Active Magazine // April 2015

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Get Bike Fit and Marathon Ready!

Our experts give advice on how to train for the big events ISSUE 34 // APRIL 2015

STA M FOR D & RU T L A N D’S SPORT A N D L E I S U R E M AGA Z I N E

SPRING CHICKENS ISSUE 34 // APRIL 2015

You're never too old: how to get in shape and get involved again

PLUS School sport Spring term round up

The Daniels are digging deep

Every dog has its day

SPRINGTIME IN RUTLAND

Dramatic late season relegation battle as Stamford rally

Walk to Marholm, train them to 'leave'

Fine food, places to go, people to see

Active Cover 34 best.indd 116

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Email: Enquiries@MeadowsDentalSpa.co.uk

Tel: 01732 807 316 (24/7)

DR JERRY WATSON GDC NO – 55028. DR STUART BOWEN-DAVIES GDC NO – 52918.

THE MEADOWS DENTAL SPA IS A PRIVATE DENTAL PRACTICE

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Editor’s Letter OAKHAM UNDER 15 CENTRE TYRESE Johnson-Fisher has become something of an internet sensation, with nearly two million people watching his try-scoring exploits on YouTube.

It’s always exciting when a new, super-talented player bursts on to the scene, and while Tyrese still has some way to go, with the road to professional sport fraught with all manner of obstacles, for his age he is clearly a unique talent. What an opportunity he has in front of him.

But I had a sobering thought while I was watching him accelerating past flailing defenders and stomping over those who had the misfortune to get in his way. He was playing against my old school, Bishop Wordsworth’s in Salisbury. And the last time I played rugby, was there, 25 years ago.

A quarter of a century! Nelson Mandela was still in prison.

Protestors were rioting about the Poll Tax. Kurt Cobain was an unknown bloke in a grotty jumper, and he was still alive. Nobody had an email address, and hardly anybody a mobile phone, except some yuppies.

Thing is, probably like you, I don’t consider myself old even though the bare statistics might suggest otherwise. In fact, I find it hard to envisage myself as a responsible adult most of the time.

However, while my mind steadfastly refuses to accept the real state of things, my body is less juvenile. Things click with increasing regularity. Other bits get strained in bizarre and unexpected ways, such as picking my kids up, or getting out of the car.

But I’m determined to rail against the passage of time, and it seems so are many of my contemporaries. They’re all on bikes, or running through mud, pumping iron at the gym or groaning through yoga.

So if you’re not, why don’t you join us? In this issue we’re looking at a number of the sports and activities you can do to keep fit and active, because the future isn’t just for unique kids like Tyrese: it’s for us old codgers, too.

Enjoy the issue, Steve

Twitter // @theACTIVEmag Facebook // www.facebook.com/theACTIVEmag

Publisher Chris Meadows chris@theactivemag.com Editor Steve Moody steve@theactivemag.com Deputy Editor Mary Bremner mary@theactivemag.com Production Editor Julian Kirk julian@theactivemag.com Art Editor Mark Sommer mark@theactivemag.com Contributors Martin Johnson, William Hetherington, Sandie Hurford, Jeremy Beswick, Julia Dungworth, Neil Moverley, Dean Cornish Photographers Nico Morgan, Harry Measures, Jon Clarke, Pip Warters, Andy Balmford Production Assistant Gary Curtis Advertising Sales Lisa Withers lisa@theactivemag.com Rachel Meadows rachel@theactivemag.com Office Administration & Accounts Kate Maxim kate@theactivemag.com Active magazine, The Grey House, 3 Broad Street, Stamford, PE9 1PG. Tel: 01780 480789 A member of the Stamford Chamber of Trade and Commerce If you have information on a club then get in touch by emailing editor@theactivemag.com. If you would like to stock Active magazine then email distribution@ theactivemag.com. If you would like to discuss advertising possibilities please email advertise@ theactivemag.com Active magazine is published 12 times per year on a monthly basis. Distributed by Grassroots Publishing Ltd. ISSN 2049-8713 A Grassroots Publishing Limited company. Company registration number 7994437. VAT number 152717318 Disclaimer

Copyright (c) Grassroots Publishing Limited (GPL) 2015. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, or be stored in any retrieval system, of any nature, without prior permission from GPL. Any views or opinions expressed do not necessarily represent the views or opinions of GPL or its affiliates. Disclaimer of Liability. Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the quality and accuracy of the information contained in this publication at the time of going to press, GPL and its affiliates assume no responsibility as to the accuracy or completeness of and, to the extent permitted by law, shall not be liable for any errors or omissions or any loss, damage or expense incurred by reliance on information or any statement contained in this publication.

Advertisers are solely responsible for the content of the advertising material which they submit and for ensuring the material complies with applicable laws.

GPL and its affiliates are are not responsible for any error, omission or inaccuracy in any advertisement and will not be liable for any damages arising from any use of products or services or any action or omissions taken in reliance on information or any statement contained in advertising material. Inclusion of any advertisement is not intended to endorse any view expressed, nor products or services offered nor the organisations sponsoring the advertisement.

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Uffington, Lincolnshire

Empingham, Rutland

£1,500,000

A stunning contemporary property with superb views towards Stamford and open-plan living spaces that are flooded with light.

Sliding glass doors open the house seamlessly to the garden, whilst the interior design features a ‘floating’ oak and glass staircase, Italian lighting and an impressive bespoke ‘Cesar’ kitchen. Additions such as an integrated sound system, under-floor heating, solar panels and air-source heat pumps make this an energy-efficient home. A particular highlight is the stunning swimming pool.

EPC Rating: B

W

NE £850,000

This elegant barn conversion is set in extensive secluded gardens and retains many striking original features such as exposed stone walls and a stunning vaulted ceiling in the first floor Living Room. More recent additions include a stylish Kitchen and luxurious bathrooms: excellently located for Stamford and Rutland Water, this is a welcoming and unique village home.

EPC Rating: E

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NE W

Aslackby, Lincolnshire

ÂŁ885,000

Set in an idyllic location, this wonderful, light-filled barn conversion has stunning accommodation, original features such as exposed brickwork and oak beams, and modern additions including under-floor heating and a ground source heating system.

The spacious interior offers open-plan informal living space, impressive reception rooms and five bedrooms and there is the further benefit of a self-contained office and around 8 acres of gardens and paddocks.

EPC Rating: D

W

NE

Bisbrooke, Rutland

ÂŁ579,950

This charming house retains much of its original character, whilst the interior has been refurbished to the highest standards with details such as solid wood floors, stylish bathrooms, and a sociable live-in Kitchen. There is an easy flow between the main living spaces and bi-fold doors from the Family Room extend the house out to the garden where a sunny terrace has views to open countryside beyond the village. There is the further benefit of a self-contained one Bedroom Annexe.

EPC Rating: E

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Blatherwycke, Northamptonshire

Ryhall, Stamford

A beautiful stone barn offering period details combined with fresh, modern interiors. Accommodation is laid out to suit family living and accompanied by a detached double garage with adjacent store and office.

Part vaulted entrance hall, cloak cupboard and WC, spacious kitchen/ dining/sitting room, utility room, part vaulted drawing room and garden room. Master bedroom with en-suite bathroom, 3 further bedrooms, ensuite shower room and family bathroom. Double electric gates to gravel parking area, double garage with adjacent store and office to first floor.

Garden to rear with dining terrace area and fenced paddock. EPC D 4

3

1.09 ac Guide price £845,000

2

6

2

3

0.36 ac

U O F ND FE ER R

Guide price £860,000

An imposing Grade II Listed village house, dating back to 1680, which has been sympathetically refurbished, retaining many original features.

The property sits behind high stone walls in a private setting.

Entrance hall, drawing room, sitting room, dining room; each with inglenook fireplaces. Bespoke farmhouse style kitchen, utility and cloakroom. Master bedroom, 2 further bedrooms and shower room to the first floor, with further 3 bedrooms and bathroom to the second floor. Double wooden gates with gravel driveway and garages. Mature gardens to the front and rear with dining terraces. EPC exempt

STAMFORD TOWN CENTRE PROPERTIES URGENTLY REQUIRED

South Luffenham, Rutland

Stamford, Lincolnshire

Field View is an immaculately presented and energy efficient family home, completed in 2010 and set on the edge of this desirable Rutland village with open countryside views to the rear.

Entrance hall, sitting room, dining room and large family kitchen with bi-fold doors opening on to the garden, utility and cloakroom. Master bedroom suite with dressing area, en-suite and Juliette balcony, 3 further double bedrooms, one with en-suite, and a family bathroom. Integral single garage with further block paved parking area. Rear garden mainly laid to lawn with patio area and sunken terrace. Income generated from excess energy produced by solar panels. EPC B Guide price £595,000

Stamford office t 01780 484 696 e stamford@smithsgore.co.uk

4

A stone family house set in the classical Regency-style building of Rock Terrace, Scotgate.

Entrance hall with dining/drawing room and kitchen. Sitting room, playroom/bedroom 4, store room and shower room. Master bedroom and 2 further bedrooms and family bath/shower room. Courtyard garden to the rear with shed. Planning permission has been granted to extend the ground floor of the property to the rear. EPC exempt

2 UNDER OFFER

3

Annabel Morbey

Lois Simpson

Heather Lemmon

smithsgore.co.uk

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Contents

ISSUE 34 /// APRIL 2015

NEWS 12 ARCTIC CHALLENGE

Rugby stars to take on mammoth charity trek

14 WHO’S NEW IN TOWN?

Focus on local business start-ups

18-19 HEALTH AND WELLBEING The latest on looking and feeling great

23 FOOD

Another tasty and healthy Riverford recipe

25 A DAY IN THE LIFE OF...

Burghley House head gardener John Burrows

38 27

27 AROUND THE WORLD

Update from round-the-world cyclist James Peach

28 MOTORING

We take the new Maserati Ghibli to Garthorpe

30-31 KIT BAG

Essential gear for the sporting year ahead

33 MARTIN JOHNSON COLUMN

The Sunday Times writer muses playing sport in his dotage

FEATURES 37 STAY INJURY FREE

Our experts give advice on how to train for the big events

25

38-41 SPRING FASHION

Some great new wardrobe ideas for the new season

42-49 SENIOR SPORT

You’re never too old to get involved

REGULARS 50-51 GREAT WALKS

Will Hetherington heads out to Castor Hanglands

52 DOG HEALTH

More great advice to make life with your pooch easier

55 SPORTSMAN’S DINNER

We try out The Kings Head in Stamford

56-59 SCHOOL SPORT

Our focus on the latest achievements from local pupils

60-66 ROUND-UP

How clubs in the Stamford and Rutland area are faring

42

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In Play

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Muddy great!

Stamford School runners take part in the National Cross Country Championships in Malvern. With over 60 schools from all over the country and just under 400 runners the competition was as tough as the conditions.

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Activelife GREAT THINGS TO DO, PLACES TO SEE, PEOPLE TO MEET // Edited by Mary Bremner

SPORT

Rugby stars in Arctic trek

In April 10 brave (and quite mad) rugby players will trek 100 miles in the Magnetic north pole attempting to set a Guinness world record to play rugby on the northern most part of the world. They aim to raise £300,000 for Wooden Spoon, the children’s charity of rugby.

The team will be led by former rugby internationals including Tim Stimpson (pictured), ex-England, Leicester Tigers and British and Irish Lions. Support the challenge by texting ARCT01 £2, £5 or £10 to 70070 and follow their progress on Twitter @wsarcticrugby and via their facebook page arcticrugbychallenge. We’ll give you a full update about how they fared next month.

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Jo George, Acupuncturist and Chinese Herbalist, is based in Stamford, Lincs. She is a fully registered member of the BacC, which is the leading regulatory body of acupuncture in the UK. Jo is a highly-trained medical practitioner with over 14 years of knowledge and experience in Eastern medicines including extensive training in China, Australia and the UK.

Jo specialises in individualised, tailored treatments for a wide range of health conditions, using evidence-based clinical research.

Her website www.lifemedicineclinic.com contains a wealth of accessible information regarding Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine for specific health issues that will assist your discovery on how these therapies work and can help you.

MBAc; MSc CHM; BSc (Hons) Traditional Acupuncture, Chinese Herbal Medicine Practitioner

Jo George offers an Acupuncture Treatment Bundles – this is a special price for a course of treatments (minimum 4) at a reduced charge of £35 per treatment.

Jo is always happy to talk and share her knowledge, please call for a FREE preliminary phone conversation with Jo on 07914 851995. Its an ideal opportunity to discuss your particular problem and whether you feel she can help you.

Or call the clinic in Stamford 01780 480889 to arrange an appointment.

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Activelife

LOCAL BUSINESSES

Who’s new in town FABRICADABRA It’s all change at Fabricadabra who are based in Love Stamford on Broad Street. Linda Mills (pictured) has now taken the unit over from Annabel Wood who is starting her very own ‘sewing bee’ at Barn Hill Methodist Chapel on Fridays. People can bring their own projects or start new ones and get advice and tuition from Annabel. The bee will be held from 11-1 and 2-4pm every Friday costing £10 for two hours. She will also be running Thursday evening classes.

To find out more contact Annabel on Annabel@ stamfordfabrics.co.uk Linda is rebranding her unit to be called Stamford Sewing Shop. She will be selling cra and dress fabrics as well as haberdashery and has lots of new fabrics arriving in time for spring and summer. She will also be doing repairs and alterations (she’s very good).

Stamford Sewing will be open Monday-Saturday from 10-5. www. stamfordsewing.co.uk 10A BEAUTY In the quaint historic market town of Uppingham on busy High Street East is 10a Beauty. It’s been a very busy first year says owner Lara Dowse.

10a Beauty is a hub of activity opening for acupuncture and sports massage with Dean Clarke on Mondays (by appointment) through to Saturday with Lara Dowse and her staff offering both male and female treatments.

For the men there’s the Man-tidy, Manly brows, and MANicures, pedicures as well as facials, and sports massage treatments.

They also have the latest technological equipment the Lipo Angel which is fantastic for the face and body.

On the face, they use a radio frequency technique followed by micro current face li ing that has been described as a non surgical faceli .

For the body they use cavitation which bursts fat bubbles within the body, followed by radio frequency which enables the excess fat to drain naturally through the lymph glands, resulting in spectacular fat reduction – and it works!

Lara also offers treatment for acne, alopecia and rosecia as well as treatment for dark circles under the eyes. Experts in brow shaping, threading and tinting, as well as offering the usual beauty treatments, pop along to experience the calm, tranquil treatment room.

To find out more about other treatments as well as the ones mentioned, contact Lara and have a chat, she has some special offers on this month.

There’s always a friendly welcome and she looks forward to seeing you.

Call 01572 822286 or 07817 234125.

THE ELECTROLYSIS AND SKINCARE STUDIO Meet Carolyn Claypole the owner of The Electrolysis and Skincare Studio.

Based behind the The George Hotel in the mews she has been open since last July.

Carolyn specialises in advanced electrolysis needlework, the only permanent method of hair removal, skin tags, warts and blood spots and also does permanent make up for natural eyebrow enhancement. She also treats ladies who have had breast reconstruction by doing areola pigmentation free of charge, limited to two treatments a month. With over 20 years experience, and working from Stamford for over four years Carolyn, who is a member of the British Institute and Association of Electrolysis is delighted to be now running her own fully licensed studio. Amy Nicholson is an advanced beauty therapist who specialises in facials and skin care who also operates from Carolyn’s salon. The salon is open from Tuesday to Saturday. www.escstudio. co.uk 01780 763620 CHAPEL YARD HAIR SALON Hollie Marston may be a familiar face to many of you. She is Stamford born and bred, trained locally and has worked in the town for many years. She has now opened her own salon, Chapel Yard Hair Salon off North Street in Stamford and is looking forward to welcoming old and new faces.

As an opening incentive she is offering 50% off any colour work. She offers an intimate service of one on one in depth consultancies and uses the Affinage Infinity colour system that is created in Britain and gives a radiant multi-dimensional colour.

The salon is open Tuesday-Saturday until 7pm on many nights.

To book an appointment ring Hollie on 07480 825238.

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EVENTS

What’s on...

A NEW AU PAIR AGENCY Are you looking for an au pair locally but just don’t know where to find one? Antler Languages are branching out from English tuition in Oundle and Peterborough to offer the Antler Languages au pair agency.

The agency offers the highest level of support throughout the placement to make sure they match the right person with the right family.

An au pair can be a valuable asset to busy families as they help children get ready for school, assist with the school run, oversee homework, prepare meals and do light housework as well as babysitting occasionally. Placements can last between three and twelve months and remuneration starts at about £85 a week.

As well as placing au pairs locally Antler Languages offer a placement service for British school leavers taking a gap year and wanting to learn or perfect a European language. To find out more information contact Penny Burgess on 01832 776336 or info@antlerlanguages.co.uk

SPA OFFERS AT THE GRANGE The long months of winter are hopefully now on their way out so what better way to celebrate and get rid of those winter blues than by going for a spa treatment.

The Grange Spa at Pointon has some really good offers on at the moment. Based in the village of Pointon just outside Bourne they provide stress relief in beautiful surroundings with some very skilled therapists to hand.

Obviously other people agree as they have won two awards in the last two years, the latest being the Professional beauty day spa of the year in 2015 and are now up for a third one which is voted for by the public. This is the UK Hair and Beauty Day Spa of the Year. They had no idea they’d even been nominated until recently so are very grateful to the customer that did so.

Some of The Grange Spa’s offers include the Spring Serenity at £90 which offers a half day in the Spa with specific treatments, this can be upgraded to a full day for an extra £15.

There are other offers available, too many to mention, so visit www.thegrangespa.co.uk for more details.

ACUPUNCTURE AIDS MIGRAINES Headaches and migraines effect a lot of people and can be extremely debilitating, o en at the most inconvenient times. Popping some paracetemol isn’t always effective, it may help with immediate relief but doesn’t stop the cause.

Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicines may help for a more long term fix. It has been recently discovered acupuncture can provide lasting relief from chronic headache and migraine pain. It is used to prevent the headache and to stop it reoccurring.

Acupuncture treatment is targeted at specific constitutional balances of the individual meaning that it’s not just the headache that is treated. Digestion, sleep, anxiety and stress levels can also be helped. It’s not a quick fix and can involve many sessions but Stamford acupuncturist Jo George is on hand to help.

She will combine acupuncture with Chinese herb treatment. To find out more contact Jo on 07814 851995 or at the clinic on 01780 480889.

RUTLAND SAILABILITY Rutland Sailability, a club which provides sailing for people with disabilities, will be hosting its ‘Push The Boat Out’ event on Saturday, April 25.

This is a day organised to encourage people with disabilities to have a go at sailing, open to adults and children of all ages, free of charge. To book a session, available between 10.30 and 3pm, or to find out more contact Rutland Sailability on 01778 590338 or visit www.rutland-sailability.org TOLETHORPE PARK CRICKET CLUB Tolethorpe Park CC has been in existence for nearly a century, playing mainly friendly 40 overs cricket and a few 20-20s between April and September. It hosts lots of local and touring sides with a er-match hospitality at The Crown in Great Casterton.

The club’s reputation has also led to some prestigious fixtures, including an annual long-standing one against Stamford School Old Boys. In Jubilee year it was visited by the famous Little Urn which is normally only seen at much larger venues.

The ground is in a delightful setting in Little Casterton, adjacent to the church and bordered at one end by the pretty River Gwash.

Tolethorpe Park calls itself the smallest club in the smallest county and, because of that, it has the smallest income. So Tolethorpe welcomes hearing from any potential sponsors and, more importantly, potential players.

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THE GREAT OUTDOORS Keep fit and active all year round

The Rutland Walking Festival and Cycling Festival is back for its sixth year and it is bigger and better than ever. A fun packed celebration of Rutland and its glorious countryside. Here’s what’s happening right on your doorstep it couldn’t be easier:

WALKING FESTIVAL

CYCLING FESTIVAL

Walking Launch:

Cycling Launch:

Sunday 17th May 11:00am – 4:00pm Ketton Sports Association Guided walks, health checks from local sports centres, stalls, refreshments and a great atmosphere.

Sunday 14th June 11:00am – 4:00pm Active Rutland Hub, Ashwell Cycle displays and exhibitors of all things cycling.

Walking Week:

Sunday 14th June – Saturday 20th June Varied rides for all ages throughout the week.

Sunday 17th May – Saturday 23rd May Daytime and evening Guided walks taking in the beauty and diversity of Rutland’s landscapes, towns and villages. Distances range from a short amble to six mile walks.

Rutland Round: Sunday 24th May – Saturday 30th May Take part in this 65 mile route in 7 linear sections throughout the week, with the author John Williams as your knowledgeable guide.

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Cycling Week:

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For More Information: Please contact the Active Rutland Team: T: 01572 720936 E: activerecreation@rutland.gov.uk W: www.activerutland.org.uk

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17/03/2015 14:48

Catmose Sports Centre has once again joined in to take on the Swimathon challenge and encourage swimmers in Rutland to take on Swimathon distance challenges as a team or as an individual to raise funds for Marie Curie.

Held over the weekend of 18-19 April, Swimathon 2015 is expecting thousands of swimmers to take on the challenge and go that extra length to help support Marie Curie provide care for people with terminal illnesses across the UK with hours of health care and professionals to support themselves and their families go through those tough times.

Now is the perfect opportunity to get your boots back on and join us at one of our Just Play kickabouts. The sessions are for all abilities and perfect for those who haven’t played in a while.

There’s absolutely no commitment; some of our Just Players come once a month and others come every week. You can get as involved in each kickabout as you want.

Just Play kickabouts are great for when you want to play without committing to a weekly game, a complicated league or fancy team strips. Sessions are flexible and sociable and an FA qualified Just Play organiser will ensure you have fun on the pitch whatever your level of fitness or ability.

Registration is now open, and for a limited time only, participants will benefit from 50% off their entry fee.

Be quick, and you’ll be able to snap one of the half price entries on offer until 18 January only*. Visit Swimathon.org to enter, or call 0845 36 700 36 for more information.

For more information or to set up an interview, please contact Sarah Charlton on 01572 490 030 or sarah.charlton@stevenage-leisure.co.uk

JOIN NOW

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CATMOSE SPORTS CENTRE Huntsmans Drive, Oakham, Rutland LE15 6RP

CONTACT 01572 490 030 w w w.catmose-sports.co.uk @catmosesports1

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 Unlimited gym and swimming  Over 60 classes per week all included  Discount on other activities at the centre  Online Booking

/catmosesports

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Activelife

Health and Wellness Everything you need to be fit, healthy and fantastic

// Edited by Sandie Hurford

SNORING: Not in the East Midlands!

According to new research, people living in this area are less likely to snore than almost anywhere else in the UK, while Scotland has more snorers than any other region, with 61% admitting that either they snore or their partner does.

According to the poll, 13% of British adults admit to having woken themselves up snoring throughout the night.

A memory foam mattress specialist has created a snoring map of the UK, following a study that highlighted which regions have the most snorers.

The study was conducted by Ergoflex UK (www.

Ergoflex.co.uk) as part of the company’s ongoing research into Britons’ sleeping habits. A total of 2,438 Britons aged 18 and over, all of whom stated that they were in a co-habiting relationship, were quizzed about their sleeping patterns, habits and those of their partner.

Initially, all respondents were asked: ‘Are you a light sleeper (ie. waking at the smallest noise throughout the night)?’ to which 59% stated ‘yes’.

Some 43% of these people stated that they were able to ‘go straight back to sleep’, whilst a further 31% admitted that they ‘found it difficult to get straight back to sleep’. All respondents were then asked: ‘Does your partner ever wake you up in the night?’ Almost three-quarters of respondents, 72%, said ‘yes’, with ‘their snoring’ (42%) and ‘moving around’ (26%) topping the list of ways they did so.

All respondents were then asked: ‘Do you or your partner snore?’ The results were collated to reveal the regions where residents snore from

most to least. The findings were as follows: ■Scotland – 61% (of people from this region who said either they or their partner snored) ■East of England – 55% ■West Midlands – 52% ■South West – 48% ■North West – 44% ■London – 34% ■Yorkshire & Humberside – 26% ■Wales – 17% ■East Midlands – 15% ■South East – 14% ■Northern Ireland – 13% ■North East – 9% Around 13% of respondents admitted that they had woken themselves up snoring. According to the poll, 61% of those affected by snoring, whether it was something they or their partner did, had tried methods to prevent the snoring, with a further 17% having considered surgery to solve the problem.

ENT surgeon Michael Oko commented: “Sleep takes up between a quarter and a third of our lives and serves to refresh and restore our bodies, yet

snoring is damaging for so many. “Severe snoring is not only socially disruptive to partners, o en leading to couples being forced to sleep in separate rooms at night, it can also signal more severe sleep disorders such as Obstructive Sleep Apnoea, when patients stop breathing periodically at night, waking up grumpy and tired with early-morning headaches. “If you or your partner snore so badly that you cannot even share the same room, you need to see your doctor and get it checked out.�

Ergoflex managing director Jed MacEwan said: “Snoring is commonly seen as amusing, but in reality it’s anything but funny. Living with a partner who regularly snores of course jeopardises your own sleep quality, and experiencing disrupted sleep over a sustained period of time isn’t ideal for your health and wellbeing. “For the snorer themselves it could well be a symptom of more serious problems, so simply ‘accepting’ the condition could be a dangerous decision. We’d implore anyone who suffers from snoring to take it very seriously, for their own good as well as their partner’s.�

Sleep facts ■In any one month Google will see 1.3 million searches for ‘Can’t Sleep’, 3 million searches for ‘Insomnia’ and 3.2 million searches for ‘Sleep’ ■More than 30% of the population currently suffers from insomnia or another sleep disorder (Mental Health Foundation, November 2012) ■Households with children are significantly more likely than those without children to report issues with falling and staying asleep (MINTEL OTC Sleep Aids 2014) ■Losing sleep reduces the ability to concentrate and problem-solve. According to research, each hour of sleep lost per night is associated with a temporary loss of one IQ point (Stanley Coren, University of British Columbia)

1 8 A PR I L 2 0 1 5 ///

Wellness April.indd 10

15/03/2015 14:16

STAYING HEALTHY: Popular myths about the common cold cap

Photo: LittleBee80

Despite suffering from an average of two bouts of cold or flu each year – or 160 over the course of a lifetime – many of us remain clueless when it comes to knowing how best to avoid, and treat, the common cold, according to the findings of a recent study.

The survey of 2,000 adults by Fisherman’s Friend found that old wives’ tales about colds, their causes and how to treat them, continue to abound, with common misconceptions still very much the order of the day.

More than one in four of those surveyed swear by the old adage that it’s good to sweat out a cold – for example, by wearing lots of layers in bed or sticking your head over a bowl of steaming water.

However, both are completely ineffective as remedies, although they might make you feel a little better and alleviate some of the symptoms.

Likewise, four out of 10 of us believe that taking lots of Vitamin C and zinc can help cure a cold, or even stave it off in the first place – again wrong. If you come into direct contact with the virus then it’s almost certainly going to get you, no matter how fit or healthy you are.

Results show that more than one in three of us incorrectly believe kissing is one of the most sure-fire ways to spread a cold – but it’s not the kiss that causes the cold, it’s the coincidental, and o en accidental, exchanging of nose mucus that spreads the dreaded virus.

Almost one in six of us even believe that some people are prone to catching flu from the flu jab – which is actually impossible as the vaccine includes only components of the virus, and not a complete version of it.

And nearly one in five of us incorrectly believe that you shouldn’t actually treat the symptoms of a cold, and that if you let a cold get on with its business then it will be over all the sooner.

“Our study shows how misconceptions about how best to treat the common cold, or how best to avoid it altogether, continue to abound,” says Fisherman’s Friend colds expert Rob Metcalfe.

“The reality is that there is little we can do to cure a cold, but we can alleviate the symptoms, which makes the cold more bearable and will also reduce the chance of spreading it, for example through infected mucus.”

The survey also shows how far some of us will go to try and make sure we stay cold free. Four out of 10 correctly identified that regularly washing hands was a good way to avoid the virus, while more than one in 20 said they tried not to leave the house whenever they were aware a cold was doing the rounds.

Almost one in 10 said they always refused to meet up with friends or family members suffering from a cold or flu. Yet one in four said they didn’t do anything to avoid catching a cold or flu, accepting that there is little they can do to avoid them.

FISHERMAN’S FRIEND GUIDE TO THE TOP 10 MYTHS ABOUT THE COMMON COLD ■ OUT IN THE COLD You catch a cold when you come into contact with the cold virus rather than because you’ve been outside in the cold. It doesn’t matter if you are hot, cold, warm or dry when the virus strikes.

■ FLU SHOTS One in six of us actually believe that you can catch flu from the flu injection because of the common misconception that the flu vaccine contains a weakened form of the flu virus. In fact, it only includes components of the virus and so it is actually impossible to catch flu from a flu jab.

■ IMMUNE SYSTEM Contrary to popular belief, a weakened immune system does not heighten the risks of catching a cold. Healthy and unhealthy people exhibit the same amount of susceptibility to colds.

■ TAKE LOTS OF VITAMIN C It is a myth that loads of vitamin C and zinc help to stave off (or cure) a cold. While it is o en a good idea to take vitamin and mineral supplements, they have no effect on the cold virus. You are better off managing the symptoms of the cold as best you can and sitting it out.

■ MOST COLDS ARE CAUGHT IN WINTER Actually, most colds are caught in Spring and Autumn when the virus is at its most active.

■ SWEAT IT OUT It’s commonly believed that covering up with extra blankets or sticking your head over a

bowl of hot water will help sweat the cold out.

Sadly, it doesn’t work, although it may make you feel better as it addresses the symptoms.

■ MILKING IT A lot of people think that drinking milk while you have a cold is a bad idea because it causes more mucus to build up. Actually, milk does not cause a build up of mucus at all – you can drink as much of it as you like and it will have no effect on your cold.

■ KISSING The quantity of virus on the lips and mouth is tiny, and a much larger dose would be required to become infected. It is the nasal mucus we all have to worry about.

■ COLD SYMPTOMS One in five of us believe that the symptoms of a cold (running nose, coughing etc.) should go untreated, so the cold plays itself out more quickly.

In reality, the symptoms not only make no difference to the duration of the cold, they can help spread the bug to other people – through nose blowing and coughing.

You should take comfort in knowing that pain killers and other cold medicines will not only make the illness more tolerable, they will help to keep it contained.

■ STARVE A FEVER We’ve all heard the phrase “starve a fever, feed a cold.” However, eating has no negative impact on the body when you are sick. In fact, the opposite is true. Food provides the body with fuel to cope with illness.

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Wellness April.indd 11

19

15/03/2015 14:17

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Gartree Road, Oadby, Leicester, LE2 2FF

18/03/2015 16:58

Activelife

TRAINING UPDATE

Preparing for the ultimate marathon Four intrepid army officers, two of whom went to school locally, are training hard for the Marathon des Sables, the toughest foot race on earth comprising a seven-day slog across the Sahara desert. Here they let us know how training is going...

Training has continued successfully since the last update and the miles are gradually clocking up.

The biggest hurdle le is to tackle a distance of at least 40 miles, preferably closer to 50.

This will give us a great psychological advantage when it comes to tackling the double marathon on day four of the race; as we will have actually covered similar distances before arriving in Morocco.

As the team are spread out serving in Germany and throughout the UK we will all be tackling this long distance independently which will be tricky as we don’t have each other to spur on.

Al Grant will be running a 40-mile route through Northumberland, Tristan Burwell will be tackling the Harrogate ring way route (twice) and Hugh Richardson will pull on his running shoes in Surrey and spend a day clocking up some serious miles.

Simon Doherty is smugly watching having already completed a 40-mile route in the Scottish Highlands as part of his training. Keep an eye out on @912MDS to see the updates coming in.

As we approach the start date we are focusing on kit and making sure we make it as light as humanly possible. Up and Running nationwide stores have kindly agreed to back us and have supplied us with some very useful bits of essential gear.

We’re going to need a comprehensive first aid kit with some decent painkillers and are also on the look out for anti-venom pumps – a compulsory item that is checked by the organisers - for if we get on the wrong side of a snake or scorpion. Nutrition is another thing. Competitors are checked, along with essential bits of equipment, to make sure they are carrying at least

2000 calories per day. As well as nuts, energy gels and sweets we’ll carry dehydrated rations to cook up each evening before crawling into a sleeping bag and praying for a cramp-free evening.

We have chatted to people who have run the event before so now understand how best to approach each stage. The distance creeps up steadily (33-38km a day) until day four which jumps to a double marathon (81.5km) and the advice has been to leave something in the bank for that day.

Following that stage there is a rest period before going into another marathon and then probably a half marathon on the final day – wish us luck... we will let you know how we get on.  To support the team visit www.justgiving. com/2015MDSteam and follow them on twitter @912MDS

 Has the London Marathon inspired you to take up running, or the expoloits of the intrepid soldiers above? Maybe this time next year it will be you competing in it? To get you started Run4Fun are starting their Saturday morning sessions for complete running novices.

Starting on May 16 at Werrington Sports Centre, the seven-week course aims to get every participant able to run non-stop for 5k by the end of it. It’s ideal for beginners who haven’t run since school days who want to get fitter or have set themselves a challenge of a 5k run in the summer and, who knows, it might inspire greater things.

The seven-week course costs £25. For more details visit www. run4fun.co.uk

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24/03/2015 19:53

Activelife GARDENING

Spring’s here, so get out in the garden!

April is a sure sign that spring is finally here.

The clocks have changed so the evenings are longer, and it’s time to get in the garden.

The daffodils and spring bulbs should be in bloom and trees start to flower. There will be the inevitable April showers which, of course, means that the weeds will start to grow, as will the lawn.

So get out the lawn mower and hoe and start mowing and weeding. April is the month to start fertilising the flower beds and tie back rambling roses when they start to grow.

Start waging war on slugs and snails.

We’ve read in the press recently that there is going to be an abundance of them because of the relatively mild winter – a gardener’s nightmare. Slugs love delicacies such as tulips, lupins and delphiniums so use petfriendly slug pellets to see them off.

Allotment Corner April is a month when there isn’t a lot to harvest.

There may not be a lot to eat from the allotment but there’s an awful lot to do to make sure you get plenty later on in the year. The soil should now be warm enough, particularly towards the end of the month, to start sowing directly. So prepare seedbeds and start planting spinach, broccoli, cabbages, carrots and parsnips.

Courgettes, pumpkins and other squashes can be sown indoors to be planted out next month.

But don’t forget, April can still bring cold nights and frosts – you have been warned!

OUT AND ABOUT

Five things to do in April  April is Grand National month, the 11th, so remember to have a flutter, keep an eye on the form to have an educated bet, but, quite o en, a rank outsider can win the National so it could be anyone’s race, so worth taking a punt. Racing is also still going on locally so head to Dingley, just outside Market Harborough, for some point-to-points. They’re racing on Easter Saturday, April 4, and also in May on the 3rd and 16th – first race at 2pm.  Book your tickets for Status Quo and the Eighties Greatest Hit Show. Both are coming to Burghley, courtesy of Live Promotions. Quo on June 6 and The Eighties Greatest Hits that will feature Bananarama, Midge Ure, Toyah, Curiosity Killed the Cat and Odyssey on June 7 – not be missed - and remember your picnic. To book tickets and for more information visit www. livepromotionsconcerts.co.uk  April is a good sporting month. April 11 sees the annual boat race between Oxford and Cambridge that takes place on the Thames between Putney and Mortlake. This year, for the first time, the mens race at 5.50pm will preceded by the Newton Women’s Boat Race at 4.50pm.  Visit the private south gardens at Burghely House that are opened to the public each year to see the hoards of daffodils, possibly still accompanied by snowdrops if the weather allows.

The gardens are open daily from 11am-4 pm until April 12.  And of course, as it’s Easter, go on an Easter egg hunt. There’s one at Burghley on Easter day in the Gardens of Surprise, or the Big Bunny Hunt at Sacrewell until April 13. There will be many more locally, keep an eye out for them.

NATURE

How to spot a common tern The graceful, buoyant flight of common terns marks their return from winter quarters in Africa.

Smaller than a black-headed gull, with pointed narrow wings, long tail streamers, a black cap and a red black-tipped bill, they attract attention with a raucous ‘kee-ah’ call.

As their coastal beaches become more disturbed, common terns have moved inland to breed at gravel pits

and reservoirs. At many nature reserves, gravel covered islands and floating ra s have been provided to encourage nesting. These have been very successful on the Egleton Reserve at Rutland Water.

Three eggs is the usual clutch, laid in a hollow scraped in the gravel, o en with no extra lining.

A er about four weeks incubation the chicks hatch and fledge a er a

further month. An interesting a ernoon may be spent watching the adults driving away gulls from

their nests or bringing small fish for the growing chicks. Nesting has also been successful on ra s at Eyebrook Reservoir.

Common terns may be seen fishing along the River Welland and sometimes at Burghley Park lake.

They are present until midSeptember, with stragglers to the end of the month.

Terry Mitcham

2 2 M A RC H 2015 ///

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FOOD

Rooty coconut dal with sticky rice Healthy, colourful and the turmeric and ginger are good for digestion. Organic coconut oil is available to order alongside a Riverford vegbox.

It’s good in stir fries and curries, or for roasting veg for a slightly different flavour. It serves two, takes 10 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook – all very simple.

Ingredients 300g mixed chopped and peeled root veg Coconut oil for frying 100g jasmine rice 1 onion, finely sliced 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 4cm fresh ginger, peeled & grated Âź tsp turmeric 1 crumbled dried chilli, or a pinch or two of chilli flakes 1 tsp black mustard seeds 1 tsp cumin seeds, toasted & ground 1 tsp coriander seeds, toasted & ground 100g yellow mung dal lentils or red lentils, rinsed 1x 400ml tin coconut milk Handful coriander leaves (optional) 1 lime or lemon Toasted coconut chips or desiccated coconut to garnish Method Preheat your oven to 200ËšC/180ËšC fan/gas 5.

Put the veg in a baking dish with 1 tbsp coconut oil. Pop in the oven for 5 minutes, then remove and toss the veg in the melted oil. Put back in the oven and roast for 20-25 minutes until tender and starting to colour.

Meanwhile, put the rice in a pan with 500ml water and a good pinch of salt. Cover and boil for

10 minutes, turn off the heat and leave it covered to steam.

Heat 1 tbsp coconut oil in a pan. Add the onion and fry on a low heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Turn up the heat slightly and add the garlic, ginger, turmeric, chilli and mustard seeds. Stir for approx 1 min, until the mustard seeds start to pop.

Add the cumin, coriander, lentils and coconut milk (stir the tin first). Refill half the tin with water

and add that too. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes or so, until the lentils are so .

Season with salt and pepper, stir in the fresh coriander if using and add a squeeze of lime or lemon juice to taste. Fluff up the rice with a fork; all the liquid should be absorbed and the rice sticky.

Serve the dal on the rice, with the roasted root vegetables, sprinkled with toasted coconut.

Absolutely delicious!

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24/03/2015 19:55

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24.indd 1

18/03/2015 20:50

Activelife LOCAL PEOPLE

A day in the life of John Burrows Burghley House’s head gardener has Stamford and gardening in his blood I started full time at Burghley 18 years ago but I used to work here during the holidays when I was at Pershore Horticultural College. I was born and bred in Stamford and my granddad ran Wothorpe nurseries.

When other kids played with remote controlled cars, I bought myself a greenhouse. And at secondary school, I had a sideline selling hanging baskets to my teachers.

My first role when I was employed was to look a er the 13-acre Sculpture Park. It used to be the arboretum designed by Capability Brown, and we replanted it. It’s really nice to see the small trees maturing and to know that generations of people will see what I’ve grown. Watching things grow is the aspect of gardening I love the most. That, and being outside.

Every day brings a new adventure. I get up at 5.45am and sort out the breakfast while my wife gets the kids ready. It’s normally a slice of toast while I empty the dishwasher. I leave the house just before 7am and go straight to the Bull and Swan pub and the William Cecil hotel, both Burghley properties, to do their groundwork and water their hanging baskets. The first thing I’ll do back at Burghley is light the woodburner in the bothy. That’s where I meet the other gardeners for lunch and tea. My desk is there, but really my office is in my pockets.

We look a er anything the public sees. We get on with whatever needs doing like grass cutting, weeding and strimming in the summer, or maintenance and replanting in the winter. The south gardens behind the house are the family’s private gardens for most of the year. We open them for the spring bulbs and for the film festival in the summer. The Garden of Surprises was opened in 2007 as Lady Victoria’s retirement project and it’s based on William Cecil’s original water garden.

I grow all the flowers for the family rooms and state rooms so I need to have a plentiful supply for cutting all year round. They are grown in the kitchen garden. As well as growing them I also

arrange them, so you could say I dabble in floristry as well. I have learnt all my skills from people who worked on the estate with me, and before me.

Another part of my job involves giving talks to visitors and introducing them to Burghley. A er the talk I’ll take them on a tour of the garden. I also like to help at the Fine Food markets we have four times a year, we sell our excess flowers and vegetables at these in the summer.

Our major new project has been to turn our four urns in the south gardens back into proper water fountains – they’ve been bedded up for the last 17 years with summer and winter bedding plants. We’ve also dug out our old roses and replanted. This time we’ve chosen more modern roses which are free flowering and highly scented, and all of them are pink. When they’re viewed from the state rooms above – which is how they were originally intended to be seen – visitors will see the roses range from light to dark pink, and they’ll flank the water fountains.

The house and south gardens opened on March 14 with a display of thousands of daffodils; possibly some snowdrops, depending on the weather, but no tulips as our soil isn’t right for them. There’ll be lots of young, clean foliage too.

I have lunch back in the bothy for about half an hour. I normally have sandwiches and a piece of fruit. We have coffee and a chat and put the world

to rights. And with this sort of strenuous job we eat lots of chocolate bars.

Obviously some of our work is weather dependent – we don’t want to make a mess with tractors and diggers in heavy rain, but normally if it’s raining, you just get wet and dry off again. We do a lot of maintenance work before we open at 11am as it’s easier not having loads of people walking around. Everything we take out of the gardens, apart from the big trees, goes into the chipper and then into one of the six compost bays.

We used two large bays of compost just on the new rose beds.

We officially work through to 4.30pm but we’re the plants’ lifeline so we do anything that’s required. A lot of the watering and mowing in the summer is done a er work. I’ll go home to eat but I’ll come back a er the kids have gone to bed.

As a family we’ll sometimes visit other stately homes to see what changes they’re making elsewhere.

We always have to remember that what we’re working on now will enhance visitors’ enjoyment in the future. It’s the same with work experience. I like to help young people if I can. I’ve had kids go to horticultural college having worked here for the summer and I’ve really enjoyed passing on my knowledge to them, just like other gardeners passed on their expertise to me. /// A P R I L 2 0 1 5

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24/03/2015 19:56

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www.burghley.co.uk

@burghleyhouse

18/03/2015 16:57

Activelife CHALLENGE

Cycling the world James Peach is on the adventure of his life – to cycle around the world and in the process raise money for the Teenage Cancer Trust. This month he is cycling across the Indian sub-continent Cycling through rural Myanmar along roads that very few westerners have ever had the privilege to cycle was an incredible experience. Breathtaking mountains, vast green acres of paddy fields and beautiful smiling people shouting ‘hello’ or ‘bye’ from houses, restaurants, roadsides, everywhere.

The reception we had in Myanmar was unlike anything I’ve experienced, such friendliness and positivity in an extremely poor nation.

We were aiming for the north-west corner for the only border with India. Very few tourists have ever crossed here and they aren’t really set up to deal with foreigners so it was always going to be a risk. But the real risk turned out to be getting there. I fell ill for a few days so couldn’t cycle.

This put the pressure on as I had to reach the border before my visa ran out and, a er getting this far, I was not prepared to hop on the back of a truck rather than cycle.

So, in less time than anticipated I had 268km of road to cover to get to the border. We had been warned this road was mostly sand and mountains – and the warning proved to be correct.

On a diet of sweets and cake we battled the 268 km for six days, mostly pushing the bikes through sand and rubble, with the odd bit of actual cycling when the terrain was solid enough to hold the weight. The landscape was lovely as we followed the foothills of long mountain ranges and along riverbanks, but the exhaustion of hours of pushing a er being bed-ridden was a challenge.

Along the way I stayed in a monastery, being woken at 4am by the monks who needed my bed

space to begin prayers, and truck stop restaurants where once dinner is over you simply lie down on the bench you’re sat on. And, of course, jumping into the odd bush at nightfall and kipping under the stars. All of this was a bit illegal as Myanmar law states that foreigners must stay in registered guest houses, but such things don’t exist in these parts of the country. We made the border just in time and a er a bit of negotiation crossed over into eastern India, the Manipur region.

Manipur has suffered from insurgent separatist problems for many years and the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office advise against all travel because of this danger. Nonetheless we ploughed on and immediately felt the pressure of a population interested in our every move. They don’t get many tourists, and there’s a massive military presence that would stop us constantly to check passports and ask questions.

We carried on up into mountains and jungles where we spent five days slowly moving west towards the Bangladesh border. We were yet again moving slowly on rubble and sand based roads.

One late a ernoon we got into some trouble with a group of armed local people that began to escalate quickly. Luckily we were able to flag down a car that had government workers in who drove us to a military base for safety, all a bit scary. So for the rest of the journey we would

cycle early in the day and stay on military bases each night. This turned into an excellent experience as they treated us with incredible hospitality and those that spoke English were desperate to hear our stories, they had never seen foreigners attempt this route before.

Finally descending from the mountains we reached the plains and began to see the real India, with smiling, interested people. Whenever we stopped we would be surrounded by lots of people looking at the bikes, asking our names and which country we were from. It was a lot of fun.

We made the Bangladesh border and crossed over into the beautiful country from where I currently write. It is a place of desperate poverty and huge population density. There are people everywhere. It’s hard to describe how busy and crammed the streets are, there is little room to move on any spot that isn’t a rice field or rubber farm. All vehicles slow down to look at us, wherever we are there are people watching our every move.

Bangladesh is beautiful, vast areas of green fields and happy, lovely people. We are only here for a short time but it is easy to fall in love with it.

When England lost to Bangladesh in the cricket world cup, we watched in a small phone shop surrounded by 30 Bangladeshi supporters which was fun, if not pretty depressing.

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Activelife MOTORING

A true thoroughbred Active’s Chris Meadows takes the new Maserati Ghibli to Garthorpe, but his luck with the bookies is not in and he’s still a few pounds short for a deposit on one Maserati has set its sights high this year. With a sales target of 50,000 cars across the globe, it’s a big stretch from previous years, having sold barely a tenth of that three years ago.

It will no doubt be hoping that the Ghibli will be the car to make a big dent in these numbers. Until now, owning a Maserati has been just a dream for most – a er all it’s not so easy to muster up the near six-figure sums needed for other models, such as the larger Quattroporte. But the Ghibli now provides those of us with a smaller budget (relative, of course) with the opportunity to get behind the wheel of Italian motoring royalty.

Built with the option of three different engines, two petrol options and a diesel, we road tested the 271bhp 3.0-litre V6 diesel – the first diesel Maserati has offered in its 100-year history.

Traditionalists might not be so impressed but if the manufacturer is to hit its lo y sales figures, the top end of the company car market is the area it must break into.

The Ghibli will happily cruise along the motorway. But get it on the back roads, engage both sport and manual mode, take hold of the elongated metal paddle shi ers and it comes alive. The rumble from the quad-exhaust is enhanced as the valves are opened and you are guaranteed to turn heads as you pop into Waitrose for your free coffee, or turn up to the golf course, although maybe not so approvingly by those about to tee off at the first. If you’re heading to play yourself then fear not, there’s plenty of room in the boot for your clubs.

The ICE (improved control and efficiency) mode saps all the life out of the Ghibli but it is useful in

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MASERATI GHIBLI DIESEL Price: £49,160 Power: 271bhp 0-62mph: 6.3s Combined fuel economy: 47.9mpg

trickier driving conditions, as experienced when attempting to leave Garthorpe, which had begun to resemble a mud bowl a er the standard deluge of rain at the opening point-to-point meet. It wouldn’t be Garthorpe without a drop of rain, though. The ICE mode saw us out and back on to terra firma without any drama or the need for an undignified tractor tow.

There are a few niggles with the Ghibli: the automatic gearstick isn’t as intuitive as it seems and o en frustrating at times, as shi ing between drive and reverse can o en take a few goes.

The single column stalk for the indicators and wipers can lead you to indicate unintentionally when trying to flick the wipers and driving at night proves tricky with the centre console screen being overly bright. There may be a way of turning this down, but I couldn’t find it.

All said, the Ghibli will certainly challenge the company car lists at the top end. And while it may fall short of some of the offerings of the mainstream, it certainly makes up for them in individuality.

I didn’t end up with a single winner at Garthorpe, the closest I managed being in race four when, were it not for the last fence rather ironically sponsored by Active, I’d have been quick-stepping it back to the bookie with a big grin on my face to pick up the beginnings of my deposit.

Having le without any winnings, however, I won’t be putting a deposit down just yet, but for less than £50k you can own a Maserati, so what are you waiting for? Differentiate yourself from everyone else and start taking the long way to work each day.

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G H I B L I

THE HEAD SAYS YES. THE HEART SAYS DEFINITELY, YES.

MASERATI GHIBLI. THE ABSOLUTE OPPOSITE OF ORDINARY. STARTING FROM £49,160

THE NEW MASERATI GHIBLI IS POWERED BY A RANGE OF ADVANCED 3.0 LITRE V6 ENGINES WITH 8-SPEED ZF AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, INCLUDING, FOR THE FIRST TIME, A V6 TURBODIESEL ENGINE.

Official fuel consumption figures for Maserati Ghibli range in mpg (l/100km): Urban 18.0 (15.7) – 37.2 (7.6), Extra Urban 38.7 (7.3) – 56.5 (5.0), Combined 27.2 (10.4) – 47.9 (5.9). CO2 emissions 242 – 158 g/km. Fuel consumption and CO2 figures are based on standard EU tests for comparative purposes and may not reflect real driving results. Model shown is a Maserati Ghibli S at £70,598 On The Road including optional pearlescent paint at £1,776, 21” Titano design alloy wheels at £3,670 and Red brake callipers at £432.

MARSHALL MASERATI TYRRELL PARK, BOONGATE, PETERBOROUGH CAMBRIDGESHIRE, PE1 5PT Phone: 01733 201950 www.marshallweb.co.uk/maserati/

www.maserati.co.uk

Feature /// Gear

Kitbag

The latest kit to keep you active this spring

Jawbone Up24 wristband

This is an activity and sleep tracking wristband that wirelessly connects with your iOS or Android device and your favourite fitness apps to guide you in taking action to improve your health and fitness. The UP24 wristband will help you understand more about how you sleep, move and eat. The band features a battery life of about seven days.

Price: £89.99 - £99.95 From: John Lewis

Craghoppers NosiLife Amina top Fusing cooling mesh construction with agile stretch panels for ease of movement, this hooded jacket offers super-lightweight protection against showers, effectively repelling midges and mossies on and off the trail.

Price: £60 From: www.getlostinrutland.co.uk

PureLime Revival t-shirt Nike Vapor irons

Nike has taken the principles it uses with pro irons of putting tungsten weights towards the toe and adapted it for amateurs, who might not have the power of Woods or McIlroy, but still want the centre of gravity near the centre of the face. The Vapor range use a ‘Modern Muscle’ insert where a change in geometry by shi ing mass around gives more forgiveness and better flight.

Price: Pro and pro combo £699, Speed irons £499 (both with free custom fitting) From: Rutland County Golf Club

This new t-shirt features Breathe-Dri Active fabric, a round neck and a flattering cut. Available in blue or purple.

Price: £29.99 From: www. rutlandsports.co.uk

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Cube Axial WLS GTC Pro women’s

The Axial WLS GTC Pro is a high-performance road race bike for the ambitious and demanding female rider, who besides long, fast paced training rides also wants to race occasionally.

The package is made up of a carbon frame, Shimano 2x11 drivetrain and a Mavic Aksium S wheelset, making the GTC Pro the ideal companion for many miles of athletic road riding.

Price: £1,299.99 From: www.rutlandcycling.com

Adidas Response Trail 21 GTX

Got a Rat Race or Suffering to run? These shoes are built to ride over rocks, mud and other off road rough spots, using a rugged Adaptive Traxion outsole that helps keep your grip sure. A Gore-Tex lining keeps your feet dry through rain or river, track, trail or obstacle.

Price: £90 From: Adidas

Vango Tri Light

These extremely flexible Eye Lights have an amazing bendable 40cm arm that can be attached to almost anything and rotates 360° in any direction. Including three vibrant colours, they are great for night time reading for all the family. Available in orange/green/ black or pink/purple/green.

Price: £10 From: www. getlostinrutland.co.uk

Classic PureLime ankle tights

Inspired by the active lifestyle of Scandinavia, PureLime is a collection of active and leisure wear for all types of women. Classic PureLime ankle tights have a nice tight fit and are made of a breathable fabric.

Price: £34.99 From: www.rutlandsports.co.uk

/// A PR I L 2015 3 1

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23/03/2015 20:13

ARE YOU LOOKING FOR AN ACADEMIC SIXTH FORM FOR YOUR CHILD?

HARINGTON HARINGTON SCHOOL

HARINGTON SCHOOL

WOULD YOU LIKE YOUR CHILD TO ATTEND ONE OF THE RUSSELL GROUP UNIVERSITIES? COME AND MEET THE HARINGTON TEAM IN STAMFORD ON THURSDAY 23 APRIL Come along to The Mess in the Cosy Club on Thursday 23 April at 6.30pm, meet the team behind the School and have all your questions answered.

• Opening September 2015 in Oakham • Duke of Edinburgh Award

• Individual Extended Project • Academic Curriculum

To find out more information about us please visit www.haringtonschool.com and follow us on Facebook and Twitter for the latest news.

Harington Stamford Meeting Active.indd 1

12/03/2015 12:30

Guest column

And the winner of the sitting down competition is...

Martin Johnson ponders how to play sport into his dotage ou wouldn’t immediately think of football when compiling a list of sports you could comfortably play beyond the age of 40, but if the The Victor comic was still going, Gorgeous Gus would still be banging in the goals for Redburn Rovers somewhere around his 90th birthday.

Gus, or to give him his official title The Earl Of Boote, could have gone on twice as long as Stanley Matthews thanks to his unique approach to the art of centre forward play. He was far too much of an aristocrat to do anything as vulgar as break into a trot, and after a pre-match warm up which consisted of handing his ermine cloak to his butler Jenkins, he would remain motionless until one of his team mates delivered the ball precisely to the toe of his right boot, from where he would burst the netting from anything up to 50 yards away.

Sadly, the modern game no longer permits the luxury of having defenders keep a respectful distance while you hang around raining howitzers down on to your opponent’s goal, but if you can’t play footie as energetically as you used to before the age of 40, fear not.

There are plenty of sports to choose from which require roughly the same calorie expenditure as can be obtained from a Ryvita biscuit.

Let’s take darts for example, which barely qualifies for the dictionary definition of a sport, namely ‘a game, or games, or contests, in which the body is exercised’. Believe it or not the game’s rulers are busy campaigning to have it included in the Olympics, presumably with the argument that it requires a high degree of physical exertion to make the long trip from the oche in order to remove your three arrows. Especially if one of them has rebounded from the rubber tyre and come to rest in a gin and tonic.

Although even the game’s administrators would have to admit that darts isn’t quite as demanding in the fitness stakes as it was in the pre-sanitised era of the likes of Eric Bristow and Jocky Wilson, when rolling a fag and lifting a pint of ale were both crucial elements in the calorie burning process.

So, is darts the most sedentary sport? Or would you be more inclined to vote for snooker? Anyone who watches rugby will know that the game has become blighted by people in yellow jackets running on every 10 seconds with rehydration fluids, but in snooker, a Canadian called Bill Werbeniuk used to perform his own rehydration routine by quaffing 40 pints of lager.

Y

Bill grew large enough as a consequence to run the danger of being disqualified for being unable to get up from his chair, and what makes snooker such an ideal game for the over 40s is the fact that you can spend large chunks of every match sitting down.

Even when you’re at the table there is precious little requirement to get a move on, and if you’ve ever seen old timers like Eddie Charlton, Cliff Thorburn or Terry Griffiths in action, you would happily exchange the experience for painting a wall and watching it dry. Griffiths and Thorburn were so obsessed with safety that they didn’t so much chalk the end of the cue as put a condom on it, and they once played a match which finished at 3.41am.

However, if snooker still seems too energetic, how about bowls?

True, you have to bend down a lot, but that’s about it. Bowls is thought to have originated in Egypt c.5000BC, and you’d have to say that many of its participants have more wrinkles than a bandaged inhabitant of a pyramid. The world championships used to be sponsored by Saga, until they were ditched in a vain attempt to appeal to a younger audience, and the BBC’s coverage didn’t extend to live transmission of the evening sessions, presumably on the basis that it’s audience would long since be tucked up in bed.

The administrators go to great lengths to persuade us that bowls is actually quite sexy, such as hiring warm-up artists to get the crowd going. However, far from helping its fuddy duddy image, the sight of wrinkly spectators waving their arms around to piped music is a bit like watching your granny on the dance floor at a wedding reception after a somewhat unwise second glass of sherry.

You could also have a go at petanque, without necessarily having to cross the Channel to France to play it. Physically, it requires not much more than the ability to throw a small ball at another small ball whilst – in France at any rate – holding a Gitane and a Pernod.

However, for my money the ideal sport to play beyond the age of 40 has got to be croquet. I once went to the British championships at Cheltenham to interview a competitor, who came into the scorer’s hut to join me for tea not before his match, nor indeed after it. But in the middle of it. “Er, how exactly can you be giving an interview in the middle of a match?” I asked. Whereupon he pointed out that in croquet, if your opponent gets ‘in’ , he can be out there for hours racking up the points, while you might as well retire to a deckchair for a glass of Pimms and an afternoon nap.

So if your doctor has ruled you far too much of a health risk for a game of darts, or a frame of snooker, all you need to keep in trim without ending up in A&E is a mallet, a hoop and weed-free lawn.

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Special feature

Want to ride further, faster and stronger this year? Try a Bike Fit If you cycle regularly and want to maximise the efficiency and power of your riding, or get rid of niggling aches and pains, then Rutland Cycling’s new Bike Fit studio is well worth a visit – it also forms part of the prize in our fabulous cycling competition. We caught up with Rutland’s Bike Fit manager, Andrew Shore Active So what is ‘Body Geometry Bike Fit’?

Andrew The main point of a Bike Fit is to make you more comfortable and more efficient on your bike - ultimately meaning you can ride faster and for longer. The philosophy behind Body Geometry is that your bike should fit you as an individual, not the other way around, so we consider this unique connection and then adjust a number of points on the bike accordingly. Here at our Rutland Cycling Whitwell store, we’ve just opened our new Bike Fit studio and it now includes state-of-the-art Retßl bike fit tools and HD video capture. We’re proud to be one of a very few UK retailers offering a Body Geometry Bike Fit service and the dedicated studio allows for a very relaxed fitting experience.

Active What happens during a fit?

Andrew At the beginning of every fit, I look to build a picture of your riding profile. We start with a discussion about your level of riding experience, your injury history and what your cycling goals are. I meet all kinds of cyclists – some are simply trying to get fit for the summer, or keep the doctor at bay, while others are striving to break world records! Next I’ll go through a number of exercises to test your muscular and skeletal strength and flexibility. This is useful for a number of reasons, but as an example, if someone has a tight back then we want to put them on a bike with a more relaxed geometry, in order to prevent excessive loading through that lower back area. I then move on to ‘contact points’. Ensuring the key pieces of equipment that are always in contact with your bike – your saddle, shoes and cleats – are tailored to you is extremely important, yet o en neglected. Some customers may need specific insoles to provide extra support in their shoes, while female riders o en require a wider saddle as their sit bones are further apart than men’s. I’ll also conduct some video analysis to check the tracking of your knees while you ride, as we can always tweak your cleats, or add extra wedges to the shoe if your alignment is off centre.

Active What is the ‘RetĂźl MĂźve’ bike and what part does it play in the Bike Fit process?

Andrew Although the vast majority of fits are conducted on the rider’s own bike we also have a magnificent bit of kit to help the process – the Retßl bike. It allows me to visually assess your position while you ride, and then make micro

adjustments to your saddle height, saddle fore/a position, stem length (reach), and stem height (drop), until you feel comfortable in your riding position. Another benefit of the Retßl Mßve bike is that I can dial in the specific geometry of any bike, from any manufacturer – so if a customer wants to try the feel of a particular bike model before ordering it, I can set up the Retßl so it’s an exact replica of that bike.

Active How does the HD video capture help?

Andrew Our new HD video capture equipment has transformed the Fit process. It just makes everything more precise, and because you are able to see your own riding position on the screen, you feel much more involved in the process. We observe your riding, and I then take precise measurements using the Body Geometry so ware. Based on these measurements, I make very minor adjustments to iron out any of your riding imperfections.

Active Do such small adjustments really make a difference?

Andrew Some of my customers are a little

sceptical before they go through the Bike Fit process, but I have had so many customers call me a erwards to say, “wow, Andrew, it feels like I’m riding a different bike; my knee pain has disappeared; and so on.� I had one customer who had gone through over 10 different saddles in the past five years, and hadn’t found a single one that was comfortable. We diagnosed the issue and sorted him out with a suitable saddle, and he’s been riding happily on it ever since. It’s these small changes that will have a big impact on your riding efficiency – it’s all about marginal gains! A er the process, you receive a detailed report that documents all your exact bike measurements, alongside pictures of your riding position.

Body Geometry Bike Fit with HD video capture is available exclusively at Rutland Cycling’s Whitwell store. The process takes 2-3 hours and costs £200. Call the store on 01780 460 705 to book a bike fit, or visit www.rutlandcycling.com for more information.

Andrew Shore has represented Great Britain in international cycling competitions and raced across Europe. His technical experience stretches back the 1980s. He now heads up Rutland Cycling’s Bike Fit team. /// A P R I L 2 0 1 5

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www.rutlandcycling.com

ROAD DEMO WEEKEND 11th April Rutland Cycling, Grafham 12th April Rutland Cycling, Whitwell

COME AN TRY OUTD THE LATE PRODUCTST FROM AL S THE BIGL BRANDS

Each day runs 10am-4pm and a refundable £10 card payment will be required.

Over 400 bikes on display, Britain’s premier bike retailer

Rutland Cycling, Bull Brigg Lane, Whitwell, Rutland Water LE15 8BL Tel: 01780 460705 Giant Store Rutland, Normanton Car Park, Rutland Water, LE15 8HD Tel: 01780 720 888 Grafham Cycling, Marlow Car Park, Grafham Water, Cambridge, PE28 0BH Tel: 01480 812500 Fineshade Cycling, Top Lodge, Fineshade Woods, Northants, NN17 3BB Tel: 01780 440899

FOR DETAILS VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT RUTLANDCYCLING.COM

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12/03/2015 06:59

Feature /// Sports rehab

Marathon matters

This month, Function Jigsaw’s Tom Heeley looks at common running injuries, and how to manage them WITH MARATHON SEASON RAPIDLY approaching and the event calendar full of local 10k and half-marathon distance races around Rutland, Leicestershire and the Midlands, many of you will be well into your preparation phase, training hard and pushing yourself for more distance and better times.

The last thing anyone needs at this point is an injury or any form of ache, pain, or dysfunction, all of which have a habit of cropping up when training gets tough.

Here’s what you can do to keep yourself fit long enough to get to the finish line.

Achilles tendinopathy

An achilles tendinopathy is very common amongst distance runners, as the Achilles commonly accepts loads up to 10 times bodyweight when running, jumping, hopping and skipping.

Symptoms Tendons are typically slow to heal, and quick to respond. What we mean by this is that a rapid increase in training or changing training surface can very quickly affect the achilles, and recovery is slow.

Classic symptoms are stiffness in the morning that eases soon after waking, and is eased by the application of heat or through movement. Pain then comes back during the evening and can be painful when trying to stretch the calf or during loading, i.e. running.

then irritation can occur at numerous points along the lateral thigh.

Symptoms Pain on the outside of your knee, not necessarily sharp, but a dull, nagging pain that can worsen between bouts of exercise, such as stopping at a set of traffic lights and then starting again. Pain can also be persistent at moments of impact: at the point of foot strike during running or jumping activities.

Prevention and rehabilitation Strengthening the muscles of the lateral hip, specifically gluteus medius and minimus, alongside foam rolling and deep tissue massage to the TFL. Exercises with a looped theraband such as clamshells, side lying leg lifts, and sumo walks are a great place to start strengthening.

Plantar fasciitis

Plantar fasciitis is a very common problem amongst runners and can be something that takes long periods of time to resolve. There is also a lot of conflicting advice on the causes, making an effective and reliable management strategy hard to come by.

The plantar fascia is a structure running from the heel of the foot across to the base of all toes and is a site of numerous muscular and soft tissue attachments. Aggravation happens over a period

Prevention and rehabilitation One tried and tested method of rehabilitating tendon injuries is to return the individual to a state of maximal mobility, increasing the extensibility of the muscle-tendon unit as much as possible. Foam rolling the calf and plantar fascia (bottom of the foot) as well as static calf stretches are all advised. Following this, increasing the work capacity of the muscle is an effective way of protecting the tendon from future injury. Isometric (static holds) and eccentric (lengthening under tension) exercises are both excellent choices when attempting to strengthen a tendon without leading to further irritation. Easy choices for early management at home are the lowering portion of a calf raise, or holding a calf raise position in mid range for 30-60 seconds.

Symptoms Similar to Achilles tendinopathy, the plantar fascia can be stiff in the morning and may ease after several minutes of movement. Often caused by a fallen arch or an excessively high arch, symptoms can also arise after increasing training loads rapidly, changing training shoes and/or running on hard surfaces. A combination of factors can cause a much more rapid onset of symptoms.

Prevention and rehabilitation Stretching all of the muscles that attach into the arch, as a restriction in any of these muscles will cause disruption to movement of the foot and ankle. Calf stretches, flexor hallucis longus (the flexor of the big toe) stretches, foam rolling the calf complex and using either a tennis, golf, or hockey ball (if you’re feeling brave) to roll and release the plantar fascia.

Shin-splints

Shin-splints is usually caused by repeated microtrauma and overuse of the muscles attaching to the lower leg.

Symptoms A dull ache along the front of the lateral aspect of the shin is common in anterior shin-splints, and in the posterior variety a more focal, sharp pain can be felt along the inside of the shin approximately one third of the way up the tibia.

Prevention and rehabilitation Maintaining full lower limb mobility is always a first priority. Strengthening the intrinsic muscles of the foot, the calf complex, and maintaining good general movement skills all play a role in returning individuals to training following issues around shin-splints. Plyometric (power) training to strengthen the calf muscles and lower limb eccentric control work is ideal too.

Get in touch

Remember! This is only advice and it is often worthwhile visiting a professional for an accurate diagnosis and an in-depth analysis of why you are suffering.

If you have found this advice helpful and need some help of your own just call or email the Function Jigsaw team, or find us on social media.

ITB syndrome

The illiotibial band (ITB) is a strong fibrous band of connective tissue running down the outside of the thigh, from the outside of the hip to the knee.

If any of these muscles become tight or restricted

of time due to stiffness or repeated excessive load, causing inflammation and gradual scarring to the fascia restricting its movement and function.

© ROB WILKINSON / LIFESTYLE / ALAMY

01163400255 , info@functionjigsaw.co.uk @FunctionJigsaw /// A P R I L 2 0 1 5 3 7

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Feature /// Spring fashion

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FAR LEFT Edina (l) wears 7 FAM Skinny Slim Illusion Limelight Yellow Jeans £189; Barbour Avonmouth Tee in Light Grey Marl £29; Rino and Pelle White Leather Daylight Fitted Biker Jacket £195 and Ilse Jacobsen Hornbaek Indigo Short Rubber Boots £110. John wears Edwin Blue Dark Used Wash Slim Tapered Jeans £100; Gant Long Sleeve Sunflower River Check Shirt £84; Ralph Lauren Treeline Blue Anorak £245 and Le Chameux Wellies (model’s own). Annalese (r) wears Levi’s Sleeveless Striped Waisted Dress in Cable Car Stripe £79; Yellow Barbour Seafarer Trevose Jacket £198 and Ilse Jacobsen Hornbaek White 3/4 Rubber Boots £110.

LEFT Annalese (l) wears Maison Scotch La Bohemienne Skinny Mid Rise Infinity Blue Jeans £94.95; Vilagallo Chira Emb Swing Top in White/Neon Pink £85; Joules S Raina Grape Peony Floral Pink Parka £129 and Ilse Jacobsen Hornbaek White 3/4 Rubber Boots £110. Edina (r) wears J Brand Blue Mid Rise Capri Jeans £185; White Velvet Miracle Cami Top £58; 60 Cashmere, Scotti Short jumper in electric pink £230 and Ilse Jacobsen Hornbaek Indigo Short Rubber Boots £110.

DOWN ON THE FARM

With Spring in the air, where better to go than Sacrewell Farm to see the new delights on offer Photography: Nico Morgan

/// A PR I L 2015 3 9

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25/03/2015 18:46

Free sailing t taster sessions a y Rutland Sailabilit

t u O t a o B e h T h s Pu 10:30am to 3pm 25th April 2015 | Rutland Water

ple with A chance for peo ges to try sailing a ll a f o d n a s tie disabili ed instructor! with a fully qualifi

To book your FREE session call 01778 590338 today For more information visit www.rutland-sailability.org 8266_RS_hp_active_ad_188x125_ftp2.indd 1

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18/03/2015 16:57

Feature /// Spring fashion

ABOVE Edina (l) wears J Brand Blue Mid Rise Capri Jeans £185; White Velvet Miracle Cami Top £58; Edina wears 360 Cashmere, Scotti Short jumper in electric pink £230 and Ilse Jacobsen Hornbaek Indigo Short Rubber Boots £110. Annalese wears Maison Scotch La Bohemienne Skinny Mid Rise Infinity Blue Jeans £94.95; Vilagallo Chira Emb Swing Top in White/Neon Pink £85; Joules S Raina Grape Peony Floral Pink Parka £129 and Ilse Jacobsen Hornbaek White 3/4 Rubber Boots £110. Harriet (r) models her own clothes.

John wears Ralph Lauren Short Sleeve Custom Fit Polo Shirt in Baja Pink £70; Hartford Crew Neck Cable Front Knitted Jumper in Navy Cotton £95 and Olive Barbour Barburn Gilet £129.

LEFT Hunter Auto Short Umbrella Olive/Neon Yellow £65.

FAR LEFT John and Annalese, as above, holding an Ilse Jacobsen Large Yellow Umbrella £40; Edina (r) wears 7 FAM Skinny Slim Illusion Limelight Yellow Jeans £189; Barbour Avonmouth Tee in Light Grey Marl £29; Rino and Pelle White Leather Daylight Fitted Biker Jacket £195 and Ilse Jacobsen Hornbaek Indigo Short Rubber Boots £110.

CLOTHING Cavells, 16 Mill Street, Oakham, LE15 6EA Tel 01572 770372. www.cavells.co.uk

LOCATION Sacrewell Farm, Peterborough, PE8 6HJ Tel 01780 782254. www.sacrewell.org.uk Thanks also to Annalese, Edina, Harriet and John modelling.

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Feature /// Senior sport

SPRING CHICKENS

Sport isn’t just for the young: there are plenty of options when the mind is still willing but the body is less keen...

Give rugby a try Rugby has a long history of over-35 veterans sides, and Stamford Vets ae still going strong Photography: Pip Warters RUGBY HAS LONG BEEN perceived as a sport that embraces all body types, but the professional game has meant that squads are now made up of similar looking, six foot plus, 15 stone athletes with zero BMI and a propensity to cover 100 metres in less than 12 seconds.

Veterans rugby, however, is more of a throw back to a more traditional era; with ample body forms known as props that make up the sofa in which the hooker sits; to the svelte like, diminutive shape of the scrum half and everything else in between.

It’s also a common myth that a superior level of fitness is required to play. Sure, it helps, but it’s certainly not a prerequisite. Grassroots rugby is one of the most inclusive sports there is.

Stamford Vets’ captain, Steve Roberts said: ”You have to be over 35 to qualify for the Vets, but like many of our opposition, we regularly field players that are well into their 50s, with the majority of our squad being at least 40. If you want to play but feel you should wait until you’re fit enough, it will never happen, just turn up with your boots and have a go. There’s usually plenty of players on the bench, so when one of us is puffing and blowing, we roll the subs on and off as and when we need them.”

Ruptured ligaments spelled early retirement from rugby in the mid-90s for Stamford Vets’ full back Pip Warters, but following a successful ACL rebuild, the 42-year old is now back in club colours making regular appearances.

“I’ve always been involved with the club on the social side and when I started coaching my son’s age group a few years ago, it reignited a desire to play again. Fellow coach and club

secretary Rupert Gibson persuaded me to dip my toe back in the water; I never looked back. I can’t tell you how much I’ve missed it, the camaraderie and banter is still top drawer.“ he added.

“Vets rugby require the same teamwork and tenacity as our younger counterparts, but much like our recovery rate, may not be as rapid as it once was, but it’s still fiercely competitive and hugely rewarding. No matter how sedate the play, we still feel like we’re lapping the guys who only watch it on TV.”

Vets rugby is a sport that offers equal measures of sportsmanship and physicality.

Although there is still a need for substantial and, some would say, aggressive engagement, there’s an unwritten understanding between the gentlemen who play it. You’ll find them in the bar afterwards, swapping anecdotes with the opposition over a pint or three.

If you’re not quite ready to throw the ‘contact sport’ towel in, visit www.stamfordrugby.com to find out more. Alternatively, call Steve Roberts on 07846 356195.

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ELENA DORFMAN / ALAMY

It’s never too late Bob Warters reckons that no matter what age you are, there’s always competition to be found SADLY, FOR MANY SPORTSMEN and sportswomen who were active in competition during their 20s, 30s and possibly into their 40s, they gave up their dreams of success because they could no longer cope with the recovery time from injuries sustained and the general physical pressures of their preferred sport.

While walking and cycling might help to retain a certain fitness level, does it really provide that competitive edge so many of us crave to hang on to as we move into retirement?

Having played since knocks as a footballer took too long to overcome and been involved in the industry as a journalist, golf helped satisfy my competitive urges for nearly four decades but eventually, despite the benefits of the latest equipment, the realisation of rarely being able to

break a score of 80 had me looking for an alternative.

That’s when, at aged 60, bowls came to the rescue and, despite its occasional bad press as a recreational sport for the retired merely looking for companionship, revealed a new competitive skill set for my age group. Indeed it is the only ball sport where men and women can compete one-on-one on equal terms.

As both an indoor and an outdoor sport, the game nationally provides opportunities to compete for Over 50, Over 60 and Over 65 titles in a variety of disciplines from singles to rinks of four and has enabled many of us at Stamford Indoor Bowls Club, who played football together as teenagers and young men or netball and hockey as young women, to re-engage as rivals,

still seeking sporting excellence in our twilight years.

While the indoor club has some great up and coming youngsters, its most recent county and national champions and finalists can be found among its more mature membership, many playing to a level equivalent to golf’s low single figure handicappers and looking to retain our competitive edge well into our 60s and beyond.

For further information about Stamford IBC (newcomers to the sport are welcome every Saturday morning through the year at its Exeter Gardens stadium) visit www. stamfordindoorbowls.co.uk  The author is president of the Northants Bowling Federation and current holder of the Lincolnshire IBA indoor over 65 singles.

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is located close to the centre of Peterborough, providing easy access to all of our facilities.

We offer an extensive range of activities throughout our premises to suit the needs and abilities of all our members and guests.

Ham Lane, PE2 5UU

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01733 889802 www.neneoutdoors.co.uk www.facebook.com/neneoutdoors

18/03/2015 16:57

Feature /// Senior sport

It shouldn’t happen to a vet…

Rutland Veterans FC celebrate their 20th anniversary this year, having represented the region home and abroad. By Dean Cornish Photography: Pip Warters THERE’S NOT A TELEVISED FOOTBALL game that goes by without one of the commentators referencing a player coming into the ‘twilight’ of their career. The general consensus is that if you’re past 35, it’s time to hang up the boots and head into management or the cosy media world. Similarly to us mere mortals, keeping fit past your mid-30s usually means a bit of running, maybe some cricket and a wander around the golf course, rather than haring around a football field for 90 minutes.

Try telling that to the scores of ‘experienced’ footballers though who do just that in the Peterborough ‘veterans’ football league, including those who turn out for a side that celebrates its 20th anniversary next month, Rutland Veterans FC, who play their home games at Rogues Park in Cottesmore.

Over 20 years, the Rutland Veterans have been providing a high standard of competitive football for local players from the age of 35 up to a few who could play 90 minutes on a Thursday night, and theoretically use their bus pass to get home.

The standard isn’t bad either. Whilst the football isn’t the same tempo as you’d see on a Saturday afternoon in the Peterborough league, the skill level can be better, and the style of play is very much ‘build from the back’ rather than any long ball kick and rush. Maybe because the rush bit would be too hard.

However, the standard is good enough that the club has produced various ‘internationals’, with the club being instrumental in establishing an England Amateur Veterans side which, since 2009, has played fixtures against Welsh, Irish and Scottish veterans teams. In March 2013 they

played Wales Veterans at St George’s Park, Burton, with Howard Webb, the 2010 World Cup final referee officiating. Not bad for a bunch of old codgers! Currently the club is represented at national level by Richard Wilson, Andy Finch and Mark Bryan in the English over 50s team and Kerry Nimmons, Jim Robinson, Adrian Stannard and Barry Suggett in the over 55s team.

Rutland Veterans FC themselves have also had their fair share of limelight. In October 2007 they played at the new Wembley Stadium after winning a national football magazine competition and defeated a combined Four Four Two and Umbro team 3-2. Twenty two local players got to play that day. They’ve also had regular games against the English Press XI, organised initially by ex-Rutland Vet, the Daily Telegraph journalist Henry Winter.

The club also represent these shores as a club side as well. In 2006 the Club undertook its first overseas tour to Germany where they played Oberkirch Veterans from Bavaria. Oberkirch then repaid the favour, visiting Oakham for the first time in 2007 with fixtures continuing since then, alternating between Rutland and Germany. This year’s fixture will be the tenth between the sides, and will be played on May 15 to celebrate the club’s twentieth anniversary.

The club has also played fixtures against sides from the USA, Brazil and Holland, which just shows how it’s not just us lunatic Brits who are still football mad once middle aged strikes.

If you’re keen to play, look up any of the local Veterans teams online. Just don’t go booking yourself much to do for the following three to four days.

Runaway success for New College Stamford Walking Football The newly-formed Walking Football has kicked off at Borderville Sports Centre for adults over 50 years of age.

Coach Guy Walton said: “The rules are the same as five-a-side football with an obvious difference with breaking into a jog or running penalised by a free kick to the opposition team. There is less stress on the body with no sudden change of direction or cutting movements. The game is still competitive and no-one wants to be on the losing side.

“At the moment we have an hour-long session with warm up and small sided match once a week in the sports hall. The benefits for older players over 50 years of age are numerous. We have seen an improvement in the cardiovascular fitness, joint mobility, co-ordination and proprioception.

“The response has been fantastic and we are already planning a series of dates for future sessions.”

For further information contact: Guy Tel 07764 630343 Email guy@fp-2.net Or register at New College Stamford quoting PCDL Walking Football Website: www.stamford.ac.uk

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Feature /// Senior sport

Running

Train with like-minded people THE LONELINESS of the long distance runner: it’s a well-known condition and probably one of the reasons people take up running but then struggle to find the desire to keep pushing themselves.

At a running club like Stamford Striders, you can be matched to runners of equal ability and so get the buzz of pushing yourself with like-minded people.

Training meets are run on various weeknights from its home at Blackstones Sports and Social Club in Stamford. Members run both socially and competitively, in all disciplines, and at all levels.

Visit www.stamfordstriders.co.uk for more details.

OJO IMAGES LTD / ALAMY

Cycling

Get fit without strianing your body WITH ITS LACK OF impact stresses on key joints, and the sheer physical challenge, cycling is one of the very best ways to get fit without too much strain on ageing body parts.

However, to really get the most out of it, it’s not just a case of dusting off the bike in the back of the shed and heading out. It’s important to get your set-up right in order to avoid injury, to ensure the bike is working properly and make sure you have tailored your rides to suit your level of performance and expected improvements.

Visit Rutland Cycling or any of the other local experts to get a full service of your bike, as well as advice about seating positions, ride planning and safety. Thousands of local people are proving it is one of the best ways to keep fit as you get older. // www.rutlandcycling.com

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Rutland County Golf Club Always a friendly welcome!

Putting Golfers First Have you Renewed Your Golf Membership Or Are You Thinking About Taking Up GOLF?

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An au pair can be a valuable asset to busy families in that they help children get ready for school, assist with the school run, oversee homework, prepare meals and help with light housework. Babysitting, up to two evenings a week is also available. A placement can last from 3 to 12 months or just be for the summer holidays. Remuneration starts from approximately ÂŁ85.00 per week.

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Feature /// Senior sport

Yoga

A safe and effective way to boost your well-being

GERAINT LEWIS / ALAMY

YOGA IS AN ANCIENT form of exercise that focuses on strength, flexibility and breathing to boost physical and mental well-being. The main components of yoga are postures (a series of movements designed to increase strength and flexibility) and breathing. The practice originated in India about 5,000 years ago, and has been adapted in other countries in a variety of ways.

Dozens of scientific trials of varying quality have been published on yoga. While there’s scope for more rigorous studies on yoga’s health benefits, most studies suggest that yoga is a safe and effective way to increase physical activity, especially strength, flexibility and balance. There’s some evidence that regular yoga practice is beneficial for people with high blood

pressure, heart disease, aches and pains – including lower back pain – depression and stress.

Yoga is popular with people with arthritis for its gentle way of promoting flexibility and strength. Research suggests that yoga can reduce pain and mobility problems in people with knee osteoarthritis.

There are many different styles of yoga, such as Ashtanga, Iyengar and Sivananda.

Some styles are more vigorous than others.

Some may have a different area of emphasis, such as posture or breathing.

Many yoga teachers develop their own practice by studying more than one style.

No style is necessarily better – the key is to choose a class appropriate to your fitness level.

Instructor Katy Heaphy said: “You can

start yoga at any age and it’s perfect for over 40s. There are a range of yoga styles that combine the physical and mental aspects of practice in different ways; from gentle and restorative Yin to dynamic Vinyasa Flow.

Whether it’s going to group classes or following an online video at home, yoga can fit into any lifestyle.

“The benefits of yoga are wide ranging too. Physically, as you age, it can help with strengthening bones, creating a more flexible spine and core, improving posture, balancing hormones and even relieving joint pain. Whilst psychologically yoga can bring greater mental focus and clarity, better coping abilities and improved general well-being.”

Email ksheaphy@hotmail.com for more information.

Netball

Rekindle your love for the game with this friendly Oakham club RUTLAND COUNTY Netball League is based at Catmose College, Oakham, and offers a friendly, supportive environment to anyone who wants to play netball.

League games are held on Thursday evenings, while its popular ‘back to netball’ sessions are held on Mondays.

These sessions are open to ladies who are looking to make new friends, get fit and have fun – regardless of age, shape, size, fitness levels or sporting ability!

Whether you’d like to join the back to netball sessions, or to join or enter a team into the league, email: b2nrutland@outlook.com

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Feature /// Great walks

Clockwise, from right

Castor Hanglands offers a variety of grassland, ancient woodland, scrub and ponds; the path runs close to Manor Farm. Upton church, below right, is a curious structure with no tower or spire

Castor Hanglands and Upton Will Hetherington enjoys the scenery in a gem of a nature reserve near Castor before finishing off with a welcome pint at The White Hart in Ufford Photography: Will Hetherington THE ROUTE

Opened in 1978, Nene Park lies between Castor Park at Southey Wood, which you will find on the road between Helpston and Upton, and offers plenty of decent walking. But forget about Southey on this occasion. Once you have parked, cross the road near the main entrance to the car park and you will see the footpath sign in the large gateway. Take this path and, if you want to do the walk clockwise as I did, look out for a left hand turn before the first field boundary you come to. (This linking pathway is not marked on my 1:25,000 Peterborough OS map, but it is on my Wisbech & Peterborough North map, so be warned). This path leads straight into the Castor Hanglands National Nature Reserve, which is a peaceful blend of ancient woodland, grassland,

scrub and ponds. There are myriad pathways through and around the reserve, but the footpath marked on the map runs pretty much north to south through the Hanglands. There aren’t many ways you can go wrong in the reserve but you have to stay aware or you might end up on the path that leads north east out of the wood towards Helpston Road.

There are a number of gateways on the path as it heads through the blissfully quiet open areas and woodlands of the Hanglands. In places it gets a bit boggy and I’m not sure you want to walk here after a week of rain. Not far from the bottom of the wood you will cross a metalled road, which is a good sign that you are nearly out in the open.

Once you do emerge from the woods, you will enjoy views reaching out miles and miles to the

south, west and east, as the land drops away to the A47 and far beyond. You can’t actually see the A47 as it heads towards Peterborough but you can certainly hear it.

Once you are clear of the woods keep heading south until you get to the next field boundary and then turn right along the farm track which heads towards the tiny village of Upton. As soon as you pass the next field boundary on your right you should be able to pick up the footpath on the right as it heads diagonally across the field towards Manor House.

Although I never found the sign which marks this footpath I put my faith in the OS map and headed for the hedge where I thought I could see a gap and the on-going footpath. As it happens I got it right on this occasion (for once) and found

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TOP STAT

ds covers Castor Hanglan western the d an res 220 ac g Street, Kin s low fol ry bounda d which roa n ma Ro the r and connects Casto Bourne.

the little bridge over the stream hidden by a hedge. After this you pass Manor Farm on your right as the path joins the entry road to Manor Farm. Very shortly afterwards, the path turns north to head over the pastures northwards. Here you will see what’s left of Upton church to the right. From here the path takes a clear and direct road almost due north back to Southey Wood, passing a ruined observation tower in the woods on the left on the way.

Once you have ďŹ nished, The White Hart at Ufford beckons for a refreshing pint.

Difficulty rating (out of five)

ESSENTIAL INFORMATION Where to park In the main car park at Southey Woods.

Lowlights Could be very muddy a er a week of rain.

Distance and time Three and a half miles/ an hour and a quarter.

Refreshments The White Hart in Ufford or the Millstone in Barnack.

Highlights The sheer tranquility of the Hanglands, which was almost deserted the day I did this walk.

Upton church is an interesting old building.

The pooch perspective Where there is no grazing stock the dog can roam free and the woodland is good for exploring.

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© CHROMORANGE / ALFRED HOFER / ALAMY

Feature /// Dog health

Leave it!

Bobs Broadbent on the art of teaching your dog self-control IT’S SURPRISINGLY easy to teach ‘leave it’, one of the more universally used commands that will not only give you great pleasure when your dog learns to respond to it, but will keep him out of harm’s way and could even save his life.

Imagine having control of those scenarios when your dog scavenges out on a walk or perhaps eats a tablet that accidently falls on the kitchen floor. This command teaches self-control in situations when it would be natural to respond automatically, be it, picking an item up or giving attention to something.

How to train “leave it” To start, hold a treat between your finger and thumb and place it directly at your dog’s nose (with no gap) and say ‘leave it’. Say it once and be patient. It’s really important to keep your hand close to your dog’s nose and wait for him to move his head away. When this happens, instantly feed the reward.

Your dog will learn he is being rewarded for moving his face away from your hand. It’s really important to practice lots in short, three-minute sessions, so that your dog has an opportunity to test out exactly what action is being rewarded. During these practice sessions, your dog will provide a bigger response such as moving his whole body back or going into the sit position.

Here are a few dos and don’ts: • At this stage, do always say the command first.

• Only say ‘leave it’ once so that your dog learns to respond first time. As he gets better, he will start to respond as soon as he hears the voice cue.

• Don’t worry if your dog is intent on getting the treat and doesn’t move away from your hand for sometime. You can close your hand to make it more difficult so he gives up a bit more easily.

• Don’t be surprised if you have some success but then your dog becomes more persistent in trying to get the treat. This is part of his thinking process and dogs often learn by trial and error. So be patient and don’t give in too soon or worry that you’re not making progress.

• Once he has got the idea, and reliably moves his head away bring the reward swiftly under your chin and gain eye contact just before rewarding him.

How to progress the command You will want to develop this so that your dog learns to associate the command in all kind of scenarios. Start by practicing the above method in different locations both around the home and when out on walks.

After this you will be ready to move on to

teaching your dog that even when exciting things are happening you want him to respond to the command. So, with your dog on a lead, drop a treat on the ground and ensure it rolls out of reach. Allow your dog to watch the treat, but not get it. Give the ‘leave it’ command and allow him time to consider his options and when he looks at you (because he can’t get to the treat) reward him with a tastier treat. Repeat this several times until he shortcuts to looking at you as soon as he hears the command and without following the treat that has been dropped.

Reward immediately and praise him each time enthusiastically.

After a few training sessions and with good results, drop the reward within reach and say ‘leave it’ just as you drop it. Hopefully your dog will look at you straightaway and when he does, praise, praise, praise. If he doesn’t, avoid shouting ‘no’ or trying to beat him to the treat, just take a step back and do more practice with the lead on, as it’s clear you dog needs a bit more training time.

With success, you can use this same method for teaching this command using toys or any item or situation you wish when you want your dog to stop what they are doing and give their attention to you instead and your dog will learn that there’s so much more to be gained from learning to ‘leave it’.

Bobs Broadbent Founder, director & dog trainer Dogknows Dog Care & Training If you have any concerns about your dog’s behaviour please seek professional advice prior to introducing any changes to their routine, either from a pet behaviorist: www. apbc.co.uk or trainer: www.apdt.co.uk

5 2 A PR I L 2015 ///

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18/03/2015 16:56

The Brownlow Arms, Hough On The Hill Grantham Road, Lincolnshire NG32 2AZ Tel : 01400 250 234 Email: armsinn@yahoo.co.uk

THE

BROWNLOW

In the heart of a picturesque village in Lincolnshire, the Brownlow Arms is a 17th century country inn formerly owned by Lord Brownlow.

Providing good old fashioned country hospitality and modern comforts in a tranquil and relaxing location.

Head Chef, Ruaraidh Bealby.

Our accommodation is truly exceptional. We have 7 rooms

Opening Times: Tuesday - Saturday : 6:00pm - 11:00pm Sunday Lunch : 12:00pm to 3:30pm

tastefully furnished to a high standard, perfect for everyone’s taste. With calming sounds of the country and a soft and comfy bed its perfect for a relaxed weekend away. 1 aa rosette and no children under 8.

We would like to announce that we have won the Lincolnshire Pride Restaurant of The Year 2014 !

KINGS head 1 9 M a i d e n L a n e , S ta m f o r d P E 9 2 A Z 0 1 7 8 0 7 5 3 5 1 0 C l o s e d S u n day e v e n i n g a n d a l l day M o n day

H Real Ales H Great pub lunches H Evening Steak and Seafood Menu H Traditional Sunday Roasts H Heated Courtyard Garden

H Bookings Recommended Trip Advisor Reviews Lovely pub

HHHHH

The pub is very nice and well kept, the staff are friendly and prompt.

The food is great and the selection of beer and cider is great. Nice place to stop for a snack and pint.

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Fantastic

HHHHH

Best place to eat in Stamford, have eaten here many times now and not been disappointed , can recommend the steak offer and Sunday lunch.

Good Food and Service

HHHHH

From all the places available to dine in Stamford I'm glad we found this place!

We had the steak deal and two of us had the whole deal to ourselves, good quantity of beautifully cooked food and two drinks for a reasonable price.

18/03/2015 16:56

Feature /// Sportsman's Dinner

The King's Head, Stamford Will and Matt enjoy a proper feast in this cosy town pub Will We lived in a rented house on this beautiful town centre street for a few months over Christmas 2013 so we know the place and the pub well. You don’t get much more Dickensian than Maiden Lane on a cold, foggy winter’s night, and the warm glow of the pub fire is something of a beacon. Back in the day there used to be two separate rooms in here, with a bar in the middle, but the new layout makes for a really good communal atmosphere. With a fire in the corner, the wooden beams on the ceiling and plenty of friendly faces it can be hard to leave…

Matt I’ve noticed you have a bit of a problem leaving most pubs. Although according to chef/ patron David, Monday to Thursday evenings are more about the food than the drinkers. And that’s certainly the way it feels tonight with five or six tables all enjoying what looks and smells like good food. You don’t see Ruddles on the bar in too many places around here these days so it’s good see this once famous local beer on offer.

Will Yes it is, and waitress Alex is doing a grand job making sure everyone is happy, with a big smile and helpful advice on the wine list. In fact her recommendation of the cabernet sauvignon was spot on. Anyway, it’s been a long day and I’m hungry so the warm ciabatta with sun

blushed tomatoes, olives and balsamic oil really hit the spot and took the edge off my hunger.

Only the edge mind! My starter of avocado and king prawn cocktail was impressive. It’s a good idea to serve all the elements in their own pots so you can mix them as you wish. Some people like lots of sauce and others don’t, and the lemon and coriander mayonnaise was pretty special.

Matt My smoked salmon with capers, lemon and warm horseradish toast was a delicious and ample plate of food. The salad was really well dressed too. It’s pretty obvious they are using good ingredients and treating them well. If I were to pop in here with my better half for lunch the ciabatta board and a starter would probably be sufficient. But my starter was £9.95 so you would expect a decent amount of food.

Will Yes the starters would work well for lunch, but luckily for us it’s dinner time. David said the steak is very popular and I can see why at £28.50 for two 8oz ribeyes with all the trimmings and a glass of wine or pint of beer each. That sounds like a cracking dinner to me. However, it’s only right we sample more than the steak.

Matt Fine with me and I was more than happy to take on the steak, which was well cooked. But

there was a lot more to that course than just the steak, which comes with either a peppercorn or béarnaise sauce. With almost a whole avocado, tomato, asparagus, mushroom with stilton cheese, onion rings and excellent chips it was an absolute feast. Daniel Lambert himself would have been pleased with that meal!

Will High praise there Matt, and I have to say it did look like a cracking feed. In retrospect I’m not sure you really needed the ciabatta board and the starters. However, I’m not exactly complaining on this side of the table. My rack of lamb was tender, juicy and full of flavour. And the fresh broccoli, dauphinoise potatoes and asparagus worked well with it.

Matt What a meal. Apparently the chocolate and brandy cake is a stunning pudding but after all that I haven’t got room for any more. There is a warm and friendly atmosphere in this little pub.

The food, service and drinks are all excellent and I am looking forward to coming back.

The King's Head 19 Maiden Lane, Stamford, PE9 2AZ. 01780 764344

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Feature /// School sports

Bourne’s tough test Following their success at the Lincolnshire County tournament in November, Bourne Grammar Schools’ U14 Netball team went on to represent Lincolnshire at the East Midlands tournament held at Leicester Grammar School recently.

This is the first time in the school’s history that a team from Bourne Grammar has reached this level and a tough test was expected in a tournament that is traditionally dominated by independent schools.

The first match was a win against Oundle School, although Uppingham beat them in the second but they played some outstanding netball to win 7 – 1 against West Bridgeford in the third.

A win against Ecclesbourne School would have put them in the semi-final, but the early lead that Ecclesbourne built up saw Bourne

lose 4 – 9. Coach Jackie Mohan said: “The players can be very proud of themselves from the way they have trained leading up to the

tournament to their tremendous play and conduct on the day.

“They did beat the regional champions.”

College students on a roll Casterton Business & Enterprise College recently hosted a wheelchair basketball session led by expert John Duggan – disability PE sports manager at Ellesmere College.

Students in Year 9 learnt how to gain momentum in the wheelchair and then turn rapidly along with being able to stop quickly when required.

Participating in the activity gave the students an idea of how difficult, physical and strenuous the disability sport is. Kian Pearce, enjoyed the experience: “I thought it was something new to try and it should be included in our PHF lessons to help us realise how people with disabilities

play the game. After pushing the wheelchairs around for a while my arms were aching and it was frustrating not being able to run. The rules were different but it was lots of fun.”

PHF teacher, Tom Weller, said: “The students thoroughly enjoyed the session which finished with a competitive match against students from Uppingham Community College. The games were played at a really fast pace and I am sure there were some arms aching the next day.”

The competition was part of the Leicestershire and Rutland School Games which provides students with an excellent opportunity to compete in a variety of sports.

Oakham U15s through to Twickenham final Oakham’s U15 rugby team are through to the Natwest Vase final after putting in a powerful performance against Bishop Wordsworth’s School. Oakham will now face Sherborne School in the final at Twickenham.

Captain Tyrese Johnson-Fisher led his team to an incredible 47-27 victory, scoring four tries. This included a hat-trick in the first half, with the first try scored after just three minutes and converted by fly half Seb Davies.

“Tyrese has the ability to score from anywhere, he is a very powerful runner,” said director of rugby Ian Smith.

“The scoreline in some ways flatters us, but in others it shows the potential that this side has. If they play as well as they can they can look forward to a great day out at Twickenham.”

5 6 A PR I L 2015 ///

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Brooke are champs

SPECIAL OFFER

Brooke Priory U11A Netball team won first place at the annual Rutland Schools High 5 netball tournament, held at Oakham School in March. They will go on to represent Rutland at the Leicestershire Games in June. Brooke Priory was represented by Olivia Brown (captain), Grace Beadsley, Olivia Dent, Gabi Gelderbloom, Jemima Hart, Lizzy McCluskey and Lea Swanick.

Stamford U13 success Stamford School U13 hockey team has reached the national finals of the ‘In2 Hockey Championship’.

Wins against Gresham’s, Ipswich, Joyce Frankland Academy and Bishop’s Stortford and a draw against Taverham Hall put them in the final against Ipswich again. In a game that offered very few clear-cut chances, it was Stamford that created the first openings with Tidswell and Evison both shooting wide.

It was soon after that Evison broke through the centre from a pinpoint ball from Harper, and Evison kept calm to slot home. Ipswich gradually worked their way into the game in the second half.

The final two minutes saw Ipswich gain a number of short corners, but with the final score ending 1-0, Stamford were crowned champions of the east region.

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Feature /// School sports

Oakham enjoys sporting success Oakham’s hockey players have made a clean sweep at the county tournaments, and the U13 Boys have reached the National Finals held at the Lee Valley National Hockey Centre.

Oakham’s boys hockey teams were victorious in the U16, U14 and U13 county championships, with the U16 and U13 boys, as well as the U13 girls, qualifying for the Midlands finals.

The U13 boys have not only won the county title, but also won the chance to represent Leicestershire & Rutland in the Midlands finals, narrowly missing out on becoming champions due to a challenging final against Bishop Vesey’s Grammar School.

The U16A Boys Hockey team have remained unbeaten in the Independent Schools Hockey League over the first half of the term and have carried this good form into their cup matches. The U14A Boys won the county title but

missed out on qualification for the Midlands finals on goal difference.

The U13A girls, meanwhile, narrowly missed out on the county title on goal difference, drawing with Loughborough High School in a thrilling 3-3 encounter. However, the girls do proceed as runners-up to the Midlands finals.

Elsewhere, the school’s footballers have had a successful season with the Girls 1st XI reaching the ISFA Girls Cup final.

The team triumphed 4-2 over Malvern College in the ISFA Girls Cup semi-final with captain Alicia Schwarzenbach scoring a hat-trick.

In addition to the success on the pitch, four team members – Alicia Schwarzenbach, Penny Skipper, Ulrike Wachter and Sophie Suda – made a crucial contribution to the victory of the ISFA Midlands team at the regional championships, with Alicia scoring another hat-trick during their match against the North.

Above

Oakham’s U19 netball team: Lucy Scott, Hannah Moursi, Francesca Kennard-Kettle, Amelia Wilson (captain) Rebekah Foster-Collier, Lydia Grice, Mia Day, Oriana Simmonds, Lauren Wolstenholme

Finally, Oakham’s U19 netball team are in the National Schools Finals after taking the top spot in the East Midlands regional final.

The girls won every game of the tournament – beating local rivals

Cross-country run finals The largest ever contingent from Bourne Grammar School attended the Finals of the ESAA cross country championships, held in Blackburn last month.

Qualification for the event has seen the students progress through the South Lincs Championships, finish in the top eight at the County Championships, then progress to represent Lincolnshire at the Above Anglian Bourne Grammar English Schools Cross Country finalists (from le ): Hana Ray, Isabel Spinley, Beth Howells, Aaron Hunt, Michael Cawood, James McCrae Championships in Ipswich before finally reaching the finals in Blackburn. The course was a particularly challenging one for those students who train in the Fens and the long and steep inclines on the course, coupled with wide unavoidable areas of mud, proved to hinder the Bourne students more than most. All performed exceptionally well. Aaron Hunt (Year 9), Isabel Spinley (Year 9) and Hana Ray (Year 8) competed in the Junior races, whilst Beth Howells (Yr 12), Michael Cawood (Yr 12) and James McCrae (Yr 13) competed in the Senior races.

All students were in the top 6 finishers for Lincolnshire, contributing vital points to the team scores. The best placed individual was James McCrae who completed the course in 26 mins 11 seconds and in 43rd place, an outstanding achievement and one of the school’s highest ever finishers.

Stamford and Oundle in their first round. Oakham faced Wyggeston & Queen Elizabeth I College in the semi-finals, winning 9-8, and against Repton in the final, ending the match as 6-4 winners.

FUND-RAISING RUN FOR JAMES Stamford School sixth former James Rigby ran the Belvoir Challenge in February to raise funds for the Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research charity.

Year 12 student James ran the 15-mile Belvoir Challenge to fund-raise for them. Out of 707 participants tackling the course through the Belvoir Castle Estate, James finished 40th, completing the course in 2 hours and 15 minutes.

So far he has raised over £200 for the charity.  The Stamford High School U16A netball squad travelled to Leicester Grammar school recently to compete at the regional finals.

Of the four pool games in the morning, the girls won the first three, but lost their last. Going through as runners up to the semi-finals meant the team played the winners of the other pool, Oundle.

With only a few minutes on the clock, the score was level at 6-6 until the SHS girls found one more gear, scoring three unanswered points to win through to the national finals.

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Roundup The scores, star performers and stats from a month in Stamford and Rutland sport

Football

Stamford struggle as Oakham become title favourites

BY DEAN CORNISH

S

tamford AFC started the season is startling fashion, winning their opening five games and lauding it at the top of the table by a margin of six points. As we all know though, the end of season awards aren’t handed out in September, but instead it’s your position in the table come the end of April where it really matters. And that unfortunately is the problem.

After another poor run, David Staff’s side find themselves in 18th position in the table with just two points separating them from the bottom four and relegation to the relative backwater of the Evo Stik League Divison One. Towards the end of February, it looked like the Daniels were finding a semblance of form, after reaching the Lincs Shield semi-final and picking up creditable draws at home to Trafford and away at Stourbridge. Admittedly both of those games were winnable, but at least they

avoided defeat and Ryan Robbins getting back in the goals was certainly a boost for Stamford. Sadly the next game saw the long trek up north to FA Cup heroes Blyth Spartans. The Daniels lost that game 4-1, which can’t have made the four-hour trek home much fun.

Moving into March, the Daniels started the month at home to Liverpool-based side, Marine. With the visitors also in the relegation mire and on the back of a long trip down south, this game was truly one where you’d be marking ‘home win’ on the pools coupon. However, it didn’t turn out like that and one of Stamford’s worst displays in recent years saw Staff’s men lose 1-0.

Next up, another ‘six-pointer’ against a team also down at the bottom, Trafford FC. Stamford started well and went into the break 1-0 up, thanks to Ryan Robbins .

Sadly though, Stamford were then reduced to 10 men after a fracas in the tunnel, also

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thanks to Robbins. In the second half, Trafford made their numerical advantage pay by going 2-1 up, but thankfully the Daniels did salvage a point when Jordan ‘Bully’ Smith equalised late on.

Then on March 17, Stamford finally picked up a clean sheet when they drew 0-0 away at Rushall Olympic.

The next eight games are crucial for Stamford. They need at least eight points from them in my opinion. If they stay up, the new ground next year will be full of fans from Grantham, Salford City’s class of 92 and maybe Darlington FC, too. Go down though, and the spanking new ground will likely have more people in the sports hall than watching outside on a Saturday afternoon. A crucial month for the Daniels.

Unfortunately Blackstones continue to struggle. They’re 15th in the table so should be safe from relegation, but their dreadful run without a win now stretches back over five months.

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Right

Action from the Daniels’ 1-1 draw at home to FC United of Manchester PICTURE: GEOFF ATTON

They did get a couple of draws in February against Northampton Spencer and St Neots Youth, but then slipped back to lose their next three games against Irchester, Thrapston and Potton.

Hopefully things improve soon for Stones and they can start to rebuild for next season. It’s not been an easy couple of years for them at all.

In the Peterborough League Premier Division, it’s advantage Oakham United in the race for the title. Both they and Coates Athletic have been battling it out at the top for months, but as we near the end of the season, it’s Wayne Oldaker’s men who are now hot favourites for the top spot.

Oakham lead by a point at the top, and now have two games in hand after their continued good form, and Coates’ recent dip with defeat at Pinchbeck and a surprise home draw with Netherton United.

In the big game between the two sides at the end of February, honours were shared

in a 1-1 draw at Barleythorpe. Since then Oakham have been in imperious form, beating Sawtry 5-0 and Leverington Sports 4-1 away from home. The only blot on the copybook was a loss in the cup against league rivals Coates. Being able to concentrate on the league can’t be a bad thing though for Oakham as they strive to pick up the title once again.

In the same division, Uppingham remain twelfth in the league, but they’ve struggled of late, with poor availability often to blame for their run of bad results. They did beat struggling Leverington away from home, but in recent weeks they’ve lost to Netherton, Peterborough ICA, and were hammered 5-0 at home by Moulton Horrox.

In the first division, Ketton FC are still going well with a top three finish looking very likely. There’s been upheaval though of late, with manager Darren Edey stepping down after their 4-1 win against Oundle, citing a lack of support off the

pitch. Ketton then drew their subsequent game away at Stanground, who are their main challengers for the runners-up spot behind Coates Athletic Reserves.

Ryhall United are also doing well in the first division, still sitting just behind Ketton in fourth place in the table. James Sheehan’s men have been in great form this year, and have recently picked up further good results drawing with leaders Coates and beating King’s Cliffe and Whittlesey Blue Star.

In Division 2 the Stamford Bels first team remain in cracking form having won their last six games to move up to tenth in the table.

Martin Conneely’s team have picked up good wins of late against Netherton, Leverington and Parkway Eagles. The only bad news for the Bels was the bad injury to captain Steven Boon which forced the abandonment of their game against Parkway. We wish Boony well.

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Roundup

Rugby

Back to the future for Stamford Town

BY JEREMY BESWICK

A

ll change – yet also ‘as you were’ – at Stamford Town as coach Stef Arlow leaves to be replaced by a team comprised of his predecessor David Laventure and former captain Matt Albinson, who returns from a coaching spell at Peterborough. Club president Neil Jolly thanked Arlow for a ‘fantastic job during his spell at the club’ but it’s clear his departure is the result of a disappointing season for town, who remain in the drop zone with two matches to play.

This was always going to be a tough month, starting with matches against table-topping Matlock, third placed Melbourne and Notts Casuals, who are fifth. Although they were soundly beaten 43-0 by Matlock there was a spell early in the second half when Stamford showed what they are capable of and those encouraging signs continued in the home tie against Melbourne, a match they were

unfortunate to lose 14-18. Initially the signs were good against Notts too, as they led 13-0 with a try just after half time.

However, they then lost both fly half Laurent Ross and full back Guy Michels to injury and heads dropped, allowing Notts to score 40 unanswered points.

Albinson observed: “We’re a side that’s been decimated by lack of confidence.

Countless times this season we’ve been ahead but crumbled when teams come back at us. There’s been a feeling of ‘here we go again’.”

Next up was a visit to mid-table West Bridgford, a game town had to win to keep realistic hopes of avoiding relegation alive.

They ‘dominated the first 30 minutes’, according to Albinson, and were soon 10-0 up, but it seemed that history would repeat itself yet again as Bridgford came back to 10-10 and then scored a further converted try. Would the change in the coaching set up make a difference? Emphatically the

answer was yes. Heads remained very much erect and town rallied rather than crumbled to battle their way to a famous victory, 20-17. Albinson was delighted to see the change: “Yesterday was very different,” he told me the day after. “I said to (captain) Auz Schwartz at half-time how many times have we been in this position this season and gone on and won? The answer was none”. He picked out the back row of Cameron Park, Daniel Griffin and Gareth Ramsden for special praise.

So, can Stamford survive? “This is a side that won eight out of the last 11 last season.

We’re one point behind Loughborough but if we win our two remaining games there’s every chance” Albinson said. If they show the same spirit as they did against Bridgford they’ll deserve to.

Oakham won three of their four encounters, two at home against Stewarts and Lloyds and Dunstablians and a nail-biter away to Leicester Forest, who

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Richard Cockerill was in bullish mood at the monthly press conference, relishing the fact that they’re now at the sharp end of the Premiership season and somewhat receptive to the idea that not being involved in European competition has its compensations.

So was he looking forward to having Easter off? “No, I don’t get Easter off. I’ve got three kids!” Nice to know he’ll be kept busy even though Tigers don’t have a game, but more importantly there are implications for their chances of making that all important play-off place. “It helps that our Premiership rivals are in Europe whereas we’re now playing every other week. Their attrition and fatigue will be worse than ours. Bath look to have the kindest run-in but it helps that the rest are playing each other. Our home form is good and three out of the five are here”.

Also on the plus side is that their returning internationals are in good shape a er the Six Nations “Generally it’s been a positive experience for them and so they’re on a high. Mentally they’re in good shape and it’s great for us that Ben Youngs has been in such good form” he continued. However, a er all the plaudits Youngs received for his performances for England, he was keen to highlight the achievements of the relatively unsung Dan Cole. “Coley has had a good tournament too. It’s fair to say that a few seasons ago he was behind Castrogiovanni in the pecking order. They were at a par in the scrum, but not at the breakdown. Cole’s worked really hard and he’s developed that side of his game. He’s a bright rugby player and very good defensively. To my mind he’s the best tight-head in the world”.

It was the first time we’d sat down since Blaine Scully’s departure to Cardiff. What was the thinking behind that? “Blaine’s been great for us but he’s looking for a long-term contract. His wife is relocating from US so he needs certainty. Cardiff offered him a three-year deal, whereas we’ve got good coverage in the back three and couldn’t offer that. He goes with our blessing”. missed a penalty under the posts at the last gasp with the score at 25-27 to Oaks. Their one reverse came against second-placed Biggleswade by 36-22. President Keith Crellin, ever upbeat, said: “Not many teams will score 22 points against them. I’m delighted we’ve come away with some good wins and our game has moved on.

The standard is undoubtedly higher in this southern division and all our opponents have been largely unknown quantities.

“We now accept the standard we need to play at and have proved we have some very clever players”.

Doubtless one of those he had in mind was James Beanland, who’s scored 12 tries in the past five weeks – form that’s seen

TIGERS IMAGES

Tigers talk

Above

Richard Cockerill is relishing getting into the business end of the season

Blaine was originally signed as a replacement for Gonzalo Camacho, who has gone on loan to lowly Coventry to get some game time a er being out injured since September 2013, so what are the implications for his future with Tigers?

Cockerill was not to be drawn: “He’ll have to play three minutes of rugby first which he hasn’t so far.” How unlike him to be blunt.

him called up to the Leicestershire side.

Crellin is passing on the baton at the end of the season, so do get down to his farewell president’s weekend on May 2 and 3. Tickets at £5 are available behind the bar on match days or on the gate and highlights include a beer festival, live music, champagne tent, hog roast and a late bar – 3am, if you’ve got the stamina!

Stamford College Old Boys were on the receiving end of a blooper by yours truly last month as I somehow mis-read what was in fact a glorious victory away against Bourne by 15-10 as a defeat. Apologies to all involved. Fortunately club captain John Hickman is still speaking to me after what has been a tough year. “It’s been frustrating

as we’ve had so many injuries.” he told me.

“At one point we had 15 players out and we’ve fielded a front row of two 18-year olds and a 20-year old. With so many changes we’ve been restricted to basic patterns and plays but the youngsters have performed well”.

He went on to single out Aaron Jones, Haydn Johns and Aled Pattinson for specific praise. “We’re making territory and keeping possession – we just need to be more clinical on that last pass”.

He feels the side would benefit from a couple of seasoned players, so if you fancy pulling on a jersey again get in touch and make the difference. As John says: “We’re nearly there.”

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Roundup

Hockey

Double on the cards at the season’s end

BY NEIL MOVERLEY

B

oth the Rutland Horseshoes and the Oaks have four games left to secure a remarkable double, winning the top and second divisions of the Leicestershire and Rutland Mixed Hockey Association.

HORSESHOES As February turned to March, the Horseshoes faced a series of must-win games to ensure that they entered the final stretch of the season with a chance of winning the league.

First up were Leicester Thursday, top scorers in the top division. With the Horseshoes second in the goal scoring table a free-flowing game was expected. At half time the score was 0-0. At full-time the score was 9-0 to Rutland! Anne Pollock and Cath McComb in midfield were unplayable as their play set up chance after chance.

For the first time in recent history the Horseshoes were able to put up a full strength side against a title rival at the end of a season, and the Rutland side even managed to have more than two substitutes on the bench. The strength of the squad really showed at the end of this top of the table clash.

Rutland opened the scoring and played a possession game in the Hospitals half, creating numerous chances but not finishing them off. Against the run of play Hospitals scored two goals late in the first half to go in to halftime with a one goal lead. Captain Phil Ash rung the changes and a midfield of Anne Pollock, Carina Stevens and Wes Durston dominated the second half. The pressure they generated led to a series of short corners which were skilfully dispatched by Wes Durston and Stuart Biggs.

The Horseshoes completed a winning series of league games against Leicester University in a comprehensive 4-1 victory with Chris Meadows and Stuart Biggs scoring a brace each.

Whilst the Horseshoes’ midfielders and attackers take many of the plaudits, the results were really built upon the solid defensive work of Tracey Taylor, Dave Cannie, Ben Jennings, Kevin StantonKing, Rob Epton, and Carina Stevens in a new role at the back. Marshalled by Ian Kenyon, who is developing into a finer keeper with each new game he gets under his pads, the ever changing Rutland defence not only sweep and break up

opponents attacks but through their skilled distribution put the opposition under real sustained pressure.

OAKS The Oaks’ first game of the month resulted in a rare defeat as they took on Market Harborough A in the cup. A fine performance from the Oaks saw them narrowly beaten by a late goal despite heroics from Paull Willets in goal and Ben Chisholm playing as sweeper.

The Oak’s followed their disappointment at being knocked out of the cup by focusing on securing promotion as champions.

Following a 3-1 victory over Druck the Rutland side took on Coalville.

The Oaks started shakily and were indebted to Sam Raybould and Ralph Avery for clearing several goal scoring opportunities off the line.

They made it in to half-time with the score still 0-0 and the second half commenced with Rutland seizing the initiative. Two goals from Lucy Ginn secured the win before James Molden rounded off the victory with a deft flick over a defenders stick and a fine strike past the keeper in to the far corner.

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Roundup

Equestrianism

Straight to the point-to-point

I

t’s finally spring and after a quiet winter every man, woman and child seems to have been out playing ponies.

All the larger hunting packs have had their final meets – I went to Belvoir Castle on March 14 for the final time this season, and yet again there was an overwhelming amount of support, both mounted and on foot.

There was added excitement as Channel 4 were there filming a documentary about Belvoir Castle and had camera crews all over the place and there was even a hound cam! I don’t think I’ve ever seen the car park overflowing before. Which just goes to show how popular hunting continues to be.

The Cottesmore opened the Garthorpe racing season on March 8, and although the weather was pretty filthy there was some great racing to be seen and the crowds still flocked in.

There were seven races with 60 runners; and there was one relatively local winner in the Larkfleet Homes PPORA Club Member’s race for novice riders, which was taken by Kelly Morgan from Waltham-onthe-Wolds. She won by a very convincing four lengths on her steed Lough Inch, whom she describes as a family horse, who everyone loves.

Legal Legend continued his progression from winning an Intermediate in February

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to land the Men’s Open feature. The Connell family’s eight-year old took the lead in the straight but had to battle to shake off the attentions of the second horse Gonalston Cloud and win by half a length.

Ridden by Tom McClorey, Legal Legend has now qualified for the £7,500, 3 miles/½ furlong Bonham’s Men’s Open Point- toPoint Championship Final Hunter Chase at Cheltenham on April 29.

A minute’s silence in honour of the recently deceased Jill Dawson, who won so many races at Garthorpe, preceded The Robert Loomes & Co Ladies Open race.

Mike Dawson sent out His Excellency to run in the race but sadly he was unable to fill the frame pulling up before the finish.

The race was won by It Was Me who was handed the race when Top Smart unseated his rider at the last fence.

It Was Me finished alone for owner Nick Wright and a delighted rider Carey Williamson.

The next point-to-point is the Woodland Pytchley meeting at Dingley on Easter Saturday, April 4; the first race is at 2pm and there will be lots of trade stands, bar and great racing.

Eventing has already kicked off with four days of action at Oasby near Grantham, and with more than 1,000 runners and nearly 200 balloted, everyone was there!

The locals were out in force, a few of the local ‘bigger’ riders unfortunately pulled out before the cross country due to the lack of rain (I can’t believe I’m writing that about Oasby).

Etti Dale from Castle Bytham was the most notable of the local riders, with a very convincing win on the final day of competition in the BE100 on her own Simply Simon II. Etti finished on a clean sheet, adding nothing to her magnificent dressage score of 25.5 and is very excited to be going novice soon on him at Great Witchingham.

The BEDE team who run Oasby are packing up tools and moving it straight to Belton for the weekend of April 17-19.

Belton is one of best local events to visit and promises to be bigger and better than ever.

Alongside the horse trial which boasts five different cross country courses, there is an inter-hunt relay, mounted Pony Club games, a family dog show and more than a 100 trade stands.

I hope you all got the chance to have a look at the amazing Cottesmore charity auction. I am proud to say that they had a great turn out from far and wide and some very generous bidding which helped to raise a whopping £40,000 for both the hunt and the air ambulance. Massive congratulations to all of those involved.

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