original paintings, watercolours, drawings, sketches and prints, many for the first time and many of which will be for sale, as will Freyja’s work.

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Roger continues to add to his considerable body of work. Among the original paintings to be exhibited for the first time are Silver Birch for the cover of the new Asia studio album Gravitas, Frozen for the Yes studio album Heaven and Earth, released in July, Journey for Rick Wakeman’s 2014 new recording of Journey to the Centre of the Earth, and his painting Condemned to Hope for doom rockers Black Moth’s second album of the same name, released this September.

The exhibition will include many other important, rare and interesting pieces, such as the original hand-written lyrics for Close to the Edge by Yes. As well as original works being exhibited throughout the showrooms, on Sunday, September 28th there will be a live painting

Sussex style

DID YOU KNOW…?

Four FAST FACTS ABOUT THE LEGENDARY ROGER DEAN 1. Roger’s first book, Views, went straight to number one in The Times best seller list and stayed there for eleven weeks. He later produced a second book of his work, the highly acclaimed Magnetic Storm, in collaboration with his brother, Martyn, and a third, Dragon’s Dream.

2. In addition to art and graphic design, Roger is also involved in the design and production of computer games.

With the software companies Psygnosis and BPS, Dean has been responsible for the cover artwork for several video games, including Shadow of the Beast, Tetris Worlds and a redesign of the Tetris logo.

3. Roger and Martyn designed their first stage set for YES in 1973, which means their collaboration with the band has lasted more than 40 years.

4. Though known for his fantastical, other-worldly art, Roger says ‘I don’t really think of myself as a fantasy artist but as a landscape painter.’

session, with Roger hand-finishing a print while hosting a question and answer session with the audience (tickets are available at tradingboundaries.com/events).

Although perhaps most widely known for his paintings, Roger trained as, and remains, one of the most original and iconic designers in both two and three dimensions. A graduate of the Royal College of Art, his Sea Urchin chair, designed in 1966, was acquired by the Victoria & Albert museum for its permanent collection of furniture.

The original Yes logo, the original sketches and 15 or so album covers and record labels have also been acquired for the Victoria & Albert’s permanent collection of paintings, drawings and prints.

Roger was commissioned to design seating for Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club in London in the late 1960s and he created the now-iconic Virgin logo for Richard Branson in the early 70s. His publishing company, Dragon’s Dream, released Roger’s number one bestselling book Views, that sold more than a million copies.

Roger has a passionate interest in building design and his full-size prototype for his ‘curvilinear’ house was on display at the International Ideal Home Show, Tomorrow’s World Live, and the first International Green Show where more than 250,000 people visited the prototype.

Always busy, Roger is currently occupied with a number of architectural projects, but looks forward to this extensive showcasing of his work this autumn. Well worth a vist!

find out more The Roger Dean Exhibition, September 23rd – October 19th, 2014. Trading Boundaries Ltd, Sheffield Green, Nr Fletching, East Sussex TN18 3RB. For further information call 01825 790200 or go to: tradingboundaries.com

september 2014 | sussexstyle .c o m | 2 1

Autumn Harvest 4 - 14 SEPTEMBER 2014 Sussex & The World Market FREE ENTRY Brighton Wine Festival Sussex Gourmet & Wine Bus Tours International Chef Exchange Roots of Silo: A Taste of Western Australia Eats, Beats & Leaves Food & Drink Masterclasses Chefs Cookery Theatre London Road Food Trail Children’s Food Festival FREE ENTRY The Three Chefs Live Food Show FREE ENTRY Big Sussex Market FREE ENTRY Bitter & Twisted Make Your Case A Taste of Sicily Food Lab & lots more!

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brightonfoodfestival

brightonfood

Food drink

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We pick the best food festivals around Sussex this autumn Celebrating the boutique wineries of Western Australia

Oodles of inspiration for autumn cooking A delicious autumn recipe to try from top food writer Xanthe Clay

Foodnews

Sussex Style’s bon viveur Sam Bilton on this month’s tastes and treats

A Sussex harvest There will be festivals galore across Sussex this autumn to celebrate the bounty of our quality local produce. Here’s our pick of September’s festivals

in season:

beetroot

Horsham Big Nibble 6 - 7 September kicking off the month-long Food & Drink Festival in Horsham there will be plenty of local producers displaying their wares in the Carfax over the weekend. This event includes a beer trail (tickets: £1) and their very own Bake Off. horshamlocalproduce.co.uk/thebignibble Steyning Food & Drink Festival 6 September - 5 October - There will be a variety of events happening in Steyning this month ranging from Pick It, Cook It workshops at Daylands Farm to guided tours of the Ardur Brewery (not normally open to the general public). steyningdistrictfooddrinkfestival.co.uk

BEETROOT-STAINED SMOKED SALMON WITH WALNUTS

Hastings Seafood Festival 20 - 21 September - discover a wealth of wonderful seafood and other local produce including a Jazz Breakfast on Sunday morning. Tickets £1 in advance from Hastings Tourist Information Centre (under 18s are free).

Try this delicious dish created by acclaimed food writer and chef Xanthe Clay Serves 2 as a starter Preparation Time: 15 minutes, plus 4-24 hours to stain the salmon Ingredients 1x250g pack of vacuum packed beetroot, drained 12 chives 8-12 walnut halves 1tbsp walnut oil ½ tsp sherry vinegar sea salt flakes and freshly ground pepper 120g smoked salmon 2 tsp crème fraîche 2 sprigs of dill Method 1. Take one beetroot and slice it into thin rounds. Put the salmon on a plate (if it is already sliced, then remove the plastic sheets interleaving the pieces, but arrange the slices so that they are evenly overlapping). Grind over a little pepper and lay the beetroot over the top. Cover tightly with clingfilm and

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put a second plate on top to weigh it down.

Refrigerate for up to 24 hours (at least 4 hours).

2. Cut the rest of the beetroot in half, then slice into half circles about as thick as a pound coin.

3. Slice the chives finely on the diagonal.

Break the walnuts into three or four pieces each.

4. Mix the sliced beetroot halves, chives, walnuts, walnut oil and sherry vinegar.

Season well with salt flakes and pepper. (Up to this point can be prepared 6 hours ahead).

5. Just before serving, peel the beetroot circles off the salmon. Arrange the salmon, crumpling it slightly into a nest, on one large or 2 individual plates. Spoon the salad in a pile on top. Drop a dollop of crème fraîche on top. Break off tiny fronds of dill and scatter over the salad.

For more beetroot recipes visit lovebeetroot.co.uk

Eat your fill at the fantastic seafood stands

Lewes October Fest - 20 September to 5th October - The popular Street Food Feast will return to Harvey’s Back Yard plus there will be a number of pop-up suppers during the festival. lewesoctoberfeast.com Big Bite Artisan Food Festival, Hotham Park - 27th & 28th September - The Big Bite Festival has joined forces with the Southdowns Folk Festival and Hotham Park Trust this year.

The organisers will be collecting food during the weekend for their ‘food mountain’ which will be donated to the Littlehampton and Bognor Foodbanks. bigbitefestival.co.uk

taste style

A taste of Western Australia The boutique wineries of Western Australia are worth exploring, finds Sam Bilton

Fun days: wine tasting at Leeuwin Estate (pic: TA)

Tempting food and wine pairings await in WA (pic: Julia Claxton)

Enjoying the view at the Vasse Felix Winery

Brighton’s first zero waste restaurant, Silo, will be launched during the Brighton & Hove Food and Drink Festival.

opportunity to sample award winning wines from Margaret River, home to some of Australia’s premium boutique wineries. The region may only produce four per cent of the country’s wine but what it lacks in quantity it makes up for in quality. Here are a few of my favourites to get you in the mood.

lemon and pear fruit combined with smoky notes from oak ageing. Far more sophisticated

The concept originated in Australia. By sourcing its produce direct from local producers with a bit of foraging added for good measure - utilising reusable delivery vessels and composting their scraps Silo ensures it creates waste-free menus.

Chef Douglas McMaster will be joined by his friend and college Matt Stone from Western Australia’s Margaret River region to produce a six-course dinner during the festival which promises to be as good for the planet as it is for your taste buds. The meal also includes the

Ferngrove Shiraz 2011, Frankland River: £11.99, Amazon Full bodied with aromas of blackberry and plum combined with a spicy complexity. Easy on the palate and the wallet.

Vasse Felix Heytesbury Chardonnay 2012, Margaret River: £28, winedirect.co.uk Vibrant and concentrated with layers of peach,

than your standard Aussie chardonnay.

Moss Wood Cabernet Sauvignon 2010, Margaret River: £45.25, jeroboams.co.uk The complex and intense nature of this wine explains the price tag. Fresh blueberry and redcurrant fruit leads into layers of chocolate, earthy and spicy notes. Perfect for those approaching crisp autumnal evenings.

Tickets for The Roots of Silo: A Taste of Western Australia on 12 September are £55 and are available from brightonfoodfestival.com

The world comes to Sussex The Sussex & World Market (6 - 7 September) is part of the Brighton & Hove Food & Drink Festival and is a free event that includes cookery demonstrations, the children’s festival and the Fridge Fest. brightonfoodfestival.com Try the tempting food stands at the market

There’ll be more than 100 stalls selling fresh

produce ranging from organic vegetables and breads to seafood and locally reared meat and a variety of alcoholic and non-alcoholic libations to wet your whistle. If the thought of all this delicious produce is making you hungry then you’ll be pleased to learn there will be plenty of hot food on offer too.

september 2014 | sussexst yle .c o m | 2 5

Northern stars

Sussex chef Jimmy Gray travelled to Sweden to meet chef Christofer Johansson and create fabulous dishes for Sjöboden restaurant

W

hen we think of Scandinavian cuisine most eyes look towards Denmark especially with NOMA returning to the number one spot in the poll of best restaurants in the world. However for Jimmy Gray, chef at Jeremy’s Restaurant at Borde Hill in Haywards Heath, Sweden will always have a special place in his heart.

As part of International Chef Exchange Jimmy created a Sussex-themed meal at Sjöboden Restaurant in Spiken near Lidkoping, Sweden, in June. The International Chef Exchange is an initiative created by the Brighton & Hove Food and Drink Festival to share best practice in the hospitality industry, promote food tourism and create opportunities for the export of quality food and drink. Jimmy was joined in the kitchen by young Swedish chef Christofer Johansson.

‘I had an awesome time learning new techniques and working alongside talented chefs that I’d never met before’, said Jimmy.

‘Not knowing each other’s languages wasn’t a barrier to having a fun day in the kitchen, and ultimately creating a showcase meal that we could all be proud of.’

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It’s not just the exchange experience that Jimmy found to be ‘awesome’. He was also bowled over

by Swedish produce, their food markets and the restaurant’s location. Sjöboden sits beside Sweden’s largest lake and offers amazing views.

I had an awesome time learning new techniques and working alongside talented chefs that I’d never met before Jimmy, who was voted Young Chef of the Year in the Sussex Food & Drink Awards 2012/13, took the inspiration for his fivecourse menu from the kitchen garden at Jeremy’s and local producers who supply the restaurant. Jimmy took flowers from the garden with him to Sweden. They featured in the canapés with Sussex Slipcote cheese and in the main course of Balcombe Estate venison.

He also made some pickled shellfish which he used to accompany some pike-perch (a popular freshwater fish in Sweden) along with some Sussex sea vegetables foraged

from West Wittering beach.

‘I was most impressed by the variety of wild plants that Jimmy used, some of which I’d never heard of before, as I also use a lot of wild food in my cooking,’ said Christofer. ‘I also liked the venison and the variety of the local cheeses he brought in.’

Christofer will be returning to the UK to present a meal representing his home region of Läckö-Kinnekulle at Jeremy’s Restaurant on Thursday, 25 September as part of the Brighton & Hove Food Festival. Game, mushrooms and cloud berries will all be in season in Sweden so these will probably feature on Christofer’s menu along with seafood which is his speciality.

‘Our Swedish hosts provided the most magical midsummer experience, and we look forward to reciprocating equivalent hospitality at Jeremy’s Restaurant and in Brighton in September,’ said Jeremy Ashpool, executive chef and proprietor of Jeremy’s Restaurant.

Advance tickets for Christofer’s meal are priced at £55 and are available in advance from Jeremy’s Restaurant on 01444 441102.

WEDDINGS / RESTAURANT / BEDROOMS / MEETINGS

Dining at Pelham House ~ Delicious and seasonal Pelham House focuses on simple and delicious food, using good quality seasonal and locally sourced produce. We offer a variety of regularly changing menus.

The restaurant is the perfect setting for a special lunch or dinner. We also have several additional dining rooms which seat between 4 and 120 guests private dining.

Pelham House has a carefully selected list of wines and cocktails to complement our menus.

Diners can choose the historic Panelled Room, the charming Garden End Room or to dine alfresco on the stunning south facing Terrace.

Our Gallery menu is available from 10:00 until 22:00 for brunch, bar snacks, light meals and pre-dinner drinks and afternoon tea between 3pm and 5pm.

The Restaurant is open daily from 12:00 for lunch, and 18:00 for dinner.

To Book, or for any enquires please contact Pelham House: p: 01273 488600 e: reception @pelhamhouse.com

At first bite British apples are in season now, so pick these two recipes for weekend entertaining

Hot and sour apple and prawn stir fry

Serves 4 Preparation time: 5 minutes Cooking time: 15 minutes

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You’ll need: • 100g

dried egg noodles • 100g

broccoli (we used Tenderstem) • 2 tbsp groundnut oil • 1 apple, cored and sliced into strips • 200g

raw peeled king prawns • 3 tsp tamarind paste • 1 red chilli, finely sliced • 1 x 260g pack stir fry vegetables • 2 tbsp soy sauce • 1 tbsp sesame oil •½ tsp Thai fish sauce What to do: Cook the noodles according to packet instructions, drain and keep warm. Meanwhile

cut the florets off the broccoli and finely slice the stems. Set aside.

Heat 1 tbsp groundnut oil in a large frying pan or wok, add the apple slices and stir fry for 3 minutes or until lightly browned.

Transfer to a plate. Add the prawns and 2 tsp tamarind paste and cook for 2-3 minutes until almost cooked. Remove and keep with the apples.

Add the remaining oil to the pan and stir fry the chili, stir fry vegetables and broccoli for 4 minutes. Finally, return the prawns and apples to the pan and stir in the soy sauce, sesame oil, fish sauce and remaining tamarind. Cook for a minute of two and the serve with the noodles.

✂ Sussex style – recipe sheet

In September, many varieties of British apples come into season, giving you plenty of options for baking them at their best. This recipe is fiery from the chilli, sour from the tangy tamarind and naturally sweet from the delicious apples. This meal in minutes will excite your taste buds and soon get you coming back for more. Try and choose stir fry vegetables that have lots of different colours and flavours. We used Pink Lady apples for their exquisite sweetness, but you can use any that take your fancy!

Apple galettes with vanilla chantilly A very easy yet impressive dessert with exotic almond and rose water scented frangipane hidden under the apple. This is equally good with vanilla ice cream scooped on top, melting as it hits the hot apples. Use a 15cm fluted tart tin to stamp out the circles or a cookie cutter.

Makes: 4 x 15cm galettes Preparation time: 15 minutes Cooking time: 23-25 minutes You’ll need: • 100g ground almonds • 80g icing sugar sifted • 3 tbsp rosewater • 500g block of puff pastry • 1 large baking tray • 4 apples (each quartered and cored) • 2 tbsp English runny honey warmed • Icing sugar to dust For the Chantilly cream • 150 ml double cream • 1 tbsp icing sugar sifted • ½ a length ways split vanilla pod seeds scraped out What to do: Preheat the oven to gas mark 7/220C/fan oven 180. Mix the almonds, icing sugar and rosewater together in a bowl to create a frangipane mix.

Cut the pastry into 4 pieces and roll out one at time to a shape large enough to take a 15 cm fluted or plain round cutter. Stamp out the circles and put on the baking tray and prick all over with a fork to within 1cm of the edge. Put in the fridge to chill.

Cut each apple quarter into 3 wedges and toss in a bowl with the warmed honey.

✂ Sussex style – recipe sheet

Divide the frangipane between each pastry circle and spread to within 1cm of the edge.

Arrange the apple wedges on top and bake for 10 minutes. Lower the oven to gas mark 6/200C/fan oven 170 and bake for 13-15 minutes or until the pastry has puffed up and the apple is tinged golden in parts.

Meanwhile make the Chantilly cream.

Whisk the cream, icing sugar and vanilla together, chill until ready to serve.

When the galettes are ready dust with icing sugar and serve with the Chantilly cream.

september 2014 | sussexst yle .c o m | 2 9

hYbrid

boutique

Brighton Pop Up Shop 14

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22 Trafalgar Street,Brighton,BN1 EQ

-3

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Open st March- rd August

2014

Hybrid boutique is a womens fashion concept store FEATURING: Anna Chocola Millinery

// Mojiana Jewellery // Archive by Natalie Courtois

WEBSITE LAUNCHES AUTUMN @ hotmail.com 07455028910

Hybrid_boutique

2014 Hybrid boutique Hybrid_boutique

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Fashion beauty

Tweed for Fall: we explore fashion’s demure new mood

Post-summer skincare: time to invest in a few miracle-workers New fragrance: September scents, and an interview with Jo Malone’s perfumer

PIC: EAST.CO.UK

Matt Guy Wright on easy exercises to boost core strength

Country life

Autumn calls for long country walks: here’s how to do it in serious style

Swaldale covert coat, £329, Tack fedora, £49.95

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Bay jacket, £249

fashion style

All by Barbour: stockists across Sussex, barbour.com

Brechin quilt jacket, ÂŁ179

fashion style

ACCESSORISE ALL ARE AS The September edit: snap up these new season statement pieces now

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1. Silver ring, £56, lilyandlotty.com 2. Necklace, £16.50, Dorothy Perkins 3. Silver bracelet, £95, Folli Follie, folifollie.co.uk 4. Shearling scarf, £199, Hobbs 5. Watch, £115, Karen Millen, karenmillen.com 6. Tweed gloves, £35, Bailey & Quinn at Debenhams 7. Bloombury canteen bag, £129, Radley, Radley.co.uk 8. Cashmere scarf, £29.99, H&M, hm.com/gb 9. Bag, £149, Marks & Spencer 10. Chelsea boots, £85, Next 11. Boots, £179, Hobbs, hobbs.co.uk

11 september 2014 | sussexst yle .c o m | 3 5

Merlin & Ellis

advertising feature

M

erlin & Ellis opened this summer, a fabulous new shopping destination tucked away on Manchester Street, just off St James’s Street in Kemp Town, Brighton. It’s a design-led shop packed with exciting new designer, pre-loved designer and good vintage

clothing, as well as high-end cruelty-free cosmetics including Arran Aromatics, colognes and grooming products. You’ll also find industrial lighting, home accessories, art books and more, in this quirky space with chipboard shelving, its own industrial lighting and an

unusual but amazing garden shed as a changing room! Ellis, the owner, also runs a clothing agency where you can sell your surplus pieces on a 50/50 basis.

With an on-site bespoke alterations and design service and a dazzling array of seriously

gorgeous must-have pieces, Merlin & Ellis should be on your list to visit next time you are by the seaside…

9a Manchester Street Brighton BN2 1TF Tel: 07595 398319

beauty notebook Goodbye summer, hello new autumn colours and super-strength skincare

We love With a lightweight formula and suit-anyone shades, the By Terry Aqua-Print Eyeshadow pencils, £23, are an easy way to add vibrant colour: at Space NK in Brighton, ukspacenk.com

Glow on

NEW IN

You don’t have to let go of that healthy summer tan. LDN: Skins self-tanners are organic, scented with lavender and leave a natural colour that lasts for days: from £16, ldnskins.com

Clarins’ amazing skincare collection just got even more irresistible. The new Super Restorative Day Cream, £69, and Night Cream, £73, contain organic plant extract Harungana, proven to have a plumping and boosting effect on collagen. Hello radiance!

Take the Investment day off buy BLUE MOOD Blue is a key shade on the autumn catwalks, and looks fantastic sheer-washed over the eyes. Find Something Blue, Head in the Sky, Boyfriend Jeans and Blue Over You Colour Crush eyeshadows for £7 each at The Body Shop, which has its HQ in Littlehampton, West Sussex.

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Great skin starts with effective cleansing. Clinique’s new Sonic System Purifying Cleansing Brush, £79, was designed by dermatologists to leave skin velvety soft. Just 30 seconds is all you need, and it’s waterproof so you can use it in the shower too.

Put back what the sun took out of your skin with Crème de la Mer’s The Concentrate. Not cheap at £240, but as an annual postsummer treat, it can’t be beaten.

Stylish Independent Ladies Boutique Designer Clothing Labels from Italy, Paris & the UK Tel: 01903 882 642 F: Envy-Arundel

Book a styling appointment at 2 Victoria Street Brighton BN1 3FP Tel: 01273 757 258 Maudbysophiecorbett.com

Fall fragrance New season scents are delicate, feminine and oh-so-elegant

beauty style

TALKING SCENTS WITH JO MALONE Christine Nagel, Master Perfumer at Jo Malone London, on her latest masterpiece

Our newest fragrance Wood, Sage and Sea Salt was something unusual; another great challenge. For inspiration, I looked at photographs of the English coast and old postcards with rugged cliffs and moody skies. It was sepia photography and the colour was very emotive. I instantly felt the sensation of sea spray, romantic but natural.

Dolce & Gabbana Rose the One EDP, £58, is a floral with a modern edge

The lighter version of the classic No 5, Chanel Eau Première is new this year in a spray bottle, £96 See By Chloé Eau Fraîche EDT, £47, is grown-up and glamorous

Calvin Klein Endless Euphoria EDT, £48, mixes cherry blossom with sandalwood Bergamot and neroli combine in the sophisticated Versace Yellow Diamond EDT, £65 (90ml) Available at department stores throughout Sussex

I went to the English coast off season.

It was a cold, foggy day, there were different herbs growing and pieces of driftwood, and I could taste the sea salt, see the long grasses and this was the start of the story for me. The mineral texture of the sand was a fantastic source of inspiration leading me to the unexpected, rather than working around sunshine and an aquatic note as you might expect from a ‘beach’ fragrance.

In general in top notes citrus notes are most often used to add freshness to a fragrance. For this one however, I used rare ambrette seed, from a plant in the hibiscus family. This is a very expensive raw material that gives texture while still being fresh. It is enveloping and cocooning. A touch of buchu leaves adds another unexpected twist. Very simple, very chic.

Jo Malone London Wood, Sage and Sea Salt, from £40, from September 1, at the Jo Malone London boutique in Brighton and jomalone.co.uk

september 2014 | sussexst yle .c o m | 4 1

Had enough of being overweight?

Hands up all those who feel they’re in a constant battle to achieve a healthy and sustainable body weight. How many diets have you tried and failed, feeling totally frustrated and not knowing what to do next?

Having had a weight problem for 35 years, Rachel was desperate to find a way of being able to lose weight once and for all. ‘I had just about resigned myself to the fact that I would be overweight for the rest of my life, when I came across the principles of the Metabolic Weight Loss Programme. I followed these and to my amazement, I lost 3 stone in just over 3 months and then went on to successfully maintain my weight. The relief was enormous to have found something that finally worked for me.’

Rachel became passionate about wanting to help as many people as possible with their weight problems, which led her to become a qualified weight loss consultant. In the last 10 years, she has helped over 3,000 clients from all walks of life to help bring their dieting days to an end once and for all. ‘My clients’ ages range from 8 years to 85 years old, so there is hope for everyone!’

‘This isn’t an open-ended slimming club,’ says Rachel. ‘We set your target weight at the beginning and then get on with the business of helping you lose the weight, addressing any difficulties along the way, then we concentrate on keeping it off – for good!’

For those who are not able to visit, a very successful remote support service is provided throughout the UK - distance is no object!

With an average weight loss of 7-14 lbs a month for clients and hundreds of hand written testimonials, Rachel’s results speak for themselves

One of the popular aspects of the Metabolic Weight Loss Programme is there’s nothing faddish about it. There are no meal replacements, diet shakes or diet pills. All the foods on the programme are easily obtainable. Clients frequently say just how easy it is to follow, they don’t feel hungry and are not having to constantly battle with cravings. The four stages of the programme are tailored as necessary to provide the maximum results for each client.

Rachel and her team give weekly one-to-one consultations, guiding you through the programme with personalised support, lots of empathy and total conviction in the success of the programme. Email support is available in between consultations.

Clients often comment on how impressed their doctors are with their results. ‘My doctor is very happy– I’ve been able to come off blood pressure and cholesterol medication,’ says one.

Another doctor said, ‘All my lady patients on thyroid medication are struggling to lose weight, but you’ve lost 2 1/2 stone despite being on thyroxin – well done!’

With an average weight loss of 7-14 lbs a month for clients and hundreds of hand written testimonials, Rachel’s results speak for themselves. ‘I see real results daily, time after time I see people’s lives change in front of me.’

Rachel offers free consultations for those who are wanting to lose their weight once and for all.

Rachel Ricketts 01342 327396 Email rachel@rachelrickettsweightloss.co.uk www.rachelrickettsweightloss.co.uk

health style

Health update

Keep hale and hearty as the seasons turn with these tried and tested solutions

ON LOCKDOWN

STAR KIT

Sports bras are super-engineered these days. The Anita Active Dynamix racer-back bra, new this month, won the Red Dot Design Award for 2014 thanks to its clever straps which make slipping it on and off easy. The bra comes in sizes 32-40A-E, 32-38F and 32-36G £52, figleaves.com

Pilates devotee Jessica Alba would love the fantastic all-over stretch that the simple-to-use and softly padded Aero Pilates Arc delivers (£116, qvcuk.com)

ACHES AWAY

BEST BUY

NECK PAIN?

If you’re off on a late season holiday, pack a little bottle of Aromatherapy Associates Support Breathe Essence, £18, in your cabin bag.

It’s packed full of antioxidants to keep you safe from bugs and germs on the plane.

Neck massage has myriad benefits, as well as the obvious stress-busting. A tight neck and shoulders can restrict blood flow to the face, causing headaches and grey, dull skin. Invest in an athome massager to release that feel-good serotonin: we tested the new Scholl Elite Shiatsu Neck Massager (£44.99 in Boots) which has blissful infrared heat!

Sore joints?

Try Regenovex capsules (30 for £23.99, Boots).

In trials, they showed amazing results, calming pain and improving mobility for back, knee and shoulder pain.

september 2014 | sussexst yle .c o m | 4 5

health style

Abs of steel: the swiss ball way!

Fancy starting autumn with a firm, flat tummy? Matt Guy Wright has the expert help you need…

U

nless you’re Olympic diver Tom Daley, I’ll put money on it that you wish you had a flatter, firmer stomach. Everyone does. In my 14 years as a personal trainer, the words, ‘Matt, I’d really like it if you could give me a big, soft, flabby belly’ have been said by no one. Ever.

Abdominal fat is usually the first place those extra pounds show – and cruelly, it is also the last place for that fat to go. Stomach flab is the uninvited guest that just doesn’t get the hint when you really, really want them to leave.

So, say hello to my little friend, the mighty Swiss ball! This now needs to be your closest ally in the battle of the bulge. You’ve seen them around - every gym in the world has them. But most people, in my experience, don’t know how many exercises can be done and how many benefits these can bring to even the most inexperienced of fitness novices.

Sit ups are out. Swiss balls are in and here are my most effective tricks of the trade, in order of beginner to advanced, to total show-off:

The Swiss Plank (beginner): Place your elbows and forearms only, on top of the ball, crossing your fingers so your hands stay firmly linked. With your feet on their toes, as far away from the ball as possible, you’re now forming a perfectly straight diagonal line. Looking ahead throughout, tighten your abs hard and hold this position from 30 to 60 seconds. Repeat five times.

The Ball Cruncher (no laughing at the back please): Lay on the floor on your back. Place the Swiss ball between your ankles and grip it hard, this engages your inner thighs. Now, with your upper body firmly on the floor, keeping your legs very straight, lift the ball until your legs are vertical. Slowly lower the ball to the ground.

Repeat as many times as you can. You’ll feel this working the abs instantly.

The Titanic (so-called because of the Kate Winslet pose): If doing this unassisted, place the soles of your feet flat against the base of a wall, or get someone to firmly hold the back of your feet on the floor. Facing the ball, place your pelvis on it, with your legs straight behind you.

Now curve your upper body down, around the ball so your head is close to the ground.

Cross your arms in front of your head. Now, with your feet securely held still on the ground, raise your entire upper body off the ball while stretching your arms out either side at shoulder height. Just your pelvis and upper legs should be making contact with the ball at this point.

Hold this position high for five to 10 seconds, slowly curve your body back down to the floor and relax for five seconds. Then repeat this 10 times for four sets. This exercise does wonders for strengthening the muscles in the lower back.

The Declined Lifting Plank (advanced): Place the tops of your feet flat, on top of the ball and facing yourself downwards, place your forearms on the floor. With your fingers interlocked and your body totally straight, the same as in The Swiss Plank, you should now be in a perfect diagonal line, only this time descending to the floor. Looking ahead throughout, tighten the abs. Hold still for 60 seconds. Keeping your right leg very straight, slowly raise it as high off the ball as you can and hold for the first 30 seconds. Return the right foot to rest on the ball and now repeat with the left leg for the other 30 seconds. Do this exercise often. It burns fat from the stomach area and strengthens the core brilliantly.

your rectus abdominis (six-pack), obliques (love handles) as well as all of the muscles that help stabilise your spine from just about every direction. So, time to get a backbone, literally!

Firstly adopt exactly the same position as The Swiss Plank. Now pull in the abs internally as if they’re going to meet your spine. Keeping your forearms on the ball, gently press your elbows down into the ball more than usual. With your fingers remaining firmly interlocked, start pushing the ball as far away from your body as possible, in a big circular motion. Try four times clockwise then four times anti-clockwise – just like you’re stirring a giant size paella!

My top tips for this one are very important: do not let your body ‘jack-knife’ up in the middle when doing this exercise, you must stay in that perfectly straight diagonal line throughout in order for this to be effective. Once you have mastered this move, try drawing different shapes too; a square, a triangle, or keep writing the letters OXO with the ball.

These are superb Swiss ball exercises to get your teeth into and I have been teaching these specific sets for years now, quite simply because they always get results. Ask the trainers at your gym to show you these moves I recommend here, to ensure that you are doing them correctly. If you work out at home, the £20 price tag for a Swiss ball will be the best investment you’ll probably ever make – and your back, core and abs will love you for it too.

Health and fitness editor Matt Guy Wright has been a personal trainer in Sussex for 14 years.

Stir-The-Pot (total show-off): World-renowned spine specialist Stuart McGill refers to the Swiss-Ball Stir-the-Pot as the best core exercise you can do. Try it once, and you’ll start to see why: It’s hard. Make that really hard.

That’s because it combines two key elements that punish the abs: instability and dynamic movement. This combo allows you to work

For more details: info@mattguywright.co.uk Matt Guy Wright Personal Training & Nutrition @MattGuyWrightPT or call 07814 765 054

september 2014 | sussexst yle .c o m | 4 7

The Upholsterer Now an ofямБcial stockist of CHALK PAINTTM decorative paint by Annie Sloan

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home garden

Design icon Wayne Hemingway opens the door to his Sussex home Bed into autumn with decadent new linens for the boudoir Learn how to give vintage furniture a new lease of life

MARKS & SPENCER

New ideas and inspiration for a cosy autumn at home

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Looking for inspiration and a new hobby, Laura Jandac discovered a way to transform old furniture and give her creativity free rein at the same time

home style

‘D

on’t sit there, she’ll paint you,’ my husband screams at my mum.

Perplexed, my mother asks the obvious question: why? According to my husband, I am painting anything that hasn’t moved for more than five minutes and my parents should be careful as if they get too comfortable on the sofa they may be next.

He does have a point. I have discovered something better than therapy or Prozac. I have entered into the sublimely relaxing world of Annie Sloan. My life is stressful at best and more recently it had been getting a little too much to handle. I was enduring more pressure than even my regular end of day glass of wine and a bath could fix. Having quite seriously contemplated psychotherapy I was introduced to Chalk Paint, decorative paint by Annie Sloan. It’s magic.

I’ve never really been an advocate of the shabby chic. It can either be one or the other in my opinion, how can it be both? I had wrongly assumed that painted furniture was always one of only three basic colours, sanded to within an

inch of its life, then sold as ‘vintage’. I don’t often admit to being wrong, as most family members will testify, but in this case I couldn’t have been more wrong.

like-minded people and had a fabulous lunch (homemade chocolate brownies to die for).

What could be better? I have a new skill, one that will actually come in handy.

There are not just three drab colours: there are 33 fabulous colours from bright greens and yellows to classy and seductive reds plus an array of calm neutrals. Clichéd perhaps but there really is something for everyone.

One fellow crew member wanted to paint her kitchen cupboards so had come with an agenda.

Another lady had wanted to find out what all her friends were talking about and one fantastic lady worked in a furniture charity shop and had hoped with her new skill she would be able to update some of their stock and earn the charity some more money.

I am now addicted to eBay and junk shops and on a constant look out for that next thing to paint. I look at brown furniture with a new eye, knowing that with minimal effort, even the most boring of pieces can be utterly transformed. Boring chair legs are a thing of the past and picture frames can be updated in a lunch hour. Individual birthday presents are easy with a little decoupage, crackle glaze or gilding all of which can be done at home with EastEnders on in the background.

A few weeks ago I went on a decorative painting course. I learned all about the techniques and how to develop my own. I met some lovely

So whether your old furniture is feeling dated or your garden furniture has seen better days why not have a go? Pots are £18.95 and stockists are nationwide (anniesloan.co.uk). If you and a few friends fancy a fab day out try a painting course. Prices start from £60 including lunch and can be found all over Sussex. They run in Emsworth, Chichester, Midhurst and East Wittering so why not have a go? You will wonder what took you so long. It will become a hobby, an addiction and one that is actually rather good for you.

september 2014 | sussexst yle .c o m | 5 1

MARKS & SPENCER

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Boudoir chic

home style

Make the most of autumn’s dark nights with a beautiful bedroom. Snuggle down with rich textures and shades of romantic purple and chic grey

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1. Vase, £29.50, Marks & Spencer 2. Weave cushion, £16, Bhs 3. Velvet quilt, £120, Debenhams 4. Butterfly Home

by Matthew Williamson floral box, £25, Debenhams 5. Rose fairy lights, £25, Dotcomgiftshop.com 6. Scented candle, £35, kellyhoppen.com 7. Set of four glass doorknobs, £8, Sainsbury’s Home 8. White Geranium scent diffuser, £30, The White Company, whitecompany.com 9. Copenhagen woven felt laundry basket, £18, John Lewis 10. Jewellery jar, £9.99, H&M

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True colours

Bring an Indian summer vibe to your home with a riot of bold shades

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1. Scion Groove duvet cover, from £40 2. Christy Supreme Lagoon Towels are made from 100 per cent Supima combed cotton. From £3.50 for face cloths to £30 for bath sheets 3. Add a hot hue to a room with this incredible magenta faux fur throw. Lined with faux suede it is every bit as luxurious as it looks, £245 4. This rainbow pompom garland with a spectrum of around 42 colourgraded wool pompoms is fabulous inside or outside, and kids love them in their rooms: £15 5. The Prism rug is hand tufted at a high-density using wool and viscose. Showcasing a multicolour, warped, check design, this rug is supersoft and stylish, £204 6. We love this feather-filled cushion with a Paloma Blue floral watercolour print, edged with blue gradient bobbles, with a sky blue back: £46.25 7. Glass lamp with an oval silk thread shade, £92.50 8. These geranium scented reeds from True Grace are a great way to add a constant fragrance to your room. The elegant glass jar is based on Victorian apothecary bottles: £33 All available from Rusdens: 87-89 London Road East Grinstead West Sussex RH19 1EJ, 01342 325 033, rusdens.co.uk

september 2014 | sussexst yle .c o m | 5 5

At home with Wayne Hemingway

Design legend Wayne’s portfolio ranges from the iconic Red or Dead fashion label to furniture, interiors, urban developments and even festivals. Here, he talks about his home in West Sussex, and his love of the great British seaside When we first went to view our house, we hated it. But we saw the potential, so we knocked it down and built a new one. It was an amazing plot of land with a great view but had an awful little bungalow on it, so it had to go. It had always been my wife Geraldine’s dream to build a house from scratch: since she was a little girl, she’d dreamed of having enough money to design her own home.

We gave the build a five-year plan, and it was all Geraldine’s project. We thought it would take that long to get planning permission but it was quicker in the end. It flew through planning in five months and luckily the local community liked what we wanted to do, so in the end we built the new house within a year.

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We’re not the kind of people to get stuck in a groove, and I can imagine living in many other places but for now, we’re very happy there.

Geraldine likes change though and would knock it down tomorrow and start again. She likes to keep adapting and adding to the house.

The landscape around our house is constantly evolving, and Geraldine is always working on it. The house is designed to flow into the outside space because we love to be outdoors and wanted that connection between the two. We have three acres of land and a great entertaining space, with a hot tub: it sounds cheesy but it’s actually a Dutchtub which is powered by burning your garden cuttings so it’s totally sustainable.

Our four children are all adults now and have moved back to London, where they were born. But they love the house and our pool. As a joke, we’re always threatening that now it’s just the two of us we’re going to sell the house and downsize and they all kick up a fuss. The next thing we know, they’ve all come back with their mates to have a party and prove that we still need the big house! It’s very much still a busy house full of life.

I make the most of the house’s location on the weekends. I love running, and so does my eldest daughter and my youngest son so we might go for a long run and take the dog. We also like to play cricket – we have a cricket strip in the garden - and tennis, and music is very

home style

Far left: Wayne and Geraldine in the pool area. Left, from top: The kitchen is the heart of the home. The sofas were made from the couple’s old boat. Light and spacious, the dining area is an oasis of calm.

much a part of the family. We have DJ decks next to the pool, so I may do some music to relax. If Geraldine’s gardening, I’ll help out with the heavy stuff or jump on the ride-on lawnmower and cut the grass.

Our favourite items of furniture in the house are the two sofas made out of the hull of our old boat. When the weather’s bad, we like to get our feet up on there and curl up with the papers, or watch football on television.

The kitchen is the hub. We chose a Sub Zero refrigerator because it’s robust, functional and importantly for us, unfussy, and it helped us to achieve a kitchen that blends into our open plan house. We also have Wolf appliances as they’re robust and free of unnecessary frills. The styling is timeless, operation is idiot-proof and they never let us down.

I love the beaches in Sussex. We live near to West Wittering and its lovely sandy beaches, so I can run down there within ten minutes.

The sands there are world-class, it’s like being in Australia. I like to go to the local cricket clubs to watch a match too, and cycle in the Downs.

Chichester’s not blessed with great restaurants so if we want to eat out we’ll do that during the week in London or go to Brighton on the weekend.

I have a real affection for British seaside towns and it saddens me that many are not as well-kept, or as well-visited and loved as they should be. The coast is one of the jewels in our crown. Brighton is brilliant and has done a great job of keeping up with the times, offering young people most things that they could want… apart from sand, but it can’t help that! It offers a lot of things that somewhere like LA does. But other towns feel like they need some significant TLC. For information on Wayne’s design projects and products, go to hemingwaydesign.co.uk.

More on his design choices at home: subzerowolf.co.uk, iconicdutch.com/uk/shop sep t ember 2014 | sussexst yl e .c o m | 5 7

Interior Design Inspirational Homewares Chalk Paint TM decorative paint by Annie Sloan

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life style

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Actress Tracey-Ann Oberman visits gorgeous Camber Sands Become a school governor: your new season challenge?

My Sussex: plenty of ideas for your must-visit list this September Mum on the Run: school meals are back, and Laura’s sceptical‌

Mum on the run This month Laura’s on a mission: to tell our Deputy Prime Minister exactly what she thinks of his new school meals plan… watch out Nick Clegg!

I

am going to invite Nick Clegg for lunch.

Not completely sure how to do it, but I think he needs to come. As well as Mr Clegg I am going to invite 35 four-year-olds and rope in a 60-year-old dinner lady who frankly would rather be anywhere but here.

change in the wind direction and what was his favourite meal yesterday could be refused in an instant today. Sausage and mash may float his boat today but fish and chips could well offend tomorrow.

Throw in some reheated food made by I don’t know who from I don’t know where, with a low grade O level in home economics and let’s wait for the magic to happen. He will have 20 minutes to chow down two delightful courses because playtime starts at 12.30.

I had resorted to drawing faces on my son’s banana to make it different from the day before

Harsh I know, but as the new school term arrives and the made-up-on-the-back-of-a-fagpacket concept for free school meals is up and running I, like many mothers, am dreading it. My son, like many of his friends, is not a fussy eater: far from it, in fact, but one slight

Having read through the next term’s menu, there is little that I know he simply won’t eat. In fact it could be the same menu served 100 years ago when I was at school. Chocolate sponge and custard, apple sponge and custard, banana and custard, apple crumble and custard. I spent

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the summer holidays getting my son in training by giving him custard with every meal so he’s in peak condition to take on the dessert menu come September.

My concerns extend further than just the menu, though. Whilst my little boy and his friends are quite nifty with a knife and fork, given half the chance they revert back to the tried and tested use of the hands. Fine with a lunch box menu but not as adequate with chicken korma and rice.

There will be more food on the floor than was even dished originally and by early afternoon I fear the children will be dropping like flies because they are so hungry. In scenes resembling feeding time at the zoo, the amount of grownup back-up required to make the operation run smoothly may simply not be available.

education style

At first it seemed like the new rules may be a good thing… at least for poor, put-upon parents. I would be lying if I said that on the last day of the summer term I didn’t breathe a small sigh of relief in the knowledge that this would be my last lunch box preparation for the next two years. The endless trawling of the supermarket aisles looking for Barney bars because Jack had one or a blueberry smoothie because Harry had one had started to take its toll.

Trying to create different lunchbox treats everyday was draining. I had resorted to drawing faces on my son’s banana to make it different from the day before and cutting the same old ham sandwich into star shapes to make it more interesting. I had even blamed my recent weight gain on the fact that there were always Kit-Kats in the fridge so maybe I

do owe Mr Clegg a thank-you as I now have Old Mother Hubbard’s treat cupboard.

frozen for your convenience. So good in fact that you can pretend you made it yourself.

But I have a plan. As a school governor I am going to exercise my right to do a school visit and drop in one lunchtime to see how everyone is coping. I break out in a sweat if my son has more than one friend for tea so time will tell how well each school, dinner lady and child will cope. For some children this may be the only hot meal of the day and could well be lifechanging but at this early stage, I’m reserving judgement.

They even have baking dishes the correct size for their meals so you can fool even your nearest and dearest. They charge £2.25 for a child’s meal - no salt added, mind you – and as that is exactly what we were charged for a school meal, maybe my job as a governor should be to negotiate a discount for buying in bulk…

If all else fails there is always Cook, the most wonderful shop to appear on our high street. It has made life bearable for all working mothers and if you are not familiar with it, find your nearest one online, empty your car boot and head there immediately. Home cooked food,

Do you agree with Laura? Are you dreading the new School Meals legislation or welcome it with gratitude?

For more details on exactly what the new rules entail, turn to our report on page 66.

We’d love to hear your thoughts: have your say on twitter, we’re @SussexStyleMag

september 2014 | sussexst yle .c o m | 6 5

LUNCH IS SERVED! The Universal Infant Free School Meals scheme comes into force this month, but what will it mean for Sussex kids?

Sam Bilton investigates

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cooking and food education is back as a mandatory part of the national curriculum. So every five to 14-year-old from September will be required to understand where food comes from, why food is important and also be able to cook a range of predominantly savoury dishes.

y memories of school dinners are not fond ones. With the exception of Fridays when we had fish (or rather something which had several lifetimes ago swum in the sea before it had been processed and reformed into a vaguely rectangular shape) and chips, each lunchtime the odour of boiled cabbage permeated the school, irrespective of whether or not it was actually on the menu that day. Packed lunches were a relief from the stodge served although it was often worth enduring this for the reward of a sugar-laden pudding at the end like jam roly-poly or caramel-topped shortbread with lashings of fluorescent custard.

Around 25,000 pupils in West Sussex and 16,000 pupils in East Sussex stand to benefit from the provision of Universal Infant Free School Meals. The government anticipates there will be an 87 per cent take up of the meals.

With dishes like beef enchiladas, butternut and chickpea risotto and chicken korma on offer they are a far cry from the school dinners I remember. But with so many schools across both counties lacking catering facilities how will these meals be provided?

Over the years school meals have fallen by the wayside in favour of packed lunches. During the 1990s within West Sussex alone around 98 per cent of primary schools had their kitchens removed. Although school meals were still provided for some pupils by outside caterers concerns were raised by chef and campaigner Jamie Oliver over the standards of school dinners (remember the dreaded Turkey Twizzler?). New school food standards were introduced in 2006 but the take-up of school meals is still relatively low.

‘Our biggest contract arrangement is with Chartwells. They will bring the food in chilled from a cuisine centre once a day, every other day or once a week depending on how many children are eating the meals,’ explains Martin Clarke, Programme Manager for West Sussex County Council, who estimates the take-up in his county could be as high as 95 per cent.

‘The food is then cooked using a microwave so the children are served steamed food. It’s not a traditional kitchen but it is actually cooked on site.’

‘Only about 45 per cent of children take up school dinners and the rest eat unhealthy packed lunches,’ explains Myles Bremner, a member of the expert panel behind the School Food Plan. ‘Only one percent of these packed lunches meet the required nutritional standard.

Because of the rise and the fundamental concern about obesity and diet related illnesses caused by bad food in the past, the main aim of the School Food Plan is to get children to eat more nutritious school food.’

Henry Dimbleby and John Vincent (founders of the LEON restaurants) were asked to head up an expert panel to investigate the current state of school meals and put a proposal together for their improvement. Their findings and recommendations form the School Food Plan which was presented to the then Secretary of State for Education, Michael Gove in July 2013. This resulted in the school food standards being revised and the new food based standards being pilot tested by the Children’s Food Trust before their nationwide implementation in September 2014.

But the recommendations of the School Food Plan go far beyond the provision of Universal Infant Free School Meals (available to all pupils in state maintained school in reception, year 1 and year 2). As a result of the plan, practical

The School Food Plan has liaised extensively with the providers of school meals to ensure the standards are easy to understand and implement. Eighty per cent of school cooks and caterers believe the new standards will provide more flexibility than the current ones.

‘A happy successful dining room and lunch experience when children eat together with adults can help set the tone for the school,’ adds Myles. ‘The work of the School Food Plan has shown that children who eat well then learn well and children who understand the importance of food can tell you what they eat and how they learn about food. It supports and equips them with the knowledge and practical tools they need for later life.’

Only about 45 per cent of children take up school dinners and the rest eat unhealthy packed lunches

GRUB’S UP! If you want to learn more about the changes to school meal provision in Sussex, try these sites for further information: School Food Plan: schoolfoodplan.com The Children’s Food Trust: childrensfoodtrust.org.uk School Food Matters: schoolfoodmatters.com

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YES Ever wondered what’s involved in being a school governor? It’s a chance to have a real say in school policy and can be hugely rewarding, as Sam Bilton discovers

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ehind the scenes of every school there is a group of volunteers who oversee the long term development of that institution. To many parents they will be invisible but their role is vital in ensuring the school is operating efficiently, within budget and meeting the required standards established by the Department of Education and Ofsted.

These are the school governors but it seems as many as one in ten of these important positions is vacant across the country.

‘We sometimes find the biggest barrier to finding new school governors is that people simply don’t know that the opportunity is there,’ explains Andrew Rushton from SGOSS, Governors for Schools, the national education charity dedicated to recruiting and placing school governors across England.

Who can become a governor?

Anyone over the age of 18 can become a school governor and you are not required to have a child at the school you become a governor of.

School governors come from a wide range of professions. This ensures there is a broad range of expertise within the governing body to help with the strategic management of the

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school. It may be that you have a particular professional skill that could be beneficial to the school during their future development.

Volunteers with skills in finance, law, premises management, education, strategic planning and data analysis are particularly welcome.

‘The most important attribute of any school governor is a commitment to improving the life chances of children,’ says Andrew. ‘Therefore, governing bodies need a full complement of skills to be effective.’

We sometimes find the biggest barrier to finding new school governors is that people simply don’t know that the opportunity is there What does being a governor involve?

School governors are individuals who volunteer, on average, between 10-15 hours per term to attend meetings at which the performance and progress of their school is discussed. Whilst

school governors are individual volunteers – parents, staff, community volunteers - decisions are made collectively by the whole governing body.

The responsibility of the governing body comes down to three core roles: • Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction for their school

• Holding the Headteacher to account for the performance of the school

• Overseeing the financial performance of the school.

How do you become a governor?

In some cases an existing board of governors may approach you as they recognise that you possess skills which could benefit the strategic management of their school. However, if you would like to become a governor but are unsure whether there is a suitable vacancy in your area you can: • Approach a school which you’re interested in directly and enquire about opportunities

• Contact the governor services team at East Sussex or West Sussex County Council who will help with local authority governor appointment; or

• Apply online through SGOSS.

education style

‘I want to see the school thrive’: one Sussex governor’s experience

A parent’s view: the mum governor

Stephen Ulph has been a governor at Great Walstead in Lindfield, the largest standalone prep school in Sussex, for six years. Great Walstead, which Stephen’s three children have all attended, likes to appoint governors with a strong association with the school or experience in the field of education.

Being the owner of an human resources consultancy was particularly pertinent when Tracy Humphrey became a Foundation Governor at Holy Trinity C.E.(A) Primary School in Cuckfield as the headteacher resigned at the first meeting she attended.

As a director of Oriole Construction Ltd Stephen’s expertise in the building industry has been useful in the planning of the future development of the school. His involvement as a governor has included overseeing the commissioning and budgeting of specific building and maintenance projects for the fabric of the school. These projects have kept him particularly busy recently and he estimates he is spending two to three days per month on school governor business. Nevertheless, he enjoys his role.

Although she is also a parent Tracy was appointed by the church (which is common practice for church schools). She finds the role rewarding but admits it can be quite a feat to juggle the demands of running THR Consulting and family life with the role of a school governor. Last year she became co-chair of the board of governors and spends roughly one day per week on governor duties during term time.

‘I want to see Great Walstead thrive so my future grandchildren can experience the same wonderful opportunities my children have,’ says Stephen. ‘If you can recognise that you have helped others make a difference that’s all the reward you need.’

‘We can’t have a great school without a really good head and team of staff, but the governors can set the tone, push for higher standards and support them too,’ explains Tracy. ‘We do not necessarily accept things as they are presented. This ensures checks and processes are working well to safeguard the school from different risks.’

FIND OUT MORE For further information on becoming a governor, visit the following sites: Governors for Schools: sgoss.org.uk / National Governors’ Association: nga.org.uk East Sussex County Council: eastsussex.gov.uk/educationandlearning/schoolgovernors West Sussex County Council: westsussex.gov.uk/learning

september 2014 | sussexst yle .c o m | 6 9

Do your prep

With so much choice in Sussex, what questions should you be asking when choosing a prep school? Sam Bilton finds out more

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ew subjects are more of a priority to parents than their children’s education,’ says Julie Robinson, Education and Training Director of IAPS (The Independent Prep School Association) which represents the head teachers and staff of around 600 of the world’s leading prep schools.

Prep schools (or preparatory schools to give them their full name) do just that. They are primarily designed to ready your child for secondary education. Prep schools generally cover the academic years three to six or three to eight (from ages 7 to 11 or 13). Some may also include a pre-prep which is the equivalent of infant school in the state system (reception through to year two). Others may be attached to their own senior schools where children will be able to attend until the age of 18.

‘We like to think all of our pupils leave as confident all-rounders,’ explains Emily King who teaches English at Pennthorpe School, a coeducational day preparatory school in Rudgwick, West Sussex. ’The students arrive as children but leave as young adults. By year eight they are absolutely ready to move on to senior school.’

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Research conducted by the Independent Schools Council show that the independent school sector educates around 6.5 per cent of the total number of school children in the UK. But with an average investment of anywhere between £2,000 - £3,750 per term for a day school (with boarding fees being considerably higher) is it really worth the investment?

The main question you need be satisfied has been answered before you decide on a school is: “how would my child fit in here?”

That’s the key issue ‘We all know that the quality of an education has a considerable impact on the future of children,’ continues Julie. ‘Parents of private school pupils see education as an investment that will continue to pay dividends every time they see their child taking a step forward in a

talent they discovered and nurtured at school, every time they find the confidence within themselves to achieve an ambition and every time they exceed their own expectations.’

Choosing a school for your child is not just a case of looking at an institution’s academic results or how they fare in league tables. There are many other factors to consider ranging from the facilities at the school to the class sizes (the latter being one of the most appealing aspects of private education).

Another area of interest to prospective parents is the school’s scholarship track record.

Twenty pupils from Pennthorpe were awarded scholarships to senior schools this year. When you consider the size of the average year group is just 32 this is a pretty impressive result. ‘The main question you need be satisfied has been answered before you decide on a school is: “how would my child fit in here?” That’s the key issue’ says Julie.

By their very nature, most prep schools have a distinct ethos. Teacher Emily describes the Pennthorpe as ‘feeling like one big family’. The Independent Schools Inspectorate has rated the

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school’s pastoral care as outstanding. The staff spend a lot of time getting to know the children and their parents. There are various systems in place, such as pupil mentors (which can be a member of staff or a fellow pupil), to make sure the children are happy.

‘Parents are paying for a personal, monitored, excellent education,’ explains Emily. ‘They want to see their child leave Pennthorpe having fulfilled their potential.’

Sussex has a good selection of prep schools so how do you decide which one is best for your child? Fortunately, most independent schools hold regular open mornings. These can be very slick affairs and it’s easy to be dazzled by the state of the art facilities or charmed by the staff.

It’s worth making a list of criteria you believe are important to you and your child (see the panel on this page for some examples).

‘The tough decision comes when choosing which school would be specifically best for your child. That’s why you should always visit schools and trust your instincts,’ concludes Julie. ‘The school is going to be good if it is an IAPS school, but read the latest inspection report with a particular focus on what suits your child best. After that, the choice is down to how you and your child feel.’

Prep for prep school: the issues you need to consider > What does your child say? Did he or she like it? What are his or her thoughts and comments?

> Observe the pupils in the school.

Are they friendly, polite, chatty, well-mannered, smart?

> Do you like the head and the staff? > Are there plenty of activities (such as sports, drama, music) in and out of school hours for your child to become involved in? Are these inclusive irrespective of ability?

> What support is on offer for those who may struggle with some subjects?

> Ask to see where they eat and play.

Are the facilities well looked after?

> More information on choosing a prep school can be found at goodschoolsguide.co.uk and bestschools.co.uk september 2014 | sussexst yle .c o m | 7 3

The insider’s guide to Eastbourne

It’s one of the sunniest — and according to a recent survey, happiest — places in the country.

No wonder then that elegant Eastbourne is one of the UK’s favourite holiday destinations. Karen Spinner looks at reasons to visit

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rowing up in Sussex, pilgrimages to Eastbourne were a much-loved part of my childhood. An ice cream on the pier, a few rounds of crazy golf and a visit to Treasure Island were the simple ingredients for the most perfect of days.

Top travel tip Getting around Eastbourne on foot is easy, but a ride on the Dotto land train comes recommended. Dotto trains run from Holywell Retreat across town to Atlantic Drive. The trains are suitable for wheelchair users and are dog friendly too. An all-day pass is £5 for adults, £2.50 for children aged five-15.

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Several decades on and Eastbourne continues to delight visitors of all ages. It is one of the UK’s fastest-growing seaside resorts and welcomes close to five million visitors each year, but has a poise and refinement often lacking in coastal towns.

Whether visiting for a day or longer, Eastbourne has a huge amount to offer. And don’t worry if you’re on a budget, either — many of the best attractions are free.

Award-winning beaches Any trip would be incomplete without visiting one of the town’s famous beaches — there are five miles of coastline to explore.

Grand Parade beach is the most central beach and boasts the best facilities for visitors. With refreshment kiosks, places to buy beach gear,

lifeguards, first-aid cover, special wristbands for children and clean bathing water, it’s the perfect spot for all the family.

East of the pier (more on this later) lies the sand and shingle Marine Parade beach. If you’re into water sports, this is the spot for you. Why not hire a kayak from Eastbourne Kayak and Surf Hire (07917 863791)? Or for something more genteel, stroll along the beach from the pier to the Pavilion tearooms (71 Royal Parade, 01323 410374) for a well-deserved afternoon tea.

At the westerly end of Eastbourne’s long seafront is Holywell Retreat (King Edwards Parade). Nestling under the chalk cliffs that culminate in Beachy Head, this quaint area is one of the town’s hidden gems. Walk along the beach — fantastic for rock pooling at low tide — and take in the dramatic views out to

Images courtesy of Visit Eastbourne and Graham Huntley

travel style

Beachy Head before recharging at the popular Holywell Tea Chalet (01323 410220).

Splendid seafront The heart of Eastbourne’s seafront is its 144-year-old pier. Although part of the Grade II structure was destroyed in a fire this summer, a section of this much-loved icon is hopefully to be reopened in September.

But even with the pier in a state of repair, a visit to Eastbourne’s chic seafront is a must.

The splendid Carpet Gardens, situated next to the pier, never fail to impress. With a mix of traditional and tropical plants, the gardens are cleverly designed to ensure colour year-round.

Children are well catered for in this part of town. There are two amusement parks, the

pirate-themed Treasure Island (treasure-island. co.uk, 01323 411077) and Fort Fun (fortfun. co.uk, 01323 642833) for the under-13s. Both have a mix of indoor and outdoor attractions (plus the essential ingredient for parents — a good café) so are perfect in all seasons.

The seafront is also home to Eastbourne’s famous bandstand, which stages concerts and music events for all ages throughout the year (eastbournebandstand.co.uk), and the relaxing Helen Garden. This beautiful garden is situated looking out to sea and features an 18-hole putting course, lawn bowls and petanque.

Shopping and eating What’s a holiday without a little retail therapy? Eastbourne is blessed with several vibrant shopping areas, from the usual big brands at the Arndale Centre to lots of

gorgeous independent stores in quaint Little Chelsea.

Although the town is rightfully famed for its seafood and ice cream (don’t miss Eastbourne institution Fusciardi’s on Marine Parade), there are hundreds of options. Coffee lovers should head to the Nelson Coffee Co (4 Terminus Road) and Urban Ground (2a Bolton Road), while for a cosmopolitan dining experience, the Waterfront at Sovereign Harbour (eastbourneharbour.com) is hard to beat.

And the best cakes in town? Hotfoot it to The Tea Shop on Grove Road. Culture vultures should know that Eastbourne’s contemporary art scene received a boost with the opening of the Towner gallery (townereastbourne.org.uk).

It’s well worth a visit and admission is free. september 2014 | su ssexst yle .c o m | 7 7

further afield

Eastbourne is surrounded by wonderful countryside. If you have time to venture out of town you will be amply rewarded.

Highly recommended are the Cuckmere Valley, Seven Sisters Country Park, the Downland village of Alfriston, the Cuckoo Trail, Pevensey Marshes and, of course, Beachy Head.

Must-visit: Six Eastbourne icons

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2.

Living in Eastbourne

Many think of Eastbourne as a place populated by retirees, but the town’s demographic is changing — more than a third of inhabitants are under 30.

This has made the town a more exciting place to live, although it retains its elegant character, says Richard Rager of Rager & Roberts estate agents (ragerroberts.co.uk, 01323 419911). ‘Although there have been changes, Eastbourne hasn’t gone downmarket,’ he says. ‘But now we have some great arts venues and lots of cultural events.’

With highly regarded private and state schools — and with free school Gildredge House about to open its doors — the area has always attracted families, with Old Town and Meads the most popular areas for house hunters. And the good news?

‘The housing market here is buoyant, but prices haven’t spiralled out of control — it’s still very affordable, adds Richard.

Getting there

By train: The journey from London Victoria takes just under 1hr 30mins. The station is situated in the centre of the town, a 10min walk from the seafront. As well as services to London, trains run along the coast to Brighton and Hastings, and to Ashford International for Eurostar services.

By bus: The town is well served by buses, with several services taking in the town centre and seafront.

Road: The A259 runs along the coast to Eastbourne from Chichester in the west to Folkestone in the east. Eastbourne is situated 10mins south of the A27.

find out more For all the latest Eastbourne news, plus events and a great accommodation guide, bookmark Visit Eastbourne, visiteastbourne.com

7 8 | susse xsty l e .com | september 2014

he pier. This Victorian masterpiece T is of the UK’s most-loved tourist attractions. As Sussex Style went to press, plans for its partial reopening following a fire were afoot.

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Pevensey Castle: This medieval castle is also a former Roman Saxon Shore fort, built around 290 AD, and is the highlight of Pevensey. Well worth a day exploring, it’s a Scheduled Monument in the care of English Heritage and is open to visitors.

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South Downs Way. The South Downs Way national trail starts (or ends, depending on your perspective) at the west end of Eastbourne’s promenade and runs 100 miles across Sussex to Winchester. On foot, bike or horse, experience some of the most glorious countryside in the UK.

Beachy Head. The UK’s highest chalk sea cliff is Eastbourne’s most famous attraction and affords stunning views along the coast and inland over the South Downs. Unmissable.

4.

The Redoubt. A fortress built to defend the south coast against Napoleon. One of the country’s top military museums (eastbournemuseums.co.uk).

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The Grand Hotel (grandeastbourne. com). The resort’s most famous hotel is a glorious Victorian building and commands spectacular views out to sea. The place to stay for the ultimate Eastbourne experience.

Weekend on the sands

Actress Tracy-Ann Oberman was always a fan of five-star hotels, until she discovered a quaint cottage in Camber Sands in East Sussex…

‘I

think it’s time for our annual mini break’ I announced to the husband, daughter and dog last month after the sun had shone for three days solidly, highlighting the precise shade of rain-stained grey on the estate next door to us. ‘To the seaside for us!’ I cried.

Anyone who lives in London knows what the words ‘mini break’ means. A trip to Brighton.

All my fondest memories of holiday breaks, mini or otherwise are in Brighton. Brighton IS holidays. Traipsing the promenade aged four, a huge 99 ice cream in one hand and my grandma’s hand in the other. Or cautiously picking my way over rocks and pebbles on the sand to make camp when I was about nine, whining to my dad ‘I thought beaches were meant to have saaaaand’.

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Carry On Follow That Camel was shot here in February 1967 when the Sands doubled for the Sahara Desert. Filming had to be stopped several times because the dunes were covered in snow Brighton meant whizzing round the pier rides and screeching with laughter, running barefoot into the freezing waves with teenage friends when we were just about old enough to take the

train ourselves. Clubbing during my Uni days.

Later on, fun turned into lost weekends at the Pelirocco whilst courting with my other half.

Ah, Brighton. Happy days. The group was up for it, hubby, seven-year-old daughter, puppy, and good mates Rob and Sonya and their two young sons. So I rang the trendy hotel on the seafront that accommodates dogs and kids and nearly had a heart attack when I was quoted the price of a flight to Thailand for a stay of two nights on the coast.

And it wasn’t just that hotel. Most hotelsslash-guest houses wouldn’t take the dog (or was it the children?) and all were prohibitively expensive. What to do?

The bat and ball went back into the Paul Smith overnight bag and that was it. Three

travel style

sulking kids, four irked parents and a coopedup puppy. We were to have a mini break at home. Grr! Until a Sussex friend alerted me to a website called Bramley & Teal.

Their home page looked like a Cath Kidston advert and read like the answer to our prayers, with these magic words: ‘Summer is upon us and the South East of England is going to enjoy some really hot weather! Enjoy a fun and relaxing break away with your friends, family and the dog. Bring them all along and stay in one of our lovely self-catering cottages.’

Sounds perfect. I’d never stayed in a selfcatering cottage before, preferring a mini bar and complimentary shower cap, but after a chat with the MD Claire Acock it became apparent that this was the way forward. It sounded

simple, easy to get to, the keys were to be left in a box near the house with space for adults, children and dog. Everyone’s needs met.

Whilst not having any accommodation in Brighton (gasp!) Clare advised us to look at Camber Sands and a property called Dereta.

On the website, Dereta looked like something out of a movie: all retro Thirties Orla Kiely prints, simple wooden floors, a driftwood-style kitchen and a beach within walking distance.

And what a beach. It looked idyllic. But where was Camber and why hadn’t I been before?

Camber Sand, for the uninitiated, is the beach at the village of Camber, in East Sussex, very close to picture perfect Rye. This all sounded good. After a quick Wiki I found the following fact that sold it to me:

‘Carry On Follow That Camel was shot here in February 1967 when the Sands doubled for the Sahara Desert. Filming had to be stopped several times because the dunes were covered in snow.’

I love that film. I love that fact. So we booked it. Brighton? What Brighton? This was a chance to explore other areas of Sussex.

It’s always worried me that renting out someone else’s property would be weird. Like staying at a distant relative’s home and being paranoid about mess, bad behaviour and noise. But it wasn’t weird. It was lovely. It was clean, cosy and fun. All in all, a holiday cottage – and overall experience - that more than met our needs.

september 2014 | sussexst yle .c o m | 8 1

At home on holiday: the Bramley & Teal holiday cottage was homely fun for all Tracy-Ann’s family and friends

The Sands themselves (a short walk away) were the highlight. They are extraordinary. Miles and miles of flat golden beach to run along and sand dunes to jump from… and when the tide goes out the beach stretches forever into the horizon.

The kids and dog had a ball. And the shell collection competition ended up being totally magnificent. Happy children, happy parents.

The beach at Camber was everything you imagine a beach to be. It is also unspoiled with shops or restaurants, a far cry from the noise and bustle of Brighton.

8 2 | s u s s e x st y l e . c om | sep t em ber 2014

After an exhausting morning on the beach we spent Saturday afternoon in Rye exploring the cobbled streets and coffee shops, staying for an early dinner at the charismatic Ship Inn. On Sunday the local Farm Shop, practically next door to Dereta, provided all the fresh ingredients for a great fry up.

Then it was more exploration on the beach and a trip to the Old Harbour for a pint and icecream for the kids and then to the Dungeness lighthouse, which is quirkily set near a power station.

If you’re looking for a mini break that is affordable, unpretentious and family-friendly then Bramley & Teal is the place to go. The cottage was a little gem of a find and I’d definitely use the company again to explore other parts of the South Coast. To have a lot of choice was a treat, because when booking a family holiday there’s so much you have to get right.

In the meantime, I have to admit that Brighton and I may have parted company for a while.

I’m thinking Hastings next.

Bramley & Teal: bramleyandteal.co.uk

Our self-catering holiday cottages enjoy fabulous coastal or rural locations across Kent and Sussex, perfect for exploring beautiful countryside, coastal resorts and historic properties and gardens.

Visit our new website and book online at www.bramleyandteal.co.uk or call us now on 01580 860840

Your LocaL Independent KItchen StudIo

the Kitchen people 61 the high Street, Lindfield West Sussex rh16 2hn tel: 01444 484 868 email: paul@kitchenpeople.co.uk

www.facebook.com/kitchenpeople @kitchenpsarah

technology style

Gadget hotlist Geeks, techies and gadget lovers unite: this is your September call to action!

BEHIND THE WHEEL

WATER MUSIC

COFFEE TIME

This miniature replica of the incredible Lamborghini Aventador doesn’t have a top speed of 217mph but it does have some great computer mouse spec. You won’t lose the delicate movements needed for gaming and Photoshop, amongst other things. The coolest mouse ever: £39.95, red5.co.uk

Why have boring old black speakers when you can have ones that look like mini fountains?

These are like a Vegas water-and-light show, in miniature. When the music plays the speakers jump into life with jets of water illuminated by bright multi-coloured LEDs, creating a fascinating effect: £39.95, red5.co.uk

Sleek, chic and unbeatable quality: the DeLonghi Scultura coffee machine crafts perfect coffee every time and comes with everything you’ll need to make fresh espressos, rich lattes and frothy cappuccinos.

It’s £200 at Debenhams.

PERFECT JUICE

IN COMFORT

ON THE GRILL

There are juicers, then there’s the new Philips Viva Collection Juicer. It’s the Rolls-Royce of the juicer market: extracting up to 2 litres of juice in one go, with almost no mess. Once you’re finished, the entire machine can be easily dissembled and all removable parts put in the dishwasher, ready for the next round. The Philips Viva Collection Juicer is available at John Lewis and Argos for £79.95.

Brilliant though iPads are, they can be a pain to hold while you swipe, type, read and browse. Wave goodbye to arm-freeze and wrist ache with the new iCushion. Made of velvet or silk, this nifty new invention comes in lots of colours and is compatible with the Apple iPad, Samsung Galaxy Tab, Google Nexus and most other tablets. From £24.95, mobiletoyz.co.uk

Late season barbie while the weather holds?

Piccolino Portable Charcoal Barbecues by Landmann have a chrome-plated cooking grill, warming plate, tongs that clip to the underside and an easy carrying handle, in four vibrant colours for £40 from garden-mall.co.uk

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september 2014 | su ssexst yle .c o m | 8 5

8 6 | s u s s e x st y l e . c om | sep t em ber 2014

travel style

My Sussex From childhood haunts in Hove to the delightfully diverse nightlife of Brighton, Lizzie Enfield writes a love letter to Sussex

I

grew up in Sussex but now live in Brighton, which I think of as the Vatican City of Sussex – a sort of state within a state, albeit without a Pope (but with enough other men in frocks to make up for that).

My grandparents lived in Hove, not far from the floral clock. As a child, I used to think this was the most extraordinary thing, the citystate’s equivalent to the Sistine Chapel. And not only did it have a floral clock but the first two faced floral clock in the world. I still find myself muttering ‘you’re so two-faced’ under my breath whenever I pass it, attracting a few sidelong glances as I do.

My grandmother used to take me to Hanningtons department store, which was almost as much of a treat as a walk to the floral clock - I had a sheltered upbringing. I still refer to the building, which now houses other shops as Hanningtons.

‘There is no such thing as Hanningtons,’ my children say if I arrange to meet them outside.

But if you look up above the Kurt Geiger shop front, it stills says Hanningtons on the building. So I’m right!

The trouble with going far back with a place is I do tend to refer to things that existed 40 years ago, as if they still do. I still think of the Sea Life Centre as the Aquarium, as it was called when it was home to two dolphins. We used to go and watch them ‘perform’ and if someone in the audience had a birthday they would ‘sing’ Happy Birthday. I know it was cruel to keep them in a swimming pool and they must be happier in the wild, but I used love seeing the dolphins sing and play with balls and birthdays are not the same without dolphins to sing to you.

I always wanted to live in Brighton but began my working life in London and lived there until I met my now husband. When he told me he lived in Brighton, I thought, ‘He’ll do!’

He (Mick Perrin) is a comedy and theatre promoter. If people want to tour or put on a

show in the West End, they come to him and he makes it happen. Comedy – either in Sussex or around the UK - features prominently in our lives. He promotes Eddie Izzard, Simon Amstel, Alan Davies and Ross Noble, as well as some up and coming acts including a policeman called Alfie Moore and a Russian comic, Igor Meerson. Igor is big in Russia; very funny and really interesting, particularly at the moment when we’re all busy demonising Putin. He thinks he’s done wonders for Russia and that we don’t understand. He uses comedy very effectively as a way of breaking down barriers and making you see the other side/s.

I always wanted to live in Brighton but began my working life in London and lived there until I met my now husband. When he told me he lived in Brighton, I thought, ‘He’ll do!

So, partly because of Mick and also because I like it, I often go to see stuff and Brighton has a wonderfully diverse range of venues. I love the Dome - you can’t beat seeing shows in a place that was once home to a mad Prince Regent’s horses. I’m also attached to the Concorde, for old times’ sake (teenage years, when the dolphins were no longer enough) and I’m fond of the Latest Music Bar. I read there quite often at a great literary night, Speakey Spokey, and my daughter, a budding Beth Orton, has played at gigs in its basement bar.

My other daughter blows her own trumpet (literally) so I don’t need to, most recently at The Old Market, another favorite venue of mine. The founders of Stomp own it and they put on an amazingly eclectic range of theatre and music. It was the music scene which first drew Mick here. Even though he’s from the land of The Beatles, he couldn’t believe how

much was going on in Vatican City by the Sea. Our son, who’s a 12-year-old heavy metal head, is just getting into it all. We’re a noisy family.

My good friend, photographer JJ Waller, asked me for a quote for his book, JJ Waller’s Brighton, which has some fantastic images of the city. I came up with something about Brighton being a place which looks as if everyone is permanently on holiday, but underneath it all everyone is beavering away at something.

And I do think that’s true. To an outsider, I look as if I spend a lot of time wandering around and sitting in cafes. I do, but it’s work really.

When I’m writing, wandering is part of the ordering of thoughts process and I do find cafes conducive to intensive bouts of productivity.

I’m quite often to be found at the Marwood in Ship Street, the Red Roaster on St James St and Emporium, on the London Road. Sitting with a laptop, a pot of tea and piece of cake is not what I ever thought work might look like, but it does.

I grew up in the countryside and, while I don’t think I could ever live there again – too clean and too quiet – I like having it nearby. I can walk up to Hollingbury Fort from my home and see pretty much the whole of Sussex laid out.

I like knowing it’s there and escaping there from time to time. I love Ditching Village the newly renovated museum there is fantastic - and the iconic view of the Seven Sisters, as you approach the beach at Cuckmere Haven, is one of the best in the world. And I like the sandy low-tide beaches at Lancing and West Wittering, as well as the shingle of Tide Mills, with its abandoned village backdrop.

But I like knowing I can go home, at the end of the day, back to Vatican City by the Sea. There may not be anyone here with the power to certify miracles, but it has always felt like a miraculous place to be.

Lizzie Enfield’s latest novel, Living With It is out now. septem ber 2014 | su ssexst yle .c o m | 8 7

COmmENT

News, views and words from Sussex

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In our October issue Look out next month for our bumper October issue. Here’s just a few highlights: HALLOWEEN: recipes, fun ideas and decorating inspiration BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH: buy pink products to raise funds

Summer house

Living the good Life

Be Inspired / August 2014

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30/07/2014 14:56

Dear Sussex Style, Your August front cover made me want to move house! Nice to see a change from the usual magazine covers of celebrities and models, too. Now, all I need is to win the lottery and it’s a luxury new house for me!

Maybe I’ll just start with a new kitchen.

Mrs S, Brighton

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TASTE STYLE

WEAK AT THE KNEES

3 of the best…

ICE CREAM MAKERS

Carrying a health warning isn’t

Make it easy on yourself by investing in an ice cream maker

usually seen as a positive thing for a product. But award-winning Sussex company Caroline’s Dairy proudly declares that its range of ice creams and sorbets exploit human weakness! With seasonal varieties such as fresh raspberry, lemon meringue and

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rhubarb, all made from milk and cream produced on the firm’s own farm near Chichester, it’s FREEZEEZ, £12.99

not hard to see why.

Freezeez is a simple gadget

carolinesdairy.co.uk

that promises to deliver delicious ice cream in two minutes, with no arduous preparation required. Just grab some ingredients from your fridge and pop into the cone and the base and get shaking, letting the

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science do the rest.

worldsapart.com

CUISINART ICE CREAM

read online

You can see back copies of Sussex Style and find out what we’re up to this month by bookmarking sandrpublishing.co.uk

DE LUXE, £69.99 Less cumbersome than some ice cream machines on the market, this machine is capable of producing two litres of delicious homemade ice cream or refreshing sorbet in less than half an hour. Just freeze the bowl overnight, then add your ingredients and let the machine take care of everything else.

lakeland.co.uk

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SAGE BY HESTON BLUMENTHAL THE SMART SCOOP ICE CREAM MAKER, £349.95 This machine has 12 settings to choose from and automatically senses the hardness of your mixture according to your selection. It will keep it ready until it’s time to serve, and can even play an ice cream van t une when it’s ready! Definitely one for the diehard ice cream fan. johnlewis.com

NEXT MONTH

THE BRIGHTON COMEDY FESTIVAL: our exclusive interview with one of the country’s top funnymen

This month we’re loving Back to school we go! This time of year, we love the ‘new term’ feel: new season clothes, autumn boots, and plenty of lovely stationery! The scent of fresh paper, the feel of a weighty notebook, the beauty of writing paper and thank-you cards: we want it all. Plus maybe a new satchel. Head to the Cath Kidston boutiques in Brighton and Chichester for these goodies, from £6.

All you need to know about The Brighton & Hove Food Festival

AUGUST 2014 | SUSSEXSTYLE.COM | 31

Dear Sussex Style SS_August_FoodNews-TR KW.indd 31

31/07/2014 13:34

I always save your food pages for ideas and recipes so thanks for the August issue’s special on ice-cream. Not only did it give me some ideas for where to take the family to try real ice-cream in the summer holidays but it inspired me to go out and buy an icecream making machine. I’ve already made three different flavours and the freezer is full!

More recipes for the next issue please.

LM, Rye

8 8 | susse xstyle .com | september 2014

get in touch

Got something to tell us?

Email our team at editorial@ sandrpublishing.co.uk

The winners of last issue’s ice-cream competition are: Alexandra Blue: Angmering, West Sussex Mrs T Saunders: Crowborough Michael Nott: Seaford, East Sussex Brian McDonald: East Sussex Elizabeth Allen: Brighton

book style

the book club Literary editor Laura Lockington and exciting new reads

I’ve picked out an old favourite, and two brand new books for September. I loved all of them and hope you will, too. They’re set in far flung places (South Africa and The

Hamptons) and in a different time (Rural England in the 1900s) but they all have one thing in common – a unique ability to transport us to a different place.

Indiscretion

Cider with Rosie

Alarm Girl

by Charles Dubow (Blue Door)

by Laurie Lee (Vintage Classics)

by Hannah Vincent (Myriad Editions)

Well. You’re going to thank me. If you haven’t bought your books for a late holiday yet, look no further, because I’ve found it for you. This is the closest you’ll get to The Great Gatsby crossed with Secret History. A tale of deception and love set in the starriest of settings, and it doesn’t get much starrier than a rich man’s mansion in The Hamptons.

Harry and Madeleine Winslow are blessed with talent, money, and charm. Harry is an award–winning author on the cusp of greatness. Madeleine is a woman of sublime beauty and grace whose elemental goodness belies a privileged upbringing. Bonded by deep devotion, their marriage is both envied and admired by friends who spend summers at their East Hampton idyll.

This is the perfect time of year to read this classic book. It will make you yearn for a childhood that none of us have had, but one that somehow we think we were due. Our collective memories of childhood summers are distilled into the honey golden sunlight and wind rippling over cornfields in this delight of a book. Of course, you may be familiar with it already, but do take the time to re-read it. Preferably outdoors on a picnic blanket with a glass of something delicious to hand.

I vividly remember the exotic (to me) places I went to as a child. The smells, the cooking, the markets and all of those memories were sharpened as I read this book. Told by 11-year-old Indigo after the death of her mother, and in her new place, (along with her brother, Robin) in South Africa. They are sent to stay with her father, and the sheer perceived glamour of the place is at first daunting to her.

Swinging on a tyre swing in the foreign grounds is all she wants to do. At first. Then her father’s new life gradually creeps up on her.

His new girlfriend, the exotic Beautiful and the houseboy Zami. Not to mention Tony the pet bushpig, who I lost my heart to and longed to hear his hooves tip tapping across my floor. But then I longed for a lot of things at 11 (as I do now) and this book has the wonderful ability to make you remember the sheer awkwardness of being 11 and not quite knowing the social niceties of dealing with new people in your life.

The social unease of South Africa is vividly portrayed, but this is a book about finding your place in a family, or in a country. There is also mention of a silk scarf with the word Paris on it, which had me wiping away a few tears.

Vincent has written a cracking novel and I can’t wait to read more from her.

Hannah Vincent will be appearing at The Bookish Supper Society in Brighton on 29 September, alongside William Nicholson and Mark Haysom. Tickets from Tabl.com or Dome Ticket Office: 01273 709709.

picks September’s classic novels

Then (wouldn’t you know it?) along comes Claire. She’s young, intelligent and loves being in the company of such worldly and literate people. They, in turn are in enchanted by her youth and her charm. Not to mention feeling secure in their love for one another. What could possibly go wrong?

But it’s the telling of the age old tale that makes this book so perfect. Dripping with wit and wisdom this is a page turning wonder of a book that had me hooked from page one. Clever enough to keep you guessing, starry enough to make you swoon, and worldly enough to make you feel oh-so-sophisticated for reading it in the first place.

‘Summer was also the time of these: of sudden plenty, of slow hours and actions, of diamond haze and dust on the eyes; of jazzing wasps and dragonflies, haystooks and thistle-seeds, snows of white butterflies, skylark’s eggs, bee-orchids, and frantic ants... All this, and the feeling that it would never end, that such days had come forever... All sights twice-brilliant and smells twice-sharp, all game-days twice as long... we used up the light to its last violet drop, and even then we couldn’t go to bed.’

Cider with Rosie is the best and most vital kind of memoir, rich with colourful, sensuous impressions of life in an English village after the First World War. It overflows with stories and characters made fantastical by the writer’s child-perspective, and it draws the reader irresistibly into the lost land of the past. This year marks the 100th anniversary of this much loved author.

What? Oh, it’s my pleasure. No, really, it is. Enjoy.

To win a free copy of ALARM GIRL, send your comments about any of the books on this page to comps@sussexstyle.co.uk and we’ll pick out the best one. Happy reading!

september 2014 | su ssexst yle .c o m | 8 9

Win a luxury hotel break for two Hoping for a pampering weekend this autumn? We’ve got just the competition for you…

In need of an indulgent escape? A stylish woman deserves a stylish getaway, and Sussex Style has just the place in mind: the Vale Resort in Hensol, south Wales.

The award-winning four-star resort is surrounded by 650 acres of beautiful Welsh countryside, making it easy to forget that you’re only six miles from a capital city.

The 143 bedrooms offer more than a touch of luxury. Many open out on to your own private balcony: the perfect spot to take in the view over the resort’s championship golf courses, and enjoy a glass of something chilled before dinner.

Food lovers will not be disappointed by the AA Rosette-awarded Vale Grill. With a delicious menu that combines the classic with the inventive, you can expect fresh, quality ingredients and a perfectly matched wine list, with more stunning views over the resort’s Lake Course.

Guests can also take advantage of the spacious terrace, where you can dine al fresco or relax with an aperitif. Speaking of which, there are three bars to choose from, including a champagne bar.

A weekend away is an opportunity to treat yourself to some me-time, and there’s no better place than the Vale Spa. With an impressive nineteen treatment rooms and five different relaxation zones, it is the largest spa in Wales, and comes highly recommended having received a Five Bubble rating from the Good Spa Guide.

Each relaxation zone is uniquely designed to help you find your perfect idea of peace, whether you picture yourself on a plush sofa with the latest glossy magazines, or want to let stresses float away on a therapeutic heated water bed. There’s even a sumptuous Indian-inspired ‘slumber zone’, with quilts and shimmering lanterns, if you need to completely unwind.

The Vale Spa also offers an extensive range of treatments and therapies to recharge and revive. Restore your glow with a luxury facial or revitalising Welsh sea salt scrub, or try a fullbody aromatherapy massage with rejuvenating essential oils. Let your mind wander with a treatment inspired by exotic climes, from an oriental hot stone massage to traditional Ayurvedic Sundari treatments, individually tailored to your ‘dosha’ or personality type.

Refresh yourself with a dip in the twenty-metre pool, or a visit to the sauna, steam room and

whirlpool bath: just a selection of the facilities on offer in the Vale Resort’s impressive health and racquets club.

The Vale Resort is one of Wales’ premier golfing destinations, having hosted a number PGA and European Tour tournaments, and its first-class sporting facilities include two championship golf courses to keep dedicated golfers well and truly occupied. If you’re new to the game, why not book in for one-to-one tuition from one of the resort’s professional coaches?

With such sporting expertise on hand and a reputation for hospitality, it’s no surprise that the resort is the official home to Wales’ national rugby team and regularly Premiership football teams, such as Manchester United and Liverpool FC. You may well spot a famous face or two over breakfast, adding a final touch of glamour to your stay.

Sussex Style is offering readers the chance to win a luxurious overnight spa stay for two at the Vale Resort. The prize includes dinner for two at the AA Rosette Vale Grill, 4-star accommodation, a full Welsh breakfast and an indulgent spa treatment of your choice.

To enter, email your name, address, and daytime phone number to comps@sussexstyle. co.uk. For more information about the Vale Resort, visit vale-hotel.com

Terms and conditions: Competition closing date October 1, 2014. Winner and guest must both be over 18. Prize must be taken by December 31, 2014 and is subject to availability. Prize includes choice of one 55-minute spa treatment per person. No cash alternative available. By entering the competition, you accept that we may retain your personal information for promotional and marketing purposes with carefully chosen partners. We will process your personal information in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998. For more information about the Vale Resort, including special offers, visit: vale-hotel.com

9 0 | s u s s e x st y l e . c om | sep t em ber 2014

I in 4 women WILL BE affected by domestic abuse at some point in their life.

(Council of Europe 2002)

You are not alone Call RISE 01273 622 822 www.riseuk.org.uk @riseuk Wraparound services for women, children and LGBT people affected by domestic abuse in Sussex.

Visit Domestic Abuse Surgery, Hove Town Hall, Wednesdays 9.00-12.00

Donate text RISE15 ÂŁ5 to70070 2012 3-year accreditation by

Sa nc

tuary and Supp ort in

20 YEARS Sussex

since 199

4

R.I.S.E. (Refuge, Information, Support and Education) is a registered charity (No.1065846)