Active Magazine // Stamford & Rutland // March 2023

Travel: Whistling along in Whistler; take to the Canadian slopes

The grassroots music scene is thriving in our area Keeping on the right track; training in a train carriage

Lamb production at its best; Lavinton lamb Aim for the moon; meet the faces behind Oakham’s Moonflower guitars

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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 Accounts accounts@theactivemag.com

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ISSN 2059-8513

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THE DAYS ARE now noticeably getting longer; mornings and evenings are lighter; snowdrops, crocus and some daffodils are flowering; the birds are singing and the daylight is brighter. At long last spring is beginning to show signs of coming to life, so let’s hope I’m not tempting fate by saying that and we have a huge dump of snow…

I love the spring and really enjoy inspecting my garden daily looking for new shoots and buds; it doesn’t take long as now I only have a small town garden but it still brings great pleasure. And spring means, as well as new growth and getting into the garden, lambs. Which then means thoughts turn to food. I’m really pleased this month to introduce you to Frazer King, owner (with his wife Emma) of The Red Lion at West Deeping who is going to supply us with bi-monthly recipes; I can’t wait to see what he concocts over the next few months and I’m definitely trying his gnocchi. One of his meat suppliers is Sophie from Lavinton lamb who also features this month. I had a very interesting chat to her about regenerative farming and why we should eat less meat but make sure it is reared and produced in the best, most sustainable way possible; for the animal itself and the land it grazes. And she’s absolutely right. Brighter, longer days make us happy and another way which brings joy to many is music and singing. Kate and I have enjoyed catching up with people who are doing just this. Singing a joyous, upbeat song makes you smile and listening to a good band does the same, maybe we should all do more of it. But to me, one of the best things about longer days and warmer sunshine means getting outside, and that’s usually with Ailsa my dog, getting lots of fresh air and exercise. For others it means exercising outside and somewhere I’d recommend to do that is The Carriage Exclusive Fitness Club at Wittering Grange. Owner Giuseppe will put you through your paces either in his well-equipped gym housed in a railway carriage or on the platform outside overlooking a lake, the perfect way to exercise; outside enjoying the fresh air and nature at the same time, what’s not to like?

See you next month.

Mary - Editor

‘I love the spring and really enjoy inspecting my garden daily looking for new shoots and buds’

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ActiveLife

A recipe from the Red Lion at West Deeping Grassroots music is alive and kicking in our area

Stamford Sings

Lavinton lamb; lamb production at its best

Coronation celebrations

TO CELEBRATE THE coronation of King Charles lll the Stamford Civic Society has big plans for the weekend of May 5-8. To support the town council’s celebrations, local shops are invited to enter two competitions, the closing date for which is March 31. Competition one is a shop window display, number two a childrens’ spot the difference competition. The competition is free to enter but sponsorship from local businesses would be very welcome as well. For more details email events@stamfordcivicsociety.org.uk or ring Steve Marsh on 07834 036408.

A

new home for Stamford Junior Knights

STAMFORD JUNIOR KNIGHTS are excited to announce they now have their own half court training / 3x3 basketball facility based at Casterton Business Park in Stamford. Having grown every year since they started in April 2019, the club is now going to have a dedicated home for the development of basketball in and around the Stamford area. And they couldn’t be more delighted!

Exciting times at Rutland Water Garden Nursery

THERE’S A NEW shop and restaurant coming to Rutland Water Garden Nursery in Manton. Work is underway for a spring opening and this beautiful new building will have views over Rutland Water and beyond. The shop will relocate from the glass houses and there will be a 100 seater new restaurant as well as a brand new glasshouse for houseplants. But the nursery will still be keeping to its roots of providing a large range of good quality plants, composts and fertilisers along with garden furniture and an enjoyable retail experience. www.rutlandnursery.co.uk

Happy first birthday

ANDY’S MAN CLUB which is based at the Mill Wellbeing Centre in Duddington is celebrating its first birthday. Launched to bring men together to provide support and help during hard times it has now held over 50 sessions during the last 12 months.

The sessions run every Monday throughout the year and attract about 10 men every week. It’s free to attend and offers a secure, confidential and non-judgemental environment. All men are welcome. www.themillwellbeing.co.uk www.andysmanclub.co.uk

The Stamford Welland charity

bike challenge

THIS IS NOT a race but a chance to enjoy the wonderful, sometimes hidden views of the Welland Valley and to support local charities at the same time. The Bike Challenge starts and finishes at the Stamford Welland Academy on Sunday April 16 from 9am-3pm where there is ample parking for participants.

The route goes anti-clockwise around Rutland Water before crossing the Burghley House estate (with a water splash by Lion Bridge) then across the B1443, across the railway line, splash through the River Welland then back to the Academy for a very social BBQ. There is a shorter route for the very young and adults out of practice. Mountain bikes can be hired from Rutland Cycling at 50% discount for those who mention the challenge. Entry is adults £15, £5 for youngsters and under 12s are free. For an entry form and route map send an email to stamfordbikechallenge@gmail.com

Two charities join forces

CITIZENS ADVICE AND MindSpace Stamford have joined forces to provide a new home for face to face advice services for residents of Stamford and the surrounding area. The support is for help to overcome the challenges that the current cost of living and energy crisis brings. This is a free, confidential service for those struggling with legal, debt, consumer, energy or housing problems.

MindSpace is the ideal host for a Citizens Advice service. It is easy to access in Broad Street and it is open every day so even on the days that Citizens Advice isn’t there, people will be able to make appointments or just drop in. Poor mental health and financial stress are interconnected with one negatively impacting the other. The benefits of having an experienced Citizens Advice representative based in the hub who is able to offer support has already made a big difference.

The new service operates out of MindSpace Stamford hub at 39 Broad Street on two days per week, with drop-in times published on MindSpace’s website each month. Appointments are also available by contacting info@mindspacestamford.com or calling 07563 385273.

A unique training facility specialising in exclusive personal training and small group classes

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Membership and packages available. admin@thecarriageftness.co.uk

horseandjockeymanton The Horse and Jockey Manton www.horseandjockeyrutland.co.uk

What’s On!

THE UK’S BIGGEST cycling show is back at Alexandra Palace in London on April 21-23. The biggest brands and stars of the sport will be there to celebrate all things cycling including custom bikes, retro MTBs and BMX, demo tracks, skill sessions and some of the industry’s top experts.

HOPE WALKING ARE organising a one day guided six-mile pilgrimage from Castor to Peterborough (Kyneburgha to Katharine) on 4 a nd 8 March. The 4 March walk includes a guided tour of Peterborough cathedral and is available for up to 20 men and women of many, or no faiths. March 8 walk is to celebrate International Womens’ Day. The details are on their website. www.hopewalking.co.uk/peterboroughpilgrimage

The Cycle Show provides an all-in-one stress-free experience where you can invest in smart, long-term purchases from quality brands. At the show you will gain leading industry insights and top tips from world-renowned cycling moguls. Attending the event will be world champions and professional road racers including Chris Froome.

The extensive exhibitor selection with access to the latest retail and cycling technology allows you to test the highest quality gear. Newly released bikes can be ridden on test tracks stationed on the venue’s hillside.

www.cycleshow.co.uk

ANOTHER DATE FOR your diary, with tickets on sale now; Classic Ibiza returns to Burghley House on Saturday 29 July, with the show once again due to sell out. The concert is headlined by the 32-piece Urban Soul Orchestra, who have performed with dance music greats, including Groove Armada. There will be over five hours of the very best stately house music and an awesome laser and light show. Bring your own picnic and make sure you pack your dancing shoes. w ww.classicibiza.co.uk

THERE’S LOTS ON at the New Theatre (used to be Broadway) in Peterborough at the moment with something for everyone. Have a look at their listings as there’s so much to choose from. Something which sounds fun this month is the renowned A Capella group Magnets on March 16. Enjoy their brand new 80s remixed live show. www.newtheatre-peterborough.com

ONE FOR THE diary is Sucker Punch running from May 8-13 at The Key theatre in Peterborough. This tender, bruising and funny play has won lots of awards as well as a nomination for an Olivier.

www.keytheatre-peterborough.com/ whats-on/

STAMFORD CORN EXCHANGE has lots on in March including on the 11th, I love the 80s presented by The Wild Boys who are reputedly the best 80s tribute act in the UK. It’s going to be a fun evening!

www.stamfordcornexchange.co.uk

Stamford Choral will be performing three uplifting choral works in St Martin’s Church, Stamford on Saturday 18 March at 7.30pm. Tickets £15 adults, £12 concession, £5 children.

ww w.stamfordchoral.co.uk

Meet the Kings of King Street

Frazer and Emma King run the Red Lion in West Deeping. Mary meets them to talk ‘elevated pub dining’

FRAZER KING IS a successful chef having worked initially in Edinburgh at The Balmoral, relocated to London to Brown’s Hotel and then joined renowned chef Mark Hix in Soho. He learned a lot from some excellent chefs but after ridiculous hours and the high stress of London life he and his wife Emma relocated to the Gunton Arms in Norfolk. When their first baby arrived they knew it was time to return home so that is exactly what they did. Frazer and Emma met at school in Market Deeping and have been together ever since so home near their families was where they wanted to be.

Frazer was initially at The Olive Branch at Clipsham when they came back then went to Paten and Co in Stamford and was involved in the reopening. Latterly he was at Barnsdale Lodge and was then furloughed because of lockdowns. ‘It gave me time to think. I loved the family time it allowed me and I realised how much I was missing out on (by now we had a second daughter).’

Frazer decided he wanted to work for himself so he could fit round his family and spend time with them, and Emma was supporting him all the way. He had always wanted his own pub and for 10 years had been planning it so being furloughed gave him that extra push and time to do exactly that. ‘The Gunton Arms and The Olive Branch allowed me to see how you could run an excellent eating establishment alongside a drinking pub for the locals and that is what I wanted to emulate.’

They had a choice of a few pubs but The Red Lion at West Deeping was the one for them. It had had a chequered history with four landlords in the last 10 years and needed a lot of love, which is just what Frazer and Emma gave it. They opened in March 2021, serving outside and were amazed and delighted at the support they immediately got from the village who were delighted to have a ‘local’ again. And the villagers were even more delighted when they started serving food in May 2021. ‘Elevated pub dining’ is the way Frazer would describe his food. And I would agree. Emphasis is on good, British, seasonal food made from local produce and the best quality available.

Meat is sourced locally (including Sophie’s Lavinton Lamb), eggs from their own chickens, veg and herbs from the garden in the pub, bread from Hambleton, game including venison is shot locally and asparagus from down the road in Tallington as well as many other local suppliers. Local brewers are used and everything has just come together really well. You can still get staples like fish and chips and steak but can also enjoy themed dishes such as French nights, Cullen Skink and Burns’ night suppers and Frazer is always changing the menu to reflect the seasons and availability of produce. Vegans and vegetarians are well catered for as well as people with allergies. Frazer is more than happy to concoct something from the menu for those who are gluten, nut or dairy intolerant. And as well as the locals, who are very supportive, many regulars are now coming from further afield to sample Frazer’s delicious food.

‘It works really well here as whilst Frazer does the cooking he has more time for the family. I run the front of house and do all the ordering so it’s real team work,’ says Emma. ‘And Frazer is able to do the school run which he and the girls love.’

We are delighted that Frazer is going to provide us with some delicious recipes over the next few months, starting with...

Gnocchi with curried cauliflower, pickled Romanesque and spiced dulse butter

INGREDIENTS FOR FOUR PEOPLE

• 2 cauliflowers, cut into florets

• 50 0g gnocchi

• 20 c urry leaves (available in t he fresh herb area in supermarkets)

• 1 tbsp onion seed

• 2 sheets dried seaweed

• 1 tsp Madras curry powder

• 60g melted butter

• 1 Romanesque cauliflower (the pointed one)

• 200ml cider vinegar

• 100g sugar

• Vegetable oil

METHOD

• Cut the Romanesque into florets. Mix vinegar and sugar together and t hen bring to t he boil. Pour over t he Romanesque and leave overnight.

• Season the cut cauliflower with curry powder and drizzle with oil. Roast in the oven at 220 degrees until tender which takes about 15 minutes.

• Break up t he seaweed into t he melted butter and blitz in a blender.

• Pan fry the gnocchi until golden. Add the onion seed and curry leaf and cook until fragrant.

• Place t he cauliflower on a plate, add t he g nocchi, drizzle over t he seasoned butter and t hen finish with t he Romanesque. Delicious!

www.theredlionwestdeeping.co.uk enquiries@theredlionwestdeeping.co.uk

07421 977661 Open from Wednesday to Sunday

Hedgerow history

Rowan Griffiths explains how to date a hedge and a bit about their history

THERE ARE REPORTED to be 281,000 miles of hedges in the UK, 118,000 of which are ancient or species rich. Sadly, since World War Two and the advent of industrialised farming methods, around 220,000 miles of hedgerow have been lost. Hedgerows are a major habitat and residence to around 80% of our woodland birds as well as supporting around 20 mammal species, 1,500 types of insect and more than 65 varieties of plant life.

Hedgerows were (and are) generally planted to demonstrate ownership of land and to provide both shelter for livestock and act as a natural stock-proof fence. Many may have medieval origins and some may even be older, being the margins of older woodland felled for farming. But most date to the late 18th and early 19th century and were planted on common land during the Enclosures Act to exclude the commoners from communal open field farming.

Political history aside, how do you date a hedgerow? Of course, you could look at old maps and documents but if you would like to know if it is very old or indeed comparatively recent, one way is to use ‘Hooper’s hedgerow hypothesis’ or more simply ‘Hooper’s Rule.’

Max Dorien Hooper (1934-2017) was a woolly-hatted pipe-smoking academic and field biologist, who pioneered the ecological study of hedgerows and was alarmed at the rate at which they were disappearing from farmland in the 1960s. In 1972 and with two colleagues, Moore and the appropriately named Pollard, he devised a simple and fairly accurate rule of thumb for ageing a hedge: count the number of woody species in 100ft of hedge and then multiply it by 100. On that basis a hedge with five woody species may tentatively be dated to the 16th Century.

The oldest hedge in the UK is Judith’s Hedge in Cambridgeshire which dates back to the 11th century. The number of woody species therein appears to corroborate the rule. Thanks Mr Hooper.

GARDENING

Spring is coming

At last our gardens are coming to life with spring just around the corner. Tessa Burns talks spring plants

‘May the March wind blow away worries, regrets and sorrows and the sunshine of Spring plant the seeds of hope in our hearts.’

As the joy of daffodils brighten our gardens in their many forms, my favourite spot is beneath a massive ash tree where the ground is carpeted in woodland bulbs of narcissi, anemones, aconites, crocus and snowdrops before the tree breaks into bud and creates its shady canopy.

These are interspersed with hellebores. These come in a variety of colours from pure white through greens, delicate pinks to dark magenta, single or double flowers, either plain, mottled or speckled. Popular varieties are ‘Anna’s Red’ and ‘Penny’s Pink’. They t hrive in semi-shade but dislike very wet or very dry conditions and full sun is likely to scorch leaves. Hellebores are a wonderful source of nectar and pollen for bees. Other spring pollinators are primulas, crocus, ajuga, cyclamen and wallflowers.

Other herbaceous plants looking good in spring are pulmonaria, a low growing, sturdy little perennial for the front of borders which forms pretty mounds of foliage with flowers in white, pink, purple, blue or red. Brunnera form clumps of attractive silvery heart-shaped leaves with sprays of forget-me-not like flowers. ‘Looking Glass’ ‘Jack Frost’ and ‘Alexander’s Great’ are all good varieties. Dicentra spectabilis (bleeding hearts) bears delicate arching stems with clusters of pink-red heart-shaped flowers with white tips.

Fruit trees will be breaking into clouds of white and pink blossom. Other trees noted for their wonderful spring blossom are magnolias which offer a magnificent display of flowers, some gently scented. Sadly their glory may be short lived if exposed to frost. Soulangeana have pink blossom and ‘Blushing Belle’ has beautiful pale scented flowers. Small varieties such as ‘Stellata’ or ‘Stellata Rosea’ may be grown in containers.

For sheer beauty check out prunus ‘Komodo’s-no-Mai’ single flowers of white and palest pink with centres of deep pink. Prunus ‘Okame’ has an abundance of pink flowers. Prunus ‘Snow Fountains’ has weeping branches holding a mass of cascading white blossom which is quite breathtaking. Lastly prunus fastig. ‘Le Thouriel’ is a compact upright tree with free flowering, white scented blossom.

Chaenomeles - ornamental quince is a deciduous shrub which can be grown up a fence or wall. Flowers range from white, pinks, coral to scarlet. ‘Toyo-Nishiki’ has delicate flowers in white and pale pink blush. No garden can be without a daphne. Daphne odorata aureomarginata is an attractive evergreen shrub with green leaves edged in gold with clusters of pink blossom with a wonderful scent which wafts across the garden.

Consider a Japanese camellia, an evergreen with glossy green leaves and white, pink, red or striped flowers. It can tolerate full or partial shade rather than direct sunlight in a sheltered position.

Clematis armandii and its cultivars are the earliest flowering examples with fragrant, almond scented flowers. Plant several inches deeper than growing in its pot. These early flowering types are pruned immediately after flowering to remove dead or damaged stems. Another climber flowering through winter and spring is Coronilla ‘Citrina’ which has sweetly scented lemon, yellow flowers and is ideal for a sheltered place.

To brighten up the front door, add a container planted with colour and scent. The diminutive daffodil, Tête-à-tête, a clump of grape hyacinths and primulas offer colour, and fragrant hyacinths with their heavy heads supported by bits of stick and maybe a fern, arum leaves, ivy or thyme to fill in spaces will create a seasonal welcome to visitors.

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COLOUR IS A personal choice, can you simply put anything you like together? Yes of course you can, it’s your space! But the benefits of planning cannot be understated. There is much beauty in a considered colour palette rather than a mish-mash of shades dotted in your beds.

The best place to start is with a colour wheel, but work with an expanded one which will show the subtleties within each colour range; they are huge. This is especially important for the greens as foliage forms the bulk of your garden. Therefore, the greens are arguably the most important element of it.

I’ll give you the basics quickly: complimentary colours are opposites, they are lifting, they show each other in their best light. If you put green with red, the red looks redder and the green looks greener whereas those that are similar are fading and calming.

The colour white and/or light is a valuable addition to any planting scheme. Even in small quantities it is a powerful tool to direct and lift the eye. White is accentuated when placed with acid yellow (think euphorbia, alchemilla, hakonechloa) or with silver

Mix and match

Garden designer TJ Kennedy tells us how to use colour in our gardens

foliage (stachys byzantine, artemisia, lavender).

Blue/mauve is a great balancer, reflecting the sky and setting the planting scheme within its environment. These cool colours suit our seasonal skies. Shop about for a mauve flowered thalictrum whose height and delicacy will be a great connector between the ground and sky.

Autumn light and warm tonal skies suit muted and rusty colours. The fading heads of yellow flowered plants, which have had their hot zingy time, up against the burnt orange of say a late autumn helianthus is very effective. Apply the analogous approach and

consider that at this time of the year you are leaving seedheads to see you through the winter so look at the head colour as well as the flower. Sedum, echinacea and a whole array of grasses will tick the boxes here.

Red is a tricky one because on our dull days (and we can have many) it loses its intensity. You can counteract this by planting it with a bright foliage – the zesty green will give it the backdrop it needs – Canna does this brilliantly all by itself. Using the analogous (ie similar shades) planting approach with hot colours will really bolster the display: mix bright monarda with dahlia and rudbeckia.

Highlights are best if they are scattered and used in a repeated fashion. Dianthus cruentus is one of my favourites for this because of its form and habit. It’s lovely and upright with a big hit of vibrant colour and its petite nature provides a subtle connecting language which reveals itself only when you are moving through the planting.

If you need inspiration to identify the colours that you are drawn to then refer to artists, weavers, graphic designers, painters, and the ultimate expert, nature.

www.tjkennedy.design

Image: Tourism Whistler

EARLIER THIS SEASON the snow situation was so dire in the Alps skiers had to find other activities to do instead, like hiking. For fear of sounding terribly smug, I have a son Ben who is a ski instructor in Canada. So in January we were able to combine a trip to see him and experience skiing in Whistler Blackcomb at the same time.

For a cautious intermediate like me, skiing in Canada is a dream. The pistes are wide and fairly quiet except at weekends when Vancouver ‘locals’ make the 75-mile trip up Highway 99. And, despite it being January, we had incredible weather. It was about minus 5 degrees all week and most were ‘bluebird’ days - bright blue skies with great visibility. So we had amazing views of the beautiful, majestic mountains, even the iconic Black Tusk in the distance.

On our last day a very cold front rolled in (the precursor to the terrible storm to the east) and my youngest daughter and I discovered our gloves were not as protective at minus 20 as we’d hoped. We thought we’d been so careful to get the best kit we could for the conditions. It just shows you can never be too prepared.

The ski area consists of two mountains: Whistler and Blackcomb, covering over eight acres with the highest point at 2,284m. Both mountains are equally good; Whistler is often busier probably as most people want to ski on the eponymous mountain. And then, there is the Peak 2 Peak Gondola that runs between the two which saves loads of time and is a treat to ride on, particularly if you’re in one of the glass-bottomed carriages. When it was built in 2008 it was the highest gondola of its kind at 436m above the valley floor. If you take the Whistler Village Gondola and the Blackcomb Gondola as well, you can ride a 13.5km loop up one mountain, across to and down the other. This forms the longest, continuous lift system in the world. Perfect for non-skiers, sightseers or if you just fancy a rest from hurtling downhill.

Top conditions

There’s a couple of quite large beginner areas but no red runs (normal for Canada) so the blue runs tend to encompass both blue and red, and there’s no marked differentiation which can be a bit confusing. There are quite a few green ‘cat tracks’ that criss-cross the mountains that are narrow but shallow; not my favourite although the smell of the pines as you traversed was unforgettable. I prefer the nice wide pistes with a bit more room for error. And then, of course, there are the blacks and double black diamonds.

As you can imagine, it all runs efficiently and is beautifully kept. Sadly we didn’t have any fresh snow so we didn’t get to experience the famous powder, but it was the best snow I’d ever skied on. I know it’s a long way to travel so far more expensive than skiing in Europe, but the conditions were fantastic. And Whistler Blackcomb has the longest ski season in the world, starting in late November with glacier skiing finishing in mid-July.

You can reduce costs while you’re there. We stayed at the Westin Resort & Spa which wasn’t cheap but as we had a kitchen we were able to cook for ourselves if we wished to, which helps. There are other hotels and plenty of Airbnbs with cooking facilities too. And, as

the food on the mountains wasn’t that appetising, we took our own sandwiches for lunch and no-one bats an eyelid when you eat them in the lodges. One company, Vail Resorts, owns all the lifts, lodges and runs so there is a monopoly, but they don’t own anything in the village. Another company owns much of that!

Like many other ski resorts you can download a variety of apps to help navigate your way round the town and slopes, read the local weather reports and discover what’s on in the area. You can, of course also pick up an old-fashioned paper map. We watched the Fire and Ice show which involves a small selection of the 900-1,000 Blackcomb ski instructors jumping and riding through a ring of fire, and one afternoon we followed Whistler’s 30th anniversary Pride parade, which was great fun. We didn’t have time for the Vallea Lumina which is a multi-media night walk but that’s supposed to be incredible.

Fun for all the family

There’s plenty to do for all the family in the pedestrianised village and you can walk anywhere in 20 minutes. It’s a shopper’s paradise; you can’t move for branded shops selling the most enticing bits of kit you didn’t know you wanted. And there’s over 200 cafés, pubs, bars and restaurants offering food from all around the world. Some of our favourites were beautifully fresh sushi, Japanese Teppanyaki (a great performance to watch with flames and food flying about), mouthwatering Thai and supremely filling pies peaked with mashed potato, peas and gravy.

If you don’t fancy skiing or snowboarding you can ice skate; go tubing day or night; bobsleigh, ice fish, hire snowshoes and hike the many trails in Lost Lake Park; zipline over the creeks and forests; take a guided snowmobile tour or, if you prefer a more natural approach you can cover the ground on a sledge pulled by huskies. You can heli-ski and, thanks to Whistler’s Olympic heritage, there’s 160km of cross-country skiing terrain to discover. And that’s just in winter.

In the summer there’s a whole other world to discover in the

'There’s plenty to do for all the family in the pedestrianised village and you can walk anywhere in 20 minutes.'

Image: Tourism Whistler

Extensive range of food, gifts and treats!

48 KING STREET WEST DEEPING PE6 9HP

We can be found in the heart of West Deeping ofering local, fresh and sustainable food and drink with friendly family service.

SET 2 OR 3 COURSE LUNCH MENU, A LA CARTE AND HOMEMADE BAR SNACKS

OPENING HOURS

Wednesday - Saturday 12pm - 11pm Sunday 12pm - 6pm

Lunch Menu Served 12pm - 2.30pm Dinner Menu Served 5.30pm - 9pm

theredlionwestdeeping.co.uk Or call us on 07421 977661

TheRedLionWestDeeping

mountains and forests. Whistler is renowned for mountain biking with miles of tracks suitable for beginners and children, and challenging, rocky tracks for the more experienced. The Whistler Mountain Bike Park is supposed to be the best downhill park in the world.

You can tackle the treetop canopy walks; bungee jump, walk the Cloudraker Skybridge crossing over the Whistler Bowl at 7,160 feet above sea level (not in a million years); take a canoe trip with a company like Whistler Eco Tours; book a whitewater rafting trip; go bear watching or simply hike and enjoy the fresh air. There is lichen symbiotically growing on the pines, which shows how excellent the air quality is there, although disconcertingly we saw a whole swathe of trees that had been caught in the wildfire two years ago where the fire’s path was only broken by the lift line. How to mitigate the effects of climate change, reduce waste and achieve a 50% reduction in emissions by 2030 is a huge initiative in Whistler Blackcomb. Of course us flying there from Europe doesn’t help.

First nations

It was noticeable how much respect local inhabitants and businesses now show towards the First Nation tribes and their unceded territories in Canada. One trip we really enjoyed was to the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre where a local indigenous man took us on a fascinating tour. He showed us the different types of canoe the communities built, explained the importance of cedar wood and the intricate carvings on the totem poles. We saw how they weaved baskets, furnishings and clothes and how they used the animals they hunted which was fascinating.

Development at Whistler Blackcomb started when settlers arrived in 1900. (They named it Whistler after the marmots which whistle). Then in 1914, after hearing about the beauty of the area, Myrtle and Alex Philips from Maine built a fishing lodge named Rainbow Lodge. Other fishing lodges appeared and the resort grew in popularity as a summer residence. In 1968 it was put forward as a potential venue for the Winter Olympics but they had to wait until 2010 until it actually happened. The Invictus Games 2025 will take place here too.

If you go to Whistler for a week or even two, you will barely break the back of all there is to do.

Of course, now I want to go back in the summer, and not just to see Ben!

www.whistler.com

www.slcc.ca

'It was noticeable how much respect local inhabitants and businesses now show towards the First Nation tribes and their unceded territories in Canada.'

Image: Tourism Whistler

Lovely Lavinton lamb

If we are going to eat meat we need to eat the most humanely reared, best quality we can afford. Mary meets Sophie Arlott

THERE IS NO doubt that regenerative farming seems to be the most sensible, sustainable and environmentally effective way to farm. And many, many farmers are realising this and changing their methods to embrace this way of farming. To recap, regenerative farming is a conservation and rehabilitation approach to agriculture which focuses on topsoil regeneration, enhancing and increasing biodiversity and improving the water cycle. We are situated in a predominantly arable area with very little livestock. But now that regenerative farming is being embraced as the sustainable way to farm, stock is being reintroduced to many arable farms. The stock is grass grazed year-round, lives outside and is then moved from field to field over the seasons and years. This means that natural fertiliser is introduced to the land, saving on money and reintroducing organic matter.

That is a very brief, simplified version of regenerative agriculture. And someone who is doing her part to add to this is Sophie Arlott of Lavinton Lamb. Sophie wouldn’t describe herself as a regenerative farmer as most of her land is rented but she follows all the principles. A lot of her land is Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust land so Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs), and never sprayed. She very rarely uses antibiotics on her sheep and they are pasture fed apart

from having extra feed when in lamb.

Sophie is a first generation farmer and came to it later in life you could say. The family moved to Lenton which is not far from Corby Glen and Sophie decided to use their five acres to rear sheep. She has always been interested in the native breeds and was rearing and showing Southdowns; pretty successfully too, winning many shows. ‘I realised that my own sheep were much tastier than any lamb you bought, even from a butcher, and it sowed a seed. I could breed my own strain and start selling the meat.’

It sounds very simple, but of course it was far from being that. Sophie was really interested in the primitive breeds as they are hardier, live outside and have a much stronger flavour. Primitive breeds are slower to mature so that means they are kept longer before slaughter, which of course also means they are more expensive to rear. ‘But a

slow-grown lamb makes for much better flavour, you can’t hurry taste.’ Sophie bred her own strain by crossing a primitive Hebridean with two other native breeds including the Southdown and one other and three years later was able to turn her hobby into a fledgling business. This was in 2013. ‘A primitive breed sheep is almost a wild animal and the meat is much darker. It’s also quite lean but fat is flavour – I think sometimes people forget that – so I needed to introduce a strain that had more fat. Southdowns produce a well marbled meat so they were the perfect cross.

‘I believe that the consumer is missing out because supermarkets just don’t sell tasty meat. They sell cheap mass-produced products which is disappointing. I want to do something about that. Consumers have power and we need to realise that and demand better quality meat.’

Sophie initially rented 100 acres and by now had 100 ewes of her own breeding stock which at one point grew to 400. Now she is back to 175 with lambing just around the corner. I visited right at the end of January and Sophie had just lambed 35 early ewes. These lambs are kept inside because it is just too cold at this time of year to allow them to be born in the field. But the sustainable way to lamb is to do it outside which Sophie does with the vast majority of her flock. She lambs in April and as they lamb outside they mainly manage on their own. But Sophie always hopes for good weather ‘otherwise it can be very tricky and it has been known to snow in April!’

These lambs, born in the spring will be grass reared for a year and then sold as a hogget. This means they are slow grown, not forced, and will have much more flavour because of it. And it also means they have had a much better life and been allowed to

who is producing lamb that fits the bill

'April lambing means that the lambs are grass fed all the year round which is more sustainable.'

mature naturally. And of course, if you lamb in January you have to feed the sheep as they are inside and feed costs have quadrupled recently. April lambing means that the lambs are grass fed all the year round which is more sustainable. Sophie does feed her pregnant ewes in the last few months to make sure their milk is in good supply which helps the lambs grow well.

‘Regenerative farming, or a similar model means the goodness is going back into the soil which is the correct way to farm, in my opinion,’ says Sophie. ‘Meat produced on a factory scale is unsustainable and unethical. We are designed to eat meat, but we should eat the best meat we can afford and the best produced. I think we should eat less meat and make sure that the animal has had a good life, which means that it will taste

better. It’s common sense to eat less, but better meat. And regenerative farming methods are definitely the correct way to produce food.

‘I am a relatively small producer and by keeping small I think there is more time to concentrate on the animals’ welfare. Sheep have to live outside to survive and need space around them. And knowing that they have helped contribute to the environment is a good thing. A life lived well.’

Lambs are pregnant for five months and Sophie’s breed are pretty good at giving birth unaided, but she is obviously around if needed. ‘It’s important that the front feet come first and sometimes you have to turn the lambs, but not often. Of course, because they are in the field you have to catch them first!’ This year Sophie is hoping for about 180

lambs in April.

Sophie’s lambs are slaughtered and dressed by a small abattoir and butcher in Boston so she gets a bespoke product. The carcass is dry aged which again adds to the flavour and hung for up to three weeks for some customers.

Lavinton Lamb is now a well known, award winning, high end brand and most of it goes to the top quality restaurants including at some point, Hambleton Hall, The Olive Branch and The Red Lion in West Deeping as well as down to London and across the UK. In 2019 she won a Great British Food award for the best meat in Britain, quite an accolade particularly as she was up against some very stiff, much larger competition. Sophie also sells direct to the public at food fairs including Burghley and has a shop at home at Lenton. You can buy lamb boxes direct from her as well as burgers and sausages (always popular). Just give her a ring beforehand to make sure she is there otherwise the lamb is sent out by courier with overnight delivery. She often sells the whole carcass, particularly to the restaurants as many of them have the ethos now to use every bit of the carcass which, again, is how it should be.

If you look at Sophie’s website there are some great lamb recipes on it. ‘Shoulder or belly are the best joints to cook with I think. There is lots of fat and if you cook it slowly it is absolutely delicious and my Lavinton lamb certainly provides lots of flavour.’

www.lavinton.com

Upholstery workshops

Joatno40 High Street East Uppingham

Upholstery Workshop Dates

9.30-4pm each day £70

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40 High Street East, Uppingham 07415767826 joatno40@gmail.com www.joatno40.co.uk

01733 286305 Stamford, Bourne

01780 429086

From me to you

handwritten, happy, chatty letter. It helps bring a little bit of cheerfulness to someone who is going through treatment and makes them feel less alone, whatever their circumstances. Your letter will be acknowledged by the charity so you know it has been delivered. If letter writing isn’t your thing (and it quite easily could be) the charity will very happily accept donations to enable it to buy stamps to post the letters. The charity is now handling about 1,000 letters a month but is hoping to grow considerably.

THE SENDING AND receiving of letters is, very sadly, a dying trend. Yes, there are still the occasional thank you letters sent but it is incredibly rare now for someone to actually sit down and write a long, chatty letter; even birthday and Christmas cards are rapidly becoming de trop.

I can remember what it was like to receive letters, before the days of email and text and can recall the pleasure of getting a letter either from my mother when I was at college or a gossipy letter from a friend. Other than the telephone it was the only way to keep in touch so you had to make the effort. And there was always anticipation and hope when the postman arrived, unlike today when all that pops through the letterbox is yet another bill or more marketing junk. But someone helping to reverse that trend is the small national charity ‘From me to you’ which encourages people to write letters to cancer patients. It’s a very simple concept which came about after Alison and Brian met on a yoga retreat in 2009. They became friends and kept in touch. When, six months later Brian told Alison he had been diagnosed with bowel cancer she said she would write to him to help cheer him up through his treatment. It was perhaps quite an odd offer but it made Brian feel supported and that he hadn’t been forgotten. Alison rarely mentioned the treatment or cancer but wrote cheerful, chatty letters about her life which he very much enjoyed.

Thankfully after two years Brian was cancer free but Alison’s letters had got them both thinking. They had provided such a source of support that Brian and Alison encouraged others to write to friends and family members going through the same thing. And this developed into the charity and the donate a letter campaign. The idea is that you write an anonymous letter and send it to the charity who then passes it on to someone going through cancer treatment. It might be added to a care package or sent just as a letter. You can write as often as you like. You can send cards, illustrations or just a

An East Midlands hub has now been set up to help raise awareness and encourage more letter writers. I met Alexis who teaches at Oakham School and is one of four committee members. They have been running online letter writing workshops but are now starting to run ‘real’ ones so that there is a true community feel and more people become aware of the charity. ‘It encourages people to be more sociable and it’s great to involve local businesses too,’ says Alexis. ‘I think running workshops helps connect people and keeps local communities thriving, vital for Oakham now.’

The next workshop is going to be held at Castle Cottage in Oakham on March 18 from 3-5pm where the committee will be delighted for you to join them for an afternoon of letter writing inspiration and afternoon tea. Everyone is very welcome and tickets cost £10 with all proceeds going to the charity. To find out more email

geogingon@gmail.com

www.frommetoyouletters.co.uk @frommetoyouletters

The art of letter writing seems to be a dying art. A small national charity is encouraging us to put pen to paper, Mary finds out more

‘The idea is that you write an anonymous letter and send it to the charity who then passes it on to someone going through cancer treatment.'

GRASSROOTS MUSIC IS ALIVE AND KICKING…

Kate meets local music promoter Mark Howson to discover how his passion for live music is helping grassroots music thrive in the area

MARK HOWSON AND his wife Diane have been running the Great Easton Post Office and Stores between Uppingham and Market Harborough since 2014. They had been thinking about running a post office for many years when one day, on his rounds as a postman, Mark noticed the Great Easton store was closing down. Two weeks later they were in charge! This is a man who, when he has a vision, jumps in head first and gets on with it. But it’s a hard business to be in.

‘Many local post offices are closing,’ Mark told me. ‘It’s not easy but we’re determined to carry on. There are about 300 houses here so it’s not a big village but it’s a great community.’

And that’s what Mark and Diane have been building on, both for the shop and to increase interest in live music at the grassroots level. Mark had never been involved in music promotion before but stumbled into it when he started to go to Americana gigs put on by a promoter in Corby.

‘I used to listen to all sorts of music but then discovered Americana and really enjoyed it. Only a handful of people were turning up to this chap’s gigs, yet he had some amazing artists. We’d been in the village for over three years by this point and we knew everyone, so I thought if we put a gig on in our village hall, surely we’d get a better turnout. And we did.’

Since 2018 Mark has brought a variety of musicians to Great Easton to play either in the village hall or via more intimate house concerts. The latter involve the artists playing in homes and gardens around the village and can be a wonderful way of discovering new music and listening to performers close-up.

A house concert is, by its very nature, an intimate gig. ‘You have an artist literally playing right in front of you,’ says Mark. ‘The atmosphere is a lot more relaxed with a lot of to-ing and fro-ing between the artist and the audience. I know the musicians are good as I always see them play beforehand so I can guarantee a great night. You take your own booze and sit in a garden or inside a barn or house if it’s raining.

‘The first band we put on at the village hall was Southern Tenant Folk Union and they were fantastic. We sold out but it was a baptism of fire. If we run events in the village hall we have to apply for a licence, rent the hall, get a PA (we use Rocky Road Music in

Uppingham, who are fantastic) and sell enough tickets. If I organise a house concert it’s easier. We actually live in Market Harborough so don’t host ourselves, but we’ve been lucky enough to find three hosts in the village so far and they are all just as passionate about music as I am. And others are now interested in hosting.’

Americana is a massive genre with lots of variation within the scene. It’s folk derived, originally from the States but influenced by old country music. ‘There’s a lot of modern folk out there,’ Mark explains. ‘You’re not going to have your ears bleeding at one of our gigs but you’re unlikely to hear about milkmaids down by the river either. At the village hall shows we try and up the tempo a bit with larger bands. At the house concerts it’s more likely to be a solo artist or duo.’

So far, amongst others, Great Easton has welcomed MG Boulter, Suzie Ungerleider, Danny George Wilson, Paul McClure aka the Rutland Troubadour, Grammy-nominated Amythyst Kiah, Brooks Williams and Dan Walsh, Dan Webster and Emily Lawler, Robert Vincent and Jason Ringenberg. The band scheduled for May, Our Man in the Field, are playing the main stage at Americana extravaganza Red Rooster this year.

While the village hall gigs are usually part of an organised tour, the house concerts can be more ad-hoc. ‘Playing for us sometimes plugs gaps in artists’ tours and other times it helps musicians to fund new albums,’ Mark explains. ‘And they often try out new material. Paul McClure is the most local artist we’ve had. Many others have come from USA and Canada.

‘While we sell tickets for the village hall gigs, the house concerts rely on an honour system where we pass the hat around during the interval; all we ask is for a commitment to attend, as space is limited, and for a donation. In both cases, however, a ‘guarantee’ or minimum fee is always negotiated in advance. This obviously brings some financial risk and I’m looking at ways to spread that risk. Diane has always been very supportive of me promoting gigs, just as long as I don’t lose money doing it!’

It’s a challenging time for grassroots music at the moment. Getting people along to gigs is hard. ‘We used to sell 100 tickets for a gig with no problem before the pandemic and we had some momentum going. But now it’s a lot harder; and that’s everywhere, not just us. It’s down to the cost of living, some people still being wary of germs, and some just got used to being at home, but we’re hoping this year will be better. I’d like more people from the village and neighbouring villages

to come along. We have a lot of loyal support but it’s so rewarding to see people coming for the first time and being amazed by the quality of the music.

‘It really helps if people can buy tickets in advance, and to commit to buying them earlier if possible; grassroots music has seen a lot of gigs cancelled over the past couple of years owing to poor ticket sales two or three weeks out.’

The house concerts are run on an invitation-only basis and will continue that way, but if anyone would like to be invited to future events they can message Mark via the Great Easton Post Office and Stores Facebook page or email him.

To kick off the year, Mark has booked The Blue Highways to play the village hall on 21 April. They’re a London based heavier Americana band; think Bruce Springsteen. Consisting of three brothers Jack, Callum and Theo Lury, their new album, Out On The Line, is released in March.

Other villages across the country run similar events and there’s an informal support network across social media that provides help and advice. Most of Canadian singer-songwriter Suzie Ungerleider’s 2022

UK tour consisted of either house concerts or took place in village halls and she views it as a really important way of keeping music alive. You can go to certain city venues with only 20 people and there’s no atmosphere according to Mark. In a local community everyone knows each other and the atmosphere is buzzing.

As one local resident, Izzy Manser, told me: ‘It’s great quality live music right on your doorstep, within walking distance of home. And there’s so much music variation within the Americana scene, it’s often stuff you wouldn’t necessarily listen to.’

‘If other people had a go themselves it would be great; in their own villages, in their own homes,’ says Mark. ‘I do it to support the musicians financially, bring some of my favourite musicians to me and to give everyone a great night. It’s hard work, and I really want to thank everyone who has supported us and hosted events over the last four years, but when it goes right (and so far they all have) it’s fantastic!’

For more info visit @GEPOSPROMO on Facebook

Email greateastonstores@gmail.com

Del Robertson

Stephen Chown

Stephen Chown

TOP BANANA

In her search for great grassroots music Kate meets singer Mark Thompson of the Top Banana band

WHEN HE’S NOT running his own building business, MST Construction, or being a proactive member of his local parish council, Mark Thompson can be found singing in different venues in the area with the Top Banana band which he co-founded with trumpet player Lisa Thipthorp. Or singing with the Rutland Big Band. He is always singing while he’s working or counting down the time to Popmaster on Radio 2.

Mark has always loved music and singing, commandeering the family Grundig music centre from a very young age, and buying records with his pocket money whenever he could. His first purchase was Emile Ford and the Checkmates. Then John Miles, Carl Perkins, Elvis Presley, any country and western, really any kind of music. That’s why he’s so good at Popmaster!

His first memory of singing properly to people was when he worked with Alan Mills, the front man with Coast to Coast that had a hit in 1981 with (Do) The Hucklebuck.

‘Alan was working for my dad,’ Mark explains. ‘He basically taught me to sing properly, how to use my voice and diaphragm. I’d go to jam sessions with him and sing with loads of fabulous rock and roll musicians. I’ve also had pointers from Martin McEvoy, a professional opera singer based in Gretton as I had to sing the Sam Smith James Bond theme which is falsetto and Martin kindly gave me lessons.’

Mark had always wanted to sing with a big band and he was delighted when he became the male vocalist with Rutland Big Band. It’s a 22-piece band consisting of a rhythm section with drums, base and rhythm guitar and then a brass section with three or four trumpets, four trombones and four saxophones. They mainly cover artists like Glenn Miller, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Ella Fitzgerald and Nina Simone. It’s absolutely brilliant: the sound, the atmosphere, the whole performance.

‘I’d normally travel home with Lisa who was playing trumpet for Rutland Big Band,’ says Mark. ‘And we’d often chat about how we wanted to set up our own funk/soul band with a little bit of blues thrown in for good measure. So one day in 2015 we started The Top Banana Band. Our major influences are Stevie Wonder, James Brown, Wilson Pickett and The Commitments; it’s upbeat stuff, you don’t sit down if you come and watch us, you’re on the dance floor.

‘Our first gig was a charity movie-themed ball at Gretton village hall and we had to learn all the different theme tunes. We toyed with different joke names and Top Banana stuck. We wear black and yellow clothes and accessories. I had a yellow suit made and the only pair of yellow creepers ever made by TUK in California. You can’t miss us!

As the singer, especially in a yellow suit, the focus is on me but I always know I’ve got the band behind me and we work as a great team. And having my singing partner Roo with me gives me lots more

confidence too.

‘I play a bit of rhythm guitar and the harmonica but I prefer to concentrate on my singing. There’s nine members of the band: our keyboard player JK has been blind from birth and blows everyone away every time, his memory and skills are amazing. Roo, our female vocalist also sings with the Rutland Big Band but she jumped at the chance to join us because she loves singing, and she can do both. We have Dan on trombone, Richard on drums, another Mark on bass, Steve on guitar, and our sax player Jay. Some of the band are very busy musicians and play with other bands as well as us.

‘I also sing duets with Roo and another vocalist Maggie at smaller gigs. Alan taught me to perform, you don’t just stand there singing into a microphone, you’ve got to put on a show, put your heart into it. There’s nothing like performing live music. You’ve also got to know your technical stuff, how your sound system will work in each venue. Being a roadie for a band teaches you all that, how to mike up and set up the PA. I worked for Showaddywaddy a few times and one of the most daunting experiences of my life was when they introduced a new mixing desk like an aeroplane flight deck pre gig at the Derby Assembly Rooms. We plugged everything in, I was in control but the strangest noises came out and Dave Bartram didn’t stop frowning at me all night.’

The band play regularly at weddings, parties, anniversaries and local festivals which tend to be charitable events. They perform two free sessions per year. People underestimate when they book a live band the amount of work that goes on in the background: the many hours of rehearsals, working out what songs they’ll perform, dance routines, even stage shows for some bands.

‘For the two-hour slot you perform on stage, you could be working up to seven hours on the day. For a wedding you normally get there at midday and you don’t leave until midnight,’ Mark explains. ‘At weddings there’s always such a mix of people, you never know what you’re going to get. But with the songs we perform, we can guarantee everyone has a great night and the dance floor is full! We played at Lisa’s wedding last year and she joined us with her trumpet for a couple of numbers in her wedding dress.

‘I like playing at festivals because everyone is there for the music, to watch the bands. I also really like singing duets at pub gigs even though you’re more exposed. And I still love it when I’m singing for the Rutland Big Band. Even to this day, when everything is right, the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.’

To book the band contact @topbananaband on Facebook and @ thetopbananaband on Instagram.

SING THOSE BLUES AWAY

Singing is joyous and good for you. Mary meets a young choir leader who is bringing joy to many

SINGING IS GOOD for you, fact. It’s great for your mental health as it helps release endorphins, blood pressure is lowered and stress is reduced by reducing cortisol. Circulation is improved because of the breathing and you feel physically more relaxed when you have a good sing. And you are concentrating so everything else is pushed to the back of the mind. Therefore we should all probably be singing more, and joining a choir is one way to do it. The stress of the day immediately disappears.

Brooke Peverell went to Bourne Grammar and was brought up with music as a member of the Salvation Army. ‘I was surrounded by music and did my first solo aged four.’ The Salvation Army is a very musical church so Brooke was taught to play instruments and sing in a choir, and was always performing.

In 2017, when she was 19, she was approached by a group of women she worked with who asked her to set up a choir in Stamford. They knew how musical she was, being a grade 8 pianist, loved singing, could conduct and knew her way round sheet music so she was the ideal person, despite her young age. In fact, her age probably played in her favour as she was full of enthusiasm and energy, had no fear and had a broad church (so to speak) of song choices to hand. Stamford Sings was launched starting with a group of 25 women ranging in age from their 20s to 80s.

‘We’ve been able to attract a modern and diverse group of women

which is unique in a choir setting and my age has probably helped with that. I’m young so women in their 20s are attracted to the choir because the leader is a similar age to them. Some fabulous friendships have built up across the age groups.

‘I was determined that the choir was going to be fun, friendly and light-hearted and completely different from a choral society. There would be no ‘stars’ as such and no hierarchy. We were going to enjoy singing modern songs as well as gospel and Disney and the women would have a great time as well as learning to sing. And that is just what we did.’

Because they were singing anything and everything ranging from gospel, musical theatre, pop, the odd choral and, of course, Disney songs there was always something for everyone. The choir grew in popularity and before long Brooke had set up choirs in Bourne and Oakham, concentrating on it full time.

And then of course we all know what happened, Covid and the dreaded lockdowns, and Brooke lost her fledgling business overnight. But equally importantly the women had lost the chance to enjoy the joy of singing, some of them their special ‘me time’ and all of them meeting a group of lovely friends. And Brooke had to go and find a job and put her plans on the backburner.

But her dream was resurrected when she relaunched Stamford Sings in October 2021 and started workshops as well. The choir meets weekly during term-time on Wednesday evenings at 6.45 until 8pm on

Image: Elli Dean

the Uffington Road in the Stamford Brass rehearsal hall. And most members returned after Covid with many more joining as well. For many women it’s the only time they get free from childcare in their week so the time is special. There’s even been a choir baby who has spent the first few months of his life attending choir practice!

The choir is now made up of 40 ladies and there is still space for a few more members. They are a diverse group all leading busy and full lives be it building a career, caring for children or grandchildren. They are full of energy and Brooke’s matches theirs. Don’t worry, you don’t have to audition. Brooke suggests if you are interested in joining to get in touch with her to have a chat. Most members have some previous experience of singing, but not all. ‘We are a good choir now and some people might it find it too difficult at first. But that often means after a few 1:1 lessons with me you are confident to join. Not all my ladies can read music. Some of the benefits of joining choir are you learn to sing and usually learn to read music as well just by picking it up along the way. I find that many women find themselves again by coming to choir and this helps with their confidence and you can’t help but smile

when you are singing some of our arrangements.’ The choir sings in three parts: soprano, mezzo and alto and it’s quite rare to have solos.

One of Brooke’s provisos is that everyone is equal in the choir. She always has a chat with prospective new members so that they understand the ethos of ‘play by the rules, fit in and be kind.’ It’s pretty simple really and a friendly choir makes for a happy choir.

Another strong ethos of the choir is that Brooke is determined it is not held behind closed doors but is part of the community. So they hold the occasional concert as a fundraiser and will go and sing in care homes and some of you may have spotted them singing carols in Stamford at Christmas. And this year there is a big Christmas concert planned already – watch this space.

If you don’t feel you can commit to a weekly stint at choir, or don’t feel you have the singing skills (yet) Brooke has another string to her bow; she runs workshops. ‘Everyone is welcome from the experienced singer to the absolute beginner. You will enjoy an afternoon of singing without making any further commitment and by the end of the afternoon I promise you will be singing and loving it.’

Workshops are run every couple of months, the last one was Abba (when 10 new choir members signed up on the spot) when they sang a fantastic medley and this month it is back to the 80s. They sound fun and everyone will recognise some, if not all the songs. Workshops are £10 and it’s a great way to get back into singing or start from scratch. It’s also a way to get to know Brooke and her style to see if you would enjoy being a choir member.

Brooke’s enthusiasm and energy is contagious which means that she is always being sent songs by the choir members who are equally as enthusiastic and energetic. And what is Brooke’s favourite? ‘I love a good Disney but a gospel song is so uplifting that you can’t help but smile when you sing it; and it’s quite spine tingling.’

To contact Brooke email her on contact@brookepeverell.co.uk or Instagram @stamfordsings The next workshop, Back to the 80s is on March 18 from 2-4pm.

'The choir is now made up of 40 ladies and there is still space for a few more members. They are a diverse group all leading busy and full lives be it building a career, caring for children or grandchildren.'

Images: Jordan Bradley

EMERGING TALENT

Kate meets a young singer-songwriter from Rutland who is breaking into the music business

ANOTHER LOCAL SINGER is Grace Arnold, an 18-year-old from South Luffenham who has written and produced two singles and an EP and performs her songs live in her local pub.

Grace has always loved singing so when she was four, her mum sent her for lessons with Caroline Trutz, a professional opera singer and teacher. She had classical training with Carrie for a few years then became interested in musical theatre and also joined a couple of local choirs. All this immersion in the musical world paid off, as did the many hours listening to her favourite artists like Morgan Wallen, a country artist, and Etta James for a more chilled sound. She has clearly soaked up all the different influences and at the age of 13 she wrote her first song ‘Abandoned Love.’

Since then she’s written and composed many more songs and had seven produced; two singles and five compiled into an EP. And she’s shot a two-song music video. She sings live at the Fox in North Luffenham and is keen to perform in other venues.

‘I’ve written loads of songs,’ says Grace. ‘And all of them have their own story. Sometimes a song just falls into my head and I record it on my phone and work with what I’ve got straightaway or I’ll leave it and come back to it later and maybe mix it with other ideas I have. I often find they all fit together and it builds over time. Sometimes it’s just the melody first, sometimes it’s the lyrics with a melody.

‘People listening to my songs will all hear them differently. My interpretation of a song will be completely different to how someone else sees it and I like that. One person will hear heartbreak but it doesn’t have to be romantic heartbreak, it could be about another loss. If I had to describe my music, I’d say it’s a bit ballad-y but I wouldn’t like to close myself off to other genres.’

As well as ballads Grace often writes songs with country or jazz undertones. ‘I like mixing things up a bit. The song I’m about to release next, Bluebird, is more upbeat than my previous records, with a jazzy vibe.

‘I haven’t released some of my favourite songs yet as they’re very personal,’ Grace told me. ‘They mean more to me than others, they might be about my granny and granddad or things that have happened and had a positive or negative impact on me. Sometimes they’re the best ones, the ones that come from my heart. When I’m singing in public I put an emotional barrier up, but some songs I’ve written I don’t relate to in the same way now as I did when I wrote them so that’s easier.’

Grace’s father Peter Arnold films the music videos locally and in Cornwall where they spend a lot of time together, and the album and singles were recorded in Parlour Studios in Kettering. Her single ‘And We…’ was written in response to the Covid crisis and recorded in Bristol by filmmaker Rupert Ward-Lewis. Grace wrote it as part of a poetry, art and musical collaboration for a mental health charity but retains full control of the finished result.

I wondered how Grace envisages her future? ‘I’d like lots of people to relate to my music and I’d like to be confident in what I’m putting out. And I’d love to do it as a full-time job and travel around the United States, performing while I’m there. I can cut hair while I’m travelling to help pay my way.’

Grace is currently doing a hairdressing apprenticeship and has been picked to represent Stamford College in a cut, blow-dry and style competition in March. This is another outlet for her creativity and she’s decided on a graduated bob, but as it will be on a model head not a person, she can’t give full rein to her skills as ‘an undercut would stick up which is a shame as it’s cooler!’

She loves to be immersed in anything creative whether that’s hairdressing, painting, working with her dad on his Mouse House Pottery or designing the album covers, and that’s when inspiration for her compositions often hits. Which is just as well, as she’s clearly got plenty more material to write and perform.

Grace’s music can be found on Spotify, YouTube, itunes and Apple music. To book her for a gig email graciearnold321@gmail.com

THE CASTLE INN

Grantham CAMRA Country Pub of the Year 2022

The Castle Inn is a beautiful country pub, centrally located in the picturesque village of Castle Bytham.

Light lunches and drinks served 12pm –2pm Tuesday to Saturday in The Bar or Taverna.

The Castle’s Traditional

Lunch is served 12pm – 3pm.

Evening meals served Wednesday to Saturday from 6pm until 9pm.

Walkers Welcome!

Start your walk at The Castle and pre-order lunch for your return!

Dog Friendly

We host a range of events throughout the year including live bands, quiz nights and much more… follow us on Facebook for more info!

AIM FOR THE MOON

The grassroots music scene, and the professionals need a good guitar shop. Mary meets the owners of Moonflower Guitars who have just that

WE’VE ESTABLISHED THAT there’s a strong grassroots music scene in our area as well as quite a few well known professional musicians who usually keep their heads down until they pop up playing guitar behind a major superstar. But all these musicians have something in common, be they at the top of their game or just starting out. Where do they buy their guitars, get them serviced, find accessories or just pop in for advice and a chat?

Moonflower Guitars on Oakham’s Mill Street is often the first port of call for many of these musicians. There are up to 90 guitars on display in the shop with another 30-40 upstairs so most people will find what they want here. Prices range from £50 to £8,000 and you can buy an electric guitar, a classic acoustic, steel stringed, new or second hand as well as guitars made by local luthiers such as Zac Booth. As well as guitars there are amplifiers, the prettiest customised scratchplates, strings galore and everything else a guitarist needs including, of course, plectrums. Repairs and set ups are also done here.

So, who are the faces behind the shop which attracts so many guitarists, including those from all over the country? Meet Jon, Ming and Alan who are all established musicians. Jon (who toured with The Specials) and Ming have had their own band for years and in 2019 needed a new guitarist. They met Alan through ‘musician tinder,’ as Ming calls it. John put an ad out online and then spotted Alan’s promo video and the rest, as they say, is history. Alan joined the band, Project Blackbird and the three of them really gelled with a strong friendship

forming. ‘We work well together and have different skills so all bring something different to the shop,’ says Ming.

Jon is the ideas man and by chance saw that the shop on Mill Street was up for sale; he was having a coffee in The Larder which is opposite and the empty shop set his creative mind going. All three of them were at crossroads in their respective careers, all having to make decisions, and Jon suggested opening a guitar shop. They all play instruments, including guitars but Alan is the one with the huge knowledge. As Ming said, ‘without Alan we couldn’t have opened the shop,’ which they did in April 2021 as lockdown lifted.

Alan has played the guitar since he was eight and is able to offer loads of advice about sales and purchases as well as do most of the repairs, setting up and fine tuning himself. If the repair is too complicated they have a few local luthiers who can help out as well. People will come in and chat to Alan about the guitar they either want to buy, or indeed, the one they want to sell. The one thing Alan doesn’t do is give lessons as ‘I just don’t have time’ he told me, but they have a list of local teachers if anyone wants to learn.

Since opening they have built up a loyal customer base with local musicians being very supportive including some of the more high profile ones. You are able to come in and try the guitars that are for sale but it’s best to book a time online first. The three of them have extensive knowledge so you know you are being offered good, sound, unbiased advice. There’s a good vibe in the shop and it’s all very laid back and welcoming. And the guitars are kept in pristine condition because Alan is a stickler for controlling the humidity in the shop; there’s no wood shrinkage or warping here.

www.moonflowerguitars.co.uk www.projectblackbird.band

Image: Eddy Tantgen

WILL’S WALK

Creeton and Swayfield

You will feel a long way from anywhere on this remote rural stroll.

By Will Hetherington

Images: Will Hetherington

Difficulty rating

The route

Park in the large layby just south of the right angle bend at Creeton. Walk north along the road signposted Counthorpe and you will pass a collection of pretty cottages along the road. When you reach the sharp left turn in the road after about half a mile, carry straight on to the start of the Drift. Stay on this undulating track for a mile and a half, passing two footpaths off to the right as you go, and enjoying fine views of rolling hills and plenty of woodland either side. Keep a look out for deer too - there are plenty around here. You will eventually see the left hand turn towards Swayfield. Take this turn and you will soon pass under the east coast mainline and then follow the tree-lined path as it curves away to the right and uphill towards the gate in the far corner of the pasture.

Follow the path up past the small gathering of grand looking houses around Church Farm on the right and a pond on the left. Carry on through the gateway and up to the top of Water Street. Just at the junction you will see the footpath off to the left into the field through a gate. Go through here and cross the first paddock. Follow the sign down to the gate in the hedge at the bottom of the next field and then it’s a brief uphill stretch through one field before you pick up the farm track, which leads south. Stay on this track for just more than a mile until you reach Elm Tree Farm. Go through the yard and then down the access road to join Creeton Road. Turn left here and go under the railway bridge. Follow the road around to the right and head south back into Creeton.

The Drift is a two mile lane linking Creeton and Swayfield.

Most of the return leg of this walk is on firm roads like this.

You will probably see a few quarry trucks on Counthorpe Road on their way to and from Creeton quarry which produces a variety of different stone, including Creeton silverbed and Creeton banded limestone.

Essential information

WHERE TO PARK

In the large layby just south of the right angle bend at Creeton.

DISTANCE AND TIME

Four and three quarter miles/one hour 45 minutes.

HIGHLIGHTS

Tranquility (even with the east coast mainline), undulating country with plenty of woodland and some nice houses along the way.

LOWLIGHTS

Exposed in a cold north or easterly wind. The Drift can be quite muddy in places.

REFRESHMENTS

The Castle at Castle Bytham.

THE POOCH PERSPECTIVE

The Drift is enclosed so it’s good for the dogs and you won’t see much livestock on the way round.

DIFFICULTY RATING

Three paws. There are undulations rather than hills but it’s a decent stretch.

For your own safety and navigation make sure you have an OS map with you when you go out walking. You won’t regret it.

Going under the East Coast mainline at Swayfield.

Easter Camps Easter Camps

Summer Camps

8th-12th April 8th 22nd-26th July

15th-18th April (4 day) 15 29th July- 2nd August

May Half-Term Camp Summer Camps

MULTI-ACTIVITY HOLIDAYS FOR CHILDREN AGED 4-14

28th-31st May (4 day) 15th-19th July

MULTI-ACTIVITY HOLIDAYS FOR CHILDREN AGED 4-14

Summer Camps 22nd-26th July

Our OFSTED registered Camps, which have been running in the area for over 25 years, offer a wide range of over 30 fun activities to keep your child entertained in the holidays.

8th-12th July 29th July- 2nd August

Our OFSTED registered Camps, which have been running in the area for over 25 years, ofer a wide range of over 30 fun actvites to keep your child entertained in the holidays. Some of the actvites that we ofer include bouncy castles, arts and crafs, sports, food making, crossbows, orienteering, computer games and den building.

Our OFSTED registered Camps, which have been running in the area for over 2 5 years, offer a wide range of over 30 fun activities to keep your child entertained in the holidays.

Some of the activities that we offer include bouncy castles, arts and crafts, sports, food making, crossbows, orienteering, computer games and quad biking

15th-19th July 5th-9th August

22nd-26th July 12th-16th August 19th-23rd August

All staf are DBS checked and have the necessary experience and training to deliver the wide range of actvites we ofer. We pride ourselves on the quality of our childcare and our excellent staf ratos.

Some of the activities that we offer include bouncy castles, arts and crafts, sports, food making, crossbows, orienteering, computer games and quad biking.

All staff are DBS checked and have the necessary experience and training to deliver the wide range of activities we offer. We pride ourselves on the quality of our childcare and our excellent staff ratios.

REST ASSURED -WE WILL BE FOLLOWING GOVERNMENT GUIDANCE TO ENABLE US TO DELIVER MAXIMUM FUN IN A SAFE ENVIRONMENT

We accept payment by childcare vouchers.

All staff are DBS checked and have the necessary experience and training to deliver the wide range of activities we offer. We pride ourselves on the quality of our childcare and our excellent staff ratios.

We accept payment by childcare vouchers.

Easter Camps

Easter Camps

Summer Camps

9.30 am – 4.30 pm (early and late care available)

8th-12th April

15th-18th April (4 day)

8th-12th April 22nd-26th July

Tel. 01572 868 304

15th-18th April (4 day) 29th July-2nd August

– 4.30 pm (early and late care available)

May Half-Term Camp Summer Camps

Email: info@churchillsummercamps.co.uk

28th-31st May (4 day) 15th-19th July

CAMP COST - £165

www.churchillsummercamps.co.uk

Summer Camps 22nd-26th July

We accept payment by childcare vouchers Tel. 01572 868 304 Email: info@churchillsummercamps.co.uk

8th 12th July 29th July 2nd At

Cost: £182 per week

£156 (4 Day Camp)

Peterborough THE PETERBOROUGH SCHOOL

Stamford STAMFORD JUNIOR SCHOOL

Oakham BROOKE PRIORY SCHOOL

Peterborough THE PETERBOROUGH SCHOOL

Stamford STAMFORD JUNIOR SCHOOL

Active Kids

Open day at The Peterborough School

THE PETERBOROUGH SCHOOL is the only independent school in Peterborough that welcomes children at every entry point from nursery through to sixth form. Places are still available for 2023 entry into reception, Year 7 and Year 12. The Peterborough School is hosting an Open Day on Saturday May 13 from 10-12.30pm. For more information and to register your place, visit: www.thepeterboroughschool.co.uk/open-daymay-2023

Stamford equestrian success

FOUR STUDENTS FROM the Stamford High School equestrian team attended the National Schools Equestrian Association regional qualifiers on 29 January at Eland Lodge. The 80cm novice team were victorious in the arena eventing class, qualifying for the National Championships to be held at Hickstead in May. Congratulations to Alice and Imogen in Year 8, Millie in Year 9, and Emily in Year 11.

Blue Peter comes to Leicester Grammar Junior school

OV ER THE PAST year members of one of LGJS’s popular cocurricular clubs, Young Voices, have been learning inspirational songs and accompanying dance moves ready to join The World’s Largest Choir in Birmingham for Young Voices 2023.

This prompted proud pupil Lyla to write to Blue Peter to tell them all about it. Blue Peter recognised the importance of such an inspirational experience and so Leicester Grammar Junior School was joined by Mwaksy Mudenda, CBBC Blue Peter presenter and her film crew, who accompanied Lyla and LGJS Young Voices to the event.

They were delighted to be able to share how wonderful it feels when they sing together. Young Voices members are now proud owners of their very own Blue Peter Badges and have some fantastic memories to cherish. A dream come true and a fantastic opportunity for Lyla.

Budding Witham Linguists

PUPILS AT WITHAM Hall are known for getting stuck in and having a go, and this includes the teaching and learning of languages. As well as French, Latin and Greek, the pupils can take part in a number of co-curricular clubs including BilinguaSing Spanish in Pre-Prep, German and Russian in the Prep School, and Year 8 scholars have a go at Arabic in the summer term.

This term a selection of pupils from Years 5-7 took part in the UKLO International Linguistics Olympiad. Pupils were faced with translation and comprehension tasks in little-known languages ranging from Umbrian, to Gilbertese and even Swedish Runes. They had to use decoding, logical reasoning and pattern spotting linguistic skills to break codes, identify connections and re-use the given language in a variety of ways - and they did well!

Witham celebrates the European Day of Languages annuallythis year, building a balloon sculpture of the Eiffel Tower and having a languages treasure hunt quiz. To put their language skills into practice Year 7s have an expedition to France where they can experience the culture and cuisine and see the language come to life. This trip is often one of the children’s lasting school memories of their time at Witham.

Jack returns to Oakham

OAKHAM

SCHOOL

RECENTLY welcomed back Old Oakhamian and England and Leicester Tigers rugby player Jack van Poortvliet. Jack, who left the school in 2019, gave pupils rugby tips and advice and answered questions about his time at the school. He also helped coach some of the rugby teams and donated an England shirt from his debut test against Australia.

Lower School pupils also had the opportunity to meet Jack and were able to tell him about their recent triumphs in playing rugby. As a pupil, Jack captained the Oakham School 1st XV before going on to play for England U18s as scrum half.

Oakham’s art project

OAKHAM SCHOOL PUPILS and staff have created a series of sustainable structures using recycled materials from the campus and beyond. In a collaborative project across the school, items were made in the Smallbone Library using everything from coffee bean bags, felt from piano keypads and an old bed frame.

Stamford netball success

THE STAMFORD HIGH School U16 netball team competed at the East Midlands Regional Schools Finals on Saturday 28 January, hosted by Oundle School. Ten teams from across the region were battling it out for two places at the National Schools Finals. After an intense day, including a thrilling second half comeback in the semi-final, Stamford were crowned overall winners, cementing a place at the National Schools Finals on Saturday 11 March. The accolade places the team as one of the top 18 teams in the country, which is an impressive feat!

Teacher of art, Hanna Day said: ‘Sustainability and recycling is an important part of the art department’s ethics. We were inspired to start this exciting project as we had old clothes and fabrics donated by the school community and knew we wanted to use these for an inspiring new project.’

After receiving the donations, the school decided to start a sustainable art week where they invite pupils of all ages and abilities to collaborate on a project. Alongside getting pupils involved in making something from the recyclable materials, the school’s art technicians created a cube using old printing frames from the department. The strips of fabric used were a combination of old materials and donated clothes from staff members.

Overall, the creative project was a huge success and many pupils enjoyed seeing how old materials could be used to create something brand new.

ActiveBody

EDITED BY KATE MAXIM

And sing!

The vocal cords need to be treated like any other muscle in our body.

Physiotherapist Sarah Babbs explains how to become a ‘musical athlete’

IWAS RECENTLY given a wonderful gift of singing lessons and came across the term ‘musical athlete.’ I should hasten to add that does not apply to me! But musical athlete does apply to a singer. They need good strength, endurance, stamina, balance and posture and the voice should literally be ‘kept fit’ as well. The anatomy involved to be able to sing, both directly and indirectly needs to be in the best condition.

But, as with any performance, training teaches and enhances it, be it Parkrun, a marathon, karaoke or opera at Covent Garden. And sometimes there are injuries which need rehabilitation. As is often the case in my work with patients having an injury, understanding how it may have happened and good rehabilitation often leads to a stronger performance.

If we think of the voice as an instrument, sound is made by passing air through the vocal cords which are part of the larynx known more colloquially as the voice box. The larynx sits at the top of the trachea (windpipe). The main function of the vocal cords is to close momentarily to prevent food or other particles going into the trachea and thus the lungs. When the cords are brought together while breathing out they vibrate and this makes sound. The number of vibrations made by the cords will determine the pitch of that sound and the voice or sound heard. Changing the shape of the vocal cords alters the sounds made. This is done by muscles opening, closing, stretching and shortening those cords. Those muscles can be trained with exercises, not strengthening them but improving co-ordination and endurance.

As with most physical activities ‘warming up’ is important. This includes the releasing of the neck, shoulders and facial muscles. Specific exercises for the voice include to different parts of the mouth, throat and tongue; changing the sounds, volume and even style of singing. All this helps warm up the vocal cords as you can’t just expect to be able to belt out an aria without warming up first; exactly the same as not being able to race 100 metres without a bit of limbering up first.

Breathing obviously is important with singing, and making sure that the diaphragm is used efficiently is key. The diaphragm is the large muscle sheath at the base of the ribcage which separates the lungs from the abdomen. When we breathe using the diaphragm the belly extends outwards, best felt by placing a hand on the tummy. As we breathe in, the hand will be lifted as it feels like the air fills the belly. There are other muscles around the chest wall and even some of the neck muscles are involved in pulling air into the lungs, but if these are dominant in singing the sound is altered and can be strained. The diaphragm is also much more efficient so singing, or other activities, are less tiring when it is used well.

When we are anxious or stressed we tend to hold our breath and use the upper muscles. Often people feel tension in their neck and shoulders in this situation and take shorter, sharper breaths. Breathing with the diaphragm can help reduce that feeling.

Equally important is our position when singing. Using the whole of the body partly to act as a voice chamber makes the sound resonate through it. If you don’t do this but just use the throat it creates a reedier sound. To do this make sure we are balanced either on our feet when standing or through the body and legs when sitting. Relaxing into the body so we are not carrying extra tension will help enormously. One way is to close the eyes and just ‘scan’ the body, feeling which parts are connected to the seat and the floor, bringing that awareness forward, creating calm before we begin. Actually, I think this applies to most activity and is a great way to start the day.

Keeping up general fitness helps enormously and this can be achieved with swimming, walking, running, all the things that help improve stamina and will help with your performance. And, of course practice makes perfect, so training the voice will help with performance and enjoyment for everyone, the singer and the audience.

To contact Sarah ring 07780 900201

Overcoming post-viral fatigue

So many of us have been wiped out by a virus these last few months which just seems to linger. Gary Trickett offers some tips to get rid of it

FATIGUE IS A common symptom of many different illnesses. It is a normal part of the body’s response to fighting an infection. Usually fatigue goes away quickly once t he body has dealt with the infection. But sometimes fatigue can linger for weeks or months after you’ve been sick with a viral infection, such as COVID-19 or the flu.

Post-viral fatigue is when the fatigue that started with a viral infection continues for a longer period of time after the infection has gone. In the context of COVID-19, post-viral fatigue is also commonly referred to as long COVID. While most people recover quickly from coronavirus, some people have ongoing symptoms that can last for a few weeks or longer.

Extreme tiredness, shortness of breath, ‘brain fog’ and chest pains are among the dozens of long COVID symptoms reported by patients, many of whom have been off work for months.

And these symptoms are not limited to people who were seriously unwell or hospitalised with coronavirus. Post-viral fatigue affects people of all ages, including children, young people and adults. The severity and length of time that someone experiences fatigue doesn’t always reflect the severity of the initial infection or their previous fitness levels. Some people can be very unwell at the start of the illness but recover relatively quickly, whilst others may only have a mild viral illness but go on to have debilitating fatigue for a long time afterwards.

Scientists and doctors are still trying to understand the cause of long COVID. Whilst there are still many unanswered questions, there’s a lot you can do right now to feel better, starting with your immune system.

Support your immune system

You want your immune function to have everything it needs to mount a healthy response to a virus, but it also needs to recover from getting you through the virus. If you’ve been battling the effects of COVID-19 or the flu, your immune system may be in a state of imbalance. A good first step is to nourish and help replenish your immune system. New research published in the past year shows that getting enough vitamin D helps immune system function, with studies showing it can prevent severe COVID symptoms and also helps immune function ‘bounce back’ post-virus. If vitamin D levels are low a vitamin D supplement can help.

Vitamin C is also important for immune health. It is well documented for aiding in the prevention of colds and other infections. One way it does this is by encouraging the production of white blood cells that help protect the body against infection. A vitamin C supplement with bioflavonoids to aid absorption, or one sourced from fruit is a great place to start. Try A Vogel’s Nature-C.

Echinacea is also beneficial for the immune system. It works by improving the way the immune system responds to bugs, especially the common cold. It reduces the severity of cold symptoms and the duration of colds and flu, and it can reduce the likelihood of repeated cold or flu infections. It can even kick COVID’s butt. Research carried out during the pandemic shows that echinacea can reduce your chances of catching enveloped respiratory tract viruses by 51% (COVID is one) reduce your chances of catching SARS-CoV-2 by 63% and reduce viral load in cases of infection by 99%.

There are several varieties of echinacea plant, but echinacea purpurea has a greater amount of scientific evidence behind it than any other herbal remedy. It also shows antiviral action against all coronavirus variants known so far, including the Omicron variant.

Balance your microbiome

Since almost 80% of your immune cells reside in the gut, good gut flora is essential for balanced immune function. What’s more, researchers now point to a specific link between long COVID symptoms and the human gut microbiome. One study, published in the journal Gut, found that people with long COVID had ‘distinct’ differences in their gut microbiome compared to individuals who hadn’t had a coronavirus infection. A less diverse gut microbiome has been linked to long COVID patients and at six months post virus, fewer ‘friendly’ bacteria and more ‘unfriendly’ bacteria, when compared with people who hadn’t had COVID-19. Those people who didn’t develop long COVID had fewer changes in their gut microbiome, with complete recovery at the end of the six months. In fact, the gut microbiome of people who didn’t develop long COVID was so similar to non-COVID patients, that it led researchers to conclude that ‘…if you have a more balanced microbiome at the beginning, you will be able to fight [COVID] symptoms… or you will at least recover much faster.’

There’s only so much space in the gut, so the more friendly bacteria you add, the less room there is for unfriendly bacteria. Probiotics promote a healthy balance of gut flora by introducing healthy bacteria to the gut, which in turn helps control levels of unfriendly bacteria and yeast.

Fight fatigue with vitamin B

The main symptom of post-viral fatigue and long COVID is a significant lack of energy. This can obviously impact on every part of life including school or work, home life, social activities, sport and relationships.

Foods rich in B vitamins, such as bananas, oats and beans, or a vitamin B complex is usually recommended if energy levels are low, because B vitamins help to convert food into energy.

Vitamin B12 is especially important for red blood cell formation and energy release. We only need a small amount, circa 1.5 mcg per day, but because it is mainly found in animal products, vitamin B12 deficiency can be an issue for vegans and vegetarians, in which case a B12 supplement is usually recommended.

For further information, visit Gary and his team at The Health Store, West Bridgford or call 0115 9814080.

ActiveSport

Keeping on the right track

Gyms come in all shapes and sizes, Mary visits one that is housed in a railway carriage

GIUSEPPE POLVERE WAS sports mad as a child and a very keen footballer in his teens but, sadly, like many, an injury to his knee stopped any budding career in this sport. Giuseppe was ahead of his time though as he realised that to make the best recovery from his injury he should go to the gym to build the muscles up around the joint. ‘I saw improvement quite quickly on the muscles and that was it, I was hooked on going to the gym.’

He went to uni and did a sports and exercise science degree with the intention of becoming a PE teacher and at the same time qualified as a personal trainer. ‘I quickly realised teaching was not for me and was really enjoying being in the gym and helping friends train. I did some work experience as a PT and then travelled to America to investigate the gym industry a bit more. This included being in Miami where you train on the beach which sowed a seed about training outside.’

After touring America he returned to the UK and started working in the corporate

world as a PT, first of all with Virgin and then with David Lloyd gyms at Thorpe Wood. And then Covid struck. This focused Giuseppe’s mind considerably. ‘I decided I’d had enough of the corporate world and also needed to earn some money as obviously Covid shut the large gyms and the PTs were out on their own.’

He set up a mobile business training people outside in their own gardens as soon as he was able to. And he carried on doing this throughout the summer but obviously his mileage was very high doing this. But most of his PT clients had stuck with him so he was building a good client base – he would do, he’s good at what he does and very experienced.

It’s been interesting to note that many people have not returned to large gyms since they reopened after lockdowns preferring the smaller more intimate surroundings of small gyms, 1:1 training and particularly, training outside. Giuseppe quickly realised this and saw potential.

‘I knew I wanted to set up on my own and started looking for a building as by now I

was working from a studio I had set up at home. I didn’t want a large gym per se but wanted something like a farm building with outside space surrounded by fabulous scenery so that I could continue with the 1:1 training model and have an exclusive club as well as the very important outside training area. The studio at home was too congested and I wanted to be training people away from home.’

A family member put him in touch with Robin Dunlop at Wittering Grange. They had also changed their business model during Covid and Robin was keen to accommodate Giuseppe and his gym. He suggested Giuseppe use an old Danish railway carriage that was built in 1960 and was situated in the dog walking field.

Between them they had the vision to see the potential and what it could become so the carriage was subsequently moved and placed in front of the lake. And work then started to convert it into a gym. The refurbishment took a few months with Giuseppe’s father offering lots of help. A Danish railway carriage is slightly wider than a British one so good use was made of that extra bit of space with a mirror down one side of the carriage helping to open it up even more. The original wood

was kept along with the interior doors and fixtures and fittings. ‘We wanted to keep it as authentic as possible and still very obviously a railway carriage, it was important to keep its integrity.’ The floor and ceiling were replaced, a shower and toilet fitted but the original 1960s doors are still there. Keeping with the railway theme Giuseppe had a platform built in front of the carriage which overlooks the lake and is a fabulous spot to train, including with big equipment such as tyres.

Three months later Giuseppe was ready to open. Much of the gym equipment had to be built in the carriage because the doors were too small to bring anything in. The mood lighting is something to write home about and the air conditioning and heating help out on very cold or hot days. (The day I visited the lake was frozen).

All of Giuseppe’s clients from his mobile business came with him and he has gained many more since opening in February 2022. The carriage appeals to people who don’t like big gyms which are quite often noisy and impersonal. ‘My clients want the personal focus so I only offer 1:1 sessions along with two fitness classes a week. My clients have set goals which could be training to compete in competitions, keeping fit or just generally keeping as active and strong as possible to keep the ageing process at bay. Most of my clients are 1:1 but I do train couples too.’

All people coming to Giuseppe are private

members of the club with access to 1:1 personal training sessions and classes. It’s sociable too as Giuseppe holds social events a few times a year so everyone gets to meet up. They gym is only available for PT sessions and there are now more than 50 people using the carriage. Training sessions are offered daily (except Sundays) from 7am-8pm.

‘I offer bespoke individual training sessions and my clients feel valued. What I really like is that I know them all personally and I took them all out as a group for Christmas. We are building a community here and it’s creating a great atmosphere.’

Giuseppe has now been joined by Sam, a female trainer, who trains clients at the carriage twice a week specialising in pre and

post-natal training.

What I really liked about the carriage was its setting. The carriage itself including the gym equipment and mood lighting is really atmospheric but it’s the setting that really makes it special. To be able to look out over a lake in the middle of the countryside when you are training is wonderful. And to then be able to actually train outside within these peaceful surroundings is just fabulous, you really do feel at one with nature. And Giuseppe’s private personal training facility with tailored packages ticks all those boxes.

To find out more email giuseppepolverept@ gmail.com or follow on Instagram @ thecarriagefitness

Will’s Walks Volume 3 Volume Will’s Walks Volume 3

It’s here, volume 3 of our walk book, 21 more rambles around Stamford and Rutland. Due to popular demand, Will set out again to find more walks and here it is, the third book to add to the trilogy!

Enjoy some winter walks where it is drier underfoot during the bad weather, shorter walks of up to four miles and then some real leg stretchers which will tire you and the dog out. Get out there, enjoy the fresh air and exercise which will warm you up and, of course, walking is free!

Available at www.theactivemag.com or from local stockists

www.theactivemag.com

Strength training at home

If you can’t make it to a gym, devise a home workout instead. Kate has a go

WE ALL KNOW the many and varied benefits of working out at a gym: it’s sociable; you can follow a tailored programme to progress towards your fitness goals, and someone is always on hand to check you are using the equipment correctly and safely as well as to offer advice. And the routine of going to the gym and getting out of the house is definitely good for you.

But what happens if you lack the time or money, or suffer from gymtimidation, which makes you nervous about going to a gym? Or you want to add some extra workouts to your day? One answer is to create your own workout programme using simple weights at home. You could use tins of beans or floor cleaner, but ergonomically designed weights do make the job a lot easier!

I’d been struggling to make time to go to the gym and needed to get fitter and my legs stronger before I went skiing. As time was short, I ordered some 3kg dumb bells and a 6kg kettlebell online from Core Balance and downloaded a basic programme to get me started. I didn’t go for heavier dumb bells as I know my own strength (paltry). Also, if you do slow repetitions, lighter weights can activate the smaller, stabilising muscles and reduce the chance of injury, something I didn’t want to risk this late in the game. I also had to remember to warm up properly, so I made a route around my house up and down stairs, jogging, doing high knees, butt kicks and

jumping jacks.

The programme I’d downloaded included illustrations so I could check my technique was correct. This is the major downside of working out at home, as incorrect posture whether you’re using weights or not, can slow your progress or, worse, cause an injury. You can, of course, watch online videos which are easier to follow. And always make sure you have plenty of space around you to work out.

Never forgetting to engage my core (how often is that drummed into us?) I followed a basic routine of bicep curls, lateral raises, tricep extensions, overhead presses and bent-over rows to strengthen my arms, shoulders and back, all the better for when I’d be carrying my skis and poling along. Then plenty of squats, lunges and kettlebell swings for my legs and glutes. I started with three sets of reps, finishing with four to five as I built up my strength.

If you work from home and/or are time-poor, devising your own workout, whether strength training or cardio, is an easy win. It’s so simple to build into your daily routine and it breaks up your day. My programme only took 15 minutes once I’d warmed up. Adding in weights makes your workout much more effective and you can increase the weights and reps as your strength and fitness improves. And if you want to be sociable, invite a friend round to do it with you.

www.corebalancefitness.co.uk

Jeremy Smithson-Beswick fills us in on grassroots sport this month

WE START WITH football and an excellent run of form from Stamford Daniels means they are almost guaranteed a place in the end of season play offs in the Northern Premier League, unless of course they can go one better and win it for automatic promotion. At time of writing they sit second, three points behind leaders Halesowen Town but with a game in hand and sixteen points above the club placed just outside the play-off spots.

I suspect boss Graham Drury feels some extra confidence about their game would improve things even more as, speaking to the Stamford Mercury, he sent the players an indirect message by saying they don’t give themselves enough credit for what they’ve

achieved. Pointing out they’d lost possibly their best two players to higher tier clubs (Cosmos Matwasa and Tendai Chitiza) he concluded: ’There wouldn’t be many teams who could lose those quality players and then still be challenging at the top and repeating exactly the same.’ Just twelve games to go and all to play for.

Harborough Town FC, a few places down in the same division, still have ambitions of their own as they strive to get into those play-off places themselves. They’re six points short of the cut off but have a game in hand. They’ll have to do it without start striker James Ireland however, who is relocating to Australia. Ireland played his last game for the club in early February and he signed off with a flourish, scoring the only goal to land

his side a much-needed win against Chasetown. In all he scored 44 goals in 91 appearances for them, a very decent record indeed. Three new faces have appeared in the squad in the last few weeks to bolster that push up the table, the nearest to a direct replacement for Ireland being young Dempsey Arlott-John. Manager Mitch Austen was reportedly ‘over the moon’ at the signing of the ex-Leicester City academy striker.

Oakham rugby club eased their relegation worries with a whacking 54-0 victory over fellow-strugglers Dunstablians, in fact they’ve risen to the dizzy heights of eighth (out of twelve). Stamford are in fifth, comfortable enough but not in any position to threaten the top sides this year around,

after three defeats in a row during January. Bourne are one place higher, partially thanks to winning the recent derby over at Stamford’s ground but are similarly too far adrift to trouble the top sides.

Oundle are in a very similar position to Oakham, albeit at a higher tier in Midlands 1. They’ve dragged themselves from the dangerous end of the table with a 63-12 result against Stoke on Trent and should now be safe.

We rarely delve into political controversy here (more’s the pity, I’m often champing at the bit) but a magazine dedicated in part to keeping people active can’t just ignore the recent hoo-ha about Rutland County Council’s proposed closure of Catmose Sports Centre and the associated annihilation of hundreds of folks’ regular exercise.

Thankfully, it seems like there’ll be a happy end to the sorry saga due, in the main, to local people who stood up to be counted and made their voices heard. Our local politicians are now rowing backwards so hard their rowlocks are screaming (insert your joke of choice here).

Of course, it’s not that the original decision was the wrong one – oh no – it’s just that ‘a change in material considerations’ has occurred and that ‘the position has changed’ and ‘someone has just reminded us that council elections are due in May.’ (I may have made that last quote up). How quickly things can evolve indeed. A week earlier the official

stance was ‘we have no option available to us other than closure,’ but now the centre seems set to remain open with exactly the same arrangement and sub-contractor. Well done to all those who protested and shame on those who the lawyers advise me to refer to only as ‘you know who.’

Oakham CC (and many others in the local community) were stunned to hear of the sudden death of their former captain and long standing tower of strength, Chris Larsen, at the age of 52. The club said he’d played a huge part in making the club the place it is today and that he’d be remembered as ‘an incredible and well-humoured competitor but, most importantly, as a loyal and fierce friend.’ It says much about him that the very large All Saints Church was packed to the gunnels for his funeral. Gone too soon.

We finish with a happier story to put old wrinklies like me to shame. Oakham man Nick Taylor ran his first (and only) 10k event way back in 2001 and has not even jogged around the corner since. Although that’s a 22-year gap, it’s understandable because as he

puts it himself, ‘I don’t like running.’

However, he thought now would be a good time to try doing it again as his 70th birthday is imminent and he’s therefore chosen to enter the forthcoming Rutland 10k. His ambition is to be faster than he managed in his relative youth all those years ago (just under the hour). ‘Can I at 70 beat me at 48?’ he asks as he seeks to prove that he’s not quite ready for elasticated waistbands or stair lifts just yet.

New running shoes have been bought and training begins soon, with the day of reckoning on June 24. As for his big birthday, he’s asking for donations to EMICS instead (a kind of Air Ambulance on wheels with volunteer doctors, started by local GP Tim Gray and also the beneficiary of money raised by his run).

You can contribute if you wish at justgiving.com. I’ll keep you updated over the coming months on how he’s doing with those new trainers and unbelievably ancient knees.

www.justgiving.com/fundraising/nick-at-70v-nick-at-48.

‘The club said he’d played a huge part in making the club the place it is today and that he’d be remembered as ‘an incredible and well-humoured competitor but, most importantly, as a loyal and fierce friend.’

On your bike!

This month Gary Waterfall cycles a wide circuit of Rutland Water. It’s only 26 miles, but an impressive 1,600ft of climbing makes it a challenge.

START AT THE Horse and Jockey in Manton and head south to Wing and tackle the first of many challenging climbs. Go through Wing to Morcott before turning left to ride around the outskirts of North Luffenham with another challenging descent and climb over the river. Join the main road around Rutland Water until a left turn and then right into Empingham where you’ll be cycling mostly uphill for the next 10 miles. Ride west and follow the road until you join the main Cottesmore to Oakham road for a short while and then take care turning right at Burley on the Hill. Head down the hill and over the roundabout to Langham and then out to Cold Overton. Now you can enjoy a mostly downhill ride back as you ride through Oakham and then south back to Manton where you can enjoy some delicious refreshments at The Horse and Jockey.

https://www.strava.com/ routes/3054415858896409300

Or scan the QR code to get the route

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