Active Magazine // Stamford & Rutland // December 2018

ISSUE 78 // DECEMBER 2018

FR

EE

!

You r sport a n d l i f e st y l e m ag a zi n e

How to have a happy, and healthy, Christmas!

Great ways to manage the stress and strain, and the waistline, this festive season

12

www.theACTIVEmag.com

ISSUE 78 // DECEMBER 2018

INSIDE

Learn to ski / Walk the Luffenhams / Explore Foxton Locks Create a winter wonderland / Festive fashion glitz / Active Rutland Awards

COVERS 78.indd 1

25/11/2018 19:14

Discover Us 2018-19

Our Schools work together to provide an outstanding day and boarding education for girls and boys aged 3 to 18. We take pride in developing intellectual curiosity and a love of learning, while helping to shape wellrounded individuals who are fully equipped for the next stage in their lives.

Entrance Examinations

Stamford School Discovery Morning

Stamford High School Discovery Morning

Stamford Junior School Discovery Morning

Registration Deadline: 23 November 2018 Examination on: 12 January 2019

(Boys 11 - 18) 19 March 2019

(Girls 11 - 18) 20 March 2019

(Boys & Girls 3 - 11) 5 March 2019

To book your place, visit stamfordschools.co.uk or call us on 01780 750311

Editor’s Letter

Publisher Chris Meadows chris@theactivemag.com Editor Steve Moody steve@theactivemag.com Deputy editor Mary Bremner mary@theactivemag.com

THE LAST ISSUE OF ACTIVE WENT TO press just hours before the terrible crash at Leicester City Football Club which killed chairman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha and his colleagues.

What struck home in the following weeks was how the region and the club rallied together, illustrating what a close-knit group the Foxes and their supporters are. In a sport where the accumulation of vast sums of money seems to mean so much – the grotesque £5 million ‘leaving present’ for Premier League executive chairman Richard Scudamore and the increasingly inflated price of match tickets two particular examples – it was heartening to see the example of Vichai, for all his wealth, using it in the right way to build a fantastic club and help the community. He will be sadly missed, but like great players and great teams, he will not be forgotten.

In case you missed it, it’s Christmas this month. For many, it’s the best time of year, but for a significant number of people it’s actually pretty hard. The seemingly incessant three-month buildup to the day only serves to ratchet up the pressure to deliver The Greatest Day of the Year, with the accompanying impression that anyone who fails to deliver on that promise has ruined Christmas.

So in this issue, we have some very good advice and coping strategies for those that find it all a bit much on how to manage the festive season. I hope it helps!

One more thing: you may notice in this issue an advertisement for an exciting new development from the team at Active. We have launched a new creative agency, called proactive, intended to help local businesses market themselves through all manner of print and digital products. So if you like what we’ve done with the magazine, feel free to give us a call and find out what we can do for your business in 2019.

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 Chauhan lisa@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 2059-8513 A Grassroots Publishing Limited company. Company registration number 7994437. VAT number 152717318 Disclaimer

Enjoy the issue Steve

Facebook // theACTIVEmag

Production editor Julian Kirk julian@theactivemag.com

Twitter // @theACTIVEmag

Instagram // theactivemaguk

Website // www.theactivemag.com

Copyright (c) Grassroots Publishing Limited (GPL) 2018. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, or be stored in any retrieval system, of any nature, without prior permission from GPL. Any views or opinions expressed do not necessarily represent the views or opinions of GPL or its affiliates. Disclaimer of Liability. Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the quality and accuracy of the information contained in this publication at the time of going to press, GPL and its affiliates assume no responsibility as to the accuracy or completeness of and, to the extent permitted by law, shall not be liable for any errors or omissions or any loss, damage or expense incurred by reliance on information or any statement contained in this publication.

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

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

/// D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 8 3

3 ed letter OK.indd 117

25/11/2018 18:41

3 Star Lane, Stamford, Lincolnshire PE9 1PH

I

01780 754737

I

www.sowdenwallis.co.uk

I

info@ sowdenwallis.co.uk

Hambleton Road, Stamford £245,000 This extended three bedroom semi-detached family home has been finished to a high standard by the current owners, including a stylish new kitchen diner to the rear. Located in a popular residential location which provides easy access to the town centre, A1 and the Malcolm Sargent Primary School. The accommodation comprises of an entrance hall, sitting room, kitchen diner, utility room, cloakroom, landing, three bedrooms and family bathroom. There is off street parking to the front for two cars, whilst to the rear is a west facing patio and lawned garden. Viewing highly recommended.

RED HOUSE FARM PADDOCK, TALLINGTON £624,995 This deceptively spacious five bedroom family home offers generous and versatile accommodation. The property is finished to a high standard throughout and comes with three reception rooms as well as an open plan breakfast kitchen. On the ground floor there is a mixture of tiled and engineered wood flooring throughout, along with a gas fired central heating and a pressurised hot water system. The accommodation comprises: - Entrance hall, cloakroom, sitting room, dining room, breakfast kitchen, utility room, pantry, study, landing, Master bedroom with en-suite, Guest bedroom with en-suite and walk in wardrobe, three further bedrooms and a family bathroom. To the side is a double garage and off street parking, whilst to the rear is a well presented south/east facing patio & lawn garden. a viewing is strongly recommended.

Norfolk Square, Stamford £160,000 Situated in a cul-de-sac this three bedroom home offers good levels of accommodation and off street parking all within easy reach of the town centre. A spacious sitting room and well presented breakfast kitchen feature on the ground floor, with three bedrooms and a family bathroom on the first floor. The property has gas fired central heating and replacement windows.

To the rear of the property is a long patio and lawned garden which is west facing. To the front of the property is graveled off street parking for two cars.

sowden.indd 1

14/01/2016 10:09

WALCOT WAY STAMFORD £240,000 Set overlooking a green to the front, this extended three bedroom semi-detached home offers good levels of accommodation in a cul-de-sac location. There is good access to local schooling as well as the town centre and A1. The accommodation comprises of on the ground floor: Entrance hall, sitting room, dining room, kitchen and utility. Whereas to the first floor are two double bedrooms a further single bedroom and a family bathroom. To the front of the property is off street parking and a single garage, whilst to the rear is a south facing patio and lawn garden.

@sowdenwallis

sowden wallis.indd 1

sowdenwallis

sowdenwallis

22/11/2018 10:13

Contents

ISSUE 78 / DECEMBER 2018

ACTIVE LIFE 13 WHAT’S ON

Great festive events for all the family

15 FESTIVE TREAT

A tasty Christmas dessert idea

17 WINTER WONDERLAND Make your garden sparkle

19 SKIING ON A BUDGET

Check out eastern Europe’s ski resorts

22-23 MEET CHRIS DALLISTON The dean of Peterborough

26-31 WILL’S WALKS

52

The Luffenhams and Foxton Locks

26

ACTIVE BODY 35 NUTRITION

Expert advice from Dawn Revens

36 COPING WITH CHRISTMAS Tips on dealing with the season’s pressure

41 THE GENTLE TOUCH

How Bowen can help with arthritis

15

ACTIVE KIDS 49 STAR PUPILS

The latest school achievements

52 ON THE PISTE

Trying out skiing at Tallington

ACTIVE SPORT 55 MARTIN JOHNSON

The bamboozling refereeing of rugby

56 YOUR CHALLENGES

Updates from local adventurers

58 ACTIVE RUTLAND AWARDS

Recognising excellence in regional sport

60 ROUND-UP

How clubs in the area are faring

54 36 /// D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 8 5

Contents 78.indd 5

25/11/2018 17:15

20% OFF DRINKS 4.00-6.00PM TUES TO FRI

Fresh produce menu • Roast dinners • Rotated ale selection • Craft beer • Courtyard Beer Garden

The Kings Head, Stamford combines a hearty menu (with good old fashioned pub grub as well exiting new dishes), craft beers and the warm welcome you’d expect from a traditional pub.

KINGS HEAD

With a choice of mouth-watering meats from our local Stamford butchers - Nelsons, and specially chosen vegetables, The Kings Head is the perfect place to share a meal with family or friends, (and you can even bring your dog too).

ALE HOUSE • KITCHEN • COURTYARD

1009 KHS Xmas_ad_285x220mm_2017.indd 1

S TA M F O R D • P E 9 2 A Z

To book please call: 01780 753 510 or email: info@kingsheadstamford.co.uk Search Kings Head Stamford on

15/11/2017 09:13

Activelife ●

Try a delicious Christmas recipe from Riverford ● Meet a pair of talented local animal artists ● Ski in Eastern Europe ● Create a winter wonderland in your garden ● Great Christmas activities for all the family Edited by Mary Bremner

/// D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 8 7

7 AL Opener OK.indd 7

25/11/2018 09:00

Activelife

BLUEBIRD CARE JOINS THE 1% CLUB Bluebird Care Peterborough & Rutland is celebrating after being rated ‘outstanding’ by the Care Quality Commission, the independent regulator of health and social care services in England. Only 1% of home care providers achieve this level. Bluebird offers flexible care and support services to older people, including those with dementia, and to younger disabled adults in their own home. Staff and directors were all commended on their skill, kindness and compassion as well as their excellent staff training. Directors Leisa MacKenzie and Tim Carey (pictured), said: “We are extremely proud of the team. Everyone is committed to putting their customers at the heart of what we do.” www.bluebirdcare.co.uk/peterborough-rutland

JACK WILLS OPENS AT SPRINGFIELDS Jack Wills, the British fashion brand, has opened an outlet store at Springfields in Spalding. The store will offer savings on high street prices as well as a further 30% off when you buy three or more items.

Springfields is now running its Christmas late night shopping hours with stores staying open until 9pm from now to December 21. www.springfieldsoutlet.co.uk

New products from Sophie Allport Sophie Allport has launched a new range of hand wash, hand lotion and soaps, available in three fragrances – hedgerow berries, neroli lanes and honey spiced lavender. They are available at her shop in Stamford or online. www.sophieallport.com

Congratulations Alex!

Congratulations to Stamford resident Alex Paske, founder and director of the Mintridge Foundation, who has won the Sunday Times Sportswomen of the Year Award in the grassroots category. The Mintridge Foundation is a registered charity which offers professional athletes as ambassadors to young people who they can help nurture and be positive role models to. www.mintridgefoundation.org.uk

8 DE C E M BE R 2018 ///

8 AL news OK.indd 8

25/11/2018 09:06

琀㨀 ㄀㜀㜀㠀 ㌀㐀㘀㘀㄀㄀ 攀㨀 椀渀昀漀䀀欀氀漀猀攀渀⸀挀漀⸀甀欀 眀㨀 眀眀眀⸀欀氀漀猀攀渀⸀挀漀⸀甀欀 昀愀挀攀戀漀漀欀⸀挀漀洀⼀欀氀漀猀攀渀甀欀 䬀氀漀猀攀渀Ⰰ 吀栀攀 匀琀椀爀氀椀渀最 䌀攀渀琀爀攀Ⰰ 䴀愀爀欀攀琀 䐀攀攀瀀椀渀最Ⰰ 倀䔀㘀 㠀䔀儀

䄀氀甀洀椀渀椀甀洀 䈀椀昀漀氀搀 䐀漀漀爀猀 簀 圀椀渀搀漀眀猀 簀 䘀爀漀渀琀 䐀漀漀爀猀 簀 刀漀漀昀氀椀最栀琀猀 簀 匀氀椀搀椀渀最 䐀漀漀爀猀 簀 倀爀攀洀椀甀洀 甀倀嘀䌀 圀椀渀搀漀眀猀 ∠䴀愀渀甀昀愀挀琀甀爀攀爀猀 愀渀搀 䤀渀猀琀愀氀氀攀爀猀 漀昀 琀栀攀 瘀攀爀礀 戀攀猀琀 愀氀甀洀椀渀椀甀洀 最氀愀稀椀渀最 猀礀猀琀攀洀猀 昀爀漀洀 愀挀爀漀猀猀 䔀甀爀漀瀀攀 ∠䠀椀最栀氀礀 琀栀攀爀洀愀氀氀礀 攀昀昀椀挀椀攀渀琀 愀渀搀 椀渀挀爀攀搀椀戀氀礀 猀琀礀氀椀猀栀⸀ 倀愀猀猀椀瘀栀愀甀猀 挀愀瀀愀戀椀氀椀琀椀攀猀Ⰰ 眀栀攀渀 爀攀焀甀椀爀攀搀 ∠䠀椀最栀氀礀 欀渀漀眀氀攀搀最攀愀戀氀攀 猀琀愀昀昀 眀栀漀 漀昀昀攀爀 攀砀挀攀氀氀攀渀琀 愀搀瘀椀挀攀 ∠䔀砀挀攀瀀琀椀漀渀愀氀氀礀 栀椀最栀 猀攀挀甀爀椀琀礀 爀愀琀椀渀最 漀渀 愀氀氀 瀀爀漀搀甀挀琀猀Ⰰ 洀愀渀礀 愀挀栀椀攀瘀椀渀最 倀䄀匀 ㈀㐀

Bleed Template.indd 118

15/12/2016 17:27

Activelife

RUTLAND HAS TALENT Our area is home to many talented people; here we introduce two animal artists whose work speaks for itself

ALISON STUBBINGS

Alison has recently moved to Rutland after working in London for many years. Originally from Essex, keen horsewoman Alison has a passion for painting horses and recently decided to take a risk and give up the corporate life, relocate to Rutland and start working as an artist. Now happily settled in Rutland with her two horses and spaniel, Alison is busy taking commissions and building up her business. As well as horses, Alison also paints children, dogs and cats, working mainly with pastels but she also uses charcoal and graphite. www.astubbingsart.co.uk

ANDY PERKINS

Stamford-based gardener Andy Perkins is a talented animal artist. He works in soft pastels and is gaining quite a reputation for his paintings of livestock and dogs. A keen artist at school, “but then life got in the way”, Andy has started painting again in the last couple of years, receiving many commissions and is quickly building up a following as his paintings so accurately depict his subjects. You will find some of his work in The Crown in Stamford and Kafae on The Square (where it is for sale) in St George’s Square.

Andy is available for commissions and can be contacted on 07843 011882 or via his Facebook page (Andy Perkins artist).

1 0 DE C E M BE R 2018 ///

10 AL Artist OK.indd 10

25/11/2018 09:07

be inspired... the heart of your home The kitchen has evolved in style, look and technology, but it remains the heart of the home.

Like all our services, a Classic Kitchen will be supplied and installed with a level of care and expertise that matches your expectations.

VISIT OUR SHOWROOM VVI SI SI ITTvisit OOUour SS H H OOW WRROOOOMM URRshowroom 12 St Leonard’s Street, Stamford, Lincs PE9 2HN Open: Mon-Fri 9am-5pm, Sat 9am-3pm

Tel: 01780 654321 Email: sales@classicstamford.co.uk www.classicstamford.co.uk

12.indd 1

Launde Abbey

Open daily for morning coffee, lunch and afternoon tea

Cyclists and walkers very welcome Why not start your walk or ride at Launde then reward yourself with a delicious lunch at the end?

Visit our website for maps and routes at www.laundeabbey.org.uk Launde Abbey, East Norton, Leicestershire LE7 9XB T: 01572 717254 I E: info@launde.org.uk Charity No: 1140918

22/11/2018 15:28

Activelife

WHAT’S ON A host of festive fun activities for all the family ● Christmas Magic at Peterborough Cathedral will round off the 900th anniversary year in style on December 15, with two performances at 2.30pm and 7.30pm. Peterborough’s choirs including the Peterborough Male Voice Choir, Peterborough Voices and the Youth Choir, will be joining forces to entertain with a Christmas musical medley. Tickets cost from £18. www.peterboroughsings.org.uk ● There will be a Christmas shopping evening and silent auction at The Danish Invader in Stamford on December 3, starting at 7pm. All proceeds will go to Dementia Revolution, the official charity of the London Marathon 2019.

● The Market Harborough Santa Fun Run will also take place on December 9, in the town’s Welland Park, starting at 2pm. Both runs welcome dogs on leads. www.raceharborough.co.uk/santa-run ● The Manic Street Preachers, now in their 20th year, are celebrating with a UK tour and will be at the De Montfort Hall in Leicester on May 31. Tickets are on sale now. Howard Jones, a blast from the ’80s, is also touring – his 35th anniversary tour will be at the same venue on May 29. And Gabrielle (pictured right) will be appearing on March 25. www.demontforthall.co.uk

● Rutland Cycling will be holding its annual charity santa ride, in aid of Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice, on Sunday, December 16.

Starting at the Giant Store in Normanton at 10am there will be a gentle pedal, suitable for all the family, to the Whitwell store for mince pies before returning to Normanton. Cost is £5 per family and fancy dress is optional. It is possible to hire bikes at a reduced rate of £5 if booked in advance. www.rutlandcycling.com/rides ● The Stamford Santa Fun Run, organised by the Rotary Club, will be held on Sunday, December 9, starting at 11.30am in Burghley Park. www.stamfordsantafunrun.com

/// D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 8 1 3

13 Whats on OK.indd 13

25/11/2018 09:08

Your local glazing specialists providing clear solutions in glass to the Stamford area since 1995.

Visit our Stamford Showroom!

• Windows • Composite Doors • Bi-Fold Doors • Conservatories • Glazed Roofs • Splashbacks • Mirrors

caring for your home Conservatory too hot in the summer and too cold in winter?

• Table Tops • Sliding Glass Doors • Secondary Glazing • Integral Blinds • Glass Floors • Balustrading

SafeGuard is proud to supply the local area with a diverse range of glazing solutions as supply only or supply and install

SI

ING QU ER

ITY AL

Classic have the answer to this problem and you do not even have to change the existing windows/doors, although you can. Structurally very strong which means your new sun room meets full Building Regulation Approval.

• Shower Screens

DELI V

be inspired...

• Shelving

N CE 1995

www.safe-guard.co.uk Contact us today on

01780 751442

visit our showroom 12 St Leonard’s Street, Stamford, Lincs PE9 2HN Open: Mon-Fri 9am-5pm, Sat 9am-3pm

Tel: 01780 654321 Email: sales@classicstamford.co.uk www.classicstamford.co.uk

@SafeGuardGlass

enquiries@safe-guard.co.uk

SafeGuard Stamford T: 01780 751442 Unit 3, Stamford Business Park, Ryhall Road, Stamford, Lincs, PE9 1XT

0153 - MAR18 - SAFEGUARD HALF PAGE AD (90MM X 256MM)_V2.indd 1

14.indd 1

02/10/2018 10:58

22/11/2018 15:28

Activelife

HOW TO MAKE…

CLEMENTINES POACHED IN MULLED WINE WITH MERINGUES AND CREAM Here’s a delicious festive recipe from Peterborough-based Riverford, which will deliver an organic Christmas dinner direct to your door, or a vegan version if you prefer Ingredients 1 bottle of red wine Shot of brandy 100g sugar 1 cinnamon stick 1 bay leaf 1 vanilla pod, split 3 cloves 3 cardamom pods 1 star anise Pinch of nutmeg 8 clementines 250ml double cream 4 small meringue nests

You can make these a few days ahead if you like; the longer they store, the more the clementines soak up the flavour.

You don’t have to serve them as individual portions – you could use them to top a pavlovasized meringue as a centrepiece dessert.

Top tip – keep an eye on the wine as it reduces as it can catch and boil dry faster than you think.

You can serve the fruit and sauce warm or cold.

Method Pour the wine and brandy into a large pan. Add the sugar and spices and bring to a simmer, stirring well.

Fill a bowl with boiling water. Peel the clementines and sit them in the water for about 30 seconds.

Remove them and use a small blunt knife to scrape away most of the white pith.

Place the clementines into the wine and poach very gently for 25 minutes. Turn them halfway through, as they will bob on the surface. If you have the time, let them cool and store them in the wine overnight to soak up more flavour.

Remove the clementines from the wine. Boil the wine on a high heat until it reduces to a sweet syrup that easily coats the back of a spoon. Let the syrup cool.

Whip the cream into soft peaks. Serve the clementines with some smashed meringue, whipped cream and mulled wine syrup. You can warm the syrup and clementines slightly before serving if you like. www.riverford.co.uk/recipes

/// D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 8 1 5

15 Recipe OK.indd 15

25/11/2018 09:11

Teresa Kennedy Creating & Styling Outdoor Spaces Since 2010

WINTER WARMER AT S TA P L E F O R D PA R K New Builds • Commercial Sites • Established Gardens

Winter Warmer Spa Day £98 Monday to Friday, £110 Saturday & Sunday Enjoy our new pear-fection treatment, leisure facility use from 9am to 6pm, and a two-course lunch in the Pavilion restaurant.

26 MAIN STREET, EDMONDTHORPE, LEICESTERSHIRE, LE14 2JU E TERESA@VIRIDISDESIGN.CO.UK T 07726 334 501

WWW.VIRIDISDESIGN.CO.UK

Please call 01572 787057 or email spa@staplefordpark.com

PEAR-FECTION Indulge in a winter pear and pumpkin body scrub followed by a luxurious hot stone massage and heavenly scalp massage.

Stapleford Park, Stapleford, Nr. Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, LE14 2EF. www.staplefordpark.com

16.indd 1

22/11/2018 15:28

Activelife

are a classic winter garden stalwart. Start small with box or cone shapes. Also consider anything from the spruce family, small and tall, to bring slow-growing structure. Have a look for blue-tinted varieties for muted colour.

GARDENING

CREATE YOUR OWN WINTER WONDERLAND Garden designer Teresa Kennedy advises how to create an uplifting show in your garden during the winter months The winter show that your garden puts on is probably one of the most important of the year, primarily because it is seen for several months and the cold season is when we want to be uplifted by what we see outside.

There are some key areas which set a good garden apart from the rest...

Colours. Choose light-reflecting hard landscaping: natural sandstone colours, light grey, pale pastels, pure white – they all offer a

crisp platform for rich evergreens. Paving, paths, painted walls, rendered raised beds, seating, etc, give you the opportunity to bring light into the winter garden. These also reflect candlelight, firelight, twinkly Christmas lights...

Evergreens. I think that yew, in whichever size suits your space, is the perfect companion to light paving. Its tightly-packed, slim needles rarely fail and are suited perfectly to shaping and topiary. Frosty mornings and yew topiary

Seedheads. I never cut anything with height and a seedhead until the spring. Umbilifers are the best with their flat-topped skeletal heads. Mix with tall grasses such as miscanthus to provide verticals which take your eye from the dormant ground up towards the winter light.

Sculpture. Traditional stone sculpture, whether the beauty of the human form or a simple sphere, take centre stage in the winter garden.

Water-filled troughs reflect light and provide movement in what is often a stagnant stage.

Also consider modern materials in concreteform or rusted steel, and bring colour in with stained glass panels.

Winter is about mixing the neat with a touch of the wild. It is a little unforgiving, but by sharpening your features and selecting the best of the free-form you will be rewarded with a beautiful space needing very little tending. www.viridisdesign.co.uk, 07726 334501

NATURE

THE BLACK-HEADED GULL This is the gull commonly seen following the plough or flying over towns and villages, scavenging for scraps.

It was formerly a winter visitor but the excavation of gravel pits and the development of Rutland Water have created ideal nesting sites on islands in the lagoons and it may now be seen all year.

In winter plumage the body is white, wings are pale grey, black tipped with a white leading edge and a dark patch behind the eye. The head is chocolate brown, not black, in its summer plumage. The bill and feet are red.

Breeding occurred in 1999 with a single pair at Egleton. Numbers increased as the rafts and islands were colonised and by 2015 more than 220 pairs were present. The noise created by these birds as they compete for nest sites in spring makes for a loud experience. Clutches of two to six eggs are incubated for about three weeks and the young fledge at five to six weeks.

Winter numbers are boosted by birds from eastern Europe and birds ringed in Latvia, Finland and Poland have been noted. The roost at Rutland Water has exceeded 30,000 birds.

Terry Mitcham

/// D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 8 1 7

17 NatureGarden OK.indd 17

25/11/2018 09:11

The Golf with £2,500 towards your finance deposit*. £215 per month.

Solutions Personal Contract Plan* representative example subject to 48 month, 10,000 mile per annum agreement for the Golf SE 1.0 TSI 110 PS 5-door including Atlantic Blue metallic paint.

Duration

4 years

Retail cash price

£20,850.00

Deposit contribution

£2,500.00

Customer deposit

£3,584.35

47 monthly payments

£215.00

Total amount payable

£20,701.35

Optional final payment

£7,002.00

Option to purchase fee payable with final payment

£10.00

Total amount of credit

£14,765.65

Excess mileage (per mile)

4.8p

Rate of interest (fixed)

5.45%

Representative APR

5.5%

Utterly irresistible offers from

Robinsons Volkswagen (Peterborough) Storeys Bar Road, Eastern Industry, Peterborough, PE1 5YS Telephone: 01733 459061 www.robinsonsvolkswagen.co.uk

Find us on:

/VolkswagenRobinsons

@Robinsons_VW

Robinsons Volkswagen is a broker and not a lender and can introduce you to a limited number of lenders, who may pay us for introducing you to them. Offer excludes Golf 1.5 TSI 150PS Hatch and Estate, GTE, e-Golf and Golf SV. *At the end of the agreement there are three options: i) pay the optional final payment and own the vehicle; ii) return the vehicle: subject to excess mileage and fair wear and tear, charges may apply; or iii) replace: part exchange the vehicle. With Solutions Personal Contract Plan. 18s+. Subject to availability and status. T&Cs apply. Offer available until December 18th, 2018. Indemnities may be required. Offers are not available in conjunction with any other offer and may be varied or withdrawn at any time. Accurate at time of publication. Freepost Volkswagen Financial Services. Fuel consumption

and CO2 emissions figures are obtained under standardised EU test conditions (or, in cases of vehicles with WLTP type approval, are the NEDC figures derived from WLTP testing).

These figures facilitate comparison between different models from different manufacturers, but may not represent the actual fuel consumption achieved in ‘real world’ driving conditions. NEDC figures derived from WLTP testing may not be equivalent to figures from NEDC testing, so comparisons may be unreliable. More information is available at www. volkswagen.co.uk/ owners/wltp. Choice of wheels and other options may affect fuel consumption and emissions data. Official fuel consumption figures for the Golf range in mpg (litres/100km): urban 28.0 (10.1) – 68.9 (4.1); extra urban 42.8 (6.6) – 76.3 (3.7); combined 35.8 (7.9) – 72.4 (3.9). Combined CO2 emissions 102 – 180g/km.

Active Magazine Golf Ad.indd 1

07/11/2018 12:32

Activelife

TRAVEL

LOWER COST SKIING With the ski season here again, we take a look at some eastern European countries that won’t break the bank for a week’s holiday in the snow December, and thoughts turn to snowy mountains, black runs and après ski. Yes the ski season has come round again, so it’s time to decide what sort of skiing you want to try – novice, long challenging runs, off piste, cross-country, or even glacier skiing; and at what budget? Do you want high-end luxury chalets with Michelin-star chefs, or the cheapest you can find?

Head to Eastern Europe if you are on a tight budget, and want good quality, cheap skiing.

Ski lift passes are usually cheap, as are hotels and après ski, and many of the resorts are quieter than the more popular ones in France, Italy, Austria or Switzerland.

Slovenia, often compared to Austria 25 years ago, came out as the cheapest place to ski in Europe last year and is said to be very pretty. Its largest ski area is in the Pohorje Mountains. You would usually stay in Maribor, the country’s

second largest city which is just 15 minutes from the slopes. The skiing is pretty gentle here so it’s ideal for beginners and intermediates.

If you want excellent off piste skiing head to Macedonia. Jasna in Slovakia offers challenging skiing in the Tatras and Fatras resorts that should keep even the most hardened snow boarder and skier happy for a week.

Bulgaria is probably the most popular eastern European location for budget conscious Brits, mainly because the skiing is good and night life very cheap and, until last year, was the country with the cheapest skiing. Use budget airlines for flights.

Useful websites www.snowtrex.co.uk www.easyjet.com www.crystalski.co.uk www.igluski.com

/// D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 8 1 9

19 AL Travel OK.indd 19

25/11/2018 09:12

Designs for Living from

Estu Kitchens Kitchens, Bathrooms, Wet Rooms, Studies and Bedrooms ALL WORK FULLY PROJECT MANAGED ALL BUILDING WORKS UNDERTAKEN

Value, quality and service have never been more affordable

01476 575 077 | 07885 591 814 Just for you, with love from the A&R Family

50% OFF

Enter promo code ACTIVE50 to receive 50% off collection

20.indd 1

www.estu.uk.com | Email: paul@estu.uk.com

Unit 2, Inner Street Business Centre, Grantham, NG31 6HN

The AGA Shop OUTER CIRCLE ROAD, LINCOLN LN2 4HU Approved distributor in Lincolnshire for Quooker boiling water taps

22/11/2018 15:28

Activelife

THE FINISHING TOUCHES

And finally...

Shining bright

Edited by Mary Bremner

Dasha sequin reindeer jumper £32 www.uk.monsoon.co.uk

Brussels sprouts jumper with lights £29.50 www.marksandspencer.com

GO FOR SOME GLITZ Christmas is the perfect time to add a little sparkle to your wardrobe Black/bronze textured jacket £38 www.next.co.uk

Christmas is here and for many of us it’s the party season, so now’s the perfect time to go slightly OTT with your outfit – embrace the glitz! That doesn’t necessarily mean going completely mad and wearing sequins from head to toe.

Metallics are still very popular, particularly coats and jackets this year; so this is a great way to brighten up a dark jumpsuit or dress.

If that’s too much, what about a pair of

metallic boots? And they will keep you going all through the winter as well, brightening up a dull, miserable day.

Accessories could be the way to embrace sequins – handbags, scarves, even head bands which are very popular at the moment.

And, of course, there is always the Christmas jumper, or pyjamas. Whatever your choice, enjoy the Christmas season with a bit of added sparkle!

Orrnate pewter high heel ankle boot £148 www.dunelondon.com

/// DE C E M BE R 2018 2 1

21 AL Fashion OK.indd 21

25/11/2018 09:13

Activelife

Meet the Very Reverend

CHRIS DALLISTON Kate Maxim chats to the dean of Peterborough on the meaning of life, the universe and everything…

Active How did you come to the church?

Chris I came late to faith – I think it was my

teenage rebellion to become a christian! Faith became increasingly important to me during university and the idea of ministry as something I was called to do. I had a brief career in the Ford Motor Company in industrial relations before training for the priesthood. I’ve been in ministry since 1984.

I was born and bred in Norfolk and my early ministry was in Essex and east London, then I was in Boston for eight years before going to Newcastle for 14, serving in the much smaller cathedral there with a very vibrant community. I was called here as they

wanted someone who had experience of cathedral life and there were very particular challenges in Peterborough at the time.

Active How would you describe your role?

Chris I’m the senior priest of the cathedral

and I still lead worship, preaching and teaching. That’s my first love. Then on behalf of the bishop I oversee development, management strategy and direction of the cathedral’s life as a place of worship and place of enormous heritage importance and as a contributor to the life of the wider community. It’s a very broad-based institution with many stakeholders. I have a

brilliant lay staff team and clergy colleagues but the overall responsibility rests with me. I also represent the cathedral, supporting the bishop’s ministry, within the diocese of 350 churches across Northamptonshire, Rutland and Peterborough. I am in charge of the cathedral but it’s the bishop’s seat so he has a right to come here and teach. He holds a number of events here each year and often brings all the clergy from the area together.

Active Why do you think the cathedral is such a special place?

Chris Each cathedral has its own special story.

There was a lot of destruction, especially during the Civil War, and the altar screen was removed at some point but that has, in fact, opened everything out, so when you walk in you can see right through from the font down the nave towards the high altar. You

2 2 DE C E M BE R 2018 ///

22-23 AL Dilo OK.indd 22

25/11/2018 09:14

don’t often get that vista in a cathedral – they are often divided into separate spaces.

Another very important aspect is the choir school: we have around 50 child choristers and three choral scholars who are interested in a career in music. They sing around six times a week at evensong and on Sundays during term time. We also have six lay clerks (adult singers).

Cathedrals are very much a 24/7 business; we only close on Boxing Day so worship happens every single day – morning and evening. The clergy meet for morning prayer at 7.30am and evensong at 5.30pm when the public can also come and worship.

Some regulars come in on their way to work as part of their morning routine and at evensong we have a bigger congregation as a lot of the parents of the choristers come. It’s a lovely way to end the day, letting it all wash over you, hearing the organ and the choristers while sitting in the choir stalls makes you feel as though you are part of the music as the acoustics are so good.

Edinburgh, Peterborough, then on to Cardiff and Belfast. This is the only non-museum venue.

It begs all the questions about science and religion and has helped us to interrogate more widely what it means to be human.

We have had lots of talks at lunchtime and the space capsule and the moon is a wonderful counterpoint to this building. It’s been very powerfully demonstrated by the fact we’ve had more than 150,000 visitors since the exhibition opened in August.

Active This will be your first Christmas in Peterborough. Are you looking forward to it?

Chris I certainly am. It’s a very busy period

with all sorts of concerts and carol services.

We create different atmospheres and moods at different times of Advent. Some are

solemn, some more celebratory, and many thousands of people come. People who are Christmas shopping like to visit for the business and shoppers’ carols at lunchtime.

Active Do you have a favourite part of the day?

Chris Very first thing in the morning. I have

the best commute in the world: I walk out of my historic house in the corner of the precinct a couple of hundred yards into the nave of the cathedral where we gather to say morning prayer.

Experiencing the silence and stillness in this great space where just a few of us are gathered is a very special privilege and a very beautiful moment.

For me it’s a way of configuring the whole day in terms of priorities, setting aside anxieties and committing myself to God.

Active It’s the 900th anniversary of the cathedral this year. How have you been celebrating?

Chris We have had thousands of people

coming through the doors for different reasons: the University Centre Peterborough and Anglia Ruskin University held their graduations here, each one a joyful occasion for the students and their families. An ifta – the breaking of the Islamic feast during the season of Ramadan, was held outside in the cathedral grounds. The Diwali festival took place in the city centre on October 27 but began with a procession from the cathedral.

We welcome all different communities and we’re a gathering point for everyone as we explore how to live together as children of God. It’s been a large part of the identity of the city for the last 1,300 years, both as a building but also as an institution that engages culturally, socially and economically.

It has been a fabulous year. Things have gathered pace and the highlight has been from August to November welcoming astronaut Tim Peake’s space suit and Soyuz spacecraft which transported him to and from the International Space Station.

Coincidentally for some of that time we also hosted the Museum of the Moon installation which was a seven-metre moon with lighting inside it hanging under the central tower.

Our visitors have been awestruck.

Active I have just done the Soyuz virtual reality experience recreating the 250-mile journey back down to Earth. It was so exciting.

Did you have a go?

Chris I did and it was incredible. You have to

throw yourself into it and make it your own.

It’s completely immersive and a threedimensional experience. The national tour of the capsule, presented by Samsung and the Science Museum Group, started in Bradford then went to County Durham, Manchester,

/// D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 8 2 3

22-23 AL Dilo OK.indd 23

25/11/2018 09:14

From the team behind : a new creative marketing agency that will give your business a competitive advantage Content

Advertising

Branding

Print

Email proactive@theactivemag.com to find out more

Digital

Activelife

O ACTIVE INFthe

of The population ton was tiny village of Pil 01 census. just 39 in the 20 all church. sm a is But there

PILTON AND THE LUFFENHAMS Rutland Water might be just over the hill, but you would never know it on this tranquil stroll. By Will Hetherington Photography: Will Hetherington

Difficulty rating (out of five)

THE ROUTE

I parked on the verge near the crossroads at Pilton, but you could just as easily start and finish this walk in South or North Luffenham, perhaps with a view to walking straight to a pub at the end. There is no pub in tiny Pilton.

Walk east out of the village on Pilton Road and after 200 yards you will see the bridleway ahead as the road bends to the left. Take the bridleway and keep to it as it goes gently uphill and then turns to the left along a hedge-lined route in an almost straight line for more than a mile to South Luffenham.

You will get some good views of North Luffenham church on your left and the hedgerow and occasional spinney offer good protection from the wind on this exposed piece of high ground. On the way you will cross over Glebe Road which connects Morcott and North Luffenham, but keep going straight ahead and you will descend into South Luffenham across an open arable field.

When you get into the village turn left as soon as you hit the road and keep going along North Luffenham Road as it leaves the village and then curves to the right and downhill. You will go under the railway bridge and then cross the stone bridge over the River Chater. The dogs can cool off and have a drink here if necessary.

Almost immediately after the bridge there is a metal kissing gate in the hedgerow on the left. Go

through this and follow the path as it goes uphill through pastures towards North Luffenham.

You will arrive in North Luffenham through an iron gate and then follow the road round to the left until you come to the lane down to the church. Pick up the footpath on the south-west corner of the church. This path leads out diagonally over the sheep pasture and the River Chater until you come out on Glebe Road.

Walk south over the railway bridge and then turn right when you come to the crossroads and go past Heathcote Cottages. From here it’s less than a mile along this pretty lane back to Pilton.

Clockwise, from above Good views of the church in North Luffenham; this bridleway runs almost the whole way between Pilton and South Luffenham; this route crosses the River Chater at two handy points on the way

2 6 DE C E M BE R 2018 ///

26-31 AL Walks OK.indd 26

25/11/2018 09:15

ESSENTIAL INFORMATION

➛

Distance and time Four miles/an hour and a half Highlights The bridleway linking Pilton and South Luffenham is a pleasure to walk. There are lovely views of North Luffenham, which is Above a very pretty village in the centre. Despite The Eleanor Cross in Rutland Water being just over the hill to Geddington, one of just three of the north you would never know it. the original 12 crosses still in

➛

existence

➛

START

➛

Where to park I parked on the verge in Pilton but you could just as easily park in South or North Luffenham, particularly if you are heading to The Fox afterwards.

➛

Lowlights The last mile is on the road but it’s a very quiet country lane so it’s not a problem.

Refreshments The Fox at North Luffenham is a good option.

Difficulty rating Two paws. There aren’t many stiles and while there are a few contours it’s pretty easy underfoot.

The pooch perspective There will be some game and sheep about so keep your dogs under control. But the bridleway is dog friendly and the two crossings of the Chater are very handy.

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 2018 ORDNANCE SURVEY. MEDIA 027/18

/// DE C E M BE R 2018 2 7

26-31 AL Walks OK.indd 27

25/11/2018 09:16

BAR | RESTAURANT | HOTEL

The Old Pheasant Hotel in Glaston is situated in the picturesque heart of Rutland, providing the perfect escape for some relaxation.

28.indd 1

01572 822326

RESTAURANT TIMES:

MON - FRIDAY: LUNCH: 12 - 2PM DINNER: 6 - 9PM SATURDAY: LUNCH: 12 - 3PM DINNER: 6 - 9PM SUNDAY: SUNDAY ROAST 12-7PM

Off the A47, this traditional grade 2 listed stonebuilt country pub with rooms attached is close to the market town of Oakham, Uppingham and Stamford. It is located just a stones throw away from Rutland Water Nature Reserve.

to the public and our lunch and dinner menu has some great pub classics along with some tantalising dishes sourced locally. Our menus have been created by our chefs to suit a variety of different tastes.

The well set out rooms have contemporary furnishings and decor, and come with free WiFi, flat-screen TVs, and tea and coffee making facilities. The hotel serves breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week. Breakfast is open

Whether your stay is for business or simply to relax and enjoy the beautiful surrounding countryside, our dedicated staff will take care to ensure your every need is catered for, leaving you to simply enjoy yourself and unwind.

!

10% discount on meals MON-FRIDAY WITH ACTIVE MAGAZINE *TERMS AND CONDITIONS APPLY

!

15 MAIN RD, GLASTON, RUTLAND, LE15 9BP

22/11/2018 15:28

Activelife

ACTIVE INFO s was

LUBENHAM AND FOXTON LOCKS

Lock In 1894 Foxton of two canals on the junction different each run by a fore it was an company. There collection point important toll ed from one ss cro as boats another. to y an comp

One village has a famous equine past and the other has a pretty spectacular canal-based present, so this is a walk full of interest, as Will Hetherington discovers Photography: Will Hetherington

Difficulty rating (out of five)

THE ROUTE

I parked on The Green in Lubenham just in front of the Coach & Horses, where you can also park if you are planning on visiting at the end of your walk.

Go through the green gates which lead from The Green to the footpath through the playground and north on to Mill Mound with the beacon on the top. Make sure you don’t take the path to the north-west which leads straight to Foxton Road (that’s the return route). From the top of Mill Mound you will have good views to the northwest and south. Follow the waymarkers as the path then gradually drops through a series of

fields and paddocks before coming out on the private road which leads to HMP Gartree.

Cross straight over this road and keep following the path through a few more fields until you come to Gallow Field Road. Turn left here and after the road turns right towards Foxton village in 200 yards turn left down past the cemetery and on to the bridleway which leads to Foxton Locks and the country park around it.

When you get to the locks you can watch the canal boats negotiating the sequence and enjoy a drink in the pub or the café. It’s a busy tourist attraction and on a sunny day it’s a beautiful spot to while away an hour or so.

To start the return journey to Lubenham you can walk to the top of the lock sequence and keep going on the towpath alongside the Grand Union Canal until you reach the first road bridge. The footpath from here leads south-east across the

open fields. Or you can walk out of the country park on the access road and then turn right to walk along the road to the start of the footpath.

It’s the same result but the towpath is more peaceful.

/// D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 8 2 9

26-31 AL Walks OK.indd 29

25/11/2018 09:16

Festive Offer Take out any new leisure membership and receive 15% off all Spa treatments for the first 3 months.

Give a little luxury this Christmas Factory Shop Open Every Weekday 9:30am to 4:30pm and Saturdays: 24th Nov to 15th Dec 10am to 1pm (or by appointment) The Tannery Warehouse, 29 Olney Road, Lavendon MK46 4EU 01234 712266 | www.tusting.co.uk | theteam@tusting.co.uk www.tusting.co.uk

50% off joining fee throughout December!

Nr Oakham | Rutland LE15 8AB www.barnsdalehotel.co.uk

Tel: 01572 757901

30.indd 1

23/11/2018 16:04

Activelife ESSENTIAL INFORMATION Where to park I parked on The Green in Lubenham. You can park at the Coach & Horses if you are heading in there afterwards. Either way it saves paying to park at Foxton Locks.

➛

➛

Distance and time Four miles/an hour and a half.

➛

Highlight Mill Mound and the beacon and views.

Impressive Foxton Locks and the equine and military history of Lubenham.

➛

➛

➛

Lowlights The return journey involves a lot of small fields and stiles and is rather fragmented.

START

Refreshments The Coach & Horses in Lubenham, The Foxton Locks Inn and Bridge 61 at the locks. There is also a coffee shop at the locks.

Difficulty rating Three paws. It’s not that far and it’s broken up but there are quite a few awkward stiles on the way back.

The pooch perspective Despite being by the canal for some of the way there are surprisingly few fresh water options for the dogs, but the pubs will have water bowls. And there will be some livestock on the way around, so be careful.

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 2018 ORDNANCE SURVEY. MEDIA 027/18

From this point the path leads across a number of fields, past a fishery and then Holme’s Farm.

As you leave Holme’s Farm pay attention to spot the gate in a hedge in the corner of the yard and the immediate left turn afterwards. Keep heading south-east over the fields and a few stiles to Foxton Road.

You can cross the road and go through the farmyard on the other side to stick to the footpath but it’s not the easiest to spot, and I encountered the biggest bull I have ever seen on this route back into Lubenham. So you may want to just turn right and walk the quarter of a mile back into the village on the road.

When you get back to Lubenham make sure you read the sign on The Green to discover more about the connections with horse racing and hunting. You will learn the National Hunt Challenge Cup began life in this village in 1860, before relocating to the Cheltenham Festival in 1911. And the Old Hall is also famous for being the place where Charles I slept the night before the Battle of Naseby in 1645.

Right Foxton Locks are a major attraction in their own right, but they are just one part of this walk

/// D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 8 3 1

26-31 AL Walks OK.indd 31

25/11/2018 09:18

Activelife

NEW PET SERVICE

PETS

ANIMAL ADVICE Wood Green has come up with some handy hints to help you deal with troublesome pets How to care for your ferrets in cold or freezing weather • During freezing weather you can use pet safe snuggle pads to keep them warm, as warm water in containers or hot water bottles can freeze quickly so are not ideal • Your ferrets may like to play in the snow, but ensure you dry them well with a towel afterwards How to stop your dog from barking Giving a dog something to do whilst it is left home alone is very important. Here are some examples: • Pacifier toys such a kongs, activity balls and buster cubes that can be filled with food.

• Some dogs enjoy ripping things up so giving them an old cardboard box with treats in to shred in their owners’ absence can also be a good idea.

For dogs that bark at things that they can see and

hear, pull the curtains shut and leave the TV or radio on to drown out any external sounds that may cause your dog to bark.

How to socialise a frightened hamster If your hamster is a baby or has had limited handling, they may be very nervous and have a tendency to rear up and scream at you in defence.

The safest way to socialise your hamster is to place a short tunnel in front of them to encourage them to walk in, and let them come out to investigate you in their own time. This can be done on the floor of a secure room or in a bath.

Wear a long-sleeved jumper with some of the bedding smell on the sleeves, and use the sleeves to cover your hands. Allow your hamster to walk on to your covered hands in their own time. After a few sessions of doing this you can slowly reveal your hands and encourage them to walk across and gently stroke your hamster.

The responsibility that comes with having a pet, the feeding, training and changes that might have to be made, means many people can feel quite daunted by the thought.

But the animal charity Wood Green has a service to help owners or people who are considering having a pet with any questions they may have about owning a pet. These range from general advice to tips on behaviour, health and well-being.

They can also help you to find your perfect pet, to understand how best to care for your pet and how to improve pet behaviour and your relationship with your pet.

In a year, this service has helped more than 2,000 pet owners and, through behaviour advice and support, managed to keep more than 250 pets and their families together at a time when they thought giving up their pet was the only option.

Wood Green’s teams are there to listen and give you the help you need.

From coping with a new puppy to advice about preparing a pet if you are about to move home, their experts continuously help pet owners and their pets to live in harmony and get the best out of life.

If you are interested in taking home one of their pets, Wood Green carefully matches every pet looking for a new home with the personalities and lifestyles of owners. They guide you through the homing process with knowledge of each pet’s individual lifestyle or training needs and any medical issues he or she may have.

Linda Cantle, Wood Green’s director of animal services, explains: “Our 90-year history of caring for pets means we have a huge bank of knowledge and our team of experts are a trusted source of advice about every aspect of pet care. Everything we do is about keeping pets healthy and happy in their homes and we do all that we can to help.”

Life can also be unpredictable and if pet owners are no longer able to care for a pet, Wood Green can offer help with that too.

Visit woodgreen.org.uk or contact their pet advisers on 0300 303 9333 ext. 1281

3 2 DE C E M BE R 2018 ///

32 AL Pets OK.indd 32

25/11/2018 09:19

n e e r dG

oo about W k As i ng t h any t ing a pe own

We offer free pet advice We can help you: find your perfect pet care for your pet improve your relationship with your pet.

Call 0300 303 9333 or visit woodgreen.org.uk #askwoodgreen

Wood Green – bringing pets and people closer together Wood Green, The Animals Charity, Registered Charity No. 298348

00396JJ1118

00396 Ask Wood Green Dog 188 x 125.indd 1

Clear Start

Puppy Pack Clear Ridge Veterinary practice aims to help your new puppy settle in as quickly as possible and to help with this very important time in their lives.

Take a look at the details of our ‘Clear Start Puppy Pack’. This starter pack caters for all of your puppies needs and includes vaccinations, health assessment, flea treatment, worming treatment, microchip, nurse appointments, information folder and free insurance*.

We also offer great discounts off future consults and treatments.

14/11/2018 15:37

The Clear Start Package covers all of your young puppy’s essentials for three months: • First full course of standard primary vaccinations - We offer Lepto 2 vaccinations.

We recommend puppies are vaccinated from 8 weeks of age. The course consists of 2 vaccinations given either 2-4 weeks apart.

Your puppy will then be vaccinated against Canine Distemper, Hepatitis, Parvo virus and Para-influenza virus and Leptospirosis.

Yearly booster vaccinations will then be recommended to maintain immunity.

• A general health check - You will have a 20 minute consultation with one of our vets which will enable you to discuss any questions or problems you may be experiencing.

• Nurse consultations - As your puppy grows and develops into a young dog, you are sure to have questions.

Our nurses will be there to help and advise you along the way. They can discuss: Diet, weight, suitable play/ toys, behaviour & training tips, exercise requirements, preventative dental care and neutering.

• • • •

One worming treatment One flea treatment Microchip 10% off subsequent flea & worming treatment for 1yr • 10% off 1st annual booster vaccination (at 12 months) • 10% off your next consultation • 4 weeks free insurance*

All for just £50.00. For more information or to discuss any part in more detail, please call and speak to any of the Clear Ridge Team at our Stamford practice: Tel 01780 764333 or Orton Wistow Tel: 01733 230000

www.clearridgevets.co.uk

33.indd 1

22/11/2018 15:27

PHYSIOTHERAPY IN YOUR OWN HOME

The latest laser and injectable cosmetic procedures performed by fully qualified GP or Nurse Practitioner Laser Treatments Include:

• Laser tattoo removal • IPL photo-rejuvenation asses • Hair removal consu sment • Rosacea & facial redness ltation • Facial & leg veins & vascular lesions • Pigmented skin lesions & sun damage

FREE

All in addition to our usual range of Medical Aesthetic Treatments:

• Muscle relaxing injections for lines & wrinkles • 8 point non-surgical face lift • Non-surgical 15 minute Rhinoplasty • Volite & Restylane Vital skin rejuvenation • Juvederm & Restylane dermal fillers • Silhouette Soft Thread lifts • Treatment for excessive underarm sweating (hyperhidrosis) • Minor surgical procedures including mole removal & non-scalpel vasectomy

PARKINSON’S & STROKE

ARTHRITIS

MOBILITY PROBLEMS

FALLS TOTAL HIP & KNEE REPLACEMENTS

COPD, BRONCHIECTASIS, HYPERVENTILATION SYNDROME

doTERRA Aromatouch technique which we are offering 40% off all initial sessions until the end of Dec 18.

Please see our facebook page for T&C’s.

www.glen-edenmedical.co.uk 01476 550056

The Market Cross Surgery, Bourne Road, Corby Glen, Lincs NG33 4BB

FREE WELCOME CONSULTATION FOR NEW CLIENTS

Deborah Clasper BSc(Hons), CSP, HcPC 07974 569792 www.physiotc.com

Natalie Solomons BSc(Hons), CSP, HcPC 07904 372764

physiotc@hotmail.com

@physiotc

A veterinary practice with a difference – your pet is our priority • Two fully equipped operating theatres, imaging suite and separate hospital facilities for cats & dogs

• In-house laboratory with blood machine allowing quicker test results and diagnosis

• Pet Healthcare Plans to help spread the cost of y early vaccinations, worming & flea treatments for your pets • 24 hour emergency service operated by our team • Complimentary flea & worming treatments for new puppies and kittens

• Dental hygiene facilities, BVA hip and elbow scoring, E.C.G, pet passports and ultrasound

• Free puppy parties run by our own qualified

Tel: 01780 763180

www.stamfordvets.co.uk stamfordvets@googlemail.com Open: Mon – Fri 8.30am to 6.30pm, Sat 8.30am to 12 noon.

Free Parking 32 Main Street, Great Casterton, Stamford, Lincs. PE9 4AA

34.indd 1

dog trainer Runners up in the Veterinary Awards for 2017 for ‘Practice of The Year’ (out of 8500 practices)

Consultations by appointment

22/11/2018 15:27

ACTIVE BODY Have a fit but festive Christmas, using the Bowen Technique to help deal with rheumatoid arthritis, plus how to treat soft tissue injuries Edited by Steve Moody

FOCUS ON FAT Nutritionist Dawn Revens looks into when is the best time to get lighter and leaner Recently I tested a number of triathletes to see how metabolically efficient they were.

Knowing if your body is metabolically efficient and burning both carbohydrate and fat in the right proportions at different exercise intensities is really important. If you are burning high levels of glucose at rest, then you will need more fuel for long distance training and racing.

One triathlete I tested had been struggling with her weight after an injury and was trying to lose weight and compete at the same time. She told me that she wasn’t having much luck shedding body fat and that at the last event she did, she had no energy left on the run.

Sadly she’s not on her own trying to compete and lose weight at the same time.

I regularly come across athletes trying to do this. When you’re training and racing hard, your body needs the calories to race and then to repair and rebuild your muscles and

help you to recover. If you try to shed body fat in race season you are likely to struggle and not have enough energy for training and racing. You will also put yourself at greater risk of injury.

If race season isn’t the time to shed excess body fat, when is? Many of you will now be at the end of race season and will be taking some time out to rest and recover. Hopefully you have reviewed what went well for you in your races and what you need to do differently next year with your training and nutrition.

From now until Christmas, your training volume and intensity should be low and it’s likely with Christmas coming up, your eating habits might not be quite as good as they are during race season. This will probably mean that you will gain some weight. Before you gain too much weight though, I would advise that you calculate your optimal race weight and make sure

that you don’t gain more than 8% of this over the next few months.

To calculate your optimal racing weight you will need to get your body composition measured so you know how much lean muscle mass you have and how much body fat you have. Your weight loss approach needs to target losing body fat, not lean muscle mass, or your training results will potentially go backwards. If you take this approach it will mean that you won’t have as much to lose in the months leading up to race season.

The time to focus on losing body fat is between January and March. Then from April onwards, as long as you are leaner and lighter, you will be able to go faster.

Dawn Revens is The Compeater, and works with endurance athletes to optimise their nutrition so they can get amazing training in racing results.

/// DE C E M BE R 2018 3 5

35 BODY Nutrition OK.indd 35

25/11/2018 09:21

ACTIVE BODY

H O W T O H AV E A V E R Y HAPPY HAPPY CHRISTMAS! For many, the festive season is the most stressful time of the year. Therapist Lisa Johnston of My Therapist Online has some coping strategies and advice Managing your mental well-being

For many, the Christmas period can be a mix of pleasure and pressure. The movies, songs, advertisements and television we’re exposed to in the run-up to and during the big day portray the perfect Christmases as being ones with tastefully decorated homes, beautifully cooked dinners with happy families sat around engaging cheerfully.

The expectations created by these images can cause a lot of stress and anticipation anxiety as we strive to achieve something even close to these picture postcard scenes. This year, more than ever, we are also likely to be bombarded with Pinterest, Facebook and Instagram images of perfect homes, and beautifully edited pictures of perfect family scenes. This, for some, can create a further layer of stress.

Our emotions start with an interpretation of an event. It is often not the here and now facts that drive how we feel, but our interpretation of

events. So, if you are approaching Christmas with lots of negative predictive thoughts such as ‘I just won’t have time to do it all’, ‘I won’t cope’, ‘What if I let my family down and can’t make it the best Christmas ever?’, it is going to have a negative impact not just on how you feel on the day, but in the run up to it.

Here are some tips and tricks for managing your well-being over the Christmas period, to help you get on top of both the practical and emotional problems that might arise...

Focus on the priorities

If the list of things you want or feel you need to get done by Christmas is mounting and you can feel the stress building, it is time to press the pause button for a moment.

The first tip is: get it all out of your head and on to a piece of paper. It doesn’t matter the order it goes down or how well formed the ideas are, the process of downloading it from

your head to the paper is the first step in making a realistic and achievable plan.

On another piece of paper, write it down in an order of priority with the most important things at the top, the least important things may not even make it on to the page.

As you place items in order of priority ask yourself: will it significantly improve mine or my family’s experience of Christmas by doing this? Do all the ideas that you have taken from a magazine or a perfect Pinterest picture need to happen? Could you let some of them go?

Great expectations

You could probably do everything on your ‘to do’ wishlist, but at what cost to your enjoyment of the Christmas period, your stress levels, sleep or energy levels?

• Drop the pursuit of perfection. It can hold you back from moving forwards. Be realistic, not perfect.

3 6 DE C E M BE R 2018 ///

36-37 FEATURE Happy Xmas OK.indd 36

25/11/2018 09:22

• Throw away the ‘I should’ statements that you have set for yourself and give yourself permission to cut back a little and share some of the preparation.

The children won’t notice if the decorations don’t match or if you over-cook the carrots; they won’t notice there isn’t a homemade gingerbread house or an elaborately decorated Christmas cake. They will, however, notice if you are stressed, distracted and agitated.

2. What is the best possible thing that could happen?

3. What is the most realistic outcome?

Well considered delegation

If you notice your mind getting caught up in negative loops about something someone said, or stressful thoughts, you may benefit from talking to a professional to help you make sense of these cycles.

You could try a grounding technique as a way of helping to shift your attention back to the here and now and away from negative internal mental chatter. It is the ability to shift your attention to what is real and true outside of your head.

You can start by slowing your breathing down and gently moving your attention to your five senses – five different sights, four different sounds, three different things you can feel, two smells and one taste.

You could have with you some grounding objects to touch, or things that you enjoy smelling. Observe them in a non-judgmental way moving steadily on to the rest without engaging with any mental chatter that might come up. Try to become aware of them all at once for a few minutes and fill your attention with them. Let yourself get lost in the outside world.

Once you have a list of priorities, the next step is to consider when each one can realistically be achieved and if any of these could be delegated to others. If you are having people joining you over Christmas, consider their skills or interests and ask them to take charge of one or two items such as bringing a cooked ham, or coming round early to help peel the vegetables.

Could they be in charge of other tasks such as planning a game to entertain the children or serving drinks, so you have more capacity to crack on with what you want to do?

The worst, best, realistic technique

If you notice you are becoming increasingly short, snappy, irritable, anxious or angry in the run up to events over the Christmas period, the likelihood is there are some unhelpful negative thoughts that are driving these emotions and change in behaviours.

The ‘worst case, best case and realistic outcome’ is a simple process of questions that can help you to manage all kinds of anxious and stress-related thoughts and help you to access a more balanced perspective.

When we are worried, we commonly focus on the likelihood of outcomes which can give you a distorted impression of the actual likelihood. If you can identify the particularly worrying or stressful thoughts, write them down and consider them from a variety of different outcomes, from good to bad – it can help to quieten anxious or spiralling thoughts.

Here are three questions you can ask yourself to gain a more helpful perspective on things: If you find yourself getting anxious, ask yourself...

1. What is the worst thing that could happen?

Once you have come up with a more realistic perspective on a problem, it then helps to think through more practical things you can do to help make those more positive outcomes happen.

Grounding technique

Slow down, zoom out and shift your attention from your internal mental chatter to the external world around you.

Take some time to go slow for a bit, to unplug and enjoy the simple beauty of the outdoors. If you enjoy walking, cycling or running, don’t stop doing that over Christmas (see overleaf for more on festive fitness – Ed). Soak up the Christmas lights in your area, take a candlelit bath or turn off the TV and play some music.

The decorations do not all need to go up on the same day and the minced pies don’t have to be home-made. Do Christmas the way you want to and in turn, this enables you to enjoy it too.

Taking a moment to zoom out and gain perspective on what really matters to you can hugely help to break cycles of negative thinking.

Evidence shows that quality of life is directly connected to our ability to pay attention to meaningful things.

Learning the skill of mindfulness can be a hugely helpful in connecting with your everyday in a different way. The ability to be more mindful in our approach to our daily life has been found to be a key element in happiness.

Mindfulness is the practice of purposely focusing your attention on the present moment.

It teaches us to learn to accept what is happening in our present without judgement.

The best gift this Christmas

Consider what Christmas really means to you.

Then consider that the very best gift you could give others (and yourself) this Christmas, is to be your happiest and best self. Visualise the impact that being full of peace and happiness could have on the whole experience of Christmas and new year. Make sure you take some time to consider how you will look after your wellbeing and overall ability to enjoy and be fully present this Christmas.

Lisa Johnston is a CBT therapist and co-Founder of My Therapist Online https://www.mytherapistonline.co.uk

Unstructured family time

Some people struggle with the prolonged time spent with family over Christmas. We also tend to thrive on routine, and prolonged ‘free time’ can present a challenge for some too.

Most people have complex relationships with family which can present us with a range of emotionally demanding situations which need to be navigated.

Decide to set aside differences with friends or family and accept that we can’t change or control what they say or do. We can, however, decide to address these grievances at a more appropriate time for discussion – a time when there is less pressure and mix of emotions.

/// DE C E M BE R 2018 3 7

36-37 FEATURE Happy Xmas OK.indd 37

25/11/2018 09:23

www innerwolf co uk online and in-store

Healthy from the

Inside Out

‘They may forget your name, but they will never forget how you made them feel’ LOOKING FOR TALENTED, HIGHLY-MOTIVATED AND DYNAMIC PEOPLE • Flexible working patterns • Part time and full time positions available • Night shifts available

A job that makes a difference..

• Competitive rates of pay • Contracted hours available • Expenses paid and uniforms provided • Full training provided and individualised pathways • Delivering care in the community of Stamford and surrounding villages Induction coming soon...

highly-motivated and dynamic people

Call us on 01780 489227 Email: info@wrightcareathome.com www.wrightcareathome.com The Grey House, 3 Broad Street, Stamford. Lincolnshire PE9 1PG

Wishing A Merry & Caring Christmas From Bluebird Care Outstanding Care in your own Home

As the season of goodwill approaches, it’s reassuring to know that Bluebird Care will always be on hand, day and night, supporting its customers to live the life they want.

Our friendly team of carers are all professionally trained to provide tailored care visits through to full live in support.

If you, or a loved one, need some extra support in your home this winter, let Bluebird Care help. It’s what we do best.

Stamford/Rutland Area:

01780 480 881 Peterborough/Oundle:

01733 459 907

24 hour and live in care | Homecare and support | Night care and support | Specialist care | Companionship & befriending www.bluebirdcare.co.uk/peterborough-rutland • peterborough@bluebirdcare.co.uk • Stamford@bluebirdcare.co.uk

38.indd 1

23/11/2018 16:02

ACTIVE BODY

GET THE GIFT OF FITNESS THIS CHRISTMAS Just because you have lots of food, drink and parties, you can still keep a fitness regime going – it just might need a tweak It may be that over Christmas and new year time is in short supply, or your routines are all over the place, which make a regular fitness regime hard to maintain.

However, there are a few strategies you can employ to at least keep some semblance of a programme going. First of all, don’t panic and stress about all the good work of the past few months going to waste. Research has shown that a couple of weeks of maintenance training can result in minimal or even no fitness losses.

In fact, in some cases performance can actually improve after a short period of reduced training because the body has the opportunity to recharge and rebuild.

Do what you need to do early

With more and more social functions – and after work drinks, a visit to a relative, shopping – before long you can find that the day has filled up. Try and do exercise in the morning before you go to work or before the events start. That way there should be no excuses for not moving.

Bring a friend

Christmas is a time for catching up with friends, so why not organise a catch up that involves moving? A walk in the park, a gym class or even a planned activity like a hike, bike ride or a visit to the park? Having friends around you not only helps motivate you, but also gets them moving too.

Move at work

If you’ve got to go to work, try and add few extra excuses to move. Instead of emailing a colleague, make it a point to get off your chair and go and see them. Instead of taking the lift, try the stairs. Instead of sitting in the lunch room, do a couple of walks around the block.

The trick is to fit in activity whenever you can.

Christmas shopping adventures

Christmas shopping can be a workout in itself: walking around the shopping centre for hours, carrying heavy bags around or pushing the trolley and carrying the kids. If you enjoy

shopping, do a sneaky couple of laps and raise those heavy bags by your side.

A little is better than none

Accept that your workouts will be shorter but also realise that they can still provide training benefits. If you usually enjoy several jogging or running sessions, cutting your training time by half will still keep you fit while, instead of completing two or three sets of each resistance training exercise, you reduce it to one or two sets. Your session will take less time but you’re still exercising the same muscles.

Quality over quantity

If your typical training week includes some more challenging sessions, it is important to maintain them. Instead of interspersing them with recovery workouts where you exercise lightly, focus on every session being high quality. Omit the easier sessions, as that will save time, and your recovery session becomes a rest day.

/// DE C E M BE R 2018 3 9

39 FEATURE Festive Fit OK.indd 39

25/11/2018 09:23

PERMANENT LASER HAIR REDUCTION Are you tired of plucking, waxing and using messy creams?

THE GRANARY LASER CLINIC HAS THE SOLUTION • Clinic managed by Registered General Nurse with over 19 years experience in Laser Hair Removal • Free consultation and test area • All treatments clinically proven - we guarantee it • No up front package payments - just pay for your treatments as you take them • Honest and easy to understand advice • Quiet village location • Friendly and discreet dedicated staff • GentleLase Plus

40.indd 1

22/11/2018 15:27

ACTIVE BODY

THE GENTLE TOUCH

Congratulations to Sarah S who won the Bowen Supplies

by Helen competition in the October issue

Rheumatoid arthritis sufferer Brenda Howard explains how the Bowen Technique helps relieve her painful symptoms Living with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) for 30 years means I’ve tried many different complementary therapies to help manage the physical, and emotional, challenge of this extremely painful condition.

While some provided temporary relief and others, such as acupuncture and manual lymphatic drainage, worked well for a specific problem, it is Bowen Technique that has hugely improved my quality of life. Since being referred to Bowen therapist Helen Mary Perkins in Peterborough, I’ve cut down on pain-killing medication and maintained a more positive outlook. It helps with mobility so I can keep driving and retain independence.

At first, it seemed unlikely that such a gentle therapy could have any impact on my condition, which has required many operations.

Bowen has been a revelation and Helen an absolute life saver; a therapist whose empathy and intuition matches her professional skills.

On my first visit I was suffering terribly with my back, shuffling into Helen’s room half bent over. I left the session feeling lighter and more optimistic, looking forward to my next visit.

Helen explains Bowen as a series of precise soft tissue moves to rebalance the body, helping it to heal itself. She added: “Initially I applied Bowen therapy while Brenda was seated but within a couple of sessions she was able to lie down on the couch which allowed us to work more effectively on the fascia (connective tissue).

My aim was to help support the muscles around the joints to improve Brenda’s

mobility. It has been a pleasure to see her condition improve so markedly.’

In addition to the physical benefits, the sense of well-being and relaxation should not be under-estimated, giving emotional and spiritual support.

At home I use Bexters Soda Crystals to reduce swelling around the joints, soaking my feet and using a hand mitt containing crystals. Joints then become more flexible.

My doctors are aware that I enjoy Bowen Technique and can see that I look and feel better. While it might not work for everyone, I recommend people keep an open mind and give it a go.

To book a session call 01733 555476 or go to www.helenperkins.com. Initial consultation £75; future sessions £50.

Three sessions pre-booked £135.

/// DE C E M BE R 2018 41

41 BODY bowen OK.indd 41

25/11/2018 17:21

ACTIVE BODY

A M A G N E T I C AT T R A C T I O N Cell Regeneration offers those with injuries and degenerative bone and tissue problems a way to stimulate cells into repairing themselves, and it is building up a loyal following of recovered patients

There is always some scepticism about innovative medical treatments that claim to heal patients faster and more effectively than what has gone before.

And when Cell Regeneration opened seven years ago near Stamford, using a new process call Magnetic Resonance Therapy, there was no doubt a few people who would have raised an eyebrow or two.

But more than 1,000 patients later, and countless stories of successful treatment, any scepticism about its effectiveness has long since dissipated.

For all the clever technology, central to Cell Regeneration’s success is the people. It’s a family-run affair, with Liz Clare running the operation with brother Charles, who oversees the technological aspects of the treatment.

But underpinning it all is their mother Ann, a physiotherapist of around four decades and clearly somebody who stands for rigour and experience when it comes to treatment.

As she explains, Cell Regeneration’s MBST

treatment is a fantastic aid to the recovery of injuries to bone and tissue, helping osteoarthritis and speeding up the repair process.

But it is not a silver bullet in itself: only with very careful and astute pre-treatment assessments of the problem and a programme of physiotherapy will patients get the best possible results.

“We have people come in to see us who have been told they must have joints replaced or are suffering with long term issues,” she says.

“Often, in my opinion, they have had bad advice and what we do is fully assess the issue and put together a programme that will benefit them. Life is short. You should be pain free. And that is what we offer.”

There are studies to back up the procedures’ effectiveness, and Cell Regeneration is called out to work regularly with a number of professional sports teams and individuals – and even helping with the recovery of horses that compete at elite standard. At that high performance level, if it didn’t work, they wouldn’t get called back in.

4 2 DE C E M BE R 2018 ///

42-43 FEATURE Cell Regen OK.indd 42

25/11/2018 09:25

WHAT IS MBST? Both medical and veterinary centres use MBST. It’s a noninvasive therapy with no known side effects. Studies have indicated that patients suffering from pain associated with osteoarthritis have reported a reduction in pain levels post-therapy. Other clinical studies have shown an increase in bone mass density after Magnetic Resonance Therapy.

MBST stimulates the hydrogen protons using radio waves, putting them into a ‘high energy’ state, this energy is then released in the same way as in MRI and absorbed by the surrounding tissue.

When this energy is absorbed by the tissue, it can initiate or reactivate regenerative power.

So far, more than 220,000 patients have experienced more than 80% success with MBST therapy worldwide.

As MBST works at a cellular level, response time will vary in each individual patient. Cell Regeneration asks all patients to give MBST 10 weeks as a consistent recovery time after the treatment to see results. The outcome of treatment can then be checked on an MRI scan after this period.

CHRISTOPHER’S STORY “I went skiing last January and had some slight pain in my back, and then when I got home it got worse. And then worse and worse. I went from skiing, running, and playing tennis three times a week, to the point where I could barely walk down the stairs.

“I went to a clinic and they said there were various problems with discs and my neck, and that basically it didn’t look good. I tried Shockwave treatment, physiotherapy and even acupuncture but it was getting worse. I was getting fed up. Then I had an MRI, where they said I had disc degeneration and I should get a surgical opinion. But having surgery was something I really wanted to avoid if possible.

“A friend at the tennis

club who had had a bad back said I should try Cell Regeneration. So I came and saw Ann. She said it was bad and I would need nine treatments on consecutive days for an hour, which is normal for this condition.

“So I was having the treatments, and to be honest I started out sceptical as to whether it was going to work because nothing else had, and with this you can’t feel or hear anything happening. But I literally couldn’t do anything, so I kept going.

“After the nine treatments, my back was slightly better, but Ann said that it’s after the treatment, over six to 10 weeks, when it really starts to get better as the exercises and revitalised cells regenerate.

And that’s exactly what happened.

“It’s now got to the point that when I get up in the morning I run downstairs without thinking about it, and now I’m back playing tennis three times a week, running and even thinking about going skiing again in January. It’s completely better.”

What can MBST treat?

■ People who suffer from a degenerative disease in joints and bones and metabolic bone disorders, such as osteoarthritis and osteoporosis. Those with osteoarthritis in stages 4 or 5 may have a longer cell regeneration healing time.

■ People with bulging discs, sports injuries, broken bones, cartilage tears, ligament and tendon damage.

■ Anyone suffering from pain and reduced mobility due to degeneration of bone tissue and joints.

■ In veterinary cases, it can be used for injuries to horses and dogs.

/// DE C E M BE R 2018 4 3

42-43 FEATURE Cell Regen OK.indd 43

25/11/2018 09:25

FREE!

FITNESS FESTIVAL Kick start your 2019 with USSC! Monday 7 January 2019 6-10pm Free for Everyone (16+ yrs)

Open MRI

Classes

Personal Swimming Training

Fitness Advice

Member offers

For a full timetable for the event visit our website or contact reception 01572 820830 ussc@uppingham.co.uk t `™@_ussc www.sportscentre.uppingham.co.uk Uppingham School Sports Centre, Leicester Road, Uppingham, Rutland, LE15 9SE

44.indd 1

22/11/2018 15:27

ACTIVE BODY

present with significant loss of strength and motion. These injuries may require 2-3 months before a complete return to normal activities.

Grade 3: Complete rupture of a muscle or tendon. These can present with a palpable defect in the muscle or tendon. These injuries sometimes require surgery to reattach the damaged muscle and tendon.

TAKE THE STRAIN Dr Hany Elmadbouh, senior consultant at Avicenna Clinic, advises on how to manage soft tissue strains and sprains The soft tissue most commonly injured are tendons, muscles and ligaments. A tendon is a flexible, but inelastic, cord of strong fibrous collagen tissue that transmits the mechanical force of muscle contraction to the bones.

A ligament is a short band of tough, flexible fibrous connective tissue which connects two bones together to support and stabilise a joint. Injury of a muscle is called a strain while ligament injury is a sprain. Injuries can occur within the muscle itself, where the tendon attaches to the bone, or most commonly, at the junction between the muscle and tendon. Most of the injuries occur in the lower limbs. The knee, ankle and also the wrist joints are particularly prone to injury.

Acute injuries are caused by a sudden trauma, such as a fall or twist, or direct impact injury to the body, often placing extreme tension on the ligaments and tendons leading to its tear. A sprained knee or ankle can be the result of a sudden twist, and a wrist sprain can occur when falling on an outstretched hand.

Contact sports such as football and hockey, sports that feature quick starts such as hurdling and long jump, as well as running races put athletes at risk of soft tissue injuries.

Acute soft tissue injuries vary in type and severity. Sprains are classified by severity and degree of joint instability: Grade 1 sprain (mild): Slight stretching and some damage to the fibres of the ligament.

Grade 2 sprain (moderate): Partial tearing of the ligament. There is abnormal looseness (laxity) in the joint when it is moved in certain ways.

Grade 3 sprain (severe): Complete tear of the ligament. This causes significant instability and makes the joint nonfunctional.

Patients with muscle injuries lose some strength and range of motion. The severity of the injury depends on how much strength and range of motion they lose and this may give an indication of the time required for recovery. Similar to sprains, muscle injury has three grades: Grade 1: Mild damage to individual muscle fibres (less than 5% of fibres) that causes minimal loss of strength and motion. These injuries generally take about 2-3 weeks to improve.

Grade 2: More extensive damage with more muscle fibres involved. However, the muscle is not completely ruptured. These injuries

While the intensity varies, pain, bruising, swelling and inflammation are common to all three categories of soft tissue injuries.

Imaging by ultra-sound and/or MRI will help to confirm the diagnosis and asses the severity and grading of the injury to guide the treatment and rehabilitation.

Initial treatment of acute soft tissue injury is with the RICE protocol. This is a simple self-care technique that helps reduce swelling, ease pain and speed up healing.

RICE stands for: Rest Crutches may be required to avoid putting weight on your leg.

Ice Cold packs applied for 20 minutes at a time, several times a day.

Compression Wearing an elastic compression bandage.

Elevation Elevating the injury higher than your heart while resting.

Anti-inflammatory drugs may help to reduce the pain and physiotherapy will maintain muscle strength and speed the recovery. Surgery may be required in severe cases of complete ligament and tendon rupture.

Many soft-tissue injuries can be prevented through proper conditioning, training and equipment. Warming up to prepare for exercise, drinking enough water to prevent dehydration, cooling down in the final phase of the exercise routine, trying to get at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity every day and developing a balanced fitness program that incorporates cardiovascular exercise, strength training and flexibility will all help to reduce the chance of soft tissue injuries.

Avicenna Clinic specialises in pain management and minimal invasive intervention. It has a range of specialist consultants, operating theatre for surgical procedures and superior in-house imaging facilities –including state-of-the-art MRI, ultrasound and X-ray scanning equipment.

To book a consultation, contact Avicenna Clinic on 0330 202 0597.

/// DE C E M BE R 2018 4 5

45 BODY Avicenna OK.indd 45

25/11/2018 09:26

inspirational www.leicesterhigh.co.uk

#we areLHS

REGISTER NOW FOR OUR:

JANUARY ENTRANCE EXAMINATION 17th January 2019, 9.00am–12.45pm. www.leicesterhigh.co.uk/entranceexam

THE HEADMASTER’S SCHOLARSHIPS 5% – 25% fees support for Year 7 candidates, are awarded for outstanding performance in the January Entrance Examinations.

Please contact: Mrs Alice Hailes on 0116 270 5338 or a.hailes@leicesterhigh.co.uk to register.

LHS_Exam_&_Scholarships_Ad_220x285.indd 1

09/10/2018 09:51

ActiveKids ●

Learn to ski at Tallington ● More records for Deepings swimmers ● New home for leisure club ● Tots gym opens in Oakham Edited by Steve Moody

/// D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 8 4 7

47 Active Kids opener OK.indd 47

25/11/2018 17:24

Weekly Local Classes

Fun and skills that could save your child’s life s held... classe

Why we do what we do...

We believe that all children should learn to swim from as early as possible, so they can have fun, bond with their parents or carers and should they ever fall in water have the best possible chance of surviving.

Leicester, Loughborough, Oakham, Uppingham, Grantham and Melton Mowbray

To give your baby a splashing start call

01664 567 302 Let’s teach your baby to swim!

www.waterbabies.co.uk

PRIORS HALL GOLF COURSE”

Northamptonshire’s Hidden Gem

18 Hole Course in scenic rural countryside Bar & Restaurant Competitive Green Fees Annual & Direct debit season tickets available Society days available Golf Shop Open 7 days per week

We offer catering packages suitable for a variety of occasions; society days, events, parties and meetings.

For more information, availability and prices.

Tel: 01536 260756

Email: Priors.HallGolf@corby.gov.uk /PriorsHallGC www.corby.gov.uk/PHGC

Trolley & buggy hire available Home of ‘Priors Hall Golf Club’

48.indd 1

22/11/2018 15:27

Activekids

GET YOUR KIDS CONFIDENT IN THE WATER Oakham Swim School runs a range of sessions to suit all ages and abilities and is fast becoming a teaching centre of excellence as seven more members of staff have become fully-qualified swim school instructors.

The junior swim school is run by enthusiastic instructors who offer small group lessons five days a week for children aged three to 16 years old. Intensive swim courses are also run throughout the school holidays to enable children to gain confidence in the water, improve stroke technique and make rapid progress in all stages of swimming. Rookie lifeguard and synchronised swimming lessons are also available for more confident swimmers from stage 4+ along with adult swimming lessons, aqua fit and parent and baby/toddler classes.

As one Swim School parent recently told us: “My child was scared of the water and hated swimming but due to Andrea Kemp and her swimming classes, he is now confident and slowly becoming a strong swimmer.” www.oakhamswimschool.co.uk 01572 758754, info@oakhamswimschool.co.uk

NEW HOME FOR OAKHAM LEISURE CLUB Oakham Leisure Club is now running from Oakham School’s newly-refurbished sports centre, located off Kilburn Road with free parking close by. It offers a wide range of sports and fitness facilities to the local community, including squash courts, a fully-equipped gymnasium, a sports hall for indoor football, basketball and badminton, as well as access to the school’s impressive floodlit astro pitches – recently opened by GB Olympic gold hockey legend, Crista Cullen. There is also a 25-metre heated swimming pool, perfect for hire for children’s parties or for team aqua fun sports such as water polo. Membership costs are from £100 per term or £240 annually per person. osel@oakham.rutland.sch.uk, 01572 758754

STAMFORD U13s DEFEND COUNTY HOCKEY TITLE Stamford High School U13 A hockey team have defended their County Championship crown.

The Stamford team had four schools to outwit and the girls set to task, winning their first game against Bourne Grammar 6-0. Penny Phelan and Eva Stones secured two goals each with Millie Hindmarch and Claudia Packer scoring one each, cementing a convincing score.

The second match saw Stamford start with a solid and confident performance, but Lincoln Minster were equally as quick and strong from the outset. The Stamford team dug deep, changed tactics and began to dominate once again with a hat-trick from Charlotte Dean and two follow up goals form Packer and Hindmarch.

The next match began to test fitness levels with a few strong challenges from St Hughes, but again the resilience from Stamford shone through and the team left the pitch relieved with another victory (3-0: Stones 2; Phelan 1).

The final opponents, William Farr withdrew from the match, and so Stamford were crowned county champions again.

RATCLIFFE SUCCESS Ratcliffe College Prep School has qualified for the U11 Girls Hockey IAPS National Finals for the first time ever.

The tournament took place at the Nottingham Hockey Centre and involved 22 schools from across the Midlands.

Outstanding teamwork, determination and very talented and skilled hockey players meant the girls where unbeaten in their seven matches on the day, apart from in penalty strokes against Foremarke Hall. The girls progressed from the group stages into the quarter finals, then into the semi-finals and then into the 3rd/4th place play-offs. Here they won 2-0 against Yarm Prep School and secured their place in the national finals, which are due to take place at Rugby School.

BROOKE RUNNERS Cross-country at Brooke Priory School goes from strength to strength.

A record number of children qualified to represent their county at the regional event, following an impressive display at the county race hosted at Rutland Water.

A total of 24 children qualified; a reflection of the children’s hard work in training and resilience on the day.

/// D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 8 4 9

49 kids schools OK.indd 69

23/11/2018 14:01

SERVING THE COMMUNITY SINCE 1975

Carpet.

Without it, a room can feel undressed Choose from opulent deep pile, traditional Axminsters, stylish Wiltons or natural seagrass.

For the finishing touches to suit every home…

Call us on…

Visit our NEW Website

50.indd 1

0116 271 6886

1 The Parade, Oadby, Leicester LE2 5BB w w w. o a d b y f l o o r i n g . c o . u k

GEORGE HALLS CYCLE CENTRE 01858 465507 10-12, NORTHAMPTON ROAD, georgehallscycle@aol.com MARKET HARBOROUGH, www.georgehallscycles.co.uk LEICS LE16 9HE

22/11/2018 15:27

Activekids

NEW TEAM WINS TITLE

MORE RECORDS FOR DEEPINGS SWIMMERS Louis Metselaar and Holly Leggott both broke Deepings Swimming Club records at the Midlands Winter Short Course Championships.

The two club captains posted outstanding personal bests against the top swimmers from across the Midlands at the Harvey Hadden Sports Village in Nottingham. They were part of a Deepings team of six, which included Jake Jungmann, Bethany Eagle-Brown, Tom Neal and Tom Adams. Jessie Sooner also qualified for the championships but was unfortunately unable to take part.

Louis, who broke the club’s 16 year age group 100m breaststroke record recently, has now surpassed the long-standing 50m record with a time of 30.90. He finished ninth overall in the Midlands.

In the 100m breaststroke, Louis was just outside his best, finishing 17th. He also competed in the 50m freestyle, setting a new PB, the 100m individual medley (IM) and the 50m butterfly.

Holly also enjoyed an excellent weekend of racing. Her best performance came in the 50m backstroke where she broke her own club

record, with a new mark of 31.40. Holly achieved another short course best in the 50m freestyle and also competed in the 100m backstroke, narrowly missing her third PB. Former club captain Tom Neal qualified for the most events at the championships, taking to the blocks for six races. He also came closest to a Midlands medal, making two finals.

Tom was finger-tips from bronze in the 50m backstroke, setting a new best to finish fourth, and was foiled again in the 100m backstroke final, coming sixth.

Bethany Eagle-Brown was the top qualifying girl, making five events. She was unlucky not to reach the 100m butterfly final, setting a new personal best to finish in fifth place in the 14/U age group, but 12th overall. Only the eight fastest swimmers from all the age groups combined made the final.

Bethany also competed in the 50m butterfly, the 50m and 100m freestyle, and the 100m IM. Also in action was Tom Adams, racing in the 50m and 200m butterfly events, while Jake Jungmann completed the championship squad, swimming a new personal best in the 100m IM.

GYM4TOTS LAUNCHES A new gymnastics club has opened in Oakham for young children. Based at the Oakham Enterprise Park and run by coaches Jo Roberts, Michelle Hawes and Nicky Collins, it gives children regular physical activity from a young age and also teaches them the importance of a healthy diet. There are a number of classes:  Mums and bumps: Classes to keep you active and fit during pregnancy, led by fully qualified instructors.  Mums and babes: Designed to get you active and back in shape after pregnancy in a comfortable environment. These sessions will help you improve your fitness, bond with your

baby and meet other new mums.  Pilates: Gentle and precise exercise which will improve strength, flexibility and mobility through smooth controlled flowing movements.  Baby massage: Gentle rhythmic stroking of your baby’s body with your hands. A way to gently nurture and spend time with your baby, encouraging interaction, aiding sleep and reducing crying.  Tots gym: Using specific equipment and movements to make exercise fun. Incorporating children’s natural playfulness and energy, available for 3 to 5 and 5 to 7-year olds. www.gym4tots.co.uk or email info@gym4tots.co.uk

The newly established Stamford Endowed Schools’ equestrian team were crowned Lincolnshire County Show Jumping Champions in the 80cm and 90cm competition at the National Schools’ Equestrian Association (NSEA) event in November.

They will now automatically qualify to compete at the NSEA show jumping finals in April 2019.

The 80cm team Lincolnshire champions are Tom Wagstaffe, Izzy Key, Tash Williams and James Wagstaffe. The 90cm team Lincolnshire champions are James Wagstaffe, Izzy Key, Tash Williams and Jess Gargan.

The individual performances were also exceptional with the following results achieved: Izzy Key - 1st (90cm) qualifying for the nationals Tash Williams – 3rd (90cm) James Wagstaffe – 6th (90cm) Tom Wagstaffe - 3rd (70cm)

NETBALL SUCCESS Oakham’s U19 netball team have won a place in the regional tournament for the seventh year running.

The girls powered their way through the county round of the National Schools’ Netball Tournament with eight wins and one draw from their nine matches.

The team comfortably beat Robert Smyth (13-2), Leicester Grammar (14-0), Ashby (15-1), Harington (9-3), Hinckley Academy (24-2) and Uppingham (11-7). They continued their winning performances against Ratcliffe (8-7), Loughborough High (9-6) and secured a draw against Wyggeston and Queen Elizabeth (5-5).

Oakham now has a team in both the U14 and U19 age categories of the county finals.

/// D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 8 5 1

51 kids schools OK.indd 69

23/11/2018 13:26

Activekids

SLIDE AWAY

Ben Plank and his family take their first tentative slides on the slope at Tallington Lakes ahead of a winter holiday Photography: Pip Warters

Having very nearly made it to 40 without scratching the skiing ‘itch’, my wife and I felt that the Alpine holiday ship had definitely sailed.

The prospect of careering uncontrollably down the slopes to the amusement of our experienced skiing friends, or being slingshotted off ski lifts to the amusement of everyone watching, was an experience we thought was best enjoyed in your twenties.

However, we had been convinced that with two young children, Oscar-Jon (7) and Summer (4), now was a perfect time to give it a go and so we booked a week over new year in the popular and beginner friendly French resort of Alpe d’Huez.

A number of our skiing friends recommended a trial session either on an indoor or dry slope ahead of the holiday to at least learn some of the very basic skills in advance. With Tallington Lakes on our doorstep we booked a 90-minute family session with their highly experienced

instructor Lotti, who had learnt on this very slope when she was just four years old.

Tallington has a 120-metre dry slope and a nursery slope, both floodlit and open all year round. They provide open practice sessions for both skiers and snowboarders, individual or group lessons as well as toboggan and skiing/ snowboarding parties.

On arrival we were measured and kitted out within 15 minutes and quickly found ourselves plodding out to the nursery slope. Lotti explained that progress on the first lesson would not be massive and that we would focus more on traversing up a slope and then a gentle ski back down. It would be fair to say none of us were naturals and the rather simple task of walking sideways up a five-foot mild slope was being made to look ridiculously complex by all generations of our family.

The reality for those who’ve not skied before is that slow speed manoeuvring with skis on takes some getting used to. Nonetheless, after a

5 2 D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 8 ///

52-53 Tallington Ski OK.indd 52

25/11/2018 09:27

TALLINGTON GE TS NEW ‘SNOW’

good 30 minutes of marching around in skis and traversing up and down the nursery slope myself and my wife were beginning to get the idea.

Having previously wakeboarded, I decided to have a quick go at snowboarding as well. This felt much more comfortable and to some extent far easier to manoeuvre around. Lotti explained that while wakeboarding and snowboarding are very similar, a number of the fundamental skills are significantly different, such as weight placement.

Either way, I managed a couple of runs down the nursery slope without falling. My wife persisted with the skis and my son finished the session on the toboggan with a huge smile on his face.

The session was incredibly useful, allowing us to overcome some of the very early skiing hurdles as well as giving us a good indicator of whether we need another lesson. Suffice to say, it’s already been booked.

The first phase has been completed of Tallington Lakes Ski & Snowboard Centre’s development, with a new nursery slope which has been reshaped and resurfaced.

Phase two and three will be completed in 2019, which will see the main slope reshaped and resurfaced, followed by a new freestyle area. The 2,000sq m area will have a natural schuss, jump box and slope style features for freestyle skiing and snowboarding.

The new surface is from Italian company Neveplast, which simulates real snow conditions, with the surface certified as ‘having the same slipperiness as snow’.

Because of the extra speed, Tallington has installed an ‘air fence’ for tobbogans, similar to that used in speedway racing, to protect budding skeleton and bobsleigh athletes.

Beginner ski and snowboard lessons have been a huge success too, as those new to winter sports are finding the surface great to learn on because it’s so close to the real thing. An instructor from the British Association of Snowsports Instructors (BASI) said: “The new surface will require people to learn the correct technique, which will help them be better skiers and snowboarders in the mountains”.

BASI also said it is looking forward to skiing on the main slope when that is completed; suggesting it could be one of the fastest slopes in the UK for its size.

At the bottom of the slope is a shop which offers boot fitting and equipment servicing. Having correctly fitting boots is essential for a pain-free holiday, and to get the best performance out of your skiing/ snowboarding. The vast selection of technical clothing will ensure you stay dry, warm and comfortable on the slopes.

For more details, call Chas, manager at Tallington Lakes Activities, on 01778 381154.

/// D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 8 5 3

52-53 Tallington Ski OK.indd 53

25/11/2018 09:28

S R BE

M

M O & N G YM TH M E O L

FO

R

PO

FR N EW EE

Stamford SPORTS CENTRE

New Year, new you Pool only memberships available 5 PT session for the price of 4* Five sessions for the price of four with our personal trainer, James.

A saving of ÂŁ27 - total cost 5 sesesions ÂŁ108. Offer runs from 01/01/2019 to 31/01/2019.

For more information and to book now, call us on 01780 750050 or visit ses.lincs.sch.uk/sportscentre

54.indd 1

22/11/2018 17:30

ACTIVE SPORT Active Rutland Community Sports Awards winners, reader challenges, plus how local teams are faring

And the winner is...

Who knows? Martin Johnson reckons in rugby it’s all down to the referee’s guesswork anyway

I

was reading through a list of great unsolved mysteries the other day, which included the usual suspects of Lord Lucan, Jack the Ripper and the Bermuda Triangle.

It did, though, strike me that there were two glaring omissions. Namely, Donald Trump’s hair and the laws of rugby union.

In my school, rugby was compulsory and divided into four matches based around ability, labelled A game, B game, C game and D game. I was quickly assigned to the latter, which was invariably 20 or so players a side, and refereed by a short-sighted geography master who had no wish to be there, nor understood anything about the laws.

One of the players was the goody two-shoes, who on one occasion made the fatal mistake of picking up the ball, and was instantly buried underneath a mountain of players (from both sides) intent on teaching him what happened to little sneaks who bleated to the headmaster every time the lads convened for a smoke behind the bicycle shed.

After a prolonged pummelling, he was finally allowed to peel himself, Tom and Jerry-like, out of the large crater left in the turf, whereupon the ref blew for a penalty. Not against anyone involved in duffing him up, but against him.

For – get this – not releasing after a tackle.

There’s nothing in rugby which causes more wailing and gnashing of teeth than refereeing decisions. You can see it on most Saturday afternoons down at Welford Road, although I guarantee that no-one in the crowd has the faintest idea when the ref blows his whistle which side he’s about to penalise. Or, when he comes down on one side or the other, why. On all occasions, the difference between the home crowd cheering or booing is entirely down to the way the decision goes. Rugby referees are either impeccable judges of the laws, or complete plonkers in urgent need of a trip to Specsavers.

Take soccer. It’s relatively simple to understand, even the offside law, and just about the only thing requiring explanation is why that chap in the blue shirt is rolling around clutching his head after the bloke in the red shirt brushed him lightly on the shoulder.

Rugby, though, is a game so complex that the laws which the players don’t understand in the first place change every year. And for every law, of which there are about five thousand, there are at least a dozen interpretations – often depending on whether the ref is from the southern hemisphere, or the north.

The key man out there isn’t the captain, or the goal kicker, it’s the chap with the whistle. You can’t miss him, not just because he’s wearing a different coloured jersey, but because he’s the one doing all the shouting.

“It’s a ruck!” “It’s a maul!” “Hands away!” “Roll away!”

“Use it!” “Don’t touch it!” and, at every scrum, “Crouch!

Touch! Pause! Engage!” Sorry. That was last year. Now it’s “Crouch! Bind! Set.” And next year, it’ll be something else.

The only time a player can’t hear the ref shouting is when he’s buried under a pile of bodies, and grateful though he then is when the ref stops play to allow him to resume breathing, the joy of still being alive is slightly diluted when you then realise you’ve handed three points to the opposition for not “rolling away”.

The same thing can occur two minutes later, but this time it’s your own side that gets the three points because the bloke who tackled you didn’t let you go quickly enough.

The one area in which penalties are not always awarded on how the referee sees it is in the scrum, largely because, like the rest of us, he can’t actually see anything at all. In which case he takes a guess at it, very often dishing out punishment on a rota basis.

Any Tom, Dick or Harry could referee a game of rugby without knowing anything about it, and the panel of experts in the television studio analysing their performance would be roughly split 50-50. As was proved during this year’s autumn internationals involving England, first against South Africa, and then against the All Blacks.

England won the first match on a decision many wise judges agreed was ludicrous, and they lost the second on a decision those same wise judges agreed was equally ludicrous. And on both occasions, they were made via technology – the television replay – supposedly designed to prevent miscarriages of justice.

Against South Africa, with England leading by one point and time already up, a tackle made by Owen Farrell was watched on the big screen by the ref and his video assistant.

It looked more like something out of American football, but instead of a penalty to the visitors, and a probable winning kick, the officials decided that Owen – who has what’s know as ‘form’ in this area – was entirely innocent.

Then against New Zealand, this time with England trailing by a point, the home team had a potentially match-winning try disallowed – again on TV evidence – for offside. The actual regulations allow for an over-rule only for a ‘clear error’ but after about 23 slow motion replays showing that the guilty party was either not offside at all, or offside by the length of an ingrowing toenail, he was found guilty.

A week later, Ireland went on to defeat the mighty All Blacks, and are now considered by many to be favourites for next year’s World Cup. However, if this is because they are the best team, it’s a pretty silly reason for putting your money on them. No: the tournament will actually be decided by a referee.

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?’

/// D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 8 5 5

55 johnson OK.indd 53

22/11/2018 12:46

MIKKEL BEISNER

Feature /// Challenges

THE HEAT IS ON Simon Davies is about to tackle his final race, the Desert Ultra, to complete his Ice Desert Jungle challenge In two weeks’ time I’ll be flying off to Namibia to take part in the Desert Ultra – a 250km self-sufficient ultra marathon across the ancient Namib Desert. The race will be the final event of my 2018 Ice Desert Jungle challenge after successfully completing both the Ice and Jungle Ultra races earlier this year.

I’ve now finished all my long training runs, so for the last two weeks I will be working on a heat acclimatisation programme thanks to the generous support of the sport science team at Loughborough University. As with my training for the Jungle Ultra, I’ve very kindly been given access to the specialised climate chamber at the university to help prepare physiologically and mentally for the intense heat of the Namib.

The chamber is basically a temperature controlled sealed room containing a treadmill.

The team can set it to match the heat, humidity, and even altitude, of any environment. The Namib is likely to be over 40˚C when I’m there so for my first acclimatisation session we set the temperature of the chamber accordingly.

Before the session the team weighed me, and the water bottles that I’m going to be running with, so they can measure my fluid loss during the hour. As soon as I opened the door to the chamber the heat hit me and I started sweating almost immediately.

I started off with a fast walk before beginning a gentle jog. I stopped briefly every 10 minutes so the scientists could record my temperature, heart rate and level of perceived exertion.

My body temperature went up by around 0.3˚C every 10 minutes, meaning I was at a dangerously high 39˚C by the end of the session.

My heart rate hit 150bpm – which is pretty much my maximum heart rate – even though I was only running at a very steady 9kph. I’d normally need to do a treadmill session at 16-17kph to get my heart rate that high. It’s amazing to see the huge extra stress the heat puts on your body and a stark reminder how important it will be to keep a slow and steady pace while running out in the desert.

During the hour long session I also lost 1.8kg

through sweating and only managed to drink 800ml of fluid. While this isn’t an issue for a single hour of training, it will have severe consequences if I don’t force myself to drink at least a couple of litres an hour during the race.

I felt the effects of the heat session for the rest of the day and even though I only ran around six kilometres I felt dehydrated and tired. I’m doing another five sessions before I leave so they should hopefully start to get easier and help me be in the best possible condition when I reach the start line in two weeks’ time.

If you’d like to find out more about my challenge, or if you’re able donate some money to Rainbows you can do so at https://www. justgiving.com/fundraising/icedesertjungle.

Any amount you can spare – no matter how small – will be hugely appreciated. I have covered all the expenses for Ice Desert Jungle myself so every single penny you can spare will go directly to where it’s needed the most.

5 6 DE C E M BE R 2 0 1 8 ///

56-57 SPORT Challenges OK.indd 56

25/11/2018 09:28

MY JOURNEY IN RUNNING Fiona Stevenson recounts going from beginner to ultra marathon runner

70SEVENTY CHALLENGE In his 70th year, Bamboozle Theatre’s Christopher Davies is cycling the Pyrenees, climbing the Three Peaks and running a marathon to raise £70,000 for disabled chidren When my bike was stolen from outside the Curve Theatre in Leicester I didn’t appreciate that the thief was doing me a favour. When I went to FMB Cycles for a replacement there was an ex-display Forme Axe Ridge Pro bike temptingly reduced – and it was light – I mean really light. I shelled out and took it on to the hills round Bradgate. What a difference it made – I got carried away with the possibilities.

What if I rode across the Pyrenees, a long-held dream, and raised money for Bamboozle?

Exciting! Why stop at cycling – what about running and walking. What if we also did the National Three Peaks – and another dream – run a marathon. I had trained for London once before but got injured just before the event. And what if I did all three of the challenges during my 70th year and raised £70,000 in the process.

The 70seventy Challenge was born, thanks to a bike thief.

We completed the Pyrenees in September. For me, a considerable challenge was the iconic Col du Tourmalet– a relentless 20km climb not for the faint hearted. I made it, albeit some

considerable time after the others had got to the top and had finished coffee and cake. Then came the 33˚C heat of Spain and 105 miles (a personal best by a stretch) on the last day into Barcelona. Relief. We made it – and had raised £14,000 in the process.

Now I have started training for the Three Peaks in May and the marathon on June 22 – the day after my 71st birthday.

Next month I will write about how you can join us for the team marathon and tell you about the children and families who are the reason I am taking on this challenge. www.bamboozletheatre.co.uk 0116 255 2065

In May 2016, at the age of 43, I joked with my daughters that I might take part in a halfmarathon. They laughed, but I was determined to prove them wrong.

The event was 19 weeks away. I downloaded a coaching 10k app and followed it for seven weeks, building up gradually to being able to run for 6.2 miles. I then started on a 12-week half-marathon training plan. I did the Great Eastern Run in October 2016 in 2:28 hours and had caught the bug.

In April 2017 I ran the Brighton Marathon, but this ended badly when I injured my knee after five miles.

Undeterred, I returned this year and ran with Doreen from my running club, Stamford Striders. I crossed the finish line with a time of 5:08 minutes.

Running has changed my life. I’ve now completed six half-marathons, two marathons, a 30k race and a 50k ultra marathon and next year will take on the London Marathon running for Dementia Revolution.

For one year only The Alzheimer’s Society and Alzheimer’s Research UK have joined forces to become the official charity team of the marathon.

Both of these charities are close to my heart. My mum was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s last year. The Alzheimer’s Society has been fantastic giving much needed support and advice.

I feel passionately about helping to fund vital research into dementia and find a cure for this devastating illness. https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/ FionaStevenson24

ARE YOU TAKING ON A CHALLENGE? It doesn’t matter how large or small it is, we want to hear from you. It could be training for your first 5k starting from scratch, cycling around the world, or anything in

between. Please get in touch so we can feature you on the challenge pages.

Email mary@theactivemag.com

/// DE C E M BE R 2 0 1 8 5 7

56-57 SPORT Challenges OK.indd 57

25/11/2018 09:29

Feature /// Sports awards

ACTIVE RUTLAND COMMUNITY SPORTS AWARDS 2018

1

Photography: Nico Morgan

2 1

3

4

5

6

7

8

10

11

9

5 8 D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 8 ///

58-59 AWARDS 2018 OK.indd 58

25/11/2018 09:34

12

13

Sports stars from across Rutland have been recognised for their achievements as athletes, coaches, volunteers and clubs at the Active Rutland Community Sports Awards, sponsored by Tarmac. For more information about the awards or to find a sport, activity or club that’s local to you, go to www.activerutland.org.uk

1. UPPINGHAM SCHOOL SPORTS CENTRE JUNIOR SPORTSMAN OF THE YEAR 14

Runner-up Ben Sacker Winner Sam Wensley

2. ROGER BEGY MEMORIAL TRUST JUNIOR SPORTSWOMAN OF THE YEAR Runner-up Lauren Kelly Winner Holly Crewe

15

3. SANDICLIFFE KIA MELTON MOWBRAY YOUNG SPORTSMAN OF THE YEAR Runner-up Will Begy Winner Tom Hattee

4. RUTLAND AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY YOUNG SPORTSWOMAN OF THE YEAR Runner-up Georgia Gilbert Winner Louise Kelly 16

5. LANDS’ END YOUNG DISABLED SPORTSPERSON OF THE YEAR Runner-up Jensen Kendall and Logan Bell Winner Emily Smart

6. THINK DIGITAL PRINT YOUNG VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR Runner-up Alice Hannan Winner Mia Cole and Hannah Okoye

7. ACTIVE MAGAZINE VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR Runner-up Barbara Crellin Winner Eleanor Bland

8. CATMOSE SPORTS CENTRE SPORTSMAN OF THE YEAR

9. RUTLAND CYCLING SPORTSWOMAN OF THE YEAR Runner-up Val Millward Winner Jessica Nelson

10. THE GEORGE OF STAMFORD DISABLED SPORTSPERSON OF THE YEAR Runner-up Richard Wilson Winner Chris Emmet

11. INSPIRE2TRI CIC COACH OF THE YEAR Runner-up Kerry Gardner Winner Samantha Griffin

12. GREETHAM VALLEY TEAM OF THE YEAR Runner-up Oakham Rugby Club U14 and The Mighty Ospreys Winner Rutland Panthers Petanque

13. RUTLAND COMMUNITY PHYSIOTHERAPY AND MIKE GOULD SPORTS THERAPY PHYSICAL ACTIVITY PROGRAMME AWARD Runner-up Cardiac Rehabilitation Winner Walking Football

14. ANGLIAN WATER ACTIVE LIFESTYLE AWARD Runner-up Trevor Wise Winner David Stokes

15. RUTLAND RADIO CLUB OF THE YEAR Runner-up Rutland Youth Dance Academy Winner Greetham Valley Golf Club

16. ANGLIAN WATER AND INSPIRE2TRI CIC LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD Runner-up Charles Scott Winner George Morley

Runner-up Roger Canham Winner Giles Cooper

/// D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 8 5 9

58-59 AWARDS 2018 OK.indd 59

25/11/2018 09:34

Roundup RUGBY

Local clubs in fine fettle

BY JEREMY SMITHSON BESWICK AS WE APPROACH THE halfway point of the season, it’s great to report that there’s a lot of positivity around our local rugby clubs right now. I can’t remember having heard such consistent optimism from the various directors of rugby, managers, coaches and players as I have this month for many a year. Market Harborough, Stoneygate, Stamford, Oundle and Stamford College Old Boys, for example, are all particularly bullish.

Harborough’s Richard Bowden told me the feedback from his annual committee meeting is that they’re extremely happy with the state of the club in general.

And so they should be, with their firsts equal with Olney at the top of Midlands 2 and, remarkably, having been able to field three senior sides each Saturday for the last six weeks. That’s a spectacular achievement for a club at this level – I know of others several tiers above who struggle to put out a second XV, let alone a third.

“Like a jigsaw, it’s all about getting the right pieces in the right places,” he told me. “The firsts have two very good coaches that the players want to turn up and train for. We’ve got an exceptional young skipper of the seconds and James – who runs the thirds – is getting some of us older guys to get out and play again.”

Although they were “battered” by Lutterworth in the cup, having decided to give key players a rest, they had three wins from three performances in the league, including a bonus point one against tough-to-beat Bugbrooke by 34-12 with tries from Lawrence Joel, Tim Brown, Fin Clarke (2) and Josh Purnell (2). Bowden tells me there are a few tickets left for their pre-match Christmas lunch on December 8 and all are welcome.

Every bit as chipper is Stoneygate’s club captain Cillian Brugha. “We’re undefeated this season and top of the table, so it’s all good news,” he reported – and this on top of promotion last year. In addition to their league performances they had a spectacular friendly win against South Leicester’s second string – a club whose firsts are around 10 tiers above them – by 83-7, and their minis section continues to go from strength to strength with around 150 youngsters every Sunday.

It’s now a tradition that a memorial event for Oakham School’s Ed Farmer, whose family has strong ties to the club, is held on the last Saturday before Christmas. You may recognise his name from recent press coverage – he died of a heart attack after an initiation ceremony at Newcastle University at the tragically young age of 20. Among other attractions on the day there will be an under 25s vs over 25s game, mini fixtures and a food van serving festive fare. It’ll be a great day and there is no admission charge so, if you’re free on December 22 from midday onwards, make a beeline for their ground at Uppingham Community College and start your Christmas celebrations in the best possible fashion.

Another club feeling the festive cheer are Stamford College Old Boys who, after quite a few years in the doldrums are “coming on by leaps and bounds,” according to veteran forward Carl Walker.

The facts back him up as they are already in the semifinals of one cup competition and the quarter-finals of another and have won their last three games. On what he called a “generally positive note” he highlighted the contributions of number 10 Alex Waycot who “has made a massive difference to our back line” and also put their revival down to the numbers attending training saying: “After everyone showed up the first time we played so much better in the next match, with us all singing off the same hymn sheet and running coherent patterns on the pitch, that we’re now 100% motivated to keep that going.”

Stamford have recovered from their recent wobble (three consecutive defeats as reported here last month) and are now back to winning ways.

“We went out thinking we’d win easily after our great start to the season and probably suffered from an element of over-confidence,” coach Matt Albinson told me. “But we’ve bounced back and scored more than 100 points in our last two matches.”

This included a 10-try haul against Bedford Queens.

They currently lie third in the league but as Albinson

6 0 D E C E M B E R 2018 ///

60-61 rugby.indd 60

22/11/2018 12:47

TIGERS TALK Steve Moody looks back over a drab November and hopes for a return to form during a hectic December for Leicester

depth at the club beyond the starry first choice players and as we have mentioned previously in this column, Murphy and his team are trying to fasttrack very young players through to fill the void where a solid core of 25 to 30year old clubmen should have been. Of the youngsters this month, fly-half Tom Hardwick had a good one, and looks like he could provide the most solid cover for George Ford and Matt Toomua.

points out: “When we get our strongest team out we’re one of the best,” possibly thinking of skipper Bruce Parker and his number two Austin Schwarz who have both been injured. He added: “The other sides in contention for promotion will be playing each other over the next few weeks so we hope to improve on that league position.”

He was keen to compliment young Ollie Johnson, who he praised for his stand-out performances and described him as “the most genuine number 10 shirt we’ve had for several years,” and also Toby Anderson, a former Colts player who has really stepped up and gone from strength to strength.

Oundle complete our happy quintet. Currently third in the Midlands 1 East table after playing at this highest

Elsewhere, it’s good to see flanker Will Evans back on the field after long term injury, and hopefully he can start to make the most of his apparent talent.

So November was something of a phoney war for Tigers, but December could be quite the opposite: Bristol, Racing 92 twice, Harlequins and Bath.

By the end of that, they will have a much better idea of where they are in the league, and European cup.

TIGERS IMAGES

It’s been a very odd month for Leicester Tigers, in which they have lost every game. Apart from the especially fanatical, who expect them to win everything and get very angry when they don’t, most supporters have viewed the results with a resigned shrug.

The issue has been that while the autumn internationals were on, Tigers were involved in something called the Premiership Rugby Cup, which is a round robin group competition supposedly featuring mostly development players.

Except for Worcester, who having already beaten the full Tigers side at Welford Road, turned up with the first team and gave the second string a walloping too.

Tigers also lost at home to Sale in a pretty awful Friday night match, and lost to Saracens on their plastic pitch, but put in a very creditable performance despite the defeat.

Geordan Murphy did what previous coaches had done to him with this competition and handed the reins over to a junior coach, in Brett Deacon, and so ultimately all that can be surmised from the whole affair was Tigers played some rugby, and lost, but not much was learned.

Of more importance was the return of league fixtures, this time away at Gloucester. This is a tough gig at the best of times, let alone when Gloucester appear to actually have a team capable of winning things, as they do now.

Added to that was the fact that Tigers had internationals Polota-Nau, Genge, Denton (pictured), Youngs, Ford, Tuilagi, Toomua, May, Holmes and Veainu unavailable through call-ups or injury and, predictably, they took a 36-13 beating.

Therein lies the problem with Tigers at the moment. Years of neglect has resulted in very little

level in their history for only the first time last season, they have eight wins out of 10 with the last three on the bounce. Coach Peter Croot believes that “a year into this league they have upped their composure” and developed a good game management strategy that has been a significant contribution to their success.

Oakham, although perhaps not quite so buoyant and close to the bottom of their division, are nevertheless playing some attractive rugby and are surely not one of the worst two teams in their league. They will be content this season just to survive while they await their very gifted and talented Colts riding to the rescue in the medium term and I very much enjoyed watching their attacking approach in the narrow home defeat to Belgrave – a tough encounter played in excellent spirit.

/// D E C E M B E R 2018 61

60-61 rugby OK.indd 61

23/11/2018 15:05

C

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

CMY

K

LOOK AND FEEL WONDERFUL THIS CHRISTMAS

Four treatments for just £60 (saving £25)

Give yourself or someone special a Christmas treat, four treatments for just £60, and select your very own package:

Select one from here: File & paint hands or toes Pro-Skin 30 facial Half leg wax Eyelash tint

&

Select one from here: Gel overlays Pro-Skin 60 facial Full body massage Microdermabrasion facial

&

Bodymatters•Brownlow Street•Stamford•PE9 2EL

Select two from here: Eyebrow or lip or chin wax Brow tint Underarm wax Bikini wax

C www.bodymattersstamford.co.uk • info@bodymattersstamford.co.uk 01780 270002

FREE PARKING

62.indd 1

Quote Active18 when booking

25/11/2018 10:48

Roundup FOOTBALL

Daniels on the trophy hunt

BY DEAN CORNISH IT’S BEEN ALMOST 15 years since Stamford last had a run of note in the FA Trophy, when Billy Jeffrey’s side battled their way to the fifth round. They didn’t quite make Wembley that year, but the old Stamford ‘town ground’ did experience one of its most famous days when Conference side Exeter City visited, and came away with a very late 1-0 win.

There’s a chance that history could repeat itself somewhat this year, with Graham Drury’s men well placed for a good run in the Trophy, but less well placed in the league. Stamford have navigated their way through three rounds of the Trophy so far; the highlight being an excellent 1-0 win over Kettering Town in the second qualifying round in early November.

Kettering are flying high in the division above but Stamford fought above their weight and came away with a 1-0 win courtesy of Jon Challinor’s first half goal. This puts them into the final qualifying round against Barwell.

In the league though, it’s been a different story with no wins since early October, seeing Stamford slip to 12th. Remember, Stamford got to the play-off final last year, and were expected to maybe go one better this year. Recent draws with Lincoln United (2-2), and a heavy defeat at Tadcaster Albion (3-0) show that there is a lot of work to do for the Daniels, who are now 18 points from the top.

Stamford have looked to resolve their defensive frailties with the re-signing of last year’s rock at the back, Henry Eze. Recent attacking signing Grant Ryan doesn’t seem to have worked out though, so Drury has gambled again with the recruitment of John Sands who, in spite of his injury record, has a good scoring record at higher level clubs.

In the United Counties Premier Division, Harborough Town have slipped to 15th. The Bees lost 2-1 at home to Pinchbeck United, followed by a 1-0 away win at Holbeach. Thankfully their poor run was ended in

mid-November with a home win over Northampton Chenecks, thanks to goals from Daniel Forbes and Harry Henbury.

In the UCL Division 1, Blackstones are now eight points off the top of the league as their promotion challenge falters somewhat. They’ve once again had mixed results, with impressive wins over Raunds Town and Long Buckby, interspersed with defeats to Bugbrooke St Michael, and a 4-1 away loss at Harrowby United. Stones are definitely in a better place now than they were a year ago, but inconsistency looks to consign the Lincoln Road side to another year at the same level.

In the Peterborough League Premier Division, Stamford Lions’ season has picked up impressively recently. James Sheehan’s men picked up surely the result of the weekend when they mauled league leaders Moulton Horrox 5-0 in their third consecutive win. The win over Moulton was preceded by big wins against Peterborough Polonia (6-0) with Jake Showler bagging four goals, and away at Long Sutton Athletic (4-2).

In the same division, Ketton are having a bad time of it, with three consecutive losses. They’re now second bottom after their recent poor form which has included a 6-0 hammering at Holbeach United Reserves, a 3-1 loss away at Tydd FC, and a 4-3 defeat at Netherton.

In Division One, Uppingham Town are having a storming season and are looking good for promotion back to the Premier Division. They’re now unbeaten in 11 games, with their last four games all yielding wins for the boys from Tod’s Piece. Their consistency is impressive too, with recent games seeing them win 2-1, 2-1, 2-0, 2-0 against Bretton, Spalding, Wymeswold (Cup) and Whittlesey respectively.

In the same division, Stamford Bels are back in midtable after a poor start to the season. Lewis Morley’s side recently beat Crowland 2-0 at home and FC Peterborough 2-0 away. However, they also lost 2-0 to Whittlesey Athletic.

Show your support for local sport...

Carpet cleaning Upholstery cleaning Rug cleaning

Tel: 01572 503123

www.rutlandcleaning.co.uk

Email advertise@ theactivemag.com

/// D E C E M B E R 2018 6 3

63 football OK.indd 61

22/11/2018 12:44

// MARKET PLACE Accommodation

Builders

Agricultural Engineers

D.G NORMAN AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERS

Horticultural and Agricultural Repairs 4 BED HOLIDAY HOME TO LET IN GRETTON 5* reviews

contact@windhovers.co.uk 07568 533168

Lawnmower and Chainsaw Repairs TEL: 01536 770966 MOBILE: 07860 373465 Cottons Farm Buildings, Rockingham, Market Harborough LE16 8TF

www.dgnorman.co.uk

Cleaning

Friendship

ARE YOU READY TO MAKE NEW FRIENDS?

Peterborough and all surrounding areas 01733 286305 Stamford, Bourne and all surrounding areas 01780 429086

Then this is for YOU

Meet new people who share your interests and want to increase their circle of friends – for outings – joint activities – holidays – or just for a coffee

www.findafriendtogo.com annie@findafriendtogo.com tel: 07976 379729

To advertise on the Market Place page please call 01780 480789

Restoration

Garden Design

B Freeman

Taxi

Tel: 01162791517 Mobile: 07889 014078

• Hard and Soft Landscaping • Groundwork • Land Drainage • Turf Supplied • Top Soil and Various Aggregates

DC TAXI OAKHAM Airports, Stations, Local & Long Distance

CALL US NOW ON:

TAXI

07703 337128 or 01780 238376

Prebook your journey now

Stamford, Bourne, Oakham, Market Deeping, Spalding and surrounding areas.

Private Hire

07528121560

EMAIL: info@benfreemanuk.co.uk Find us on Facebook of visit www.benfreemanuk.co.uk

Taxi

Fox Taxi Airports Stations Local & Long Distance

01572 720 200 07884 385312

Email: foxtaxi@hotmail.co.uk

dctaxioakham@hotmail.com

Toilet Hire

Wood Supplies

WEDDINGS • PARTIES • CORPORATE

Lodge Farm

WEDDINGS• •PARTIES PARTIES• •CORPORATE CORPORATE WEDDINGS LUXURY TOILET HIRE

01858 882176

www.lodgefarmluxurytoilethire.co.uk A Luxury Loo for your Posh Do!

LodgeFarm Farm Lodge

LUXURYTOILET TOILETHIRE HIRE LUXURY 01858882176 882176 01858 Market Place S&R Template SEP18.indd 116

24/10/2018 16:33

Roundup EQUESTRIANISM

More wins for Burghley

BY JULIA DUNGWORTH

THE BURGHLEY PONY CLUB has had yet another fantastic month. It all started with the Hunter Trial at the end of October, which unfortunately seemed to coincide perfectly with the arrival of winter – the club literally couldn’t have picked a more hideous day as it rained constantly throughout.

This didn’t seem to dampen the spirits of all the competitors over the six classes, with hundreds of rounds jumped.

It started with a win for Jo Meibe and Nikki Webb in the 80cm pairs, then a Cottesmore win for Florence Ashmore in the PC 80 section and Sophie Coles in the non-PC 80.

The very successful Louise Boddily won the PC 90; she also took the prize for the Best Burghley rider and was seventh in the same section on another ride.

The non-PC section as usual attracted a lot of local eventers and was won by the popular local international eventer Kerry Varley. The Intermediate saw another Burghley win for George Rowley.

It was then a super-quick turnaround for everyone to head to Grange Farm Leisure that evening for the Pony Club Diamond Ball to raise funds for their new water jump.

What an evening they had! Everyone was beautifully dressed and lots of fun was had, and they raised an astounding £6,500 with the help of their very generous sponsors and locals who donated fabulous prizes for the auction and raffle.

Greta Mason just topped the weekend off again for Burghley by being selected on the British Equestrian Federation’s Young Professional programme for eventing, so many congratulations to her on such an achievement.

If you want to be part of the action, the next big event is the Christmas Show at Laughton Manor on December

22 which is bound to be tinsel-tasticly fabulous, so do go and join them!

Rutland Riding Club held another successful dressage competition at Grange Farm at Wittering on November 19, with more than 50 entries in the six classes.These competitions are growing in popularity mainly due to the brilliant organisation on the day. The club runs one every month throughout the winter and they are definitely worth attending.

The prelim 13 saw a local victory for Kyra Wright on Sun King, with Kelly Davies hot on her heels with Minnie for second spot. The Novice 28 was won by local competitor Emily Lumb on Donna Melissa with Kelly Davies again taking second spot.

Lauren Dolby won the Novice 23 on Alvescot Magestic; she also was placed second in the last class ‘pick your own test’, just behind Pippa Owen riding Claude Debussy.

Now the eventing season has well and truly finished for the year, hunting has yet again taken over and is proving to be as popular as ever.

The Cottesmore are having a cracking season under the expert guidance of Andrew Osborne MFH in his last season.

The Belvoir and the Fitzwilliam have both had early run ins with a few people being less supportive, but again seem to be going great guns now.

The Belvoir have just released their Autumn Hunting Tumblers’ Report, which I urge you to read if you ever get the chance!

They have had a few mishaps, namely David Bellamy MFH having a frightening fall, which resulted in David under a gate with his horse on top of him.

Fortunately, it only resulted in a broken wrist. As David had a new gate to pay for and he was injured he is kindly being let off his Tumblers money.

FASTER STRONGER FURTHER LONGER

/// D E C E M B E R 2018 6 5

65 horses OK.indd 61

22/11/2018 12:44

Feature /// Gear

KITBAG

2.

THE LATEST SPORTING ESSENTIALS 1.

1. Endura Pro SL jersey hi-viz

This is a mid-weight thermal fabric that provides low bulk insulation in an athletic fit. The Pro SL also comes with three open rear pockets, plus a zipped pocket for your valuables, and reflective trim.

Price £80.74 From www.rutlandcycling.com

3.

2. On Cloudsurfer

With a newly developed ‘zig-zag’ pattern on the outsole, grip and traction are a given. Its uniquely engineered mesh puts breathability and support exactly where the foot needs them.

Price £135 From www.on-running.com

3. Drysure Extreme boot dryer

4.

The DrySure Extreme ski/snowboard boot dryer provides you with the ability to dry your boots wherever you are, and no heat or electricity is needed – simply stick them in direct sunlight or put them in the oven. One size fits all.

Price: £29.99 From www.tallingtonlakesproshop.com

4. AfterShokz Trekz Air

A fifth lighter than the previous model, the Trekz Air are the ultimate bone conduction sport headphones. The full titanium wraparound provides flexibility, a secure fit and comfort. Six hours of music and calls provides enough boost to get users through a long workout.

Price £149.99 From www.aftershokz.co.uk

5.

6

5. Patagonia women’s jacket

This snug winter fleece is made of warm lightweight polyester, with a front zip, contoured sleeve shape/fit, and zipped pockets, also featuring a kissing welt closure and interior drop-in pockets.

Price £99.99 From www.tallingtonlakesproshop.com

6. Klean Kanteen bottles

7.

This insulated 16oz stainless steel mug is a great way to keep hot coffee, hot tea or iced drinks. Leak-proof and easy to drink from, it keeps drinks hot for 10 hours and iced for 30 hours.

Price £29.95 From www.innerwolf.co.uk

7. Giant ARX 20-inch kids’ bike

Giant’s new ARX features a lightweight frame and is packed with similarly lightweight components. Giving the bicycle a lower centre of gravity and increasing the rider’s stability is its lower bottom bracket, while its versatile Innova tyres fearlessly tackle rough roads.

Price £298.99 From www.rutlandcycling.com

6 6 DE C E M BE R 2 0 1 8 ///

66 Kitbag OK.indd 66

25/11/2018 17:25

e nt Fe e d tm xe in T Fi ppo +VA 0 a st £10 fir ‘Thank you for your unwavering support and kindness. You have been wonderful and knowing you have been behind us all the way has been a real comfort.’ Family Client

Warm and Friendly Family Legal Advice Our family law solicitors and legal experts offer practical, helpful advice.

Whether your concerns are based around yourself, your relationship or your children, we offer a range of family support and advice services to talk you through the options available.

Pet erborough • St amford • Oakham

We offer a one hour meeting with one of our highly qualified family solicitors for initial advice for just £100+VAT.

To discuss your situation or to make an appointment call 01780 752 066 or email info@hegarty.co.uk. See more at www.hegarty.co.uk/family.

For business, for you, for life .

Active Magazine Ad Dec 2018.indd 1

Peterborough • Stamford • Oakham

20/11/2018 10:39:37

Gifts for every cyclist From winter warriors & trail shredders to super commuters, we’ve got the perfect gifts for you!

Shop now, in store & online.

ROAD

MOUNTAIN

0% Finance | Part Exchange | Cycle to Work

HYBRID

ELECTRIC

www.rutlandcycling.com | 0330 555 0080

Rutland Water | Peterborough | Cambridge | Grafham Water | Pitsford Water | Nottingham