Active Magazine // Stamford & Rutland // June 2017 by Active Magazine

FR ISSUE 60 // JUNE 2017

HOW TO… Stamford & Rutland’s sport and lifestyle magazine

Mix the perfect strawberry cocktail Pitch a tent

Cycle Circuit

Our new te monthly rou to ride ISSUE 60 // JUNE 2017

WILL’S WALK Kirby Hall

Give it a bash! Cricket legends are coming to your area

DIGITAL DETOX How to get your kids off electronics and outdoors instead this summer

www.theACTIVEmag.com 06

Editor’s Letter I CONSTANTLY WORRY ABOUT WHETHER my kids watch too much TV or spend too much time on iPads and the like. It’s very easy, when you’re rushing about with all the things you need to do for life in general, to just let them sit there and stay quiet, and if you’re not careful, they’ve been static for hours, engrossed in the millions of hours of films and programmes available for downloading, right at their fingertips, or playing games, or chatting to friends on various messaging services. I’m not completely against technology though, because this generation of kids will be surrounded by it in everything they do as they grow up, and to try and keep them entirely away from it would be to inhibit their potential in later life, because they will need to be incredibly savvy about this stuff. Nevertheless, nothing can beat getting out and getting active, and so in this issue we’ve come up with a load of activities and events going on this summer that you can sign your kids up to. Mine will be there too, I can assure you: already, they’ve got golf, rugby, swimming, horse riding, football and dancing, among other things, timetabled for the summer. They’ll be knackered by the autumn, with a bit of luck. Talking of activities, I went to the opening of the Rutland Water Aqua Park recently, and this year it is even bigger and better. You can find out about it in our main feature. But the organisers are very keen to point out one thing: you must book before you go. Already it is proving to be incredibly popular and over the course of the summer they think as many as 60,000 people from all over the region will visit. So book early to avoid disappointmemt. Enjoy the issue! Steve

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

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

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Copyright (c) Grassroots Publishing Limited (GPL) 2016. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, or be stored in any retrieval system, of any nature, without prior permission from GPL. Any views or opinions expressed do not necessarily represent the views or opinions of GPL or its affiliates. Disclaimer of Liability. Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the quality and accuracy of the information contained in this publication at the time of going to press, GPL and its affiliates assume no responsibility as to the accuracy or completeness of and, to the extent permitted by law, shall not be liable for any errors or omissions or any loss, damage or expense incurred by reliance on information or any statement contained in this publication. Advertisers are solely responsible for the content of the advertising material which they submit and for ensuring the material complies with applicable laws. GPL and its affiliates are are not responsible for any error, omission or inaccuracy in any advertisement and will not be liable for any damages arising from any use of products or services or any action or omissions taken in reliance on information or any statement contained in advertising material. Inclusion of any advertisement is not intended to endorse any view expressed, nor products or services offered nor the organisations sponsoring the advertisement.

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Contents

ISSUE 60 /// JUNE 2017

ACTIVE LIFE 11 WHAT’S ON

Great things to do locally for all the family

13 HOW TO...

Mix a strawberry cocktail and pitch a tent

16-17 RIVERFORD RECIPE

This month we cook a Moroccan carrot and chickpea bake

19 GET AWAY FROM IT ALL

Plan your ultimate rugby trip to New Zealand

FEATURES 22-29 DIGITAL DETOX

Ditch the tablets and phones.... get outdoors

31 MARTIN JOHNSON’S COLUMN

More wry observations from the Sunday Times writer

ACTIVE BODY 35 HOLIDAY BODY BLUES

Expert advice from the Avicenna Clinic

38 KIT BAG

The latest essential gear

42-43 THE FINISHING TOUCHES

Tips and products to get you looking good for summer

ACTIVE LOCAL 46 DAY IN THE LIFE OF... Wheel builder Paul Eveleigh

48-49 CHALLENGE UPDATES...

How our intrepid fund-raisers are faring

50-53 A GREAT FUND-RAISING BASH Details of the 2017 Sports Bash

55 ON YOUR BIKE!

Our new feature gives you a great cycling route

56-57 GREAT WALKS

Another route through our stunning countryside

61 SCHOOLS SPORTS

Successes on the ﬁeld from our local schools

62-66 ROUND-UP

How clubs in the area are faring

4 J U N E 2017 ///

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time-difference2.ai

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Activelife

Activelife COCKTAILS AND CAMPING. TADPOLES AND SWIFTS, THE LAND OF THE ALL BLACKS AND WHATâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S ON CLOSER TO HOME Edited by Mary Bremner

6 J U N E 2017 ///

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Activelife

CHARITY CYCLE RIDE The NSPCC family charity cycle ride is aptly being held on Father’s Day (June 18). The ride takes place around Rutland Water starting at 9am. Organised by the NSPCC Peterborough

Business Support Group, 125 riders took part last year. For full details of the ride and to enter go to www. rutlandbikeride.eventbrite.co.uk

HAPPY FIRST BIRTHDAY Wright Care at Home has recently celebrated its ﬁrst birthday with a party for customers, clients, local healthcare providers and staff at The William Cecil in Stamford. The family-run ﬁrm has grown from an initial staff of four to 15 in just a year. www.wrightcareathome.co.uk

Fun run for Phoebe Entries are open for the ﬁrst Phoebe 5k fun run on October 1 at Rutland Water. The Phoebe Research Fund is a charity founded by Zoe Crowson to fund research into recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa which her daughter, Phoebe, suffers from. www.phoebe5k.org.uk

REFORMER PILATES Ex-ballet dancer Katie Freer runs the Freer Body Studio in Oakham where she teaches body control pilates. Having recently qualiﬁed as a Reformer instructor she is now offering sessions on this machine as well as mat work. The machine offers resistance training for greater strength,

core stabilisation, joint mobilisation and improved structural alignment. It really takes pilates to the next level, something we found out for ourselves when we went for a session. It is also ideal for sports rehabilitation. To ﬁnd out more go to www.freerbodypilates.co.uk or call 07730 486600.

SWAMI COMES TO STAMFORD Wendy Richards is bringing her unique take on health and lifestyle – SWAMI – to Stamford. Operating from Orion House on Barn Hill, the innovative science-led genetic and lifestyle analysis helps with weight loss and health. Everyone is genetically different and Wendy is taking the blood type diet a step further. To ﬁnd out more join one of her weight and wellness workshops. There are only 12 places available on each course. To ﬁnd out more contact Wendy on 01778 423207/ 01780 757514 or 07841 692233. www.sowhatami.co.uk

8 J U N E 2017 ///

Now twice as large, twice as challenging! OPENING 27th May 2017 to 23rd September

All bookings ONLINE ONLY for individuals and groups whether small or large at:

www.apr.sports-booker.com

TIME TO INVEST IN PROPERTY? Worried about your pension and thinking about investing in property? Come and ask our expert panel all your burning questions about property investing so you can avoid making costly mistakes.

FREE Property Clinic at the Orton Hall Hotel, Peterborough Wednesday 19th July at 6.30pm till 8pm Limited spaces, so please call Yvonne Emery on 07956 079605 to book your place now. Find out more about Yvonne at www.yvonneemerycoaching.co.uk

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Activelife

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

■ Riverford organic farm is opening its gates for a series of summer walks at its site at Sacrewell. Walks take place between 5pm and 7pm on June 27, July 19, August 23 and September 20. The walks are followed by a picnic of pies and salads freshly made by a Riverford chef. Tickets cost £6 per person. It’s an ideal way to see the farm at its best, when they are busy picking, planting and sowing, as well as an abundance of wildlife. www.riverford.co.uk or ring 01803 224726. ■ BBC antiques experts are giving their time to help raise money for a major conservation project at Fotheringhay church. The Fotheringhay antiques valuation day will take place in the village on July 2. Bring your items along to be valued by the experts. There will be catering and a prosecco bar as well as a cra fair and teas in the village hall. Entry costs £5 and valuations are £2.50 each. www.friends-of-fotheringhaychurch.co.uk ■ Stamford Pantomime Players

are presenting Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat on July 7 and 8 at the Corn Exchange theatre in Broad Street. Tickets are £5. www.stamfordcornexchange. co.uk or call 01780 766455. ■ Stamford-based Sophie

Allport, who recently opened a shop in the town, has added to her collection with her Chelsea Flower Show mug. Sophie is a keen gardener and this is the eighth year that the company has exhibited at the event. www.sophieallport.com ■ Stamford Corn Exchange Singers are hosting a sing-along evening on June 24 in aid of the British Heart Foundation. There will be an evening of songs from musicals and hits with a touch of comedy as well. www.stamfordcornexchange. co.uk/musical-singalong ■ The Edenham Extravaganza is a family fun day being held in the village on July 1. There will be a dog show, dance shows, games and much more. Entry is free. ■ The ticket office is now open for the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials, being held from August 31 to September 3. There are discounts on a range of tickets available. www.burghley-horse.co.uk ■ A team of 30 golfers, who all work at Perkins in Peterborough, are taking on the challenge of 72 holes, and 20 miles of walking, to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support on June 21. The event takes place at Elton Furze Golf Club. The team is looking for sponsorship. www.justgiving.com/ fundraising/ThePerkinsBoys

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Share your summer smile with Barnsdale Leisure this June...

Join us for a year and get

3 months for free! Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 12 months for the price of 9.

The sun shines all year round at

Barnsdale Leisure Club!

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

Tel: 01572 757901

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Activelife

HOW TO…

MAKE A STRAWBERRY COCKTAIL June means strawberries and Wimbledon and what better way to combine them than to make a ‘strawberry gin chin chin’ cocktail to sip while cheering Andy Murray on? INGREDIENTS 2 limes, juiced 500g strawberries 2 large cups of gin 3 large cups of soda water 1 tbsp sugar fresh mint to garnish METHOD Mix the sugar and lime juice in a large jug. Set aside a few strawberries (6-8) for garnish. Hull and finely slice the remainder then mix with the sugar and lime. Stir in the gin and soda, then add lots of ice. Add the mint sprigs to garnish. Garnish each glass with one of the set aside strawberries, sliced at the tip so you can fix them to the rim of the glass.

HOW TO…

Pitch a tent June... and thoughts turn to Glastonbury and festivals. Or if that’s not your thing, a camping weekend with dad to celebrate Fathers’ Day. But first of all learn how to pitch your tent. A word of advice though... practice before you go, then at least you’ll know if you have everything, and make sure it’s the last thing you put in your car so it’s the first thing out at the other end. Here’s how... ● Find a suitable flat spot to pitch and check for any hard or sharp objects. ● Lay the flysheet out flat making sure the doors are zipped up. ● Feed the poles through the sleeves on the flysheet and pin them in place. ● Peg out the tent with the tent pegs and guy lines (remember a mallet). Use the mallet to drive the pegs into the round starting at one end and working your way round. The level of tension should be the same for each peg. ● Make sure the guy ropes are taut. Attach the groundsheet inside using the toggles provided. Happy camping…

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BURGHLEY PARK GOLF CLUB Junior Academy Burghley Park’s Junior Academy, sponsored by ao.com, is a fantastic way for budding young golfers to get outdoors, have fun and meet new friends whilst learning and experiencing the game of golf whilst also teaching invaluable life skills. Through Burghley’s resident Academy Manager and Assistant PGA Professional Sam Beckett you will learn the various aspects of the game, from putting, chipping, and bunkers through to etiquette and rules of the game whilst making sure you have fun at the same time.

Above: Academy Manager and Assistant PGA Professional Sam Beckett, pictured by the new Practice Facilities sponsored by ao.com.

“It doesn’t matter if you’ve never picked up a club before, this is the best introduction to golf for Juniors in the area” said Sam Beckett Assistant PGA Professional and Academy Manager. Golf is now a sport that is recommended by doctors as a great form of exercise, so what better way to get away from it all in a new environment than learning the game of golf whilst having fun at the same time. If you are looking to get outdoors, learn a new sport in a fun environment and make new friends then Burghley Park Junior Academy could be for you. Junior Academy lessons are held at weekends over a series of 10 sessions. For more information call Sam on 01780 753789 (Opt 1), email academy@burghleyparkgolfclub.co.uk Burghley Park Golf Academy St Martins Without Stamford PE9 3JX

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Tel 01780 654321 • www.classicstamford.co.uk • sales@classicstamford.co.uk

25/05/2017 16:23

Activelife

NATURE

THE SWIFT Parties of swifts screaming over the roof tops of our local towns are one of the best sights of summer. Not related to swallows or housemartins, swifts are the most aerial of birds, coming to earth only to nest. A streamlined body and narrow scythe-like wings fit swifts for a life in the skies. A wide bill enables them to hawk insects whilst aloft. The swift is one of the last summer migrants to arrive in early May and the first to depart by late August. Flocks numbering hundreds feed high over the reservoirs on summer days and are equally at home speeding low over fields, hoovering up insects a few metres off the ground. Swifts are almost entirely dependent on man for nest sites in the roof spaces of old buildings. The renovation or demolition of these has been a major cause of a huge decline in numbers. Swifts will accept nest boxes fixed below the eaves of houses and one Rutland villager now attracts eight pairs to his property. Architects are being encouraged to incorporate suitable nest sites in new buildings to accommodate the birds and in some urban areas (and at the Egleton Reserve) swift towers of 20 or more boxes have been established. Terry Mitcham

THE DANDELION A prolific grower and the bane of many a proud lawn owner’s life. They seem to grow everywhere and anywhere popping up all over the place, bursting into flower at the first sight of the sun. Flowering throughout the year, but more so between April and June. The flowers are followed by dandelion clocks and great fun is had trying to tell the time by counting the number of puffs it takes to blow away the ‘clocks’. This, of course, is how the seeds are

spread and helps to explain why the dandelion is so proliﬁc – a light breeze will spread those seeds far and wide. Dandelions can be used to make wine and broths, particularly teas which traditionally were made as a cure-all for many ailments. Today, dandelion tea is still popular as it is a diuretic high in vitamin C and good for digestion. Dandelions are edible, and can be included in salads. Rabbits are particularly partial to them.

Tadpoles A common sight at this time of year in many a garden pond, and who remembers having tadpoles at school watching them develop into a frog? A female frog lays between one and four thousand eggs in the spring, commonly known as frogspawn, in ponds, ditches and shallow, slow moving streams. After about 21 days the tadpole, an embryonic frog, leaves its protective jelly. This is when they are easy to spot in ponds as there are literally thousands of them but only about one in 50 will make it out of the pond as a froglet. Tadpoles transform into frogs by metamorphosis, gradually growing limbs, and then absorbing the tail. The ﬁnal stage is the change of the mouth from a small enclosed mouth to a large mouth the same width as the head. From June onwards they are ready to leave the pond as froglets.

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Activelife

1 6 J U N E 2017 ///

MOROCCAN CARROT AND CHICKPEA BAKE WITH CAULIFLOWER AND ALMOND COUSCOUS INGREDIENTS

300g carrots 2 red onions 1 large garlic clove 25g fresh ginger Moroccan spice pot containing: ● ¼ tsp turmeric ● 1 tsp ground cumin ● 1 tsp dried mint ● ¼ tsp cinnamon Oil for roasting and frying Salt and pepper 25g sultanas 1 tin chickpeas 1 lemon 25g ﬂaked almonds 1 tin tomatoes 1 cauliﬂower 1 tsp dried coriander 1 pot yoghurt

METHOD

● Preheat the oven to 190C. Peel and chop the carrots into bite-sized chunks. Peel the red onions and chop into about 10 wedges per onion. ● Peel and ﬁnely chop the garlic and grate the ginger. Mix them with the Moroccan spice pot, 3 tbsp oil and salt and pepper. ● Toss the carrots and onions in a baking dish with the spiced oil. Roast for 25 minutes, turning once during cooking.

RECIPE BOXES Riverford recipe boxes are a simple and inspiring way to cook. Every week, we deliver everything you need to make three tasty organic meals. Inside each box, you’ll find the freshest, seasonal organic produce, step-by-step recipe cards and all the ingredients in exact quantities. The recipes are quick to cook and ideal for weeknights – most are ready in under

● Put the sultanas in a small bowl and cover with cold water and leave to soak. Drain the chickpeas then ﬁnely zest half the lemon.

● Put the flaked almonds in a dry frying pan. Heat gently, stirring often until lightly golden and toasted. Transfer to a small bowl. ● After 25 minutes remove the carrots and onion from the oven. Add the tinned tomatoes and chickpeas. Toss together and return to the oven for 15 minutes or until the carrots are just tender. ● If you have a food processor break or chop the cauliflower into florets. Blitz until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Or you can coarsely grate it if you don’t have a processor.

● Transfer the cauliﬂower crumbs to the frying pan. Add a good glug of olive oil, lemon zest and dried coriander leaf (1). Stir-fry for 2 minutes, then stir in the almonds. ● Drain the sultanas and add those, with a squeeze of lemon juice, a little salt and more olive oil to taste (2). ● Remove the veg from the oven and serve with the cauliﬂower couscous and a dollop of yoghurt.

Tip: Cauliﬂower is delicious roasted as well. Cut into small ﬂorets, rub with oil, season and cook in a hot oven for 8-10 minutes.

45 minutes. Think well balanced and nutritious, with a few treats thrown in. Our cooks come up with nine new recipes every week, so there is always plenty of choice. There are three different varieties of recipe box - choose from vegetarian, quick, or original. A box for two people ranges in price from £33 for the vegetarian box, to £39.95 for the quick and original boxes. Delivered straight to your door, with everything you need to cook

included, generous portion sizes, and three delicious meals per box they offer great value for money. No waste. No missing the vital ingredient. All you have to do is cook. Visit: www.riverford.co.uk/recipebox to

find out more or call 01803 762059.

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FOR THE SUNSEEKERS. THE MINI COOPER CONVERTIBLE. Sunseeker by nature? The MINI Convertible could be your perfect match. Offering a fresh take on open-top driving, its quick and quiet electrical roof folds up or down in just 18 seconds. What’s more, it’s packed with an impressive range of technology as standard. To put it to the test* call us on 01733 707074 or visit www.sycamoremini.co.uk Sycamore (Peterborough) Ltd. Papyrus Road, Werrington, Peterborough PE4 5HW Official Fuel Economy Figures for the new MINI Convertible range: Urban 35.8-64.2 mpg (7.9-4.4 l/100km). Extra Urban 55.4-80.7 mpg (5.1-3.5 l/100km). Combined 46.3-74.3 mpg (6.1-3.8 l/100km). CO2 Emissions 100-142 g/km. Figures may vary depending on driving style and conditions. *Test drive is subject to status and availability.

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KAI SCHWÖRER

Activelife

TRAVEL

WHERE LIONS ROAR New Zealand, the land of the All Blacks and where rugby is almost a religion. It’s amazing that such a small country (with a population of just over 4.5 million) should produce such a team – there must be something in the water. But hopefully all that is going to change with the British and Irish Lions tour. It’s going to be fascinating to watch, and even better if you can actually be in New Zealand to see it, so this month that is exactly where we are going. With a flight time of more than 24 hours from the UK, located in the south western Pacific Ocean, New Zealand is made up of two main islands, North and South. Auckland is the largest city, with Wellington being the capital – both are on the North Island. The country has so much to offer: dramatic landscapes, particularly on the South Island, fabulous beaches, breathtaking scenery (remember Lord of the Rings was filmed here), active volcanoes, bubbling springs and mountains, and don’t forget the wine and lamb…

GETTING ABOUT

New Zealand is relatively easy. You can hire a camper van for a DIY holiday, or a car, staying

at hotels and motels en route, or go by train. Make sure you see both islands, the more cosmopolitan North and the rural, beautifully scenic South. Travel between the two is a three-hour ferry ride across the Cook Strait from Wellington to Picton, said to be one of the most beautiful ferry rides in the world. Or there are numerous domestic ﬂights between the two islands. North Island has the cosmopolitan cities, three times the number of people compared to the South Island and is rich in Maori culture. It’s also slightly warmer. South Island has dramatic mountain scenery, penguins galore, as well as sheep, as it is mainly agricultural, and Queenstown is the home of the bungee jump. A beautiful country with friendly locals, it really is a place where rugby rules. And if you get the chance to see the All Blacks perform the haka, even better.

USEFUL WEBSITES

www.newzealand.com www.newzealandsky.co.uk www.millingtontravel.com www.stamfordindependenttravel.co.uk

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VISIT OUR SHOWROOM VISIT OUR SHOWROOM VISIT OUR SHOWROOM

Open: Mon-Fri 9am-5pm, Sat 9am-3pm

classic full page.indd 1

Tel: 01780 654321 Email: sales@classicstamford.co.uk Open: Mon-Fri 9am-5pm, Sat 9am-3pm www.classicstamford.co.uk Open: Mon-Fri 9am-5pm, Sat 9am-3pm St Leonard’s Lincs PE9 2HN Tel:12 01780 654321Street, Email: Stamford, sales@classicstamford.co.uk Tel: 01780 654321 Email: sales@classicstamford.co.uk www.classicstamford.co.uk www.classicstamford.co.uk 12 St Leonard’s Street, Stamford, Lincs PE9 2HN 12 St Leonard’s Street, Stamford, Lincs PE9 2HN

12/04/2017 09:40

Activelife

TRAVEL

ULTIMATE GETAWAYS FOR THE HEALTHY FOODIE Nourish your foodie wanderlust with the crème de la crème of wellness destinations that serve only the healthiest gastronomic delights, from Health and Fitness Travel, the leading experts in tailor-made wellness holidays. For the superfood nomad: Atmantan Wellness Resort, India Escape to the regal sanctuary of Atmantan in the Sahyadri mountains and choose from a variety of different healthy meal programmes; go Ayurvedic and eat according to your body type, macrobiotic for a balanced palate, or explore mouth-watering Mediterranean and Asian cuisine to your liking. Seven nights from £3,345pp or £4,385 for single occupancy. Price includes full board, return ﬂights and transfers. For the raw food epicure: Phuket Cleanse Detox & Fitness, Thailand Phuket Cleanse champions the power of detox and conveys it with proper nutrition and ﬁtness, detoxifying through exercise and the food that you take in. Enjoy delicious, healthy food options with raw-vegan cuisine. Eight nights from £2,240pp or £2,415 for single occupancy. Price includes full board, an eight-day wellness program, and return shared transfers.

For the zen foodie: Kamalaya, Thailand Taste the luscious flavours of Thai cuisine the healthy way on the tranquil sanctuary of the Koh Samui coast. This retreat is an ideal destination for single foodies where they join the community table during meal times. Seven nights from £2,990pp or £3,390 for single occupancy. Price includes full board, return flights and transfers. For the wholefood wanderer: SHA Wellness Clinic, Spain Find out everything you need to know about the wonders of macrobiotic diet and healthy food preparation. In conjunction with your chosen wellness programme, group classes are held with varying themes, from energy breakfasts to detox cooking and weight control cuisine. Seven nights from £3,120pp or £3,560 for single occupancy. Price includes full board, return flights and transfers. For the gluten-free globetrotter: Sianji Well-being Resort, Turkey If you’re a ‘GF’ traveller, don’t fret, as Sianji Well-being Resort on the south-western Aegean coast will resolve your gluten-free holiday conundrum. With expert consultations from a professional dietician and detox specialists, be

guided with the best tailor-made nutrition regimen for you. Seven nights from £905pp or £935pp for single occupancy. Price includes breakfast, return ﬂights and transfers. For the veggie voyager: Ti Sana, Italy Indulge in the best of raw and cooked cuisine with Ti Sana’s unique ‘healtheatarian’ philosophy, featuring a varied all-vegetarian menu. Tucked away in the peaceful Italian countryside, Ti Sana choose organic foods and locally farmed produce, which are handpicked (quite literally!) to provide guests with the highest nutritional quality and taste. Seven nights rom £2,190pp or £2,430 for single occupancy. Price includes full board, return ﬂights and transfers.

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Feature /// Detox

GIVE YOUR KIDS A DIGITAL DETOX Worried that your children will spend the summer peering into tablets, mobiles and TV screens? Here are some great ideas to get them outdoors and active instead

2 2 J U N E 2017 ///

MAKE A SPLASH

Back for a second year following its highly successful launch in 2016, Aqua Park Rutland is gearing up to welcome families to the waterpark with its dedicated daily family slots. From Saturday, July 15, every 10am slot will be reserved for families with children age 6 – 13, to allow kids to take over the park and run wet and wild. The UK’s biggest water sports aqua park at Rutland Water this summer will more than double in size for 2017. With huge potential for dads to epically fail and mums to totally wipe-out, Aqua Park Rutland will offer one of the most entertaining ways to spend time as a family, whatever the weather. Now open until September 23, the park features more than 36 fun and challenging obstacles to climb, jump, crawl, launch, slide and splash over. This awesome adventure course provides an action-packed experience that offers challenge and excitement to all ages. The park has also commissioned the UK’s tallest inﬂatable climbing wall, named The Beast – a drop for only the biggest daredevils. New obstacles also include the Action Tower XXL and the Ice Tower XXL, providing a different set of challenges for guests to experience. Designed for a super-soaking good time, tickets are priced at £20 for a 50-minute experience, including a free wetsuit and buoyancy aid in order to tackle the awesome obstacles, balance beams, climbing walls, trampolines, blast bags and more. The course features obstacles such as Cyclone, the colossal Revolution, Jungle Jim, Kaos, Tango, Freefall

Extreme, the Summit Express and many more which promise to deliver real excitement and very wet landings. Visitors and groups must pre-book online at www. aquaparkrutland.co.uk to reserve their slots.

PERFECT YOUR SIX HITTING

Tom Flowers Cricket Coaching offers a variety of cricket coaching opportunities for children across the East Midlands. Its most popular offerings include the summer holiday camps, which run for four days from 10am-4pm at a variety of venues in the area. Courses are led by Tom and his professional ECB coaching staff, and include batting, bowling, ﬁelding and wicket keeping skills, plus games, competitions and prizes. TFCC also offer bespoke private individual cricket lessons, as well as club and schools coaching to hundreds of youngsters locally on a weekly basis. Owner Tom Flowers, a current ECB employed and ex-Sherborne School coach, said: “Our professional staff are passionate about cricket coaching and are dedicated to meeting the needs of every individual we work with. Improvement is inevitable when in a fun, safe and competitive environment, and we strive to maximise any individual’s potential, from beginner to advanced. “We work with a variety of local youngsters all year round, including many local children from surrounding independent prep and senior schools.” For more information call 07815647892 or visit www.tomﬂowerscricketcoaching.com. TFCC is sponsored by Harborough Blinds.

POOL YOUR TALENT

Corby East Midlands International Pool offers young people the opportunity to improve all their water-born skills. Supervised diving sessions on five, three and one metre boards are available each week with extra sessions being offered during the school holidays. To attend, children need to be a minimum of six years old, confident in water, able to swim 25 metres and sessions need to be booked in advanced as they are limited to 20 children per group. Diving taster sessions (for age six years plus, confident in water and able to swim 25 metres) are also offered during school holidays, where qualified diving coaches will introduce the basics of learning to dive from poolside and one metre springboard, while the surf and turf programme for children aged 7 to 11 years old has instructor-led fun and games in the studio and pool over a two hour session. There are also ducking swimming lessons for ages five years and older, one-to-one swimming lessons and intensive programmes during the school holidays to really improve confidence and technique. Then there’s the fun part: the 63-metre aquatube body ride, which is open every day (for timings see website), as well as the chance to book aquatic parties which can include supervised diving, swimming, under fives swimming and crèche parties too. For more information, visit www.corby.gov.uk/home/ leisure-culture/leisure-community-facilities/ corby-east-midlands-international-pool

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Feature /// Detox

GET INTO GOLF

One of the great things about golf for kids is that when they make contact, the ball ﬂies a long way, no matter how small they might be. The trick is making contact and academies such as Burghley Park’s give them the basics to improve very quickly. Burghley Park’s Junior Academy, sponsored by ao.com, uses the club’s driving range, chipping and putting greens and the three hole Academy course to give kids the full experience of golf. Crucially too, Academy members can use these facilities whenever they like so if you’re at a loose end for an hour or so you can take them to the club and hit a few balls or play a ‘round’. Burghley’s resident academy manager and assistant PGA professional Sam Beckett runs the programme, meaning kids get the same level of expert coaching as an adult would. “It doesn’t matter if you’ve never picked up a

2 4 J U N E 2017 ///

club before, this is the best introduction to golf for iuniors in the area,” said Sam. Junior Academy lessons are held at weekends on both Saturday and Sunday mornings over a series of 10 sessions, and it is ﬂexible to suit you, so that if you’re away and unable to get to a session you won’t miss out. There has been a huge investment in the facilities at Burghley Park over the past year, with a new driving range, new greens on the main course, new catering and the Academy too. It’s part of a series of improvements taking place to turn Burghley into one of the premier clubs in the region, and a place that is attractive and enjoybable for the whole family to spend time at, whether they are playing or just bringing the kids along. For more information call Sam on 01780 753789 (option 1) or email academy@burghleyparkgolfclub. co.uk. Burghley Park Golf Academy, Stamford, PE9 3JX.

Ofsted registered and DBS checked. Churchill Summer Camps now run in Peterborough, Stamford and Oakham and parents can use childcare vouchers as payment. Telephone 01572 868304 or email info@ churchillsummercamps.co.uk for further details.

BE A GOOD SPORT

ACTIVITY CAMPS

Churchill Summer Camps offer an extensive range of more than 30 activities, including quad biking, swimming, archery, arts and crafts, bouncy castle, orienteering and cooking, and many children join for the ﬁrst time at the age of four and come year on year until they outgrow the camps at 14. The day camps are a great opportunity for children to make new friends and to try out new activities in a safe environment, surrounded by supportive and experienced staff, who are

Give your children the opportunity to learn new sports or improve their sporting prowess with a new holiday camp this summer. The Stamford Sports Camp is a multi-activity sports week for children aged 8-15. Organised and hosted by the Stamford Endowed Schools, the camp will run from Monday, August 21, to Friday, August 25, between 9am and 4pm each day. There will be 16 exciting sports and activities to try over the five days. These include football, fencing, karate, trampolining, table tennis, hockey, cricket, water polo, and more. Included in the price is a packed lunch and refreshments throughout the day. Chris Finch, sports and leisure facilities manager at Stamford Endowed Schools, said: “We are delighted to announce the launch of Stamford Sports Camp this summer. As a school, our ethos is to inspire our pupils and ‘light fires’ within them. “We hope that this camp is the first of many school holiday camps that will become a regular fixture in the SES calendar. Stamford Sports

Camp is open to all children in the surrounding areas. “We are also proud that we have many local clubs from the surrounding areas who have partnered up with Stamford Sports Camp to assist our own coaches in utilising our fantastic sports facilities and to inspire children to participate and enjoy sport.” The week will cost £185 per child plus a small additional fee if you wish to book early drop off (8am-9am) or late pick up (4pm-5.30pm) sessions. Scuba diving is also on offer as an optional extra after 4pm on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday. Places are limited. To book a place call 01780 750050 or visit www. stamfordsportscamp.co.uk.

“KIDS DON’T REMEMBER THEIR BEST DAY OF TELEVISION” Emma Martin, co-director of First 4 Adventure UK, based in Uppingham, which specialises in taking families, friends and schools into the outdoors, on how to engage with kids to get them off technology and into the great outdoors. “Any parent or grandparent will know how difficult it can be to persuade children to get off their mobiles, iPads and laptops. Let’s be honest, quite often we are just as guilty. And yet, once we are outside and free to explore, dream, play and have adventures we never wish we hadn’t bothered. “We work with lots of young people and see the benefits all the time of simply having a break from technology and the 24/7 world of social media. Although we are based in Uppingham, we work with schools from all over the country delivering the expedition section of The Duke of Edinburgh Award and, in line with DofE recommendations, we don’t allow any mobile phones or electronic devices while on expedition, except for an emergency phone. “At first, students are reluctant to hand their phones over, knowing it’s going to be three or four days before they will get them back, but their response at the end is

always interesting. Often, they have been relieved to have a break, it’s been a good excuse not to have to respond to messages and they’ve enjoyed the space just to enjoy friendships and the adventure of the expedition. “We notice that groups spend their time chatting, laughing, singing, resolving problems and occasionally crying but always communicating and developing relationships and personal skills. “As soon as we give them their phones back they are compelled to check messages and the communication between the groups diminishes. Just recently we were with a girls’ school from Rugby on a Silver practice and one of the students in her final review said “I’ve learned I don’t have to rely on technology but I can rely on myself”. Enough said. “We love nothing better than seeing children having fun in the outdoors whether that’s on a school expedition or residential or out of school. Climbing, abseiling, kayaking, trekking, wild camping and star gazing in the mountains, mountain biking or bushcraft are all fantastic opportunities for young people to challenge themselves, develop confidence, connect to nature and simply have fun, away from the pressure of exams and the

addiction of online gaming, videos and social media. “Let’s not be too puritanical about it; technology is also brilliant, useful, entertaining and educating. But let’s mix it up and take a walk outside… you never know where an adventure will lead you. Inspire your children by being a good role-model and go together; you’ll never wish you you’d all stayed in and watched more television!” Website: www.first4adventure.co.uk Twitter: @first4adventure Email: info@first4adventure.co.uk

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Feature /// Detox

UPPINGHAM SUMMER SCHOOL

WALK ON WATER

Stand-up paddleboarding (or SUP, as it’s commonly known) has quickly grown to become one of the most popular watersports because if you’re fit enough to walk up a flight of stairs you’re fit enough to paddleboard. It’s very easy to get standing and paddling away, and it is fantastic exercise. Kids, with their lower centre of gravity and natural fitness, find it especially rewarding. All you need to SUP is a board, a paddle and a leash and Tallington recommends Red Paddle Co inflatable boards because they are incredibly stiff, durable and have the same performance as a hardboard. The liberating thing about an inflatable stand-up paddleboard is how portable it is – it can go practically everywhere with you, but for a great place for kids to start, Tallington Lakes is safe and calm. www.tallingtonlakes.com www.tallingtonlakesproshop.com

HAVE A DRAMATIC HOLIDAY

Uppingham Summer School has been running a programme of residential and day courses in the heart of Rutland during the summer holidays for more than 15 years now; courses cover a multitude of different interests including music, drama, sport, science and technology, art and creative writing, and are aimed at children aged from seven and 18. Course tutors and coaches are all highly

qualified and are experts in their chosen field, and many also teach at Uppingham School. Popular courses include Young Musicians’ Week for young orchestral musicians, Jazz Big Band Week, Musical Theatre Week for those who enjoy singing, dancing and the glamour of the West End stage, and Rock Upp!, a week of songwriting, recording and gigging for aspiring rock and pop musicians. Also popular is the From Page to Stage drama course and the Art and Write Away and Get Write In creative writing courses. Its new Sensational Science course sold out within weeks of launch last year. Sport is not forgotten though, and there are various cricket, tennis, netball, rugby, hockey and football camps throughout the year. All courses offer a residential option, and can qualify as the residential section of a Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award. Children are accommodated in one of the boarding houses with a pastoral team for support. They organise various evening activities including bowling, discos, film nights, scavenger hunts and sporting activities. Full details can be found on www. uppinghamsummerschool.co.uk.

BECOME A CHAIN GANG!

With summer on the way, what could be better than getting the children out cycling at one of Rutland Cycling’s stunning locations? With stores located at Whitwell and Normanton on the shores of Rutland Water,

Fineshade Wood, Grafham Water, Peterborough and Cambridge – cycling is a great way to spend a family day out, enjoying trafﬁc-free cycle routes, taking in the stunning scenery and stopping for a picnic en-route. Rutland offers the widest choice of hire bikes in Europe: adult mountain and hybrid bikes, electric bikes, children’s bikes, tag-a-longs, buggies and extras, including helmets, child seats and comfy saddle covers – all new 2017 models. Rutland Water routes include: The Family Trail (8 miles): Whitwell to Normanton and back. Picturesque, easy pedalling, with fabulous views. Pick up the children’s activity sheet at the Whitwell store to keep the children busy as they cycle! The Full Lap (17 miles) + Hambleton Peninsular (23 miles): Setting off from Whitwell or Normanton. Take on the challenge of cycling the full lap of Britain’s largest man-made lake. Stop off for a pub lunch or picnic en-route and enjoy the spectacular views. Peninsular Trail (15 miles): Setting off from Whitwell or Normanton (anti -clockwise). A beautiful, peaceful route, through Barnsdale Woods, along the waterside and around Hambleton Peninsula. Book ahead online at www.rutlandcycling.com/hire, by phone on 0330 555 0080 or at the store. Cycle hire prices start from £14.99 for adults / £7.99 for kids. There’s also a family ticket available for £39.99, which includes cycle hire for two adults and two children under 14 years.

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Feature /// Detox in providing supervision and activities for young people. Rockblok Summer Adventure Club 2017 will run Monday to Friday from July 24 to August 18, 8.30am – 4.30pm (pick up 5pm) Cost £30 per day (discounts available for early booking or booking three days or more). Call 01780 460060 or visit www.rockblok.com.

CREATE AND PERFORM

Make kites and them try them out, race and ﬁght your own robots and learn how to screen print – there are a number of creative and fun courses at Stamford Arts Centre over the summer holidays with local artists and craftspeople sharing their expertise. There’s also performing arts too, with a Singing for Fun and Pirates and Fairies sessions in August and fabulous ‘Theatre in a Week’ run by Kei Bailey and Gil Burns. Have you ever fancied creating your own Hogwarts style character and following in the footsteps of Harry, Ron and Hermione? Join Bailey and Burns to explore your new character through acting and movement, using fun and dynamic creative workshops. This week-long opportunity for 8 to 16 year olds will include drama and dance sessions aimed at developing performance skills, leading towards a short performance for family and friends at the end of the week. Visit www.stamfordartscentre.com for more information.

GET FIT AS A FAMILY

ON AND ROUND THE WATER

Rutland Water is the perfect place for a balance of outdoor peace and tranquility to calm the kids and give them a day out in nature – there are trails, birdwatching from the banks of the lake or cruising on the Rutland Belle. Then, when they’re looking for more adventure, there are plenty of adrenaline-fuelled activities with watersports at Whitwell, a climbing wall, crazy golf, cycling or the new Aqua Park. And don’t forget the beach – a Mediterranean feel in Rutland which opens on July 1. If it’s a little bit of culture they are after then the open air theatre production of Wind in the Willows takes place on July 2, and not forgetting the hugely popular Rutland Steam Rally on June 24/25. Visit www.anglianwater.co.uk/leisure/water-parks/ rutland for more information.

GET ROCKING!

The Rockblok Summer Adventure Club, at Whitwell, Rutland Water, is a carefully planned programme aiming to offer low cost activity days, so, if you’re juggling work with summer fun, looking for one day or need to book consecutive days for your child, the Rockblok team can help. An exciting and memorable experience for children from ages eight and older, Rockblok instructors will guide adventurers in hands-on outdoor activities including awareness games and challenges, natural crafts, shelter building, fire making, abseiling, high ropes, storytelling and more, as well as fostering a vision of community, fun and friendship All supervisors, co-ordinators and instructors are DBS checked with the appropriate first aid qualifications along with a wealth of experience

Uppingham School Sports Centre offers a variety of different children’s activities including courses such as gymnastics, squash, mini tennis and our popular swimming lessons. As part of the membership members can also attend Fit Kids – a drop-in session giving children aged eight and over the opportunity to use the ﬁtness studio with an experienced instructor. Or members can do things as a family in Family Fit involving a training session around the centre’s new training rig. Non-members can also get ﬁt as a family participating in the centre’s Family Boot Camp on Saturday mornings at 9.30am. For more information visit www.sportscentre. uppingham.co.uk or call 01572 820830.

LEARN TO DANCE

Harborough Performing Arts Summer School has been running annually since 1999 and is a fun and exciting week of dance for children aged between five and 18 years old. There are half and full day courses depending on age, and the school takes place at the HAPA Studios on St Mary’s Road in Market Harborough. The five-day course consists of daily classes in ballet, jazz and a few other fun different dance styles, while there is an afternoon demonstration on the final day of the course for family and friends to watch what the students have been learning over the week. Visit http://www.harboroughacademy.co.uk/ summer-school for more information.

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Guest column

This is the end, my sporting friend... ...or not, as Martin Johnson explains why famous sports stars find retiring a hard thing to do ot all sportsmen and women have a natural shelf life. Golfers, for example, can go on coining it well past the free bus pass stage, the only time a calorie gets burned in snooker is when you chalk the tip of your cue, and not for nothing do most indoor bowls tournaments get sponsored by SAGA. When it comes to the more energetic pursuits, the players are much the same as a supermarket perishable, in as much as they all come with a bestbefore date. And yet, most of them ignore the number on the label. You may have immersed yourself in the saga of the retirement, or otherwise, of Chelsea footballer John Terry. Will he? Won’t he? It was so gripping I almost stayed awake once or twice. The 36-year old defender with the number 26 on his shirt left the field for the last time in the 26th minute of his final league match and then tearfully thanked his wife, his family, and the world and his dog in a way that would been over the top had he just won an Oscar. And before you all join him in reaching for the Kleenex, he’ll probably pop up again next season playing for Fulham or QPR. Back in 1974, when Muhammad Ali beat George Foreman in the Rumble In The Jungle, the BBC commentator (ah, what nostalgia! sport on the BBC!) could barely contain himself when the referee standing over Foreman reached the count of 10. “Oh my god!” gasped Harry Carpenter, “he’s won back the title at the age of 32!” Boxing’s a pretty tough sport, but nowadays 32 barely elevates you out of the promising youngster category, and it was Ali who launched the era of boxers only retiring when they’ve become punchbags. As for Foreman, 20 years after the Ali defeat, he was becoming the oldest world heavyweight champion at the age of 45. And getting back to Terry, what on earth is the bloke thinking about? Stanley Matthews was still playing in football’s top division at the age of 50, the same age as Lester Piggott retired as a jockey. Or at least, the same age as Piggott when he retired for the first time. It is, by all accounts, not easy for sports people to retire, which is why so many go on for as long as they can. Psychologists have made a study of what happens to some of them: hitting the bottle, for example, like Andrew Flintoff and Gazza, or going a bit doolally, like Frank Bruno. Olympic swimmer Ian Thorpe, Celtic football manager Neil Lennon and Olympic athlete Dame Kelly Holmes are just a few of the high profile athletes who have made their depression public

after their retirement from professional sport. And boxer Sugar Ray Leonard is another who couldn’t face up to it, finally pipping Frank Sinatra for the world record number of comebacks. However, on the other side of the coin there are those who pack it all in when no-one expects it. Most recently of all Nico Rosberg, who quit when he won the Formula One drivers’ championship last year. Although I have a theory that F1 is much easier to give up early in an era where the cars are driven by a pit wall full of computers, than it was when the driver had no radio, and nothing in front of him but a steering wheel and a rev counter. As Rosberg put it himself: “There are other things in life than driving around in a circle.” Of all the sportsmen who retired early, no-one prompted such a sharp intake of breath than Bjorn Borg. With 11 grand slam singles titles to his name, the Swede retired at the age of 26, and almost immediately lost all the money he made in dud investments. Like so many others, he attempted a comeback, but finally retired for good at the age of 37. Another famous early retirement was that of the greatest amateur golfer in the sport’s history, Bobby Jones, who dominated the amateur game throughout his career and regularly beat the topranked pro golfers of his time. Jones won the U.S. Open four times and is the only man to complete golf’s grand slam in a single season. He won 13 of the 31 majors he ever entered, and then retired at the age of 28 after his most successful year ever in 1930. George Best was a year younger when he retired for the first time, largely because he had so many girlfriends on the go he was too tired to play football. He made a comeback of sorts for a number of clubs in short spells, until finally retiring in 1984, aged 37. Then there was the case of rower Steve Redgrave, who once said: “If you see me anywhere near a boat again, you have my permission to shoot me.” And before you knew it, there he was in a boat again. No. The only sportsmen who retire just the once are rugby players like Leicester’s Marcos Ayerza, who sounded bereft when medical advice forced him to quit this season at the age of 34. Mostly, though, their retirements are reminiscent of an antiques auction room. “Lot 26. John Terry. Are you all done now? Retiring for the first time… retiring for the second time…”  Martin Johnson has been a sports journalist and author since 1973, writing for the Leicester Mercury, The Independent, The Daily Telegraph and The Sunday Times. He currently writes columns for The Rugby Paper and The Cricket Paper, and has a book out called ‘Can I Carry Your Bags?’.

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ACTIVE BODY AVOID THE HOLIDAY BODY BLUES, EXERCISE MORE WHILE PREGNANT, HOW TO BE STRONG YET STABLE, AND DRESS TO IMPRESS

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ACTIVE BODY

HOLIDAY BODY BLUES Hany Elmadbouh, founder and senior consultant at Peterborough’s newest private healthcare facility, Avicenna Clinic, explores the impact on our body caused by changes in our fitness regime while on holiday Having many years of experience in the healthcare sector, I often see patients who have picked up an injury while on holiday. The summer months of June, July and August are the main period in the year when most people enjoy a break away. This can often lead to a change in a ‘fitness routine’ – if you have one – or undertaking levels of exercise that you are simply not used to as you take advantage of the opportunities for swimming, walking or sports on your vacation. While the obvious reason for injury on holiday is increased activity, the heat too can have a negative impact on your usual training regime and you might find that you do not drink as much water as you should or have the same diet that you are used to. It’s enough to make anybody feel weakened and dizzy and therefore vulnerable to injury and accidents. By taking a few steps, you should be able to enjoy your holiday and keep your usual fitness regime and guard against injury. Keep moving You would be surprised how much time you spend sitting down when travelling to and from your destination, so make sure you move when you can. Sometimes this only needs to be a few steps when you are

waiting at the airport or up and down the plane but it all makes a difference. Remember your fitness needs If you like to workout at home, the chances are you will feel the same on holiday. You can have a fitness break but, if you like your training, you will miss the exercise both physically and mentally. When booking your hotel, make sure it has a gym or one close by. Alternatively seek out some great outdoor space that will allow you to train. Dress appropriately Swap shoes for trainers when sight-seeing and be ready for any terrain or for long periods of walking. Keep clothing loose and light when exploring the area, but always take a cover-up should the weather change. Sweat wicking clothing is essential when training or stretching and will ensure that you remain comfortable. Most importantly, it is essential when spending long periods of time outdoors, even if cloudy, that you keep applying sun screen. Stay hydrated It is important to remember that the heat will have a massive impact on your training or siight-seeing, so make sure you drink plenty of water and at regular intervals.

Pack healthy treats It is easy to forget about healthy eating when you are away and so much easier to grab fast food on the run – so make sure you have some healthy treats at hand to stop ‘on the go snacking’. Listen to your body Be aware of any changes in the way your body feels. It is easier to access treatment at home so be vigilant of any changes in the way your body might feel such as unusual aches and pains – these could be a warning sign of something more serious. Our physiotherapist, Ben Muir, specialises in sport-related injuries and suggests that you seek advice or book a consultation if you come back from holiday suffering with pain that does not swiftly clear up. You can expect a same-day service for consultation, diagnostic and treatment planning, which means that you can be back on the road to recovery in no time at all… and ready for your next holiday! Avicenna Clinic 1 North Street, Peterborough, PE1 2RA T: 0330 202 0597 E: info@avicennaclinic.com W: www.avicennaclinic.com

/// J U N E 2017 3 5

RUTLAND’S EXERCISE REFERRAL SCHEME WHAT DOES THE SCHEME INVOLVE?

If you are aged 16+ with a longstanding health condition, we can help you to lead a healthier and more active life. We know that exercise can help to relieve symptoms of many conditions and lower your risk of illness, so we offer a scheme designed to aid you, to return to fitness.

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At Active Rutland we care about your health, so our aim is simple - to get you more active. We have seen people lose as much as 10 stone, lower their blood pressure to healthy ranges and reduce their need for medication. Active Rutland has helped so many people and we can do the same for you.

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w ACTIVE BODY

THERE’S NO NEED FOR A PREGNANT PAUSE Surprisingly, a quarter of pregnant women in the UK stop exercising because they fear harming their unborn baby. More than a quarter of expectant mums who give up, or drastically cut down on exercise, do so because they worry they could damage their baby’s health, despite the fact that fitness has been proven to actually benefit pregnancy. Those who do exercise report positive effects such as keeping down swelling, helping with sleep and overall happiness and well being. But, over half of mums, and their pregnant friends, have felt fearful to exercise with over a third admitting they were uncertain about how to exercise safely. Not only is there uncertainty, but

nearly half of women wrongly think that running is risky for pregnant women while more than a third believe yoga can be too. Nearly a half of pregnant women feel there is conflicting information about exercising whilst pregnant and many of these women give up exercise altogether because of this. This isn’t surprising when, shockingly, one in 10 women admit they would be concerned to see a pregnant woman exercising, and this doesn’t allow for men’s opinion at all. This is an unfair stigma affecting pregnant women, many of whom say they have met with disapproval when exercising and felt pressure to stop doing activities to keep fit when pregnant.

There is obviously a greater need for more information about exercising when pregnant and general pre-natal health. Keeping fit during pregnancy should help with overall health and offer relief from the extra stress and strain put on joints as the body changes with pregnancy. Some believe, sensibly, that being fitter can help with the actual birth as overall fitness levels will be higher and stamina is obviously going to be needed. Common sense would suggest that if you are already exercising you should continue to do so, albeit possibly in a slightly different way. And if you don’t exercise it would probably be beneficial to start a gentle programme such as walking, yoga or pilates. ‘For a free online resource for guidance on exercising while pregnant visit aptaclub. co.uk/ActiveFor2 and remember to always consult your doctor before exercising during pregnancy.’

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15/06/2017 20:58

ACTIVE BODY

KITBAG THE LATEST ESSENTIAL SPORTING GEAR 1.

1. Endura women’s shorts

Perfect for nailing technical climbs and hammering descents, and constructed from lightweight, durable four-way stretch nylon fabric, the Endura SingleTrack Lite II women’s shorts are lightweight and ready to make life more comfortable on the trail. Price £64.59 From www.rutlandcycling.com

2. Roxy sporty bra

The Keep It Roxy sporty bra features a sporty racer back and a small front cut out. The crop top has an abstract design with a contrast underbust band. Price £31.99 From www.tallingtonlakesproshop.com

3. Adidas running hoodie

Made from climalite fabric, the Response running hoodie keeps you dry with sweat-wicking technology, and if it’s chilly on an early morning or late evening run, use the thumbholes to keep your hands warm. Reflective stripes on the lower sleeves will help you stay visible. Price £44.85 From John Lewis

4. Roxy surf leggings

The women’s Keep It Roxy surf leggings are made from recycled nylon/polyamide and Lycra, making them super comfy and stretchy. They are a full length surf pant with mesh behind the knee to add to the comfort. Price £54.99 From www.tallingtonlakesproshop.com

5. Dryrobe changing robe

We’ve all been there. Had a fabulous time in or on the waterand it’s freezing when you come out. The thought of getting changed is horrible. Well, here is a solution; a waterproof and windproof changing robe, that has a super synthetic lambswool lining to make you feel lovely and warm. Big enough so you can strip off without having to wrestle with your pants or knickers! Price £99.99 From www.tallingtonlakesproshop.com

6. Endura jersey

Endura’s new Hummvee women’s short sleeve jersey is an all-round jersey oozing versatility, armed with two rear pockets and a zipped security pocket; the Hummvee is just what every cyclist needs when out on two wheels. Price £37.99 From www.rutlandcycling.com

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Holiday fun for 2017 at Uppingham

With a wide range of different courses and camps for children and adults in the summer holidays, there really is something to suit all interests! Music Science Sport

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For further information and to book:www.uppinghamsummerschool.co.uk Like us on Facebook

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

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From £3.50 per class USSC has a variety of classes available to ALL including; • Combat MX • Kettlercise • Keiser Spin • Legs, Bums and Tums

• Pilates • Yoga • HiiT • and many more…

With 3 day booking rights, call to book your place today. Visit www.sportscente.uppingham.co.uk to view our full class timetable. For more information contact our friendly team on: 01572 820830 ussc@uppingham.co.uk www.sportscentre.uppingham.co.uk

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• Bespoke adventures which can include: mountain biking, climbing, wild camping, bushcraft & survival, trekking, kayaking & trail running

Try a new activity or take your hobby to a more adventurous destination Email Andy and Emma on: info@first4adventure.co.uk or look at our website: www.first4adventure.co.uk

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A strong glute medius not only stabilises the hip, but helps maintain tracking in the knee joint by reducing lateral stress on the knee during functional motions. Certain warm-up routines, such as short Active Band sessions work effectively enough to activate and strengthen the glute muscles before training. This has proven to improve lower body stability if done correctly. Once the correct structures are activated through this functional warm-up, the effects of a training session will be much more beneficial and target the intended structures of the body.

STRONG AND STABLE… Lauren Dobson of Function Jigsaw examines the merits of improving hip and knee stability by exercising with Active Bands

Are you currently suffering from any lower body instability problems? Do you prioritise reducing the risk of lower body injuries in your weekly training? Did you know that improving hip mobility and strength can have a huge impact on your lower body’s stability when exercising? When you train, it is important to work your hips through all ranges of motion and engage the hip abductors, adductors, gluteals and core muscles? All of these muscle groups are crucial in providing hip and knee stability for any active individual. If you only work the hips in one direction (forwards and back) by walking, running,

4 0 J U N E 2017 ///

cycling etc, there will be minimal strength and stability being formed through the lower body which is why common problems within these sports involve repetitive knee pain, achilles problems or ongoing lower back pain. Some exercises can look and feel strange, but increasing strength in the hip stabiliser muscles; gluteals, hip abductors and core muscles is the key to reducing risk of injury or re-injury in all activities. Whether that activity may be strength training, endurance training, netball, football, rugby or whatever. It’s simple and easy to do (sometimes). The hip joint is a ball and socket joint which works at its best when it has good strength and a good range of movement. The knee is a hinge joint which flexes and extends the knee (bends knee and straightens knee). It is important to support and protect the knee from any movements other than this by strengthening and stabilising the joint and surrounding structures (above and below). Short active band sessions A weak glute medius muscle (one of the backside muscles on the side of the hip) has been known to cause knee instability problems especially injuries to specific structures such as the anterior cruciate ligament.

Lower body exercises to do with the Active Bands: Crab walking/Lateral band walking Clam/Side-lying hip abduction Elevated hip bridges Ski walks/Half-circle walks These exercises emphasise training in correct movement patterns in preparation for functional movements such as running, jumping and landing, changing direction and acceleration/deceleration drills. For the exercises to be effective, you need to choose the correct band strength, aim to progress in strengths and most importantly, keep it consistent and frequent. Key things to remember Keep the band flat, not bunched Keep the band taut Keep your feet in line and facing forwards Maintain your intended position with the correct posture, avoid tilting your hips sideways. Stabiliser exercises More advanced hip stabiliser exercises such as side plank, step-ups, walking lunges and single leg hip bridging can also be used to improve hip and knee control whilst training in conjunction with Active Band exercises. Another important way of reducing the risk of injury and improving control, to be done alongside Active Band strengthening, is to frequently stretch and Active foam roll structures such as glutes, hamstrings and hip flexors. The majority of the population tend to focus on self-management techniques such as Active Foam Rolling once already injured or in pain. So why not reduce your risk of this from occurring and implement such things into your daily routine? Keeping these muscles mobile will also improve the mobility and the benefits of the Active Band training. For more ways of reducing risk of injury and improving lower body stability, contact Function Jigsaw. Buy Active Bands online at www.functionjigsaw.co.uk/active-kit-shop or call in at the clinic at 24 Long Street, Wigston, LE18 2AH.

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25/05/2017 12:27

ACTIVE BODY

THE FINISHING TOUCHES The dawn of summer means plenty of weddings and society events in the diary. Here’s some advice on what to wear for a special summer occasion Edited by Mary Bremner

DRESS TO IMPRESS June is the month of Ascot and the start of the wedding season, so it’s time to dress to impress. Ascot is fairly easy to dress for as there are set rules for the royal enclosure... hem lengths must be no higher than just above the knee, dresses must be modest, i.e no huge slits or low necks, strapless dresses are not allowed, nor are halter necks or spaghetti straps, and a hat is a must – not a small fascinator – a hat or a headpiece with a solid base of at least 10cm. It must be a nightmare for the stewards to police but, at least, as a visitor, you know what is expected of you.

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It used to be the same for weddings. Men would don their morning suits (tails) and ladies would wear a hat, gloves and a smart dress – it was as simple as that. But those days are long gone and some weddings have the most bizarre dress codes that perplex and irritate the guests. Beach formal, ethereal Mediterranean, fire and ice, to name but a few. What on earth is all that about? Maybe some weddings have gone from the sublime to the ridiculous. Perhaps an old fashioned elopement should be on the cards to avoid the conundrum of what to wear!

Basically you need to find something that no-one else is going to be wearing, isn’t too expensive, or too fussy, that hopefully you can wear again. Remember you need to feel comfortable knowing that you will be happy dancing the night away without any mishaps. Weddings have become less formal, and quite often are a lot more fun because of it. You can wear black, but soften with brighter accessories. Hats are not always a necessity and trousers can be worn. But there is one rule that must not be broken – never try to upstage the bride, and never, never wear white.

BLISSFUL 60-MINUTE FACIAL AT AROHA

And finally... The latest party fashions

After a few days away in Portugal my skin was in desperate need of some TLC – slightly burnt, extremely dehydrated and generally looking jaded after some late nights and plenty of fine wine and food. A holiday should enhance your looks, but I looked exhausted. So I headed to Aroha Beauty House in Uppingham for a rejuvenating facial. The pampering starts as soon as you walk in the door – I was treated to squares of cake with my coffee while waiting for Lottie to finish with her previous client. Once in the treatment room upstairs you have the whole floor to yourself, unless you want to book in with friends for a private party experience. There’s a hydrotherapy room too where you can indulge in a relaxing or invigorating bath before having a treatment. I had settled on a 60-minute facial which starts with a massage through towels concentrating on different pressure points on your back and legs to help the energy flow throughout the body. Next was a cleanse, exfoliation and massage of the upper back as that area can get very congested too with all the products that come into contact with the skin. Lottie isn’t a zealot over organic products but, as she explained to me: “We take care of what we put into our body, so why shouldn’t we do the same for our skin. Most products are made of strong

chemicals that are easily absorbed by our biggest organ and can cause untold harm without us realising.” She uses the Botanicals range which is 100% organic and seriously effective. I felt they were still working deep down the next day. Lottie used the rose nourish range on me as it’s good for sensitive skin, skin complaints such as redness, and mature skins, although anyone over 25 is considered mature in the skincare business apparently! First she used the nourish cleanse melt then the cleanse and polish scrub so my skin was beautifully clean before she applied the rose and camellia oil to massage my face, neck and shoulders. All the products smell heavenly and to add to the luxury you then choose a hand, foot or scalp massage while the revitalising mask does its stuff. I had a foot massage before she spritzed me with hydrating mist to balance the pH of my skin, and applied the nourishing night balm then eye balm. Before I was allowed to get up I was given a selection of chocolates to balance my blood sugar and a glass of water for rehydration. It’s a family business and you get a truly personal experience here. Kate Maxim A 60-minute facial costs £45. Aroha Beauty House, 43 High Street East, Uppingham, LE15 9PY. 01572 822853.

Riani women’s geo panel print dress, navy £165 www.cavells.co.uk

Tess large brim feather hat £85 www.johnlewis.com

AYUVERDIC BODY MASSAGE Ayuverdic medicine is one of the world’s oldest holistic healing systems aimed at maintaining balance in both body and mind. Ayuverdic massage is recommended daily to promote health, and relief from aches and pains, stress and fatigue. I visited the Kerala Ayurveda Clinic in Leicester to have a full body massage followed by a steam bath. First of all I sat in a chair for a head and shoulder massage. My therapist used a rapid rubbing motion to stimulate blood flow using a warmed carrier oil strongly infused with herbs

imported from Kerala. Warning! You end up swimming in oil by the end of the treatment so make sure you don’t wear your favourite clothes. Next I lay down on a bed and she used fairly fast and sweeping movements with firmish pressure. She concentrated on my feet and my palms which was heaven. She also made long circular movements on my stomach which is unusual as most massages tend to ignore that area, but it felt extremely relaxing and must work wonders on the digestive system. After 45 minutes of massaging I sat in a steam bath for 10 minutes which helps the detoxification process. Many ailments stem from our damp and cold weather so the heat felt wonderful. It’s vital to drink plenty of water afterwards and take it easy. 55-minute massage with steam bath costs £35. Kerala Ayurveda Clinic, 173 Belgrave Gate, Leicester, LE1 3HS. O116 2621118 www.keralaayuverdicclinic.com

Ember floral dress £140 www.phase-eight.com

Hats for hire or sale, based near Oundle. www.harringtonhats.com

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25/05/2017 12:27

ACTIVE LOCAL A FITTING MEAL FOR DANIEL LAMBERT, DOWN-TO-THE-WIRE DERBY TO START THE CRICKET SEASON, WALKING ROUND KIRBY HALL AND A PREVIEW OF SPORTS BASH 2017

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ACTIVE LOCAL

A day in the life of

PAUL EVELEIGH WHEEL BUILDER AT VELO WHEELS

his is my third year as a wheel builder. Previously I managed projects for a living having done a degree in electrical and electronic engineering. I took redundancy from the corporate world and decided I wanted to do something for myself. Having started life as a craft apprentice, I’ve always been good with my hands and I’ve also been a very keen cyclist for many years. I trained to City and Guilds level 3 in cycle maintenance and opened my workshop doing repairs, custom builds and renovation. People would often come in with a steel-framed bike, ask me to strip it down, get the frame painted and build it back up again. Then I started wheel building, beginning with a set of wheels for my own Puch Classic steel single speed. You get a feel for building a wheel: there are two critical dimensional characteristics. It has to be circular and it has to be laterally true, so it doesn’t wobble from side to side. Also the tensions on the spokes have to be set so that the wheel is stiff and will support the loading and won’t undo as you ride. It’s a balancing act. I’ve purchased some nice equipment and I build to a high quality using high precision components. I have two Truing stands: one from Park Tools which is standard for most cycle shops, but I’ve also invested in a P&K Lei stand from Germany which is extremely high precision. It allows me to make both radial and lateral adjustments on the wheelset at the same time so while I’m making micro-adjustments on all the spokes around the rim I don’t have to go back half way through and check the lateral measurements. That way I get a very consistent build. I source my parts from world class manufacturers across all price ranges, so I can make a wheelset from £200 to £1,000, depending on what the customer wants. I use all of the major brands and I think it’s important to stock products so if people want to call in before they buy to take a look and feel, they can. There are a lot of people who buy a bike off the shelf at a store or on the internet and then come to me to customise it. I look at the weight of the rider, the type of riding they do and speciﬁcation of the bike and recommend different options. Robustness of wheelset is critical Wheels are the most important potential upgrade you can make to a bike because the weight and stiffness of the wheel has a direct impact on acceleration, deceleration and

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“Cycling is a real passion for me and if I can help someone achieve their goals, I will” cornering. As an example, a customer wanted a light wheelset for cross-country racing so a low weight Ryde Trace 22 rim, stitched together with CX Ray spokes and American Classic hubs, produced a stiff robust wheelset weighing just 1,360g. Alternately if a customer wants a touring road wheelset where the bike is loaded with several kilograms of kit then robustness of the wheelset is the critical consideration. There are many options depending on the customer’s needs. Currently my work is mixed 50:50 between wheel builds, bike maintenance and re-builds. I have Sundays and Mondays off and tend to start the day with some website work, fulﬁlling orders or doing the accounts. I’m open for business from 10am to 6pm. Saturdays are busy for me as people come and drop off and pick up bikes or look at wheels, so I open at 9am and close at 4pm. I do a lot of online work too so I don’t meet every customer, but I’ve designed my packaging to protect the wheels when I ship them. My alternative career is about being able to cycle and be my own boss. I usually get in about

120-140 miles a week on my bike, which is essential training as I have a few goals for the year. I’m doing the Fred Whitton Challenge in the Lake District in May, which is the premier sportive in the UK. It’s in aid of Macmillan Cancer Care and this is my third year. The Hardknott pass in Cumbria is really steep so I practice on hills in Leicestershire such as Rockingham Hill, Nevill Holt or Launde Abbey. They are a poor substitute for the rigours of the Lake District so I have to repeat them several times. I also cross-country mountain bike, and at the end of the year there’s the Kielder 101 race which is up in Northumbria and Scotland and entails lots of climbing on technical single track. It’s so mountainous compared with Northamptonshire, but a real fun race with a great atmosphere. Cycling is a real passion for me and if I can help someone else achieve their goals, I will. I’m a good listener and I’m happy to talk to anyone even if it’s just advice they are after. Visit www.velowheels.co.uk or phone 01832 358732.

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ACTIVE LOCAL

TOO HOT TO TROT Jess Lamb tells us about the latest marathon run in the 321 Challenge We are now two-thirds of the way through the 321 Challenge. Four weeks after a full team effort in Rome, Alex hit the pretty pavements of Prague on May 7 for the second (but fourth run by the team) marathon of the challenge. The plan was to achieve a much quicker individual time than Rome, where Alex reduced his pace to run with the slower members of the 321 Team. But it wasn’t going to be easy for him. The weather was glorious, with not a cloud in the sky or a breath of wind – perfect for spectators but not quite as ideal for Alex who will freely admit he struggles running in temperatures over 10 degrees. The ﬁrst few kilometres were bright and breezy, with a glorious route passing all the stunning sights of Prague. But, as the miles started building up, so did the temperature, with things becoming uncomfortable by mile 16. The race was proving a huge challenge and Alex had to put every ounce of energy in to contend with the heat, alarming some nearby runners quite dramatically at one point when he

passed out, getting straight back up again and continuing to run! Despite the tough conditions and winding route, Alex smashed the 321 Marathon record with a time of 3 hours, 44 minutes and 11 seconds. That’s a full hour and two minutes faster than his time in Rome. So with four marathons down and two to go, we are looking forward to the Midnight Sun Marathon in Tromso, Norway, on June 17 where Alex and I will tackle the toughest course yet, including 50 feet elevations and the race beginning at 8:30pm and ending in the early hours of the morning. Just a few more weeks of serious training are left until the end of the challenge. Our friends, family and supporters have been so generous by donating towards our chosen charities, the Pelargos Foundation and Parkinson’s UK – we’ve raised over £2,000 so far, which makes the sore knees and black toenails all feel a little more worth it. www.virginmoneygiving.com/team/ 321marathonchallenge

E2E are well on their way E2E is a charity bike ride from Easton on the Hill to Elvira, just south of Marbella in Spain, that will take 30 days. Riding in memory of Sandra Watson, the Tour de Sands charity, set up in her honour, is raising money for cancer charities. The ‘grand depart’ from Easton on the Hill was a great success with 57 riders doing a lap of honour of the village before setting off on the ﬁrst leg – 50 miles to Bedford. Some riders had never done 50 miles before and it was great to see so many non-cyclists having a go to support Jerry and Tour de Sands. Since then the team have made great progress and are almost at their destination, ﬁnishing on June 1. They have

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recently cycled through the Pyrenees so legs are weary but spirits are high.The weather has been kind, if hot, and money is being raised. www.virginmoneygiving.com/ charities/tourdesands

MONEY, MONEY, MONEY

Holding out five crisp £20 notes, the ball guest asked for raffle tickets. “I asked her how many she wanted,” said Sylvia Reid, Thorpe Hall’s clinical educator and senior nurse. “She asked how many she could buy for £100. She just wanted to give money to the cause. I got quite emotional seeing how passionate people feel about Thorpe Hall.” Sylvia and fellow nurse Catherine Cole organised the raffle at a charity ball to raise money towards their fund-raising target for their Iceland Trek. With just two months before the pair fly to Keflavik in August to begin their five-day expedition, training is in full swing. And they admit they’re a long way out of their comfort zone. “Physically, I’ve never done anything like this,” said Sylvia. “But I wanted to do something to mark my 60th birthday that pushed me – this is certainly doing that. I’m on my feet all day at work at Thorpe Hall but that’s very different to pulling on walking boots and hiking across

lava and ice ﬁelds! The training has been tough but being able to share it with Catherine and one of the other trekkers, Alison, has been great. On those days where I might have been tempted to give it a miss because the weather wasn’t great or I was feeling a bit tired, knowing I’d be letting them down if I didn’t go has spurred me on.” The fund-raising has challenged the pair too. With a target of £2,450 each to raise they have had to plan their money-making ventures carefully. “That’s quite a daunting amount of money especially when fund-raising isn’t something you’re used to doing,” said Catherine. “The team at Thorpe Hall have been really good offering us lots of ideas, lending us collection buckets and designing posters for us. “And actually it’s been really lovely. We’ve stood outside supermarkets and football matches with collection buckets, we’ve held rafﬂes and are involved in organising a summer fete and people’s generosity has been overwhelming..” That doesn’t mean the nurses are any less nervous about what lies ahead.“I hate being cold and neither of us are experienced campers so there’s plenty to be jittery about,” said Sylvia. “But we also know this is going to be an experience of a lifetime.” www.sueryder.org/thorpehall

Julian scales the heights Julian Evans who went to Oakham School and lives locally, is a British adventurer, dedicated fund-raiser and keen mountaineer. He is also a trustee for The Matt Hampson Foundation and has recently climbed to the north col on Mount Everest, a height of 20,030 feet to raise money for the foundation. To ﬁnd out how to donate, and more about Julian and his adventures, visit his website. www.julian-evans.co.uk

YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT Our two runners, Dan Swan and Joanna Espin, tell us what they eat and drink to keep themselves well nourished and hydrated. Dan has just completed his ﬁrst marathon, in London. “I found it very testing and set myself the target of a sub-3.30 time. I beat that by 10 minutes, but it was hard. I only trained to 20 miles and should have to 23 as the last six miles were a killer. I got cramp at 24 miles, but the crowd were fantastic and really helped me.” Dan is pretty disciplined when it comes to eating: “I eat a lot,” he says, but then he is young, very active and has a high metabolism. His days are long so when he gets up at 4am to go to work he has a Weetabix and banana, at 8am a bowl of porridge and at 10am four rice cakes and peanut butter. Lunch will depend on if it’s a training day or not. If he’s going for a run after work he will have a pasta lunch, or something containing carbohydrates. Non-training days are chicken and rice or scrambled eggs on toast. At 2pm he’ll have a protein bar and after his run he’ll have chicken and vegetables in the evening, whether he’s trained or not. Sometimes he will have a protein shake as well. “I eat sensibly for six days a week but will happily have a pizza or ﬁsh and chips on Sunday, and maybe the odd beer on Saturday after football and a chocolate bar that evening. Life would be very dull if I never allowed myself the odd treat.” Dan religiously drinks two litres of water every day, and

more on a training day. He doesn’t drink much alcohol. Joanna is busy running a half marathon a month. Last month she ran at Leeds, her ﬁfth – only seven more to go! Joanna is a busy lady as she has entered the Great North Swim across Windermere so this month training has been more low impact. To keep her energy levels up she needs to eat sensibly. Joanna is a vegetarian so gets her protein from cheeses and Quorn. She eats lots of stir fries, pasta dishes, salads and smoothies. A typical day would be Weetabix and fruit in the morning with a lactose-free milk smoothie, nuts, seeds and dry fruit for a mid-morning snack. Lunch is usually a wrap or pasta, more nuts and fruit mid afternoon and dinner will be stir fry, jacket potato or a large plate of vegetables with a Quorn ﬁllet. Joanna also drinks a lot of water, up to three litres a day, with the odd cup of tea or coffee. She very rarely drinks alcohol but has been told to have the odd tonic as it contains quinine which helps her leg cramps. Joanna is running a half marathon every month to raise money for Phoebe’s Research, and is doing the swim at Windermere as well. www.justgiving.com/joannasknees2

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ACTIVE LOCAL /// Sports Bash

Give it a bash! The charity sport event returns to Stamford with Sports Bash organiser Dean Headley promising more stars, more pitchside attractions and even more fun. By Jeremy Beswick Photography: Marc Moggridge

5 0 J U N E 2017 ///

THIS YEAR MARKS the ﬁfth annual BGL Sports Bash at Stamford School and in that time it’s gone from strength to strength, rasing more than £100,000 for charity. It’s been my pleasure – and I do mean pleasure – to have attended for the last three years and I can testify that it’s the ideal opportunity for anyone with an interest in cricket, or even for those without it, to have a great day out while contributing to a very worthy cause. This year admission to the ground will be free for the ﬁrst time and proceeds from the optional activities inside will again be going to The Matt Hampson Foundation, which is doubly appropriate because of its support for George Robinson and Seb Goold with their links to the town and school. The man behind it all is ex-England international Dean Headley, who’s now the school’s cricket coach. He’s used his connections to put together another all-star line up including Adam Hollioake, Chris Lewis, Alex Tudor, Geraint Jones and Phil DeFreitas to name but a few. The main event of the day is when the pros take on a ‘Local Heroes XI’ drawn from a variety of our neighbourhood clubs in a T20 match.

PROUD TO SUPPORT LOCAL SPORT

“The professionals love it,” Dean told me. “You can get an ex-cricketer anytime, anywhere for a round of golf but normally getting them to play cricket is a nightmare, but it isn’t difﬁcult at all for this. It’s one of the most enjoyable events they attend. Every one of them who’s played over the years has said it’s a wonderful day.” Of course, it’s even more of a day to remember for those ‘Local Heroes’. Active’s own Chris Meadows, who usually turns out for Burghley Park, remembers his day in the spotlight fondly. “I made about 50 with the bat, including two consecutive fours off Freddie Flintoff, which will be something to tell the grandchildren about,” he said. “Although to be honest, I must admit I didn’t even see the third ball that followed. I think he was just reminding me how fast he could bowl if he wanted to. Let’s just say I got the point.” Not only do our local players get to pit their skills against the best, they and everyone else have the chance to mix socially with them as well. “Every year I’ve been the players have been really amenable and ready for a chat with

anyone who comes along. They really enter into the spirit of things,” Chris added. For those too young to face even a half-paced Daffy DeFreitas, the day begins with a Kwik Cricket Festival for local clubs’ under-10s sides, the winners of which are presented with the magnificent Humberts Cup and get to do a lap of honour around the boundary to the generous applause of the up to 2,500 people present. Even if you’ve only a passing interest in cricket, there’s plenty more besides. “We’re trying to build a really nice family day out, not just cricket,” said Dean. Free to take part in are a golf driving challenge and a football shoot out – and look out for the spectacular Battle of Britain Memorial flypast as well. Then there’s ample pay-as-you-go fun to ensure that six or seven hours will fly by just as quickly as the Spitfires, including a climbing wall, gladiator challenge, Human demolition, rodeo bull, assault course and bungee run. If you’re feeling particularly energetic and adventurous, a wristband for admission to all of these costs just £15. You’ll need sustenance after all that lot, so there are a host of food stalls and drinks outlets to cater for all tastes, so please

don’t bring your own food. Your own chairs might be helpful though. For those wishing to do it in style, there are a few remaining VIP tables in the main marquee. After the prosecco on arrival the four-course lunch is consistently of the highest quality, and there is also free pizza in the afternoon.The speeches and Q&A sessions with the players are just as sparkling as the prosecco and guaranteed to both hold your interest and make you laugh. A table for 10 costs £795 and dean@dcrevents. co.uk has all the details. Headline sponsor BGL Group’s chief executive Matthew Donaldson said: “We are delighted to be continuing our support of the Sport Bash, which is a fantastic event right in the heart of our community. Last year’s event raised much-needed funds and we’re excited to be working with Dean to grow the event.” For all who are interested, whether your taste on the day be champagne and canapés or beer and burgers, the date for your diary is Friday, July 21. Gates open at 11:30am. For more information visit www.dcrevents.co.uk/ bgl-sportbash.

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ACTIVE LOCAL /// Sports Bash

PROUD TO SUPPORT LOCAL SPORT

Player profiles ADAM HOLLIOAKE Captain of Surrey with three County Championships and nine trophies in all. Also skippered England’s ODI side for whom he played 35 times and landed the Sharjah Cup – England’s first tournament victory for ten years. Now a successful cage fighter, not to be trifled with but known as a true gentleman.

PHIL DEFREITAS Won 44 Test caps and over a hundred ODIs stand as testament to his fast bowling, but he was also an explosive batsman – once plundering 42 runs in three overs off Craig McDermott – and a fine fielder. Had trials as a professional footballer before opting for cricket. His second career has included a spell at Oakham school.

OWAIS SHAH A schoolboy cricketing genius scoring a century in an adult side at the age of 12, he played six tests and 71 ODIs for England having played for England A at 17 and was named Young Cricketer of the Year in 2001. Now has plans to become a property developer and is part owner of Capital Hair Restoration.

ALEX TUDOR Right arm fast bowler with 13 caps for England including an innings of 99 not out against New Zealand which is the record for a nightwatchman. Once one of the brightest of England’s prospects, he would have achieved even more in the game had injuries not plagued his career. Now runs his own coaching company.

SIMON JONES Followed in his father Jeffrey’s footsteps into the Glamorgan and England sides. Selected by England as a fast bowler but nevertheless made 44 runs from 43 deliveries in his debut against India at Lords. Was the highest sportsman on New Woman magazine’s list of the world’s sexiest men, coming ninth.

USMAN AFZAAL Born in Rawalpindi, Usman played three tests for England and also starred for Northants, Notts and Surrey. Described by CricInfo as “a cocky, bare-knuckle batsman” he was also 12th man for the tour to India. With a top score of 204 n.o. and an average of just under 40 in first class cricket, his innings are rarely dull.

GERAINT JONES One of the greatest English wicketkeepers of all time with 34 test caps, including being part of the famous side that brought us the Ashes after 14 years. Will always be remembered for taking the catch at Edgbaston which brought victory by two runs. Now coaches at Brentwood School in Essex.

CHRIS LEWIS England all-rounder once seen as the next Ian Botham; he went off the rails after quitting cricket at the early age of 32 and served time in prison for drug smuggling, but now visits dressing rooms to advise players how to manage life after retirement and not to “make the wrong decisions”. First name is actually Clairmonte.

DANNY CIPRIANI One of the most naturally gifted rugby players of his generation, Cipriani would surely have had more than his current total of 14 caps had it not been for his wellpublicised misdemeanours off the pitch. Also played football for QPR’s youth side, but can he play cricket? We’re about to find out.

/// J U N E 2017 5 3

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ACTIVE LOCAL Ride-out 17. At the next T junction, turn left onto the B664, then climb up to a crossroads, turning right towards Horninghold. 18. Follow this road round and down to a T- junction. Turn right, signposted Stockerston. 19. Climb Knob Hill, before enjoying a long descent to rejoin the B664. At the bottom of the hill, turn left at the T-junction, signposted Uppingham (take care – this T-junction appears just after a bend). 20. Climb Stockerston Hill, the biggest ascent of the day, and enter Uppingham – a good place to stop for coffee and cake!

ON YOUR BIKE Rutland Cycling’s Sally Middlemiss suggests another great local route to get you out in the saddle Starting and ﬁnishing in Stamford, this 40-mile route takes us into Leicestershire and includes some great hills to the north of Eyebrook Reservoir. Starting with a gentle warm-up as we ascend the Chater Valley, we tackle a series of challenging climbs in the middle section of the ride, then enjoy a comfortable ﬁnish descending the Welland Valley.

THE ROUTE

Stamford to Lyndon 1. Head out of Stamford towards Ketton on the A6121. Pass through Ketton, then take the right fork at Keeper’s Cottage nursery, signposted North Luffenham. 2. At North Luffenham, go straight across the crossroads on to Digby Drive. Follow the road through the village. At the Fox pub, turn left, signposted Lyndon. 3. At the T-junction in Lyndon, turn left, signposted Wing. Lyndon to Lyddington 4. After crossing the River Chater at the foot of the hill heading out of Lyndon, bear right, signposted Wing, then cross the railway bridge and start our ﬁrst signiﬁcant climb. 5. Turn right at the give way sign and enter Wing village. Keep straight on through Wing, then pass Wing Hall café and campsite on your left as you leave the village. 6. Take the next left turn, signposted Glaston and Bisbrooke. Keep straight on. 7. At the crossroads, go straight on, signposted Bisbrooke. 8. Climb up to the crossroads with the A47 and go straight over, taking care to cross this busy road.

9. Keep straight on, on Top Lane, as you ride through Bisbrooke. 10. Then turn right at the unmarked T-junction in Bisbrooke and descend carefully, before starting the short, sharp climb out of the village. 11. At the crossroads, go straight over, signposted Lyddington. 12. At the T-junction, turn left, signposted Lyddington. Lyddington to Uppingham 13. At the village green in Lyddington, take the right turn, signposted Stoke Dry. 14. Climb up to the crossroads with the A6003. Go straight over, signposted Stoke Dry, again taking care to cross this busy road. 15. Descend through the village of Stoke Dry, then pass by Eyebrook reservoir on your left. As you cross the bridge, you’ll notice the county boundary sign as you enter Leicestershire. 16. At the T-junction soon after, turn right, signposted Stockerston.

Uppingham to Stamford 21. Follow the main road, then turn right at the T- junction. 22. At the crossroads, go straight over, signposted Glaston. 23. Pass the kids’ play area on your left, then take the 3rd exit at the roundabout, signposted Seaton. 24. Keep straight on to Seaton. Pass the George and Dragon pub, then turn right at the crossroads, towards Harringworth. 25. At the T-junction at the bottom of the hill, turn left, signposted Morcott. 26. Pass under the viaduct and enter Harringworth. 27. At the T-junction, turn left, signposted Wakerley. 28. In Wakerley village, take the left turn, signposted Barrowden. Cross the River Welland and re-enter Rutland. 29. In Barrowden, take the ﬁrst right, a sharp turn, signposted Tixover. 30. Climb up to the A47 and turn right, signposted Tixover. Take care along this short, steady descent along the busy A47. NB. If you have a gravel/cyclocross bike, you can cross straight over the A47 and join Barrowden Road, an unsurfaced lane which rejoins our route just before Ketton. This section isn’t suitable for road bikes. 31. Take the ﬁrst left turn after ¾ mile, signposted Tixover House and Grange. Follow this road past Tixover Grange and into Ketton, turning left at the T-junction and crossing the railway line. Cross the River Chater and pass the church and Railway pub on your right. 32. At the crossroads, turn right onto the A6121 and head back to Stamford. START/ STAMFORD

KETTON

UPPINGHAM WAKERLEY

HARRINGWORTH

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ACTIVE LOCAL Great walks

KIRBY HALL Semi-derelict Kirby Hall makes a haunting setting for this rural ramble Photography: Will Hetherington Difficulty rating (out of five)

THE ROUTE

Kirby Hall is a grand Elizabethan house which sits somewhat unexpectedly on the eastern fringe of Corby. This opulent relic of the 17th Century makes a strange bedfellow for the famous steel town, however that’s part of the intrigue. The house is semi-derelict today but the Great Hall and other state rooms have been sympathetically restored. Dogs on leads are welcome in the gardens but once you are ﬁnished with the hall you can blow

5 6 J U N E 2 0 17 ///

the cobwebs aways with a walk on the high ground to the north. If you visit on a day when the hall is not open and the barrier is down (check at www.englishheritage.org.uk), you can still walk right past the hall on the public footpath, but you will have to ﬁnd somewhere to park on Kirby Lane to the south or further around towards Gretton. There is a footpath which runs from Kirby Lane right along the main access road to the hall. It goes around the back of the hall and then down a tree lined avenue to a stunning gateway, before heading north on to the higher ground between Kirby Hall and Gretton. Follow the path down and out of another small valley and then take the farm track with derelict

Kirby Hall Farm on your right. After a kilometre you will come to some footpath crossroads where you can either proceed to Gretton, retrace your steps or take the other path which runs back over the ﬁelds towards Rockingham Motor Speedway. It’s a lovely route over the ﬁelds, but if you have parked at Kirby Hall you will end up walking along Kirby Lane to get back to your car. There is supposed to be a footpath running parallel with Kirby Lane but when I did this walk in late March it was subject to a temprorary closure order effective until midnight on June 29. It would be useful to have it open to make this a pleasant full circular walk. So you can do the walk any time of year but if you are heading that way you may as well visit the hall and expand your cultural horizons for a while, before doing the same to your lungs. Clockwise, from above

The footpath around the hall will take you along this tree-lined avenue to the rear; high ground to the north of Kirby Hall; the hall is open from Wednesday to Sunday (and bank holidays) between March 25 and September 30

TOP STAT

once owned by Kirby Hall was r Hatton, Lord he top ris Sir Ch een Elizabeth I. Qu to r llo Chance erelict but The -d mi se w It is no state rooms d an ll Ha t Grea remain intact.

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ESSENTIAL INFORMATION WHERE TO PARK At Kirby Hall on days when it’s open but the car park is not large, or somewhere along Kirby Lane to the south. (Or you can park in Gretton and do an extended version of the walk that way around) DISTANCE AND TIME Three and a half miles/an hour and a half. HIGHLIGHTS Great views of Kirby Hall from a lot of angles. The juxtaposition of ancient and modern with Kirby Hall on the outkirts of Corby and Rockingham Motor Speedway. LOWLIGHTS Parking along the road is hard to come by and the closed footpath to the south of Kirby Lane (see main section) was not helpful. REFRESHMENTS There are limited tea, coffee and snacks in the shop at Kirby Hall. The Queen’s Head at Bulwick. DIFFICULTY RATING Two paws. Some of the fields in the second half can be heavy going but otherwise this is pretty easy. THE POOCH PERSPECTIVE: Dogs on leads are welcome in the grounds of Kirby Hall. There is one stream just north of the hall but I can see this running dry in the summer so you might need to take some water, and it’s mostly arable fields. 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.

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Il Vicolo Ristorante Italiano

Fancy lunch or an early meal with the kids

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For reservations please call 01780 480048 3A Cheyne Lane, Stamford, PE9 2AX Facebook: IlVicoloStamford / IlVicoloRistorante.co.uk

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Open Tuesday through to Saturday from 8.30am to 4.30pm and on Thursday and Friday evenings from 7 to 9pm. Not only are we a licenced restaurant we have a deli which has a good selection of smoked goods, cheeses, snacks, drinks and takeaway salads and sandwiches.

Lunchtime specials menu available Monday to Friday. 2 course - £13.95 3 course - £15.50

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ACTIVE LOCAL Sportsman's dinner

Lamberts, Stamford Steve and Lisa for go lunch at a bistro with a big name to live up to. By Steve Moody As anyone who lives in the area will know, Daniel Lambert liked a plate of food or six. Fitting then, that there should be a restaurant in Stamford named after the big old boy. But don’t go getting ideas that Lamberts is a pile-it-on, all-you-can-eat gorge fest of fat, feasting and gluttony. In fact, it’s a rather swish little deli/bistro. The question is, would Daniel Lambert approve? He’d have to find it first, but probably would have had little trouble seeing as it is located where the old Hole in the Wall pub was down Cheyne Lane. For those of you who haven’t spent time staggering from one pub to the other, it’s tucked away between the High Street and St Mary’s Street. It’s worth looking for. If you fancy a cake and coffee, it has an excellent selection of both with the cakes coming from another Lamberts (no relation), but it is the food that really excels. Steve Conway, the owner and head chef, has worked in some pretty salubrious kitchens in his career – Stapleford Park and Stoke Park to name a couple – and it shows in the menu which is at once high class and down to earth. As an example, should you roll in off the street and not fancy anything too hifalutin, you could have a rare beef sandwich with watercress and horseradish. Your lunch partner might be a little more refined than you, and could opt for confit duck leg with pomegranate, feta and mint

salad, while the kids could be kept quiet with breaded chicken gujons. To me this sums up the accessibility of Lamberts – Steve isn’t trying to force one particular type of food down every customer, and instead caters for everyone. That’s not to say that the menu is a vast tome full of everything imaginable. Instead it is a cleverly thought out yet eclectic mix of all manner of meals that should result in everyone remaining satisﬁed, all made with fresh local ingredients. The whole thing oozes quality. Lisa and I went in there and discussed her imminent wedding. Her being perfectly toned for the big day and me being more of the Daniel Lambert scale of greediness, it was pretty obvious who opted for the teryaki marinated minute steak with watercress, endive, tomato and spring onion salad with a sesame dressing, and who went for the massive ploughmans’ sharing board that could serve two. Yes, the salad was fabulous, I can report. The steak, with its salty yet sweet marinade, melted in the mouth and the sesame dressing was the perfect accompaniment. There was also plenty of it too. I don’t like ordering salads usually, being greedy, but it was more than enough and beautifually constructed, with fabulous zingy, refreshing Japanese ﬂavours. Washed down with feisty ginger beer, it was as good as salad as you can get.

Lisa on the other hand was wading her way through her pre-wedding ploughmans with gusto, with a couple of wedges of crusty pork pie, a scotch egg, sharp pickles, sweet chutney and what I considered to be the highlight of the lot, a gooey, unctuous and lively baked camembert into which you could stick chunks of Hambleton Bakery bread. Despite a brave effort, she was defeated by a Lambertian volume of food, and so I lent a generous hand scooping out vast gobbets of the oozing cheese while eyeing jealously what remained of the pork pie. Lamberts really is an excellent spot for lunch, but also it really would be worth trying out the evening menu, which seems even more indulgent: from that menu, I would choose Lobtser benedict served with crushed avocado and hollandaise sauce, ﬁllet of beef served with Pont Neuf cooked in goose fat with béarnaise sauce and a white chocolate pannacotta. Steve opens Thursdays and Fridays and there’s an extensive and well-chosen wine list too. Deﬁnitely worth a return. I think Daniel would be happy his name is above the door.

Lamberts

5 Cheyne Lane, Stamford 01780 767063. www.lamberts-stamford.co.uk

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ACTIVE LOCAL Schools

Witham sports hall opens By Jeremy Beswick Situated between Bourne and Stamford, Witham Hall School occupies an idyllic setting based around a Queen Anne revival mansion. I went along to the opening of their new £3m sports complex last month, when the guest of honour was our very own Olympic gold medallist, Crista Cullen, and found out that – as we will see – the centre being ready for business is good news not only for their pupils but for the wider community as well. Crista and Charles Welch, Witham’s headmaster, go back a long way. Charles and his wife Jo taught her when she was a young girl at Oakham and he was director of sport there too. He remembered in his opening speech that she arrived for her ﬁrst hockey lesson in bare feet “because that’s how we do it in Kenya” and that she was only good enough to make their third team to start with.

What Charles called Crista’s “inspirational story” from those modest beginnings to winning the women’s hockey ﬁnal at Rio 2016 was another reason for her being the perfect person to cut the ribbon and, in her own address, she said the superb new facilities would inspire many future generations and encouraged the assembled pupils to “Enjoy it, respect it and express yourself”. Its 20,000 square feet cater for

more than just curriculum PE and games. There’s a sprung dance ﬂoor, gym, an AV room for lectures and a cardio and resistance ﬁtness centre as well as the new changing, showering, catering and staff facilities. A roof-top viewing terrace overlooks the outdoor tennis and netball courts so spectators can enjoy watching as well as taking in the school’s beautiful parkland. In common with other enlightened public schools, Witham

continues to reach out to others beyond the school gates. Charles continued: “We’d always been pleased that local schools, clubs and charitable community groups had used the old facility. We’re now looking forward to being able to welcome them back - as well as some new ones. Our minibuses will continue to bring primary school children here to beneﬁt from the expertise of our PE staff, and young adults and students from nearby special needs institutions will also be here with their own specialists, as well as indoor nets for both Bourne and Witham-on-the-Hill cricket clubs.” This is the fourth infrastructure investment the school has taken on in Charles’ eight-year tenure and chairman Jeremy pointed out: “This is the last piece of the jigsaw that completes our transition from a school based in an old family home to the ﬁnished article – one that bears comparison with any in the country.”

INTERNATIONAL DEBUTS FOR HOCKEY PLAYERS

Dancers chosen for ballet Five Stamford Endowed Schools dancers have had successful auditions for the English Youth Ballet’s Coppélia, which will be performed at Stamford Corn Exchange Theatre in July. The girls – Amelia Davison, Jessica Westwood, Marianne Vié, Joséphine Vié and Isobel Laventure – completed their ﬁrst rehearsals earlier this month. English Youth Ballet has been running for many years, and has a fantastic reputation

throughout the UK. The ballet will give the students a fantastic insight of a big ballet production, working alongside professional dancers and other ballet students.  The annual Little Genius Quiz was won by Stamford Junior School’s ‘Stamford Smarties’ team. After the success of last year’s inaugural quiz, 11 schools and more than 70 year ﬁve pupils tested their knowledge on topics including history, maths, current affairs and literature.

It’s been an outstanding few weeks for Oakham’s hockey players – at both an international and club level. “To have so many of our players making their international debut is a testimony to the exceptionally high quality of Hockey at Oakham,” says Director of Hockey, James Bateman. Alice Huddlestone, who made her debut in the England U21 squad, score her first goal for the team whilst playing and beating the USA in a series of matches. Maddie Pearce also made her debut, in the England U18s against Holland and subsequently playing against Wales. Ali Eatch played alongside Maddie, also making her debut in the England U18 team against the Welsh U21 team. Matt Ramshaw and Lucas Ward both played in the England U18 matches against Wales U21s and Holland. Matt scored an impressive nine goals in the games against Wales, and another four against Holland. At a club level, Oakham’s players concluded their seasons, with Lucas Ward playing in the U18 National Cup Final with Beeston. Abi Rawlins, Amy Schanschieff, Alice Huddlestone and Maddie Pearce combined forces in the Beeston U18 National Cup Final against Reading, which they won (thanks in part to Alice’s goal!) Meanwhile, Old Oakhamian Kathryn Lane (13) has been busy training with England Hockey for the World League, which takes place in London this summer. “It’s fantastic to see so many players representing their club and country,” concludes James. “They are in the early stages of following in the footsteps of Old Oakhamian hockey player Crista Cullen, who won both bronze and gold Olympic medals.”

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

Cricket

Plenty of runs for Oakham, but wickets needed BY JEREMY BESWICK

he weather’s not been particularly kind to us in the early part of this season, with the wind and cold meaning only the hardiest of spectators could be found on the boundary. In fact, on one wet Saturday it was only Uppingham who managed to complete their fixture. Perhaps Castle Hill has its own micro-climate. No matter, there was still plenty of cricket played in May. The buzz in the close season was primarily about newly promoted Oakham’s big signing – Wes Durston. Wes spent 10 years at Somerset and then six at Derbyshire before retiring from first class cricket last season at the age of 36. Now living locally and looking to play for fun, his uncompromising batting style has proved a formidable asset in what was already a strong line up under skipper Richard Martin. Earl Shilton were to be his first victims in the season’s opening fixture as, after picking up three wickets, he made 140 with the bat with his hundred coming off only 77 balls, but despite Bavin Shukla also weighing in with a 50 Oaks fell short of the required 285 runs, finishing the allotted overs at 281 for seven. Bowler Charlie Baker called it “a brilliant game for the spectators”. They also had to settle for a losing draw at Newtown Linford, the home side putting on a massive 362 in the first innings that Oakham never looked like reaching once Durston departed - cheaply this time – and they finished on 238 for six.

He was absent for their defeat against Loughborough Town seconds but very much in the action for their winning draw at Houghton and Thurnby with 135 runs. Shukla also batted well again, beneﬁtting from his partner according to Parker who said “when Wes started to open his arms, Bhav enjoyed the ‘Wes effect’ with the ﬁelders staying on the boundary while he was on strike, milking every single he could and letting the new boy dig his teeth into the bowling attack”. They were to declare on 255 for four and Houghton managed only 206 in response. “This Wes lad can whack it,” was Parker’s succinct conclusion. Despite his presence and their strength in depth in batting, this looks set to be a challenging year for Oaks at the higher level. I’m sure they will score plenty of runs but they’re short of a strike bowler or two, which means that outright wins are going to be in short supply. Plug that gap however and they would be a very good side. Uppingham look more at home here in Division One and are currently third in the table having started with two wins, two draws and a loss. One of those draws, against Cropston, was the aforementioned only result on that rainy Saturday, and it was one to savour. The match was reduced to 35 overs a side and Town’s 221 looked a very good total, debutante Gavin Morris with 74 and Ben Farnsworth getting 59. Further rain meant Cropston needed 127 off 20 and Steve

Punchant’s swashbuckling 87 saw them home for a winning draw. One highlight of Burghley Park’s opening fixtures was the local derby against Stamford in the Hunts League and it was a match that went right to the wire, the result in the balance until the final over. Putting Stamford in to bat, Park had them at 53 for 3 at one stage but Liam Dave steadied the ship with an accomplished 85 which allowed the middle order, particularly Alex Birch (27), Muhammad Chaudhary (28) and Sunny Appan (23) to up the run rate as the visitors finally made a decent total of 216. Park skipper Michael Jones was the leading wicket taker with 30 for 4. Burghley opener David Platt soon departed lbw to Alex Birch and it was Adam Renton and Elliot Cooper who kept Burghley on course before the arrival of Stuart Biggs. His cameo of 30 off just 15 balls put them ahead of the required run rate but, once he was out “the momentum swung to Stamford once again” according to captain Jones and after a couple more dismissals – including that of Renton for 67 - the total looked further and further away. Josh Weaver and Barry Hancock were by now together at the crease and they kept the match alive, managing to get within nine runs by the final over. Weaver had plainly decided that there had been too much drama already, all but winning the match by hitting the first ball for six. “A thriller of a game which Burghley managed to edge” said Jones.

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Join in with National Cycling Week National Bike Week takes place from 10-18 June 10-18 and there are several events taking place around Rutland. Breeze Sunday Pedal at Whitwell When: Sunday, June 11, 9:30am – 11:30am Where: Rutland Cycling Whitwell, Whitwell Leisure Park, Bull Brig Lane Oakham LE15 8BL, Description: Enjoy a longer pedal as we ride the peaceful, traffic-free route around Rutland Water. A great way to enjoy some ‘me’ time, meet new friends and get fit in the fresh air! Part of the British Cycling Breeze Network, getting more women into riding bikes for fun. Distance: 15-17 miles Pace: Steady - suitable for intermediate cyclists Cost: Free with your own bike / £5 to hire a bike How to book: Email breeze@rutlandcycling.com Breeze Mums and Tots Ride at Whitwell When: Friday, June 16, 9:45am – 11:30am Where: Rutland Cycling Whitwell, Whitwell Leisure Park, Bull Brig Ln, Oakham LE15 8BL Description: Join us with your little ones for a gentle pedal on quiet, traffic-free trails. Great scenery, exercise, fun for the children and chatting for the Mums! Part of the British Cycling Breeze Network, getting more women into riding bikes for fun. Distance: 5-7 miles Pace: Easy Cost: Free to join with your own bike / £5 to hire a bike + child seat (age 12 mths+) / £10 to hire a bike + 2-child buggy (age 18 mths+) or trail-a-bike (age 4-6 yrs) How to book: Email breeze@rutlandcycling.com E-Bike Night Ride at Peterborough With Specialized When: Tuesday, June 13, 6:30pm – 8:00pm Where: Rutland Cycling Peterborough, Ham Lane, Peterborough PE2 5UU Description: Join our popular E-Bike Night Rides through the summer, now at Rutland Water, Grafham Water and Peterborough. Try out the latest electric mountain bikes and get expert advice and tips as you ride along. Distance: 10-17 miles Pace: Sociable, no-drop rides Cost: £10, including e-bike hire, or free to join with your own e-bike. How to book: Email rcrides@rutlandcycling.com Breeze Weekend Pedal at Ferry Meadows When: Saturday, June 17, 10:00am – 11:30am Where: Rutland Cycling Peterborough, Ham Lane, Peterborough PE2 5UU Description: Scenic ride around Ferry Meadows, along mainly traffic-free trails. Coffee and cake stop at the end! Distance: 10 miles Pace: Easy pedalling, suitable for beginners. Cost: Free to join with your own bike / £5 to hire a bike How to book: Email breeze@rutlandcycling.com

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ACTIVE LOCAL Round-up

Challenge

Beating the Rat Race

artin Rapko won our Rat Race entry competition. Here’s how he got on... “I was running as part of a team – me and couple of guys that I know and some I got to know on the spot. Four of us formed teamed up: Simon, Ella, Dave and I. We created a running formation and at 1.15pm we we’re off. “Running at Burghley House is one of the most scenic places I have ever run, probably only rivalled by Windsor Park. We kept pushing each other and kept together as team. The obstacles were incredible and can only be described as a playground for grown-ups. “Half of the team were new to this race. Dave had run before; Simon had experience with OCR racing but had never done this size of event, Ella was a complete newbie and discovered that she has a fear of heights. “Obstacles were in plenty of various types, sizes and difﬁculty. In this race nobody is forced to do obstacles if they feel unsafe or otherwise not able to do so. We had go at all of them, and the only one we skipped was ‘wetter than the otter’ as the cold was a worry and it was getting quite late. “Dave had signed up for the Half Mucker and so from the 13-mile marker it was just the three of us. “I have never run as part of a team on

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course of this length before; it felt much easier as we joked and pushed each other. Our ﬁnal time on the course was six hours 30 minutes. “The course was very well marshalled throughout; all marshals were very supportive and helpful and the water stations had been superbly stacked. “I would thoroughly recommend doing the Rat Race. Once you start an event like this everyone is your mate.”

If you have never played tennis before then Tennis Xpress could be for you – it is aimed at beginners and is an easy and fun way to get started. Stamford Tennis Club has eight places for adult beginners looking for an introduction to tennis. The six-week programme has been funded by a grant, secured from the Lawn Tennis Association, which means these sessions are free to the first eight adults who wish to sign up for the duration of the course. The first session is on June 8 running through to July 13 (six consecutive weeks). The sessions will run for one hour from 7pm to 8pm every Thursday right up to and including July 13. During the six-week course you will learn all aspects of the game, scoring, serving, rallying using low compression balls in a fun and social environment. By the end of the programme you will be able to enjoy fun matches with friends, family and other Tennis Xpressers.  If you are interested contact Carole Wilson on 07939 095713 or email carolewilsontennis@ hotmail.com.

Show your support for local sport... Email advertise@theactivemag.com /// J U N E 2017

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ACTIVE LOCAL Round-up

Equestrianism

Rockingham rocks! BY JULIA DUNGWORTH

ockingham International is now one of the biggest horse trials in the country and this year it did not disappoint. It ran over four days in mid-May with more competitors and horses there than I have ever seen at an event. Organisers David and Mary Laing had a packed schedule which included British Show Jumping, Pony Club Jumping, Dubarry Burghley Young Event Horse and Arena Eventing alongside 20 sections of eventing. The 1 and 2* dressage kicked things off and although they were blessed with sunshine on the Thursday, the Friday looked like it was going to be a wash out. After heavy overnight rain, some lorries had to be pulled in and I don’t think anyone got out without a tow. Friday’s main class was the coveted DBYEH class, with riders fighting to qualify for the prestigious final at Burghley. Well-known local Ginnie Turnbull won the four-year-old section on Just Soda No Ice and JP Sheffield was victorious for the second year in a row on Miss Moneypenny in the five-year-old section. The Saturday again saw showers for the main body of the cross-country with Andrew Nicholson winning the 110-strong 1* section.

The 2* had so many entries they decided to split it into two, even though there were quite a few withdrawals after a soggy show jumping ring. Kitty King and James Avery were the final victors. The Sunday was all about the Loomes Championship, with the rider closest to the optimum time on the cross-country in any of the intermediate sections taking home a £7,500 watch. It ended up being a fight between Oliver Townend, Tim Price and Andrew Hoy, all of whom had multiple rides in the intermediate, with Oliver proving the winner. This is the first time it has been won by a British rider. The Arena Eventing took place at the same time, which is becoming very popular with nearly 100 entries in the 90 and 100cm sections. Emily Ferguson and Jake Surl both finished bang on the optimum time to win the 90cm and local rider Margo Sly with her very trustworthy Little Newmarket Bob took the 100cm finishing a tenth of a second under the optimum time. The whole event was a massive success – they were still running cross-country at 7pm on the Sunday evening – and definitely one to put in your calendar for next year.

On the same weekend the Melton Hunt Club held their annual point-to-point meeting at Garthorpe. Luckily for them the best weather was saved for the Sunday and the previous day’s deluge had left the ground good. The day started with three well-attended pony races, before the main race of the day being the Dodson & Horrell PPORA Club Members Race, which qualifies for the Novice Riders Championship Final. Three similarly rated horses took equal turns in leading with Beggar’s Velvet being the eventual winner by a good fifteen lengths ridden by Amy Cox. There was also a double for owner Mrs Williams, jockey Alex Edwards and trainer Philip Rowley, they won the Mixed Open and then won the very next race which was the Jockey Club Open Maiden for mares and fillies with their home-bred four-year-old Gadrose. Unfortunately, the last race of the day was voided after a fall for Richard Collinson where the running rail was damaged and a very quick decision had to be made as the course stewards felt they could not safely re route the rest of the field.

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