Active Magazine // Stamford & Rutland // August 2016

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ISSUE 50 // AUGUST 2016

HOW TO…

Stamford & Rutland’s sport and lifestyle magazine

Build perfect sandcastles Get financially fit Eat like an Olympian

X Rated Need an adrenaline shot? Our guide to extreme sport near - and far!

ISSUE 50 // AUGUST 2016

Will’s Walk 08

www.theACTIVEmag.com

Little Casterton & Tolethorpe

Half moons, Maltese Crosses, Planks and Cobras We take our roll mat and try yoga

!

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Editor’s Letter I WAS INVITED RECENTLY BY MITSUBISHI TO go skiing at the Snozone in Milton Keynes with Eddie ‘The Eagle’ Edwards, who is one of the firm’s brand ambassadors. He spent hours skiing with kids, having his picture taken and generally being as chatty, interesting and as nice a chap as you could wish to meet. The story of him making the 1988 Winter Olympics is fascinating. Edwards was – still is, in fact – a fabulously talented skier who, had he gone to the right school and not been a plasterer’s son from Gloucestershire, might well have been competing in the downhill event at those Olympics. Shunned by the establishment, he took up ski jumping as a way to get to Calgary.

The image of him as bumbling is far from reality. He is a driven chap who sacrificed everything, living on a pittance, often sleeping in sheds and vans in the Alps in mid-winter, and borrowing kit from other competitors, to fulfil his Olympic dream.

After making a huge impact at the games, mainly by just surviving, by the mid-1990s he was competing in America and jumping seriously competitive distances. But the snobs running the British Olympic team kept moving the goalposts to exclude him.

Eddie Edwards is the epitome of the Olympic ideal. He committed everything he had to reach the goal of competing there, and while he was never going to win, the sheer will, stubbornness, bravery and talent required to do what he did should be lauded.

When I watched England’s footballers pathetically crumbling under the pressure at the Euros, or read about the appalling levels of statesponsored cheating in athletics that the Russian authorities manufactured, all I can think about is the way they are everything that Edwards is not: sport should be about the challenge; about accepting it, embracing it and fighting for it. About giving everything you have, about absorbing the pressure and thriving off it, about knowing that you did everything humanly possible to succeed, without cheating or excuses.

I think a lot of pampered modern sportsmen and women could learn a lot from a man like Eddie.

Enjoy the issue! Steve

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

Publisher Chris Meadows chris@theactivemag.com Editor Steve Moody steve@theactivemag.com Deputy editor Mary Bremner mary@theactivemag.com Production editor Julian Kirk julian@theactivemag.com Art editor Mark Sommer mark@theactivemag.com Contributors Martin Johnson, William Hetherington, Jeremy Beswick, Julia Dungworth Photographers Nico Morgan, Pip Warters Production assistant Gary Curtis Advertising sales Lisa Withers lisa@theactivemag.com Sarah Stillman sarah@theactivemag.com Amy Roberts amy@theactivemag.com Editorial and Advertising Assistant Kate Maxim kate@theactivemag.com Accounts accounts@theactivemag.com Active magazine, The Grey House, 3 Broad Street, Stamford, PE9 1PG. Tel: 01780 480789

If you have information on a club then get in touch by emailing editor@theactivemag.com. If you would like to stock Active magazine then email distribution@ theactivemag.com. If you would like to discuss advertising possibilities please email advertise@ theactivemag.com. Active magazine is published 12 times per year on a monthly basis. ISSN 2049-8713 A Grassroots Publishing Limited company. Company registration number 7994437. VAT number 152717318 Disclaimer

Copyright (c) Grassroots Publishing Limited (GPL) 2016. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, or be stored in any retrieval system, of any nature, without prior permission from GPL. Any views or opinions expressed do not necessarily represent the views or opinions of GPL or its affiliates. Disclaimer of Liability. Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the quality and accuracy of the information contained in this publication at the time of going to press, GPL and its affiliates assume no responsibility as to the accuracy or completeness of and, to the extent permitted by law, shall not be liable for any errors or omissions or any loss, damage or expense incurred by reliance on information or any statement contained in this publication.

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Contents

ISSUE 50 /// AUGUST 2016

12

ACTIVE LIFE 12-13 HOW TO...

Build a sandcastle, make Eton Mess and mix sangria

14 NATURE

The seasonal delights on offer outdoors

16-17 HEALTHY EATING

Another tasty recipe from Riverford Organic

23 DAY IN THE LIFE OF...

Agronomist Andrew Cromie

27WHAT’S ON

Great things to do locally for all the family

FEATURES

48

28-31 HALF MOON, PLANK, COBRA...

Jeremy Beswick tries out yoga

36-43 EXTREME ACTIVITY

Our guide to the best blood-pumping events to try

ACTIVE BODY 46-67 OFF-SEASON ACTIVITY

Tips on keeping yourself fit when the season’s over

50 NUTRITION ADVICE

More from our nutritionist on eating healthily

54-55 THE FINISHING TOUCHES

Tips and products to help you look great

REGULARS

58 36

33 KIT BAG

Essential gear for a great camping trip

35 MARTIN JOHNSON COLUMN

The Sunday Times writer on Britain’s greatest sportsman

58-59 WILL’S WALKS We head to Tolethorpe

61 SPORTSMAN’S DINNER

We try out The King’s Head in Stamford

65-67 SCHOOL SPORT

Our focus on the latest achievements from local pupils

68-74 ROUND-UP

How clubs in the area are faring

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24/07/2016 10:13

Activelife AUGUST MEANS SUN (HOPEFULLY) AND SUMMER HOLIDAYS. THIS MONTH IT’S ALL ABOUT SANDCASTLES AND SANGRIA AS WELL AS DAISIES AND DAYS OUT. TOPPED OFF WITH A DELICIOUS SEASONAL RECIPE USING COURGETTES Edited by Mary Bremner

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24/07/2016 10:16

Activelife

HOW TO…

BUILD THE PERFECT SANDCASTLE Budding architects, whatever their age, can take to the beach this summer to construct a creative masterpiece. Just remember it only lasts as long as the tide is out but it’s fascinating watching it being washed away, speculating which bit will fall first.

To create your own masterpiece, wait until the tide is on the wane and then dig a ditch where the waves have made the sand wet. Use your hands to build the mass of the castle. Now it needs turrets – flatten the top and fill a bucket with damp sand, pat it on the top to make it flat and then quickly turn it over placing it on the level surface. Gently

ease the bucket off and admire your handiwork. Repeat as many times as you like, or have space on the flattened mound for. Place a flag on the top and stand back and admire.

Make an entrance in the ditch for the sea to enter. The best bit is when the sea enters the moat and surrounds the castle. If you’re lucky, and you’ve sited the castle well, you might have 10 minutes before the sea destroys it. If you can’t bear to see this happen, walk away without looking back.

You can always build another one tomorrow…

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HOW TO…

Make Eton Mess Eton Mess is a crowd-pleasing dessert that is very simple to make. You can either use shop bought meringues or use up broken handmade ones.

Ingredients 500g strawberries 400ml double cream 3 meringue nests, crushed A drizzle of strawberry liqueur Chop the strawberries, keeping four whole for decoration. Whip the double cream into stiff peaks and fold in the crushed meringue and then the strawberries. Spoon equal amounts into four wine glasses. Drizzle with the strawberry liqueur and place a whole strawberry on top for garnish. So simple and so delicious!

HOW TO…

Make sangria We’ve all had it in Spain and it brings back memories of sunny days and warm evenings - weather we’ve been lucky enough to experience at home recently. Some people use lemonade to make sangria but I think it makes it too sweet so have used orange juice instead.

Ingredients ½ apple, unpeeled, cored and chopped into small pieces ½ orange, sliced with rind on, pips removed ½ tbsp brown sugar 180ml orange juice 80ml brandy 1 bottle dry, fruity Spanish red wine Ice Add the fruit and sugar to a large jug and stir. Add the orange juice and brandy, stir. Add the red wine, stir, then taste. You can add more sugar, orange juice or brandy depending on if you want it sweeter, weaker or stronger. Add the ice and stir again to chill. Head to the garden, don your sunhat and pretend you’re in Spain.

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Activelife

NATURE

DAISIES Daisies are probably the best known lawn weed and, at this time of year, can be spotted in just about every piece of grass you look at. It’s the time to sit down and make daisy chains, something which every child should learn to do. Daisies have long been associated with purity and innocence, hence young women wearing daisy rings on their heads. The daisy is actually two flowers in one, the white petals count as one with the yellow disc petals that form the eye being the other. They open and close with the sun and are found everywhere on Earth apart from Antarctica. Daisies

THE SPARROWHAWK Sightings of sparrowhawks are often brief as they speed low along a hedge or across a garden while in hunting mode. When seen perched, which they will do while

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waiting for prey, the yellow legs and feet offset the greyish brown plumage of the female with long barred tail, or the slate-grey upper parts of the smaller male.

Sparrowhawks feed mainly on birds, ranging in size from blue tits to woodpigeons. Prey may be plucked on lawns, leaving a mass of feathers (it’s not always the local moggy!) or at special plucking posts in woodland.

Sparrowhawks are well distributed locally. They often visit gardens, attracted by small birds at feeders, nesting in villages and towns. In the wider countryside they breed in woodland, favouring conifers for the nest site. Broods of four or five noisy young leave the nest in July and August, when newly-fledged songbirds provide easy meals.

Displaying birds, soaring over nesting woods from February into May, offer the best opportunities to see sparrowhawks, when the size difference between the sexes is obvious. In direct flight the ‘flap-flapglide’ of the bird on broad rounded wings is a good fieldmark.

Terry Mitcham

Rabbits Rabbits are one of Britain’s most familiar wild mammals and can often be seen in broad daylight in towns as well as the countryside.

Despite their large population they are not native to Britain but were introduced from France about 900 years ago.

Many escaped and thrived and the term ‘breed like rabbits’ is testament to this. They breed between January and late September and the females can have up to seven litters each.

Rabbits live in colonies, so you will see many out grazing at a time. One rabbit will always be on guard. If danger approaches it will stamp its feet and the whole colony will bolt down their burrows.

You can tell a rabbit apart from a hare as they are usually smaller and have shorter ears and back legs.

Francesca Alexander hair and beauty is Stamford’s newest premier hair and beauty salon, situated at

7 Ironmonger Street, Stamford

Francesca has been operating her own exceptional salons in the Northcote Road area of Clapham and Battersea, London for the past 10 years.

Having already moved to Stamford, the opportunity to renovate a beautiful building on Ironmonger Street presented itself. Francesca Alexander hair and beauty, Stamford will be launched and open on or around

mid August 2016

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22/07/2016 17:19

AT LAND ROVER BURGHLEY HORSE TRIALS 2016 Meet CL’s selection of small and start-up businesses in the Makers’ Marquee (located by the Land Rover Arch), choose from products such as local rapeseed oil, hand-poured candles and bespoke gifts crafted from Leicestershire oak.

EXHIBITORS INCLUDE: Ticklish Kids (children’s smocks) Brock & Morten (rapeseed oil) Worboys Shirts (fashion) Gallardo & Blaine (jeweller) By Candlelight (hand-poured candles) From the Oak Tree (bespoke wooden gifts) Glorious 12th Clothing (country fashion) Simone Micalef (jeweller) Linen Prints (art & gifts) Nick Hammond (woodturner) Plooms Pens (gifts) Kitted in Cashmere (luxurious knitwear) Tom Dickens Fine Art (art) Indigo Boo (fashion) Lucinda Frances (fashion) Quilts by Lisa Watson (homeware) Laland & Bo (fashion) My Little Wish (homeware) Bay Design (lamps and shades) Beauty Scents (lotions) Lovely Jubbly Designs (gifts) Gemma J (jeweller)

By Sikora (accessories) Virginia’s Artisan Soap (beauty) Parkers Cufflinks (accessories) Jina Gelder Illustration (artist) Diana Wilson Arcana (fashion) Heather Stowell (jeweller) Sam Brown Leather (handmade leatherware) Emily Mortimer Jewellery (jeweller)

WIN A CL BEMBRIDGE WOODBURNING STOVE BY CHARNWOOD! Enjoy a cup of tea and slice of homemade cake in our vintage Daisy’s Tea Room, which has fantastic views over the cross-country course, plus visit more stands in the Country Living Pavilion on Avenue A.

FOR FULL EVENT DETAILS, VISIT BURGHLEY-HORSE.CO.UK

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Activelife

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COURGETTE AND CHICK PEA CURRY INGREDIENTS

1 onion ½ tsp black mustard seeds ½ tsp ground cumin ½ tsp ground coriander ¼ tsp turmeric 1 tbsp tomato puree 1 chilli Piece of fresh ginger 1 large garlic clove 1 vegetable stock cube 200ml coconut milk 1 cinnamon stick 200g basmati rice 1 tin of chick peas 2 courgettes 2 tomatoes 30g fresh coriander 1 pot yoghurt Oil for frying

METHOD

Put a large saucepan of salted water on to boil.

While the water is heating, peel and finely chop the onion.

●

In another large pan heat 2 tbsp of oil and add the onion (1). Fry on a very low heat for 10 minutes until soft and translucent. While the onion is cooking wash the coriander leaves and put to one side.

Peel and grate the ginger. Crush the garlic clove.

●

Add the mustard seeds, cumin, turmeric, chilli, ginger, garlic and tomato puree to the onions, fry for two minutes.

●

Add half the stock cube, coconut milk, 200ml of water and the cinnamon stick. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.

●

Rinse the rice well in a sieve, drain and add to the pan of boiling water. Cook for about 15 minutes.

●

While the rice is cooking rinse the chick peas and leave to drain. Cut the courgettes in half lengthways, then into half moon shapes, 2cm thick. Cut the tomatoes into wedges and roughly chop the coriander (2).

Add the chick peas, courgettes and tomatoes to the onion mix (3). Cover and cook for 8-10 minutes until the courgettes are tender.

●

Cut the chilli in half lengthways, de-seed and finely chop.

Tip: To easily peel ginger use a teaspoon to scrape off the skin.

Riverford recipe boxes are a simple and inspiring way to cook. Every week, we deliver everything you need to make three tasty organic meals. Inside each box, you’ll find the freshest, seasonal organic produce, step-by-step recipe cards and all the ingredients in exact quantities.

The recipes are quick to cook and ideal for weeknights – most are ready in under

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Check the rice is cooked, remove the cinnamon stick from the curry, stir in the coriander and check the seasoning. Serve the curry with the rice and a dollop of yoghurt.

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Activelife Well done Congratulations to Charlie Pallett from Harringworth who has been nominated for a national award for her beauty, fashion and lifestyle blog. The award ceremony is being held in London in October but voting closes online in August.

To vote for Charlie and to find out more visit her blog at www.styledbycharlie.com.

Bold and Blue Hope Against Cancer, Leicestershire and Rutland’s cancer research charity, is holding its Bold and Blue annual fund-raising and awareness days from September 3-9. During this week it is encouraging local businesses, shops and pubs to plan events to raise funds.

Last year during this week £8,000 was raised and the charity hopes to raise £50,000 throughout the whole of this year. In 2012 the charity established and opened a dedicated clinical trials unit at Leicester Royal Infirmary. To find out more and to organise a fund-raising event, contact Bill Stillman 01572 868314 or visit www. hopeagainstcancer.org.uk.

A SPLASHINGLY GOOD TIME The sun is out so it’s time to head to Aqua Park, the UK’s largest aquaglide inflatable aqua park at Whitwell on Rutland Water.

It doesn’t really matter what the weather’s like as you will be able to hire a wetsuit and just have

fun traversing the obstacles, balance beams, climbing walls, trampolines and blast bags.

Tickets cost £15 for 55 minutes and it’s only available for eight weeks, so make sure you get there before September 4.

SHOP OF THE MONTH…

Oliver Lee Hairdressers Oliver Lee in St John’s Street, Stamford, opened in January 2015 and has been thriving ever since. A unisex salon it has many male customers and is also renowned for its fresh coffee and variety of stylists who offer cuts for all budgets. As well as haircuts, owner Oliver offers a popular cut-throat wet shave. But it’s not just the men who visit, the salon has a loyal female customer base. Oliver Lee is a dog friendly salon. Two of the stylists have their dogs with them every day and many customers bring theirs in. Visit the Facebook page (Oliver Lee Stamford) where you can see the latest offers and if any last minute appointments are available. www.oliverleestamford.co.uk.

1 8 AUGUS T 2 0 16 ///

HANDMADE Sofas

sofas, sofa beds, chairs & stools headboards made to size

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 Newly extended facilities  Evening & weekend appointments  Nurse clinics including weight control and dental care  Separate cat waiting area  Pet Health Club plans available  Free Puppy Preschool classes  Extensive parking (including disabled and parent/child)

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Small Animal: 01572 722646 Equine: 01572 722647 small.animal@oakhamvethospital.co.uk

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22/07/2016 09:29

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22/07/2016 09:29

Activelife

52 IN 52

NO PAIN, NO GAIN… Mike Cookson and Matt Weighman, aka the one3niners, have been telling us a bit more about their training for the Yukon Arctic Ultra, which covers 430 miles.

The friends, who met on the Marathon des Sables last year, have already raced more than 100 miles so they know what they are in for.

They know that, despite it being an ‘ultra marathon,’ they will not be doing an actual lot of running. Sheer distance, conditions and the fact they will be carrying their possessions means that this won’t be possible.

So they are training hard just to be able to cover large distances, day after day, in miserable conditions while pulling a heavy sled. They are making sure the training is setting their legs up to be able to cope with 12-18 hours on their feet for 13 consecutive days. They have to get plenty of mileage under their belts, walking and running and being able to cope with tired legs.

They plan to increase distances every week and, as the race gets closer, start dragging a large tyre behind them to get used to pulling the pulk.

Weights and flexibility training will also be included, but at the moment it’s all about time on the legs. Matt has completed the 48km Glen Lyon Ultra and Mike has done the Yorkshire Three Peaks. In August they will both do the 48km Peak Skyrace. To keep up to date with their journey visit www.one3niners.com.

… AGAIN AND AGAIN Meanwhile, Mark Alderson is also training hard for the Marathon des Sables. He has had his place confirmed for the 2018 race but is on the waiting list for 2017 so needs to train hard now in case he gets in. He has been racing in Newcastle, including the Blaydon Races, and has achieved some personal bests as well as running the Long Bennington Summer Solstice 10k, a race he has always wanted to do.

Mark is now upping his distance training, completing the Scafell Marathon last month, and has entered his first ultra, the Longmynd Hike which is a 50-mile race across the Shropshire/Welsh border. For details see www.justgiving. com/markaldersonrunningforcancer.

The team are still going strong in their quest to try 52 different sports in 52 weeks.

Mike has been kayaking at Nottingham Kayak Club (above) while Alec tried his hand at Nordic walking, joining the Rutland group at Greetham. Carys enjoyed a street dance session at Pineapple Studios in London. So far they have raised £1,730 for Cancer Research UK. See www.justgiving.com/Challenge52 or www.52in52site.wordpress.com.

LONDON TO HONG KONG BY BIKE Sam McGarrick from Rutland will shortly be setting off on an epic 10,000-mile cycle ride from London to Hong Kong.

Adventurer Sam, who works for the Olive Group, has always wanted to go to Hong Kong but has decided to cycle instead of fly, like most people. The journey through Europe to Istanbul and then on through the frontiers of north west China will take him five months. He plans to finish at The Peak, the highest point in Hong Kong, on December 1. As Sam says, “when you are on your own you discover just how far you can push your limits and exactly what you are capable of”.

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22/07/2016 09:28

Activelife

A day in the life of

ANDREW CROMIE AGRONOMIST

I

‘Farm sizes vary from 60 acres to 8,000 but, in this area, the average size is about 500 acres’

An early start to the day A typical day for me would be up at 5.30 or 6am to be on my first farm at 7am. I’ll roll out of bed, grab a cup of tea – I’m not a breakfast person – and load the dogs in the truck. I have two border terriers who accompany me everywhere. They have a great time covering the miles with me. I normally walk about 10 miles a day, so I should be fitter than I am – the dogs are pretty fit though. The number of farms I visit in a day depends on the size and the service I am offering. Arable farm sizes can vary from 60 acres to 8,000 but, in this area, the average size is about 500 acres. I will spend all day going from farm to farm to walk the crops, drinking numerous cups of coffee on the way, and will then head home late afternoon to write up all my recommendations.

My office is at home so I only travel to Wisbech about once a week; the rest of my time is spent on farms. I have lived in Stamford for just over a year and recently bought a place with my partner Emily. We chose Stamford because we love it – it’s a beautiful town and we’ve made some great friends. I find it very sociable and couldn’t believe the first people I bumped into were two lads I went to school with! It’s a small world but we Irish seem to get everywhere, and we’ve certainly invaded Stamford. I love having the craic with everyone; I have to, I’m Irish!

Once I’ve got all my recommendations written up I’ll often head out with Emily and the dogs for a quick walk before dinner – I must have the most walked dogs in the area! I’ve just started football training, a very

casual five-a-side affair up at Borderville and am contemplating starting rugby training as well. I used to play quite seriously at home. I was a fly-half but got injured so that put paid to that. But I miss it and am always watching the games at Stamford Rugby Club, itching to have another go.

So we shall see if the old bones are up to another season.

I love my job, and my life in Stamford. Yes, it means lots of early starts, but that suits me. I would hate to be stuck in an office all day and love being outside walking across beautiful countryside, much of which I would never see if it wasn’t for my job. I get great pleasure seeing crops thrive knowing that my professional advice is helping to feed the country. www.hlhltd.co.uk

was brought up in a farming family in Enniskillen but after spending a summer working during harvest on a farm in Norfolk I knew that I wanted to concentrate on crops rather than the livestock that we had at home. I went to Newcastle University to read agriculture and agronomy and, after that, two years ago I was lucky enough to land a job as an agronomist with Hutchinsons working from their base in Wisbech.

I now work from both the Oundle and Wisbech depots and cover 10,000 acres of crops. An agronomist advises farmers about their crops, from the day they are planted right through to harvest. We discuss crop rotation, seed choice, cultivations, fertilisers and sprays. The farmer and I will discuss which crops he is going to grow and how he will do it. I will then walk the crops regularly as they grow, often with the farmer, and talk to him about what inputs of sprays and fertilisers he needs.

The aim of an agronomist is to help the farmer produce high quality crops and get the economic optimum out of his land – there is a lot of trust between us. I really enjoy it as I love seeing the crops grow and enjoy providing the solutions to problems when they arise. I also love being outside most of the day, whatever the weather!

Hutchinsons is a great firm to work for. Unusually for my industry, they are still a family-owned company and are the second largest advisory business in the country. They also offer a fantastic graduate training scheme, the Hutchinsons Foundation, which is known for being the best in the industry. Even though I am fully qualified as an agronomist I am now working towards a professional qualification, the BASIS diploma, thanks to the foundation.

I love my job. Sometimes it can be challenging for farmers, as it has been this year, because of the appalling weather and low prices. But it means we work closely together to make the best of the situation. The crops I advise on are mainly cereal crops (wheat, barley, oats) and oilseed rape.

I also work with growers who have potatoes, vegetables, sugar beet and linseed. My busiest time of year is spring when it is the optimum growing time. But, it’s pretty full-on all year round.

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12 St Leonards Street Stamford, PE9 2HN 12 St Leonards Street Stamford, PE9 2HN

Tel 01780 654321 • www.classicstamford.co.uk

Tel 01780 654321

12 St Leonard

Tel 01780 6543

www.classicstamford.co.uk

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Activelife

FINANCIAL HEALTH

GET A PERSONAL TRAINER FOR YOUR MONEY Work out like a celebrity and look after your money like the rich and famous, says William G Bryant The summer has well and truly arrived and the media is full of pictures of celebrities on foreign beaches flaunting their tight abs. This hasn’t just happened by chance.

Getting a beach body takes time and hard work, including hours in the gym. But for those of us who didn’t spend the cold and wet months of the year working out, going back to the gym environment after a long break or even for the first time can be daunting.

There is an almost endless stream of information out there to help you get fit from the latest celebrity workout guru to apps on your smartphone that will bark orders at you.

Despite this (or maybe because of this) it is very easy to fall back into your comfort zone, half an hour on the cardio machine and then head to the café for a coffee and a cake!

One celebrity gym accessory that does work, and has now been scientifically proven, is the personal trainer. A recent study in California of men between the ages 30 and 44 who visit the gym has proved what every reality TV starlet

has known for years, training with a personal trainer in a gym environment is more effective than going it alone.

Working with a fitness professional provides more than just someone to shout at you when you’re tired. A good personal trainer will offer a tailored workout specific to your goals, fitness level and take into account health issues or past injuries. More than that, they will offer advice about nutrition, time management and motivation to help you achieve your objective.

While it can be expensive, hiring a professional gets results. This is true in other areas of health and fitness, for example hiring a tennis or golf coach will get faster results than going it alone.

Working with professionals makes sense, and none more so than in the area of personal finance.

Like personal trainers, working with a wealth manager or financial adviser to help achieve financial and personal goals is no longer the luxury of the rich and famous. A good adviser

will offer bespoke financial advice in the same way a personal trainer creates a workout to your specific needs and objectives.

By sitting down face-to-face and understanding your situation, experience and goals, an adviser can tailor a solution that will change and grow with you.

Regularly reviewing your portfolio to make sure it is still relevant and moving in the right direction is essential – plans put in place 10 years ago are unlikely to be right for you now, in the same way the workout you got at your gym induction is probably past its use by date.

A good adviser will help you save money and achieve more with what you have; you never know, maybe even enough to pay for your personal training at the gym! Personal training helps you obtain your fitness objectives faster and more effectively.

Professional financial advice helps you successfully achieve your financial goals. Work out like a celebrity and look after your money like the rich and famous!

To receive a complimentary guide covering wealth management, retirement planning or inheritance tax planning, produced by St. James’s Place Wealth Management, contact William Bryant of Bryant Wealth Management of St. James’s Place Wealth Management by telephone on 01780 668 117, email william.bryant@sjpp.co.uk or visit www. bryantwealthmanagement.co.uk

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22/07/2016 14:46

USSC Class Launch &

F E R RY M E A D O W S C O U N T RY PA R K

Learn to Sail and Windsurf, Boat hire, Canoeing, Paddle boarding, Pedalos, Kayaking A great venue for schools, birthday parties, stag and hen parties and corporate groups.

OPEN DAY

August Bank Holiday

Bonanza Monday 29th August, 10 – 4pm

Call 01733 230291 www.neneparktrust.org.uk

Sample Classes Fun & Games Refreshments Offers available throughout the day For more information contact reception or visit our website.

01572 820830 ussc@uppingham.co.uk www.sportscentre.uppingham.co.uk

Medieval Mondays

Every Monday throughout the summer holidays at Oakham Castle 10am—4pm See our website/Facebook page for details

Plus: 26-31 July: National Archaeology Festival events 3 August: National Play Day 5 August: Two and a Half Sopranos 11 August: Sounds of Simon 26 August: Ceilidh See our website for details

Castle Lane, Oakham, LE15 6DR Supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund

oakhamcastle.wordpress.com

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Activelife

WHAT’S ON There’s lots going on in your area this month, why not try some of these?

■ Deene Park, just outside Corby, is a house steeped in history and full of treasures.

Home to the Brudenell family since the 15th Century, one of their ancestors, the 7th Earl of Cardigan, led the Charge of the Light Brigade. The house is open on every Sunday of this month and on Bank Holiday Monday.

■ The Fenland Country Fair, now in its 36th year, is taking place on August 27-29 at Stow Cum Quy on the outskirts of Cambridge. A lovely traditional country fair, you can have a go at clay shooting, speak to wildfowlers and gundog experts, and enjoy traditional crafts as well as browsing around lots of stands. www.fenlandfairs.com ■ Organic farm Riverford at Sacrewell is opening its doors to the public over the summer.

Medieval skills workshops, have a go at archery and learn about life in Norman England. www.oakhamcastle.wordpress.com

The tours on August 31 and September 28 will show recent discoveries of newly discovered wildlife on the farm including the brown argus and small heath butterflies. Walks start at 5pm, followed by a delicious Riverford picnic. Wear sensible shoes and be prepared to cover some ground over the 550-acre farm site. www.riverford.co.uk/aboutus/ events-home/events-walks/ walks-sacrewell ■ Enjoy a stress-free morning of inner peace and relaxation with Buddhist nun Gen Nyingpo at Rutland Water on Sunday, August 14. The retreat More Mindfulness: Less Stress starts at 10am at Egleton. Everyone is welcome and tickets cost £15.

There are many more sessions coming up in September including a three-week course. www.drolmacentre.org.uk or ring 01733 755444

■ Parkrun at Rutland Water has been so successful that it wants to introduce a junior section.

The organisers are seeking a £3,000 grant to fund this and are hoping that local businesses and individuals will offer their support. www.parkrun.org.uk/rutlandwater

■ Oakham Castle is holding Medieval Mondays throughout August. Visitors can take part in

■ Have you got an event coming up this summer that you need printed T-shirts for, or need new team kit or names embroidered? If so, visit local family run company Cool Cats Clothing. www.coolcatsclothing.co.uk

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Feature /// Yoga

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PROUD TO SUPPORT LOCAL SPORT

SHAPE SHIFTING Jeremy Beswick goes to yoga and attempts a half moon, Maltese cross, plank, cobra and heron – with mixed results Photography: Pip Warters

SO, I HAVE TO SHARE with you the plain truth. I fell over in the half moon after spending some time in the Maltese cross and the bridge. If that sounds to you like I had a rather ill-disciplined Saturday night out that would come as no surprise to my friends. Nor perhaps would they have been all that startled if I said I’d been a bit of a plank – or even a dog. However, their eyebrows would certainly be raised if I continued by telling them that I’d also been a cobra, sphinx, warrior and a heron. Throw in doing the eye of the needle and the salute to the sun and most of those chums would probably be edging towards the door with a somewhat concerned expression.

In fact, I did all of those things – and more – in my first ever yoga session one Monday at Barnsdale Hall Hotel under the expert gaze of my teacher, Linda Page.

If you’ve never done yoga either you might empathise with my feelings as I drove there that morning. My expectations – reservations even – had been that it would be gruelling and difficult and frankly, being fattish and 50-something, I was thinking that I’d be too inflexible for what I anticipated to be some pretty contorted positions.

In fact, the class began and ended in the gentlest possible fashion with a serene period of relaxation. Also, as

Linda explained to me afterwards, if you feel inflexible that’s a strong argument in favour of trying yoga to improve it, not a reason against it.

Indeed, as a complete beginner I did the same exercises as my more advanced classmates, just with less extension (OK, a lot less extension) and the stretching I experienced began the process of making my limbs and back more flexible.

The more you do it, the more supple you become, but for those like me who might be a bit rickety, one advantage is that you enter (and exit) the positions slowly so there’s less chance of, as our mums might have put it, doing yourself a mischief, than most of the more rapid forms of exercise you’d find in a gym. Not that my hour was without its challenges, however, as you will learn later.

I also reflected on my journey there, as you may be doing, that there must be something to this yoga lark – after all it’s been around for thousands of years. There are more than a hundred different types or schools with variations and additions, but all contain the same core elements: breathing, meditation and posture.

As far as we can tell its origins lie in the 3rd or 4th Century BC in India and it’s not clear whether it began as

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Summer fun for 2016 at Uppingham

With more than 30 different courses and camps for children and adults in the summer holidays, there really is something for everyone!

Art, Music, Drama, Technology, Science, Creative Writing, Nature, History, Baking, Sport…

Residential options are offered on all courses held in the summer. Subsidised places are available on a number of courses courtesy of the Windmill House Trust.

For further information or to book: www.uppinghamsummerschool.co.uk summerschool@uppingham.co.uk 01572 820800 Like us on Facebook

Follow us on Twitter

RUTLAND WATER Relaxing Meditation Retreat MORE MINDFULNESS: LESS STRESS

Sunday 14 August 10am - 12.15pm

Rutland Water Birdwatching Centre, Egleton, LE15 8BT £15 (pre-booking required)

• Beautifully manicured grounds in a glorious location • Concessionary use of extensive leisure facilities for you and your family all year round!

• Discounts on food, drinks, spa treatments and hotel rooms

The retreat is guided by Buddhist nun Gen Nyingpo who has over 20 years experience of meditation.

Everyone is welcome to atend.

To book a place, please visit our website or phone 01733 755444

w w w.drolmacentre.org.uk

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Feature /// Yoga

Above

Yoga appeals to all ages as it strengthens muscles and improves flexibility without over-exerting yourself in the process

PROUD TO SUPPORT LOCAL SPORT

‘The holding lengthens and stretches the muscles’ part of the Hindu or Buddhist religions, but it wasn’t until the 1970s that it became popular in the West, so we’ve come to it rather late in the day. In this relatively short time it’s grown from a curiosity practised by a small minority into the main stream. Linda took it up as a teenager.

“People thought I was a bit weird,” she remembered, but now, for example, it’s almost ubiquitous as an aid in some professional sports. Football has adopted it widely as a way of strengthening muscles and alleviating the stiffness that follows a game. Nearly every Premiership club now has a yoga consultant on its books.

One of the early-adopters was the most decorated footballer in Britain, Ryan Giggs, who credits yoga for his longevity as player (he was still playing at the top level at 40). Here’s a quote from his website: “It strengthens your muscles, improves flexibility, but also keeps you fit and gets you out on the training pitch so you can train every day. You want to be out there so you need to get your body robust and ready for anything. If I do a yoga session the day after a game I’m nowhere near as stiff and I’ll be back training at the right level a lot quicker.”

My own classmates that morning were a variety of ages, some much younger and others probably older than me, which was some reassurance at the start, but when we began in earnest my own efforts were pretty pathetic in comparison. At one stage, holding the sole of my foot in one hand, I thought I was doing pretty well to get my leg about 30 degrees from straightness, even though this had required no little amount of suppressed grunting, gritting of teeth and pain. Sweat dropping from my brow I glanced around and everyone else, without exception, had their legs completely straight and were doing so with ease and with beatific smiles on their faces.

The rest of the class continued in much the same vein – my colleagues effortlessly competent, myself struggling with great difficulty to do a fraction of the extensions they saw as commonplace. I’ll admit to a certain feeling of relief when it was time for the relaxation period at the end. We were encouraged to close our eyes as Linda took us on an imagined journey to a place of great beauty. Given my exertions, had it gone on much longer the sound of my snoring might have broken the spell somewhat.

“For an absolute beginner you did really well,” Linda told me, charitably, over a welcome cup of tea afterwards.

She explained: “When you move into a posture you hold it, and it’s the holding that lengthens and stretches the muscles. As you go slowly, you stop before you strain yourself, but the next time you do it you can go that little bit further.”

Every class Linda holds is different but pre-planned to ensure the key muscle groups all get attention. “As a teacher I love it when I see people starting to move,” she told me. “Arriving for the first time so stiff and then, after a few sessions, seeing real progress.”

Yoga certainly seems to be growing in popularity in Stamford and Rutland. Yogahub.co.uk lists scores of classes within easy reach and you’ll find Linda’s contact details there too.

“If you’re thinking about it, but are unsure for any reason, just give me a ring for a chat,” she said.

Adherents will tell you yoga is not only good for suppleness and muscle strength but will also improve respiration, energy levels and circulation. Furthermore, by alleviating stress, it will improve associated issues such as back or neck pain and sleeping difficulties and promote a more positive outlook.

Even after one session I felt the benefits. In brief, as Linda said: “It just makes you feel good.”

YO-GO Want to go further afield for your yoga fix? For the best resorts on the globe to perfect your plank, see pages 48-49

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Feature /// Gear

KITBAG GREAT GEAR FOR THE GREAT OUTDOORS 1. Airgo Cirrus 6 tent

This easily pitched, roomy tent can accommodate six campers and their gear with space to spare. Built using double skinned beams that are filled with air using the included stirrup pump, it provides a rigid pole-free frame in minutes.

Price £850 From gooutdoors.co.uk

2.

1.

2. Treo camping chair

Big chair comfort in an exceptionally small package, the Treo packs entirely into its own tripod base and can support up to 113kg (250 lb).

Price £67.96 From blackleaf.com

2.

3. Mon Oncle barbecue

3.

This classic tabletop option is just the ticket if you’re not too fussed about fancy features.

The tiny holes allow air to flow, which boosts its power and prevents it from overheating.

Ideal for beach feasts, terraces and picnics.

Price £298 From trouva.com

4. S’well water bottle

S’well has broken the mould offering a stylish bottle that is perfectly designed to keep your drinks hot or cold as well as simply looking stunning. From the small evening bag size to the medium day use size to the large table top size, S’well have a bottle and a look for every occasion.

Price £27.95 From homearama.co.uk

5.

6.

5. Ice Mule coolers

You’ll need to get hold of some ice, but once you have that on board you can keep 12 cans of beer or five bottles of wine cold for up to 24 hours in these leak-proof soft coolers.

Price £39.95 From coolboxesuk.com

4.

6. Nemo Helio pressure shower

Unlike gravity fed camp showers that need to be hung overhead and produce dismal water pressure, the Helio Pressure Shower comes in a neatly nested kit that weighs less than a litre of water and provides 5 to 7 minutes of steady water pressure.

Price £105 From ultralightoutdoorgear.co.uk

7.

9.

7. Rumpl blanket

An all-purpose indoor/outdoor waterproof throw blanket, made from the same stuff as high spec outdoor gear. Comes with a compression sack for easy storage.

Price £79.99 From newmen.co.uk

8. Scrubba washing machine

Clean your clothes anywhere, and in no time at all. Lightweight, compact and backpackingly easy to use, this will wash your clothes in no time.

Price £75.43 From thescrubba.com

8.

9. Lightspeed UV beach tent

Big enough for two low-slung chairs and perfect for quick trips or when you want some shade and wind protection but don’t need a full-featured larger shelter.

Price £45 From theseasidecompany.co.uk

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21/07/2016 11:44

Guest column

Is Andy Murray Britain’s greatest ever sportsman?

Martin Johnson ponders the Wimbledon champion’s standing t has taken Andy Murray a long time to be able to add popularity to his list of achievements, largely because the British public’s love affair with Tim Henman required his successor to come across more as a clean cut goody two shoes than a hairy extra from Braveheart.

Even now you find yourself wondering why Murray’s weekly shopping list doesn’t appear to involve either a comb or a shaving mirror, although on the plus side, if the poor lad ever finds himself down to his last couple of million he can always make a living scaring away crows from a farmer’s field.

His image isn’t much helped either by the BBC, which appears to believe that a match involving him should be 90% close-ups of his wife and mother shouting “C’mon!” and 10% Murray playing tennis. Only now, after his second Wimbledon triumph, has he managed to make the transition from surly Scot to national hero.

But more than that. Is there now an argument for Murray having become not just Britain’s greatest ever tennis player but Britain’s greatest ever sportsman? After all, he’s miles ahead of any other post-war British tennis player, making him unique in his field. But there’s quite a bit of competition in sports we are a – bit – better at.

Bobby Moore would command a good few votes amongst football fans, and not only because he was a jolly good player. Moore was a gentleman, which is not an attribute that can be attached to many footballers in this day and age, and an abiding memory of England’s only World Cup victory was of Moore, about to shake hands with the Queen, cleaning them on his shorts so as not to get any mud on Ma’am’s white gloves.

George Best had a slightly different way with mud – once throwing a handful at a referee and getting sent off for his troubles – but if the accolade of Britain’s best ever was confined solely to skill, it would be hard to vote for any other soccer player.

Best not only dribbled with both feet, he tackled better than most modern defenders and was also a brilliant header of the ball.

Amazingly, he was finished as a top flight player by the age of 27, preferring the company of women, fast cars and alcohol to the training ground, and it’s hard to imagine what he’d fetch in today’s ludicrous transfer market.

Nick Faldo is a serious contender, although in the event of him winning a competition to unearth Britain’s greatest ever sportsman, you wouldn’t want to hang around for the victory speech. When Faldo was winning six major championships, his shot-making made

I

your purr, but when he was receiving the trophies for them, the oratory made your toes curl.

Motor racing has a few worthy challengers, not least Stirling Moss. Despite the fact that he never won a world championship, Moss became immortalised through speeding drivers being pulled over by the police and invited to wind down the window. “Hello, hello, hello, and who’d you think you are then? Stirling Moss?”

If not Moss, then Jackie Stewart, who not only drove his cars very fast and very successfully – winning three world championships – but also as a tireless campaigner for driver safety. Stewart drove in an era when getting too close to your fellow competitors was never a great idea, on the principle that no sooner had you got to like him than you’d be reading the eulogy at his funeral.

Nowadays, though, a driver can walk away unscathed from a car reduced to two wheels and a wing mirror, and Stewart’s knighthood was in recognition of the lives he helped saved, as well as the races he won.

Likewise, Ian Botham was knighted for services outside cricket, namely by walking countless thousand of miles to raise millions of pounds for leukaemia research. On top of which, of course, he remains one of the greatest all-rounders ever to play the game, and never were his powers more potent than facing the Australians.

Apart from being a deadly swing bowler, a destructive batsman and a brilliant slip fielder, his major weapon was a massive self belief. And even when he wasn’t on top of his game he intimidated opponents with his reputation, so much so that I once watched him decimate the Aussie top order with a spell of bowling that would have been taken apart in a primary school playground.

Also on the list of contenders would be yet another knight, Steve Redgrave, with five Olympic rowing medals, CB Fry, a kind of real life Wilson of the Wizard, Lester Piggott, Bobby Charlton and Martin Johnson.

The latter would probably get my own vote from that list, not least for once scoring four goals (three at the right end and one past his own keeper) in Leicestershire’s Charnwood Sunday Soccer League Division Six. Although if you wanted to vote for the other chap, for one or two modest achievements on the rugby field, I won’t hold it against you.  Martin Johnson has been a sports journalist and author since 1973, writing for the Leicester Mercury, The Independent, The Daily Telegraph and The Sunday Times. He currently writes columns for The Rugby Paper and The Cricket Paper, and has a book out called ‘Can I Carry Your Bags?’.

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Feature /// Extreme sports

TAKEN TO EXTREMES In need of an adrenaline rush? Here are some of the best ways to get a rush, both locally and overseas

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Feature /// Extreme sports

Have you got what it takes to do a skydive? UK Parachuting near Peterborough offers both tandem jumps and the intensive Accelerated FreeFall (AFF) course, so whether it’s the quick sky-high thrill or the first steps on the way to be a qualified jumper you’re looking for, it’s all up for grabs.

This respected skydiving centre with its numerous highly trained instructors has been operating for many years out of Sibson and what makes it unique is the height.

Thanks to the unrestricted skies over Peterborough, the club benefits from unlimited altitude, which in turn means you will be jumping from a whopping 13,000ft – about two miles above the Earth. No wonder around 10,000 jumps are logged from the 250 or so club members each year…

Once you’ve lapped up those 40-50 seconds of freefalling over the Peterborough countryside with the wind rushing at you, you’ll feel like you’ve walked on the sky. As soon as you can actually talk again, you’ll be uttering things like ‘best thing ever’ and ‘can I do it again?’.

Email: office@ukparachuting.co.uk www.skydivesibson.co.uk Tel: 01832 280490

HIGH SPEED OFF-ROADING

Can-Am off-roaders are remarkable machines.

No plugging along in mud slowly for them – instead they blast at high speed, their longtravel suspension soaking up the bumps while go-kart like steering turns tracks and gravel into a race-circuit.

The beauty of the Maverick performance side-by-sides is that you can share the

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acceleration with a friend or the family, and there’s a Maverick for almost every terrain out there: sand dunes, desert, tight wooded trail or deep mud.

When you test ride one, bring a friend along to get the full effect.

Available at 158 Performance www.158performance.co.uk Tel: 01778 341144

TREE CLIMBING

Scale the heights with Deep Root Tall Trees climbing workshops. As part of DRTT’s new project ‘Our Woods’ it is offering two workshops in tree climbing.

In ‘Beginners Climbing Trees for Grown-ups’ on Saturday, October 8, from 10.30am-12.30pm,

artist Anthony Schrag will help you scale new heights and escape into the simple pleasure of exploring just about the only place the modern town-dweller can find solitude these days - up a tree.

In his follow up workshop ‘Confident Tree Climbing for Grown-ups’ (2pm-4pm), Anthony will help you perfect your tree climbing technique to scale even further heights enabling you to enjoy the magic and mystery of Corby’s leafy canopies, where you can discover a moment of solitude.

No experience is necessary, though a head for heights is essential.

To find out more information about any of the events in Our Woods or to book a place, go to www.deeprootstalltrees.org COURTESY OF BRP

SKYDIVING

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Feature /// Extreme sports

EXPERIENCE VIKING BATTLE

The Vikings of Middle England are set to return to Rockingham Castle this August Bank Holiday to recreate their famous and realistic displays.

Enjoy the thrill of a live battle complete with crashing swords and authentic costumes.

The castle will come alive with battles, horses, pageantry and a living history village providing an immersive and educational environment for all the family to enjoy. Experience the sights, smells and sounds of a Viking encampment, set against the thrilling background of a battle.

Step back in time whilst meandering around the village, watching craftsmen making weapons and coins, weaving nets and the healer brewing medicines for all those gory battlefield injuries.

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Experienced bowmen will be on hand to teach their skills, preparing all members of the family to hold their own in a Viking invasion. Against all this excitement, a quiet moment can be enjoyed listening to the storyteller weave fascinating tales to spark the imagination.

The castle will also be open to observe the splendid collection of paintings and armour.

Built by William the Conqueror 900 years ago, the castle has been the home of the Watson family since 1530. Standing in 12 acres of glorious gardens and boasting a licensed restaurant and tearoom and a gift shop, this is a day out for all the family to enjoy. The event is open from noon-5pm.

FRESHWATER CAVE DIVING

If the thought of potholing fills you with dread, then cave diving really isn’t going to be your cup of tea. Descending into a hole in the Earth to explore a submerged cave system is only for those with no fear of drowning or small, dark, confined spaces.

There are plenty of diving clubs in Leicestershire and Rutland. They’re a good place to start – probably in a swimming pool with quick and easy access to the surface. The holes can come later.

For the extreme experience Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula has the world’s largest concentration of sinkholes.

HELISKIING OR BOARDING

There’s a lot to be said for grabbing a helicopter (should you have the funds) and flying away from the crowded pistes to the tops of the mountains to be alone with spectacular views and pristine snow. Unfortunately, it’s getting harder to do in many European countries due to strict regulations.

For the extreme experience Helisiiking is popular in North America and New Zealand. Alaska’s Chugach Mountains boast some of the world’s deepest, softest powder.

BUNGEE JUMPING

Inspired by the ritualistic land divers of Vanuatu, the modern sport of diving off a ledge while attached to a safety cord was popularised by Kiwi entrepreneur AJ Hackett. The UK’s highest bungee jumps are at Bray Lake, not far from Windsor and at Tatton Park near Knutsford. The 300ft bungee jump happens on selective dates throughout the year and is the highest regular jump you will find anywhere in the UK. For the extreme experience The futuristic Macau Tower holds the Guinness World Record for the world’s highest commercial bungee jump at a terrifying 699 feet. During the five-second freefall you can reach speeds of 140mph, while for the ultimate rush you can even take the plunge at night.

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Feature /// Extreme sports

DOWNHILL MOUNTAIN BIKING Using full-suspension bikes designed to float over rocks and tree roots, downhill bikers race down steep inclines peppered with obstacles, trying not to end up heading over their handlebars. Plenty of adrenaline on the way down, but of course, you’ve got to get to the top first, which is less exciting.

Rutland Cycling has some incredible kit and they’ve just been out at the World Cup Downhill course in Lenzerheide, so are the experts at giving advice on what to buy and where to go.

For the extreme experience Downhilling Bolivia’s so-called Death Road is a popular backpacker activity. A safer option is Whistler Bike Park in Canada, at which winter ski runs morph into summer biking tracks. In a similar vein, there’s plenty of downhill runs in the Alps in summer too.

The Chamonix valley has lots of options.

KITE SURFING

A fusion of wakeboarding, surfing, windsurfing, paragliding and gymnastics, kiteboarders use what’s known as a power kite to propel themselves across the ocean while standing on a specially designed board. Camber Sands in Sussex and Daymer Bay in Cornwall are good places to start with average sized waves and consistent winds.

For the extreme experience Kailua Beach on O’ahu, Hawaii, and El Gouna in Egypt will have you speeding over the ocean, with plenty of big waves to launch you airborne.

WHITE WATER RAFTING

White water rafters navigate rapids graded from one to five (anything higher is considered unraftable) in an inflatable boat. Nene Whitewater Centre near Northampton and the National Water Sports Centre, Nottingham, will provide the thrills and spills, if not the views.

For the extreme experience Some of the world’s most scenic grade five rapids are found in the Zambezi River (near Livingstone, Zambia), the Suarez River (near San Gil, Colombia) and Nepal’s Sun Kosi River.

FLYBOARDING

Frenchman Franky Zapata invented a new sport in 2011 called flyboard, a water-powered jetpack that turns the wearer into a kind of water-bound superhero, firing them several metres skywards out of sea. 158 Performance in Lincolnshire

brought the sport to the UK, and you can try it at nearby Tattershall Lakes.

For the extreme experience You can go anywhere in the world and experience Flyboarding, but its spiritual home is France. So soaring above of the turquoise waters of the Cote D’Azur seems apt.

ICE CLIMBING

Ice climbing is the new challenge for the vertigo-unhindered, using pickaxe and crampons to scale ice walls that would make the White Walkers of Game of Thrones think twice.

The climbing wall at Rutland Water will give you an indication of whether any sort of climbing is for you. Perhaps do it it winter to give your fingers an idea of what to expect.

For the extreme experience Norway has a yearly ice climbing festival in Rjukan, where there are more than 150 frozen waterfalls and scores more artificially created structures to tackle.

CLIFF DIVING

Among the world’s most dangerous adrenaline sports, cliff diving sees athletes tumble, somersault and twist from insane heights of over 25m.

For the extreme experience One of the more nerve-jangling challenges can be found at the Blue Lagoon in Wales. This stop on the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series requires divers to launch themselves from a narrow platform into the rocky cove below.

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ACTIVE BODY HOW TO TRAIN DURING THE OFF-SEASON, MILITARY FITNESS ADVICE AND HOW TO FUEL YOUR BODY CORRECTLY FOR YOUR SPORT

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EAT LIKE AN OLYMPIC CHAMPION Top athletes reveal their favourite healthy sporting dishes and there are 40 delicious recipes you can try out at home

The National Lottery has teamed up with the country’s top sports nutritionists on a new campaign – The Food Champions – to share the eating habits and refuelling secrets of Britain’s leading Rio Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls with fitness enthusiasts and people who play sport at all levels.

The campaign has been developed with nutritionists from the English Institute of Sport (EIS), which works with more than 30 Olympic and Paralympic sports, and takes the principles of elite athletes’ dietary regimes and applies them to everyday lifestyles.

40 healthy, delicious, nutritionally balanced and easy to prepare recipes have been developed as part of the campaign which can be viewed at www. thefoodchampions.co.uk.

The recipes focus on eight sports and are designed to deliver the necessary ‘nutritional outcomes’ that food needs to provide to help athletes improve performance in those sports.

Examples of the ‘nutritional outcomes’ include building muscle (for sprinters), burning fat (for boxers), boosting the immune system (for swimmers), aiding

recovery (for cyclists), improving endurance (for triathletes and distance runners) and improving bone health (for gymnasts).

The National Lottery, which funds more than 1,300 athletes across the UK and contributes to funding the EIS, has named a number of the recipes after some of those athletes in honour of their dedication to their sport. They include: • Cav’s Mountain Climb Cherry, Fig & Almond Flapjack (cyclist Mark Cavendish), to be eaten during a long ride to boost performance; • Nicola’s Knockout Chicken Kebabs (boxer Nicola Adams), which can help to burn fat as part of a training regime; • Peacock’s Pleasing Eggs and Avo on Toast (sprinter Jonnie Peacock), which can help build muscle.

Swimmer Becky Adlington, a winner of four Olympic medals, is supporting the campaign.

She says expert nutritional advice can make a crucial difference to athlete performance: “I know from my own competition days just how important it is to follow the best nutritional advice.

Funding from National Lottery players

allows the EIS to fine tune our athletes, maximising their potential. Now everyone who loves playing sport can benefit from advice to improve their own performance and to stay healthy.”

Dr Kevin Currell, head of performance nutrition at the English Institute of Sport, hopes people of all ages and sporting abilities will follow their expert advice: “Food is a vital part of an elite athlete’s training programme and has the power to impact positively on performance.

Athletes’ diets are designed to suit the specific demands of their sport and ensure the food and drinks they consume contribute to the delivery of the ‘nutritional outcomes’ they need to achieve to support their training regime.

“This principle can be applied to the eating habits of anyone who does sport and the recipes developed for this campaign are designed to deliver the relevant nutritional outcomes necessary for each of the eight sports.

“It aims to make the scientific expertise we apply to elite athletes accessible to a much wider audience and give the public an opportunity to learn from the eating habits of Olympic athletes and integrate some of these tips into their own dietary and training regimes.”

Visit www.thefoodchampions.co.uk for more information.

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ACTIVE BODY

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TRAINING IN OFF-SEASON EVERYBODY NEEDS A BREAK IN THE OFF-SEASON, WHATEVER YOUR CHOSEN SPORT AND WHATEVER LEVEL YOU PLAY AT, WRITES FUNCTION JIGSAW’S LAUREN DOBSON. BUT THERE ARE STILL THINGS TO DO

WHAT ARE THE BEST ways to prepare yourself for the new season during that period of waiting for it to begin?

Professional environments will be structured in everything they do, but for the amateur sportsman or women, what is the best way to go about training when it is your responsibility?

What you do in the off-season can impact the following season in a massive way and a lot of people struggle to maintain a basic level of fitness that will put them in good stead for the months ahead.

There are two main ways of training the body. The cardiovascular system delivers oxygen to the muscle cells for them to use.

When you stop training, those cells lose most of what they have gained fairly quickly and the cardiovascular system will slowly reduce the efficiency of delivering oxygen to them.

In short, it is so much quicker to lose fitness than to gain fitness. It can be very easy to get out of shape and, unfortunately, much harder to get it back.

So what can be done to maintain fitness through the off-season to stop pre-season being so challenging as you attempt to reach your fitness goals.

The off-season is the best time to focus on building strength as the stress of competition, training, collisions and intensity is removed.

YOUR BODY CAN RECOVER IN THE OFF-SEASON Maximal strength is the base of which speed, power, endurance and physical qualities are built. The stronger you are, the faster you can run. The more stamina you have, the longer you last on the pitch and the stronger and more effective you can become as a player.

It’s not stretching the point to say that good conditioning can change you from a player taking up space on the bench to a consistent performer and leader on the field.

Most amateur team players have limited time to commit to physical preparation so it’s important to use this time wisely and maximise the gains from the time you do

have available. Just because it’s a hobby, it doesn’t mean you can’t prepare yourself to perform at your best when the new season comes round.

A big part of the off-season is to freshen the mind and body to boost the enjoyment levels for the season ahead.

Any break is important and serves the same purpose as a holiday.

Other things to consider in the offseason are nutrition and health. If you reduce activity volume, you will reduce the number of calories that are burnt, so calorie intake is important. There are some players who may need to use this time period to lose weight to improve their performance, but don’t make these decisions without some good advice and knowledge before you set your goals.

Rest is also important, so take some time off and enjoy it. It is wise to have a recovery phase; allowing your body and mind to heal from the demands of progressive training.

I am not, however, encouraging you to become a couch potato. Allow a week or two of dedicated rest and then a gradual return to activity. Set yourself easy targets with reduced aerobic effort level. This is the perfect time to get on the bike or run without worrying too much about pace.

The goal is to recover and rejuvenate, then move into a phase that is geared towards progressions. As pre-season comes to an end, you should be finishing on your peak phase, ready to return to full training and match situations.

Initially there needs to be a reduction in frequency. Reduce your training days by a third but maintain the training intensity and duration. This will help you maintain endurance.

Alternatively, by reducing your minutes per session by a third and maintaining the frequency and training intensity, you can also maintain your endurance.

MAINTAINING INTENSITY IS KEY A good method for achieving and maintaining these fitness components and your goals is the use of modified anaerobic games. Modified games not only train the metabolic systems, both

aerobic and anaerobic, but also speed, acceleration and agility. They also help vision, awareness and decision-making.

Some examples of modified games for rugby, hockey and football are: softball, volleyball, water polo, circuit training and rounders.

All of these sports/activities can be adapted and rules changed to improve strength, agility and team development.

For example, planning any activity under a similar structure to volleyball but when a point is lost, the opposing team will forfeit a player, who will be removed from the court until there will eventually be just two competing.

When we want to set programmes to improve strength, we want to work in repetition ranges and use weights that are not maximally effective for building strength.

TRAIN WITH THE THREE TO FIVE RULE Set a program around the ‘Three to Five Rule’ – 3 to 5 exercises for 3 to 5 sets of 3 to 5 reps each session.

BENCH PRESS For example, Session 1: Squat, bench press, deadlift – 3 sets of 5 Session 2; Powerclean, squat, push-press – 3 sets of 5 Session 3; Weighted pull-ups, lunges, medicine ball slams – 3 sets of 5 Make sure to progress to heavier weights as long as you can maintain the form.

Finally, don’t forget other activities such as self-massage (foam rolling, trigger ball release), mobility work, flexibility and core.

Most importantly, make sure you listen to your body and seek help/advice where needed.

@FunctionJigsaw info@functionjigsaw.co.uk www.functionjigsaw.co.uk

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ACTIVE BODY

YOGA AND YOU LOOKING TO GET AWAY AND TRAVEL YOUR YOGIC PATH? THE EXPERTS IN TAILOR-MADE WELLNESS HOLIDAYS, HEALTH AND FITNESS TRAVEL, HAVE PICKED THEIR FAVOURITES...

Best for yoga & ayurveda India: Ananda Yoga Experience the harmonising healing of the ancient Indian arts of yoga and ayurveda at this luxurious wellness retreat, set amongst the foothills of the Himalayas.

Restore your inner-balance during personalised yoga sessions, tailored to your ability and goals, and de-stress with the breathing practices of pranayama.

7 nights at Ananda in the Himalayas from £3,440pp or £4,340 for single occupancy.

Best for yoga & holistic healing Crete: Porto Elounda Discover Yoga For a healthy yogi glow escape on a holistic healing yoga retreat to the sunny shores of Mirabello Bay in Crete. Combine your practice with guided meditation and pranayama breathing sessions for complete mind and body harmony and let the fresh ocean air cleanse your senses.

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7 nights at Porto Elounda from £1,475pp or £1,825 for single occupancy.

Best for yoga & healthy nutrition Italy: KU Retreats Tuscany Set amongst the scenic hills of Tuscany, re-boot your well-being on a relaxing yoga and healthy nutrition retreat in Italy. Refuel with the healing properties of delicious home cooked macrobiotic meals, using organic ingredients straight from the retreat gardens, before learning to recreate your favourite recipes during macrobiotic cooking classes.

6 nights at KU Retreats Tuscany from £1,235pp or £1,735 for single occupancy.

Best for yoga & spa Morocco: Paradis Plage Spa & Yoga Practice your sun salutation from sunrise to sunset in the beachfront yoga pavilion of Paradis Plage, set on a private beach

on Morocco’s exotic coastline. With classes from hatha to vinyasa and y in yoga, you’ll soon become a yogi pro.

Unwind further with an array of Moroccan inspired spa treatments using natural products, including a rejuvenating massage using local Agadir pebbles.

7 nights at Paradis Plage from £1,095pp or £1,510 for single occupancy.

Best for yoga & sports Thailand: Thanyapura Get sporty on the exotic Thailand island of Phuket and enhance your yogic practice while building your fitness. Ace your game on the tennis courts or discover whether you were destined to be a triathlete, with expert coaching for all abilities in swimming, cycling and running. Round off a sporty day by stretching out during a relaxing yoga class or soothing sore muscles with a sports massage.

7 nights at Thanyapura from £1,480pp or £1,680 for single occupancy.

Best for yoga & fitness St Lucia: The BodyHoliday Fusion Fitness Retreat to the Caribbean and discover the exotic island paradise of St Lucia with The BodyHoliday. Surrounded by natural waterfalls and acres of unspoilt rainforests, improve your health and fitness with private yoga or pilates lessons, personal training sessions and a host of fitness activities, from Box Fit to Qi Gong.

7 nights at The BodyHoliday from £2,140pp for single or double occupancy.

detox holiday. Complement your luxury yoga retreat with the signature detox programme to meet your individual needs; including detox drinks, nutritional supplements and delicious healthy meals, leaving you feeling energised and refreshed.

8 nights at Absolute Sanctuary from £1,930pp or £2,215 for single occupancy.

Best for yoga & pilates Turks & Caicos: Parrot Cay Yoga & Pilates Discover paradise on the private island of Parrot Cay and feel the soft sand between your toes as you practice daily yoga and pilates looking out on to the ocean.

Further improve your yoga knowledge as you open your mind and calm your senses through vedic yogic philosophy group discussions.

7 nights at Parrot Cay from £2,485pp or £3,885 for single occupancy.

Best for yoga & meditation India: Shreyas Silent Retreat Take a break from everyday life and experience total relaxation at Shreyas in India. Shreyas’ wellness approach is dedicated to ensuring you have a truly relaxing experience through a range of yoga and meditation classes, complemented with luxury spa treatments to guarantee you spend your healthy holiday in total tranquillity.

7 nights at Shreyas from £2,085pp or £2,655 for single occupancy.

Best for yoga & beach Vietnam: Fusion Maia Yoga Located on Vietnam’s East Coast, on one of the world’s best exotic beaches, is a luxury yoga retreat dedicated to enlightening your well-being. With a guaranteed minimum of two spa treatments a day; enjoy choosing from a range of body scrubs, facials and pressure therapies.

7 nights at Fusion Maia from £2,285pp or £2,995 for single occupancy.

For more information, visit www. healthandfitnesstravel.com/yogaholidays or call 0203 397 8891.

Best for yoga & detox Thailand: Absolute Sanctuary Detox Escape on an adventure to the beautiful Thai island of Koh Samui and discover a healthier lifestyle on a cleansing yoga and

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ACTIVE BODY

PUT IN WHAT YOU NEED TO GET OUT An essential element of sport nutrition is getting the ‘energy balance’ right. Nutritional adviser Helen Cole explains how...

Have you ever wondered why it is that some people have the ability to ‘eat like a horse’, while others claim to ‘peck like a bird’ and still gain weight? Well, the simple answer is ‘energy balancing’. I can still hear my father-in-law saying ‘you need to put less in and more out’ and do you know something... he was absolutely right and I’ll explain why.

ENERGY BALANCE The nutrition requirements for sports people and regular exercisers differ from those who are more sedentary because

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involvement in any sort of physical activity means that we require more energy. If our energy intake equals our energy expenditure, our weight is likely to stay the same and this is called ‘energy balance’.

If energy intake is less than our energy requirement, our bodies start to rely on stored energy (glycogen and fat) and once this has been used up, we start to feel fatigued, our performance is less effective and we will start to lose weight.

On the flip side, taking in more energy than we require will eventually result in weight gain. So, how do we get it right?

ENERGY EXPENDITURE The way in which our bodies use energy can be calculated in the following way: Energy expenditure = basal metabolic rate + thermogenesis + physical activity Basal metabolic rate (BMR) – is the minimal amount of calories (energy) we require while resting and maintaining our body’s normal function. In a sedentary individual, this can account for up to 75% of total energy requirements.

Thermogenesis – or ‘heat generation’ –

WHAT SHOULD WE EAT BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER EXERCISE?

What we eat before, during and after exercise can have a huge effect on our overall performance. Here are some practical ideas for foods and drinks to be taken in order to maintain energy

levels and enhance performance.

Remember, water must be consumed appropriately alongside to ensure adequate hydration as well as providing an energy source.

Before exercise

During exercise lasting more than 60 mins

A er exercise

Between daily sessions

How much

2.5g / kg body weight

70g per hour

1g / kg body weight

5-10g / kg body weight depending on intensity

Time period

2-4 hours before exercise

Begin a er 30 mins and take at regular intervals

Up to 2 hours then every 2 hours

Plan and time appropriately to meet recommended intake in time period between session

GI

Low

High

Low or high

Low to moderate

Example Foods

Bowl of muesli with semiskimmed milk Porridge made with semi-skimmed milk Bowl of spaghetti bolognaise with salad Jacket potato with tuna or baked beans

1-2 bananas Handful of dried fruit (apricots or raisins) 500-1000ml isotonic sports drink (homemade or shop bought)

Fresh fruit smoothie made with milk and / or yoghurt Cereal bar Slice of malt loaf Tuna and crème fraiche Tuna and sweetcorn sandwich made with wholemeal / granary bread / roll / pitta / wrap

Stir-fried noodles and vegetables Jacket potato with cottage cheese and salad ½ large pizza made with vegetable and tomato topping

refers to the burning of calories through physiological processes such as digesting food. The body raises its temperature or energy output and this is triggered by nutrition, supplements and exercise.

Thermogenesis is directly related to the metabolic rate. When the core temperature of the body is increased, the metabolism is stimulated, which ultimately causes the body to use stored fat cells to support the additional energy output.

Physical activity – generally accounts for 15 to 30% of total daily energy expenditure and is the only one we have any influence over.

Your ideal energy requirements can be calculated using dietary analysis, which you may be able to find online. Failing that, any sports or nutrition professional should be able to calculate an individual’s energy requirement by multiplying their BMR by an assigned physical activity level.

ENERGY INTAKES OF ATHLETES A good diet will ensure that athletes and sports people can reach their optimum performance and maintain energy levels for longer before fatigue kicks in. To mix things up a bit more, different types of exercise will require different energy intake and expenditure.

Sports that rely on flexibility, body weight and agility (gymnastics, dancing and

boxing) will focus on a low intake of energy and will often be in a state of negative energy balance in order to keep weight down (i.e. they will take less energy in than they expend).

At the other end of the scale, someone partaking in an endurance event, such as a marathon or triathlon, requires a much higher intake of energy in order to sustain optimum performance. Achieving a diet that is suitably energy dense for such endurance trainers can be quite hard due to the volume of food that would need to be consumed. This is where high energy/high carbohydrate food bars and drinks come in useful.

A study has shown that a cyclist taking part in the Tour de France can burn up to 6,000 calories per day, which is pretty hard to replace in meals alone, so it is important to continue to replenish!

BODY COMPOSITION When we refer to body composition, we are talking about lean body tissue (bone, muscle, blood, organs) and fat. Weight, body size and composition are both important factors and are detrimental to an athlete’s performance.

Generally speaking, an athlete will have lower body fat and higher lean body mass than a less active person; however, this also depends on the type of activity they are involved in. For example, a marathon runner

will have a low overall body weight and fat composition (as low as 5% body fat), and will consume higher levels of carbohydratebased energy foods to meet their energy requirements, whereas a weight trainer or discus thrower will have a much higher overall body weight and fat (up to 30%) and will consume higher levels of protein. It is therefore impossible to go along with the theory that ‘one size fits all’.

Each person’s ideal body composition and weight is very much tailored to their overall lifestyle, age, health and activity levels.

Information in this article is provided by Future Fit Training and is based on the average, healthy individual where other intolerances, illnesses or allergies may not be taken into consideration. Always seek medical assistance before taking part in any training or weight management programme.

Cole Nutrition offers a full dietary analysis to identify the requirements for each individual.

They look at current eating and lifestyle patterns or habits and identify possible changes in realistic and achievable terms. Whatever your lifestyle, Cole Nutrition will endeavour to find the perfect balance for a happy, healthy you.

If you would like to book a consultation or find out more about what they offer, please contact Helen Cole on 07966 050 193, email colenutritionh@gmail.com or visit the website at www.colenutrition.co.uk.

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Feature /// Competition winner

CYCLING HERO UPDATE 2: JASON SKINNER The Rutland Cycling/Active Cycling Hero winner Jason Skinner is starting to increase his training ahead of next year’s challenge TRAINING HAS REALLY kicked up a gear now the nice weather is finally here. After picking up the finished bike and having my final fitting at Rutland Cycling, I bought a few bits and bobs for the new bike, which has been nicknamed ‘The Green Machine’. Since then, I’ve been cycling around the area on it whenever I get the chance.

I have racked up 1,300 miles on Strava now and completed the 71.2-mile route on the Peterborough 5x5 Cycle Sportive recently. I’ve also been on a couple of longer club rides on Sunday mornings with Cycle Wright Cycle Club, and a 100-mile ride will be my next big marker.

I’ve also been up to Leeds to visit my friend Tim, who has foolishly agreed to do the ride to Spain with me, for some hill training and a planning meeting (it ended up in drinks in the pub and deciding on which matching outfit to wear!). Tim has also been to sunny Bourne where we did a little ride together down here.

I am in the middle of planning all the different stages of the challenge and I’m going to France in the next few weeks to do some miles over there to keep up the training and to

get a better feel for cycling on the Continent and on the wrong side of the road!

The charity side of things is coming together too. I have set up a Just Giving page and am currently writing to as many bike companies as I can think of to get some things to auction off to help raise money for Cancer Research.

JASON’S WINNING CHALLENGE Lincolnshire to southern Spain…

“I am a novice cyclist and took up road cycling last Christmas. The longest ride I’ve done so far has been 52 miles.

“For my 40th birthday this year I want to ride from Land’s End to John O’Groats and to cycle several stages of the Tour de France. These will be in preparation for my big adventure, to cycle from Bourne to Almeria in Spain.

“It will be a fund-raising ride for Cancer Research – my mother has terminal cancer and moved to Spain for her last years. I thought the challenge of riding through France to her village in Spain would be tough, but nothing in comparison to the fight my mum is having.”

To donate, visit www.justgiving.com/ fundraising/JasonSkinner0609

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52 Cycle comp.indd 52

24/07/2016 14:07

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03/08/2016 10:24

ACTIVE BODY

THE FINISHING TOUCHES You’ve done all the hard work in the gym, playing sports and getting fit, so now is the time to reap the benefits and add the finishing touches…

Edited by Mary Bremner

SILKY, SOFT AND SENSATIONAL Everyone’s wearing them, even Kate Moss.

And if she’s wearing one it must be the ‘in thing.’

Yes, the ultimate capsule piece this season is the blouse. Not a crisp cotton shirt but a soft silky blouse, often with a tie or ruffle at the neck. The silky blouse is the ‘go to’ fashion item this season and I can see why, it is just so wearable. Very comfortable, forgiving and smart in a ‘not trying too hard’ way.

Kate Moss has launched a collection of silky blouses for Equipment and says that a blouse, jeans and jacket are what she wears just about every day.

And the High Street seems to agree. You can find a silky blouse in almost every shop you go to ranging in price from easily affordable to stratospheric.

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Silky blouses are ideal for the woman who doesn’t want to wear a dress. Team it with jeans or trousers and you’re fit for most offices. In the evening you can wear it with a long satin skirt and easily pass muster at the smartest of balls.

A silky blouse with the odd flounce, bow or ruffle can add a feminine touch but you can still control what’s going on on the lower half. Push the sleeves up to just below the elbow as this helps elongate the torso. The great thing about the silky blouse is that it can be worn by women of all ages and sizes without looking out of place, it really is that universal. Different ages wear it in different ways, but they are all fundamentally going for the same look.

Versatile and smart, the silky blouse is a must this summer and autumn.

And finally...

The latest fashions to show off

Cardington handbag £245 www.tusting.co.uk

REIKI Reiki is a healing technique based on the principle that the therapist can channel energy into the patient by touch. This activates the natural healing process, restoring physical and emotional wellbeing. I have to confess to being a little sceptical but went along with an open mind to see what it was all about.

Marella Santa Croce is based at the Advanced Skin Clinic in St Martin’s in Stamford. A positive, ethereal lady who is very warm and made me feel very welcome.

I took my shoes off and sat on the bed and Marella got to work. She initially massaged my feet and then held her hands up in front of them. I know it sounds odd but I felt heat coming from her hands.

Reiki is not just about physical ailments, it

has proved to be very effective for emotional and mental health issues.

Marella picked up on my stress levels (high) and helped. She asks you to work with her by being open to the treatment. I don’t quite know how it works but it would appear that the healer absorbs your pain, physical and emotional. And it does work.

I left Marella feeling much more relaxed and positive and the physical pain she specifically treated was alleviated.

All I can say is, I have no idea how reiki works but be open to it and work with your healer. I shall definitely be visiting Marella again – she offers a lunchtime stress-buster which sounds ideal.

Prices start at £25. The Advanced Skin Clinic, 8 High Street, St Martin’s, Stamford.

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INDIAN HEAD MASSAGE As I spend most days hunched over a keyboard the prospect of a 30-minute Indian head massage straight after work was a great incentive to make me focus on my deadlines and clear my desk.

Massage is an integral part of normal daily life in India and you can sit down to have a head massage on street corners, in markets, barbers and hairdressers and even on the beach. You normally keep your clothes on for modesty and convenience but as I was in a salon I was given the option of lying face down first of all while the therapist worked on my upper back and shoulders. She used wide, sweeping motions to warm up the area and start to soothe the knots.

It is an holistic treatment which aims to treat the body both physically and

emotionally. There are plenty of benefits including detoxifying the body through better lymphatic drainage, increasing energy levels and relieving insomnia, as well as the obvious reduction of stress.

After I rolled on to my back she applied a delicious smelling mud mask for my scalp that, because it was mineral based, would work its way deep into the skin and keeps on conditioning until washed out.

I lay there in a state of bliss as she massaged from my neck to the top of my head. Her firm movements and kneading my pressure points just lifted the stress clear away. I felt like a rag doll at the end of it. A few hours after the treatment I sank into a hot bath and then headed to bed. for the best night’s sleep I’ve had in a long while.

Kate Maxim

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Feature /// Charity trip

TRIP OF A LIFETIME BGL employees visit the Mutaba Health Clinic in Zambia EIGHTEEN BGL EMPLOYEES recently travelled to Zambia, visiting the Mutaba Health Clinic, funded by the BGL Group, and built by local people trained by Build It International.

Development of this facility was only made possible by the fund-raising efforts of employees who raised more than £51,000. As part of BGL’s commitment to making a difference in the communities it works with, an extra £169,000 was donated by the group bringing the grand total raised to £220,000.

Upon arrival in Zambia, the team travelled to the village of Kapiri, a community where only half of all births are attended by skilled medical practitioners and now home to the Mutaba Health Clinic. The newly-built clinic supports a growing population of 11,000, providing a specialised maternity unit with delivery and antenatal rooms, sanitation and waiting facilities.

The Mutaba Health Clinic diagnoses and treats the number one killer in Zambia – malaria. During the visit, the group witnessed first-hand the impact the clinic makes within the community, as they saw two individuals being treated back to full health, having contracted malaria.

Also during the trip, the team visited the Kabaka School, also funded by BGL two years ago, alongside charity partner Build It International. The group spent time with the children teaching them an array of things from reading and writing, dancing, rounders and playing football.

As well as the thousands who will benefit from the health clinic, 18 unemployed men and women were also trained in construction and now hold a nationally recognised qualification. They will be further supported by Build It International who will help to get them into construction work.

BGL employee Brett Mead said: “We had so much fun, and it really made us extremely excited for what was to come. It’s certainly a place made by the people. The Zambian people are full of beauty, hospitality, love and laughter, so we were all very excited to be working with them, and helping make this wonderful project something.

Sophie Cipriano added: “Before we waved goodbye to the clinic and everyone around it, the local painters, nicknamed ‘The Rastas’, made a BGL sign for us to all paint our names on. I think I can say on behalf of the group, we’ve absolutely loved our time helping out at the clinic and as we drove out of the gates I’m pretty sure some tears were shed.”

5 6 A U G U S T 2 0 16 ///

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Feature /// Great walks

TOP STAT ll has been Tolethorpe Ha Stamford the by d ne ow mpany Shakespeare Co since 1977.

Little Casterton & Tolethorpe A picturesque walk with a hint of Shakespeare and plenty of water.

By Will Hetherington Photography: Will Hetherington

Difficulty rating (out of five)

THE ROUTE

Park in Little Casterton on the main road as close to Church Lane as you can. Walk down the lane until you get to the footpath on the right just before The Chantry, a rather grand looking country residence in which us mere mortals could only dream of living.

Follow the path down past the secluded church on the left. In fact if you didn’t take this path you would be hard pressed to know there was a church in Little Casterton. Anyway, you will soon find yourself crossing the outfield of Tolethorpe Cricket Club, with its quaint pavilion, and then onwards into the sheep pasture field in the grounds below Tolethorpe Hall. Follow the path to the north eastern corner of this field, where it joins the wall around the back of Tolethorpe Hall, home of the Stamford

5 8 A U G U S T 2 0 16 ///

Shakespeare Company. You are not too late to catch a summer performance this year as they play on until the end of August.

Go through the gate here and follow the track towards imposing Tolethorpe Mill before going around the side of the house and up the drive on the other side. When you reach the end of the drive with the bridge on your left, you can turn left and take a quick right to walk along the side of the Gwash but it’s a bit limited.

Far better to turn right and walk up the road until you get to the layby at the top. Cross over the stile and after the second stile take a sharp left and carry on all the way down the hill (ignoring the footpath to the right almost immediately).

This is a permissive footpath which follows the horseshoe of the Gwash and gives the dogs ample opportunities to dip in and out on those hot summer days. Once you have gone all the way around the horseshoe and are facing south again you will pick up the path which heads west and upwards across the middle of the field.

When you reach the top it’s a simple case of retracing your steps back to Little Casterton.

ESSENTIAL INFORMATION Where to park On the main road in Little Casterton as close to Church Lane as possible.

Distance and time Two and half miles/one hour maximum.

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Highlights The church and cricket club in Little Casterton, Tolethorpe Mill and the River Gwash.

Lowlights There are always sheep in the pasture between Tolethorpe Hall and Little Casterton but a dog lead should help you avoid any problems.

Refreshments No pubs here but the Green Dragon in Ryhall is not too far off.

Difficulty rating Two paws. It’s a decent walk but nothing too taxing.

The pooch perspective The presence of the Gwash all the way around the horseshoe makes this a firm favourite with the dogs.

Otherwise watch out for the sheep.

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. ©CROWN COPYRIGHT 2015 ORDNANCE SURVEY. MEDIA 055/15

Clockwise, from le

The view from the sheep pasture field; Tolethorpe Mill seen from the footpath which runs behind Tolethorpe Hall; the River Gwash is your companion for a lengthy section of this walk

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KINGS HEAD S TA M F O R D • P E 9 2 A Z

Search Kings Head Stamford on

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15/07/2016 10:15

Feature /// Sportsman's Dinner

The King's Head, Stamford Will and Matt try out this charming town centre pub which is under new management Will This must be one of Stamford’s most charming pubs and under the new management of Stephen and his team it has got a real buzz about it. We came for Sunday lunch a couple of weeks ago and ate in the courtyard at the back.

The seafood plate starter and roast beef were both fantastic and it was a thoroughly enjoyable experience. In fact we didn’t want to leave but I had to go and play cricket.

Matt As you were late I have already enjoyed a pint of Stoney Ford’s Sheepmarket Super Nova Straw from the new brewery at Ryhall. It’s similar to Oakham Ales’ JHB, which is such a great beer for all occasions I can’t blame them for aiming at the same market. Having said that, it’s sufficiently different to make its mark.

Will I think I was on time so you must have drunk that pint in one minute. But it’s a warm evening and it is very refreshing so I suppose that’s your excuse. Anyway, now we are out in the courtyard again and it’s full with people either just enjoying a drink or dining.

Matt It’s a great atmosphere and I can see this appealing to all the people in Stamford who are looking for a new option when going for a drink

or dinner. There’s a touch of Tuscany about the overhanging foliage, stone walls and the superb fig tree which dominates one corner of the courtyard. And the marinated olives and honey roasted nuts only add to that feeling. Although the strips of pork crackling are a good reminder we are in the heart of England after all.

Will I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else right now – it’s one of those summer evenings you dream of in the middle of winter. And it just got even better with that steak (£20). It was a ribeye supplied by Nelson’s and cooked magnificently

by Adam in the kitchen. Not only was it an extremely generous cut but everything about it was right. The grilled tomatoes and mushrooms were packed with flavour, the onion rings had a lovely light batter and the chips were perfect.

But even better was the port and gravy reduction which is addictively good.

Matt How can we convey the sheer size of the steak to our readers? How about the simple fact that you actually shared some of it with me? A rare occurrence indeed. Not that I needed it because my pan-roasted chicken supreme with a leek, potato and parmesan gratin and a mornay sauce was creamy and moist with well cooked

crispy bacon. It was a fine plate of food and you’re right, that port reduction is dangerously good.

Will I thought I was full but I didn’t have a pudding last time we were here so I couldn’t resist the lemon and ginger panna cotta with a ginger tuile and coulis (£4.75). And what a pudding it was. The chef apologised because the panna cotta hadn’t quite set but that didn’t matter one bit. It was refreshing and delicious and the ginger tuile was special.

Matt You think yours was good? The chef’s cheesecake (£4.75) made with Tipperary soft cheese was fantastic. A killer pudding to finish an amazing meal. I can’t wait to come back and enjoy more of this delicious food and the friendly atmosphere. The King’s Head is well and truly on the Stamford map and I can only see it getting more and more popular.

The King's Head 19 Maiden Lane, Stamford, PE9 2AZ. 01780 753510

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Rutland Run for Fun For those new to running or wanting to try it for the first time!

Every Tuesday at 12:30pm, starting on Tuesday 2nd August Meet outside Rutland County Council Reception

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Feature /// School sport

Oakham win in Weymouth Oakham sailors Maddy Kirk and Toby Petit finished in first place in the Silver Fleet at the UK Feva National Championships in Weymouth, with their team-mates Harry Martin and Matt Peckham finishing third overall.

The pupils had a very physical challenge spread out over the four days of the competition, averaging five hours on the water every day.

Oakham came first and second in three out of the six races, including both races on the last day when the wind was so strong that the British Olympic squad cancelled their training.

That gust snapped the jib halyard on each of the two boats during the final race – but the pairs stayed upright and still crossed the line in first and second place despite their missing sails, leaving a trail of capsized competitors in their wake.

Sailing coach Nick Neve said: “I am incredibly proud of all our sailors. Their commitment to regular training on Rutland Water and elsewhere laid the foundations for their success.

“Physical and mental resilience developed in weekly sessions with Joel Tratt, our specialist strength and conditioning coach, made all the difference.”

OLIVER’S A RECORD BREAKER Oakham high jumper Oliver Simmonds broke records as he competed in the Humberside Track and Field event at the Costello Stadium in Hull.

Oliver, who is 14, cleared the bar at 1.72m, breaking a record of 1.65m that had stood for 10 years. Oliver is now looking forward to competing in the county championships.

Oakham School’s director of athletics Tref Vandoros said: “This is a fantastic achievement for Oliver, which is the result of all his hard work and commitment in training. I look forward to seeing what he will achieve in his next competition and in the years to come!”

UCC sport camps Uppingham Community College will be running the popular sporting fun camps over the summer holidays.

The camps are fun, multi-sport based using the college’s indoor and outdoor facilities, running between 10am-3pm.

They are aimed at children aged from five to 12 year olds. They cost £12 per day.

The dates are: • Monday August 1 • Tuesday August 2 • Wednesday August 3 • Monday August 8 • Tuesday August 9 • Wednesday August 10 • Monday August 22 • Tuesday August 23 • Wednesday August 24 To book or for further details please contact Rob Lewin via e-mail at Lewin_R@ucc. rutland.sch.uk or by calling 01572 823631. /// AU G U S T 2 0 1 6 6 5

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Feature /// School sport

Summer games a success The Leicestershire & Rutland School Games Summer Championships had added exuberance this year, inspired by the upcoming Rio Olympics and Paralympics.

A total of 1,044 of the county’s top primary school-based athletes and disabled athletes aged 8-11 years competed in the championships.

The 123 teams from 72 schools were representing the 10 School Sport & Physical Activity Networks (SSPANs), in 13 competitions across nine sports. All teams qualified from their Level 2 Partnership Finals to compete in this Level 3 County Final Championships.

With the honour of becoming county and overall partnership champions up for grabs, the young athletes competed in four hours of competitive action in the top-class facilities at Welbeck Defence and Sixth Form College.

The youngsters battled in the sports of Quadkids athletics, Kwik Cricket, girls football, Quicksticks hockey, netball, Sportsability, swimming, tennis, Tri-Golf and a Change 4 Life Festival.

The Leicester-Shire & Rutland School Games, now in its sixth year, is part of the national School Games Programme that is a unique opportunity to motivate and inspire young people to take part in more competitive school sport. It is open to all young people aged 5-18 years, of all abilities and backgrounds from every school across Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland.

Lucy Baginskis, school games manager from Leicestershire & Rutland Sport, said: “This year has seen another fantastic School Games Summer Championships, with new sports and competitions being added to the programme and a record number of young people attending.

“Our young competitors have also been inspired in the lead up to the 2016 Rio Olympics and Paralympics, as well as an opportunity to access tickets to the UK National School Games taking place in September, hosted by Loughborough University for the first time.”

Quicksticks Hockey Year 3/4 Mixed • Winners: North West Leicestershire • Spirit of the Games Winners: Hinckley & Bosworth Quicksticks Hockey Year 5/6 Mixed • Winners: North West Leicestershire • Spirit of the Games Winners: Rutland Netball Year 5/6 High 5 Mixed • Winners: Hinckley & Bosworth • Spirit of the Games Winners: North West Leicestershire

RESULTS • Hinckley & Bosworth crowned 2015/16 School Games Champions • North West Leicestershire crowned 2015/16 School Games Spirit of the Games Champions Quadkids Athletics Year 3/4 Mixed • Winners: North West Leicestershire • Spirit of the Games Winners: Oadby & Wigston Quadkids Athletics Year 5/6 Mixed • Winners: Oadby & Wigston • Spirit of the Games Winners: North West Leicestershire Kwik Cricket Year 5/6 Girls • Winners: Rutland • Spirit of the Games Winners: West Leicester Kwik Cricket Year 5/6 Mixed • Winners: Rutland • Spirit of the Games Winners: South Charnwood Girls Football Year 5/6 • Winners: Oadby & Wigston • Spirit of the Games Winners: East Leicester

Sportsability Key Stage 2 Mixed Pan Disability • Winners: Hinckley & Bosworth • Spirit of the Games Winners: North West Leicestershire Swimming Year 5/6 Mixed • Winners: Hinckley & Bosworth • Spirit of the Games Winners: North West Leicestershire Tennis Year 3/4 Mini Red Mixed • Winners: West Leicester • Spirit of the Games Winners: Rutland Tri-Golf Year 3/4 Mixed • Winners: Hinckley & Bosworth • Spirit of the Games Winners: North West Leicestershire Tri Golf Year 5/6 Mixed • Winners: Melton & Belvoir • Spirit of the Games Winners: East Leicester Change 4 Life Festival Year 3/4 Mixed (non-competitive) • Spirit of the Games Winners: South Charnwood For more information visit www.lrsport.org/ schoolgames

BROOKE PRIORY

CELEBRATES TERM OF SPORTING SUCCESS Brooke Priory School had a great deal to celebrate at the end of what had been a very busy term of sport.

The under 11 girls were proud to represent Rutland at the Leicestershire and Rutland School Games which were held at Welbeck College in June and even more delighted when they li ed the championship trophy at the end of the a ernoon.

Euphoria levels rose even higher when they then took part in the ECB Kwik Cricket Finals at the same venue and were crowned county winners.

A school spokesman said: “An amazing crescendo to the girls’ sporting experiences which will stand them in very good stead as they move on to their senior schools.”

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

Cricket

Uppingham thrash Ketton in Rutland T20 final

BY JEREMY BESWICK

J

uly saw Uppingham Unicorns and Ketton Lions contest the final of the Rutland T20 competition on neutral territory at Oakham’s Lime Kilns ground. Although Uppingham were the holders, many observers considered Ketton to be the more likely winners as they’d had a flawless record in the shortened format so far this season.

Ketton skipper Rob Vitas won the toss, but must have surely wished he’d lost it, or decided to field first, after watching six Lions wickets fall early doors as Uppingham’s bowlers Scott Green and Alex Ashwin had what their scorer Scott Fraser called an “impeccable opening spell”.

The damage started straight away with Green having both opener Josh Gallimore and number three Uli van Duyker caught by Danny Dumford in the opening over and then Ashwin took the wickets of Shakir Mahmood and Peter Rowe three overs later, Rowe’s to a fantastic diving catch by Tom Roberts.

Things didn’t improve for Ketton and four

down rapidly became six as Green bagged his third – Matt Bird for a duck – and fielder Sam Hodson showed fast hands to run out Matthew Milner.

Some minor respite came once the opening bowlers had completed their allotted spell with a stand of 24 but it was broken by the Dumford brothers as they combined to remove Jacob Miller (bowled Danny, caught Jamie).

Mark Cox, Tom Roberts and Don Butchart then contributed the wickets of Cristian Durant, Vitas himself and Manzoor respectively to leave the Lions stranded with three overs to spare, all out for just 56. Oh dear.

The Unicorns’ reply began with a delightful twist as van Duyker had Sam Hodson out first ball and then caught and bowled Martin Bennett in his second over, but it was asking too much of any Hollywood script for this to be anything other than an easy total for Uppingham to reach; they eventually reached the required runs in only the 12th over for the

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loss of just three wickets to retain their title.

Green was awarded man of the match for his spell of 24 balls that yielded three wickets for just seven runs.

The mood of those Ketton players will have improved since that chastening defeat, however. Not only did they return to the Lime Kilns a couple of weeks later to beat Oakham in the Sunday Rutland league, but that win came hard on the heels of Matt Bird’s tremendous 203 for the second XI (a club record) on the previous day.

Going on to defeat Bourne in the SRSN Stamford Charity Cup Final, with Manzoor scoring 84 from 39 and Mahmood getting 65 from 49 balls, would have been a nice bonus too.

Just to prove that success at cricket is a fickle mistress, losers Bourne had themselves won the Jaidka Cup Final against Peterborough Town only two days before.

Uppingham, like Ketton, will also be content with their form since that final.

Having started their inaugural season in

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Delight at Grace Road with the news that skipper Mark Cosgrove has signed a new contract that will tie him to the county for the next two years.

Elite performance director Andrew McDonald called it “fantastic” and went on to stress how important his batting and leadership are to the cause.

It’s yet another indication of how Leicestershire have undergone a quiet revolution – the no-hopers of two to three years ago are now genuine promotion contenders, being good enough to have beaten the table-topping Essex side last month.

I spoke with fellow Aussie and team-mate Angus Robson, who agreed how vital a part Cosgrove has played.

“I’m very pleased. It’s hard to put into words how much he contributes. He’s helped turn the whole place round. He’s one of the top, top players and we’re very lucky to have him,” he said.

Top order batsman Robson had signed his own extension last year and I asked

him if it had been a difficult decision, as at that time Leicestershire were still very much a club in transition a er those lean seasons.

“No, it wasn’t a tough one. Even though it was at a key point in my career, being in my early 20s, I could see the club was on the way up. We’ve made such a great improvement and although the years before weren’t great, last year was brilliant and we’re really pushing for promotion this time around. There are seven games to go and we’re very much in the mix.”

That improvement hasn’t gone unnoticed by the population of Leicester, who have responded in droves.

“There’s been a big increase in numbers through the gates,” Robson continued.

“And a great vibe at the place. We’ve played good cricket all season – I can only think of two days when we weren’t so good – and we’re a match for anyone. We’re in a really good place at the moment.”

The corporate world is also taking notice; Al Rayan Bank being the most recent to announce a new sponsorship.

The turnaround began with the appointment of Wasim Khan as chief executive in 2014 and much of the credit belongs to him. Now he’s reaching out to the community in an initiative to try to tap into latent cricketing potential that’s so far gone unnoticed, saying: “We acknowledge that there is huge talent outside the formal cricketing structure and it’s important that we are able to provide hope to the talented to inspire them to fulfil their dreams.”

Called Search for a Star, the program begins with open trials on the August 2 and 11 for anyone in the county between the ages of 16 and 24 who doesn’t currently play in the Leicestershire and Rutland Premier League.

Successful applicants will move forward into a training camp run by coaches Mark Scott and Dave Allen, following which a Search for a Star XI will play against Leicestershire seconds. Billed as a ‘perfect chance to impress’ elite performance director Andrew McDonald, second XI coach Pierre de Bruyn and academy director Nic Pothas, one player has the chance to earn a contract or join the academy.

Applications should be made to dave@leicestershirecricket.co.uk.

Neville Chadwick Photography

Vox Fox

Le

Angus Robson in action for Leicestershire

Division One with the objective of consolidating their promotion, their recent record of won one, drawn two, lost one seems to have confirmed them in a mid-table position, offering a promising platform for possibly even greater things next year.

Meanwhile, Oakham remain second in Leicestershire and Rutland Division 2 despite a surprising loss away to relegation strugglers Countesthorpe. Batting first, Oaks posted 249 on what was a very good wicket, but their hosts managed to overtake that total with plenty of wickets and an over to spare.

Though doubtless an entertaining match for the spectators, Oakham’s Cameron Flowers struggled to hide his frustration when we spoke a few days later.

He said: “It was a game we should have won. An opening partnership of more than 150 should have led to much more than 250 for the innings. I felt our bowling wasn’t great and that we lacked a bit of discipline in the field at times.”

Still only 20 years old, Flowers represents town’s best young prospect and tops the first team batting averages as well as being there or thereabouts on the bowling stats, so his opinion counts in spite of his youth. Elder brother Calvin, so often the star in previous seasons, has only been able to play a few fixtures this year due to work and family commitments but there’s every prospect of him returning to play more often next year and the prospect of seeing them both play

regularly in the same team is tantalising, so all will hope that happens.

Calvin’s leadership skills would be a useful addition to those of skipper Richard Martin.

Following the end of the reign of ambitious, go-ahead chairman Nick Begy last year, that position remains currently unfilled. It was not anyone’s intention that this vacuum should indicate a lack of ambition at the club and in order to keep and attract talent many players feel they’ll soon need a stronger, clearer statement of intent and purpose from the top.

Finally, apologies to Burghley Park, Stamford, Ufford, Deeping and several other teams whose exploits deserved more coverage than space allows this month. Hopefully we’ll correct that next time.

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Roundup

Bowls

County finals results

S

Stamford and District League bowlers will be out in force when the English Bowling Federation stages its national championships at the Skegness Suncastle greens from August 23, with the Blackstones club providing four and Ketton two qualifiers each.

Stephen Harris (19) will represent his club and county in both the under 25 singles and pairs (with Darren Middleton), while his sister Louise features in the women’s under 25 singles.

Fellow Blackstones bowlers Nick Wilkie and Paul Buckley have qualified in the men’s two-bowl pairs after defeating Jim Ruddy and Sean Fenlon (West Ward) in the county finals staged for the first time at the City of Peterborough Club.

Ketton bowlers Carol Warters, Shirley Suffling and Christine Ford dominated both the two-bowl and three-bowl disciplines of the women’s triples competitions, beating club-mates Valerie Du’Kett, Peggy Birch and Elaine Upton in the two-bowl with one end to spare and then defeating Blackstones trio Rita Downs, Jenny Harris and Sharon Bailey by 10 shots.

Another Blackstones bowler, singles specialist Martyn Dolby, came within an ace of clinching the four-bowl discipline but lost 20-21 to Parkway’s Neil Wright.

Langtoft boasted four-finalists but only Peter Cox got through, winning the federation’s blue-riband two-bowl singles, the first title since his last, 21 years ago.

Finals results Women’s senior pairs S Craig/P Bussey (Conservative) beat S Suffling/C Ford (Ketton) 19-12; women’s 4-bowl singles S Moir (Langtoft) lost to S Newson (Parkway) 17-21; women’s secretary singles P O’Brien (Deeping Assn) lost to L Darani (City of Peterborough) 7-21; men’s secretary singles M Ramsden (Empingham) lost to M Squires (C of P) 18-21; men’s champion of champion singles G Agger (Broadway, Yaxley) lost to H Shipp (Parkway) 17-21; women’s champion of champion singles J Butcher (Whittlesey Town) beat C Pell ( Crowland) 22-17.

Under 25 singles J Corney (Whittlesey Manor) lost to S Harris (Blackstones) 16-21; women’s senior singles N Squires (C of P) beat V Hempsell ( Yaxley) 21-14; mixed pairs M Cullingworth/A Cullingworth (Langtoft) lost to C Morton/S Law (Parkway) 14-19; women’s 3-bowl triples J Harris/R Downs/S Bailey (Blackstones) lost to C Warters/S Suffling/C Ford (Ketton) 9-21; women’s pairs K Martin/J Masters (Parkway) lost to S Newson/V Newson (Parkway) 14-15; men’s

who we are

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4-bowl singles M Dolby (Blackstones) lost to N Wright (Parkway) 20-21.

Men’s 2-bowl triples S Reynolds/J Harford/M Robertson (Parkway) beat T Corney/T English/S Wilson (Whittlesey Town) 25-11; men’s 3-bowl triples P Dalliday/ R Stevens/M Welsford (Whittlesey Manor) lost N Wright/E Morton/S Law (Parkway) 5-18; men’s 2-bowl singles G Agger (Yaxley) lost P Cox (Langtoft) 16-21; men’s veteran singles M Duell (West Ward) beat N Hill (Yaxley) 21-7; women’s 2-bowl singles S Craig (Conservatives) beat F Richardson ( C of P) 21-7; senior mixed pairs L Kemp/A Kemp (Conservatives) beat L Darani/R Martin (C of P) 21-16.

Men’s pairs N Wilkie/P Buckley (Blackstones) beat J Ruddy/S Fenlon (West Ward) 20-13; women’s 2-bowl triples C Warters/S Suffling/C Ford (Ketton) beat P Birch/E Upton/V Du’Kett (Ketton) 21-15; mixed triples S Newson/V Newson (Parkway)/P Brown (Whittlesey Manor, sub for J Newson) beat J Harris/T Harris/P Bailey (Blackstones) 18-9; men’s senior pairs M Cullingworth/R Montgomery (Langtoft) lost to G Jackson/R Martin (C of P) 13-14; J Corney/Z Brown (Whittlesey Manor) lost to D Middleton/S Harris (Blackstones) 16-17.

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Equestrianism

Rain fails to dampen spirits

BY JULIA DUNGWORTH

I

thought it was summer and yet Buckminster’s annual BE event on July 9-10 saw the most horrific downpour of the year on the Saturday morning. Not only was it one of the few times I have actually worn wellies, but my breeches were so wet from walking the course that the water had run down into them, leaving me with wet socks!

There was a sparse field for the dressage warm-up, with competitors hiding in their lorries until they absolutely had to get on. The showjumping section seemed to bear the brunt of the nasty weather, with clear rounds few and far between. There were poles flying everywhere, even from the more experienced combinations.

The cross-country course held up extremely well, and former rider Guy Herbert was busy on his digger flying around putting stone down everywhere to make the ground rideable for the field of more than 600 horses to romp round.

Again, this is one of the locals’ favourite events with good placings from Angus Smales, Lisa Freckingham and Richard Jones in the 100 sections.

Katie Barber from Queniborough won the very sought-after KBIS five-year-old qualifier

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on Lisheen Harlequin. She will now have qualified him for Osberton Young Horse Championship’s in October.

Katie also was placed fourth and seventh on her other two rides, Don Meeco and Derrys Lady Lou, in the 100 sections. A great day at the office for her.

Matt Hecking from Oakham also won a novice section on STX First Class Mail, whom he purchased from Vicky Laing.

The Sunday saw a small improvement in ground conditions, but not enough to make clear rounds more frequent in the show jumping, and there were plenty of withdrawals after the word had spread about the going.

Sophie Miller from Braunston won a section on the Sunday morning and she was one of only two clears in the whole section!

Richard Coney also had a good day.

He was second in the Under 18 section on Master Ping, and I’m sure he will get his place on the Junior Team.

The Cottesmore Hunt Supporters Club ran their annual BS show at Ranksborough polo ground on July 2, which again was very well supported.

They ran a clear round and their first class is an unaffiliated, so they had a lot of non-BS

members as well, which is great as they get to ride next to some world class riders.

The first class unaffiliated 85cm winner was Jodie Parr on Jo Rutter’s Bengie, and they were also the best Cottesmore. The best Cottesmore under 16 was Edward Traylon on Rathborne Tidera in the same section. The winner of British Novice was Penny Roberts on Think It Over, which is run in conjunction with the 1m open, won by Harriet Herbert on Krakatoa. Kilronen River Dance, ridden by Lizzie Boon, nee Purbrick, won the Discovery class.

Angus Smales won the newcomers and a lovely trophy to be held for one year on the three-star eventer A Bit Much. Foxhunter winner and recipient of the Mark Williams Senior Memorial Trophy was S. Gunn on Quaster du Buiss. The final class, the Grades B and C handicap for the wonderful new Ted Williams Memorial Trophy, sponsored by Mr and Mrs Michael Freestone, went to Alex Thompson and Malcolm Pyrah’s Cadence Dreamer.

The organisers are looking for a new venue for next year’s show, either on a surface or grass, so if anyone has one, please contact the CHSC, or me, as it would be a such pity to lose the show through lack of venue.

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Golf

The picturesque sixth hole at Rutland Water

THE 19TH HOLE Everything you need to know about local golf COURSE NEWS Titleist putting at Elton Furze Elton Furze Golf Club will be hosting, in conjunction with Titleist, a putter education day on August 12 from noon to 5pm, showcasing the full range of Scotty Cameron putters (below).

A Titleist technician will be on hand to discuss putter selection and how different head designs and lengths suit different strokes, and there will be opportunity to test the latest products out on the practice putting area.

Putter fittings (30-minute slots) are bookable in advance by contacting PGA head pro Matthew Rea in the pro shop on 01832 280614.

Throughout August, Elton Furze is also offering a range of summer camps for 6-14 year olds (beginners and improvers, including a girl’s only camp). Contact Matthew Rea for details.

If you’re in the market for a new putter, Matthew has these three tips:  You are aiming to eliminate uncontrolled movement between club and hands. As long as distance and direction are not compromised, comfort and personal preference should be the deciding factors.  Echoing Scotty Cameron, ‘putters are personal’ and it’s about confidence at address.

Choose a head shape that works for you.  Do you push or pull missed putts? It’s all about toe-flow and how selecting the right putter can correct or complement the stroke.

Lippett claims Burghley championship Hot and dry weather provided excellent golfing conditions for Burghley Park’s men’s club championship, with 85 players taking part.

The 36-hole event was sponsored by local property agency Nest Estates, and was keenly contested all the way with Joe Lippett, in his first season back at Burghley as an amateur after a period in the professional ranks, taking the title for a third time.

He had taken the crown twice previously, in 2009 and 2010. However, he did not have it all his own way, and was pushed hard right to the line by the ever-improving junior Will Robinson, and

by Sanjay Nithiyilingam, another Burghley junior.

At the end of the first round, Lippett (playing off 1) led the field with an impressive gross 71, just one over par, helped by birdies on 12, 14 and 18. But he was chased hard by Will Robinson (7), who matched his 71, going through the back nine in level par, with birdies on the last three holes.

The three leaders went out together in round two, but were out-scored by Doug Watterson, whose 74 was the best score of the day, and saw him climb to fourth overall.

Lippett couldn’t quite reproduce his form of the previous day, but came in with a 75 for a winning total of 146.

The winners were presented with their prizes

by Stephen Main from Nest Estates, with club captain Bob Emmins thanking the company for their support.

Crees in captain’s final Greetham Valley past club captain Neil Crees has qualified for the final of the English Golf Union Golf Captain’s competition.

Open to all English captains (past and present) the competition is played over a qualifying round at a number of courses and the top 10 at

each qualifying location go through to the two-day final being played at Fulford Golf Club.

Playing at the Royal Mid-Surrey in a field of 106, Neil scored a fine 34 points on a course unknown to him, and his back nine score of 19 points gave him a qualifying entry on countback.

Good turnout at Luffenham A good number of members turned up for the Greenwood Trophy played recently.

In a very tight competition where players, using their handicaps, play against the course, Bob Dixon, John Fursdon, Ian Collins and Dale Roberts all got past the first tee on the second time round, but Ian came out on top beating Dale by two feet.

In the recent mid-week medal, club president Malcolm Hird had a fantastic round of golf scoring eight pars and a birdie to finish with a net 64 from a handicap of 16.

Unsurprisingly, he was the outright winner, beating second-placed Graham Ball (13) by six shots. Needless to say, his handicap was cut by two shots to 14, his lowest ever handicap. Back in third place was a thrilled Peter Radcliffe with a net 72.

As the course gets better and better over the summer, scores began to tumble. In the Sunday medal for July, Simon Lemin led the field with an excellent score of 66, reducing his handicap by one shot to 13.

Second was Dave Baxter with an equally excellent net 67, and also reducing his handicap to 17. Dave’s son, Fred, was third (off 21) with a net 71, beating both Gordon Knox and Ken Houlden on countback.  Got any golf news, tips, recommendations or put in some stellar performances this month? Email Steve Moody – steve@theactivemag.com.

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