Will walks the Rutland Round Exercising at the barre Manage your life; new series The smallest cricket club in Rutland Meet the sourdough specialists ISSUE 103 | JUNE 2021
! E E R F
Superfoods in a glass
Meet Stamford’s secret agent Off market property selling is becoming more popular
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Editor and Publisher Mary Bremner mary@theactivemag.com Deputy editor Kate Maxim kate@theactivemag.com Art editor Matt Tarrant Contributors Will Hetherington, Jeremy Smithson-Beswick Advertisement Sales Director Lisa Chauhan lisa@theactivemag.com Production assistant Gary Curtis Front cover @theoldbuilding Accounts accounts@theactivemag.com Active magazine, Eventus Business Centre, Sunderland Road, Northfield Industrial Estate, Market Deeping, PE6 8FD If you have information about a club then please get in touch by emailing editor@theactivemag.com. If you would like to stock Active magazine please email distribution@theactivemag.com. Active magazine is published monthly 12 times per year. ISSN 2059-8513 Published by Triangle Publishing Ltd Printed by Warner’s of Bourne
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E DI TO R ’ S L E T T E R ‘Hopefully we can put all the ‘doom porn’ behind us and start to get on with our lives again at a pace that suits ourselves.’ AT LAST WE are back in print after what seems like a very long ‘winter of discontent.’ Hopefully everywhere is now back open and we can put all the ‘doom porn’ behind us and start to get on with our lives again, be that taking baby steps or wading straight back in; whatever suits is what I say and each to their own. It is encouraging to see the high streets, hospitality and businesses come back to life and excellent to see new faces popping up as well as saying hello to the old (or not so old). This month I’ve been learning about kitchen design from Stamford’s Spaces by Design and sourdough bread from Bisbrooke Artisans. Kate’s been working at the barre and has been trying out superfoods. nd we find out about tamford’s very own secret agent. We have all had time in the last few months to organise our lives; some of us may have done this well whilst others (me) had great intentions but didn’t actually achieve much. To help us along our way we have started a new series Manage your Life. Over the next few months we will be chatting to professionals about all things life admin and why we should be organising ourselves. Last year in the middle of the heatwave in May Will walked the Rutland Round which we published online. We have decided to put it into print this year as it really is an experience you will want to share with Will and you may well be inspired to do it yourself; I’d advise choosing slightly cooler weather which looks to be right now. Sadly no heatwave in sight just yet. Rutland’s smallest cricket club is celebrating its centenary this year; oh how lovely it is to be able to celebrate something again and long may it continue! Mary - Editor FIND US ONLINE
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June 2021 / theactivemag.com
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I S S U E 10 3 / J U NE 2021
Contents
ACTIVE LIFE 18 INTERVIEW
Meet the faces behind Bisbrooke Artisans
20 BARRE ALL
Exercising at the barre
26 MEET STAMFORD’S SECRET AGENT ff market selling is becoming more and more popular
28 THE FUTURE OF DESIGN
design is as close to reality as you can get
NEW SERIES: MANAGE YOUR LIFE
26
31 WILL WRITING
52
he one certain thing in life is death
35 SAFETY FIRST
hy you should maintain your car
36 WILL’S WALKS
his month ill tackles the utland ound
ACTIVE KIDS
20
45 SCHOOL NEWS
chools are back and there’s lots going on
ACTIVE BODY 49 PHYSIOTHERAPY
e can all benefit from the oys of walking
ACTIVE SPORT 52 RUTLAND’S SMALLEST CRICKET CLUB olethorpe cricket club is celebrating its centenary
54 ON YOUR BIKE!
oin ary at the afa ride
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ActiveLife Meet Stamford’s secret agent | Local news | Sourdough specialists Exercising at the barre | New series, manage your life E DI T E D BY M A RY B R E M N E R
Walk the Rutland Round p36 Will decided he could walk the boundary of Rutland in three days
June 2021 / theactivemag.com
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Active life
Duddington’s watermill home to a new business THE MILL BIRTH and Wellbeing Centre recently opened in uddington which is ust five miles from tamford. ased in an historic old watermill that dates back to the centre offers a stunning and tranquil setting for all your wellbeing needs. Run by Alexandra Constant, a birth and postnatal doula and mindfulness teacher, the centre aims to become an inclusive hub bringing together a full range of practitioners and therapists. Services and treatments cover the full spectrum from babies to adults. Some of the area’s most well respected and sought after therapists have been attracted to the centre and Alexandra is excited about its future. There are classes and workshops to support expectant mothers including a range of postnatal and baby services including baby yoga, antenatal classes, breastfeeding, potty training workshops and much more. n a different oor are adult services with a full range of wellbeing therapies, classes - both group and individual - including yoga and purestretch, hypnotherapy, re e ology, mindfulness, eiki, wellbeing workshops, cacao ceremonies as well as the very popular deep tissue massage and spa treatments. There are changing facilities for yourselves and your babies. he centre offers a space to learn about your body and your newborn’s needs as well as being a place for everyone to relax and unwind to help escape the pressures of busy lives. he ill has nine different rooms which are fully e uipped with the highest quality treatment couches and equipment. The rooms are available for fully ualified therapists and practitioners to rent as well. isit the website to find out more details. www.themillwellbeing.co.uk
The Rutland Food & Farming Festival ON SUNDAY JULY 11 The Rutland Food & Farming Festival will be held at The Rutland Showground and we will be there selling Will’s Walks book. Taking the place of the traditional Rutland Show for 2021 only, the festival aims to showcase rural life in the beautiful county of Rutland and its surroundings with great family attractions, entertainment and live music alongside an extensive range of unique shopping stands, delicious food and drink from local producers and crafts people. Unlike the traditional Rutland Show, the festival will not feature competitive livestock or equine showing but there will still be an opportunity to meet lots of cattle, sheep and heavy horses as well as watching the exciting farrier competitions running throughout the day. There’s lots for the younger visitors to enjoy with a funfair, wandering storyteller and a chance to try their hand at circus skills, amongst the many attractions on offer. Car parking is free. Dogs are welcome. (Please use nonextendable leads and pick up after them.) Current restrictions mean that tickets must be bought in advance from www.rutlandshowground.com. Adults are £10 and children just £1 each. Sign up for annual membership of the Rutland Agricultural Society for £8 and receive an entry ticket.
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We are passionate about creating unique spaces completely tailored to you.
Active life
Pop Events POP EVENTS IS an event planning company which organises celebration and launch parties for private and corporate clients. And they have an amazing mobile mini bar for hire too! ‘Pops’ is a vintage 3-wheeled Piaggio Ape that has been lovingly converted to serve deliciously chilled prosecco and beer on tap along with a selection of local gins at parties and events across Stamford and beyond. More than just a bar, Pops is entertainment in himself, adding a wonderful feature to any gathering or celebration, and bringing a smile to everyone’s faces. And at just 1.5 metres wide by 2 metres long, he is small enough to fit into most event spaces, inside and out. Whether you are celebrating an engagement, wedding, birthday or it’s just an excuse to have a party in the garden, this pint sized mobile bar will deliver a magical experience wherever he rolls. longside their three standard packages they offer a bespoke bar service and can be totally e ible to suit your event. If you’re planning an event and would like Pops to come with his kegs of bubbles and brew contact Claire Hall on 07970 280565 or e-mail Claire@popeventsco.uk. www.popeventsco.uk Instagram and Facebook @popeventsco
Fix your bike scheme GEORGE HALL CYCLES in Market Harborough are still busy doing repairs under the government Fix your Bike voucher scheme. So if you still have vouchers you’ve not redeemed then give them a call and they’ll book you in. But do hurry, as the scheme has been very popular. Each voucher is worth £50 towards the cost of a service or repair for one unused bike per customer. Expired vouchers could be extended depending on circumstances at www. fixyourbikevoucherscheme.est.org.uk www.georgehallscycles.co.uk
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Bella Pizza, new to The Blue Bell pub in Gretton.
Delicious handmade artisan pizzas, made with the finest ingredients and toppings. Eat indoors, outdoors or takeaway. Visit our beautifully refurbished pub and outdoor space.
We look forward to seeing you soon. Scan the QR Code to place your take away order or go direct to our website www.bluebellgretton.co.uk Opening hours Monday - Thursday 3pm -11pm, Friday - Sunday 12noon-11pm (Friday/Saturday until late) Follow us on our socials: @TheBlueBellGretton
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BEFORE
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Active life
Cell Regeneration celebrates 10 years RUTLAND BASED FAMILY business Cell Regeneration, the UK’s only importer of MBST machines, is celebrating its tenth birthday this year and adds a prestigious Harley Street clinic as the tenth destination to join the MBST-UK community. In the last decade, the brother and sister team, Charles and Elisabeth Clare from Stamford, have put MBST on the map. A previously unknown yet life-changing therapy, the siblings have delivered more than 20,000 hours of MBST and helped 2,461 patients through their network of physiotherapy clinics across the UK. MBST Magnetic Resonance Therapy is a non-invasive therapy that restores and re uvenates cells. t was first developed in the 1990s and is used to treat degenerative disorders of the musculoskeletal system. www.mbst-therapy.co.uk
Contemporary art exhibition LOCAL ARTIST JAX Crew, who has written for the magazine about nature ournalling, life drawing and the benefits of e ercising your creative muscles, is e hibiting a body of new work at tamford Contemporary Art gallery in Maiden Lane, Stamford from June 14 to July 10. a specialises in abstract oil paintings, taking her inspiration from man’s footprint on the landscape and is thoroughly enjoying where this fascinating journey is taking her. She also teaches life drawing at the gallery and at Rutland Adult Learning and Skills Service, Oakham. Exhibition details are available at www.stamfordcontemporaryarts. co.uk Also visit jaxcrewart on Instagram.
Gretton sportive NOW IN IT’S fourth year, this popular sportive is selling out fast! With three routes to choose from – 20km, 50km and 100km, all cyclists will enjoy riding through the beautiful countryside on June 12 and celebrating with a barbecue and finishers’ medal at the end. on’t miss out, when it’s full, it’s full! Visit wilddogevents.com to book your place.
June 2021 / theactivemag.com
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IT’S PARTY TIME Mobile bar serving chilled fizz and beer on tap
A place for all your Birth and Wellbeing needs • Postnatal Support • Massage and Spa Treatments • Hypnotherapy
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We still have space for therapists and practitioners to join the team
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Active life
Double congratulations to Stamford tennis club LINCOLNSHIRE TENNIS HELD its annual awards event virtually recently. here were five clubs nominated for the Club of the Year award and Stamford Tennis Club is delighted to have won this category for successfully navigating a di cult and challenging 0 0. he club has had recent court refurbishments as well as new oodlights which can now be enjoyed again. Stamford Tennis Club’s head coach, CJ Selvidge won the Coach of the Year Award which is a great achievement. CJ is a irector of ennis and schools co-ordinator as well as Lincs 11 and under boys’ team manager. He is a personable and engaging coach and loves developing the next generation of team player. Anyone interested in joining the club, and everyone is welcome visit www.clubspark.lta.org.uk/ StamfordTennisClub
Funding for refurbishment of Cottesmore multi-court COTTESMORE RESIDENTS OF all ages will benefit from the refurbishment of the dilapidated multi-court built in the seventies which will include fences, the court itself and lighting (subject to planning permission). nce refurbished the multi-court will provide ottesmore residents with tennis, netball, basketball and five-a-side football thanks to a 3,000 grant from ommunities oundation. Chris Donovan, chairman of Cottesmore Parish Council believes the facility will make a huge difference to the lives of people living in the area. ommunities oundation is a not-for-profit business that awards grants for community projects through the andfill ommunities und. Councillor Joan Edwards who has led this initiative hopes the multi-court will be ready for use by une and that, sub ect to planning permission, the oodlights will be installed by early September.
Tolethorpe Shakespeare is back EVERYBODY IS DELIGHTED to hear that the Stamford Shakespeare Company is able to perform again at Tolethorpe this summer, opening with Love’s Labour’s Lost in June followed by Humble Boy by Charlotte Jones and Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest. Tickets can be bought online through Stamford Arts Centre box o ce www.stamfordartscentre.com or 01780 763203.
June 2021 / theactivemag.com
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Active life
Ashes to ashes Our tree expert Rowan Griffiths explains ash die back WHY DOES IMPORTED ora and fauna to the always seem to end up hammering the locals halara ra ina or ash die back, as it is more commonly known, is a disease affecting our ash trees and caused by a fungal infection. riginally discovered affecting trees in Poland in the 0s, the disease is now widely spread across urope. n 0 a consignment of ash saplings imported to the from the etherlands was found to be contaminated and halara die back has now established itself here. efore that the disease was said to have been unknown here. s the name would suggest the disease causes leaf loss and ultimately the die back of the crown. his will normally kill the tree. adly, very little can be done to stop the spread of the disease because, as a fungus it can travel ten to fifteen miles on the wind, but wider spread is more likely by the transportation of diseased stock. sh trees are one of the three most common trees in the and there are estimated to be around million standing in woodland, parks, farmland and gardens. t is easy to envisage the detrimental effect of the disappearance of these magnificent trees from our landscape. You might remember the virtual e tinction of the elm tree in ngland in the 0s because of an imported disease and the devastating effect this had on the appearance of the countryside. sh die back will continue this denuding. hilst it is a serious problem it is not the end of the road for this lovely tree. bout of ashes appear to be resistant to the disease and hopes of survival of the species will be concentrated on cultivation from this stock.
GARDE NING
Revealing a garden’s secrets Meet our new gardening columnist Bosworth Garden Centre
W
E ARE NEW to ctive maga ine but have been around a while and know a thing or two about gardening. ur garden centre at urton atimer started back in 5 growing over the years to the centre you see today. n 0 lton was added as a second site. e have our own nursery at urton atimer growing over a million plants annually that you can buy in our centres. he beautiful setting at lton is also home to he ecret arden.’ he ecret arden is a community garden, worked on by volunteers. fter lying dormant for 50 years the previous management of the garden centre started to revive the garden. ow under our management we are keeping he ecret arden alive. t is staffed by volunteers with the aim of helping those suffering from health issues and getting them out in nature to re-connect. t has been scientifically proven that working in a garden is particularly good at helping certain conditions as well as the social aspect of meeting new people. he garden provides fruit and vegetables that are used by the ulberry af onsite. ome of the food waste will also go back to the garden for composting. ustainability and doing our bit for the
planet has never been so important. You can read on our website what we are doing to lessen our impact on the environment. You can also find tips on how you can help in your own garden. Planting trees improves air uality and helps climate change by absorbing greenhouse gases. You could also plant owers that provide nectar and will attract bees and butter ies; lavender is a favourite of bees. ot only is this good for bees but it also looks good in borders or containers with the added bonus of its calming scent. buddleia is also a great addition to the garden. his plant is known as the utter y ush, for obvious reasons as it attracts them. t will also add colour to the garden, owering from early summer to the autumn. t is fairly fast growing too but make sure you have the space as it will easily grow to foot or more. f you would like to learn more about the plants and owers you can grow to help nature, why not drop in and see us at one of our centres. Bosworths Garden Centre – www.bosworthsgc.co.uk Tel: 01832 343104 or 01536 722635 email: info@bosworthsgc.co.uk
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Sourdough to go Making sourdough bread kept many people going through numerous lockdowns. Mary Bremner meets the family who owns Bisbrooke Artisans and were way ahead of everyone else
I
FIRST CAME across sourdough bread when I was in Australia seven years ago. I’d never heard of it before and loved it. But didn’t see much of it on my return to the UK and it took a few more years before it found its way to the dizzy metropolis that is Stamford and Rutland. Once it could be found in our area someone who caught my attention, particularly on Instagram, was Bisbrooke Artisans and I eventually tracked down where I could buy their bread; that was it, I had to meet them and find out more about their business. Sourdough is fermented using a probiotic (ie a bacteria) that is good for your gut. And because it is literally only made from our and water it is good for those with blood sugar management problems. Sourdough uses a starter that is a wild yeast; it is time that allows the bread to rise and can take up to 30 hours to make. Genuine sourdough breads are long fermented allowing the dough to rest which allows the gluten to convert into digestible sugars and lets the bread rise naturally. This makes the bread easy to digest so can allow people with a gluten ‘intolerance’ to eat it, but obviously not if you are a coeliac.
18
Bisbrooke Artisans started out, as many do, as a hobby. American Lance Butcher had a good job in IT in London but did not enjoy it. He lived in London during the week then returned to Bisbrooke to join wife Ami in their pretty cottage. He had come across sourdough pizzas many years ago in London, made by Italian Franco Manca, which he loved so decided to try and make his own bread at home. And as Ami says ‘he became hooked.’ It is very time consuming as it needs turning every 30 minutes, but when you are only making one loaf it’s easily done. One loaf became two and he gave the second loaf away to neighbours. Word quickly spread and Lance began making loaves for many neighbours, so his weekends were getting busy.
Eventually one neighbour asked to buy a loaf and very soon he was making 10 to sell, and it escalated from there. Within a year, after lots of experimentation and now with two large professional ovens in their kitchen Lance decided it was time to leave the job he hated and set up on his own. Ami wasn’t too sure, ‘it was a huge risk,’ but she gave up her teaching job to do the marketing and in 2018 Bisbrooke Artisans was born. ‘Lance named it after Bisbrooke as he wanted to thank the village for welcoming him and wanted to make sure it had a place on the map.’ Ami, originally from Bangladesh is quite a live-wire and definitely a very successful marketeer. The business grew very quickly as the combination of Lance’s baking skills and
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Active life
“Lance named it after Bisbrooke as he wanted to thank the village for welcoming him and wanted to make sure it had a place on the map.”
Ami’s marketing ones quickly put them on the map. Within three years Lance was producing 50 loaves a day and all from mi’s tiny kitchen. The sourdough was being supplied to local restaurants and cafés as well as some shops. hey were finalists for two years in a row in the Great Food Awards and were the top google search for artisan bakers in the Midlands which made the BBC get in touch to use them when filming scape to the ountry. nd then ovid hit . ‘We didn’t know if we still had a business as virtually all our suppliers had shut,’ says mi. ut then the sourdough cra e took off and demand was so high. We started baking again and people came to the garden to buy the loaves. nd we kept supplying local shops and businesses that were starting up takeaway businesses. At the same time my daughter Georgia joined us with Lance teaching her how to make the sourdough then her partner Hass, who is a chef, joined as well.’
They really had outgrown the small kitchen so using crowdfunding raised money to build a bakery in the garden which opened in July last year. Hass brought his own skills so started making hummus and coleslaw and he and Georgia began @wolf_and_bear_ cooks which offers private dining and bespoke menus. Lance and Georgia had started to turn their attention to pizzas, again with demand for them going through the roof, so much so they had to cut back on bread baking to keep up with pizza demand. Sadly earlier this year Lance had to return to America to look after his mother so it was left to Georgia and Hass to carry on. It meant they were a baker down but Georgia has stepped up to the plate and taken on the lion’s share of the baking using her artistic skills as well as culinary ones. Hass has started producing more and more hummus, coleslaw and dressings and has taken over the pi a production offering e otic and delicious toppings which change every week. As well as making bread and pizzas demand for workshops has risen so they are going to be running them as soon as restrictions allow. he business has now evolved with bread and hummus being supplied to many shops including Stamford’s All Good Market, Budgens in Uppingham, the Edith Weston coffee cabin, the co illage in arket Harborough, Fine Foods in Uppingham and of course direct from the bakery itself as well as other shops. Pi as are available every week to be picked up from the bakery at Bisbrooke or you can buy kits, including the base, in some of the shops such as All Good Market. Those in the know (and they are rising every day are part of a hats pp group. Hass puts his pizza menu up on Monday and you can order to pick up on Friday. Prices start at £9 for a standard margherita, and do try some of his more e otic toppings, they sound delicious. Pi as are not the only thing on the menu, Hass and eorgia are adapting their private dining menus to be added to the weekly WhatsApp and picked up from the bakery as well. You can also buy his coleslaw, a vegan version, aioli, ditto a vegan version and all those variations of hummus and sourdough crackers too with lots more to come by the sounds of it. am definitely going to get myself added to that WhatsApp group. www.bisbrookeartisans.co.uk @bisbrooke_artisans @wolf_and_bear_cooks
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Active life
Barre all Having heard about the benefits of barre classes, Kate Maxim headed to Barre Red in Greetham to find out for herself
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OUISE SHEEHAN HAS been very busy during lockdown. he owner of arre ed, the fitness studio at reetham alley olf lub outside akham, she’s used this downtime’ to e tend her space into the former gym ne t door, and added e tra classes to the timetable. he’s also become very keen on helping her customers improve their sense of wellbeing so she’s now introduced a range of holistic treatments to the repertoire. h, and in the process she had a second child. uckily she’s a bundle of energy so has coped admirably with the e tra workload. hat energy, no doubt, comes from all the time she spends at the barre. Barre work, using a handrail and incorporating different moves used in ballet, is renowned for being a low impact workout which is very kind to the joints. But it can also be high intensity. I know this, because I spent half an hour with Louise and came away rather sweaty and out of breath. he movements are uite small - you stay in your space - but they’re intense and repeated a lot , and boy, do you feel the burn after ust a few minutes. o-one likes the words and pulse’ but that comes into it a lot too. till, if it means you end up with ouise’s sculpted figure then it’s all worth it. he reckons that if you take one, or better still, two classes a week the muscles in your bottom, legs and arms will tone uite rapidly and it’s great for the core muscles too. he’s very careful to ensure you’re doing the e ercises correctly and corrects your posture if you’re out of position. he classes can be ad usted to each individual’s ability you only stretch as far as you find comfortable but increasing e ibility is one of the main benefits. mproving your posture is another. t’s a great weapon in the arsenal as you get older and ouise has many clients over fifty who en oy the workout. ouise and her teachers offer classes that incorporate Pilates, dance and yoga moves in the one workout; there’s a barre sculpt and stretch class; a Hii barre class for a full cardio session; bootybarre; itsteps and roadway blit dance classes, and a range of Pilates and yoga classes. o everyone should find something to suit. here’s individual and group personal training on offer too.
And relax
nce you’ve finished your workout you can do as did and head to the una etreat treatment room for a re e ology session with resident therapist Estelle. It was heaven. Being a novice, all that pointing and e ing had given me uite tender feet. ven though do regular e ercise classes found muscles didn’t know had, so having the muscles soothed and balanced was wonderful. stelle offers foot, facial and hot stones re e ology. ouise and achel offer wedish and aromatherapy massage, and crystal healing. nyone can go, you don’t need a barre class beforehand as an excuse! ’m sure it’s a far cry from dancing and doing musical theatre all around the world which was her previous life, but over the years ouise has managed to create a vibrant studio with fun classes to suit all abilities. ow, the refurbishment has given her even more scope to add to the menu. would definitely have another go at a barre class; want legs like hers! ne hour classes cost and it’s for 35 minutes. Parking at the golf club is free, changing rooms are available. For full details and to book online visit www.barrered.co.uk
“The movements are quite small - you stay in your space - but they’re intense and repeated (a lot), and boy, do you feel the burn after just a few minutes.” June 2021 / theactivemag.com
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SUPER food Kate Maxim meets Dr Britt Cordi to discover the benefits of wheatgrass juice
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RITT’S SUPERFOODS IS a family business close to the borders of Northamptonshire, Leicestershire and Rutland and has nutrient health at its heart. The company began as Live Wheatgrass Ltd, but rebranded a few years ago as they expanded their range to include other superfood juices including ginger and turmeric, beetroot, kale, berries and barley grass. Superfoods are natural foods that are extraordinarily rich in nutrients and have certain health benefits. ifferent superfoods have different properties depending on the nutrient content and wheatgrass is considered the number one as it contains such a high level of chlorophyll, which is the green pigment in plants that aids photosynthesis. Chlorophyll is one of the oldest natural molecules on the planet: if there were no plants there would be no atmosphere and, therefore, no life. t’s higher in ritt’s natural field grown wheatgrass than in tray grown wheatgrass which is liquid fed or hydroponically grown with little or no soil. This means that the wheatgrass plants grow faster but contain less chlorophyll, and are extremely sweet as the natural sugars don’t have time to convert into other nutrients. Also if you grow it inside it produces mould. Britt’s Superfoods are grown outside by organic farmers across the UK in the wind and the cold as wheat is a temporal plant and doesn’t thrive in hot conditions. r ritt ordi, originally from enmark, discovered wheatgrass when she was at university and it was love at first sight, particularly the colour, wow, that green ’ she says. he went on to do a Ph in molecular biology and nature conservation at the Plymouth Environmental Research Centre. She learnt about managing the different molecules so the nutrients don’t break down. n ymes are very sensitive molecules and are the first to break down,’ ritt says.
e need to get en ymes from our food because we can’t produce them ourselves. Your body is like a miraculous factory with millions of chemical reactions every second, every minute, every day in your liver, heart, brain, eyes, everywhere. One thing common to them all is en ymes which are like a switch on the wall, they start the reactions. So for example to break down protein, which is a very long molecule, we need the en yme protease which will cut that protein chain into amino acids which are so small they can be circulated in the blood stream. If you don’t have adequate vitamins and nutrients you won’t have a body that is functioning.’ here are different vitamins, minerals and amino acids in each of the uices. You can take as many as you want,’ says ritt. s a family
22 June 2021 / theactivemag.com
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Active life we mi them in a nutri-bullet; the simplest way is with good uality apple uice and it’s fine on its own if you bite into a slice of orange afterwards – the wheatgrass tastes like green tea. People who are cutting down on sugars could take it with a bit of water and lemon juice, or with coconut water. Mine this morning consisted of juiced apples, a slice of pineapple, half a banana, a kiwi and four shots of wheatgrass.’ The company ethos is simplicity and authenticity and the juices have to sell themselves so they promise a 110% health guarantee. If you don’t feel the benefits of the recommended dose through the month then you get your money back plus 10%. They are raw, vegan certified and organic. ritt recommends starting with the wheatgrass uice, while the rainbow bag, which is a mi of different uices, gives people a chance to try them all out. he uices must arrive fro en if they’re delayed, the company ships free of charge because the en yme activity reduces within the hour of juicing or heating food. You can take as many as you like as it’s a natural product. Rarely would a doctor tell you not to eat green vegetables. The recommended dose is between 1-2 for a healthy female who wants to optimise health; for over 50 year-olds they recommend 2-3 per day, and men two per day. For people with digestive issues it’s between 2-3 a day and for cancer it’s 4-6, minimum of three. Many people are aware they’ve not been eating enough greens or their children don’t like them so this is one easy way to increase their nutrients and vitamins. Wheatgrass is also high in vitamin E which
“The company ethos is simplicity and authenticity and the juices have to sell themselves so they promise a 110% health guarantee.” helps to boost the immune system, boost energy levels and benefit your skin. Britt was keen to recommend a website that explains what wheatgrass can do for health conditions like cholesterol, cancer, stomach ulcers and blood diseases (see below). Britt’s two passions are taking care of the environment – she previously worked for Cambridgeshire’s biodiversity partnership and co-ordinated 12 nature conservation organisations including the Wildlife Trust and the RSPB. The second is health and how to empower people to take care of themselves. ‘There are three reasons we become ill, apart from hereditary illnesses which account for only 30%. Seventy percent of illnesses are due to lifestyle, so that’s very empowering as 70% of your health is in your hands. A major contributing factor to being ill is nutrient deficiency vitamins, minerals, en ymes and amino acids. he second reason is oxidative stress – your immune system has to be optimal to provide a defensive wall against illness. And it’s based on what we eat. ur -cells which kill off disease need vitamin , for example, so if you don’t have enough they can’t repair and protect you. ‘You also need to make sure the foods you eat aren’t too acidic, things like coffee, breads, alcohol and processed foods, as your body can’t handle an acidic environment. It will compensate by taking nutrients that should be used elsewhere to make it more alkaline. Certain foods are naturally alkaline like wheatgrass, green vegetables, cucumber and even lemon juice which changes from acidic to alkaline once it hits the cells.’ Britt lives a healthy lifestyle anyway but at least 2-3 times a year she goes on a seven day juicing diet. ‘You start a few days beforehand cutting unhealthy things out and after the seven days you gradually reintroduce foods. You feel ama ing as it’s a way of resetting the body, it’s like an internal shower. There’s a lot of gunk in our bodies that builds up in our intestinal tract, whether that’s heavy metals, pollution or residues, so by cleansing the organs that work every second from the moment you’re born without a pause, this gives them time to recover. Juices don’t need a lot of digestive power as the amino acids are already there in them so they’re readily absorbable and so you feel their benefits really uickly. can feel it within an hour. guarantee that within the month the nutrients in our juices will start to refresh and nurture you.’ www.brittsuperfoods.co.uk www.wheatgrassevidence.org
June 2021 / theactivemag.com 23
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To speak to us about your situation or to arrange an appointment email info@hegarty.co.uk. See more at www.hegarty.co.uk. Peterborough (01733) 346 333 | Stamford (01780) 752 066 | Oakham (01572) 757 565
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Active life
Book Reviews Two local ladies have been busy writing during the last year and have recently published books
The Ultimate Trail Running Handbook by Claire Maxted FORMER MAGAZINE EDITOR and keen trail runner Claire has written a book that is all things trail running. It’s aimed at everyone from the complete beginner to the seasoned off road runner. he book offers plenty of advice about how to avoid in ury, nutrition, the correct gear and how to keep motivated as well as advice for those aiming for the ultimate trail run of 30 miles. It also helps you plan routes and find the best trails. ‘If you’re a trail runner, or would like to become one, this is your new best friend.’ Published by Bloomsbury Sport £16.99 it can be found in most bookshops including Walker’s in Stamford and Oakham or on Amazon.
The Warriors Way by Samantha Griffin THE HEAD COACH at Charnwood Rutland Netball Club who also coaches for Loughborough Lightnings and England has been busy writing a book during lockdowns; well there was no netball so she had to do something! She has written an interesting and informative netball book full of session plans and has passed on her considerable knowledge and experience gained coaching across a wide range of age groups and abilities. Sam has coached from the complete novice right up to the elite athlete playing for top teams. Teacher Sam hopes the book will support teachers and coaches, giving them new ideas and the confidence to coach netball even if it is not their area of expertise. The book has been reviewed by Australian Netball legend Sue Gaudion: 'This resource is huge sessions, drills already written, broad range of topics and drills galore. Coaches looking for inspiration I highly recommend.' The Warriors Way is available across all leading book stores and on Amazon and Authorhouse.com
June 2021 / theactivemag.com 25
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THE SECRET AGENT Off market property selling is becoming a bit of a niche in Stamford. Mary Bremner meets the team at King West who are quite the experts at under the covers selling
26 June 2021 / theactivemag.com
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Active life
M Stamford images: @theoldbuilding
OST OF US are pretty nosey when it comes to our neighbours’ and friends’ houses so if they come on the market the first thing we do is pop on to rightmove to have a look at the photos and find out the price. nd in my case, it’s not just the houses nearby, I openly admit to being a bit of a property addict and will happily spend time looking at properties wherever I am, keeping an eye on what is coming on the market. call it property porn and ountry ife maga ine is a bit of a favourite to get your aspirational fi . nd ’m not the only one. ightmove attracts significant site tra c for viewings on o ing ay; it would appear we are a country of dreamers and voyeurs! o if a well known e clusive property comes up for sale in tamford it won’t ust be the neighbours who are popping on to rightmove; half the town will be. state agents are well aware of this; owners too. nd some owners are particularly keen to protect their privacy. o much so that they will sell their property off market, occasionally for a premium. ne agency who is doing a lot of this off market selling is ing est. om ilson and ois impson in the tamford o ce are very e perienced in this way of selling and told me that between 5 and 30 of their sales are handled this way. ff market selling is a growing trend in highly desirable places such as tamford.’ endors need to know we will market discreetly and trust us,’ says om. e know our buyers well and will get the right people through the door who are financially viable and who we know are definitely on the look out for the sort of property we are discreetly listing. t works for both buyer and vendor.’ o why would you sell off market here are a myriad of reasons that could vary from the personal; individuals seeking privacy, high value contents in the house which the vendor does not want photographed, to an individual who would rather remain under the radar. ut more often it’s not the vendor’s privacy being protected it’s the property that’s being sold that is the pull. ff market sales are often carried out on uni ue and unusual houses; one offs you could say. nd in tamford there are uite a few of these and ing est have uietly sold a number of them; and annoyingly are so discreet they won’t tell me which they are!
‘Off market selling is a growing trend in highly desirable places such as Stamford.’ f a house is uni ue, be it a town house in tamford or a village manor house, even a remote cottage, or desirable plots of land it’s often quite hard to establish the true value as properties like this so rarely come to the market,’ says ois. y marketing it discreetly we uickly find out interest.’ ff market sales can occur without formal sales particulars. om and ois simply broker the sale so it’s up to them to persuade a potential buyer it’s the house for them. hey ring their potential buyers and describe the property but are very discreet and do not necessarily reveal which property it is until they know the buyer is truly interested. e don’t get buyers through the door ust to look at the property; we know they are really interested and a serious potential purchaser,’ says om. King West are a bit of a specialist in this niche way of marketing properties. nd as such know their buyers e tremely well. hey trust them to be discreet; and virtually all of them are as they know if they keep uiet about a sale they have more chance of securing it. t’s not unusual for there to be a chain of two, three or even four houses all being sold off market. he chain often starts with a vendor saying you can sell my house if you can find me my ne t one.’ ing est have a good reputation for discretion and are known for this rather than being a volume broker; and buyers and vendors like this. It would appear that by far the most important thing, from a buyer’s point of view, to be successful and get the house you want is that if you are after a particular type of unique property you need to be registered with an estate agent who sells property this way. relationship of mutual trust is developed and then you will be the first, or one of the first they ring when they know the house for you is coming to the market. t can be the best way of securing the property of your dreams. emember discretion is uite often the key. www.kingwest.co.uk
June 2021 / theactivemag.com
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THE FUTURE OF DESIGN Spaces by Design recently opened in Stamford and then, due to lockdowns, had to close. But all is not lost because you can see your new kitchen or bathroom using virtual reality
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OU MIGHT HAVE noticed that the Orchard kitchen showroom in Scotgate has taken on a new life and is now called Spaces by Design. Owned by Marie and Andrew Pope they took over the business, revamped the showroom and opened in December 2020. Sadly they were only open a couple of weeks before the next lockdown caused them to shut their doors again. But I was able to pop in and see them, and many new clients had been able to as well. And luckily despite the showroom having to be shut until recently the business was still open and working with clients. Andrew and Marie have a long history in design; Marie in interiors and Andrew in industrial and transport design. They worked together at Fairline boats for many years so are experts at dealing with awkward areas, using spaces well and keeping the design owing. They bring a unique perspective to interior and exterior design
offering that little bit more when it comes to ideas. hey can look at space and work with a fresh perspective and bring great passion to the whole business. And this is what their clients are realising and enjoying. Kitchens, bedrooms and bathrooms all get the special Spaces by Design treatment. ‘We talk to the client about how they use their rooms,’ says Andrew. ‘Do they live and socialise in their kitchen as well as cook in it? Prepping, cooking and cleaning are all considered; even if the client is left or right handed, as it can make a difference.’ Andrew and Marie are establishing Spaces by Design and their studio as a centre for home design. hey pride themselves on offering more affordable, great uality kitchens, bedrooms and bathrooms. hey feature ritish-built furniture from Huddersfield and support British brands as much as they can. All of their kitchens have environmental and sustainable credentials with one range in the showroom having all its doors made from 100% recycled wood.
28 June 2021 / theactivemag.com
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Active life
“Spaces by Design is known for something quite unique in the town, and I was lucky enough to try it out; 4D design. Andrew is able to offer a virtual reality experience to customers.”
‘We like to think that we feature kitchens with a conscience,’ says Andrew. ‘And can advise clients how to sell on their old kitchens or rehome them.’ But Spaces by Design isn’t just kitchens (however nice they are). They also work on bathrooms and their knowledge of designing in both large and small spaces for yachts can be useful here. The showroom has three different styles of bathroom ranging from the traditional to the modern. Consideration is given to colour schemes, solution for storage and materials used. Spaces by Design is known for something quite unique in the town, and I was lucky enough to try it out; 4D design. Andrew is able to offer a virtual reality e perience to customers. his means he can create your room virtually so you can literally walk around it (virtually) to make sure that the design suits you. You can open and shut drawers, peer around corners, check the dog’s bed is in the right place and take something out of the oven and turn round with it to make sure you can easily put it down. You can even open and shut the dishwasher; all of this from wearing a headset and goggles. ‘A new kitchen is a major purchase,’ says Andrew, ‘so you need to know you’ve got the design right. Many people struggle with a 2D plan, 3D is easier but 4D is as close to reality as you can get.’ And he’s right, I really did feel as though I was in the room; so much so that I was putting my hands out in front of me to touch things! By using 4D design Andrew and Marie are currently able to design remotely for a client in reece and are also able to offer imaging for people who are planning e tensions. t really is uite a phenomenal way of working on design and definitely something that will become more popular once more people realise it e ists as it could help avoid some costly mistakes. To find out more go to www.spacesbydesign.co.uk
June 2021 / theactivemag.com 29
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BROWSE NEW SEASON PILGRIM IN STORE NOW 32 St Mary’s St. Stamford PE9 2DS
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The one certain thing in life The inevitability of life is death, so we need to plan for it. Mary Bremner talks to Andrea Beesley-Hewitt from Hegarty Solicitors about why we should all write a will
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OBODY LIKES TO think of their own death. any of us put our head in the sand and pretend it will never happen; others assume they are immortal. But we are not. There is one given in life and that is one day it will end and we will die. And unfortunately none of us or very few know e actly when this will happen. We could be run over by a bus tomorrow or live to be one hundred. hat is the thing about life, it’s a risk and we cannot foresee what will happen. But one thing we can do is plan for the inevitable. We know we will die so we need to leave instructions behind as to our wishes when we do. Who do we want assets and property to go to? This is where a will comes in. It is a legal document, completed whilst we are living, giving instructions as to who gets what. nd it’s not ust something to think about in old age; it needs to be made by anyone
who has any kind of asset and is absolutely vital if you have children. You need to name a guardian, when do you want your child to inherit; that sort of thing. It is one of the most important things you can do for your child. A will makes it clear to your nearest and dearest who you would like to receive your assets. It makes it less complicated at what is a di cult time and makes it easy for the e ecutors to sort out your financial affairs. nd it’s not ust financial assets that matter. any sentimental ob ects are worth much more to family members than money so need to be considered. The most simple will is a mirror one. A married couple leave everything to each other and then when the other one dies it goes to their children. In a perfect world this is what we would all be doing. ut lives aren’t perfect, nor are they all the same.
June 2021 / theactivemag.com
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Mob: 07738 272474 Website: www.stamfordyoga.co.uk Email: info@stamfordyoga.co.uk
MANAGE YOUR LIFE Andrea Beesley-Hewitt from Hegarty Solicitors
We can make our own will without legal advice but unless your life is very uncomplicated and stays that way it’s probably not wise. And who knows what the future will bring? This is where people like Andrea are needed. She has been advising private clients regarding wills and probate matters since 2007 and is now a partner in Hegarty Solicitors and runs the tamford o ce. he can offer advice about wills and probate including inheritance tax, legalities, executors, etc and will make sure that a legally drawn up will follows your instructions and wishes on your death. She helps give peace of mind. Many people believe that if they die their assets will automatically go to their partner or their children. But this is not necessarily the case and can prove very complicated. If you die intestate (no will) there are set rules that automatically come into place with the first £270,000 going to the surviving spouse together with all personal possessions and then the rest split 50:50 between spouse and children. This could mean that your spouse ends up losing their home or business. When writing a will you need to appoint executors. These need to be people you trust. They can be a family member or independent such as a solicitor or accountant. It’s a big job for somebody as they will take the will to probate which is the carrying out of the instructions you have left. This involves sorting out inheritance tax (if any), closing bank accounts, pulling all assets together and then distributing them. If the estate is a large or complicated one it can involve months of work so it does need someone who is capable of doing all this.
When writing a will you need to appoint executors. These need to be people you trust. They can be a family member or independent such as a solicitor or accountant.
Lives change so it is important that you keep your will up to date and review it every few years. Divorces and separations happen, more children arrive, deaths and family fall outs occur. All these things need re ecting in your will as circumstances change. econd marriages are particularly important to cater for as they can cause complications. omeone like ndrea is always available to offer advice and asking a solicitor to help write your will is not particularly expensive and is probably money well spent. As I said the inevitability of life is death. And the best thing we can do is to plan for it so that we know our wishes are being carried out and those left behind are able to do that for us in the least stressful manner. Prices start at £250 + VAT www.hegarty.co.uk/wills
June 2021 / theactivemag.com 33
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A FANTASTIC OUTDOOR DRINKS & DINING EXPERIENCE AWAITS For a fabulous al fresco dining experience, try our new outdoor “Barn” Bar & Grill serving a ‘Chop House’ style menu for the garden and barn terrace, featuring Argentinian wood fired cooking, including selected prime cuts, sharing platers and daily specials, and for the kids young and old an ice cream bar! Or our front terrace and indoor restaurant (restrictions permitting) featuring a sensational à la carte menu and on Sundays our famous Sunday Roasts. The new outside bar serving real cask ales, lagers and cider all on draught, superb wines and an exciting array of gins and spirits. Visit our Website or facebook page to see our exciting live music events scheduled during 2021
The Exeter Arms Barrowden Posibly the best outside pub garden and terraces with views in the county.
The Exeter Arms, Barrowden, 28 Main St, Barrowden, Oakham LE15 8EQ www.exeterarmsbarrowden.co.uk info@exeterarmsbarrowden.co.uk
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We should all be aware of the state of our tyres, tyre pressures, lights, coolant (antifreeze and water mix), screen wash and oil levels.
Safety first It’s vital that our vehicles are in good working order. Kate Maxim finds out what we need to do to stay safe on the roads
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YLES JACKSON, OWNER of Foremark Garage in Oakham, was in the police force for many years but then got the opportunity to go into business with Mike, the previous owner. Myles grew up with mechanics; his grandfather had a garage in Syston and Myles spent a lot of time in the workshop with him. They were both avid motorcycle racers too, but since crashing on a track a few years ago Myles has stopped riding. He’s always repaired his own vehicles and there’s not much he doesn’t know about keeping vehicles road worthy, legal and safe to drive. ‘Once you’ve got a driving licence and you’re deemed fit to drive a car,’ says yles, ‘the upkeep, maintenance and safety of the vehicle is your responsibility. It’s a good idea to pick up the Highway Code once in a while and read it to remind yourself, as things have changed over the years. It lists the items you should check every day, weekly or monthly. For example, you should fill up the coolant every day. f your visibility is poor, it’s an offence. he problem is, that everyone reads the Highway Code to pass their test and then never reads it again.’
We should all be aware of the state of our tyres, tyre pressures, lights, coolant (antifreeze and water mix), screen wash and oil levels. Wheel nuts should have been torqued up to the right settings during a service so they’re not di cult to get off if you have a puncture. ‘You can check your own oil,’ says Myles. ‘Most cars still have dipsticks but for more modern ones look at your handbook, it will tell you which buttons to press on the steering wheel to get a reading. You can check all your lights yourself too. To check your brake lights back up to a wall and look for a re ection. You need to keep your lights and mirrors clean so you can see and be seen which is very important in bad weather.’ he brakes are di cult to see so they’re down to the professionals. When you take your car for an MOT or a service they will
be able to advise you if your brake pads are worn. And this highlights the importance of a regular service with your local garage. Once a car is three years old it is compulsory to have an MOT every year. Many vehicles should be serviced every 12 months too but there are a lot of cars now that have extended servicing times because oils and components have improved. In some cases the car will decide when it needs servicing. It is, therefore, very important with extended servicing terms, to keep an eye on how your car is running because ‘if you ignore the need for a service,’ says Myles, ‘you’re asking for trouble, particularly with diesels because you’ll block the diesel filters up and they can be a fortune to fi .’ n certificate demonstrates that a vehicle meets the minimum requirements for it to be on the road at that specific time, so if the tyres have got 1.6mm of tread on they will scrape through (anything less and you can be fined ,000 per tyre . People often then think it will be alright for the year but a good garage will always advise their customer if tyres are close to the legal limit or the break pads are wearing thin. Practically every single car has diagnostics now so Myles and his team spend much of their time doing diagnostic repairs. ‘Even when you change a part nowadays, the part that you fit won’t let you switch it on until you’ve coded it to the vehicle,’ says Myles. He sends his team on regular courses and they have to be ualified to work on electric vehicles and hybrids to avoid being electrocuted. Keeping your car in good running order helps save money. If you have a good service record the resale value of your car will increase and they are more e cient fuel wise. The age of the car and mileage require different procedures as they get older and, with access to all the manufacturers’ service schedules, a garage can service anything from a errari to a ia without it affecting their warranty. oremark arage offers a loyalty card for . 5 including 0 off any repair bills and a free MOT every year providing they service the car every year for the lifetime of the vehicle. Fixed price services range from . 5 to . 5. www.foremarkgarage.com
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W I L L’ S W A L K
The Rutland Round Last May with the nation in the grip of the first lockdown and a heatwave, Will Hetherington took the opportunity to circumnavigate England’s smallest county, on foot of course. Along the way a stream of idyllic villages and tales of 19th century bare-knuckle boxers and peasant poets made it worth the weary legs.
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Will’s Walks
I
T’S A WELL known and oft-repeated fact that Rutland is the smallest county in ngland. herefore walking around the boundary is not necessarily that daunting. At its widest east to west it’s 18 miles across and a mere 17 miles from north to south. And with 147 square miles of largely bucolic rolling hills it is fractionally smaller than the Isle of Wight (when the tide is out). In the year 2000 the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) and Rutland County Council teamed up to fund the way-marking of a walking route around the perimeter of this beautiful little piece of England. At that point ohn illiams was the ights of ay cer and he wrote an e tremely thorough guide to the route. I purchased my copy of this guide back in the autumn of 2019 when I was looking to organise a multi-day walk for a group of like-minded walkers and pub enthusiasts. But we then chose to venture further afield to the Yorkshire ales. But once an idea has been sown it can be rather hard to shake off, and the utland ound idea was niggling away at me. herefore when our Prime inister instructed us all to get out and e ercise as much as possible on ay 0 last year this little adventure suddenly seemed like a very sensible option. ohn illiams’ guide suggests doing it in five days but I’m afraid I’m an impatient walker and having undertaken a lot of long walks in the last few years, figured three days was manageable. We were now also permitted to meet one other person from another household for outdoor e ercise so found a willing volunteer, and with a wonderful weather forecast for May 19-21 there wasn’t much else to discuss. It’s not like we have had many other options recently and this seemed like the closest I was going to get to a holiday this year.
DAY ON E GREAT CASTE RTON TO OAKHAM 23.5 M ILES I live in Stamford which is of course in Lincolnshire and the closest the route gets to the town is the Stamford Veterinary Centre in Great Casterton, so that was the obvious starting point. How do you choose which way round to walk a circular route ccasionally there are factors which affect the decision; the view of a particular castle or bridge is better from one direction, or one way gets you to the right pub at lunchtime. ormally though it’s ust gut instinct so went with anti-clockwise. I had walked most of the paths in utland before so thought the first 0 miles this way round might be the least interesting terrain-wise so why not get that out of the way first I drove to Great Casterton, met my walking companion and we set off at .30am on the uesday morning. t’s uphill from the Primary School on Pickworth Road (the most easterly point of utland ound for the first mile and a half before a left turn at ounts odge takes you off the road. ithin 300 metres there is a turn to the remote north and we started to gain a little height on an ancient drover’s track passing the site of oodhead astle and then aylor’s arm to the east. Keep heading north and after a few more undulations peaceful little Pickworth comes into view with its small collection of rather grand houses. here’s a handy bench in front of the church and you can learn from the useful information board about John Clare, the peasant poet who lived here in his early days. Pickworth might be the very definition of tran uillity today but when the battle of Losecoat Field was raging nearby on
March 12, 1470 in the Wars of the Roses it clearly was not. Head west out of Pickworth on the road and then follow the Rutland Round signs on to the farm track which bears round to the north through the very edge of Pickworth Great Wood. From here it’s a short walk via the quarry and then into Clipsham, home to the famous Olive Branch and our first depressing sight of a closed pub. here is then a tedious section along the main road to Stretton. You can at least get off the road halfway along and walk behind the hedge ad acent to the oodland rust ature eserve at George Henry wood. We barely noticed Stretton as we passed through although we reminisced about the Jackson Stops Inn and how it came to be named after the estate agents because it was on the market for so long. After Stretton it’s underneath the A1 and pick up the Rutland Round signpost off the northbound slipway to the . t’s about si miles to here and, apart from the historical interest at Pickworth, there’s not much else of note on this stretch.
Bare-knuckle boxing and eerie runways
From this point by the A1 until north of Market Overton we were on new ground for me, and it seems few others walk this way either. ne or two of the stiles are non-e istent and at the end of May it was clear that nobody else had been through recently from the abundant and undisturbed stinging nettles surrounding some of the gateways. After a few big fields, one short section on the road and then another road crossing, the route goes through Hooby Lodge, an idyllic Enid Blyton sort of farmstead with horses and geese appearing to be the primary residents. etween here and the little village of histleton the most remarkable feature is the northern end of the runway at what was RAF Cottesmore and is now Kendrew Barracks. here’s something really uite bleak about this spot, but suppose the site of a large runway indicates it’s probably a at, featureless bit of land. actually lived on the base for a couple of years in the late 1980s when my father was a navigator in the ri-national ornado raining Establishment. And it later became the home to the Harrier. So in some ways this was a trip down memory lane but, with no ets ying from here these days, it all seems a bit eerie. t histleton the church wall provided the best opportunity for a rest and elevenses as the sun was starting to do its work. We had covered 10 miles in three hours so sustenance was definitely re uired. he church was undergoing renovations and a brief chat with a longstanding local resident confirmed they rather surprisingly miss the Heading towards Pickworth
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The memorial stone in the ‘Thankful Village’ of Teigh
noise of the jets in the village, although the constant rumble of quarry lorries ensures that peace does not prevail entirely in the absence of the RAF. From Thistleton to Teigh it’s four and a half miles and the first three are almost entirely unremarkable, apart from one astonishing piece of history. Nearly a mile north west of the village is Thistleton Gap which is the junction of Rutland, Leicestershire and Lincolnshire. This meant that in the early days of the 19th century it became a venue for prestigious bare-knuckle bo ing bouts. hese were illegal so the pro imity to three different counties made it an attractive spot for an easy getaway should the law appear. But what is really amazing is there is evidence that on September 28, 1811 a crowd of some 15,000 people watched Tom Cribb beat American Thomas olyneu in the orld Heavyweight o ing hampionship. trangely, as walked past the very spot in May 2020 I could envisage the scene. t’s high, at and remote with two distinctive barns marking the spot. could almost hear the crowds baying for blood and perhaps John Clare was one of them – it’s not impossible.
A Thankful Village
From Thistleton Gap it’s another two miles along the northern perimeter of Rutland and past Cribbs Lodge before anything remotely interesting happens. And then, finally, half a mile north of arket verton on the southern edge of oodwell Head the view changes as the ale of Catmose comes into view. After the best part of 13 miles in the bare knuckle bo ing badlands of northeast utland this sweeping vista is a sight for sore eyes. ith the likes of angham and urley on the Hill visible in the distance it’s certainly a grand view. In some ways it’s a shame the utland ound doesn’t pass through arket verton and take in the wonderful lack ull pub. You could make the detour yourself though if you had the time
and the inclination (and it was open). nce we dropped down into the ale it wasn’t far along the clearly marked way to eigh, which is prettier than Pickworth or histleton, ust as uiet and with its own remarkable story. ear the church is the memorial stone marking it as hankful illage.’ ow forgive me if you all know this already, but what this means is that nobody from the village died in the irst orld ar. nd on the stone are the names of all those who served. There are only 53 such villages in all of ngland and ales and it’s ust as poignant as a list of the fallen in other places. It was a timely reminder of how fortunate we were to be strolling this county in peace, even during these strange times.
A worthy detour but no naan bread
he route heads west over the fields out of eigh from near the church and, within a mile, crosses the akham to elton owbray railway line. ith eigh ate House in attendance this really does feel like a walk back into a different era, evoking he ailway hildren and an age of no doubt apocryphal innocence. You can either walk along the tarmac lane or over the fields to hissendine only another mile away, and we chose the latter. It’s glorious approaching the village from this angle as the church is one of the first buildings you reach. here is a convenient little paddock ust before the church with an even more convenient hillock to sit on and eat one’s lunch, safe in the knowledge that the lion’s share of the day’s walking has been done of miles . hissendine is a large, fairly linear settlement and the Rutland Round really only touches the eastern end of it so we didn’t e plore much. ut gather the village shop is famous for its naan breads so maybe we missed out there. he ne t stop is angham two miles south over the fields and then there are two ways to walk from angham to akham; the short, at and easy way along the road on one side of a triangle, or the really steep and di cult way up ill Hill and along two sides of that cursed triangle. You can guess which route the utland ound takes, and after
Take time to enjoy the stunning views across our smallest county
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Will’s Walks
more than 20 miles, in the heat of the afternoon, it wasn’t entirely welcome. However, the view from Manor Lane of Rutland Water to the east made it worthwhile after all. From here head downhill to the main road in Barleythorpe, turn right and it’s less than a mile into Oakham. We arrived at about 3.45pm, so just over eight hours since the start. nd for us that meant the end of the first day and welcome refreshment followed by the short train ride on the 16.46 back to Stamford. It’s just a shame I then had to walk up one more hill to my house, but I was home by 5.30pm having walked the best part of 24 miles through nine villages and one market town with 1,353 feet of elevation along the way. It was always going to be the longest day and I was glad we had got through it without any hiccups.
DAY TWO OAKHAM TO LYDDI NGTON 19.5 M ILES If you put this route into Google maps it will tell you it’s about eight miles on the road, but that’s not the point of the Rutland Round is it? Catching the 7.07am train from Stamford to Oakham meant we were striding eastwards through the town centre by 7.25am. Just after the Swooning Bridge on Uppingham Road the path leaves the road and heads out towards Egleton by crossing the bypass. On this beautiful morning in late May Egleton could not have looked better with its collection of old houses and proximity to Rutland Water. The route leaves Egleton on Hambleton Road and crosses the A6003 again before heading uphill towards Brooke Covert East. From this hill there are some exhilarating morning views back towards Hambleton and Oakham
Thistleton
Clipsham
Teigh
Whissendine
Pickworth
THE ROUTE Langham Oakham
Great Casterton
Empingham Braunston -in-Rutland
Egleton Edith Weston
Belton-inRutland
Lyddington
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Duddington
Morcott Uppingham
Ketton
Tixover Barrowden
which almost make the whole three day adventure worth it. Nobody would claim that Rutland has the dramatic landscape of Cornwall, the Lake District or the Yorkshire Dales, but it has a hilly and rural charm of its own. Sometimes it’s hard to resist the cheesy truth behind its Latin motto ‘Multum in parvo’ (much in little) and this was one of those moments. And that was just the beginning. From the hilltop we descended into the Gwash valley and the almost lost paradise that is Brooke village, tucked into one of the county’s most quintessentially English settings. The church is almost ridiculous in its quaintness and with hardly any passing tra c life is uiet here. From Brooke it’s only a mile or so west to Braunston-inRutland, another jewel in the Rutland crown, and the route alongside the Gwash is pure bliss. In better times the Blue Ball pub by the church in Braunston would be a magnet for walkers on the Rutland Round but it wasn’t to be for us on this occasion. Also, it was about 10am.
The heat of the day
From Braunston the Rutland Round heads south past Priors Coppice Nature Reserve down into the wide Chater valley before marching with the Macmillan Way for a while. (Now there’s an idea; that one is 290 miles from Abbotsbury in Dorset to Boston in Lincolnshire.) We stopped on a convenient bridge just past Leigh Lodge in the bottom of the valley for our first refuelling break. This was shaping up to be the warmest day of the year with temperatures reaching 28 degrees, but with hats, sun cream, sunglasses and litres of water we were prepared. After the next long climb and equivalent descent Belton-in-Rutland is approached via a short but steep hill. The church here is the most westerly point on the whole route. y now we had done nine miles and climbed five hills but the beauty of this village was not lost on us. fter elton there is a fiddly stretch up the old before crossing the present incarnation of this major east-west road and then sleepy little Wardley passes in a ash. he warm southerly bree e meant there was no tra c noise and we were able to enjoy the view of what must be one of the smallest churches in the county. Half a mile after this little settlement the path turns back on itself into the woods, but for the sake of a 100-yard detour there’s a lovely stretch of the babbling Eye Brook which is worth a look. At 160 acres Wardley Wood provides the longest piece of woodland walking on the Rutland Round and gave us some very welcome shade for the mile we were under its canopy. When we emerged into sunlight on the north eastern edge we had the long steady climb through some tightly packed contour lines towards Leicester Road which joins Uppingham to the A47. It is then about a mile down Leicester Road into the lovely centre of
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Will’s Walks
The magnificent views of the Welland Valley which lay before us
Wardley Church
we took but can tell you we en oyed some lovely views of uite possibly utland’s finest village as we approached yddington and finished walking ust before 3pm. We had covered 19.5 miles over seven and a half hours, with umpteen hills amounting to 1,624 feet of climbing and it was hot and glorious. was home by .30pm and feeling pretty fresh considering the last two days.
Uppingham where there are amenities aplenty. We only made it to the One Stop shop on High Street West before the desire for a suitable treat became irresistible. Sitting on the school wall with that ice cream was just reward for the 13 hilly and hot miles we had already undertaken.
A wrong turn and a smart decision
But there were still seven miles to go and it was getting hotter and hotter so we didn’t tarry long. ot for the first (or last) time the route is slightly counter-intuitive here. Lyddington is to the south east of Uppingham but we left on Stockerston Road which heads west. Having left the road there are then a series of small fields with attendant stiles and gates to negotiate before arriving at King’s Hill Lodge with stunning views of Beaumont Chase beyond. We took our only wrong turn of the three days here and got more views than the utland ound usually offers. his also meant walking back up the hill but, in my defence, it’s boring if you don’t take a wrong turn every now and again. What you should do is turn left at King’s Hill Lodge and then right shortly afterwards to pick up the undulating path south east. After Stoke Dry Wood there are spectacular views of Eyebrook Reservoir before the path reaches the northern edge of toke ry. his is where the utland ound throws its strangest curve ball. he ne t settlement is yddington, our finishing point for the day. f you take the lovely path down the hill into the Welland alley with the magnificent views it’s one mile away. ut if you take the Rutland Round to the south on the busy A6003 with no footpath for half a kilometre, in near 30 degree heat, then back north over at fields with no nice views then it’s three miles. ’m pleading the fifth on which route
The view from Uppingham
DAY TH RE E LYDDINGTON TO GREAT CASTE RTON 20 M ILES n the final morning we reconvened in lovely yddington for an 8am start and soon left this gorgeous collection of ironstone cottages behind as we headed east towards eaton. he route curves around the northern edge of a large mound called he arrows before taking the straight line uphill on Grange Lane into Seaton. From Seaton the Rutland Round heads north east through one steep valley before crossing the into orcott. t then turns east and back over the A47 towards Barrowden along the rather tedious high-hedged Morcott Road. would suggest it’s more pleasant and interesting to head south out of Seaton to enjoy wonderful views of the 82 arch railway viaduct. Cross the Welland before going under the viaduct and in to Harringworth. From here you can pick up the Jurassic Way and rejoin the Rutland Round in arrowden. he purists may find this problematic, because you do stray into orthamptonshire. t’s your choice but they are both similar distances. have done both and know which one prefer. Either way you will ultimately end up at the duck pond and the picnic benches by the village green in Barrowden. his was the perfect place for us to take our midmorning snack after about seven miles of walking. From the duck pond we headed east to the pretty old stone bridge over the elland ust by akerley. t’s a left turn here on to the road then soon there is a right turn on to a long track which ultimately brings you to i over, passing the isolated village church out to the right along the way. he village used to be nearer the church and it’s not clear why it migrated but it may have had something to do with the plague, which incredibly we can now relate to in 2020.
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Will’s Walks A looming church
After Tixover we headed east alongside the A47 for half a mile before turning back north west from the pretty Welland bridge in Duddington. Or you can cross the A47 at Tixover and walk down the quiet lane to Tixover Grange and avoid the time next to the noisy main road. Either way you will end up at Tixover Grange to take the mile long farm track to Geeston (part of Ketton) to the north. have walked this path many times and it’s fine in isolation, but on a hot day after 10 miles it can be tough. It’s often sheltered from any refreshing breeze and hard underfoot with the heat bouncing off the dusty track. Plus Collyweston church looms to the east, never getting any closer or more distant. Every time you look up it’s just there in a mocking sort of way, as if to say: “Are you still there?” It’s the only church that’s ever bullied me. However, we just plodded on and ultimately reached Geeston where the path goes around the back of some houses before winding its way over the railway and through lovely Aldgate. We then crossed the river Chater and went up Bull Lane to the Ketton village shop where a cold drink and a seat on the bench was tonic for weary legs and dusty throats.
A well placed bench
But it was getting hotter all the time (it was about midday) and we knew it was a long uphill, dusty and stony track through the Ketton quarry next. But we also knew we weren’t too far off the home straight so we had the motivation to get the weary legs moving again. And the quarry was made a bit more interesting by the giant trucks passing under the green metal bridge as we crossed. This section of the Rutland Round certainly provides a stark contrast to some of the more peaceful and ancient stretches, but it’s all part of Rutland. Just north of the quarry there is a footpath junction where the Rutland Round heads west to Edith Weston then along the eastern shore of the reservoir and the dam into Empingham. But Rutland Water was closed to visitors so we carried straight on here to reach the quiet country lane just north of Woodside Farm. From here we took the road into Empingham, stopping at the perfectly positioned bench on Bunker’s Hill to enjoy our last lunch of the walk. After this pit-stop we walked past the church in Empingham then turned right on to Main Street downhill passing a series of idyllic village houses along the way.
Approaching Seaton
Just after the bridge over the North Brook the Rutland ound heads off the road to the right and up through Chapel Spinney. From here it’s two miles along the ridgeline towards Tickencote with lovely views to the south. We turned right at the OK Diner, walked glumly under the A1 and arrived back at the cars at about 3pm, with a sense of sadness at the end of an adventure. Although there was also a palpable sense of achievement. Another seven hours of walking and 20 miles had seen us climb the least amount of feet (just 965) of the three days.
We missed the pubs…
nd speaking of feet, mine were definitely ready for a rest. It’s not ridiculous to walk 65 miles in three days but I would suggest when the pubs are open again that you allow a little more time to get the most out of this walk. It doesn’t take in every village in Rutland but I think it sees some of the best. With the two lovely market towns of Oakham and Uppingham and countless stunning valleys (particularly in the south western areas) it’s an absolute cracker. And you might be surprised just how big England’s smallest county seems when you journey around the edge of it on your own two feet. If only the pubs had been open, but then we might still be out there.
We’ve compiled a selection of Will’s favourite walks around Stamford and Rutland; some short and sweet for busy days, others more meandering and lengthy for when you want to explore what’s on your doorstep. You can either buy it locally or direct from www.theactivemag.com
Lyddington is a strong contender for best village in the county.
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Our OFSTED registered which been running the area for over 25 years, offerCamps, a wide range of over have fun activities to keep yourin child entertained in the Oura OFSTED registered which30 have been running the area for 25 years, offer wide range of over Camps, 30 fun activities toholidays. keep your childin entertained in over the holidays. offer a wide range of over 30 fun activities to keep your child entertained in the Some of the activities that we offer include castles, arts arts andandcrafts, sports, food making, Some of the activities that webouncy offer include bouncy castles, crafts, sports, holidays. foodorienteering, making, crossbows,computer orienteering, computer biking. crossbows, gamesgames and and denquad building. All staff are DBS checked and have the necessary experience and training deliver All staff are DBS checked and have the necessary experience and trainingto to deliver the the wide range of of the we include bouncy arts andexcellent crafts, sports, wide ourselves rangethat of activities we offer. We prideof ourselves oncastles, the qualityand of ourour childcare activities Some we offer. Weactivities pride onoffer the quality our childcare staff ratios. and our excellent staff ratios. games and quad biking. food making, crossbows, orienteering, computer REST ASSURED -WE WILL BE FOLLOWING GOVERNMENT GUIDANCE TO ENABLE US TO DELIVER MAXIMUM FUN IN A SAFE ENVIRONMENT Peterborough We accept paymentStamford by childcare vouchers.
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THE PETERBOROUGH STAMFORD JUNIOR BROOKE PRIORY All staff are DBS checked and have the necessary experience and training to deliver the Peterborough SCHOOL SCHOOLStamford SCHOOL THE PETERBOROUGH STAMFORD JUNIOR SCHOOL wide rangeSCHOOL of activities we offer. WeEaster pride ourselves onSummer the quality Easter Camps Camps Camps of our childcare th-12th April th-12th April nd-26th July 8 8 22 and our excellent staff ratios. Summer Camps Summer Camps th th th th th nd
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Half-Term Camp Summer Camps 2 Peterborough August Mayth We 12 July 2 August Stamford accept payment byth July childcare vouchers. Oakham 28 -31st May (4 day) 15th-19 9 August 19 July 9 August nd th Summer Camps 22 -26 July JUNIOR THE PETERBOROUGH STAMFORD BROOKE PRIORY 16 August8th-12th July 26 29th July July-2nd August 16 August SCHOOL th August 15th-19th July 5th-9SCHOOL 23 August SCHOOL 12thCamps -16th August Easter Camps 22ndth -26th July Easter Summer Camps nd August th-23rd August 29 pm July-2(early 19th th th th 9.30 am – 4.30 and late care available) 8 -12 April 5th-9th August 8 -12 April 22nd-26th July th th th th th th 12 August 15 -18 April (4 day) 15 -18 AprilTel. (4-16 day) 29th July-2nd August 01572 868 304 9.30 am – 4.30 pm (early and late care available) May Half-Term Camp Summer Camps Email: info@churchillsummercamps.co.uk Cost: CAMP COST - £165 th st 28 -31 May (4 day) 15th-19th July £166 per week We acceptnd payment by childcare vouchers www.churchillsummercamps.co.uk Summer Camps 22 -26th July Tel. 01572 868 304 thEmail: info@churchillsummercamps.co.uk 8th 12th July 29 July 2nd A t
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Active Kids E DI T E D BY M A RY BR E M N E R
Old Stamfordian races in Women’s Boat Race Old Stamfordian, Megan Stoker (OS16) raced in this year’s Women’s Boat Race between Oxford and Cambridge held at the beginning of April, in which Megan raced successfully for Oxford.
Benedict Tuffnell/Row 36
Stamford’s Dance Showcase continues online
Leicester Grammar’s hockey coach Leicester Grammar Junior School’s Head of PE, Mr Harrison, has successfully graduated from an Advanced Coach Program with England Hockey. This is a fantastic achievement that adds to his wealth of experience. For three years he has been a performance centre head coach in the Midland’s region and has coached the England U16 boys and coached on England Hockey trials at Lilleshall. www.lgs-junior.org.uk
Students at the Stamford Schools have performed their annual dance showcase based on the story of Peter Pan. The performance was devised and rehearsed online, then recorded in bubbled groups and shared digitally with audiences on Microsoft Stream and enjoyed by all.
Witham runs to raise money for charity Pupils and staff recently took part in the annual Witham Hall Fun Run and raised £6,000 for Bourne-based mental health charity Don’t Lose Hope. Eddy Bear, Don’t Lose Hope’s mascot, was there, along with Mr and Mrs Austen, to start the race, cheering pupils to the finish line. veryone embraced the spirit of the event, running in fancy dress and house colours.
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STA M F O R D
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To find out more join us at one of our Virtual Open Events, visit our website or contact us on 01572 758758 admissions@oakham.rutland.sch.uk oakham.rutland.sch.uk/admissions/virtual-visit-to-oakham @OakhamSch
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“A clear-eyed, energetic, forward-thinking school” - The Good Schools Guide
Active Kids
Oakham has a Lion! Congratulations to Old Oakhamian Hamish Watson (10) who has been called up to play for the British and Irish Lions in their forthcoming tour of South Africa. ‘We are incredibly proud that Hamish’s outstanding performances throughout the Six Nations have been recognised in this call up,’ says director of sport, Iain Simpson. ‘We have been watching and supporting him since he left Oakham in 2010.’ He certainly made his mark during his time at akham and over his five-year school career from 005- 0 0 Hamish accumulated an array of achievements off the rugby pitch, as well as on it; that included playing in the 1st XI football team, being a key member of the school’s athletics team, being a house prefect, and treading the boards in numerous plays. Hamish began his pathway towards professional rugby whilst still at Oakham, when he was selected to represent the U18 cottish iles. He then gained his first representative cap for Scotland U19s during his final academic year whilst studying for his -levels. fter leaving akham he oined Leicester Tigers Academy before playing Sevens for Scotland and then securing a contract to play for Edinburgh Rugby.
County Cricket Success for Spratton Hall School Spratton Hall’s cricketers have been celebrating county success this term with five girls and five boys selected to play for Northamptonshire. Prior to the first lockdown the girls’ were crowned County Champions in the Lady Taverners Indoor County Finals. nter-school matches have resumed this term with great excitement all round, with parents once again able to watch from the boundary. Even the wet weather is failing to dampen spirits as when rain stops play the children can still hone their batting and bowling skills in the School’s new nets. The School has been recognised in The Cricketer Magazine’s 2021 issue as one of the op 50 ricket Playing Prep chools in the Country.’
Exciting Developments in the Leicester Grammar School Trust eicester rammar chool moved to its 5-acre site and purpose-built campus in Great Glen in 2008 and today educates 1,260 children aged 3 - . toneygate Prep chool was absorbed into the rust in 0 , with plans to extend its provision to age 16. The school, also situated on a beautiful rural site in Great Glen, will be renamed LGS Stoneygate in September, assuming a proud place alongside enior and unior. t will offer a non-selective but ambitious education for children aged - , with smaller classes and a new senior curriculum best suited to their needs and aspirations. LGS Junior will have a new headteacher from September, as Mrs Rigby retires after excellent service. She will be replaced by Mrs Sophia shworth ones, a very e perienced head who will oin from elmont Grosvenor School in Harrogate. For further information about the LGS Trust schools and the availability of places, please contact admissions@leicestergrammar.org.uk
New fully funded PT course open for applications Stamford College Sports Department has launched a brand new two-year full-time course for a Level 2 Fitness Instructor and evel 3 Personal rainer ualification. Normally students would leave their Level 3 sports course and then need to self-fund these ualifications, but a new course launched by BTEC and validated by P hartered nstitute for the anagement of port and Physical Activity) brings these additional ualifications into the main programme of study. Students in year 11 and above can now apply for the course which runs from the newly renovated Borderville Sports Centre on Ryhall Road, Stamford. For most - year olds the course is fully funded. To apply go to the Stamford College website www.stamford.ac.uk
June 2021 / theactivemag.com
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ActiveBody E DI T E D BY K AT E M A X I M
Put one foot in front of the other Physiotherapist Sarah Babbs is encouraging us all to get outside and enjoy a walk
M
OST OF US have walked at some time in our lives, for pleasure, for exercise or to walk the dog. Some do the minimum to get from A to B whilst others were introduced to long walks as children and are still happy carrying a backpack and spending a day or days out in the open. I came to it later but have made up for it and been lucky enough to walk in glorious surroundings including Spain, the Italian coast and the Himalayas in Nepal. But just stepping out from our doorstep has plenty to offer. Walking has been shown to be one of the best exercises for our health. Reducing heart disease, diabetes, cancer and, of course, weight and improving mental heath are just some of the benefits. trengthening and toning the body, especially if walking in hilly areas, are others. Research has shown that there are many ways to combat back pain and walking comes out equal to more specific e ercises such as yoga, Pilates etc. Many people are working from home now, some in di cult circumstances and feeling the isolation. There are many factors that are important here, not least being our mental health. Taking a walk out in the fresh air at some point during the working day will significantly reduce both the physical and mental aspects of sitting for longer. This will include back, neck, shoulder, knee and hip pain. Walking can be a good bonding experience, conversations while walking and looking ahead often ow better especially when di cult conversations need to be had. etting out with another person can be very beneficial leading to less isolation as working from home away from colleagues can be lonely. The health recommendation for adults is 150 minutes per week of moderate intensity exercise with brisk walking being an ideal example. Many now try and do the daily
recommended 10,000 steps. However, if time short, a study in 2018 looked at walking 10,000 steps versus three brisk 10 minute walks a day. It found that the latter was easier to fit in to most people’s day and as it involved faster walking, the benefits of the increased heart rate and time out of breath were greater. As with all exercise, starting slowly and building is the way for beginners so if you haven’t done much, get good comfy shoes and go out for a short stroll, maybe even just for 10 minutes to start with. Add a few minutes each day and you’ll soon be noticing how much better you feel with even sleep improving, which then has knock on benefits for health too. f walking for an hour a day most people will cover the distance from and’s nd to ohn ’ roats in a year, which is quite an achievement.
For the the tech minded there is a programme which allows you to log this, sending encouragement along the way and, think, a certificate too. any people keep an eye on their walks using their Fitbits, phones or other watch like gadgets. I like to log walks on my Strava app. I used to use this more for running but now it helps me see what walking I have done, useful currently while recovering from injury as it helps me progress properly and encourages me too (and last summer helped me to see where ’d wandered off the footpath when getting very lost in a field of mai e which reached far over my head!) And if more encouragement is needed, walking briskly for half an hour can use up enough calories for an extra chocolate biscuit! So get the right clothes and footwear on, step out and enjoy! And of course, Will Hetherington’s fantastic ill’s alks book produced with ctive maga ine will help you find your way around the local area, it’s got some great walks in it. To contact Sarah ring 07780 900201
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ActiveBody
Give hayfever the heave-ho The NHS estimates around one fifth of the UK population suffers from hayfever, rising to 37% of UK teenagers. Gary Trickett advises way to combat it
F
OR MANY THE warmer weather will come as welcome relief, but if you’re one of the millions of people in the UK affected by hayfever you’re probably only too aware that the season is either lurking just around the corner, or already in full swing, depending on where you live in the country. n allergic reaction such as hayfever can be e plained as an e cessive reaction to a normally harmless substance. he immune system identifies the harmless substance, in this instance pollen, as dangerous, and produces an antibody called g , which triggers the production of histamine. Histamine is an in ammatory chemical that causes an array of unpleasant symptoms, including a runny nose and eyes, itching and burning in localised areas such as the throat, nose and eyes, pu ness, swelling and mucus formation. ltogether, not much fun. ree pollen occurs first, typically from late arch until mid- ay, and affects around 5 of the population. ut if the weather is unseasonably warm, allergen-spewing trees, such as alder and ha el have been known to wreak havoc long before the usual start of the spring hayfever season. Grass pollen is by far the biggest trigger, affecting up to 5 of hayfever sufferers and tends to start from mid- ay, lasting until the end of uly, which is when grasses and owers come into bloom. eed pollen can be released at any time but the season typically covers the end of une until eptember. here you live in the country will also determine when you’re likely to be affected. enerally there’s a later start and shorter season in the north where there tends to be less pollen. rban areas also have lower counts than the countryside, but arguably other airborne irritants to contend with. Pollen pretty much has its bases covered from ebruary through to eptember. ut, if you are prone to hayfever, there are a number of measures you can take to stay one step ahead. eep your body as free from to ins as possible by avoiding unk and eating wholefoods. eep your caffeine and alcohol intake low and avoid nicotine. f you live in a polluted area or work with chemicals or in tra c-ridden areas regular deto es to keep your system clear will help. imple steps such as drinking plenty of water and keeping
“Histamine is an inflammatory chemical that causes an array of unpleasant symptoms” your bowel moving daily will reduce the to ic load on your system. void dairy foods as they cause mucus formation that can e acerbate hayfever symptoms and keep your intake of refined sugar low. f you suffer with any type of allergy, hayfever included, you’re more likely to have wobbly blood sugar and be sensitive to refined sugar. ugar can trigger surges and drops in blood sugar levels that cause adrenalin production to kick in, which involves the production of histamine - ust what you don’t want. uercetin on the other hand is on your side. oted for its antihistamine activity, it is found naturally in certain foods, such as apples with the skin on , red onions, capers and black tea, or in supplement form. typical dose for hayfever is between 00 and 00 mg up to three times a day. itamin is also renowned for its antihistamine properties. Plant remedies can also help. chinacea purpurea taken twice daily can help to improve your body’s ability to identify harmful substances correctly. his will not only reduce your allergic reaction to the trigger substance, but also improve your resistance to colds. deally think about taking
chinacea about two months before your known hayfever time, but it may still prove helpful even after symptoms have set in. Approximately two weeks before your usual symptoms kick in start taking uffa operculata twice daily. uffa helps to combat snee ing, blocked and runny noses. yellow tropical plant, it is usually teamed with Galphimia glauca, which can be especially useful for reducing irritation of the eyes. Pollinosan Hayfever ablets from ogel contain seven tropical herbs, including uffa operculata and alphimia glauca. hey are non-drowsy so will not affect your ability to drive or use machinery. nasal spray is also available for immediate relief. f your eyes are particularly sensitive uphrasia in the form of eye drops can be used. heck prevailing winds and pollen counts and remember that wind-dried clothes can become pollen catchers; hang them inside instead. ry to limit outdoor activity during the early morning which is when pollen counts tend to peak and if you have been out when the pollen count has been high get undressed in the bathroom, not the bedroom, to reduce the risk of bedtime snee ing. Finally, treat yourself to a pot of local honey. t’s not a solution that works for everyone but many people swear by it, the theory being that the pollen that is naturally present has a desensitising effect. For further information visit Gary and his team at Healthy Route, 18 Silver Street, Leicester.
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Cricket at its best Tolethorpe Park Cricket Club in Rutland celebrates its centenary this year. Sean Enright tells us more
W
E ARE ONE of the oldest clubs in the county and we think our ground at olethorpe is definitely one of the prettiest bordered by the Gwash river and overlooked by the church; many agree, but we could be biased. What we do know is that we are the smallest club playing in the smallest county in England. We are not a member of any league, it’s the playing that counts with us, not necessarily the winning. There won’t be any sledging, despite it being competitive; we adhere to the old fashioned values of traditional village cricket. We play on Sunday afternoons or evenings with the first match on une away to opsley. Cricket has been played in the valley here since 1921. It is uncommonly pretty and we get many visitors on foot. They start out at the head of the valley at the open-air Shakespeare theatre at the Old Hall and walk down the meadows and along the edge of the ground to All Saints Church. Pevsner devoted nearly a full page to the architecture and history of ll aints, and it is definitely worth a visit. Visitors sit in the shade by the graveyard to watch the game with the red kites keeping them company circling over the river. There are worse ways to spend an afternoon.
olethorpe is one of those small clubs that fields teams with fathers and teenage sons and the occasional daughter; everyone is welcome. At our club many generations have learned to use a strimmer and a ride on lawn mower; how to prepare a wicket and maintain it, in wet weather and dry. They learn of drains and drainage and how to set mole traps. There is a chance to discover what many schools no longer teach: batting technique, spin and seam and the unwritten and
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ActiveSport
“What we do know is that we are the smallest club playing in the smallest county in England.”
Left, Martin Davies defends a good ball in a classic English village cricket scene
sometimes subtle conventions that make this more than a game. It is a place where consideration for others rubs off on the most awkward teen; we are a friendly bunch. We don’t pay any rent to the farmer who owns the land, he has made the commitment that the land is there to be used as long as people want to play cricket. If you don’t play you are still welcome as there are other ways of passing the day. Keeping the scorebook or walking Benson: he only has three legs so it’s hardly a stretch, are two duties waiting to be fulfilled. f you fancy it, pull on the white coat and take a turn at umpiring for a few overs: the game largely polices itself and there are rarely arguments. Or you don’t have to do anything at all, just sit by the pavilion until the sun slips beyond the trees and the shadows
grow long. And when the game is over it’s time to stack the chairs, benches and score board then lock up and make for the Crown at Great Casterton. Last season our youngest player was fourteen and our oldest bowler was seventy, and still formidable. The demographics of our club are no different from many others because this is the modern face of village cricket: diverse, inclusive but competitive. It is our centenary year at Tolethorpe, and we intend to celebrate, particularly after the last year we’ve all had. We do not play league cricket but we have a full fi ture list and we are recruiting so come and join us, we’ll be delighted to see you. www.tolethorpepark.weebly.com | sean.enright58@icloud.com
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Ride for RAFA Welcome back from lockdown, and what better way to emerge from the enforced hibernation than joining Gary Waterfall at an incredible event in June supporting the Royal Air Forces Association.
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ActiveSport
O
N JUNE 4 and 5, at least 500 cyclists from across the globe will unite in a bid to collectively cover 24,901 miles – equal to circling the world at the equator. This is RAFA Rides 21. The RAF Association provides practical, emotional and financial support to tackle loneliness, isolation, worry and poverty among all generations of RAF personnel and their dependants. Initiatives include befriending, mental wellbeing training courses, professional childcare training for spouses, casework support and help securing emergency grants. Its refurbishment of RAF contact houses enables serving personnel to spend quality time with their families, and its provision of free wi-fi on stations helps personnel to stay in touch with loved ones. The Association, through its wholly owned company RAFA Kidz, also provides affordable nursery places for the children of RAF parents. RAFA Rides 21 will be split into two formats allowing cyclists to take part in an organised on-road event in Leicestershire, or to oin in virtually on static or moving bikes from anywhere in the world. Last year 300 riders rode virtually and raised in excess of £75,000 – help us to smash it this year. We have riders from Hawaii to New Zealand and alklands to atar. e will also be oined on the ride by RAF veteran and ex rugby international Rory Underwood. he live event and ides H will be based at Waltham-on-the-Wolds, between Melton and Grantham on June 5, and riders
will be able to choose to complete 35, 70 or 100 miles. The shorter route provides a worthwhile challenge for the novice, while the longer distances are for the more e perienced rider. ll routes will take in the beautiful countryside we all take for granted in Leicestershire, Lincolnshire and Rutland. All riders will get a free event jersey and a finishing medal. or live riders there will be food stations, refreshments at the end and the opportunity to relax for a while – there will be a ypast by an historic aircraft from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (weather permitting). All necessary Covid precautions will be taken to make this a safe, secure and successful live event for all to enjoy. Want to join? Use the QR code and the fun starts!
RAFA Ride 2021 routes 100 miles www.strava.com/ routes/2815518572233286922 68 miles www.strava.com/ routes/2815519441575687222 35 miles www.strava.com/ routes/2815517697585183798
Meet superfood skincare expert Lisa Armitage Use it or Lose it, keep your brain and body active
Second helpings, a group helping reduce food waste
Winter walks with Will
Meet superfood skincare expert Lisa Armitage We try out a ‘god pod’
Meet the founders of WildDog Events
Find out about social prescribing Bourne has a new running club
Are diamonds a girl’s best friend? We find out more about gem stones
Meet Tom Bourne, director of sport at Uppingham Community College
Brentingby Gin, the local company foraging for botanicals
ISSUE 91 | JANUARY 2020
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Will walks in South Africa
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Find out about girls’ and women’s cricket at Leicestershire CC Meet fly fishing guide Nick Dunn
Find out about girls’ and women’s cricket at Leicestershire CC
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Team sports are getting going again at last so Jeremy Smithson-Beswick updates us about Leicester Tigers’ cup challenges and our local amateur teams’ progress
A
competitive matches are not yet possible. However, there has still been plenty of action. Stamford ran a touch rugby tournament in early May for ten clubs. All the sides were mixed gender and the winners were tamford olts. hey are now holding regular Monday evening sessions for this form of the game and all are welcome so get in touch via their website if you’re interested. he teams comprising idlands ast - when it restarts - have been announced and I’m delighted to see that Stamford will be playing Oakham again, in a list that also includes the two orthampton sides, asuals and Old Scouts, and Market Bosworth, so there’s plenty to look forward to. We can’t leave rugby for this month without mentioning Matt Hampson’s nomination for two ational iversity
Awards, in both the Positive Role Model and ommunity rganisation categories. att and his foundation will be familiar to most readers but if not, see www. matthampsonfoundation.org. You’ll find a link to vote for him there too. You’ll have to be quick as the poll closes soon. Local cricket is now back in full swing and there have been some outstanding individual and team performances already. akham got off to a ying start in the utland eague with a awless record for their first three games. fter seeing off Stamford Town by six wickets they won an away match at fford Park by nearly a hundred runs and then beat Werrington at home, largely thanks to an opening stand of by ngus wen and ergus ato. ngton have beaten arket eeping in
Image: Leicester Tigers
FTER A PROMISING run of good results in the earlier part of the year, Leicester Tigers’ form in the Premiership has stuttered of late. However, Steve Borthwick will have been delighted to see his team overcome Ulster to reach their first ever uropean hallenge up final, particularly as at half time it had looked likely that a repeat of that poor league form would see them eliminated. They trailed by eleven points - but Borthwick had a cunning plan, which I’m pleased to say was notably more successful than those of his near-namesake. ff came first team regulars eorge artin, an ole and om Youngs to be replaced by harlie lare, uan de ruin and yle rink. Twenty points for Tigers in twenty minutes followed; asper iese went over for the first five of them, with eorge ord adding the conversion and then a penalty to get them within a point. ord was prominent in the try that completed the turnaround too – his long pass out to the corner finding llis enge who whooped with delight as he touched down. ord made no mistake with the conversion and also added something of a collectors’ piece – a dropped goal – before a terrific try from lster’s ick imoney ensured a tense final few minutes. Tigers eventually prevailed after an error by Ulster, kicking out on the full, which led to Matias Moroni setting up Guy Porter for the last try of the match. They will meet ontpellier at wickenham in the final. And of course congratulations go to eicester ity for winning the up inal. hey beat helsea at embley in front of the UK’s biggest crowd since before the pandemic. his is the first time they have won the trophy, so well done. loser to home, our local rugby clubs are easing themselves back into things. The current guidelines for the community game level still forbid the type of close contact required in scrums and mauls, so fully
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ActiveSport Uffington 2nds who starred in a double header vs Market Deeping
Image: Shelley Burton
the other teams participating will be ottesmore, ppingham and etton. Deepings Swimming Club have been in touch to tell us they’re keen to take on new members now that pools have reopened. Head oach ynn hapman will be assessing skills and fitness levels to place you in the right s uad, but all ability levels and ages, including adults and from school year si upwards are urged to get in contact. he club caters for anyone who is confident in the water and can manage at least 5 metres but has also coached up to national and international level. deepings swimclubmanager.co.uk for details.
the Rutland League twice, as they were victorious in both their first and second string fi tures. ob entley scored an unbeaten century in the former, ably assisted by opener Rob Dunn who was also not out as they reached their target of . nd we can’t ignore ill ry, who returned figures of 5 for in the seconds fi ture. lso with a five-for was urghley Park’s Josh Carder, whose performance was critical to their win over The City Club from Peterborough. he latter added to eepings’ angst by beating them in the Stamford Charity Cup, particularly disappointing for them as they were the holders. arlier in the tournament there had been a real nail-biter between etton and arnack which ended in a tie. he scores were level as the final ball arrived but etton’s acob iller, facing, was bowled which put arnack through on the basis of fewer wickets lost. hilst we’re on the sub ect of etton, the club tells me they’re keen to do more on the social cricket side which offers laid back, fun cricket to anyone on riday evenings the bar will be open and players and spectators
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Horticultural and Agricultural Repairs Image: Leicester Tigers
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‘Uffington have beaten Market Deeping in the Rutland League twice, as they were victorious in both their first and second string fixtures.’
inally, utland Polo lub is also back in the swing of things and will be welcoming spectators back soon. f you ride, they offer coaching for beginners and if you don’t like me - then they offer idyllic surroundings and something a bit different. s they put it themselves e’re all dearly hoping it will be no time at all before we can welcome back our loyal spectators to en oy an idyllic weekend at the polo watching our members and visitors playing polo at Rutland as they have now for 50 years’. ee you there.
can en oy a barbecue in the sunshine.’ ounds idyllic and they add uniors, parents, seniors, non-cricketers, everyone is welcome’. or ust forty uid for the season with no match fees ’m sure there’ll be plenty of takers down at Pit ane. akham nited have decided to relaunch the Rutland Cup, which was last played years ago. raditionally this was a charity-focused tournament and the new look version is the same, all proceeds going to local outfit Peppers, which offers a safe place to take some time out for the sake of your mental health. Held on uly 0 and ,
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ActiveSport
Team Cognitive Despite suffering a massive stroke, Phil Harrison was determined to get back on his bike
P
HIL HARRISON HAD been a successful competitive cyclist winning at both local and national levels gaining podium positions in masters’ national championships. Then one day in June 2019 after training at the track in Derby’s velodrome for the British Masters track championships, he had a massive stroke; he was a fit and strong 50-year-old. Phil spent three weeks in hospital. His stroke damage was in the cerebral area so balance was severely compromised and as he says ‘when I walk it is like I am drunk. I can’t look up properly or low down.’ He was told it was very unlikely he would ever cycle again. But you don’t get to be a pretty successful competitive cyclist and just give up; or Phil didn’t anyway. He contacted British Cycling (cycling’s national governing body) for advice and help on recuperation, rehabilitation and information on any clubs or teams registered for that purpose, and
mental health as well, as this has also been an ongoing battle. He was sure someone would be able to help, but got nothing other than: ‘We will send you a club registration form and someone will contact you.’ Many months passed with nothing. In that time Phil was learning to ride a bike again. It took him several attempts, first riding with static rollers inside before getting out on the bike. His first ride lasted 30 minutes and he fell off twice. But he was not giving up. Now he is training almost daily and hopes to compete again this year. Phil’s determination has certainly paid off for him and he decided that if there weren’t any clubs out there he would set one up himself to help people in his position. Welcome to Team Cognitive! Team Cognitive is being launched this month to create awareness of mental health and stroke. Phil is hoping interest will be
shown throughout the cycling community, particularly the masters/veterans age so cyclists are aware there is a club that offers help and understanding from other stroke survivors and those with mental health concerns or problems. There will be guidance and reassurance on offer safe in the knowledge that others have been in the same place. Yes you can return or start a different path to health, fitness and maybe even competition; Phil is living proof of this. Windmill Wheels and the cafe at Wymondham have been very supportive of this new team. Jack (Windmill Wheels) and Sarah Jane (Windmill Café) are two early sponsors and are both at the centre of cycle sport in Rutland providing equipment, service and, of course, sustenance in the form of cake and coffees. ‘Hopefully some of you out out there in Lycra land will want to get involved, join or help attract sponsorship. I look forward to seeing some of you soon this year and as a community of athletes we can do what a national governing body could not at a local level,’ says Phil. Once the team is established the plan is to launch a sports clinic for masters’ athletes, organise events and embrace a charity status. To find out more contact Phil Harrison (Team Cognitive) teamcognitivecycling@gmail.com
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