Market Harborough has a new spa, Revive The painful pleasure, we talk tattoos Meet Marcus from Stamford Yoga Manage your life: why we all need a plumber ISSUE 112 | APRIL 2022
! E E R F
Wild animal SOS
Leicestershire Wildlife Hospital is helping save lives
w w w .t h e a c t i ve m a g . c o m
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E DI TO R ’ S L E T T E R Editor and Publisher Mary Bremner mary@theactivemag.com Deputy editor Kate Maxim kate@theactivemag.com Art editor Matt Tarrant Contributors Will Hetherington, Jeremy Smithson-Beswick, Advertisement Sales Director Lisa Chauhan lisa@theactivemag.com Production assistant Gary Curtis Accounts accounts@theactivemag.com Active magazine, Eventus Business Centre, Sunderland Road, Northfield Industrial Estate, Market Deeping, PE6 8FD If you have information about a club then please get in touch by emailing editor@theactivemag.com. If you would like to stock Active magazine please email distribution@theactivemag.com. Active magazine is published monthly 12 times per year. ISSN 2059-8513 Published by Triangle Publishing Ltd Printed by Warner’s of Bourne
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Copyright (c) Triangle Publishing Ltd (TPL) 2019. 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 TPL. Any views or opinions expressed do not necessarily represent the views or opinions of T L or its a liates. Disclaimer of Liability. Whilst every e ort has been made to ensure the quality and accuracy of the information contained in this publication at the time of going to press, TPL and its a liates 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. T L and its a liates 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 o ered nor the organisations sponsoring the advertisement.
‘It’s spring and there are lots of lambs and ground nesting birds with chicks about so we need to be very alert and keep dogs on leads if near any of them.’ THIS MONTH I need to start with a gentle reminder; it’s spring and there are lots of lambs and ground nesting birds with chicks about so we need to be very alert and keep dogs on leads if near any of them. I know this is rather ‘teaching grandmother to suck eggs’ but it never does any harm to draw attention to such things, particularly the ground nesting birds. Sheep and lambs are usually easy to spot, ground nesting birds more di cult. And remember to close gates and be wary of cows with calves if you have a dog with you. Lecture over! This month I’ve been talking to the animals, literally, as I visited the Leicestershire Wildlife Hospital at Kibworth. This charity is much to be admired as it nurses wild animals back to health and then returns them to their natural habitats. And if you’re a hedgehog fan and wish to help, these are the people to donate to. I’ve always been rather fascinated by tattoos; sometimes slightly repelled as well but have always admired the artwork, if not fully understanding the pain you’d go through. So it was time to find out more, which I did, and thoroughly enjoyed talking to Jamie and Megan, owners of the recently opened Athena Studio in Stamford. Whilst I’ve been tearing around Kate has enjoyed trying out the newly opened Revive Skin and Spa in Market Harborough; but she deserves it as she’s recently moved house so needed a bit of a stressreducing session. Will has been exploring places new and somewhere I never knew existed is the Oakham canal so that’s definitely a walk I’m going to do to find out more. The clocks have changed so we have longer evenings to get out and stretch our legs so pull on your boots, grab the dog and get out there. Just remember to watch out for those lambs and birds… Mary - Editor FIND US ONLINE
FACEBOOK theACTIVEmag
TWITTER @theACTIVEmag
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April 2022 / theactivemag.com
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I S S U E 112 / A P RI L 2022
ACTIVE LIFE
Contents 18
18 ANIMAL SOS
We visit Leicestershire Wildlife Hospital
24 A PAINFUL PLEASURE Let’s talk tattoos
28 REVIVE SKIN AND SPA
Kate visits Market Harborough’s new day spa
32 THE CLOCK ON THE WALL
Ravencourt Living is just one of many very successful companies in this area that very few of us have heard of
24
34 DEEPINGS LITERARY FESTIVAL
It’s back after a two year gap and better than ever
38 WILL’S WALKS
Two walks from Will this month
SERIES 36 MANAGE YOUR LIFE
Why we all need a plumber
47
ACTIVE BODY 47 SUPPORTING ATHLETES
The relationship between physio and athlete (even amateur) is a close one
ACTIVE KIDS 53 SCHOOL NEWS
ACTIVE SPORT 55 THE ROUNDUP
The cricket season is about to start. Jeremy gives us his predictions
38 April 2022 / theactivemag.com
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Joinery Workshop Beautiful bespoke oak garden buildings, outside garden areas and hand made windows and doors.
Contact Richard Jones 07950 036544 or Matt Brown 07803 125624 E: info@brownandjones.co.uk www.brownandjones.co.uk
ActiveLife Animal SOS, Leicestershire Wildlife Hospital | The painful pleasure, we talk tattoos Deepings Literary Festival | Will explores Oakham’s canal Ravencourt Living, one of many successful local companies you may not have heard of E D I T E D B Y M A RY B R E M N E R
Enjoy Market Harborough’s new spa, Revive Skin and Spa p28 April 2022 / theactivemag.com
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Active life
Good luck Will! UFFINGTON CRICKETER WILL Fry who lives in Stamford is going to be running around Rutland Water - starting on April 25 - seven times in seven days, a total of 108.5 miles to raise money for Thea Williams. Thea and her twin brother were born seven weeks early and spent two weeks in intensive care. Within a year Thea was diagnosed with PVL (periventricular leukomalacia) which is a form of brain injury which led to a diagnosis of cerebral palsy meaning Thea can’t walk unaided. Thea is due to have life changing surgery on her legs at Great Ormond Street hospital soon. It is major surgery and means a long stay in hospital and intense physiotherapy. Will is helping to raise money to support Thea’s recovery which will involve a lot of private therapy not available on the NHS. All Thea wants to do is walk and Will is hoping his marathon e orts will help. Good luck Will. If you wish to help please visit Will’s Just Giving page bit.ly/3ulo2cZ and to read more about Thea’s story visit the instagram page @theaswalkingwish
Congratulations Anna ANNA COUTURE BOUTIQUE has recently expanded, opening a new shop. Well, what she has done is knocked through from her old one on Cheyne Lane into what was the cheese shop so she now has frontage onto St Mary’s Street, much larger premises and a beautiful, new shop window for us all to admire. As she has so much more room in this much larger shop she now stocks day wear, evening and prom dresses in the glamour room downstairs (go and have a look, it’s stunning), footwear, special occasion wear including hats and also o ers bespoke designs. And of course she still does alterations as she’s a very talented seamstress. And don’t forget she has another shop, Anna Couture Brides on High Street, St Martins opposite The George. www.houseofannacouture.co.uk
Call for Artists RUTLAND OPEN STUDIOS will be running their event again in September and are looking for artists to join them to exhibit their work. If you are an artist based in the Rutland area and would like to participate in this creative annual event please visit www.rutlandopenstudios.co.uk and download an application form. There is a fee of £55 which includes advertising and your inclusion in the ROS Brochure. The event will take place over the weekends September 10/11, 17/18 and 24/25. Artists may exhibit their work in their studios or their homes or in galleries and community halls. Some will be displaying on their own, whilst others may choose to exhibit in groups with other participating artists. The deadline for entries is May 31, so if you are an artist, craftsperson or maker and would like to take part, get your artistic skills at the ready. For further details please contact Andrea Naylor 07590 678468 or email andreanaylor@live.co.uk
April 2022/ theactivemag.com
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STAMFORD MODEL RAILWAY SHOW
IS BACK!
Market Deeping Model Railway Club www.mdmrc.org Reg.Charity no. 1187779
THE PHOENIX RISES! With over 20 layouts, 15 traders, associations and demonstrations as well as being over two days, it’s our biggest exhibition ever. We’d love you to be part of it and for us to be able to welcome you and thank our many donors in person after the vandalism in 2019.
Rutland’s only independent handmade chocolate shop
Entrance £6 I U18 £3 I Family (max 5) £15 Or use the QR code to book tickets online
All chocolates are individually handmade by us at Sacrewell Farm, where we also hold workshops and birthday parties. Open 7 days a week Mill Street, Oakham. 01572 869563 www.stamfordheavenlychocolates.co.uk
SPONSORED BY
Sat & Sun 14 & 15 MAY 2022 10.00am - 4.30pm
STAMFORD WELLAND ACADEMY Green Lane Stamford PE9 1HE FREE PARKING I REFRESHMENTS I DISABLED ACCESS I BAR
DG AR IN O AWINN DI W STU
Stamford Yoga Calm your mind, STAMFORD YOGA
relieve anxiety. Classical Hatha Yoga Beginner Level Yoga Gain greater CLASSICAL HATHA YOGA YOGA FOR STRESS RELIEF Power Yoga BEGINNER LEVEL YOGA YIN YOGA flexibility, Slow Flow Yoga POWER YOGA YOGA WITH THE BALL strength, Yoga For Abs SLOW FLOW YOGA WORKSHOPS / INTENSIVES & MUCH MORE! Yoga for Stress Relief YOGA FOR ABS muscle tone, Yin Yoga stamina Yoga With The Ball Calm your mind, relieve & focus anxiety. Core Awareness & Stability FINDING Gain greater flexibility, strength, 12 Broad Street, Pilates STILLNESS Stamford, Workshops / Intensives & much more ! muscle tone, stamina & focus IN A FAST PACED Finding stillness in a WORLD… fast paced world…
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Lincolnshire, PE9 1PG
Full Zoom Schedule available Mob: 07738 272474
Website: www.stamfordyoga.co.uk 12 Broad Street, Stamford, Lincolnshire, PE9 1PG Email: info@stamfordyoga.co.uk
Mob: 07738 272474 Website: www.stamfordyoga.co.uk Email: info@stamfordyoga.co.uk
Active life
It’s okay to talk ON AVERAGE ONE man takes his own life every two hours in the UK. It is often said a contributing factor is that men don’t talk about their feelings and there’s a huge stigma about mens’ mental health. That is why Andy’s Man Club was formed, sadly as a result of the unexpected suicide of 23-year-old Andy Roberts, a loving father, son, brother and friend. The Mill Health and Wellbeing centre at Duddington has become the first in the area to host Andy’s Man Club. This weekly group is designed to bring men together to talk, open up and cope with the problems of life, however small. The sessions are free to attend and will be hosted by Luke Polden. There is no pressure to talk, they are happy for you to just listen and be there. Sessions are on Monday nights from 7pm. All men are welcome www.andysmanclub.co.uk
Oundle Festival is back CREATIVE OUNDLE’S INTERNATIONAL Festival returns this July with a programme to appeal to everyone. The Festival runs from uly 1 o ering lots of di erent music genres, family theatre, beautiful gardens and community activities; there is something for everyone. There are too many di erent performances to list so visit www.creativeoundle.co.uk for ticketed and free events.
Ladies, we need you STAMFORD LADIES’ RUGBY are looking for new recruits. This newly formed team has started with a bang enjoying great success. The season might be drawing to a close but training will continue throughout the summer. So if you want to get fit, meet new people, have fun and form new friendships join them every Tuesday and Wednesday at the club’s Hambleton Road training ground. New members are always welcome, whether a complete beginner or experienced. They’re a friendly bunch so give it a go. For more information email women@stamfordrugby.com
April 2022/ theactivemag.com
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What’s on... Great things to see and do in the region
Welland Valley Art Society
MAY 1 IS the first annual celebration of European Orchard Blossom Day. Orchards across the nation are opening their gates to the public including Stamford Community Orchard. Go and enjoy the beautiful fruit blossom and associated activities. There will be a bring and share lunch, live music, a storyteller and games for children. The day starts at 10. 0am at Christ Church Close, Stamford, E 1HS. www.scog.org.uk THE AWARD-WINNING Stamford Brass return to the Arts Centre on Saturday April 2 at 7. 0pm for the first time since 201 . Enjoy a concert of music created to stimulate and entertain. Price: £11, concessions available.
WELLAND VALLEY ARTS Society is holding its spring exhibition at Stamford Arts Centre from 25 April -14 May. It’s a great opportunity to view and buy some local artists’ work.
Spring Exhibition
Joanna Crawford
Image: Fred Cholmeley
Stamford Arts Centre 25 April - 14 May 2022 10 am - 5 pm
St Mary’s Street, Stamford PE9 2DL
wellandvalleyartsociety.co.uk
A GROUP OF ladies are doing their bit to get rid of plastic bags by making Boomerang bags. These are bags made from remnants of material which they give to individuals and shops. They have now started monthly community bag making sessions so do go and join them for sewing and chat sessions. No skills are necessary. Tuesday April 5, 9.30am to 12.15pm at Ryhall Road day centre.
THE UFFINGTON SCARECROW festival is back! Enjoy some Bank Holiday fun on May 1 and 2 from 11am. Parking is on Greatford oad and you can enjoy the scarecrows, refreshments, classic cars, an historic ypast and much, much more.
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Active life
THERE’S LOTS GOING on at Nene Park this Easter including Easter egg hunts, holiday trails, archery and lots more. Bat walks, sailing courses, cycle hire and boats trips too. To find out more visit www.neneparktrust.org.uk
KELMARSH HALL HAS got a busy time ahead. The Hall and gardens reopen to visitors for the first time in two years on April 17 with the Kelmarsh show being held on the same weekend. THE NATIONAL GARDEN Scheme is up and running again now with plenty of gardens open locally including The Old Hall at Market Overton on April 24. For more local gardens open under the scheme go to www.ngs.org.uk
STAMFORD FLOWER CLUB have more demonstrations and workshops over the next couple of months. The next one takes place on May 9 at the Methodist church on Barn Hill at 6pm for a 7pm start. There’s no need to book, just turn up and pay £6 on the door. COTTERSTOCK VILLAGE IS hosting a 150 years of childhood exhibition over the Bank Holiday weekend at St Andrew’s church starting on April 28 until May 2. Childhood memorabilia dating from Victorian times will be on display as well as model trains from Market Deeping model railway club. Admission is £5.
BOTTLE KICKING IS back at Hallaton on Monday April 18. Proceedings start in the village at 9.30am with the parade and the actual kick o is at .1 pm. Anyone can join in, if you dare STAMFORD CONTEMPORARY ARTS is holding a spring exhibition ‘In the Mix’. Running from March 21 to 23 April, 37 artists will be exhibiting their work throughout the gallery and the shared garden to celebrate the artists who have been involved with the gallery as a collective in the past years. www. stamfordcontemporaryarts. co.uk
April 2022 / theactivemag.com
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Active life
RECIPE
Shakshuka Shakshuka is a traditional middle Eastern and North African dish, often eaten for breakfast. It’s a combination of tomatoes, onions and spices with gently poached eggs. I first tried it with added butter beans and found it absolutely delicious so here’s my version. INGREDIENTS
METHOD
• 1 tbsp olive oil • 3 cloves garlic, crushed • 1 diced onion • 6 largish chopped tomatoes • 1 tsp oregano • 1/2 tsp chillies • 200ml vegetable stock • Large tin butter beans • 6 eggs • Salt and pepper
• Heat oil over a medium heat and cook garlic and onion for 2-3 minutes until soft and slightly golden. • Add the oregano, chillies and tomatoes and stir well. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes until the tomatoes have broken down.
• Stir in the stock and beans and season well with salt and pepper. Then increase heat to medium. Make small holes in the sauce for the eggs. Crack them into the sauce leaving space between them and cook to your liking. • Serve with crusty bread. Absolutely delicious!
April 2022 / theactivemag.com
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Cromwells menswear
Because you deserve a break today! Menus from £14.95 per person or à La Carte available, booking in advance recommended.
Church Walk, Bruntingthorpe Leicestershire, LE17 5QH
0116 247 8258
Rutland’s independent menswear shop
17 High Street Oakham
thejoinersarms.co.uk
Open Tuesday to Sunday
9th & 10th April Uppingham’s Local Independent Garden Centre & Café
VEG STRIPS
FURNITURE LAUNCH
NOW IN STOCK
Come and speak to the experts
£3.49 or 3 for £10
1 Ltr HERBS £4.49
3 for £12
Uppingham’s Local Independent Garden Centre & Café
Uppingham’s Local Independent Delicious range now EASTER CHOCOLATES Garden Centre & Café
Visit today...Glaston Road, Uppingham, Rutland LE15 9EU
Garden Centre & The Orchard Café T: 01572 822729
www.wellandvale.co.uk
Outdoor Heating &
FIRE PITS
instore
Active life
Clock flowers, puff-balls and pee-a-beds Rowan Griffiths extols the benefits of the dandelion EVERYONE WILL RECOGNISE the dandelion (if not its many folk names) and will find it a struggle not to encounter one since it grows widely throughout the U and the rest of the world. It ourishes on hedge banks, in fields, on waste ground and, of course, in gardens, throughout lawns everywhere with its bright yellow owers. Despite its beautiful appearance most gardeners consider it a weed in need of eradication. But hang on a minute, it does have both culinary and medicinal uses so perhaps you should be eating your weeds rather than spraying them with herbicide. Apart from the milky sap filled stem and clocks that form in the late summer and autumn all parts of the dandelion are edible, from the roots to the ower. And in some parts of Europe dandelions are still widely foraged and have a variety of culinary uses. irstly, the young heavily lobed leaves can be harvested in spring and used as a salad leaf. It has a bitter but fresh taste so any of you that are fond of radicchio will probably enjoy this mixed in with other sweeter leaves. They can also be blanched and steamed like any leafy green vegetable. The ower petals (which were traditionally harvested on St George’s Day, 2 April) can be added to salads, included in risottos and made into a syrup that is said to be delicious. The root when dried, roasted and finely ground can be used as a ca eine free co ee substitute, although it tastes nothing like a cup of Columbian. Even the buds can be pickled like capers. I have tried this but not particularly enjoyed the spongy texture so chucked them out and had a pickled walnut instead. But that is another story. Medicinally, the plant is full of vitamins A, C, E and and rich in iron, potassium and manganese. All beneficial to human health.
GARDE NING
Tyro gardening Spring is here so it’s time to get out in the garden. But where do you start if you’ve never done it before?
S
PRING IS DEFINITELY here so thoughts turn to the garden. It’s time to get outside and start to enjoy the fruits of your labour as well as the fresh air and all that vitamin D. If you planted bulbs last autumn you should now be beginning to enjoy them simple pleasures but they really can lift the spirits. But if you ve never done any gardening before, where do you start ou may have moved into your first house and suddenly have a garden to maintain or have decided after years of ignoring the garden it’s time to get ac uainted. irst of all the benefits of gardening are many. ou’re outside in the fresh air it’s incredibly mindful, therapeutic and calming as well as being really rewarding. ou can grow your own food, and the pleasure of seeing something you’ve planted and nurtured pop through the ground and start growing is immense. So where do you start Well it rather depends on what sort of a garden you have, if any. Don’t worry, if you have very limited outside space such as a balcony or courtyard you can still start gardening welcome to the world of pots!
irst of all think of the look you want to achieve, be it in your garden or with pots. Do you want a contemporary look a riot of colour, fruit and veg an all year garden or a cottage garden Then do your research google is a very useful tool. I would recommend low maintenance, simple plants to get you started. Then you can become more ambitious as you gain experience and confidence. Visit a garden centre and buy some basic tools a trowel, garden fork, watering can or hosepipe, gardening gloves and a hoe. And whilst you’re there ask for advice. Most garden centres will be delighted to help and o er their wisdom, many of them have years of experience to impart. Once you’ve been advised what, where and how to plant, do just that. Make sure you dig the hole large enough to cover the roots and always water well. Ensure that the plant you are planting can withstand frost, if not wait for the warmer nights. Once planted, make sure you keep watering it regularly until it gets established. And there you have it so simple but so rewarding. ust don’t forget about your plants. urture and water is what they need and keep them weed free.
April 2022 / theactivemag.com
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Animal SOS
Mary recently met some of the patients at Leicestershire’s Wildlife Hospital
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Wildlife
L
EICESTERSHIRE WILDLIFE HOSPITAl in Kibworth was established in 1984 by Angela Downham. She didn’t realise it at the time but when she found an injured rabbit, this was the beginning of the hospital which today has grown into a £1 million project, the largest wildlife hospital in the area and one of the largest in the country. She couldn’t find anyone to take the rabbit in so took it to the vet herself who told her what to do and how to care for it overnight. If it survived the night she was to bring it back. It did, the vet told her what to do next and she nursed it back to health before releasing it back into the wild. ‘I took it back to where I found it so it could be with its ‘family,’ she says. And that was the beginning of the wildlife hospital. The vet realised she was capable and sensible and keen to reintroduce animals back into the wild as soon as they were fit so started sending injured animals to her. We had a couple a year initially. We had a fox with a broken leg, a couple of birds then slowly more animals kept appearing with people beginning to bring them to us as well. We funded it all ourselves initially, housing the animals in sheds in our back garden.’ says Angela. But eventually, of course, they ran out of space and money. The ethos and aim of the charity has always been the same, ‘to rescue and rehabilitate sick, injured, distressed or orphaned wild animals and birds within Leicestershire and the surrounding area.’ The aim of the hospital is to provide first aid followed by recuperation and rehabilitation with the eventual release of the animal back into its natural environment as soon as possible. This is of paramount importance to the organisation. Only wild animals are treated and they are to be returned to the wild as soon as they are able to cope. We are not a rescue centre, we are a
Image: Andrew Carpenter
‘The ethos and aim of the charity has always been the same, ‘to rescue and rehabilitate sick, injured, distressed or orphaned wild animals and birds within Leicestershire and the surrounding area.’ April 2022 / theactivemag.com
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hospital. And we just do not have space to house animals permanently.’ Because they are dealing with wild animals it’s important that they are not handled a lot and human contact is kept to a minimum, for obvious reasons. Angela started to fundraise with car boot and jumble sales as they were now renting allotments and stables to house the animals so costs were escalating. These were scattered all over the area so it was a lot of work travelling to the animals. And, of course, food and medicines were also needed. In 1997 they set up a fund to raise money to buy some land to house the animals in the one space. The plan was to stay local. In 2000 they found some land which a local farmer was happy to sell them. But they only had £10,000 and the land was worth £30,000. He waited for them to raise the funds and in 2005 they were able to purchase the three acres from him and got permission to build a wildlife hospital. But first they had to build a road up to it. one of this comes cheap and it wasn’t until 2010 that the hospital was opened. The land is ideal as it’s at the top of a wheat field, behind Kibworth football ground, tucked away up a long drive with a backdrop of woodland which is ideal for releasing some of the animals into. The hospital consists of separate areas for di erent animals, so that predators (foxes, badgers and birds of prey) are kept away from the prey animals such as rabbits, hares and birds. There’s a deer enclosure, hand rearing area, wildfowl water spot, treatment areas, isolation cubicles and another area for oiled bird cleaning. And, of course, the hedgehog facilities. Building is still ongoing. They are expanding the deer facilities to give them more room and concrete has been laid for this. When I visited there were three in residence but over the year they will take in 12 or 13. ’Much of the costs you can’t see,’ says Angela. ‘The concrete costs £38,000, something else £30,000, electrics another huge sum. Money is swallowed up rapidly.’ Fundraising has just started for their new isolation unit which is going to be one of the most critical campaigns
20 April 2022 / theactivemag.com
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Wildlife
they’ve had as it is vital for their work. They need to raise over £75,000 for bespoke isolation units, a veterinary area and new reception. Because of the increase in avian u cases in the UK they need more isolation units for birds which come in as they have to be isolated for two weeks before they can go into the hospital. At the moment they are not able to take birds as they don’t have room to do this. They will also be able to provide specialist isolation space for badgers, foxes and small mammals that often come in with mange, particularly foxes. The hospital is open 365 days a year, run by four paid sta and 0 volunteers and they have a couple of vans to do rescues if need be. This doesn’t come cheap so funding is always a worry and an issue, particularly over the last couple of years. Up to 3,000 animals a year come through the hospital and this number is increasing by 15% every year. It costs them £7,000 a month to run the hospital. But somehow they keep going. They rely on donations from the public, including sheets and towels, or money and clothing for jumble sales. They run a small shop at the hospital, organise barn dances and co ee mornings. Local schools and colleges raise funds for them as well. And then there is the friendship scheme. Members of the public can donate monthly this way. Many people who bring an animal in often become a friend or leave money when they drop o . Businesses also get involved donating animal feed and bedding as well as funds.
'The hospital is open 365 days a year, run by four paid staff and 50 volunteers and they have a couple of vans to do rescues if need be.' Unfortunately they are no longer allowed to take squirrels or muntjac because of new licensing laws introduced by DEFRA as they are invasive species and not indigenous. They work closely with the RSPCA who will often bring animals to them as well as rangers from Rutland Water. They have foxes with mange - straight into isolation for them. They’ve had gannets and oyster catchers which are a long way from the sea but have come from Eyebrook. A hobby was nursed back to health and a night jar that had been caught by a cat was kept until the spring as obviously it couldn’t migrate because of its injuries. A swan had a good hiss at me and there were a couple of deer in residence. Many animals arrive because they have been hit by a car or caught by a cat or dog. The first 24 hours are always crucial when an animal is brought in ‘and we have a pretty good success rate,’ says Angela. They are also realistic. A bird, particularly a large one such as a swan or goose is unlikely to survive with a broken wing so they do euthanise if there is no hope. Spring is the busiest time of the year as this is when young animals and babies come a cropper. Some fall out of nests, some get abandoned, others caught and some are mistakenly brought in by concerned members of the public (usually rabbits). If this is the case they are asked to take the animal back to where they found it. Ducklings and baby rabbits are the most common in the spring.
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The Crown is a 16th-century coaching inn with boutique letting rooms set in the heart of Rutland, on the quaint high street of Uppingham. Serving fresh food, real ales, gins and hot drinks, sourced, where possible, from other local independent businesses.
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Wildlife
'Hedgehogs are so prolific because the public are possibly more aware of them and aware that they need care.' Since 2018-19 the hospital has seen a 60% increase in the number of hedgehogs which makes up about a quarter of all the animals cared for. 2019 was a particularly bad year because it was so wet in the autumn. And the number is still increasing 10% year on year. When I visited in late January they had 200 inmates; there were hedgehogs galore! Hedgehogs are so prolific because the public are possibly more aware of them and aware that they need care. It is quite common for hedgehogs to be orphaned as the mother will abandon them if she feels under threat. This can happen if you dig your garden and disturb a nest, take a shed down, or similar. It is not unheard of for mothers to eat their young if threatened. Rabbits will do the same, this hides evidence that they have young. If a hedgehog is born in the autumn it will not have gained enough weight to hibernate over the winter. This means it will not survive. So underweight youngsters are found in the autumn and brought to the hospital. Others are brought in with ringworm and mange; others because of an animal attack, usually by a cat or dog. The hospital looks after them throughout the winter. Some are allowed to hibernate if they get to a certain weight, usually 600g. The rest of them are kept awake and fed. Once they have gained enough weight and the weather
improves in the spring the person who brought them in usually collects them and returns them to their garden (every hedgehog is logged so they know where it has come from and needs to be returned to). Quite often more than one will be returned to a garden as not all can be returned to where they came from; dogs and cats in gardens are obviously a problem. Now is the busiest time of the year for the hospital, although they are busy all year. They are returning hedgehogs to their natural habitats in order to make room for the plethora of youngsters who will be arriving imminently. If you would like to volunteer or can help with fundraising (follow the link below) you will be very, very welcome. www.leicestershirewildlifehospital.org.uk or Facebook Leicestershire Wildlife Hospital www.gofundme.com/f/appeal-for-new-wildlife-isolationunit?qid=705b63486745d90f4f5c96ac4c923201
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THE PA I N F U L PLEASURE Tattoos are no longer just for lags and navvies but are works of art. Mary talks to tattoo artist Jamie Blackbourn
24 April 2022 / theactivemag.com
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Active life
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TATTOO IS a permanent mark made on the body by inserting pigment under the skin. They date back to 5000 BC across many cultures and had many di erent meanings membership of a tribe, memorial or the like. Very early tattooing possibly came as a result of decorating the body with scarring. Earth or plant sap would be rubbed into the wounds to stop bleeding which caused permanent discolouration, hence a tattoo. In early Greek and oman times tattoos were associated with barbarians and the Greeks then used them to mark criminals and slaves. Indigenous tribes worldwide used them in many di erent ways, often for tribal recognition, and even the repressed Victorians had them with ing Edward Vll having one when he was rince of Wales, hence starting a Victorian trend. They carried deep cultural, spiritual and personal meaning, and still do today. Tattoos are a bit like Marmite, you either love them or hate them. When I was young (a long time ago!) men with tattoos (and it was always men) were either navvies or lags (sailors or prisoners) or somewhere in between. The tattoo was usually a opeye like anchor on the forearm or a blue faded mum and dad’, or love and hate’ across the knuckles, all slightly unsavoury. This was the 1 70s and probably harked back to the 1 0s when they were deeply unpopular. Towards the end of the decade the odd American film star such as Cher and eter onda started having a few. But no one really took any notice. But what starts in America always seems to make its way across the pond to the U . And so did the tattoo trend, slowly but surely. David Beckham is probably one of the most well known British celebrity early embracers of tattoos getting his first tattoo in 1 when he became a father. And where David Beckham goes many others follow. The era of the gap year student often drunkenly getting their first tattoo in a back street parlour in Bangkok followed, and of course the tramp stamp’ which was usually a tribal tattoo done on the lower back of a young woman. It’s a standing joke that some of the Chinese wording did not actually say what it was supposed to, but how much of that is myth I don’t know. They all became a bit of a cliché and possibly uite a few of those tattoos were regretted.
Tattoo parlours historically, and until fairly recently, were often found down a dark alley or on the outskirts of the town and took some finding. ou usually picked a tattoo from a look book, hopped on the couch and endured the pain for visual gain. These places (particularly those abroad) weren’t always the most clean so sometimes an infection followed. But those days have gone, thankfully. orty one percent of Millennials have some sort of body art followed by 2 of Generation , and 2 of Generation . That’s an awful lot of tattoos so the rise of the tattoo parlour has followed. ow prominent on high streets, most towns have more than one parlour Stamford has three and Oakham at least two. Today tattoos are highly regarded as an art form and those doing the tattoos respected as artists. And I can see why. When you look at some of the intricate artwork that has been done you have to respect the skill of the person doing it because it must be harder to do such technical work on skin rather than paper. It’s impressive stu . Tattoos are often done as a commemoration, a memorial, or an expression of spirituality with the desire to mark a seismic event on your body. And uite often as a homage to the artist doing the work. And of course they are a permanent show of your personal identity. amie Blackbourn along with his wife Megan recently opened the Athena studio on Stamford’s orth Street and he is one of those very well respected artists with a waiting list of months with people coming from all over the country to have one of his tattoos. amie was an artist first but was always fascinated by tattoos, having his first one aged 1 . I thought they were really cool and was intrigued by them,’ he says. But initially he followed a career in racing, training as a mechanic and following the circuit. He still pursued the art though and kept having tattoos. Eventually he decided that he could do a better job himself than some of the work he was having done so wanted to start doing tattoos himself.
April 2020 / theactivemag.com 25
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Active life
It’s a notoriously hard world to break into. And each tattoo artist has a di erent style and you need to develop your own rather than copy someone.’ At his tenth attempt amie got an apprenticeship in Bourne. He built up such a following that it was time to move to his own premises. As well as tattoos amie also sells art so his studio really is that, an art studio showcasing his own art and other artists as well as o ering tattoo appointments. amie has four other tattoo artists sharing his studio space, as well as guest spots, and invites other artists to display their work on the walls. Today tattoos are done electronically with a needle with ink puncturing holes in the skin at incredible speed, very much like a pen.’ The outline is done first and amie always follows a design. But the design is always his. Clients will come in with an idea that Jamie will adapt. And his tattoos are uni ue to every customer, he never duplicates them. ou need to book for a consultation and you know you are going to get a uni ue work of art. amie’s style is abstract realism. He doesn’t do script but is happy to recommend someone who does. His work is mainly black and grey using very little colour, but that varies. All his inks are vegan and everything is very sterile and clean. Customers range from surgeons to students. Many professionals have them and it’s split e ually between men and women. His customers have usually done lots of research and have found Jamie because they like his style and know they will need to book him in advance. ou have to be over 1 to have a tattoo but that’s about it. ou can have a tattoo anywhere on your body, including your face.
Jamie has only ever refused to do a tattoo which was racially o ensive and he will not tattoo anyone who is obviously drunk or drugged. But that doesn’t happen as you can’t walk in o the street and have a tattoo as he’s so booked up. amie’s oldest customer so far has been an 7 year old lady who had always wanted a tattoo but whose husband wouldn’t let her. Well, as an 7 year old widow she has had her wish fulfilled. Jamie’s tattoos are very distinctive and stylised. He doesn’t often do small ones, most of his take at least six hours many are done over a number of days as the skin can usually only cope with so much inking and needs to recover. air skin tones are usually more sensitive and the chest and stomach are the most painful, or the inner thigh, but this varies from person to person. Does it hurt es’, say both amie and Megan. It is painful but once you get started it’s usually fine. Obviously you have to keep very still so that’s often the most di cult part. I often get a customer come in for a one o piece something like a sleeve and that’s it they’re hooked and come back for more. There’s no doubt about it, tattoos are addictive.’ Prices start at £90 an hour. To contact Jamie email athenastamford@gmail.com and visit Instagram @athena_stamford
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I will revive
Kate was delighted to be invited to Market Harborough’s new luxury day spa, Revive Skin and Spa
28 April 2022 / theactivemag.com
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Active life
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HERE IS NOW a day spa in Market Harborough. No longer do you need to travel for miles and set aside an entire day to enjoy luxurious spa facilities. Now you can spend a few blissful hours enjoying a local spa with a raft of treatments and still be in time to pick up the children from school. Or you can finish work and head over to Revive Skin and Spa on St Mary’s Road for a refreshing pick me up before you head home for the evening. Jenny Taylor has run Revive Skin Clinic in Market Harborough for over five years, building up an excellent reputation as an expert in skin health with particular focus on conditions such as rosacea, acne, pigmentation and ageing. The clinic o ers a multitude of advanced face and body treatments including HIFU Non Surgical acelifts, Laser ejuvenation and Laser Hair emoval, Skin esurfacing, Micro needling and aesthetics. The list is huge and varied and they use medical grade pHformula products that give impressive results. Jenny is the national trainer and educator of pHformula to clinics across the U , so she really knows her stu . But enny realised that as well as results driven skin treatments, her clients were also looking for a place to relax and unwind that didn’t feel too clinical and where they could choose other treatments such as massages, skin boosting facials, manicures and pedicures. And also enjoy the benefits of spa facilities. In anuary this year, after a great deal of hard work and attention to detail, enny and her husband Andy opened their three storey spa housing the skin clinic on the top oor, with treatment rooms and the unisex spa facilities taking up the rest of the building.
'As well as results-driven skin treatments, Jenny's clients were also looking for a place to relax and unwind that didn’t feel too clinical where they could choose other treatments and enjoy the benefits of spa facilites.' The signature colours of teal, navy and gold are used throughout creating a luxurious, tasteful and deeply tran uil atmosphere. enny wants visitors to the spa to fully relax and unwind and, because there are no more than six people in at a time, to never feel crowded or rushed. You can choose a completely bespoke experience to suit how much time you have or what mood you’re in. The full experience gives you 4. hours to enjoy the large acu i, Infra red sauna, Turkish steam room and the relax room with a choice of 0, 0 or 0 minute treatments and a delicious afternoon tea. If you haven’t got the time for that you could opt for a treatment and use of the spa facilities, or skip the spa and enjoy a massage then afternoon tea, or wallow in the facilities followed by tea.
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MULTI-ACTIVITY HOLIDAYSFOR FOR CHILDREN AGED 4-14 MULTI-ACTIVITY HOLIDAYS CHILDREN AGED 4-14 Our OFSTED registered Camps, which have been running in the area for over 25 years,
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Active life I was very fortunate to be invited to enjoy the full works and was greeted with a non alcoholic glass of fi on arrival, but that could just as easily have been rosecco. Then, as I want to start on a course of facials, enny took me straight upstairs to have my skin scanned by a very high tech piece of e uipment. Having originally worked as a nurse, primarily in community care, enny has a wonderfully warm manner and immediately puts you at ease whatever the results of your skin scan! But as my focus was on seeing what the spa had to o er I was keen to get started. After a uick change into my complimentary robe and slippers, I went through to the spa area and immediately sank into the huge acu i which is big enough for six people. As I was on my own, I made sure I sat in all the di erent seats to try out all the jets. Then I headed for the Infra red sauna. ormally I’m not keen on a dry heat, but this warms your core first which is less dehydrating than a normal sauna and is particularly popular with people who use it after they’ve been to the gym as it reaches deeply into tired muscles. I particularly enjoyed the Turkish steam room and could feel the tension of a hard week start to seep away. Then I hopped round all of them once more before sitting in the rest room with a large glass of filtered water. The background lighting and music was at just the right level and I was too relaxed to even read my book, so when my therapist Marika came to call me, she found I’d do ed o .
'The deep tissue ‘work it out’ massage has proved the most popular so far and I’ve already promised myself I’ll return for that one.'
This would be a great place to come with a group of friends as it’s intimate enough for you to easily catch up with each other but also be able to switch o and take some down time, particularly when you go upstairs for your treatment. I had a 0 minute Driftaway’ body massage which I have to say, I did. Every treatment whether it’s a massage or a facial, has an opening and closing ritual of a foot cleanse and a hand massage. Driftaway was a massage that just kept on giving, incorporating body brushing, a scalp massage and the exact firm pressure I’d re uested. And by the end of it, Marika had to, again, gently wake me up. The deep tissue work it out’ massage has proved the most popular so far and I’ve already promised myself I’ll return for that one. All the sta are incredibly friendly and knowledgeable and aim to create a tran uil experience for you, that is truly nourishing. And that’s before you have the afternoon tea. Supplied locally, the food is brought fresh to the premises every day. What a treat! ollowing an afternoon of relaxing in the spa then winding down even further with the massage, I’m surprised I managed to drive home after the amount of food I managed to put away. If you come in the evening you can choose a platter of meats, cheese and wine. Even though evive Skin and Spa has just opened, you wouldn’t know it. enny and the team have managed to create a beautifully relaxing atmosphere which appears to run like clockwork already. I was free to sample all the spa facilities at my very leisurely pace but if I’d only had a couple of hours spare, that would still have given me ample time to destress, unwind and feel utterly revived. For full details and prices visit www.reviveskinandspa.co.uk
April 2022 / theactivemag.com
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The clock on the wall
Mary finds out more about one of the numerous very successful companies in our area that many people have never heard of, Ravencourt Living
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T ALWAYS FASCINATES and surprises me the number of extremely successful businesses there are in our area that are completely under the radar, with very few people knowing anything about them. Many of them are leading lights in their particular fields, selling worldwide and some, one of the most successful in the world. One of these businesses is Ravencourt which is based just outside Stamford. Established in 1984 by the Story family, managing director Oli Story is the third generation of his family to run it. Very few people will have heard of Ravencourt but many, many of us will have used their products. They started in 1984 by importing science equipment for school science labs. And then clocks for classrooms. These clocks were large and clear and easy to read so perfect for a classroom wall. It quickly became apparent that these large clocks would be very useful for those with impaired sight and for those with dementia so a second branch of the company was established, Ravencourt Living. The company quickly became a business of two halves, albeit run under the same umbrella. The school clock side of the business along with science equipment including voltmeters, PH meters and the like is now one of the largest suppliers of science equipment to schools. They don’t sell direct but through wholesalers so realistically why would we have ever heard of them unless you were purchasing science equipment, quite niche? The other side of the business is continually expanding (well both are) and those clocks are still selling well. Ravencourt Living supplies products for the elderly and those living with Alzheimer’s with the aim of helping people maintain their independent living for as long as possible and to stay in their own homes. Products include reminder clocks, pill dispensers, one button radios and numerous others which help people with mobility, hearing loss, visual impairment, dementia and much more. Ravencourt is now one of the largest suppliers of products worldwide; yet again, very few of us have heard of them.
But that is now beginning to change. Most of their products are sold to core retailers such as councils, care homes and wholesalers but they are beginning to be more visible in high street retailers such as Boots and Argos. And consumers appreciate the customer service that is o ered. Boxes are clearly labelled with contact details and anyone can ring Ravencourt direct to get advice about how to use the products, or indeed general advice about daily living aids which can help people cope with Alzheimer’s and keep you at home for longer. The sta are very experienced with one expert writing blogs and reviewing products and they pride themselves on their customer service. The company works in partnership with the Alzheimer’s Society who vet a lot of their products then recommend them. Ravencourt gets valuable information from them too so the partnership works really well with the company able to develop di erent products after taking advice from the society.
'Very few people will have heard of Ravencourt but many, many of us will have used their products. They started in 1984 by importing science equipment for school science labs. And then clocks for classrooms.' 32 April 2022/ theactivemag.com
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Active life
Many of us are, thankfully, unaware such products exist and have never had to use them or source them. But, despite not having a need for them, it is beneficial that we all know they exist as sadly who knows when they will be needed. And Ravencourt are stepping up to the plate, becoming more visible rather than working behind the scenes as they historically were. As well as having more of a presence on the high street they have recently set up an online shop, Story and Sons, which sells dementia aids directly to the public. If you have a look at the website you will find products that o er substantial aids to living, usually in the most practical way and most are oh so simple but make a huge di erence to someone’s life. Again, lots of advice is available, including a blog. So where do all these products come from? You’ve guessed it, China, as sadly manufacturing of products like this in the UK just doesn’t appear to be financially viable anymore. But, on the plus side, because the company has such strong links to China it was able to source PPE at the beginning of the pandemic and was one of the first to receive a shipload. They had to think on their feet as it quickly became apparent that half of their core business, school equipment, had dried up completely with schools being closed so obviously there was no demand for clocks or voltmeters. And the other half, daily living aids was ticking over but scaled back as well. Oli quickly realised that PPE was going to be needed (and they needed to survive) so with his Chinese contacts he was able to source e ective, approved PPE which they could supply to the NHS, care homes and other care providers. As he was ahead of the game they were one of the first to receive a shipment so were quickly able to start supplying those who were crying out for it. As they have some of the shipment left the company is now o ering face masks, hand sanitisers and other E e uipment free of charge to local hospices, charities and care homes. ‘Supporting the local community is really important to us,’ says the company’s Ed Thurston. Organisations are still struggling to source e ective E and we have plenty to spare so are happy to donate some of it to help out.’ www.storyandsons.com www.ravencourtliving.com
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Deeping’s Delight
Deeping literary festival is back in person. Here they give us a taster of what to expect over the long weekend from 28 April - 1 May
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HEN ELLY GRIFFITHS, esteemed crime novelist of the Dr Ruth Galloway series amongst others, agreed to be our Patron, we knew folks at Deepings Literary Festival were doing something right. orget pollution filled cities, picture intimate local venues such as the tranquillity of Molecey Mill, by the river Welland. Here you’ll find beautiful paintings and sculptures displayed at the Gallery in the Garden. Imagine freshly brewed co ee or a sparkling glass of prosecco at Molecey Mill and other venues around the Deepings from Thursday 28 April to Sunday 1 May. Our talented team of festival organisers have been longing for this event to return, and we’re sure you will be too. One of the organisers is Deepingite Linda Hill, award winning book blogger at Linda’s Book Bag and host to several of the authors. Linda reviews for My Weekly magazine online and has a regular column in David Nieper’s customer magazine. ‘It’s a thrill to welcome big name authors to the Deepings. Usually, it’s London venues hosting such talent,’ she says. That talent includes famous author Kit de Waal whose international best seller My ame is Leon’ is soon to be filmed by the BBC as a one o drama. A brother chosen. A brother left behind. And a family where you’d least expect to find one.’ Evoking Britain in the early 1980s this book is a story of love, identity and learning to
'That talent includes famous author Kit de Waal whose international best seller ‘My Name is Leon’ is soon to be filmed by the BBC as a one-off drama.' overcome loss. Kit has worked in family law; she was a magistrate for several years and sits on adoption panels. Her writing has received numerous awards. We’ll also settle down to hear the woman everyone knows was told ‘You have no authority here.’ Jackie Weaver from Handforth Parish council takes to the stage! Her book 'You do have Authority' is full of un appable no nonsense advice with a dash of humour. How she managed to keep calm we can find out at the Deepings Literary Festival. We know a few parish and town clerks not a million miles from Deeping have already bought tickets. We think we’ll all enjoy this one. Louisa Candlish is an author consistently in the best sellers list. Our House is a major ITV series starring Martin Compston and
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Active life
Tuppence Middleton. On a bright morning in the London suburbs a family moves into the house they’ve just bought on Trinity Avenue. othing strange about that. Except it’s your house. And you didn’t sell it.’ Winner of the Crime and Thriller Book at the British Book Awards, Louise is going to be a popular speaker. Many authors are appearing at venues in the lovely town of Market Deeping. Here, you can indulge in a spot of shopping with a range of independent shops and enjoy award winning fish and chips, a gin in a riverside pub or even both. A short walk from the centre of Market Deeping following the Welland on your right brings you to the creative corner,’ our fantastic community library, one of the busiest and most vibrant in Lincolnshire. Any Lincolnshire library card holder can borrow from here and all are welcome to browse its excellent second hand book stall. And nearby you can explore a huge anti ue shop, an ama ing and oft televised crafts, beads and findings shop, superb co ee shop and yet another award winning fish and chip shop. It’s uite possible for you to enjoy hearing an author talk about their book, buy a copy for signing from Bookmark book shop, our lovely on site partners and then a bookcase from the Anti ue centre to house it perfect! Other authors include ohn Marrs from orthamptonshire. He is known for his uni ue contemporary fiction with an element of science fiction speculation. His novel The One’ has been adapted into a mini series by et ix and was a adio 2 book club choice. It
follows five people’s stories after scientists discussed that everyone has a gene matched with one other person who they are destined to be with irrespective of sexuality, race, age or location. Amongst his other novels, The assengers’ is a thriller with a futuristic twist set in driverless cars. Bestseller What Lies Between Us’ then followed to huge acclaim. We are also delighted to welcome William Shaw to our festival. William writes the DS Alexandra Cupidi thrillers, a police series set in Dungeness. His fourth book in the series is The Trawlerman. acy, intense and riddled with surprising twists, The Trawlerman shows that deceit can be found in the most unlikely places. The brooding waters of the ent coastline o er an ominous backdrop for this lively page turner. If stellar crime writer Val McDermid thinks If you’re not a fan yet, why not ’ then we at the Deepings are delighted to find out more. Vaseem han is the author of two popular crime series set in India. Let him whisk us away us from Deeping to modern Mumbai through the Baby Ganesh series, and to 1 0s Bombay with the Malabar House historical crime novels. Vaseem has won many awards for his writing, notably the CWA Historical Dagger in 2021 for his first book Midnight at Malabar House’. He was born in London and worked in India for a decade. Elephants are third on his list of passions, the first and second being great literature and cricket. He works in Security and Crime science. He also advises and lectures on Writing Cultural diversity in iction. See the full programme and buy tickets online at www. deepingsliteraryfestival.co.uk/festival-programme-2022/ You can pick up a brochure showing the full line up from your local community places in Stamford, Oakham, Uppingham and Deeping.
April 2022 / theactivemag.com 35
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Plump for a plumber
E YOU R AG
as they need to update their knowledge continually, thankfully. You used to train and that was it but as gas became more popular in households, people started dying because of carbon monoxide poisoning due to badly fitted boilers. So gas training and accreditation became compulsory in the mid 1990s and it still is today. If you employ a plumber to work on any gas appliance make sure they are Gas Safe accredited and ask to see their card when they arrive at your house. This means they are up to date with rules and regulations, know what they are doing and are insured. If a plumber is not Gas Safe accredited they can end up in prison charged with manslaughter because of negligence. Adrian has to renew his Gas Safe certificate every five years which costs him about 1,200 (as well as loss of income due to not being able
LI F E
A
PLUMBER TRADITIONALLY used to work with lead as all drainpipes and internal pipes were made of it and they also worked on lead roofs as well. But today pipes are either copper or plastic so leadwork is not as common, but still done. Plumbers plumb bathrooms, put in kitchen sinks, fit and service boilers, come out in emergencies when you have water leaking everywhere, or even worse, gas and much more, including, blocked toilet anyone? Adrian Walker has been a plumber since he left school in 1980. ‘I really wanted to farm but took the easy option and joined my father in his business becoming an apprentice, training over three years on day release doing my City and Guilds. I learnt a lot from the other men who worked for my father as they were really experienced and old-school.’ Training for a plumber is always ongoing
MAN
We will all need a plumber at some point. Mary talks to Adrian Walker and finds out how to run our boilers efficiently and why we should all have a friendly plumber on call
to work). As well as gas certificates plumbers also need to be ualified in L G, unvented appliances and more, again every five years, so Adrian is regularly doing courses. And if you work on oil boilers you need a di erent sort of accreditation. This is very reassuring for the public as we know that we are employing tradesmen who know what they are doing and are safe. Adrian and his brother and cousin joined his father and uncle in partnership in the business in 1 2, which employed eight people, until 201 when he struck out on his own. Plumbers tend to specialise in di erent things. Some will fit bathrooms, others boilers, others still do lead work and Adrian specialises in servicing boilers, landlord checks and emergency call outs and repairs. To get the best out of your boiler it should
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MANAGE YOUR LIFE
be serviced annually, as should gas fires. If the boiler is set up properly when it is first installed (and this is important) it should be e cient to run and last for years. A combi boiler normally has a lifespan of about 10 years, but might last longer if well cared for. Gas central heating using an e cient boiler is still just about the most economic way to heat your house. Although by the time you read this it might not be the case with costs and worldwide events being so volatile. ‘It’s important to not let your house get too cold otherwise the boiler will be
working overtime,’ says Adrian. I turn mine on for a couple of hours in the morning and then it comes on again early evening at about 4. 0pm and stays on until I go to bed. If it’s very cold I will turn it on earlier in the afternoon so that the house doesn’t get too cold. Curtains closed in the evenings help keep warmth in so during a particularly cold spell heat is lost through windows during the day. Heat is a luxury so we may as well enjoy it.’ Breakdowns always seem to happen during a cold snap and this isn’t just sod’s
'To get the best out of your boiler it should be serviced annually, as should gas fires. If the boiler is set up properly when it is first installed (and this is important) it should be efficient to run and last for years.'
law; boilers have to work harder when it’s very cold, hence they breakdown. ‘I specialise in servicing and repairs so if I tell a customer they need a new boiler they know I’m not fobbing them o ,’ says Adrian. I don’t fit new boilers myself but will recommend someone who does. This works in reverse as they will recommend me for repairs and maintenance.’ Most plumbers charge about the same, 7 ish for a boiler service. As Adrian says, ‘boilers should be serviced every year.’ If you are a landlord it is law to have a gas safety check on your boiler or gas fire annually and Adrian also does these. He also does emergency call outs for breakdowns and will try to get to you as quickly as possible, particularly if you’re one of his regulars. He covers a 0 mile radius around Stamford and if he is unable to get to you quickly will recommend someone else. As a plumber, if he finds the carbon monoxide emissions are too high in any household he has to cap the gas so that the boiler can no longer run and will have to be replaced. Children and pets are more susceptible to carbon monoxide poisoning so we all need to be aware of this as carbon monoxide can kill you or make you very ill. And as it has no smell you will be unaware of its presence. Fortunately gas has a distinctive smell so if you have a leak you should be able to smell it. If this happens, or you can smell gas unexpectedly, Adrian says turn o your appliance and call a plumber.’ Gas boilers are supposed to be banned from being used in new homes from 202 . But Adrian tells me that hydrogen will now be blended with gas, starting next year, so that up to 25% of the gas we use will be replaced by hydrogen. And this reduces emissions considerably. Fully hydrogen boilers are also now being introduced. So who knows what the rules will be in 202 . Adrian was born and bred in U ngton and still lives there now so everyone knows him (but he had a few years in Stamford). When he’s not servicing boilers he’s a keen gardener and is known in the village for his immaculate allotment. He’s also trained in martial arts having done Taekwondo for 17 years as well as other martial arts. To contact Adrian ring him on 07712 771105.
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W I L L’ S W A L K
Oakham canal Thanks to a lot of hard working volunteers we have a new area for quiet walking and enjoying nature. By Will Hetherington
Images: Will Hetherington
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Will’s Walk
Difficulty rating The route
‘Oakham has a canal - where?’ That has been the usual response when I have mentioned it to people over the past few months. And to be honest I didn’t really know either until I saw on Facebook the great work being done by the Oakham Canal Green Corridor Project (you see social media can be used in a positive manner). So what’s the answer? Well, the old canal went from Oakham town centre to Melton Mowbray, but the section for this walk is to the north of the bypass and runs between the railway line to the west and the road to Ashwell to the east. A committed group of volunteers have been putting in plenty of hard labour over the past few months resurfacing the footpaths, rebuilding steps and installing new bridges. The funds are coming from a registered ACTIVE INFO charity and it’s wonderful to see Paul Dadford is a local man who first started to think the regeneration of what was a about improving the pathways tired area, almost completely around the canal eight years ago unfit for walking. and the charity has now been There are a number of access running for just over 18 months: points into the walking area, and www.oakhamcanal.org you can just start from the centre of Oakham, but that involves an unedifying and labyrinthine route through the housing estates, so I parked in the good-sized layby just east of the railway crossing on Burley Road, which gives access to the canal halfway along the renovated section. You can also park in the layby next to Kimball Close at the northern end of the canal (or potentially even in the Enterprise Park). Thanks to the new permissive path along the western side of the canal it’s now possible to do a very pleasant loop of this wildlife haven, which is also used by the Oakham Angling Society. From the layby by the railway crossing I took the permissive path north through the woods along the west side of the canal to the layby at Kimball Close. I then dropped down on to the brand new path along the eastern side. This heads south, crossing Burley Road along the way, and after about half a mile there is a wooden bridge on the right, which leads back to the western side and into the woods. Alternatively you can walk on from here into the fields north of the bypass. The team, led by Paul Dadford, have done There is a calming a tremendous job with the walkway and atmosphere about the canal there is abundant birdlife down in this and its surroundings, which peaceful oasis. It’s worth a visit any time. has only been enhanced by the significant work that has been done recently.
April 2022/ the activemag.com 39
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Will’s Walks
START/ FINISH
The path leading to Oakham.
Essential information ©Crown copyright 2022 Ordnance Survey. Media 023/22
WHERE TO PARK In the layby just to the east of the railway crossing on Burley Road, in the layby next to Kimball Close at the northern end, or in the Enterprise Park. DISTANCE AND TIME The shortest loop is just over one mile but if you venture further south to Oakham it can be longer if you wish. Or if you start in Oakham and walk out, doing the full loop it’s about four miles. HIGHLIGHTS Lovely new footpaths, birdlife and a sense of calm. LOWLIGHTS It might not be the best one for the dogs around the canal. REFRESHMENTS The Wheatsheaf in Langham or take your pick in Oakham. DIFFICULTY RATING One paw. It’s a flat path next to a canal. THE POOCH PERSPECTIVE Dogs are not allowed in the canal and it’s pretty limited for them. For your own safety and navigation make sure you have an OS map with you when you go out walking. You won’t regret it.
The pathway along the eastern side of the canal has been dramatically improved by the volunteers.
April 2022/ the activemag.com
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W I L L’ S W A L K
Whissendine
This walk explores the farmland and quiet country lanes to the north of Whissendine. By Will Hetherington
Images: Will Hetherington
Whissendine is surrounded by good walking routes.
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Will’s Walk
Difficulty rating The route
Park somewhere convenient in Whissendine and make your way to Stapleford Road which heads north out of the village. After the last farm buildings on the right you will see the footpath sign and gateway. Go through the first two pastures and you will come to an arable field where the path goes straight across. Depending on the time of year it may be easier and less damaging to the crop to walk around the field on the newly resurfaced path to the left. Either way you will come to the corner of this field and move into the next one before almost immediately doing a sharp left/right to keep you on the well maintained farm road with the hedge now on your right. Head downhill and stay on the farm road, turning 90 degrees left at the bottom and then gradually climbing to the next field margin and a 0 degree right turn. After one more sharp left turn you will come to Holygate Farm, which is part of the Stapleford Estate. Follow the waymarkers to walk around the eastern side of Holygate and then walk along the hedge to Holygate Road and the Keeper’s Cottage. Turn right here and walk down the road before taking the next right turn signposted to Whissendine and Teigh. Stay on this peaceful road for the next kilometre until it bends round to the right and you see a couple of houses on the left. Take the right turn here on to Station Road and ACTIVE INFO past the Rutland sign to head back According to the 2011 census towards Whissendine. Whissendine had the sixth largest population in the whole It’s nearly a mile on the road from of Rutland with 1,273 people. here, passing Pears Lodge Farm on the Behind Oakham, Uppingham, right and with views of Whissendine Ketton, Ryhall and Church ahead, before you will see the Langham. footpath sign on the right to walk the last stretch into the village over the fields. When you reach Whissendine Brook just north of the village you can either turn right and head straight back to Stapleford Road, go straight on to the White Lion Inn or turn left for a footpath to the church. It doesn’t really matter because it’s definitely worth a wander around Whissendine.
These country lanes are as quiet as they come.
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Will’s Walks A lot of the farmland roads here have just been resurfaced which makes this a great wet weather option.
Essential information WHERE TO PARK Anywhere convenient in Whissendine. Or near the pub if that’s where you intend to finish. DISTANCE AND TIME Four and a half miles/an hour and a half. HIGHLIGHTS This is an excellent option for mud avoidance because most of the way is either on recently resurfaced farm tracks or quiet country lanes. Whissendine is an interesting village and the area around Stapleford Park has manicured grandeur.
©Crown copyright 2022 Ordnance Survey. Media 023/22
LOWLIGHTS There’s a bit of a lack of charm on the way round but that’s the price you pay for dry underfoot conditions. REFRESHMENTS The White Lion Inn in Whissendine.
START/ FINISH
DIFFICULTY RATING Two paws. It’s easy underfoot but still a decent walk with a few undulations. THE POOCH PERSPECTIVE I didn’t see a lot of livestock out but almost half the walk is on the road. Whissendine Brook makes a good bathing spot on the way back into the village. For your own safety and navigation make sure you have an OS map with you when you go out walking. You won’t regret it.
April 2022 / the activemag.com 45
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Supporting Athletes The relationship between athlete (even amateurs) and physiotherapist is a close one, Sarah Babbs explains
H
AVING SPENT THE morning handing out water and jelly babies to the brilliant runners taking part in the Stamford Strider’s Valentine’s 0k race, I have been re ecting on the role that support sta play in sport. With both the Six Nations and the Winter Olympics happening as I write, a lot will be seen of the physiotherapists, psychologists, water carriers, strength and conditioning coaches and other support sta . At the centre of them all is the athlete or player, supported by all around them. For the 2020 Olympics, 52 physiotherapists were taken by Team GB to Tokyo. Of these, 40 were involved in a particular sporting discipline so would be working with the competitors both in and out of competition. The remaining 12 work within sport and general physiotherapy and at the Olympics were looking after the athletes who did not have their own physiotherapist as well as the
other non athlete members of the team. Interestingly a third of all physiotherapy treatment in the Olympic village in London 2012 was for non athletes. From elite athletes to those playing for local teams or clubs, most of the work is done before competition so that the athlete is already confident and familiar with routines. This may even include taking familiar bedding with them to allow restful sleep, a key component of training and performance. An important study with adolescent athletes showed that those having less than eight hours sleep a night were 1.7 times more likely to be injured than those sleeping more or e ual to eight hours. The athlete will have worked with the physiotherapist on injury prevention, using strength, balance, exibility training as well as the more mental resilience work. This may be the most important element in training, the ability to have a positive outlook
regardless of the circumstances in which they find themselves. This might be supported by a sports psychologist if working at elite level. If there has been injury then working with tissue repair, controlling in ammation throughout the injury, monitoring and improving healing and progressing rehabilitation are key. This may be done with relative rest or sometimes in acute injury, bracing and taking the weight o a limb may be re uired. This can be very frustrating so having support to look at the longer term goals is important. It is vital to keep the athlete focused and engaged. Even for the most amateur runner, being told you can’t run due to injury can be challenging, so the physiotherapist will do their utmost to keep the athlete as active as possible. Using progressive exercise for reloading a limb is vital. eeping up not only local work around an injured joint but using what is known as the kinetic chain is important in injury recovery and prevention. This means loading through the whole of the body to spread the forces involved. or instance if someone has a recurrent shoulder problem when serving in tennis, it may be that the player has poor strength and balance in the leg. Each time they try to serve, the forces are too high in the shoulder because the leg is not taking the load correctly. Working on this will often mean that the shoulder becomes injury free. Coming back too soon from an injury can have a damaging e ect on performance both in the short and long term. A recent study showed that returning to contact sport earlier than nine months after an Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) repair has a big risk of re injury which is very di cult to hear for a keen football player. This is when education and both physical and mental support are vital. Often the later return to performance will be managed by a Strength and Conditioning Coach following the physiotherapist’s role. Ultimately the relationship and understanding between coach, therapist and athlete are probably the most important things in their ability to perform at the top of their game. To contact Sarah ring 07780 900201.
April 2020 / theactivemag.com
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Veins away Varicose veins affect both men and women. Gary Trickett advises ways to keep them at bay
A
N ESTIMATED ONE in four of us has varicose veins. They can be extremely painful, especially if you spend a lot of time standing. And if left untreated, can lead to skin damage, specifically red and brown skin near the ankles, venous ec ema, leg ulcers and phlebitis, which is clotting in the vein. So what are varicose veins? The word ‘varicose’ comes from the Latin for ‘dilated.’ Varicose veins are literally veins that are permanently dilated. They occur mainly in the lower extremities because of the greater pressure exerted on them. Muscles in the foot, calf and thigh act as pumps to push blood from the foot to the heart. Valves in the vein close like gates if blood tries to run in the wrong direction. But if these valves fail to work properly blood is forced to ow back down the leg causing superficial veins under the skin to bulge. In e ect, the varicose veins you see in your legs are due to blood damming up in superficial veins and their branches. Why these veins fail is not completely understood but it may be due to a weakness in the valve itself or in the vein wall. Many people think of varicose veins as being a female a iction.’ regnancy can be a contributing factor but many men are a ected too, especially those with jobs that require them to spend hours at a time on their feet, or sat behind a desk. In addition to the veins themselves, legs can often feel tired and heavy and may be prone to swelling and cramping. In severe cases surgery is the sensible option, but if you take care of your legs before they get to such a serious stage, then less drastic treatments can help. Although probably not the look you’re going for, support stockings can help. They work by exerting more pressure near the ankles and feet, providing an extra s uee e that promotes blood ow. Avoid standing for prolonged periods and if you do have to stand for a while, make a point of changing your position, shifting from one leg to the other. Try some leg exercises or wiggle your toes now and again
So what are varicose veins? The word ‘varicose’ comes from the Latin for ‘dilated.’ Varicose veins are literally veins that are permanently dilated. to help support your circulation, and give heels a miss – low heeled shoes or ats work your calf muscles harder which is better for your veins. Maintaining a healthy weight will help to take the pressure o your veins and regular exercise will help to get your blood pumping and support your circulation. Obesity is a major contributor to the condition so following a nutrient-rich diet as well as getting plenty of exercise should go a long way towards keeping you fit and healthy. Avoid in ammatory foods wherever possible. oods that are high in refined sugars, ca eine or alcohol are likely to stimulate an in ammatory reaction in your body which is bad news. When your body initiates a rush of in ammatory chemicals it can cause your blood vessels to dilate so the chemicals can travel faster around your body. Instead, try to focus on a more antiin ammatory diet. Make sure you are getting plenty of fibre as constipation can
make you more vulnerable to varicose veins. Eat plenty of fruit and veg and drink plenty of water to keep things moving. Certain herbs and spices are brilliant for tackling in ammation, with cinnamon, garlic, turmeric and cayenne pepper being excellent for supporting a healthy circulation. Apple cider vinegar is another natural remedy that’s great for varicose veins as it’s known to help increase your blood ow. ou can take a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar every day or you could stir a teaspoon into a glass of water to make it more palatable. As far as herbal remedies are concerned, horse chestnut is probably the most popular herb used to help with varicose veins. It is the seeds of the horse chestnut tree which are used medicinally which are, of course, conkers. Try A Vogel’s Venaforce Horse Chestnut tablets. To help reduce heavy legs and swelling elevate your legs above the level of your heart for about 10 minutes each day. A simple way of doing this is by lying down and resting your legs on a stack of pillows. ou could also try rubbing Venagel Horse Chestnut Gel into tired legs. With extract of fresh horse chestnut, it helps to cool and soothe tired, heavy or aching legs. Smooth upwards and massage into legs. For further information, visit Gary and his team at The Health Store, West Bridgford or call 0115 9814080.
April 2022 / theactivemag.com 49
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Yogatastic Marcus Parr from Stamford Yoga tells us how he went from riding horses to doing the downward dog
I
HAD STRUGGLED with self confidence and panic attacks throughout my teens and twenties so tried to help myself through self help books. This led me to study many subjects such as psychology and stress management in which I gained some ualifications. I was also constantly trying to lose weight and had tried many ways. One day back in the 90s when I was 27 I came across a yoga video that explained that as well as helping to lose weight, yoga could help tone muscles, improve exibility, improve strength, improve digestion, delay signs of ageing, calm the mind, aid concentration and generally fine tune all the systems of the body. This intrigued me, I tried the video and I was hooked. It encompassed all that I had been seeking. I found yoga varied in its postures and approaches. It was this variety that kept boredom at bay when it came to exercise. I quickly lost a lot of weight, felt a great sense of good health and well-being, was rarely ill and used my breathing to calm my mind. My panic attacks stopped and became a thing of the past. I am in my 2nd year now and still feel the benefits. At the time I was competing horses in eventing but found it a struggle to earn a decent living, horses cost so much! So I decided to train in what I had fallen in love with, yoga, and try to make a career out of it. My first yoga ualifications were in 2000 via The British School Of
Yoga and then I started teaching in a small studio at my parents’ property in Castor. I started to get a lot of private clients many of whom had various health issues such as back, hip and knee problems, cancer, exhaustion, stress etc etc. I learnt a lot in the early years dealing with and adapting classes to suit all needs and abilities. In 2004 I studied with international teacher and author AnneMarie Newland, founder of Sun Power Yoga. This was an intense course and I learnt so much particularly about correct alignment and injury prevention in yoga classes. The course required discipline and I don’t think I have written so many essays in my life! It was life changing though. I was awarded a Level 2 certificate, the highest at that time. My new knowledge and confidence catapulted my teaching to a di erent realm and 1 years on I can still remember the course as if it were yesterday. I continued to study with Anne-Marie and had some amazing experiences. I featured in one of her videos, demonstrated with her at The Yoga Show on two occasions and had a teaching segment of my own at the very first show. It was at this show in 2004 that I became a founder member of the Independent Yoga Network. I was invited to join the committee and was in awe of the fact that I was with well know yogis and yoginis whose books I had studied. The network was a way of bringing together yoga teachers on a register
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that honoured their teaching expertise and experience, so that students could find them and also the teachers could network. Life ticked on and I was still competing horses as a hobby as well as teaching yoga. Then in 2014 a couple of clients who I had taught a few years earlier invited me to come and look at a building they had ac uired in central Stamford on Broad Street to see the studio there. I went out of politeness as I was uite happy at my Castor studio. However when I walked into the studio, that was still unfinished, I was struck by the beauty of it and the light that beamed through the windows. I thought maybe I could start a new business there, which I did in 2014. It took a lot of e ort and commitment to set up with the e uipment needed and my credit cards got hammered. I managed to find some lovely sta also excited about this new venture, one of them being egina who is still with me. I thought Stamford would be a great town for a studio as many people are health conscious. It was a steady start and mainly word of mouth that got people to join me. I am a light hearted teacher with uite a sense of humour, and this helped. Students felt more at ease to come into an environment that wasn’t too stu y’ where they didn’t need to be perfect and where we could all honour our abilities and inabilities. So word got round and the business grew and grew. The vibe was, and still is, ama ing. I love seeing the friendships made and the cheerfulness. egular students always welcome newcomers with smiles and o er support which immediately puts them at ease. It’s not forced, it’s just the way the studio is. We have a social side too and often have meals out and other functions. Bollywood dancing nights have been a hit in the past! Covid and lockdowns were a challenge. But with the support of students who didn’t want to see the business crumble I survived.
‘I thought Stamford would be a great town for a studio as many people are health conscious. It was a steady start and mainly word of mouth that got people to join me.’
They supported the business by doing oom classes and pre recorded videos and at times outdoor classes when we were allowed. I was uite overwhelmed by their love. The business emerged from lockdowns with fewer sta members than it originally had and restructuring of the timetable was needed. But things are steadily returning to how they used to be. A few have chosen to stay with oom for their own peace of mind or convenience. Most studio classes on the schedule have a oom option. It’s ama ing that we have had students ooming from Hong ong, Canada, Australia, Spain and rance, plus all over the U . We are open seven days a week with most classes either held in the morning around .1 am or in the evening around . 0pm with a couple of afternoon classes too. At the weekends we have morning classes only, which are very popular. Classes are mostly for all levels and ages with di erent options given where needed. We also have a couple of purely beginner level classes. Lots of themed classes are o ered such as exibility, strength, leaner physi ue, toning the mid section, back health, stress relief, slow ow yoga, power yoga, chair yoga, yoga with the ball, yoga with the bolster etc etc. The rest of the day is used for private tuition classes. A basic group class is 1 . But there are lots of money saving packages that bring the cost right down such as 10 class passes, day unlimited, week unlimited, month unlimited and unlimited memberships. We also have regular workshops so that students can immerse themselves for around three hours on a chosen subject the relaxation one is most popular! oga has many benefits. It could be an hour to oneself to feel less tense and sti to get toned up to ease stress to feel healthier to feel more at one with life. ust one, or all, of those benefits is a great reason to get started, so do come along and join me. www.stamfordyoga.co.uk. info@stamfordyoga.co.uk @stamfordyoga
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ViDeO gAmE iNsPiReD lAsEr tAg fOr kIdS aGeD 8 tO 80 £15 BOOK NOW AT
Active Kids Equestrian success Pupils from Brooke Priory in Oakham have recently enjoyed a successful day at Maidwell Hall showjumping competition held at Moulton College. William went clear jumping an 80cm round and came 6th, Eva won both her classes (55 and 70cm) and Sienna successfully negotiated her 70cm course and gave 80cm a go for the first time. And a great time was had by all!
Oakham are in the dock Year 10 citizenship pupils at Oakham School have recently taken part in a mock magistrates court trial at Oakham Castle to learn about how the justice system works. The mock trials were run by two magistrates who gave the pupils a real life assault case to work with. The trials were the initiative of the High Sheriff of Rutland, David Wood, who was very keen that the Rutland schools learnt more about the judiciary and experienced a court in session at Oakham Castle where courts have been held for over 800 years.
Cross country success Eight Leicester Grammar Junior School pupils enjoyed taking part in the National Prep Schools cross country competition this month. They ran the hilly 2.8km course at Malvern College through all sorts of terrain including boggy areas, and all in a chilly, cold wind.
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Gymnastic successes Brooke Priory’s gymnastics teams have been on the medals podiums recently when they competed at the Rutland Schools competitions. There were a number of notable team and individual performances including orm V team who came second and orms ll, lll and IV who all finished in the top three.
Judo winner Catmose successes Catmose College in Oakham have had a great month with both the badminton and basketball teams winning matches. Year 8 basketball are through to the uarter finals of the Leicestershire knock out games. And year 9 badminton won all their matches, including singles and doubles against Belvoir and Casterton. And that’s not all. The Elite gymnastics team have been competing in the British Schools Gymnastic Association Team Milano National Finals. The three teams all did really well and special congratulations go to the Under 1 mixed team of Harrison, Cecily, Holly and ack who finished in the silver medal position. Well done!
Congratulations to Oakham’s form Vll pupil Amy who has won a gold medal at the British Schools Judo Championships. She has competed at the event for many years achieving a bronze and silver but this year has finished at the top of the podium a fitting end to her time competing for the school.
Tigers family experience LG S pupils really enjoyed their Tigers amily experience recently. Pupils took part in a brilliant training session led by the Leicester coaches and then had a question and answer session with player aco Taute, and then enjoyed the thrilling home derby match of Leicester Tigers v orthampton Saints. A grand day out!
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The cricket season is upon us so Jeremy Smithson-Beswick has got out his crystal ball. Let’s hope he hasn’t cursed the teams he’s tipped before they’ve even started
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HE CRICKET SEASON starts this month and each and every one of our local clubs will be looking forward with expectation and optimism for their campaigns ahead. It seems rather unfair to pick any particular sides out but perhaps the two I’ll be watching most closely and expecting great things of are Oakham and Bourne. Oaks’ recent press conference to kick o the new season, at which two club representatives were present (albeit happily unaware that there was to be one until the only member of the press in attendance thought of it) was inevitably held in The Wheatsheaf and positivity owed almost as
quickly as the beer. Cavalier batsman Cameron Flowers, in spite of being the soberest of those present as he was working behind the bar, saw no reason why they shouldn’t win the Premier. Although this youthful bravado was initially dampened by groundsman and club stalwart Malcolm Rawlings – ‘That’s not realistic and I’ll be happy if we finish in the top half’ on examination even his natural caution proved to be but a thin veneer. Admitting that they should be stronger than for the last campaign (in which they brie y challenged for the top spot anyway) in part because of ex county cricketer ob Taylor’s increased availability for all games
when fit rather than the six he was able to manage last season, Rawlings then mentally scrolled through the rest of the team. Names such as Joe Johnson, Charlie Hurley, Sean Morris came to mind as he warmed to the task until, finally, enthusiasm won out and he conceded that this was arguably the best Oakham side in sixty years. Also present was ex England batsman and one time Lancashire Captain rank Hayes who, having coached some of the side when they were youngsters at Oakham School, also declared himself on the side of optimism. Let’s hope the weight of expectation sits lightly with them. The reason for bullishness at Bourne – who are reigning Lincs remier champions after all is two new signings, Carl Wilson (top left) and Jonathan Cheer (bottom left). Keeper Wilson, who recently stepped down as county captain of Lincs, comes home’ as Bourne put it after a spell at Grantham, and Cheer – possibly the best batsman in the league and a ‘run machine’ according to the club – joins brother Colin in the side from Boston. ivals Market Deeping – mid table last season – and others have also strengthened but it will be a big surprise if Bourne aren’t there or thereabouts in six months time. We’ll aim to bring you news of Stamford, Uppingham, Market Harborough and all the other cricket sides over the coming months.
‘The reason for bullishness at Bourne – who are reigning Lincs Premier champions after all is two new signings, Carl Wilson and Jonathan Cheer.’ 56 April 2022 / theactivemag.com
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It’s fair to say that those cricketers at Market Harborough have been having a tough time of it for the past couple of years, but the town’s football and rugby sides have been thriving. I spoke to MHRUFC’s former Director of Rugby, David Nance, who told me that, after a bad start, they’ve turned things around and are now having a very good season, having won six out of their last seven (with the only loss coming to runaway league leaders Bedford Athletic). A glance at the table will tell you that they’re around the middle, but as Nance pointed out those above them are largely semi professional outfits which they have no desire to become. ‘As we don’t pay players that’s about as high as we could hope for’ as he put it. It’s never only about the first team either, and the overall health of the club as a whole
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is strong with them regularly putting out three adult sides plus colts. He explained that the great social life at the club and the way everyone kept in touch during the pandemic had been important. ‘That was all great for keeping the squads together and keeping the numbers of players up. But the winning is about coaching,’ he said, complimenting coaches Joe Hill and Chris Bale, together with his successor as Director, James Mc ay Mount for their e orts. As for the football club, we reported last month on their impressive winning run. It’s now finally taken them to the top of the table with an incredible points haul for the season so far of 85 from 31 matches. Never one to rest on his laurels, manager Mitch Austin has nevertheless been on a recruitment drive and is delighted to have signed ex-Wolves player
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Gary Mulligan from Corby Town. Austin Tweeted ‘A very good friend of mine and a statement of what sort of players we want at the club. A top player.’ Stamford Daniels continue with their push for promotion and sit six points behind the three co-leaders with seven games to go. They seem to be hitting form at just the right time with successive away victories over one of those leaders, Chasetown and then Bedworth United. In fact they cruised past Chasetown 3-0 which bodes well for the play o s. rominent in both victories was Cosmos Matwasa who I’m tempted to suggest played out of this world, but will resist. Also increasing optimism for those play o s is that manager Graham Drury had strengthened the squad with three signings just after we went to press last month, wide men Rio Molyneaux and Nyle Blake together with centre half Marshall Willock, who has been a long-term target of Drury’s. You may have noticed, Harborough aside, there’s not much about rugby in this month’s column, which I must admit is largely down to self-censorship as things haven’t been going that well to be honest. Oundle remain cemented to the bottom of the Midlands remier and although they have a couple of games in hand I’m very much afraid they look doomed. Things over at Oakham aren’t much better. Next season is their centenary year but it appears increasingly likely we’ll have to do without the Stamford derbies unless…. No, the latter are surely safe (?) but they have lost their last five in a row to make the run-in a slightly nervous one.
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ActiveSport Distance: 49.79km Elevation: 667m Moving time: 2:04
LODDINGTON BELTON-IN-RUTLAND
TUGBY
ALLEXTON
UPPINGHAM
On your bike!
HALLATON
HARRINGWORTH
This month Gary Waterfall tackles some of Rutland’s trickier hills but enjoys some of the finest views. Thirty miles and 2,100 feet of climb. GRETTON GREAT EASTON
MEDBOURNE
CALDECOTT
DRAYTON
S
TART OFF FROM the car park near the Gretton Sports and Social Club. The first 10 miles are steady and undulating, but save some energy, there’s much worse to come as the ride progresses. Cross the river and turn left to Caldecott and then go straight through Great Easton and Drayton before passing Medbourne and into Hallaton where the climbing starts, heading up towards Tugby. Take care crossing the busy A47 and feel free to stop at Café Ventoux which is at the half way point. Head on past Tugby wood but take care at the bottom of the hill where there is a blind bend and loose gravel on the road. Then turn right at the crossroads to Loddington and enjoy a good four miles of downhill after the initial climb leaving the village. Cross the busy Uppingham road and turn left at Allexton. Enjoy
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that easy pedalling until you turn left at 22 miles. Then you can see the hill to Uppingham ahead of you – good luck. Once at the top (stopping to admire the view if need be) ride through Uppingham then turn right to Seaton where it’s downhill all the way to the Welland valley. In Harringworth turn right and hopefully you’ve kept enough energy for the last slog uphill back into Gretton. And then enjoy some refreshments at either The Hatton Arms or the Blue Bell in Gretton, you will have deserved them!
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