Editor and Publisher Mary Bremner mary@theactivemag.com
Deputy editor Kate Maxim kate@theactivemag.com
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Will Hetherington, Jeremy Smithson-Beswick,
Advertisement Sales Director Lisa Chauhan lisa@theactivemag.com
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Cover image Sarah Vivienne
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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 TPL or its affiliates. Disclaimer of Liability. Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the quality and accuracy of the information contained in this publication at the time of going to press, TPL and its affiliates assume no responsibility as to the accuracy or completeness of and, to the extent permitted by law, shall not be liable for any errors or omissions or any loss, damage or expense incurred by reliance on information or any statement contained in this publication. Advertisers are solely responsible for the content of the advertising material which they submit and for ensuring the material complies with applicable laws. TPL and its affiliates are are not responsible for any error, omission or inaccuracy in any advertisement and will not be liable for any damages arising from any use of products or services or any action or omissions taken in reliance on information or any statement contained in advertising material. Inclusion of any advertisement is not intended to endorse any view expressed, nor products or services offered nor the organisations sponsoring the advertisement.
WELL I HAVE been living vicariously this month and having the time of my life. I’ve moved myself into beautiful Kelmarsh Hall in Northamptonshire and found out all about life as a superyacht captain. The world really is your oyster if you own one of these yachts and you can even have your own helicopter (and pilot) along with a submarine on board at your beck and call. And if you can’t quite run to owning one, you can charter one for a few weeks. Then I’ve been able to decorate both superyacht and Kelmarsh with beautiful floral designs from Stamford-based Georgia Joy florist. And after all that high living when I managed to put my back out I’ve learnt about the success story of Rutland-based MBST UK and their magnetic therapy. I’ve had an interesting month!
Will has had a busy, interesting month too heading out on a pilgrimage with some friends that can be walked in one day and is close to home, St Morrell’s Round. It sounds a very pretty route and he chose the perfect day for it.
Talking of perfect days, let’s hope the snow – pretty as it was –has given up the ghost for this winter. Easter is here so it’s time for sunny, warm days and spring. And that means getting in the garden. Tessa from Welland Vale Nursery has some great advice this month, as does garden designer TJ who makes suggestions for what to do to a new-build garden. With all that expert advice every month we are going to have fabulous gardens this year – as long as we follow it.
Enjoy the issue and now my feet have had to touch the ground again I am going to go and make the delicious chocolate tiffin recipe to cheer myself up.
Mary - Editor‘You can even have your own helicopter (and pilot) along with a submarine on board.’
Long-lasting and sustainable results without the need for medication or surgery.
HOW IT WORKS: MBST stimulates the body’s natural healing processes, treating the cause of your condition with zero side effects.
The multi-award-winning technology is the only non-invasive medical device to work at a cellular level and is proven to treat sports injuries, Osteoarthritis, back pain and much more. The pioneering technology uses Magnetic Resonance Therapy to stimulate damaged and degenerated cells into regrowth, triggering the body’s natural healing processes.
Long-term pain relief & improved mobility
30 MAGICAL MBST
33 COMPETITION!
34 WILL’S WALKS
Stunning Kelmarsh Hall. Meet an award winning florist.
Competition: Win a pair of tickets to Classic Ibiza at Burghley House. MBST UK Ltd, a great success story. Will goes on a pilgrimage. Easter egg tiffi n anyone?
Just over twelve years ago Kathryn Clarke had a life changing road traffic collision which unfortunately altered her life forever. But her fighting spirit lived on and she set up the Kathryn Clarke Foundation to help and support people who suffered from similar trauma.
To raise money for the Foundation Kathryn, along with Oundle Fitness Gym have got together to run a spinning session on Good Friday, April 7 to cover 398 miles which is the distance from Oundle to Belfast (her past and her present). Anyone can join in and all are welcome to help Kathryn and her team.
Kathryn chose the spinning event because fitness has helped with her mobility and mental health. After spending 15 months in a coma and being declared quadriplegic she can now walk slowly. The more people who join Kathryn, the less distance you will need to cover. www.kathrynclarkefoundation.net
https://gofund.me/ec8d78d4
Earlier this year, a team of Cambridgeshire-based Woodgreen staff took on the challenge of a lifetime, to climb Mount Kilimanjaro. The team of four - Chris Bennett (community support manager), George Burton (foster home care co-ordinator), Natalie Powdrill-Wells (research officer), and Chris Rae (offsite pet care manager) set off to Tanzania in early January.
Scaling the highest single free-standing mountain above sea level in the world is no easy feat, but the Woodgreen team was determined. After weeks of gruelling preparation and acclimatisation, they set off on their ascent. Over the course of several days, the team braved high altitudes, freezing temperatures and treacherous terrain and reached the summit where they proudly waved the Woodgreen logo to mark the occasion.
The climb was about more than personal achievement though, it was also a fundraising effort in support of Woodgreen Pets Charity. Thanks to the team’s dedication and the generosity of 356 individual supporters, they managed to raise an incredible £40,730. This money will go towards providing much-needed support and care for pets and their owners across the UK. www.woodgreen.org.uk
Rumble Live Action Gaming are opening a new site at Rutland Water this month. The award-winning family attraction will be set in stunning woodland overlooking the reservoir just a few minutes’ walk from Sykes Lane Car Park.
Rumble is a unique experience that recreates popular video games in a beautiful real-life setting, using cutting edge technology throughout the one-hour sessions. Think outdoor lasertag, but on a whole new level! Players are at the heart of the action, scavenging weapon upgrades and medic packs, earning killstreaks and completing intricate missions, and it’s fun!
The family-run attraction first opened in July 2019 at Grafham Water in Cambridgeshire and has since won multiple awards including the Laser Tag Experience of the Year 2022/23 award (Prestige Award) and Best Adrenaline Activity in Cambridgeshire (Eastlife 2022).
Rumble has proven popular for families, groups of friends, birthday parties, school trips, scouts, corporate team building activities and sports clubs as well as the Active team.
A session at Rumble costs £18 per player and lasts one hour. For information visit www.rumblelive.co.uk or phone 01480 592135 or email ask@rumblelive.co.uk
Kelmarsh Hall, the historic gardens and woodland walks are open to visitors from April - September 2023 on set days of the week
Sweet Peas' Tearoom are open in the stableyard at Kelmarsh, serving lunch, hot drinks and sweet treats.
For opening dates, times and prices, please see the website www.kelmarsh.com
I’m a jeweller and goldsmith, specialising in bespoke fine jewellery, remodelling and commissions, all from my onsite workshop in picturesque Market Harborough.
• Wedding and engagements rings
• Certifed mined and lab grown diamonds
• Repairs and alterations
• Ring resizing and rhodium plating
Kelmarsh, Northants, NN6 9LY enquiries@kelmarsh.com - 01604686543 01858
Spring means the National Garden Scheme is back and many local gardens are open for you to enjoy. It’s best to visit their website for more details but one for the diary is Westbrooke House in Little Bowden on April 30. To fi nd out more visit www.ngs.org
Berryfields will be setting up their stunning lakeside wedding field and hosting a wedding open day on April 30 from 10-3pm. You will be able to see their marquee and the venue dressed by a selection of their recommended suppliers. Located on the border of East Northamptonshire and Cambridgeshire, it’s a great location, with easy access to the A1/A47 and Peterborough. Visit www.berryfi eldsweddings.co.uk for more information.
Stamford model railway club will be holding its annual show at Stamford’s Welland Academy on May 13-14. It’s the largest model railway show in East Anglia and is defi nitely worth a visit. Tickets are available on the door.
Sunday April 23 is Britain’s only single day international cycle road race and it’s held in Rutland, the Rutland-Melton International CiCLE classic cycle race. The course, which is just short of 200km will be contested by 33 teams who will complete it in about 4½ hours. The race starts at 11am in the centre of Oakham and you can watch the route at many different points along the way including Owstron which is a favourite spot.
Four exhibition halls with 25 layouts and 15 traders
LEARNING ZONE with demonstrations and hands on workshops
FREE PARKING
FULL DISABLED ACCESS
RIDE ON STEAM RIDES for all the Family (additional charge)
REFRESHMENTS
FREE HOURLY BUS SERVICE from Stamford Railway and Bus Stations (Sat only)
QuizTrail
IceCreams
CraftBarn
ClassicCars
Facepainting
BookStall
BBQ
The Pickled Shop at Bulwick is running art on the terrace workshops throughout the summer starting with brush pen calligraphy with Kelly Sutton on April 12 and macrame dream catchers on April 27. Both classes are £75 and run from 10.30-3.30pm to include all materials and a delicious lunch. To book and fi nd out more visit www.bulwickvillageshop.com or ring 01780 450774.
DogShow(Sunday)
TraditionalGames
Flypast
FarmMachinery
MiniatureSteamTrain
WellyWanging
BouncyCastles
WhiteElephant
Tombolas
Alpacas
Admission£5percar, includingparking&quizsheet Quizsheetonly£2.50
emai a l: email: scar a ecrows@uffi f ngton org g uk u scarecrows@uffington.org.uk
uffingtonlincs www.uffington.org.uk
UffngtonLincs
Uffi ngton scarecrow festival takes place on April 30 and Monday May 1. As well as the village being full of scarecrows there’s a craft barn, refreshments, dog show, kids’ entertainment and so much more. www.uffi ngton.org.uk
Monthly jazz jam sessions take place at The Theatre Lounge in Broad Street, Stamford run by Jay Stebb who plays in the Top Banana Band and The Rutland Big Band which we featured last month. Each month, local musicians and singers are encouraged to come along and perform with the professional house band which consists of keyboards, drums and bass, as well as Jay on saxophone. Interest has really grown and there’s always an enthusiastic audience. The sessions are on the last Sunday of the month from 6-9pm; anyone can join in. There are no rehearsals and everything is ad-libbed as jam sessions should be. Entry is free and the next date is Sunday April 30.
Deene Park and gardens will be open over the Easter weekend, April 9-10, and hosting an Easter egg trail too. Look out for the Easter Bunny as well as storytellers and bubble displays. The gardens open at 1pm and the house at 2pm. www.deenepark.com
It’s Easter, so that means chocolate and chocolate eggs. In some households (not mine) this could mean there are eggs left over so use them for this tiffin recipe.
• 500g mixed chocolate including Easter eggs, roughly broken up
• 100g butter
• 30g golden syrup
• 130g digestive (or similar) biscuits, roughly mashed
• 20g cocoa powder
• 50g chopped, roasted and salted almonds
• 50g raisins
• Melt 100g of the chocolate and the butter in a bowl either in the microwave or over a pan of gently simmering water but make sure the bowl doesn’t touch the water. Remove from the heat.
• Stir the golden syrup and cocoa powder into the chocolate mix. Then add the broken biscuits, almonds and raisins and stir until covered with the chocolate mix.
• Pour into a well lined (make sure there’s an overhang) cake tin or dish and level out. Melt the remaining chocolate and then pour over the mix to fully cover it. If you have leftover mini eggs use to decorate now. Pop it in the fridge and chill for at least two hours (be patient). Remove from tray using the edges of the lining paper and then chop into 18 pieces.
• This will keep in the fridge for up to five days – if it lasts that long.
Wild garlic is a cook’s favourite, Rowan Griffiths tells us about it
RAMSONS OR WILD garlic (allium ursinum) is one of the first greens to appear in the early spring. Common throughout the UK, except in the very north of Scotland, it particularly enjoys damp soil and full shade, so is commonly found under hedgerows and in wooded areas. Indeed, wild garlic is an ancientwoodland-indicator plant, signifying a relatively undisturbed and aged habitat, rich in a wide variety of flora and fauna.
Wild garlic is a medium-sized bulbous perennial with a strong garlicky smell. The leaves are long, lance shaped (lanceolate) and smooth edged and exude the pungent garlic aroma. Ramsons appears in clumps in March and April and produce a six petalled star shaped flower in a cluster of up to 25 blooms. The flowering heralds the end of the plant’s season and soon after these blooms begin to fade the leaves will also wither and die back. The bulbs themselves are long and slender, unlike the fat heads of the cultivated garlic we buy.
All parts of the plant are edible but it is mainly the leaves that are harvested by the forager and although the smell is strong, the flavour is mild. The leaves are mostly used in salads, omelettes and soups. The plant is superficially similar in appearance to Lily of the valley, which is poisonous. However the latter lacks the garlicky pong and has bell shaped rather than starlike flowers.
The plant is valuable for wildlife, being one of the earliest to emerge and flower in the spring, so an important food source for bees and other pollinators. The roots are also a favourite of wild boar and muntjac deer. Cattle too are fond of wild garlic (hence the colloquial name in the title) and there are stories of farmers having their milk rejected at the dairy because of a garlic taint.
Our garden might be lovely, but the outlook can leave a lot to be desired. Tessa Burns offers solutions
BY INTRODUCING DIFFERENT heights of planting in our garden we can tackle the problem of masking overlooking neighbours’ windows or ugly views. But planting trees or tall leylandii in front of the problem is unnecessary; we can be much more subtle than that.
A specimen tree selected for shape, decorative bark, autumn colour or spring blossom, or a multi stem silver birch is a good starting point. It doesn’t have to be evergreen, the winter branch structure still breaks up the unwanted view. Then the next level would be a mixture of evergreen and deciduous shrubs. And in front of these would be smaller shrubs, conifers and herbaceous perennials. Choose plants for your particular soil type and sun position and consider if the spot is exposed to winds or sheltered.
A winding path with maybe an arch leading to a focal point such as a statue, water feature or obelisk would also draw attention away from the unwanted view. Statues can be found in most garden centres - both traditional and modern - or at garden reclaim centres. Or create your own design for a local metal worker to make. Concrete reinforcing rods, for example, can be twisted into pleasing organic shapes. Water features vary in size and design to suit all pockets and it’s hard to beat the enticing and restful sound of running water in a garden. It also
encourages birds and insects into your space.
To add more privacy to your patio, consider ornamental metal screens positioned in a staggered fashion amongst low colourful planting. Build a pergola over your patio but angle the timbers like louvred blinds to offer light shade whilst blocking the view from neighbouring windows. Screens don’t have to be solid, try to keep your ideas light. Plants such as verbena bonariensis, grasses or bamboos will break the view and add movement without weight.
Planting doesn’t need to be positioned right up against the offending view. Sit out on your patio and check sight lines. Draw an imaginary line from eye level to the eyesore. An island bed with attractive shrubs will foreshorten the space and can be just as effective. Consider constructing raised beds at varying levels to add height to a flat site. This could also help to break up areas using specimen plants in strategic positions. Before long there will be so much to catch the eye in your garden you will forget about the original problem.
April means the arrival of swallows, swifts, martins and cuckoos. Native birds are busy nesting and still need plenty of food. Choose a special mix such as ‘Nesting and Fledgling’ which contains extra sources of energy and your garden will remain a favourite pit stop for the local bird life.
ww w.wellandvale.co.uk
Where do you start with a new-build garden which has nothing in it? Garden designer TJ Kennedy tells us
EVEN IF YOU do not have a new-build garden there are still design elements that are relevant to all spaces. But for the very many that do get in touch to say: ‘I have absolutely nothing except a tiny bit of lawn and three sides of fence panel,’ this article is to offer ideas about what do with that blank space.
First, I think it’s important to stress that the size of your garden is never going to stop you having a beautiful space. Design is just as important in a small space as it is over acres of landscape. Design is about making a place. So do not be disappointed if you are restricted by lack of space, you can still have a garden to love.
The biggest problem in a new-build garden is the starkness of the boundaries. You look out of the kitchen window or lounge doors and just see fence panels. They are tall, flat, linear and one colour. The combination of these stark features can sap the beauty of being outdoors. So the most important aim is
to deter your vision from looking at these. There are ways to do this.
If you aren’t particularly overlooked then you will have a big sky above you. This is an ever-changing view; dark and moody, bright and reflective, cloudy, rainy, windy. Do not underestimate the potential of using the sky-scape.
If you lift the eye up to have the sky as a backdrop then you will completely change the light and colour that you are viewing your garden from. Think bringing in height to do this (tree, structure, sculpture) and then consider the view from where you place a seating area and a lounger. Remember you are looking from a different level once you are sitting down so spend a lot of time sitting down at the design stage!
You can balance the height of the boundaries – which is more important the smaller the space – by lifting your planting from ground level. This will create layers between the lawn and fence top. Why are
layers important? They create space, your eye has more to look at as it’s busy with the changes in height, capturing the detail at all those different levels. The eye is being pulled up to look at the sky, and by doing all of this the focus is diverted away from your boundaries and fences.
Shaping and planting offers plenty of opportunity to enrich the views. Really, really avoid defining your boundaries by running borders along the bottom of them. This accentuates the boundary rather than moving the eye away from it. Instead consider angles, sight-lines towards a focal point, curves and circles.
These design considerations will detract from the straight lines and will instead create interest. Once you have these shapes in place then the planting continues the effect. You want to balance the seasons, highlighting the parts of the garden when they are at their best and making sure there is always something new coming along. Textures, scale and pattern become really important when it comes to creative planting. It’s hard work initially to create a desirable new garden because of the planning, but the right design and plant choices will quickly and effectively create you a happy place to be.
www.tjkennedy.design
WE ARE LUCKY here as we have some fabulous stately homes including the super grand such as Burghley and Rockingham Castle; Elton Hall, Grimsthorpe, Belvoir, Belton, Deene and many, many more; too many to list and each one stunning, steeped in history and hidden secrets. What those walls could tell us! Fabulous as these houses are and however much I enjoy visiting and like them I never actually covet them or want to live there myself.
But Kelmarsh Hall with its fabulous gardens and views is another matter altogether. I would move in there tomorrow; it just feels like home and I’m sure it should be mine; if only…. But time to stop dreaming.
Kelmarsh is mentioned in the Doomsday book as the ‘mannor of Kellmarsh,’ along with quite a large village which suffered during the Black Death. A large Jacobean mansion was at the heart of the estate. It has been owned over the centuries by many wealthy families which is quite unusual, changing hands so often. It appears to have been used in many instances as a hunting lodge and party house. And being five miles south of Market Harborough and 11 from Northampton it sits in the middle of well known hunting country, the Pytchley, so this makes sense. As well as the beautiful house and grounds the estate is made up of 3,500 acres of productive arable land and there are stunning gardens too.
John Hanbury from Worcestershire bought Kelmarsh in 1618 and rejuvenated the estate buying more land and bringing prosperity back to the area. Many generations of this family lived here, one of whom was an extravagant gambler who nearly lost the estate. It was Thomas Hanbury, a barrister (who married extremely well) who pulled the estate round and his son William who knocked down the old Tudor mansion and built the hall in 1732, which is a perfect example of the magnificence of Georgian architecture and is Grade l listed. The architect was James Gibbs who was prominent at the time designing many well known buildings including the Gibb building at King’s in Cambridge and Oxford’s Radcliffe Camera. Money was no object so Kelmarsh was filled with treasures from William ll Grand Tour of Europe. The family also owned another estate in Herefordshire and over the next two generations removed the treasures from Kelmarsh to Shobdon and then left and mortgaged it.
The Naylor family were the next owners buying the mortgaged estate in 1865 for £180,000. They were from Cheshire and their money came from the cotton trade and the family’s bank. Richard Naylor was an avid sportsman with a successful racing stable in Cheshire and the estate was obviously bought for this reason. The first recorded point-to-point in England ran from Kelmarsh in 1829 and was possibly what attracted him. He owned Derby winners and became the Master of the Pytchley. The estate was now a party and sporting house with lots of mentions of them at the time. And talking of parties he added the ballroom so he could entertain more extensively and find husbands for his daughters by introducing them to the local gentry. Quite an accolade to have a ballroom built for you! As well as improving the house he used some of his vast wealth to build a new school and restore the interiors of Kelmarsh and Arthingworth churches. The two daughters sold the house after Richard Naylor’s death in 1899 and soon it would be time for perhaps the hall’s most famous resident to make an appearance.
The final family to own Kelmarsh were the Lancasters from Lancashire and their money had come from plumbing, glazing, coal and iron. George Lancaster had great plans for the estate and established the herd of British White cattle in the park in 1903, descendants of which are still in residence now. The herd is well known but sadly George Lancaster didn’t get to see much of them,
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dying in 1907 aged 54. The estate was left to his nine-year-old son Claude who was not to inherit until his 25th birthday in 1924. The family moved to a smaller house on the estate and the hall was rented out. Once Claude reached 25 he carried on letting the hall out as it needed renovation and work doing on it.
One of the tenants were the Trees, Ronald and his American wife Nancy who were friends of Claude’s. Ronald became the local MP and joint Master of the Pytchley. The couple were very sociable so once again it was a renowned party house and Nancy in particular loved the house. As the hall was on a ten-year repairing lease she set to and used her considerable interior and exterior design skills to transform the hall and bring it back to its glory; to surpass it really as she introduced 20th century luxury including ensuites, central heating and electricity and plumbing that worked, everything an American would expect. It became England’s most luxurious hunting box by being ‘Nancified.’
Their two young sons were taught in what is now the dining room which was converted to a school room. In Nancy’s opinion the dining room was too small for entertaining so she used the ballroom instead. Nancy was a renowned interior designer, known particularly for her country house style and shabby chic. She liked bright colours, hated cold and cluttered rooms and ‘new’ furniture and fabrics. And sofas had to be comfortable. She was the pioneer of upcyling and was known to leave furniture outside in the rain so it aged, used teabags to stain wood and fabric and was more than happy to disguise a shabby piece of furniture with a cushion; she was way ahead of her time introducing techniques and styles which are still used today.
The Tree family wanted to buy Kelmarsh but it wasn’t for sale, so they bought much larger Ditchley Park in Oxfordshire instead, leaving Kelmarsh permanently four years later. It seemed that Nancy did not like it there and wanted to return to Kelmarsh which she did as the new chatelaine, Mrs Lancaster, in 1948 after divorcing Ronald Tree. I think it was the attraction of the house which sealed the deal. This is also when she bought into Colefax and Fowler.
She worked closely with John Fowler and Claude Lancaster (the colonel) to transform Kelmarsh. When visiting, take a close look at the marble fireplaces which aren’t marble. They used a very clever paint feathering style which makes the wood look like marble and was of course much more economical. Every room had Nancy’s three essentials: real candlelight, wood fires and cut flowers. And notice
that the mirrors are placed quite high up to reflect the candle light (not to admire yourself in).
The marriage did not last and Nancy left Kelmarsh for the final time in the mid 1950s but her legacy thankfully remains with many of her colour schemes still there today and preserved for all of us. After her divorce she moved back to Oxfordshire, worked on developing the Colefax and Fowler business and died in 1994 a month before her 93rd birthday. She left a legacy as the ‘doyenne of the country house style.’ When you enter Kelmarsh take note of the Sicilian pink walls in the Great Hall and then look through to the ‘soul of blue’ walls in the Saloon. This misty look is pure Nancy. And enjoy the yellow drawing room.
As well as interiors Nancy was also renowned for the exteriors of houses and worked hard to create the gardens at Kelmarsh, now Grade ll* listed (and stunning), which along with the interior of the house are tantamount to her skill and good taste. She was very much hands on with both.
The colonel was the last male Lancaster to live at Kelmarsh and set up the trust that it is now run by. He decreed that his sister Valencia should live there until she died, which she did, dying in 1997. Valencia appears to have been quite a character and countrywoman. She spent a lot of time developing the British White herd of cattle, first introduced by her father. The cattle are still here today and are now a well known, established breed.
And this brings us right up to date to the 21st century. The estate has been run successfully by the Trust and preserved for us all to enjoy. Nancy’s legacy is thankfully still here for us all to admire and her refurbished bedroom which was opened last year is a must-see; as are the servants’ quarters in the basement which shows how they lived and you can even pull out drawers and interact – a must for the children.
If you like Georgian architecture, fabulously decorated rooms with views and gorgeous gardens you will love Kelmarsh. And if you visit, you might just see me still happily ensconced in front of the fire in the library. I’ll give you a wave!
Kelmarsh Hall is available for weddings and functions and reopens to the public on April 9. The house is open two days a week and the gardens four, as is the tearoom. Check the website for full details www.kelmarsh.com
GEORGIA BREMNER HAS always loved flowers and gardening, and work experience at Flowers by Mandy in Stamford led to a Saturday job which then harboured an ambition to enter the industry.
She left Stamford High School in 2011 and headed to Writtle College, which is part of Essex university, to study for a BA (Hons) in floristry. It’s possibly an unusual route for a florist to take but Georgia wanted to learn about the industry and design as well as the flora and more practical side. She knew there was much more to being a florist than making bouquets. Whilst at uni she did work experience (which again led to a job) with a well-established wedding florist who supplied flowers to venues and brides all over Essex; she learnt a lot. Whilst studying she researched more about sustainability and sourcing flowers and her long-standing interest in British growers and suppliers was born.
After university she returned to Stamford to gain more experience on the retail side but knew the flower industry was huge and wanted to be part of it. The online side of the industry was growing rapidly as were supermarket flowers so Georgia joined that side of the business becoming a floral designer in new product development. And her eyes were opened!
‘The supermarket flowers’ side of the industry is vast, fast moving and very competitive. It’s all about margins, obviously, but also getting flowers to where they need
to be, the numbers correct and making sure that the bouquets designed are popular with the customer. It’s all about logistics and I learnt a lot very quickly!’
I - along with most other people I imagine - had never given much thought to flowers in the supermarkets. You just went in, picked up a bunch and took them to the till to pay for them. But of course, the flowers have to be sourced in vast numbers and everything has to be planned ahead.
We are used to planning ahead on the magazine but supermarkets are a bit like
fashion, designs are done about a year ahead for Mother’s Day, Valentine’s, Christmas etc. So the new product designers have to be right up to date with trends, including colours, packaging and which flowers are popular. And this can be tricky as tastes change quickly.
It is also difficult as obviously flowers are a plant so you can’t just magic them from nowhere, particularly in the quantity supermarkets need. The growers need to be onboard as well and planning ahead with their planting and, of course, it’s weather
dependent to a certain extent. As you can imagine this job is highly pressured with long hours, including working the peaks of Mother’s Day, Valentine’s, Christmas and others, often working nights in the factory supervising the lines and sometimes having to redesign at the last minute if supply is compromised. ‘I love the fast pace and enjoy the pressure; you are literally thinking on your feet at times,’ Georgia says.
Sustainability and air miles have become very important now so many of the flowers are sourced in the UK, or as many as possible, and others are offset to be carbon neutral but that’s another story altogether. Because of her job Georgia is also very aware of new varieties of flowers particularly roses, which probably haven’t come across many florists’ radars yet. And she also knows a lot
about the packaging and where to source both.
As a senior designer Georgia has worked on most supermarket accounts including Sainsbury’s, Waitrose, Tesco, Co-op and now Marks and Spencer. Whilst working on the Sainsbury’s account her design was chosen (picked within the industry from all the other designers) to be given to the Queen to celebrate the supermarket’s centenary. The photo of the Queen carrying the bouquet appeared in most of the national newspapers the following day; that’s certainly one for the CV!
As well as visiting growers in Holland and going to the large trade shows Georgia was also part of the gold medal winning team at Chelsea Flower show in 2021. As part of the Co-op team she helped build their
communities in bloom display, something which took many long days to do ‘but I loved every minute. It’s not often you get such an opportunity and I learnt so much about what goes on in the background in such a prestigious show. And we won a gold medal which was fantastic.’
But now Georgia’s life is taking another turn. ‘I have always wanted to work for myself and it’s always been in the back of my mind to do so. I’ve loved working in the fast-paced world of retail and the supermarkets but it’s time for a change. I have gained lots of experience having started in the industry at 16 in a shop, done a floristry degree, and here I am now 14 years later knowing the industry well. And if I don’t set up on my own now I never will, so the time is right. I want to be able to be more creative and work more closely with individuals rather than large retailers and in a less constrained industry.
‘I’ve always kept my hand in and done the odd wedding and events but now want to concentrate more on this side of the industry. I love working with individuals suggesting designs, themes and flower choices and plan to do this in the events world as well as weddings, workshops, shop fronts, wreath making and special occasions. I will also be available for consultancy work and freelance too. And I am really looking forward to being part of Stamford’s vibrant community of independent businesses. Do get in touch if I can help with your flower requirements.' To contact Georgia go to www.georgiajoy.co.uk Instagram/fb @georgia_florist
'As well as visiting growers in Holland and going to the large trade shows Georgia was also part of the gold medal winning team at Chelsea Flower show in 2021.
IT ALWAYS AMAZES me the number of really interesting people there are in our area, leading fascinating lives completely under the radar. But there are interesting people everywhere! And one such character is Mike Rouse, ex superyacht captain who is living in landlocked Stamford. But you don’t need to live by the sea when you live Mike’s life, you just hop on a plane.
Mike’s dad was in the military and teaching people to sail. Based on the Isle of Wight Mike started ‘messing about on the water’ aged 15 and was taught by his father to sail. ‘I loved the openness of being on the water and the lifestyle. I also really enjoyed meeting the people dad taught who were doing their Yachtmasters qualifications and leading really interesting lives and going places. I decided I wanted some of that too. It was either join the Army like dad or make a living out of sailing. Sailing won.’
He got a job in Southampton working in a boatyard doing refurbs and conversions whilst also taking his sailing qualifications. And then aged 18 he was offered a job as a deckhand on a 50m charter yacht based in Italy. ‘It was a baptism of fire. I was part of a crew of 13 and the youngest by a long way. I learnt a lot, sailing around the Med and the Caribbean and crossing the Atlantic. I spent a year on this boat before being asked to join a different boat as a bosun aged 19. There is a good career path to be had working on yachts and this was my first promotion.’
Fifteen years later Mike was captain of his own yacht and he’d learnt an awful lot on the way. The main one being, of course, how to drive a boat; not just any boat but a superyacht and they need skilful handling. You learn to deal with the customer, be they the owner or a charter guest (they might need careful handling too); how to manage the crew, as well as the day-to-day running, maintenance, planning and everything else that goes with a multi-million pound yacht. Of course it all sounds terribly glamorous but behind the scenes that is not always the case. Obviously, it’s hard work and means a life away from home which can be six months at a time (‘I was away over a year once,’ Mike told me) or back every weekend for a while so it can take its toll on your home life. But, of course, it can be glamorous too. ‘Being picked up from the airport by helicopter was fun.’
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Mike started out as captain on a 34m yacht, moved up to one of 55m when he managed a complete rebuild of it and then moved on to his final boat, a 72m superyacht called Game Changer which had a helicopter (pilot onboard permanently) and a submarine as well as 23 crew on the payroll. In 2019 he went round the world on this boat, taking in seven continents and 47,000 miles ‘because the owner wanted to travel.’ It was the only yacht to circumnavigate South Georgia and even crossed the Drake Passage into Antarctica. ‘It was a privilege.’
Mike is a keen scuba diver and very knowledgeable about diving and loves flyboarding and anything ‘techy’ so attracted younger owners who wanted to be active whilst aboard. ‘And this suited me perfectly.’ He was incredibly lucky as when Covid struck the boat was already in dock in Holland being refurbished. As captain Mike would oversee this work so from March 2020 until December 2020 he was based in the shipyard working on the boat. Many more were not lucky as boats were not allowed to leave ports and many crew lost their jobs.
‘Covid and the lockdowns made many of us, owners included, rethink our lives and it was a game changer for many. A lot of yachts were sold but a lot more were bought as people wanted to travel more, often in less busy spots so for the really rich a superyacht was the answer.’ And the really rich is who they are. To run a boat like the Game Changer costs north of £250,000 a month. But we are talking serious wealth here with a life of private jets, numerous houses around the world, helicopters on yachts and incredibly hard work.
Mike’s life was about to change too as Game Changer was sold (‘a Covid decision’) after its refurb so Mike lost his boat. But the timing was perfect. Mike was ready for a change and was approached by superyacht specialist, West Nautical, which is owned by a friend of his. This company is basically a yacht brokers, a management company buying, selling, running the charters, overseeing compliance and refurbs. Mike was perfect for them as he had done all of these things and had years of experience.
‘It is nice to be able to sleep in my own bed and I wanted a better life balance, being able to catch up with family and meet friends for lunch. I lived in Stamford 15 years ago so came back as I really liked it as there’s plenty going on, but not too much.’ But don’t think Mike’s pace of life has slowed down, far from it. He’s still travelling a lot but is not away for such long spells. I met him when he’d just spent three weeks in Dubai which is now central to the superyacht world.
Mike’s life now revolves around organising refurbs, buying and selling yachts, speaking to captains and sorting out and managing charters, and it’s lived at a fast pace which he loves. We had an interesting chat about Russians, billionaires, geopolitics, sustainability and much more. And, of course, I was dying to ask about some of the owners but NDAs are signed so his lips are sealed. How annoying!
Whilst chatting to Mike we literally organised a charter holiday for me from Mike’s laptop, it took minutes. Prices range from about £40,000 a week to infinity.
I decided I wanted to sail around the Med on a sailing yacht with 10 guests and picked out a very pretty one with three masts. Apparently I have very expensive taste as this one would cost £650,000 a week, and I wanted it for a fortnight minimum. And that’s just for the yacht, you need to add 35% for fuel, dockage, food, consumables and VAT. Needless to say we didn’t confirm it. And if you want a motorised superyacht you are looking at £1.5 million for the week and upwards.
But, if you want an equally nice yacht, but smaller, you can start at £21,000 for a week for 10 people and that is much more doable.
Talk to Mike, he can literally guide you through the whole process and if you want to buy or sell, or even find a job as a crew member; Mike’s your man.
www.westnautical.com
Email mike.rouse@westnautical.com
EVERY MEDICAL BUSINESS strives to improve the lives of its patients, but MBST Medical UK can proudly state they have been able to achieve this as they enter their second decade of growth and expansion.
With more than ten years of proven results, the team has grown to become respected within sports medicine and general practice. Established in 2011 in Rutland by brother and sister Elisabeth and Charles Clare, the business has grown a reputation for patient care, transformative results and pioneering use of medical technology. This has resulted in rapid expansion since 2020 with 13 practices now across the UK.
MBST Medical UK is the UK’s only provider of MBST (molecular biophysical stimulation) devices, a revolutionary, non-invasive treatment for musculoskeletal pain and injuries. This advanced technology uses magnetic resonance (like MRI) to precisely target areas of injury or damage in the body, allowing health professionals to provide tailored treatments that are both safe and effective.
Seeing the difference MBST Medical UK has made to more than 3,500 patients has been hugely rewarding and a driving factor in continuing the business’s growth and expansion as it continues to work with more clinics nationwide during 2023.
To date, more than 30,582 hours of MBST treatment have been administered, which is the equivalent of 1,274.25 days of MBST treatment or 3.49 years of professional and restorative healthcare.
In 2011, MBST Medical UK opened its first clinic, Cell Regeneration in Rutland, which remains its flagship clinic for the UK. After building a solid reputation for its results and use of non-invasive technology, the business grew to incorporate independent clinics that shared the passion and drive for helping patients to heal. As the business began to rapidly expand it rebranded to become MBST Medical UK.
This year the evolution continues with a brand refresh as MBST Medical UK continues to be trusted in musculoskeletal health, gaining traction in the UK’s medical landscape and emerging as an authority on the non-invasive treatment of injury and pain for a variety of conditions.
Expansion continues to be a priority as the team looks to work with more clinics across the UK and to support patients with tailored treatment that can be life-changing. The business already supports patients nationwide but has plans to expand into Ireland, Scotland, Wales and new areas of England as it continues to work with trusted, reputable healthcare professionals across the UK.
As medical technology continues to develop so does MBST Medical UK. MBST is constantly evolving thanks to the ongoing research and development that helps to advance the technology and increase the quality of treatment as well as the number of conditions it treats.
Already in 2023, MBST technology has been welcomed into additional clinics and the team is now working across multiple London sites including Primrose Hill and, most recently, Chelsea’s Six Physio. Elisabeth and Charles have also recently received an award for Best Marketing at the Global MBST Symposium & Awards in Wetzler, Germany in recognition of the company’s efforts to reach as many patients and healthcare professionals as possible.
MBST therapy can be used to treat patients from all walks of life who have been suffering from pain, mobility and injury. Patients range from keen marathon runners with knee and ankle injuries who want to return to training and competition, retired workers struggling with long-term conditions after years in a demanding job, to men and women with osteoarthritis and osteoporosis of varying stages; all
'MBST Medical UK is the UK’s only provider of MBST (molecular biophysical stimulation) devices, a revolutionary, non-invasive treatment for musculoskeletal pain and injuries.'
have been welcomed into clinics where MBST therapy can help. Notable clients include 2020 Olympic athlete and champion boxer Johnny Nelson MBE, who successfully underwent MBST therapy to treat his neck pain, lower back problems, and hand injuries.
Johnny is an enormous advocate for the therapy and has become their first brand ambassador, saying of the appointment: ’I’m over the moon to be MBST Medical UK’s first ambassador. When I first came across MBST, I didn’t believe the results could be possible.
‘I had a crippling back issue and for at least 10 years I was seeing different physios. I tried acupuncture, I tried every single thing going. The next step in my treatment plan was surgery, but I was able to avoid that thanks to the success of the MBST treatment.
‘And the beauty is, anyone can benefit. It’s a fantastic treatment for anyone struggling with injuries or joint or muscle pain. I haven’t had any additional treatment in a year and feel better than ever, it literally changed my life. Hopefully through my role as ambassador we’ll be able to ensure that even more people know about it and benefit like I have.’
It isn’t just boxing talent that the team have worked with and supported in their recovery from injury and joint pain. MBST therapy has been championed by many within sport and has worked with top rugby league clubs, Olympic and professional athletes as well as footballers from every UK league including the Premier League.
One figure who has endorsed the use of
MBST within sports medicine includes ex-England rugby player Jonathan Webb, who is one of the UK’s most respected surgeons specialising in knee surgery and sports medicine. As someone who knows first-hand the impact a sporting injury can have on mobility, fitness and wellbeing in a patient, he has spoken widely about the benefits of treatment to delay the need for a knee replacement and encourage healing and cell restoration.
Another key advocate in sport that MBST Medical UK is proud to stand alongside is former professional football player, Ian Andrews, who champions the magnetic resonance therapy technology as being one of the biggest game changers in sport and physiotherapy. As a result of his endorsement, the demand for MBST technology across the UK has grown rapidly and now physiotherapists, chiropractors and health professionals around the country use it within their own treatment plans.
Football has been one key area where MBST technology has seen increased demand with football clubs across the country keen to use it within their sports conditioning and treatment for players. Working in both preventative and remedial treatment, the impact on players’ mobility and recovery has been hugely welcomed with some cases seeing significant reductions in recovery times, allowing players to return to the pitch more quickly and safer than before. And of course, the treatment is equally successful on the ‘civilian’ too.
www.mbstmedical.co.uk
CLASSIC IBIZA MAKES its much-anticipated return to Burghley House on Saturday 29 July, with its heady blend of Balearic-infused dance music. With the show due to sell out, we’re offering two lucky readers the chance to win a pair of tickets worth £96.
Headlined by the 32-piece Urban Soul Orchestra, who have played with the likes of Groove Armada, Nightmares on Wax and Robert Miles, the family-friendly concert also sees performances from DJ Goldierocks, globally renowned vocalists and former Pacha Ibiza resident, DJ Jose Luis.
That’s over five hours of the very best in stately house music, accompanied by a truly awesome laser and light show! Bring your own picnic and make sure you pack your dancing shoes for an evening of tracks from Faithless, Laurent Garnier, The Chemical Brothers and many more.
Tickets: Adults (over 18s): £48, Children (aged 5–17): £24, Under 5s: free. And once again the family-friendly concert will support East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH) for the third year.
Car-parking is free and there are no booking fees. Local street food vendors and the San Miguel bar are also available on site.
To book tickets or for more information on this spectacular family-friendly concert, visit: www.classicibiza.co.uk
To be in with a chance of winning a pair of tickets to Classic Ibiza, go to www.theactivemag.com/competitions
Closing date is May 1.
WILL’S
Images: Will Hetherington
THE WORD PILGRIMAGE usually conjures up images of weeks of hardship and blisters, while trudging a lonely road to a distant destination. Having walked 550 miles across northern Spain on the Camino de Santiago in 2018 I know plenty about that, but this sparkling new route is not only a lot closer to home, but is also achievable in just one day.
It’s a relatively new development, following the discovery of the St Morrell’s chapel site in 2014, and it had been on my radar for about a year ever since I saw it on Instagram.
The chapel site lies just to the south of charming Hallaton, and in medieval times there was a recognised pilgrimage here. But after Henry VIII and Thomas Cromwell outlawed the concept of pilgrimage the chapel went into disrepair, and ultimately vanished. The idea of pedestrian enlightenment-seekers trudging this terrain had become moribund.
However, scroll forward to 2023 and, even though there is nothing to be seen at the site today, the concept of pilgrimage is very much back on the agenda in this rustic corner of High Leicestershire.
When I contacted Hallaton Museum for some background information they were very helpful and provided the route in an App friendly format. After all there isn’t much leeway for wrong turns on a hilly 18-miler in February. And as the route is so new it is not recognised by waymarkers yet, but all in good time. I know from previous experience some of the terrain here can be quite boggy after wet weather so I was planning on a summer visit. But we had an unusually dry spell in early February and the forecast was set fair, so I brought it forward and was joined by two friends and one labrador on the day.
We set off from the church in Hallaton (not the chapel site) at 8.30am, and within 10 minutes we were passing the old motte and bailey castle to the west of the village. The morning sun was just starting to thaw the icy remains of the night before, and there was an ethereal feel to the scene - a promising start indeed.
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Shepherd Huts - Glamping Northamptonshire
Do you want to enjoy the freedom and companionship of cycling with friends around the quiet roads of Rutland?
This is what Velo Club Rutland is all about. The Club’s primary aim is to promote cycling for leisure for everyone who lives in (or near) Rutland.
Whilst the Club does have its own kit, it’s not necessary to be totally lycra-clad to enjoy a ride with the Club. Any suitable sports clothing will do.
It’s not necessary to spend thousands of pounds on a top-end carbon fbre or titanium machine, any roadworthy bicycle is welcome, including Electric bikes.
If you’re interested in joining Velo Club Rutland, please get in touch.
Via email – veloclubcommittee@gmail.com
The club website - www.veloclubrutland.co.uk
The club Facebook page – Velo Club Rutland (Group)
For anyone who is a bit apprehensive about joining a group ride, the Club can organize a “Cycling Buddy” to ease new riders gently into the sport.
OR just turn up at the start of one of the advertised rides on the Facebook page
We look forward to seeing you….
Romantic Retreat - Lakeside Views - Walking Trails
Our rustic style Shepherd Huts offer a private lakeside retreat, surrounded by beautiful countryside you will feel relaxed as soon as you arrive.
High Leicestershire is defined as a National Character Area by Natural England and, apart from providing plenty of rolling hills and the correlating long reaching views, it is also defined as an area ‘of quiet green lanes linking rural communities and a remote, sometimes empty character.’ That’s a pretty accurate summary of the nature of the region, which is almost split in two by the A47, and it makes for great walking terrain.
As you would expect of a region with the word ‘High’ in the title the route does include a number of climbs, but it’s worth remembering none of them go higher than 200 metres, and there are few points on the circuit below 100 metres. In fact the total elevation gain is 600 metres split over four separate long gradual ascents and plenty of short climbs.
The early climb from the castle area is almost a mile and takes about 25 minutes. It’s a gentle gradient on an extremely quiet country lane, so it’s probably the perfect way to get the first long hill out of the way.
Looking down towards Launde Abbey.
St Michael and All Angels at Loddington.
At that first high point it’s a right turn on to the Midshires Way to head north for two miles into Tugby, where the way crosses the A47 for the first time. The two crossings of the A47 are probably the only two occasions on this wonderful route when the blissfully peaceful bubble is slightly burst for a minute or two. HGVs and speeding Audis can have that effect on us pedestrian travellers.
After the A47 it’s north eastward towards Loddington; one of those impossibly charming villages which appear to have largely evaded the march of time. But just before the village lies one of the striking highlights of this route - St Michael and All Angels church which is nestled beautifully into its woodland setting some 300 metres distant from the village. The reason the church sits apart from the village today is because the original settlement was ravaged by the plague and the remaining villagers rebuilt the new dwellings away from the original site, but the church remained. There’s no better place to enjoy elevenses than basking in the sun on the bench in the churchyard
here, or the stone terrace in front of it. After a sausage roll and hot coffee from the flask we reaped the floral benefits of February walking in the form of the carpet of snowdrops lining the avenue from the church to the village. Honestly - this is one of the finest spots in the region and made the walk worthwhile all on its own.
After Loddington and the subsequent second long climb of the day we joined the road that drops down to majestic Launde Abbey. The Augustine Priory here was seized from the church by Thomas Cromwell, working for King Henry VIII in 1540. When these two pivotal figures in British history put an end to pilgrimages on these shores, 300 years of holy travel to Hallaton and St Morrell’s Chapel came to an end for a few centuries. Therefore the Abbey is a particularly significant point on this journey. Luckily we live in an era when pilgrimage is far from outlawed and this type of walking offers lots of opportunities for analogue reflection, peaceful conversation and good old fashioned exercise in an increasingly digital era. Today Launde Abbey is a Christian retreat and conference centre but is also open to the public and has an excellent café for lunch, although I cannot write from personal experience because we carried our lunch with us. Launde is effectively the halfway point on this route, but with nine miles and two significant climbs to come it would be a mistake to consider the back of it broken at this point. The section immediately after the Abbey which goes along the northern edge of Launde Park Wood could be the toughest underfoot in wet conditions and, even after the unusually dry spell, parts of it were still quite boggy.
The round is inspired by the medieval pilgrimages made to St Morrell’s Chapel on the hillside near Hallaton. Morrell who died in AD 453 was Bishop of Angers in France. He went into self-imposed exile overseas before returning to be beatified for performing the miracle of Renatus, which is shown on a mural in Angers cathedral. Some 800 years later a Norman overlord built a chapel in Hallaton and dedicated it to St Morrell. This is the only church in Britain mentioning Morrell and so it might have been believed that Morrell’s exile was in Hallaton. It’s known that pilgrimages were made here for at least the next 300 years. The chapel was rediscovered in 2014 and work is ongoing to restore the crypt of St Michael’s Church, Hallaton to re-inter the remains found in the chapel.
You can find out more about it through Hallaton Museum’s website: www.hallaton-museum.co.uk
Near the church in Hallaton.
DISTANCE AND TIME
18 miles/it took us six and a half hours but this will depend entirely on your walking pace. It’s quite a challenging route.
HIGHLIGHTS
Launde Abbey, the churches at Loddington, Hallaton and Belton, the motte and bailey castle, the countryside and the sense of achievement.
LOWLIGHTS
If it has been raining there will be mud in some places.
REFRESHMENTS
The café at Launde Abbey, The Fox at Hallaton.
THE POOCH PERSPECTIVE
It’s a good one for the dogs but always be mindful of livestock.
DIFFICULTY RATING
Five paws; a tough day’s walking but worth every step.
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 next settlement on the route is Belton in Rutland, but before you get there you have to walk the one kilometre up the hill road from Leigh Lodge. It’s on tarmac and the gradient is never too steep, but by this point of the day (11 miles) you will feel the strain. We ate our lunch in the church porch in Belton where the sun bathed the right hand bench and the porch protected us weary walkers from the wind.
At the time I suspected my co-walkers had relaxed too early, perhaps thinking the hardest part was done. But from Belton there is still nearly five miles to walk and that includes the toughest hill - from Allexton down to the A47 then all the way up to Fearn Farm, perched remotely on a bleak hillside. And what’s worse, some of this uphill is on a diagonal which somehow is even tougher than straight up.
Suffice to say we all felt like we had done our penance by the time we reached the farm, although the tricky series of gates surrounded by slurry just
after the farm leaves a lot to be desired. Of course we would have laughed if one of us had ended up face first in the muck, but it’s not an easy passage, particularly with a labrador in tow. This section is also part of the very well marked Leicestershire Round and the Macmillan Way and to be honest I would expect better access.
From Fearn Farm it’s downhill for one kilometre to the dismantled railway line, and there is one last short ascent to East Norton Road on the northern edge of Hallaton.
When we got back to the car on Eastgate we offloaded most of our kit and walked the final 500 metres or so to the site of St Morrell’s chapel to the south of the village. There’s an information board on a five bar gate, but other than that there isn’t really anything to see.
However, after 18 miles of glorious countryside, pretty villages, grand churches and an ancient Abbey we were not disappointed. This pilgrimage had definitely been good for the soul.
THE PETERBOROUGH SCHOOL, or TPS as it’s affectionately called, has evolved over the past 128 years and is known to many local families under its various name changes since its founder, Miss Hill, established a High School for girls in 1895. By 1936 the school had moved to its current site, a beautiful Grade II Listed country house off Thorpe Road and been renamed Westwood House. Its name then reverted to Peterborough High School in 1991.
The first headmaster, Adrian Meadows, joined in 2007 and in 2010 made the decision to allow boys into Years 7 and 12 and The Peterborough School was born. Since then, under his leadership, the school has gone from strength to strength with a proud vision of ‘unlocking the potential of each and every child.’
Located within the safety and serenity of a
13-acre leafy campus, but close to road and rail links, babies and pre-school children can progress through the outstanding-rated nursery situated at the bottom of the tree-lined drive, right the way through to the sixth form. TPS provides pupils with a continuous journey of progression and instils ambition. Experienced teachers help each
child to flourish and every pupil has the freedom to thrive. The school has high standards and expectations and offers scholarships in academia, music, sport and the Arts at the key entry points of Year 7 and sixth form. The nursery has recently received planning permission to expand and work is currently underway to provide 24 additional much needed spaces.
Headmaster, Adrian Meadows, is proud that the long-standing traditions of the school remain but that it is also a forwardlooking, progressive place where children continually surprise and delight him.
‘I have seen students winning a national STEM award on the same day that the reception class and pre-school children enjoyed a Teddy Bear’s Picnic on the front lawn. Being amongst children of such a wide age range is fascinating, entertaining and
always interesting but overall, it is incredibly rewarding to be part of such an amazing school and community.’
As the only co-educational independent school in Peterborough, TPS is able to offer small class sizes with personalised learning and wrap-around pastoral care. The gifted and talented programme runs alongside independent learning where children often exceed their initial expectations and go on to achieve top grades at GCSE and A-Level. The 2022 results had a 100% pass rate with most students gaining a place at their first choice of university. The alumni body remain firmly connected to the school community. The Westwoodians’ Association host regular reunions and informal coffee and cake mornings with the sixth form to introduce themselves and share their expertise, or offer work experience placements to the students.
The Peterborough School is part of the Woodard Corporation, the largest collection of Church of England Schools in England and Wales and one of the principal educational charities in the UK. Every spring term, Year 7 pupils are asked to research the founder, Rev Nathaniel Woodard’s achievements and how TPS fits into the diverse family of Woodard schools.
‘I think Woodard’s ideas were good as he believed in developing the whole person and not just teaching them the academic side. This is important as everyone should have self–confidence and self-esteem, but not everyone has this naturally. Before I joined The Peterborough School, I didn’t have confidence when speaking in front of the class, but over the years the teachers have worked on this, and it has made a big difference to me. I am now more confident, which also helps my education as I get involved in group and class discussions, so I learn a lot more than I would have when I first joined.’ Current year 7 pupil.
The school continues to evolve and invest in capital development and has enhanced its sporting facilities, science laboratories, food technology room, art-textiles studio and graphics room. The school champions the
performing arts with a long list of highly talented music teachers who help pupils achieve their potential with regular performance opportunities within the school choir, orchestra, jazz or rock band as well as string ensembles.
The school is close to the magnificent Peterborough Cathedral where pupils regularly perform each term, and take part in external competitions. Head chorister, Megan Wilkinson, who won the 2022 Oundle Young Musician of the Year has recently received a scholarship to study at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire after sitting her A Levels in biology, psychology and philosophy. The TPS community looks
forward to the annual drama show which this year was a modern-day comedy called Arthur King which received fantastic reviews. Previous productions have been The Addams Family, Annie and Oliver! with a large cast from the prep and senior school working together to ensure a standing ovation is guaranteed!
Visit The Peterborough School on their Open Day on Saturday 13 May, 9.30am - 12.30pm.
Register online: www.thepeterboroughschool. co.uk/open-day-may-2023
Or contact the admissions team to arrange an individual visit: 01733 343357
admissions@tpsch.co.uk
As the only co-educational independent school in Peterborough, TPS is able to offer small class sizes with personalised learning and wraparound pastoral care.
A CAST OF talented pupils put on two outstanding performances of Annie Jr recently at Witham Hall’s Stimson Theatre. Audiences enjoyed seeing the result of two terms of hard work from Witham staff and pupils. The cast even included Scampi the cockapoo playing the part of Annie’s dog, Sandy. Congratulations to all the members of the cast and crew for a dazzling show full of entertainment and fun.
Please contact admissions@withamhall.com to arrange a visit.
OAKHAM SCHOOL HAVE been crowned the U18 Schools Cup Champions after a thrilling battle against Trinity School at Twickenham Stadium. This is the fourth time that Oakham has reached the U18 Cup final and the third time they have won the title, the last being in 2003.
Oakham beat the defending champions 31-24, with five magnificent tries and two penalties to secure the victory. Director of Rugby at Oakham School, Andy Rice, said: ‘We’re thrilled with the win. Every credit to the boys and to Trinity for making it such a spectacle.’
Oakham School pupils are in rugby action again next week, competing in the Rosslyn Park National Schools Sevens, where the U18 squad came Runners-Up in 2022.
BROOKE PRIORY IS Rutland’s only independent co-educational preparatory school which welcomes children from age two up to Year 6. They currently have places available for September 2023 entry across all year groups so do get in touch to arrange a visit/ tour.
The school is also hosting a Discovery Morning for the preschool (ages 2-4) on Wednesday June 14. For further information and to pre-register your place for the event go to the website www.brooke.rutland.sch.uk/event/pre-school-open-day/ or email communications@booke.rutland.sch.uk
TWO STAMFORD HIGH School students, Faith Teekasingh and Ellie Rowley have been selected to play cricket with The Blaze emerging player programme. The Blaze is the women’s professional cricket team that represent the East Midlands region, one of eight regional hubs in English domestic women’s cricket. The EPP takes girls through to their academy and eventually into the professional world of cricket.
Cricket at the High School is now very strong with a number of girls playing at some of the major county cricket clubs and 25% of the U13/U15 players at Leicestershire County Cricket Club now come from Stamford School.
The Under 15 girls, including Ellie and Faith, have also got through to the county finals in the ECB Cricket indoor cricket competition.
Physiotherapist Sarah Babbs explains why using the internet for a diagnosis isn’t necessarily the right thing to do
WITH THE ADVENT of better, more intuitive online services, there has been a shift in patient expectations when seeking help for pain, injury and recovery. I recently asked a patient what he understood from the scan results he had received following an ankle injury. He had access to ChatGPT the new artificial intelligence model through which one can check information, converse, even write essays and articles such as this one.
Intrigued, I asked for the results only to find that the information gleaned had been poorly interpreted by the internet tool and an inaccurate diagnosis delivered. The ChatGPT had reported inflammation in the joint, but the joint was healthy, it was the tendons around that were inflamed. This patient is an athlete training for a race and these problems need different management. A joint may need complete rest to prevent long term injury whereas exercise can often continue in the case of tendon problems.
In t he past I have had patients come to see me with a particular problem. We have decided on a plan of management between us only for them to come back still struggling. When trying to resolve this a number have said they had found a YouTube video about, for example, painful shoulders, and had been doing the exercises suggested alongside our agreed plan.
I like the enthusiasm but often this just leads to confusion over what treatment ideas are working well, or are worsening symptoms leading to difficulties planning forward. Also, as the online tutors are not specific it may not be helping. Of course, according to much research in the physiotherapy and rehabilitation world it has been found that all movement is good and no exercise is a bad exercise. But in reality sometimes it really is important to have a structured programme around a specific problem.
When planning a treatment or rehabilitation programme we look at many things. First, we need to understand the patient better including any assumptions they may already have when they come to us. We use the acronym ICE, which means Ideas, Concerns and Expectations. For instance, a patient may come in with shoulder pain. They will already have some idea about what they think the problem is and what needs doing. There may be no signs or symptoms that show any reason for concern from our professional view but if we miss that a relation had a bone cancer which was not discovered until too late, that concern absolutely must be addressed. We may not know that unless we probe gently with questions and if the patient leaves
without it being discussed, they will continue to be anxious. Or a friend may have had similar symptoms and told the patient that it must be, for example, a rotator cuff problem (or Dr Google has been consulted). We need to make sure that if it is not a rotator cuff problem the patient knows that we have looked, checked and have reasons for our own diagnosis.
I was at a conference a few years ago when the speaker put up a slide looking at the ‘hierarchy of trust.’ There was truth in it when it said that the patient may trust first the coach at the gym, then their friend, then google and finally the health professional. These people, and the internet, may be correct but we need to be sure we are singing off the same hymn sheet as the patient. So we have to work hard to make sure we are able to manage ideas, allay concerns and meet and sometimes adjust expectations.
There are obviously good things out there in the internet world. But working together with your physiotherapist, each of you gleaning and sharing all information is the best way forward - and of course, keeping moving!
To c ontact Sarah ring 07780 900201.
SINCE 2018, THE Royal Air Forces Association has held its annual charity ride in the area. Everyone is very welcome to join the event on June 17 so put it in your diary. The ride has 25, 50, 75 and 100 mile routes so is open to all. Throughout June you can also join virtually or hold a remote event wherever you live. Over the years the results have been impressive with over 800 riders from New Zealand to Hawaii coming together to help raise money for the Royal Air Force family.
Th is year the plan is to smash the 1,000 rider barrier around the world, with the main event being held in Rutland. By kind permission of The Camp Commandant at Kendrew Barracks, the RAFA Ride’s live event will start and finish at the former RAF Cottesmore which is now Kendrew Barracks.
The 100 mile ride will stretch out from Cottesmore, taking in some marvellous spots across all of the local counties allowing you to enjoy the beautiful, quiet, country roads. Regular food stations will keep riders fuelled throughout the ride until they return to Kendrew
Barracks where they will all receive a finisher’s medal, burger and beer, and be able to spend some time reflecting on a great day to the accompaniment of a local band. Weather permitting, there will be flypasts from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight and The Red Arrows.
The entrance fee covers all costs and includes a bespoke RAFA Rides 2023 jersey. All ages and abilities are catered for. If you’re not sure about the 100 miler you are very welcome to sign up for one of the shorter rides. Or you can decide on the day and cut short the route as required at the 50 and 75 mile route changes. It is always a great day out for all – sign up using the QR code on the advert on page 44.
www.strava.com/routes/3055533858377463926 -
WHISSENDINE
Marathon for different reasons. For elite runners it’s to achieve a world record, as the route is fairly flat, following the course of the Thames most of the way round. Then there are the runners who just want to finish, including novice long distance runners and people wearing so much fancy dress they can barely walk, let alone run. And then there are those who are desperate to beat a self-imposed time.
Paul Hindle from Gretton, is one of the latter. On St George’s Day, 23 April, he’ll be running the TCS London Marathon for the third time, hoping to complete the 26.2 miles in three hours 30 minutes. He’s holding onto
the saying that ‘the third time is the charm’ as he’s been so disappointed with his performances so far.
I wondered how he was bitten by the running bug in the first place? He told me that a local man used to frequent his father’s pub, The Hatton in Gretton, and was like ‘a rockstar’ to ten-year-old Paul as he was a great footballer, super fit, but more importantly, had completed the London Marathon. From then on, Paul was hooked. He watched the marathon every year and took up cross country running at school in his teens.
‘I’m not a natural runner,’ Paul told me. ‘I have to try quite hard but you’re challenging
yourself all the time and I feel great every time I run, even after short runs. In fact, I’m told I become irritatingly smug with all the endorphins!’
By his own admission he was ‘playing at it,’ for a long time and didn’t take up marathon running properly until ten years ago; he’s now forty. But once he applied and got a ballot place then he really had to focus. He wanted to beat the marathon holy grail of three hours but quickly realised that would be way beyond him so he picked on the figure of three hours 30 minutes, ‘a decent number but still achievable,’ he thought.
On the day in October 2021 he felt good to begin with. ‘I was going fine for 19 miles but then the wheels just fell off and it was a real battle then until the end.’ He missed his target by just two minutes. But ‘it’s a like a bug, I just wanted to keep going until I managed it.’
So he applied again and won a place for the Alzheimer’s Society. Despite having a ballot place in the first race he’d wanted to run for charity and managed to raise over £1,200 for breast cancer. The second year he raised £3,700 for Alzheimer’s.
‘You learn a lot from having done the race before, not to set off too fast which I did originally. I know that if my heart rate is above 150 I get tired and heavy, and it just climbs and climbs and I can’t get it down. From three miles in it was about 160 so I knew very early on that I was struggling. At half way I was 15 seconds ahead of target but I still knew I wouldn’t do it. It was a real effort to carry on, I was run-walking with loads of demons. I even called my partner Ruby who told me to just keep going but I was 18 minutes too slow in the end and was so disappointed. Friends said it wasn’t a bad time, but I felt I’d trained a lot harder than
‘‘I have to try quite hard but you’re challenging yourself all the time and I feel great every time I run, even after short runs.’
the first time; I was a lot fitter; I did everything I should have done but for some reason it didn’t work.’
So what did he do? He applied again, of course, and won another ballot place and is raising money this year for the Travers Foundation, a local charity which provides support for local 13-30 year-olds in sport, music and performing arts.
There is only six months between the last London Marathon and this one, a hangover from Covid. That didn’t worry Paul at all, as it meant he just carried on with his usual training regime, only dropping four weeks in between to rest.
He runs four days per week with a training run on Tuesdays involving a lot of speed work or hill work, around seven miles on average. In winter he trains before work under the street lights. On Wednesdays he does a longer run, averaging nine miles. On Thursdays he aims for seven to nine miles at marathon pace (Paul tries for 8 minute or 7.55 minute-miles) and at the weekend he goes for a long run of about 20 miles.
‘The strange thing is that I can run on a training day. I ran 22 eight-minute miles the other weekend and I felt fantastic afterwards. It’s only another four miles but on the day I worry I won’t be able to do it. Maintaining the pace especially in the last few miles is the hardest part.
‘The crowds are fantastic. There’s music playing all the way round with people cheering you on all the way. If you put your name on your top then they shout it out in encouragement which is great and you run past all the landmarks. The atmosphere is electric up and over Tower Bridge, but it’s up a small hill and you know you’re only half way about to run round Canary Wharf which is a bit boring. When you’re absolutely done you don’t necessarily take in the sites. The first year I ran round Buckingham Palace without seeing it. The second time I took more notice, probably because it wasn’t going so well.
‘I fully intend to keep going until I beat my time, but not straight away as it does take over your life. Many runners apparently do their best time ever in their 40s maybe because you’re more determined then. I’ve only got a few weeks to go now, but my training is going well and I feel good.’
Whatever happens, it’s an amazing achievement to have run a marathon once, let alone three times so hats off to Paul but I have a funny feeling that this is going to be his year.
To help Paul achieve his fundraising target for the Travers Foundation go to www.justgiving.com/fundraising/paulhindle5 or www.traversfoundation.org.uk/ marathon
THERE’S NO DOUBT about this month’s big story, as March 16 saw Oakham School’s rugby side travel to compete in the under 18s National Cup final. Their kudos as one of the very best schools in the country for nurturing rugby talent had already been given a further boost with a victory in the semis against an extremely strong side in the shape of Finborough. They’d managed to prevail against them by 38-19, and so it was that many youthful dreams of playing at Twickenham stadium in front of thousands of spectators were to be fulfilled. Co-Captain Felix Starkey said: ‘It has always been a dream to play at the home of rugby…it has felt incredible to win with friends I have played with for four years’.
A fleet of fifteen coaches full of supporters and proud parents set sail in convoy from Oakham that Thursday morning bound for south west London where Trinity School awaited them – a truly formidable foe with no less than 17 boys in Harlequins’ Academy and seven in the Saracens set up – and the reigning champions to boot. Both sides were undefeated this season but those in the know amongst the invading Rutland landing party will have been well aware of their own status as underdogs; Trinity are firmly at the top of the national school rankings – a table that places Oakham (perhaps somewhat perversely) no higher than tenth.
So those who’d travelled more in hope than expectation would not have been surprised at the half time break, which saw our local heroes down by 5 to 19. But an outstanding second half performance saw Oakham score 26 points without response. Until the final seconds that is, when Trinity came within reach of snatching their dream away by going over the try line themselves. At 31 to 24 they were within a converted try
of a late turnaround and seemed to keep hold of the ball for an eternity with the clock in the red, but our lads stood firm to see the game out. Resplendently seated in the Royal Box, ex-Oakham Director of Sport, Neil Mullinger, summed it up perfectly: ‘They simply refused to give in.’
Every one of them should hold their head high. We’re reminded of other alumnae such as Jack van Poortvliet, Matt Smith, Tom Croft,
‘But an outstanding second half performance saw Oakham score 26 points without response.’
Matthew Cornwell, Sam Costelow and Hamish Watson and wonder who will go on from this talented Oakham side to hit the same heights. I wouldn’t bet against them. Truly amazing.
In the local adult game, Oakham Town have also had a good time of it of late, despite losing narrowly to Stamford in the derby at the end of February. In the game following, their young and improving players had a surprise home win over Market Bosworth who were in a lofty third place going into the match. Despite trailing for most of the 80 minutes, tries from Ollie Lamb and Will Andrews, together with accurate kicking from the latter, kept them within sniping distance. That was until Bosworth self combusted, somehow morphing into a passable imitation of a soccer side by constantly haranguing the referee. After putting up with this for some time, the clearly exasperated ref dismissed Bosworth’s number 8 and then, as the tie went into the dying moments with Oaks leading 19-17, when Bosworth were awarded a penalty under the posts which would surely have won them the game, one of their number so berated the beleaguered man in black that he reversed the penalty award for dissent to hand Oaks the win.
Perhaps someone should pin England Rugby’s guidelines on their dressing room wall. ‘Eradicating Match Official abuse is essential to maintaining the Game’s ethos and core values. Match Officials must therefore adopt a zero tolerance approach and act decisively whenever and however it occurs.’ Which is exactly what the ref did. Stamford have put together a string of
good results, including the aforementioned 19-15 victory over Oakham, to finish their season strongly. Indeed they have a perfect record this calendar year, although it’s too late for them to challenge for the promotion spots alas.
Their women’s side has had a terrific inaugural season of league rugby and is now guaranteed second place in the table. They’re doing their bit for the club’s fundraising for a new club house as well, including walking. Forty-one miles in all, from the club to Northampton’s Franklin’s Gardens through the night of April 1 from 8pm planning to arrive on the following day at 2pm, just in time to watch the Red Roses play Italy. A search for ‘Stamford Rugby Stride to the Red Roses’ will find you their fundraising page.
We finish with football and it’s all good news from Ryhall Road as Stamford Daniels sit proudly atop the league with a six point margin due to a rich vein of form since Christmas, which sees them undefeated in 2023 with twenty goals scored and only five
conceded. Just seven games to go now and let’s hope – having gone so close last season – that this will be their year. The women’s side has been on a bit of a winning streak too and, with games in hand, are now in a position to challenge for league honours of their own.
Harborough Town have stuttered a little in their pursuit of a play-off place in the same league as Stamford’s men with a draw against Bedford and a defeat to St Neots. New signing Dempsey Arlott-John did however have a dream debut against Cambridge City, scoring the only goal of the match.
As the rugby and football seasons begin to draw to a close, groundsmen all over the county are once again busily preparing cricket pitches, with play due to start almost before you know it. Summer is truly on it’s way and I’m sure we’re all grateful for that. More news of leather on willow to follow in next month’s column.
‘We fi nish with football and it’s all good news from Ryhall Road as Stamford Daniels sit proudly atop the league with a six point margin due to a rich vein of form since Christmas.’
THE ROADS AND lanes in and around Rutland are made for cycling. Granted, some roads within the county are busy, but there are hundreds of miles of quiet lanes on which a cyclist can feel safe and contented and that does not include the myriad of tracks and bridleways for those who enjoy riding off-road.
Based in Oakham, Velo Club Rutland started in 2007, a couple of years before the cycling ‘boom’ brought about by Sir Bradley Wiggins’ Tour de France win in 2012, complemented by the astonishing success of British riders in track riding events during the same period.
However, not everyone wants to be on a bike with their head down and their rears in the air, sweating and gasping for breath. The majority of cyclists simply want to enjoy the freedom and companionship at the heart of cycling – and that’s what Velo Club Rutland
is all about. The club’s primary aim is to promote cycling for leisure for those who live in or near Rutland. That is not to say the club isn’t proud of those members who have moved on to more athletic things, mention must go to Ollie Maxwell and Owen Lightfoot here. However, their primary aim is to organise cycling for fun.
The club’s ‘entry-level’ ride, known as The
Café Ride leaves from Oakham Enterprise Park at 10am every Saturday. This ride is for those new to the area or to the sport, or possibly recovering from illness or injury. Paced at 12–15 mph and covering about 25 miles, this is a no-drop ride (no-one gets left behind) and the route always includes a brew-stop, as the name of the ride implies! Any rider who might be apprehensive about joining the group ride don’t worry as the club can organise a Cycling Buddy to ease new riders gently into the sport.
For those wanting to exert themselves a little more, The Café Plus Ride, also on Saturday morning, aims for about 50 miles at a slightly faster pace. In the summer there is usually a ride on a Sunday as well of about 35 miles and a shorter, social ride on Thursday evenings usually ending at licensed premises in Oakham. Those who like to ride away from the tarmac are catered for by off-road rides on weekday evenings during the summer – and occasionally during the winter too. The club organises ‘away-days’ to areas such as the Peak District and the Chilterns and occasional two-day rides to, for example, Cambridge and Skegness.
If the above sparks a bit of interest, please get in touch via the Club website or on fb Velo Club Rutland or just turn up at the start of one of the advertised rides, they’re a friendly bunch who would be delighted to see you.
www.veloclubrutland.co.uk
This Rutland cycling club isn’t about being the fastest, it’s about enjoying yourself on your bike
