Active Magazine // Stamford & Rutland // May 2016 by Active Magazine

ISSUE 47 // MAY 2016

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

Spot a Weasel Fry Aubergine Get rid of pests

Toned, Tanned, Terrific How to get the summer body you’ve always wanted!

WINic!ket

A Family T to Runfest crewell Entry to Sa Spring Fair

ISSUE 47 // MAY 2016

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www.theACTIVEmag.com

Gin Bunnies

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A perfect combination: make booze and exercise too!

Cycle Hero Vote Choose your winner in our Rutland Cycling competition

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Editor’s Letter I STARTED THINKING ABOUT SPORTING heroes recently, as my five-year old son has started football training on a Saturday morning at Stamford Junior Daniels, and his group were mascots at a recent game. Beforehand we had this conversation... Him: “Will we have to sing the national anthem before the game like they do on the TV?” Me: “No, that’s only when England play, not for normal football.” Him: “This isn’t normal football daddy – it’s the Stamford Daniels!” Now, far be it from me to disparage the Daniels and their fine stadium, but it’s not exactly Barcelona at Camp Nou. Yet in his eyes it is. You have to love kids’ enthusiasm and wide-eyed innocence about the world. Other than the Daniels’ players, his other sporting hero is Sam Harrison, the Leicester Tigers scrum half. Harrison is an exceptionally good player, but why would he pick him above seasoned international stars such as Ben Youngs, Manu Tuilagi or Dan Cole? Because, it turns out, Sam Harrison has the same long hair tied up in a ponytail as Qui-Gon Jinn, a jedi master in the Star Wars films. As a youngster, my sporting heroes were Barry Sheene, Franz Klammer and Ian Botham (which shows my age). Interestingly, they took very similar approaches to their sports: all-out, near reckless attack, a lack of conventional technique and a wide streak of rebellion, and oddly as a sportsman, I’ve always been technical, tactical and fairly conservative. It goes to show that as a kid, you think very freely, then as you get older, cynicism, coaching and pressure start to weigh more heavily. I think it’s important to try and avoid that trap – to play with the freedom and daring you had as a kid, when you were in the back garden pretending to be one of your idols. Perhaps I’d enjoy sport even more if I took a leaf out of their playing manuals. So this summer, I’m going to lash my drives gleefully off the tee as far as I can see, run as fast as my hamstrings will allow (not very) like a demented dog after a ball, and attempt to slog a load of humungous sixes instead of playing sensibly along the ground. Wish me luck… Enjoy the issue! Steve

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

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

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

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

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GREATFORD, LINCOLNSHIRE £645,000 SET IN A TUCKED AWAY POSITION IN THE HEART OF THE POPULAR VILLAGE OF GREATFORD, 4 GREATFORD GARDENS IS A GREAT FAMILY HOME.

EPC Rating: D

LANGHAM, RUTLAND £430,000 A STUNNING GRADE II LISTED GRANARY CONVERSION WITH LOVELY INTERIOR & SUNNY COURTYARD GARDEN

EPC Rating: Exempt

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LANGTOFT, LINCOLNSHIRE £795,000 A SPACIOUS FAMILY HOME SET IN EXTENSIVE GROUNDS OF APPROXIMATELY 2 ACRES WITH USEFUL OUTBUILDINGS LOCATED ON THE EDGE OF THE POPULAR VILLAGE OF LANGTOFT

EPC Rating: D

MARKET DEEPING, LINCOLNSHIRE £850,000 THIS BEAUTIFUL BARN HAS BEEN CONVERTED TO AN EXTREMELY HIGH STANDARD WITH AN EASY LIVING OPEN PLAN LAYOUT INCORPORATING MANY ORIGINAL FEATURES OVERLOOKING A PRETTY CENTRAL COURTYARD

EPC Rating: D

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Specialists in bespoke construction projects, from extensions to entire new builds as well as period property restoration. Working with a trusted team of local craftsmen to create the property of your dreams

Thorpe Construction Ltd Tel: Stamford (01780) 749599 l Email: info@thorpeconstructionuk.com l www.thorpeconstructionuk.com Find us on www.facebook.com/thorpeconstructionukltd Company registered in England No. 8917848

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STAMFORD

BASED ON A SURVEY CO LLECT ED ON 4-6 APRIL 20 16

NEWTON FALLOWELL

D L O S SIGNS

E R O M

GENT* A R E H NY OT A N A TH

8 9 OTHERS

NEWTON FALLOWELL 28.4%

soldsignaudit

28.4% Agent 2 - 14.7% Agent 3 - 13.7% Agent 4 - 8.4%

forsale S I G N A N A LY S I S SUPPLIERS OF INDEPENDENT MARKET SHARE REPORTS THROUGHOUT ENGLAND AND WALES

Untitled-13 1

Agent 5 - 7.4% Agent 6 - 7.4% Agent 7 - 5.3%

*NEWTON FALLOWELL WAS THE ESTATE AGENT WITH THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF SOLD SIGNS DISPLAYED BETWEEN THE DATES SHOWN.

0845 308 2004 forsalesignanalysis.co.uk

Agent 8 - 5.3% Agent 9 - 4.2% Others - 5.3%

independenceassured For Sale Sign Analysis confirms that this advert is a fair and accurate representation of the information found between the dates shown. The quantity of For Sale and Sold signs does not necessarily equate to the number of completions.

18/04/2016 16:11

Contents ACTIVE LIFE

ISSUE 47 /// MAY 2016

12-13 HOW TO...

Make the perfect gin and tonic, plus a gin cocktail

14 NATURE

The seasonal delights on offer outdoors

16-17 HEALTHY EATING

Another tasty recipe from Riverford Organic

23 DAY IN THE LIFE OF...

Newstead eventer Kerry Varley

25 WHAT’S ON

Great things to do locally for all the family

FEATURES 26-29 CRICKET SEASON PREVIEW Plus details of the forthcoming Sport Bash

36-43 SHAPE-UP FOR SUMMER

Expert advice on how to look and feel good in the sun

ACTIVE BODY 46-67 DISTANCE LEARNING

Expert advice on training for long distance runs

50 NUTRITION ADVICE

More from our nutritionist on eating healthily

54-55 HEALTH AND BEAUTY

Tips and products to help you look great

REGULARS

31 KIT BAG

Essential gear for the summer

33 MARTIN JOHNSON COLUMN

The Sunday Times writer fails to see the fun in running

58-59 WILL’S WALKS

We head to Exton as part of the Rutland Walking Festival

61 SPORTSMAN’S DINNER

We try out Dexters Bar and Kitchen in Oundle

64-67 SCHOOL SPORT

Our focus on the latest achievements from local pupils

68-74 ROUND-UP

How clubs in the area are faring

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savills.co.uk

Under Offer

2 Under Offer

WOTHORPE, near stamford

SOUTHORPE, cambridgeshire

Close to Stamford town ø spacious and flexible accommodation ø 5 bedrooms ø 7 reception rooms ø mature gardens and swimming pool ø garaging ø set in around 1 acre ø self contained one bedroom apartment ø EPC=E

Beautifully presented 2 storey barn conversion ø flexible accommodation ø vaulted entrance hall ø 4 bedrooms ø large garden with courtyard ø workshop, stores and paddock ø set in the sought after vilage of southorpe ø EPC = F

Guide £1.8 million

Guide £795,000

Savills Stamford lsimpson@savills.com 01780 484695

Under Offer

Savills Stamford lsimpson@savills.com 01780 484695

Under Offer

KETTON, rutland

HADDON, cambridgeshire

Renovated and extended Grade II Listed cottage ø 3 bedrooms ø 3 reception rooms ø useful large attic room ø detached double garage ø private, pretty walled garden ø quiet village location ø EPC=Exempt

Range of brick barns for development ø 5.727 acre field available separately ø planning granted by way of General Permitted Developmen ø 0.485 acre plot including further redundant barn ø EPC = Exempt

Guide £550,000

Guide £175,000

Savills Stamford lsimpson@savills.com 01780 484695

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Activelife THIS MONTH IT’S ALL ABOUT GIN AND GYM BUNNIES, MAY FLOWERS, A DELICIOUS VEGETABLE RECIPE AND RISING TO THE CHALLENGE… Edited by Mary Bremner

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Activelife

GLORIOUS, GLORIOUS GIN Gin has been reincarnated. Initially popular in the 1920s, and before that with colonials, it fell out of fashion and was derided by many. It was once classed as ‘mother’s ruin’ but has been quietly gaining ground and been re-born as the nation’s favourite, fashionable tipple. What’s more, it’s equally popular with both sexes. Boutique gin makers are popping up all over the country, and there are many in our neck of the woods. Grab a gin bottle, turn it round and look where it’s made – you’ll be surprised at how many are local. Since 2010, when gin ﬁrst starting popping its head up as the new drink in town, it has proved not to be a fad. The number of distilleries in this country has doubled to 233 in the last six years, and every week there seems to be a new one, many of which offer gin schools so you can go and mix your own blend.

The rise of gin has coincided with the improvement of many bars with good, new ones popping up all over the place. Gin and Fizz in Market Harborough is one of the latest speciality gin and champagne bars to open and is well worth a visit. What could be better than sitting in fabulous surroundings, or even better, in a lovely garden with a large glass of gin and tonic, condensation dripping off the glass and enjoying good company? Gin comes in many flavours now, but don’t forget its defining taste that comes from the juniper berry. The distinctive berry gives gin that sharp, refreshing, scented quality and long summer evenings spring to mind as soon as I get a sniff of it. Rhubarb, elderflower, pink or sloe gin spring to mind immediately – but there are so many more – too many to mention, but so

many to try. The Bluebell at Helpston has its own club and is renowned for its gin; they stock 101 of them and have a different one on sale every week, so maybe this is a good place to experiment? Mention must also go to the tonics that accompany gin. They have improved vastly with the ascendance of gin. Indian tonic water is no longer necessarily the go-to accompaniment. Fever Tree tonic, ﬂoated 18 months ago on the stock exchange (oh how I wish I’d invested), offers a wide range of different tonics – Mediterranean, elderﬂower, lemon as well as Indian tonic – and a wise barman will tell you which gins match which mixer. So as well as being a gym bunny, maybe it’s time to become a gin bunny too, just don’t try all 101 at once! Chin, chin…

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HOW TO…

Make the perfect gin and tonic The gin and tonic was conceived by the British military in India in the 19th Century as a way to stave off malaria as it was believed that the quinine in tonic was an effective remedy. Ingredients 50ml of London dry gin 100ml Fever Tree Indian tonic water 2 lime wedges Ice

Method Make sure your large glass is ice cold and then half fill it with large chunks of ice. Add a generous measure of gin (50ml) Squeeze in one of the lime wedges Add the tonic Add the second lime wedge, briefly stir. Sit back and enjoy. Courtesy of The Bluebell at Helpston

CMY

Or how about a delicious gin cocktail? The gin fizz cocktail Ingredients 25ml shot of Adnams Copper House gin 75ml ginger ale 150ml prosecco Method Combine gin and ginger ale in a champagne flute. Dvide into two chilled flutes and top with prosecco. Couldn’t be simpler or more delicious! Courtesy of the Gin and Fizz Bar, Market Harborough

Barbara Taylor-Harris International & Rutland artist Celebrating a decade of Painting A must see exhibition

Breaking Creative Boundaries

A retrospective exhibition of a ten year journey of mixed media paintings. On view work from Barbara’s personal collection, other exhibitions and new pieces.

3 - 12 June.

Victoria Hall Gallery, Oakham 10 - 4 daily including Sunday Viewing at other times or at her studio, by appointment 01572 822210 / 07801386780. Barbara@theoldparsonage.net

View art work/commissions on line www.pinterest.com/barbarartist www.artistsinfo.co.uk Follow @BBarbarartist. On Twitter Paintings by Barbara Taylor-Harris on Facebook BBarbarartist. On Instagram

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Activelife NATURE

HAWTHORN May is the month when hedgerows are a riot of beautiful scented white blossom heralding the start of summer. The hawthorn, also known as the may flower, is a very common sight throughout the country. An ancient species, it is thought to be the predecessor of the maypole and was the source of May Day garlands.

THE BRAMBLING

A relative of the chaffinch, the brambling is a winter visitor from Scandinavia between October and March. Numbers vary each winter – high one year, scarce another. The male has a pale orange breast and shoulder patch, dark brown head and white rump. Females are like female chaffinches but also have a white rump. The flight call is a harsh ‘tsweek’. Bramblings can be spotted by searching through chaffinch flocks feeding beneath beech trees where they forage for mast. When feeding on the ground they are well camouflaged among the brown and orange leaves but are easily spotted as they fly up into the trees. Bramblings are also attracted to autumn stubble, where they mix with other finches and buntings. Game crops, grown for pheasants and partridges, also provide rich pickings. In cold weather bramblings will visit gardens to take seed scattered beneath feeders, adding a touch of colour among the house sparrows and chaffinches. As the birds prepare to migrate to Europe to breed they visit woods to feed on emerging insects. Some of the males are then assuming a black head. Terry Mitcham

The weasel A small active predator with a long slender body and short legs. They usually have red or brown coats with white bellies. Weasels are fairly common in towns or the countryside. A virulent hunter of small rodents, they are also prone to stealing eggs from ground nests.

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

Tel 01780 654321 • www.classicstamford.co.uk

Tel 01780 654321

12 St Leonards Street Stamford, PE9 2HN

Tel 01780 654321 • www.classicstamford.co.uk

www.classicstamford.co.uk

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Activelife

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FRIED MISO AUBERGINES

with tomatoes, green herb rice and shredded omelette INGREDIENTS

200g brown basmati rice Salt and pepper 2 aubergines 2 garlic cloves 25g ginger 4 tomatoes 3 shallots 2 tbsp mirin 3 tbsp sweet white miso ¼ tsp chilli ﬂakes 2 tbsp tamari soy sauce 30g coriander 15g mint 2 eggs 2 tsp sesame seeds 2 tbsp sesame oil

Beat the eggs together in a bowl with the remaining soy sauce (2).

●

Heat a non-stick frying pan on a high heat. Add the eggs and swirl around the pan until even and pancake thin. Cook until coloured on the underside and set (3). Slide the omelette out of the pan and keep to one side.

●

Heat the sesame oil in a wok until simmering hot. Add the aubergines and fry on a medium heat for 4-5 minutes until starting to colour.

●

Add the shallots. Fry for a further 4 minutes. Both aubergines and shallots should be well coloured.

●

Put the tomatoes into the pan and cook for a further 3 minutes. Tip in the miso mix and 4 tbsp of water. Let everything bubble and heat through for 2-3 minutes until dark, rich and sticky.

●

METHOD

Put a large pan of salted water on to boil. Rinse the rice in a sieve under cold running water. When the water is boiling add the rice. Stir brieﬂy and cook partly covered for 20-25 minutes until tender.

●

Wash the aubergines. Remove green tops and chop into 3cm dice (1). Season them lightly.

●

While it cooks, roll the omelette into a tight cigar shape and slice widthways into ﬁne shreds.

●

Drain the rice. Mix through the chopped coriander and mint. Divide between two bowls. Spoon over the sticky aubergine and top with ﬁne ribbons of shredded omelette and sesame seeds. Enjoy!

●

Peel and finely slice the garlic cloves. Peel and finely chop or grate the ginger. Roughly chop the tomatoes. Peel and slice the shallots. In a small bowl stir the mirin, miso, garlic, ginger, chilli flakes and ½ the soy sauce together. Mix well until the miso dissolves.

●

Wash the coriander and mint. Shake dry. Roughly chop the coriander. Remove the leaves from the mint and slice into ﬁne shreds.

●

RECIPE BOXES Riverford recipe boxes are a simple and inspiring way to cook. Every week, we deliver everything you need to make three tasty organic meals. Inside each box, you’ll find the freshest, seasonal organic produce, step-by-step recipe cards and all the ingredients in exact quantities. The recipes are quick to cook and ideal for weeknights – most are ready in under 45 minutes. Think well balanced and

Tip: As an alternative dish, the omelette can also be used as a wrap and stuffed full of fried rice and veg.

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

great value for money. No waste. No missing the vital ingredient. All you have to do is cook. Visit: www.riverford.co.uk/recipebox to

find out more or call 01803 762059.

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Activelife Happy birthday Westside!

WELL DONE CAFÉ VENTOUX Congratulations to Café Ventoux in Rutland which has just been named Best Cycle Café in the UK by Human Race Events. To help them celebrate why not sign up for the Rutland Border Epique Cycle Sportive taking place on June 12? You can choose your epique challenge, ranging from 16 to 112 miles and every entry includes a meal at the café at the end. Enter online at www.itpevents.co.uk

SHOP OF THE MONTH…

Stamford Delicatessen

Win tickets to Sacrewell’s Spring Fair along with six bottles of Miller’s Ale To celebrate the launch of its new beer, Miller’s Ale, Sacrewell has teamed up with The Grainstore Brewery in Oakham to give you the chance to win a family entry pass to the Spring Fair, to be held on May 21 and 22, six bottles of the new Miller’s Ale and a brewery tour for six people of The Grainstore’s headquarters. The Spring Fair is a celebration of spring in the countryside and will feature sheep shearing, milling in Sacrewell’s 18th Century

watermill, breadmaking, maypole and Morris dancing and much more. The new beer encompasses Sacrewell’s rural heritage and will be on sale in the gift shop from May 21 onwards. To enter, visit www.theactivemag.com/ competitions and answer the following question: What element is used to power Sacrewell’s 18th Century mill? a) water b) air c) ﬁre

Westside Health and Fitness Club was officially opened on May 17, 1996. It’s still going strong today – thriving, in fact - and was developed as the brainchild of Simon Dale 20 years ago when, because of the expansion of his horse manufacturing business, Pegasus Horseshoes, he was faced with an empty building in need of development. Westside still has original members from that opening day together with staff members Annette Griggs and newly retired manager Duncan McSporran. It is a friendly and welcoming place that benefits from a loyal team of fitness instructors and a wide range of gym equipment. www.westsideclub.co.uk

Kelly Combes, who was brought up in Stamford, opened the deli in February 2014 and has been known as ‘Kelly from the deli’ ever since. “I wanted to bring my children up in the town, and to be part of the community. Having a great love of food I thought a delicatessen was just what Stamford needed,” says Kelly. The shop has gone from strength to strength, establishing a successful outside catering business, as well as supplying other local establishments, and making some of the best sandwiches in town. The deli sells artisan breads from Thursday to Saturday, the most delicious cakes and much more. Pop in and have a look around, you won’t leave empty handed. The Stamford Delicatessen, 39b High Street, Stamford. 01780 755772.

Entries close on Friday, May 13. www.sacrewell.org.uk

Artist: Neen Sidnell

Brewed by The Grainstore Brewery Oakham, Rutland

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HANDMADE Sofas

Christmas Hampers Outside Catering sofas, sofa beds, chairs & stools headboards made to size

Christmas Hampers Food on the go for Breakfast, Lunch &Catering Dinner Outside

Catering for Special occasions Picnic Menus available

Opening Times: Mon, Tues, Weds, Sat -08:30 - 17:00 Thurs, Fri - 08:00 - 17:00

08:30 – 17:00 VISIT THE SHOP TODAY

OPENING HOURS: Monday – Saturday

HOP TODAY

OPENING HOURS: Monday – Saturday

39b High Street, Stamford, Lincolnshire PE9 2BB • Tel: 01780 755772 @Thestamforddeli T: 0116

39b High Street, Stamford, Lincolnshire PE9 2BB • Tel: 01780 755772 @Thestamforddeli

08:30 – 17:00

The Stamford Delicatessen

Stamford Delicatessen 277The9705

18 Leicester Road, Blaby, Leics, LE8 4GQ

www.handmadesofas.co.uk

FREE brochure available

VISIT OUR LARGE SHOWROOM

OPEN DAY The Ark Nursery at St George’s School Tuesday 10th May, Friday 13th May and Thursday 19th May 10.00am - 11.30am • Term time, cosy and homely nursery for 2-4 year olds • FREE 15 hours per week for 3-4 year olds • Registered for 2 year old funding • High staff to child ratios • Gorgeous garden • Facility for summer born children deferring their Reception Year • Strong outdoor ethos with elements of Scandinavian practice • Own Forest School setting in 3 acres of woodland and pasture

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IAN SHEPPARD SPORTS REHABILITATION

TREATMENTS OFFERED: Sports Injury Pain Management for Back, Knees, Shoulders, Pre Menstrual Pain etc Emotional treatment

BUY 2 SPRAY TANS FOR ÂŁ30 Toft Country House Hotel, Toft, Bourne PE10 0JT t: 01778590506

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Nutritional Advice and Food Testing

t: 07701008431 e: iansheppard12@btinternet.com www.iansheppard-sportsrehabilitation.com

22/04/2016 13:57

Activelife

Celebrating 20 years Eighteen ladies from Westside Gym in Stamford will be taking part in the Moonwalk on May 14. The event is 20 years old this year, as is Westside Gym, so the Westside Ladies thought it would be an ideal opportunity to combine the two and raise money for breast cancer as well as having a night on the tiles in London. They won’t be hitting the nightspots though, but will be power walking 26 miles around the streets of London at night, in their bras. Good luck to them – we hope the weather is kind. You might well have seen them training around Stamford, wearing more than their bras, in high-vis bright pink tabards. To ﬁnd out more, and to donate, visit their Just Giving page: www.justgiving. com/westsideladies

FROM ONE EXTREME TO ANOTHER Two friends who met at the Marathon des Sables – a 156-mile race across the Sahara Desert – in 2015 are at it again. Calling themselves the one3niners, after the tent they shared in Morocco, Mike Cookson and Matt Weighman have set themselves the challenge of competing in the 430-mile Yukon Arctic Ultra – the race that’s dubbed ‘the world’s coldest and toughest ultra’. The plan is to complete the 430 miles in 13 days battling temperatures as low as -50 degrees Celsius. They will be pulling their kit in a sled behind them and, so far, only a small number of people have ﬁnished the challenge. Mike, a prison ofﬁcer who lives in Stamford, is also battling an injury to his left foot so has been out of training for six weeks. But he’s starting again now, walking between 30 and 40 miles a week, mainly around Rutland Water, and completing six-mile runs. This will increase slowly as the injury heals. Matt, a marine engineer now based in Aberdeen, is also training hard. The lads plan to do a lot of their training in the Lake and Peak District and the Scottish Highlands, along with some cold weather training in Sweden. Throughout their training and preparation the one3niners will be raising money for two

charities dear to their hearts, Macmillan Cancer Support and The Dogs’ Trust. We shall be following their preparation for the big day in February 2017 – it’s going to be exciting, if a little cold! The boys are looking for sponsorship and support. To ﬁnd out more about them go to their website at www.one3niners.com.

Pelargos pals power on The Pelargos Foundation was formed in 2014 by a group of old Stamford School friends who decided the best way to keep their friendship alive was to get together every year and raise money for causes personal to them, and to have fun at the same time. So far they have raised nearly £20,000 by climbing five of the six highest peaks in 24 hours in 2014, and last year cycled 3,138 miles in under 40 hours. This year they are raising money for Save The Children and Team George. They have hosted pub quizzes locally, raising almost £1,000, and are planning an ambitious challenge for later in the year – a duathlon (a 10km run followed by a 20km cycle and finished off with a 5km run). They are finalising details at the moment so we’ll keep you informed of their progress. www.thepelargosfoundation.org

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Enjoy summer eats inside or out! Real ales & ‘classic’ pub eats... sit inside our bar or outside in our terrace garden Open every day - Serving breakfast, lunch & dinner Monday – Friday and all day dining Saturday & Sunday

thebullandswan.co.uk

The Bull & Swan at Burghley High St, St Martins, Stamford PE9 2LJ 01780 766 412

Young children learn more when they’re outside! Come and discover the children’s nursery, based in the centre of Stamford, which puts enjoyment of the outdoors at the very heart of the children’s daily life. The Children’s Garden on Broad Street: • Our beautiful babies enjoy their own secure outside play space • Large walled garden with mud-pit, veggie patch and natural grass lawn - great for toddlers! • Mongolian yurt outside classroom with wood-burner • Bushcraft activities • Slide from the pre-school room down to the garden • Regular Forest School sessions in woods close to town

Search for The Children’s Garden Stamford on Facebook or email thechildrensgarden@btconnect.com or call 01780 752094 The Children’s Garden Day Nursery & Montessori Pre-school: Helping children develop naturally since 1998

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Activelife

A day in the life of

KERRY VARLEY - NEWSTEAD-BASED EVENTER

venter Kerry Varley is based just outside Stamford at Newstead. Arriving three years ago with her own two horses, she now has 12 more that she is training and riding for other people. “I have always loved horse riding since I was five.” says Kerry. “I bought my first eventer, Blue Collar, at 16 and started competing. We worked our way up through the rankings in five years until a freak accident in the stables meant he had to be put down, which was terrible.” Undeterred, Kerry bought another young horse, bringing her up to novice level. Despite having a place at university, which she deferred more than once, Kerry was determined to work with horses and compete so joined well-known eventer Oliver Townend at his yard in Market Harborough. She learnt a lot, acquired a couple more horses and then joined another wellknown name, Piggy French. Three years ago Kerry decided to branch out with her own yard so bit the bullet and moved to Newstead. To make ends meet she would ride out for other yards until her name became better known and she started to attract owners who wanted Kerry to ride and train their horses. Kerry is particularly good at spotting the potential in young horses and bringing them on. A regular competitor at Burghley on her horse Luke, last year Kerry got a double clear – clear in the showjumping and cross-country. This means that she now has qualified to compete at Badminton in May and is currently waiting to hear if she has been offered a place. “It’s six weeks until Badminton so I am working hard to get Luke as fit as possible. He is quite well known in eventing circles as he is the smallest 4* horse on the circuit. I bought him as a youngster in Ireland and brought him on over the years. He’s now 15 and very much part of the family.”

soft so I can ride straight from the yard on our land. But when the ground gets too hard we have to box the horses up and take them to a local gallop. Once a week I will box three horses up and take them to STX Equine Fitness near Luffenham to the water treadmill. If I’m not riding I will be lunging or long reining the horses. “This week I have been to a dressage competition and am off to another competition tomorrow. I love it when they start up again as I get to see everyone. Despite being competitors we are all very friendly – it’s like a large family. When we get back we have to tend to all the horses that remained in the yard as well as the ones that were competing. But I love it.” Life during the winter is not quite so hectic. Kerry will often take her younger horses hunting as it keeps them ﬁt and gives them experience over different going and fences. It

also teaches them to think ahead so is ideal cross-country training... and it introduces them to mud! As well as riding she spends a lot of time in the winter clipping other people’s horses. Kerry also teaches other riders and takes in horses for intensive training while their owners are away. She’s a busy lady. Does Kerry ever get scared when she’s riding around the massive fences in places such as Burghley? “No, it’s my job. The first time I rode at Burghley I thought I was going to be sick as I was so nervous but once we got out of the start box it was fine.” At the moment Kerry is working hard to get Luke to peak fitness. “Each horse is a work in progress and you have to be patient. It takes many years to train a horse and get them to a certain standard. Injury is always a worry. “I love my life and get great pleasure from bringing on and training young horses. I produce nice horses, some I might take to the top myself, others may go on to top level with other riders. But I am happy with that as it’s vital that horse and rider suit each other.” kerryvarley@hotmail.co.uk

‘Between March and October I am competing, usually once or twice a week’

The ground is soft at the moment “Between March and October I am competing, usually once or twice a week. The other days I will be training horses. On a non-competition day I get up at 7am to let my dogs out and then, without fail, have porridge and Nutella for breakfast. I am then in the yard by 7.30am ready to muck out or ‘pooh pick’ depending on whether the horses are living in or out. This will take until about 9am. Once we have ﬁnished the stable duties we will start riding. I will work in the ménage to practice dressage or I will do canter work involving lots of hill work to improve ﬁtness. At the moment this is easy as the ground is

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24/04/2016 07:37

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Activelife

WHAT’S ON There’s lots going on in your area this month, why not try some of these? paddle boards. To ﬁnd out more, email visitor.services@ neneparktrust.org.uk ■ The countdown is on for the NSPCC sponsored cycle ride to be held at Rutland Water on Sunday, June 5. The ride starts at 9am and follows the 17-mile perimeter of the reservoir. There will be a free hog roast and goody bag for all entrants. It promises to be a great family day out as well as raising much needed funds for the NSPCC. www.rutlandbikeride.eventbrite. co.uk

■ The pig pens at Sacrewell have re-opened after a £6,500 refurbishment and have welcomed some new residents. Two British lop pigs and three British landrace weaners, both rare breeds, are now ready for visitors. www.sacrewell.org.uk ■ Keen gardener Mary Berry is to be the new president of the National Gardens Scheme, the charity that raised more than £3 million last year for charities. Private garden owners open their properties up to the public and there are always delicious cakes on offer somewhere in the village. In May the gardens will be open in Burrough (8th), The Old Vicarage at Whissendine (15th) and The Old Vicarage at Burley (22nd). www.ngs.org.uk.

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Join in the fun & support a great cause

■ Rutland County Show takes place on Sunday, June 5. The show offers lots of entertainment including sheep dog trials, scurry competitions, rural crafts and the magnificent grand parade of livestock champions. Early bird tickets are available online offering a 20% discount. www.rutlandcountyshow.com ■ The Stamford Endowed Schools are holding discovery mornings during May and June to showcase the schools. www. ses.lincs.sch.uk/visitus ■ The High Sherriff of Rutland is calling on the good people of the county to raise a hue and cry in Oakham High Street on Monday, May 30, to assist in apprehending criminals and villains. But it’s all in a good cause, to raise money in support of the High Sherriff’s charities. The villain will set off next to Swann’s Antiques and be pursued to the Market Square. There will be at least five different hue and cries for different age groups. It all sounds great fun. To find out more, and to register, email RutlandSherriff16@gmail.com ■ Ever wanted to have a go at watersports? Instructors are going to be on hand on May 22 at the Nene Outdoors open day to be held at Ferry Meadows to show you canoes, kayaks and

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24/04/2016 07:40

Feature /// Cricket

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24/04/2016 07:41

PROUD TO SUPPORT LOCAL SPORT

WICKET GAME

With summer just around the corner, Jeremy Beswick previews the upcoming local cricket season

FOR ME THIS IS when the summer is about to begin. Groundsmen have toiled, the grass has been cut, the square has been rolled and the pitch is marked out. Kit bags and bats have emerged, blinking if they could, from dark corners under the stairs and from attics. Nets have been held, the whites are pristine and all over the county our beautiful grounds are casting off the shrouds of winter. Wherever it is that you live, you’re no more than a few miles from your nearest cricket club. There are around 20 of them in Stamford and Rutland and, without exception, they would like to welcome you to enjoy a few hours as their guests. There’s normally no price for admission. Take a picnic, patronise their bar if they have one, enjoy that unique cricket cocktail of relaxation and excitement and – as you drink in the atmosphere – reflect that by being there you’re doing your bit to keep the tradition alive in your local area. At the weekends there are games on both days at some clubs representing two league competitions, as well as cup games and sometimes Twenty20 during the week. Burghley Park has one of the most picturesque grounds for many a mile and its annual cricket week and beer festival (July 4- 8) is a highlight of the season. Oakham’s Saturday side just missed out on promotion last season and will be looking to go one better this time. Ex-player, groundsman and seasoned observer Malcolm Rawlings summed up their prospects: “We’ll score plenty of runs over the season – no problem – but our challenge will be bowling other sides out in the overs allotted.” Stamford Town were also close in their league, coming fourth, and they made a fast start with a 127-run victory over Harlaxton. Other highlights of the first few matches included Ufford, who opened their account with that rarest of results – a tie – Danny Harrington starring with 106 not out and Deepings with a four-wicket win over Oundle in their first match in Division 1 having been promoted. Ketton, one of the best sides around, have managed to attract some big names to play for them over the years but one suspects the tweet by captain Rob Vitas about signing ex-England all-rounder Chris Lewis to play for them this year may not be unrelated to the date it was posted – April 1. Uffington’s second XI started by beating Long Sutton, a game that was notable for Ivan Wilson’s ‘all round sparkle’ as they put it on Twitter, as he top scored with 66 and picked up five wickets. Throughout the season, Active will be introducing you in more depth to as many of our local sides as possible in our regular cricket round up pages but, as the season begins, this month we focus on one of our most successful; Uppingham Town, whose Saturday first team were promoted yet again last season and will now play in Everards League Division One. That’s an amazing three elevations in three years and so it will be fascinating to see, and impossible for any of us to

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24/04/2016 07:41

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‘There’s a real contest for places at Grace Road, a good team spirit and we expect to win matches’ predict, how they’ll make out at the new higher level. Captain Jamie Dumford is in the same boat. He told me: “I think it’s fair to say that we exceeded our own expectations last year, but when you go up to a new league for the first time you don’t really know what’s coming – and, of course, most if not all of the sides are unfamiliar to you.” He added: “To be honest with you, I don’t really know what our level is.” Or, to put it another way, just how much potential there is in this exciting side. “The first few weeks will give us an idea of how good we are, especially as we always struggle for availability at the start of the season until the university term ends. We’ll pick up points where we can early on” he said. They’re a young side, Jamie being a relative veteran at 26, and they’ve become accustomed to winning and the positive momentum that success brings. If it’s tougher for them this year, how will they react to losing a few? “It’ll be interesting to see” agreed Dumford. “They’re all used to being on top, but I’ve confidence in the lads that, young though they are, they have the character not to let their heads drop if that happens”. They’re hoping for great things from their other sides too, with three others in competition as well as a social cricket side and, as the club continues to grow, they’re on the lookout for more players. The facilities and surroundings at their Castle Hill ground are outstanding, so if you’re interested Jamie encourages you to “Come down to training on Wednesday evenings or contact us through Facebook or Twitter”. At the elite level, there is a new positive atmosphere at Leicester’s Grace Road with some exciting developments for our local county cricket side. Last year was an improvement on what had gone before, but not a spectacular one. However, club official Dan Nice told me: “To be fair, with a new coach and progress all around the club, it was always going to be a transitional season. We could and should have won more games, but let’s just say that by the end of the campaign everyone had learnt a lot and has taken that into preparation for the new season”. They opened with a 10-wicket win away to Glamorgan, with new opener Paul Horton giving them a real presence at the top of the order with 67 and 64 not out and other new signings such as Mark Pettini, Neil Dexter and Wayne White will strengthen the club at all forms of game. There have been improvements to the infrastructure too with a new members stand, additional bar area and improved floodlights – these last being key to supporters as it means they will be starting their Friday evening T20 matches at a more work-friendly time of 6:30pm. Nice told me: “We’re in it for promotion this season. It’s been a great start with the win at Glamorgan and there’s determination to do really well in all three competitions. There’s a real contest for places, a good team spirit and we expect to win matches.” It’s not just on the field that the positive effects of the

new regime are being felt either. Nice concluded: “There’s a buzz about the place, even amongst the office staff. The culture has changed right across the club from top to bottom. It’s almost like working for a different side. Wasim Khan and Andrew McDonald have done a great job since coming in”. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if cricket in Leicester became as successful as its rugby and football? Back on the local scene, one highlight of the season that I never miss is the annual charity BGL Sport Bash at Stamford School, the headline event of which is a Twenty20 match between international players and local cricketers. Already confirmed to play on the day are Philip Defrietas, Simon Jones, Usman Afzal, Warren Hegg, Geraint Jones, Robert Key and several others. There’ll also be an array of children’s entertainment on what is a great day out for families and benefitting will be the Professional Cricketers’ Association benevolent fund. This year it’s on Friday, July 27 with tickets available from www. bglsportbash.co.uk After all the excitement and glamour (not to mention beer) of that day I’ll be ready to return for a while to the gentler rhythm of village cricket. Whether it be at Ufford or Uffington, Burghley or Bourne, Empingham or Egerton, I hope to see you on the boundary.

Above

There is plenty of cricket action on offer locally, so why not get down to support your local club?

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24/04/2016 07:41

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22/04/2016 13:57

Feature /// Gear

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Guest column

Hi-viz wobbly bits, tendonitis and death... Martin Johnson appears immune from the running bug ot many people know this, but I think I may have stumbled upon the reason that Greek messenger chappie Pheidippides keeled over and died immediately after completing the world’s first marathon in 490 BC. “Great news!” he panted after running 26 miles and 385 yards to Athens, without, so far as we know, the luxury of being able to re-hydrate with bottles of Gatorade at drinks stations. “Great news! We’ve just given those horrid Persians a good hiding at Marathon.” The Greek bigwig he was addressing gave him a puzzled look, followed by: “That’s all very well Pheidip old chap, but where’s your fancy dress costume?” At which point, realising he was about to face a firing squad – the first recorded case of shooting the messenger – he dropped dead of a heart attack. The London Marathon nowadays looks a bit like test match Saturday, what with the start line teeming with Batmans, teddy bears, bottles of beer and telephone kiosks. A handful turn up wearing shorts and running shoes, which is clearly against the spirit of the thing. Some of these serious types will be competing for medals later in the year at the Rio Olympics, which brings me to the question: “How an earth does running constitute a sport?” The dictionary definition is ‘an activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others for entertainment’, and while I’m not sure how some so-called sports qualify as entertaining, at least you can recognise a vague element of skill. With running, however, there is none. And don’t be taken in by the fatuous argument that tactics are involved. It still boils down to the entirely skill-free business of travelling from A to B faster than anyone else. Running certainly meets the physical exertion clause, although it may not be the copper-bottomed guarantee of rosy cheeked health and fitness that its practitioners appear to believe. Pheidippides may actually have been quite fortunate he conked out when he did, as had he resumed his career with a run back to Marathon with a ‘well done’ message from the Greek parliament, he’d eventually have contracted – according to those medical boffins assigned to examine the effects of long distance running – osteorarthritis, tendonitis, repetitive strain syndrome, stress fractures, respiratory infection, decreased fat metabolism and chronic inflammation. To name but a few.

However, watching the London Marathon will have persuaded even more people that running is jolly good, thus propelling a fresh crop of couch potatoes on to the Tarmac with their hi-viz bibs and stop watches, and resulting in even more grief for those of us who used to believe that a pavement was a safe place upon which to stroll to the paper shop. Nowadays, a pavement is not so much a sanctuary as a dodgem circuit where you’re in danger of being mown down by some fitness junkie plugged into an iPod. The only time they stop is at traffic lights, and even then they bounce up and down on the spot until the little man turns green, presumably in the belief that once you stop, you can’t get going again. Well, I can testify to the fact that you certainly can. It was on a 20-mile charity walk, but after about 12 or so, I discovered what it was like having to actually think about the process of how you put one leg in front of another. After 16 miles, I also had to grapple with the mental anguish of passing a pub, and this time I failed. However, after downing three of the best pints of Guinness I’ve ever had, I did the last four miles like a spring lamb. Maybe I’d have found it less gruelling if I’d been properly kitted out, and that’s the other thing about runners. They feel obliged to pull on unflattering clothing, Lycra and the like, which might indeed make them go a bit faster, but all those wobbly bits trying to break free – like a freshly-landed cod in a North Sea trawler – also has the side-effect of frightening old ladies and young children. So much so that a hotel in New Zealand was in the news recently for banning anyone wearing the kind of gear favoured by runners and cyclists. It followed complaints from guests, for whom the sight of someone returning from their morning run, and displaying their lumps and bulges in the queue at the breakfast buffet, was putting people off their muesli. Runners, apparently, develop some kind of addiction based around the release of endomorphins, and if they miss their morning constitutional for any reason, are prone to spending the rest of the day in the depths of depression. Once on the pavement, though, they enter a trance like state, in which pedestrians, dogs, and pushchair pushers become entirely invisible. I’ve even seen a traffic warden being bowled over in the middle of issuing a ticket, so in fairness it’s not all bad. However, the increase in their numbers since the marathon is such that I feel compelled to take drastic action in a personal quest to make Britain’s High Street pavements safe again. Inspired by Charles Bronson’s vigilante character in the Death Wish movies, I shall be patrolling the various black spots armed with a bag full of marbles and banana skins. Don’t say you haven’t been warned.

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23/04/2016 19:25

Feature /// Competition

VOTE NOW FOR YOUR CYCLING HERO!

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One of our readers will win a Genesis Croix de Fer 20 bike, panniers and expert training advice, all from Rutland Cycling, to complete their amazing challenge. From many entries, after much deliberating, we’ve shortlisted these 12 who now go forward to a vote. All you have to do is go to www. theactivemag.com/vote, enter your details and vote for who you would like to see heading off with this incredible £1,350 prize. The closing date for voting is Friday, May 13, and the winner will be announced in the June issue. We’ll then be following their progress over the coming months as they take on their challenge.

ADRIAN SMITH Peterborough

LINDA HUBBARD Wigston

CHARLES CUTHBERT Collyweston

CHERYL ROGERSON Braunston-in-Rutland

My challenge I have set myself the challenge of cycling coast to coast (140 miles) from Whitehaven to Tynemouth in one day in mid-August 2016. The B&B is booked and paid for so I have to do it! Now both kids are at school I need to get back in the saddle, so giving myself a big hurdle to achieve is the only way I know how to make this happen. I have focused my time, effort and love into my children for the last six years and it’s now time for me to lose some of the excess pounds, improve my fitness and lead by example, showing my kids what you can achieve with some effort and commitment. I can’t wait to smash it!

My challenge Three days of riding through some of the most scenic parts of Majorca. The challenge consists of 225 miles spread over three days and including the infamous climb of sa Colobra which is almost 9.5km of climbing with 26 hairpin bends – it is one of Majorca’s most feared climbs! The ride is to raise funds for the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation. As a (recently turned) 50-year old I feel I want to experience new challenges and push myself out of my comfort zone. I am quite daunted by the ride, not only the ascent of sa Colobra but the descent too!

My challenge This summer, my two brothers and I intend to ride the South Downs Way. I have a recce weekend booked in May where I hope to meet some Hampshire friends and Brighton mates whom I’ve not seen since I was at university 16 years ago! And then we’ll do the full thing in August, carrying just the necessaries to bivvy out and self-support our ride. It might not be riding in Marrakesh or all the way to Australia, but it’s riding – and riding our bikes is integral to our lives and the connections between our family and our friends!

My challenge I’m planning a cycle tour from Bordeaux to Narbonne along the Canal du Garrone and Canal du Midi – a total of nine days cycling and eight nights camping with Women’s French Adventure 2016. I am not naturally athletic in build or temperament but like pushing my boundaries with new challenges. Because I sprained my knee falling into a ditch on my Christmas morning walk my training has had a slow start and I need all the help and advice I can get with a controlled fast track programme to be ready for this big adventure. If chosen I hope that my story will encourage others to think ‘if she can do it, so can I’.

3 4 M AY 2016 ///

34-35 Bike comp OK.indd 34

24/04/2016 07:42

DAVID JACKSON Oadby

SYLVIA BLAND Greetham

JASON SKINNER Bourne

JESSE HOLLAND Peterborough

My challenge A lifetime ambition, is a ride with my partner from northern France to the Mediterranean, ideally through France then Spain. The first trike I remember was in 1950, followed by a first bike in ‘51. I was cycling six miles a day to school in central Bristol from the age of 13 from 1959-63. I did my Duke of Edinburgh Bronze expedition camping and touring by bike through Somerset and Dorset in 1961. I still want to cycle to Leicester station to go to the ferry or Eurostar to France and cycle to the Mediterranean and a Genesis de Fer 20 set up would be a dream.

My challenge My challenge is the Queen Eleanor Cycle Ride in aid of The Connection, a homeless charity based in London. It is held annually over the August Bank Holiday and takes four days. It is a unique 200-mile ride following the route of the Eleanor Crosses from Lincoln to London. My cycling experience has been entirely recreational and fairly sporadic. In recent years, I have tended to use my bike during the summer for rides out with the family. This distance is a real challenge for both me and the whole family as we’re doing the ride together. I’m hoping for a new bike, a new experience and new memories!

My challenge I am a novice cyclist and took up road cycling last Christmas. The longest ride I’ve done so far has been 52 miles. For my 40th birthday this year I want to ride from Land’s End to John O’ Groats and to cycle several stages on the Tour de France. These will be in preparation for my big adventure, to cycle from Bourne to Almeria in Spain. It will be a fund-raising ride for Cancer Research – my mother has a terminal cancer and moved to Spain for her last years. I thought the challenge of riding through France and then through Spain to her village would be tough, but nothing in comparison to the fight my mum is having.

My challenge This year, I am planning to take part in the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund sponsored cycle ride from Paris to Geneva. This ride covers 363 miles in four days, which includes an elevation climb of 7,556m spread over the ride, and averages 90 miles per day. I am aiming to raise £1,200 for the fund. To complete this challenge successfully, any help, insight, wisdom and pain relief would be truly welcomed, as well as a road bike (I don’t actually own one) along with any guidance on training. A rider rides, but it’s the team behind them that brings success.

LUKE DAY Deeping St James

NIALL COOTER Oakham

ROGER HOLMES Kibworth

SOPHIE NOTT Nassington

My challenge I am preparing to undertake the Peterborough 100 again in June and am also looking forward to the big challenge of the Active4ever Coast to Coast in October, both of which I hope to use to raise money for charity. I’ve come to love cycling and each year since 2014 have taken on new challenges. It has increased my fitness, introduced me to new friends and helped me raise money for good causes. Winning the bike would help me to become a more competent rider and the training and nutritional advice would help me prepare for the rigours of the coast to coast challenge.

My challenge Myself and eight friends from Velo Club Rutland will complete a 400-550 mile loop through the Alps near Turin. We will take in a number of iconic climbs such as the Colle delle Finestre, a 7,000ft climb on road and gravel tracks. In fact we will spend a significant amount of time at altitude using a mix of Tarmac and old gravel military roads amongst some simply stunning scenery. I have been using cycling as a way of getting fit and losing weight. I have now lost around six-stone in weight and at 15 stone (95kg) I have more to lose. This challenge has given me another target to aim for.

My challenge I’ve done the coast to coast route from Whitehaven to Whitley Bay a couple of times, which is where my challenge lies: I’ve always fancied trying to complete this in a day. We’ve always taken two to three days, but the thought of taking it on in one go is an itch which I just need to scratch. My plan is to do this in September. And I need all the help that I can get! I’d also greatly benefit from a go-anywhere bike to tackle the variety of surfaces lying in wait; the Genesis looks perfectly suited in that regard.

My challenge I confess to be more of a four wheeler than two and wherever I drive there are people out on bikes, including my in-laws. I haven’t cycled since I was 10, but it’s time to change that. I need to find out what I am missing and I’m looking for a fitness challenge, so what better way to do it than to complete a 100-mile bike ride while at the same time raising money for a hospice close to my heart? So my challenge is to cycle 100 miles on Sunday, October 2, for the St Helena Hospice in Colchester. Have I bitten off more than I can pedal? Who knows, but I’m going for it!

/// M AY 2016 3 5

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24/04/2016 07:43

Feature /// Fit for summer

26 WAYS TO GET A GREAT SUMMER BODY We asked local experts to give their advice on how to tone up, lose weight and get healthier in time for summer

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1. ENJOY IT “Make it a lifestyle that you enjoy and makes you feel good; that way, you are more likely to achieve your goals. “Here’s some ideas: book a personal training session once a week/month to keep you on track (I offer express weigh-ins, which I find work very well for busy people). “Spend time with friends you enjoy exercising with; treat yourself to a new healthy cookbook to inspire you (I’d highly recommend Hemsley & Hemsley’; increase your intake of vegetables and fruits; as well as drinking plenty of water throughout the day.” Rachel Ekins, personal trainer, rachel@feelfantasticfitness.com, 07703 789 639 2 GET A BASELINE “We all need somewhere to start so we have a reference point to refer back to so we can appreciate our achievements. “If you by any freak of nature have a weighing scales in your possession, throw them away now as you will undermine everything you attempt to realistically achieve. “The best barometer you can use as a reference point to set your baseline and also as a reference to occasionally monitor your progress is a favourite item of clothing, as it never lies. “Us guys have it easy but ladies, due to their genetic make-up and inheritance, have an extra hurdle to encounter. It occurs monthly and this is when they need to be aware of the accompanying temporary changes and cut themselves some slack: no two months will be the same.” Cornelius Vincent-Enright, Fit For Life. fit.for.life@gmail.com, 07773 362 831 3. DRINK WATER “You need plenty of water – for ladies its two litres and for gents it’s three. Being really well hydrated will not just make you look younger from the outside and help avoid headaches, but maintain the health of the discs in your spine. This will give good mobility for longer and help to avoid later injury.” Bridget Bath, Greenacres Chiropractic Centre greenacreschiro@gmail.com 01733 254239

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MONTHLY PAYMENT

£179

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Cockerell Road, Corby, Northamptonshire NN17 5DU. Tel: 01536 268991 WWW.ROCKINGHAMCARS.CO.UK Model shown: Abarth 595 1.4 Tjet 140 HP Manual at £14,610 OTR including Officina Red paint. Official fuel consumptin figures for Abarth range mpg (l/100km): Combined 45.6 (6.2) – 48.7 (5.8), Urban 34.4 (8.2) – 37.2 (7.6), Extra urban 55.4 (5.1) – 60.1 (4.7), CO2 Emissions: 145 – 134 g/km. Fuel consumption and CO figures are obtained for comparative purposes in accordance with EC directives/regulations 2

and may not be representative of real-life driving conditions. Factors such as driving style, weather and road conditions may also have a significant effect on fuel consumption. Abarth UK is a trading style of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles UK Ltd. ^Promotion available on Abarth 595 Series 3 models registered by 30th June 2016. Abarth Deposit Contribution only available in conjunction with Abarth i-Deal PCP. With Abarth iDeal you have the option to return the vehicle and not pay the final payment, subject to the vehicle not having exceeded an agreed annual mileage (a charge of 6p per mile for exceeding 6,000 miles per annum in this example) and being in good condition. Finance subject to status. Guarantees may be required. Terms and Conditions apply. At participating Dealers only. Abarth Financial Services, PO BOX 4465, Slough, SL1 0RW. We work with a number of creditors including Abarth Financial Services.

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Feature /// Fit for summer

8 EAT 2,500 CALORIES A DAY “What is it with these so-called experts spouting on about 800 calories per day to reduce your body weight? “The average person requires 2,500 calories per day to maintain a healthy lifestyle. There is no such thing as a quick ﬁx solution. “The only way you are going to succeed in reducing your total body weight is by introducing a gradual lifestyle change that you can incorporate into your current daily routine which you can easily implement. “Then, and only then, will you achieve and more importantly maintain the long-term goals you have set yourself.” Cornelius Vincent-Enright, Fit For Life. ﬁt.for.life@gmail.com 07773 362 831

4. BE PATIENT “Lifestyle change through exercise and nutrition isn’t achieved in an eight-week period. “For true health through exercise and nutrition, you are looking at a much longer period to achieve optimal results.

6. WORK OUT WHAT WORKS FOR YOU “There is no magic pill. There is no miracle cleanse that allows your metabolism to heal and creates lasting weight loss. To do that, you require the right foods, in the right combination, at the right frequency for your body.

“Once you balance your nutrition and exercise, you will have no need to go on these fancy regimes to get in shape for the summer.

“If you do not know what, how, when, and why to feed yourself, you are wasting your money and time on gimmick products and detoxes.”

“Take slow steps to achieve the best results, and remember: Rome wasn’t built in a day.”

Ian Sheppard Sports Rehabilitation www.iansheppard-sportsrehabilitation.com

Ian Sheppard Sports Rehabilitation, www.iansheppard-sportsrehabilitation.com

7. SET ACHIEVABLE GOALS “Whatever exercise regime you wish to employ to help you achieve your ultimate goal, it has to be achievable and graduated and deﬁnitely low impact. Otherwise you are storing up problems for later on down the road.

5. REV UP YOUR MEAL FREQUENCY “For many people, the warm weather is an appetite killer, which leads to low calorie intake during the day, and binge eating at night. “But lagging hunger doesn’t mean your body doesn’t need fuel. Instead of eating heavy meals, trick your stomach into beating summer slump by changing your meal time schedule. “Eating ﬁve to seven small meals every two to three hours instead of three large meals per day. This timing will keep you fuelled, but not overly full during the day.” Jo Bevilacqua, Serenity Loves. 01733 687835 www.serenityloves.co.uk

“Power walking is one of the best all round low impact aerobic exercise regimes you can undertake that will give you guaranteed achievable results. “Then you need to set short, medium and long term achievable goals. It is most important when you achieve each of these goals you treat yourself and reset your goals and move on.” Cornelius Vincent-Enright, Fit For Life. ﬁt.for.life@gmail.com. 07773 362 831

9. TRY FASTED CARDIO “Fasted morning cardio is always good! It’s the best way to ensure you’re burning calories and working towards your hard-earned summer body. Get up 30-40 minutess earlier than normal and break a sweat. “This strategy ensures that you get your cardio done regardless of any fun summer distractions that may pop up throughout the day! It’s not always easy but it’s the dedication needed to sculpt that perfect summer body.” Jo Bevilacqua, Serenity Loves. 01733 687835 www.serenityloves.co.uk 10. GET OUTDOORS! “Now the weather is improving and the days are longer there is nothing better that taking part in some outdoor activities such as boot camps, outdoor circuits or just getting the trainers out for an early morning or evening jog. Joining a local gym or seeing a personal trainer is an ideal way to kick start your spring lean programme. “I’d recommend starting your ‘spring lean’ programme with some high some intensity exercise combined with some strength training to enable a noticeable drop in body fat leading to a ﬁtter, leaner body for summer. Working harder for less time really is effective at boosting fat loss. “Another great way to get in shape now the weather has improved is to join in local outdoor ﬁtness sessions – fun and effective.” Jason Fullman, personal trainer jason.fullman@deepingpersonaltraining.co.uk 07979 695363

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Feature /// Fit for summer Bridget Bath, Greenacres Chiropractic Centre greenacreschiro@gmail.com 01733 254239 16. GET HEALTHY FIRST “The key factor to losing weight is becoming healthy first and then the weight will come off and stay off and not the other way around. It’s not about the 6-10 week diet plan complete with the ab blast. “Most trainers will guarantee this to shed the pounds, and most people will lose the weight because the body is getting rid of excesses water retention, hence the drop in weight.” Ian Sheppard Sports Rehabilitation, www.iansheppard-sportsrehabilitation.com 17. TRAVEL WELL “Break your driving time, every two hours. Pack your cases so they are not too heavy for you. If you can use one on wheels that you push rather than pull great! Carry bags so that you are loaded evenly and activate all muscle groups between your neck and wrist to avoid injury.” 11. DO SOME HIIT “High Intensity Interval Training has been a big craze and continues to have fantastic results. Not only do the short bursts of exercise shock your body into action, the shorter durations of these workouts makes it more manageable for everyone. A 10-15 minute blast in the morning can have similar benefits to an hours moderate pace run.” Some exercises to get you started for a quick morning workout: 10 burpees 10 mountain climbers 10 squat jumps 10 lunges Spider-Man plank 10 double leg raises with toe reach Repeat three times “A quick morning’s workout can set you up for the day, kick start your metabolism and boost your energy levels. “Explosive exercises such as burpees, squat and lunge jumps can also help to fight that cellulite too. The contraction and power of the movement is good for getting the circulation in your skin moving especially in stubborn areas such as cellulite. “My summer fitness classes at Rutland Water will be starting again in May where I will be running sessions and offering advice and guidance on how to achieve that summer body. My eBook will also be available mid-May for tips and tricks on how to get your body looking good for summer.” Louise Allen, 07725 747898, www.fit2fab.co.uk

12. GET YOUR FEET FIT “Increasing exercise can lead to pain and foot pain could prevent you from continuing. Avoid foot pain by wearing the right shoes for what you are doing, gradually introducing your exercise and seeing a podiatrist if it doesn’t improve. Top tip: avoid walking long distances in completely ﬂat shoes!” Nicola Blower, podiatrist, Walkrite nicola@walkrite.co.uk, 07977 469861 13. BE POSITIVE “Think about the good things each day. Seratonin is released when we are in a positive place in our minds and this will help you to overcome any pain you currently carry.” Bridget Bath, Greenacres Chiropractic Centre greenacreschiro@gmail.com, 01733 254239

Bridget Bath, Greenacres Chiropractic Centre greenacreschiro@gmail.com, 01733 254239 18. A RAW CARROT A DAY “Raw carrots offer many benefits to your gastrointestinal function and hormonal balance. The fibre in the carrot works as an elimination vehicle for toxic bacteria and excess estrogen. “The raw carrot therapy also helps support the removal of estrogen, a stress hormone that decreases efficient energy production. Estrogen is in birth control and hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Using these classes of drugs can distort sleep quality, energy production, and hormone balance. “Including carrots in your daily regimen will help restore normal bacteria levels, increase regularity and assist in hormone balance.” Ian Sheppard Sports Rehabilitation, www.iansheppard-sportsrehabilitation.com

14. BOOK SOME GYM CLASSES “Westside has never had so many different varieties of classes going on in one week as it does now, from BLT attack, cardio done, core fit, indoor cycling, kettlersize, pilates, stretch and flex to zumba and many more. Westside covers every aspect of fitness all under one roof.” Karen Collins, studio manager, Westside Gym www.westsideclub.co.uk. 01780 480651 15. SORT YOUR POSTURE “If you stand straight and tall you may look slimmer and taller and it will help you to feel better in yourself. Bad posture can lead to aches and pains and pain can be seen in our faces and our mood. Pain-free always looks more attractive.”

4 0 M AY 2016 ///

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Feature /// Fit for summer 21. WAX, DON’T WANE! “Look to be sleek for the beach? Make sure you have a wax at least 24/48 hours before spray tanning or a sun bed so that the pores heal. “Always have some aloe vera to hand as this helps with many different conditions including use after waxing, sun burn, ingrowing hairs and reduction of inflammation down to being stung by a jelly fish on the beach – a must for any first aid box/pouch. “Certain medications can cause sensitivity and make the skin react, so make sure you keep drinking plenty of water to hydrate the skin. “With waxing the hair comes back softer and not stubbly as it takes the root out and doesn’t have a blunt end.” The Male Waxing Company 07982 422135 enquiries@themalewaxingcompany.co.uk www.themalewaxingcompany.co.uk 22. DON’T NEGLECT YOUR HAIR “Use the correct shampoo/conditioners for colour treated or over styled hair – it sounds obvious but so many customers pay a substantial amounts for highlights then use high street hair products. They coat the hair instead of getting to the core. “And don’t hold onto ‘long’ hair if the ends look wispy – there’s nothing more ageing than dry ends, get it chopped! It looks more modern and remember – hair grows! “You wouldn’t lie in the sun without sun protection would you? Same goes for hair – plenty of beach styling products that include a UV protective layer are available. Alternatively – find a great hat which doubles up as shade for your face, too. “On return from from holidays book in for a keratin treatment. £25 restores shine, boosts colour and gives you that ‘just walked out a salon’ swagger. As boring as it always sounds, keep hydrated – we are what we consume. Hair dries out just like our skin does in the sun. And dryness is the enemy.”

“Neglecting your skin over the winter can mean rough knees and ankles and mottled and blemished arms with dry patches on elbows. Colder weather can also take a terrible toll on your complexion, often leaving it looking dull with ﬂaky patches, particularly on your cheeks.

due to ﬁbre in oats, fruit, nuts seeds, as well as the friendly bacteria in the yoghurt, blood sugar balancing due to the protein, essential fat and ﬁbre content. And they are vitamin and mineral rich (B vitamins, iron, potassium, calcium, magnesium, selenium, zinc, boron).”

“Regular exfoliation helps take off the dead layer of skin, gets rid of blackheads and keeps pores clean. Exfoliated skin will help you get a tan quicker.

Kelly Combes, The Stamford Delicatessen 01780 755772

“It is the best way to give your skin an easy pickme-up, but you need to do it at least once or twice a week to maintain that healthy looking glow.” Jo Bevilacqua, Serenity Loves. 01733 687835 www.serenityloves.co.uk 24. START YOUR DAY OFF WELL “Have a Bircher breakfast pot to start the day well: the mixture of natural ingredients will ensure a healthy start and should keep you going until lunchtime, thanks in part to the nuts and seeds, which not only provide essential fats, but also protein, vitamins and minerals. “The oats provide sustained energy as they are digested more slowly than refined carbs (such as white bread). They are also a good source of fibre, including beta-glucan, which can help to lower cholesterol by binding bile acids and removing them from the body, as well as supporting a healthy digestive tract. “The natural yoghurt will give you a shot of friendly bacteria to further help balance the gut, as well as providing another dollop of protein to balance out the carbohydrates in the oats and fruit. “The brightly coloured berries are packed with anti-inflammatory, immune boosting anthocyanidins and the fresh apples provide good levels of quercetin, potassium, vitamin C. “Body benefits are immunity boosting due to the phytonutrient-rich fresh fruit, digestive support

25. FOLLOW THESE TOP TIPS “Here are my weight loss top tips: Say no to fad diets. Unrealistic goals can’t be achieved. Measure your portion sizes. Mediterranean diets have been shown to work. Enhance your intake of fruit and veg, whole grains and pulses. Read food labels, aiming for 3-5g of fat/100g or less. Beware of processed foods. Organised plans lead to success. Plan meals, make shopping lists and have strategies. Don’t go it alone! Find a supportive ally. You can do it! Gradually increase your activity levels. Anna Pain, freelance dietician. 07932 232114 anna.pain@icloud.com 26. WORK OUT IN A VACUUM The Vacu exercise system operates just like a normal treadmill, except that the chamber’s special feature is the vacuum system that creates the low atmospheric pressure, in which you walk. The lower parts of the body, inside the chamber, experience increased blood circulation and an increase in temperature. The blood is pulled into both the skin and fat layers by the vacuum and walking actions, allowing fat burning and reduction to take place in precisely the cellulite and fat prone areas of the hips, thighs and buttocks. Vacu Fitness Gym, Corby , 01536 26 97 95 info@VacuFitnessGym.com

Oliver Lee, hairdresser, 01780 754828 Enquiries@oliverleestamford.co.uk 23. SCRUB UP “We’re dusting down our shorts and T-shirts and exposing skin that has been covered by jumpers and jeans for months. Sunny days also mean more natural make-up and no hiding behind concealers and thick winter foundations. “To make sure your skin is in tip-top condition, you should now invest in good facial and body scrubs. Rather than just a one-off at the beginning of the summer season, you need to commit to a regular routine of care and maintenance to keep your skin glowing and looking healthy right through to September.

/// M A Y 2 0 16 4 3

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ACTIVE BODY PREPARE FOR LONG DISTANCE EVENTS, WIN A £170 FAMILY TICKET TO RUNSTOCK, PLUS MORE ESSENTIAL TIPS FOR LOOKING GOOD Edited by Mary Bremner

4 4 M A Y 2 0 16 ///

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CAN YOU STAND IT? Are you sitting comfortably? It’s probably best to stand up It’s easy to be sedentary, as we often sit for hours on end commuting, working and relaxing at home on the sofa. In an average day we sit while driving, on the train, tube or bus, at work for eight hours a day, and after another commute, there’s another three hours on average in front of the television. Experts says that sedentary living habits take a heavy and prolonged toll on bodies, ranging from increased blood pressure and lower back pain to an increased risk of heart disease and diabetes. They are all well documented, but little is said about the negative effect on mental states: sitting all day has negative impacts on the mind too, and can affect performance at work. So, researchers suggest standing more: the BBC and the University of Chester conducted an experiment in which a group of volunteers were instructed to stand for at least three hours and wore movement sensors, heart rate and glucose monitors. Standing caused the volunteers to have a much higher heart rate (around 10 beats per minute higher), which adds up to burning about 50 calories more per hour against sitting. Over a year, that adds up to about 30,000 more calories, or eight pounds of fat. Using a standing desk at work or taking part in meetings stood up, for example, can help get back focus and improve productivity. Standing, taking frequent breaks and regular walks will help break up the day and help concentration, while at home it’s worth thinking if there are tasks which are done sitting down that could also be achieved standing up or while moving around. When you stand your blood circulation increases which feeds more oxygen to your brain and this oxygen increases your energy levels, alertness and productivity.

/// M A Y 2 0 16 4 5

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ACTIVE BODY

DISTANCE LEARNING PREPARATION IS ESSENTIAL FOR TAKING ON LONG DISTANCE RUNS. FUNCTION JIGSAW’S TOM HEELEY EXPLAINS HOW TO TACKLE SUCH A DAUNTING CHALLENGE

4 6 M A Y 2 0 16 ///

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ORGANISATION You will be nervous and excited on the morning of your marathon or long distance run, so you want to avoid any extra stress. Get all your race kit laid out the night before and make sure you know how and when you are going to get to the start area. Check parking or public transport details, find out where the toilets are and arrange where you will meet your loved ones after the race. Make sure to have tried the shoes you are running in well before the race! PACE YOURSELF It is very easy to get carried away because you will feel rested and full of energy from your tapering, the adrenaline will be flowing and you will be surrounded by other runners. The important thing is to try and focus on running your own race. It doesn’t matter if your first two to three miles are slightly slower than your goal pace – it is better to grow into the race and conserve your energy for the latter miles, than ending up hitting ‘the wall’ early on, so be calm, relaxed and stay patient.

less daunting is to picture lots of smaller distances added together. So instead of thinking ‘I’ve still got 20 miles to go’, try visualising one of your regular training runs and set yourself milestones to tick off along the way. You could focus on sets of three miles, for example, and just imagine running your local park run. You could think of running from one site to another. At the half-way stage, you can just picture turning around and running back to the start. Once you get to 20 miles, there is only 10km to go. Maybe imagine the last 10km race you ran. Then, when there is just two to three miles to go, split them into quarter miles and imagine running laps of a track. And once you get to the finish line miles, the adrenaline will kick in, so give it all you have got for a photo finish!

NUTRITION Running a long distance requires a huge amount of energy (around 2,600 calories), so your race day nutrition is crucial. Your breakfast should be carbohydrate based and something you have tried and tested during your training – good examples are porridge or toast. Make sure you plan when and where you will eat, especially if staying in a hotel. Make sure you are hydrated well in advance of the start, ideally drink electrolytes or water. There are drinks stations along the course, so even if it is a cold day you need to make sure you take on fluids to stay hydrated.

ENJOY IT Yes, really! You may only run one event like this in your lifetime and you have worked for months to get to the start line so try to have fun. Try to soak up everything the race has to offer, whether that be the Expo, chatting to other runners before the race, enjoying the music along the course, soaking up the atmosphere and the buzz of the crowds. There will certainly be times in the race when you think ‘why on earth did I decide to do this?’ – but the feeling of crossing that finish line and meeting your loved ones is the one of the proudest moments you will experience. Whatever the outcome, just completing a challenge like this is something to be immensely proud of and nobody can ever take it away from you.

BREAK IT DOWN Running a marathon or similar run is as much a mental challenge as it is physical. Depending on your training plan, for most people the marathon itself will be the furthest you have ever run before. One really effective way to make it

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IN SUPPORT OF

Feature /// Competition

WIN

A £170 FAMILY TICKET

Run for all the family! Win a £170 pass to the most exciting new family running event this summer We’ve teamed up with Rat Race, organisers of the best extreme running events in the UK, to offer a family ticket to its incredible new event, Runstock, which takes place on July 29-31. HOW TO ENTER Visit www.theactivemag.com/competitions and fill in your details by May 31. The draw for the winner will take place on June 1. What is Runstock? An off-road running festival based at Boughton House in Kettering. Runstock is aiming to raise a whopping quarter of a million quid for Children with Cancer UK. Entrants are challenged to run as many laps of the 5km course as possible within eight hours. The idea is to clock as many laps as you wish within the time limit, on your own or with your team – taking it in turns or all running together – you choose! The more laps you run, the more is raised for Children with Cancer UK, recorded live

on-screen with a giant totaliser. When you sign up to take part in Runstock, you will be asked to set up a charity fund-raising page. The organisers would like as a minimum for all runners to pledge to raise £10. Over and above that, it’s up to you. The idea is to make a pledge ‘per lap’ and aim to run your heart out until you’ve reached your target. From fun runner to ultra runner and from rugrats to racing rats, Runstock packs a 5km lapped course into a glorious summer festival format. Suitable for runners from 5 to 85: go ‘fast’ or ‘fun’ as you make your way round. The fast lane is for running; the fun lane is peppered with oddball activities.

and do. Camp next to your car all weekend if you like, bring the picnic gear, the bat ‘n’ ball and get the whole clan along with you. So how does the run work? The 5km looped running course features a fast lane and a fun lane. Do as many laps as you like within the time limit and choose to go ‘fast’ or ‘fun’ as you make your way round. The fast lane is for running; the fun lane is accessed alongside and is peppered with oddball activities. Expect crazy obstacles, music, water features, a massive slip ‘n’ slide and other fun stuff. The fun lane is designed with stuff for the teenytinies all the way up to the big and brave. What if you don’t win our fabulous prize? Never fear, you can always enter the event anyway. To enter online visit www.ratrace. com/runstock2016

Fun for your running family From Friday evening until midday on Sunday, enjoy your very own summer festival, complete with professionally-run camping village, hot showers, live music stage, huge beer tent and tasty food. There’s loads of things for the kids to see

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ACTIVE BODY football, martial arts or even dance) is 1.4–1.7g per kg bodyweight; however, research is limited and has only really been monitored against football. Guidelines for protein requirements Type of exercise Daily protein requirement (g/kg bodyweight) Endurance – low to moderate 1–1.2 Endurance – moderate to heavy 1.2–1.6 Intermittent exercise (football) 1.4-1.7 Strength and power training 1.6-2

PROS AND CONS Nutritional adviser Helen Cole on how much protein you need for exercise Carrying on with the theme of last month’s article on ‘good carb, bad carb’, here we focus on another of the key macronutrients – protein. How much protein we require continues to be a hot topic of conversation and as soon as most of us hit the weights or partake in any form of endurance training, we feel the need to eat as much protein as possible… but do we really need it? We all know that protein is an essential nutrient required for growth and repair of the body and maintenance of good health so the answer is yes, of course we need it. The real question here is, how much? It is true that our protein requirement increases the more active we become; however, the amount recommended by scientists is still considerably lower than the amount many of us actually consume, whether we are regular gym users, athletes or, in fact, pretty sedentary. WHY DO EXERCISERS REQUIRE MORE PROTEIN? Protein requirements are higher for exercisers than for non-exercisers because amino acids from protein are oxidised during exercise to produce energy and protein synthesis increases to repair and replace muscle proteins that are damaged during exercise. The amount of protein we require largely depends on the amount and type of exercise we do and here we will look at each one separately. ENDURANCE TRAINING For people involved in endurance exercise the protein requirement is 1 – 1.6g per kg bodyweight, depending on the intensity and duration of the exercise and its training status (low to moderate exercise requires little more than that for the general population, whereas an elite athlete will be

at the higher end of the range). To prevent muscle breakdown during exercise, it is important to ensure that muscle glycogen stores (if you remember, we get glycogen from our carbohydrates) are high before you start training. In doing so, less protein will need to be broken down for energy. STRENGTH TRAINING One of the main objectives for body builders is to increase muscle mass and many believe that eating lots of protein, especially meat, will help gain strength and increase muscle size, but this can often be less effective than they would like. This is because body building is mainly anaerobic, so the major fuel is carbohydrate and not amino acids. Many body builders have a low carbohydrate/high protein diet which is why this doesn’t work in the long term. It is true that body builders require a higher level of protein to help prevent muscle damage and to re-synthesize protein to build muscle after exercise, but this still needs to be balanced with the right amount of carbohydrate to give them more energy to train. Getting the correct balance of the two nutrients is the key to success. The proteins required for training are precursors for the synthesis of proteins after exercise, so if the protein consumed is less than the optimal amount, increases in muscle mass and strength will be slower. Body builders require more protein than endurance trainers, particularly during the early stages of exercise and during sharp increases in the volume of training. It is recommended that body builders consume 1.6–2g of protein per kg bodyweight. INTERMITTENT SPORTS Currently, the protein requirements for people playing intermittent sport (such as

GETTING THE TIMING RIGHT For regular exercisers, knowing when to consume protein is just as important as knowing how much. It is important to consume high-quality protein foods throughout the day and in particular, after exercise in order to maximise the synthesis of proteins. You can maximise the effectiveness of this synthesis by consuming 15-25g protein after a training session. Combining carbohydrates with protein in ‘after exercise’ foods or drinks can also increase the levels of insulin in the blood, which has the effect of reducing protein breakdown. POSSIBLE EFFECTS OF CONSUMING TOO MUCH PROTEIN High protein diets can increase urinary calcium losses which, in the long term, can lead to low bone density and osteoporosis. It was once thought that excessive protein intake could lead to kidney problems; however, while this is still plausible due to the increased strain that nitrogen excretion places on the kidneys, people with normal kidney function should not have any problems. Those with existing kidney problems should be careful. As the kidneys have to work harder due to excessive nitrogen excretion, they require a greater amount of water. If these water requirements are not met, you could become dehydrated. Watch out for the fats – high protein foods such as meat and dairy can be high in fat. Choose lean meats, oily fish, poultry and plant sources of protein to reduce the amount of saturated fat and in turn reduce the risk of heart disease. Information in this article is provided by Future Fit Training. Cole Nutrition offers a full dietary analysis to identify the requirements for each individual. They look at current eating and lifestyle patterns or habits and identify possible changes in realistic and achievable terms. Whatever your lifestyle, Cole Nutrition will endeavour to find the perfect balance for a happy, healthy you. If you would like to book a consultation or find out more about what they offer, contact Helen Cole on 07966 050 193, email colenutritionh@ gmail.com or visit the website at www. colenutrition.co.uk.

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50 Fitness nutrition OK.indd 50

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ACTIVE BODY

90 DAYS TO HEALTH NIRVANA Following Active’s interview with Joe Wicks last month Publisher Chris Meadows takes on the 90-day Shift, Shape & Sustain challenge in association with Microsoft Band. Joe Wicks is taking the nation by storm at the moment. Better known as The Body Coach, his social media presence is phenomenal, and thousands of people are saying his fitness and weight loss techniques really work. So I’ve been tasked with finding out. It could be a long three months, I’m thinking… Once signed up online the first step is to complete a fairly comprehensive questionnaire listing information about yourself and your health. It also asks for a week’s food diary. In my case this was a bit of an eye opener. I’m a big advocate for having balance in life between enjoyment and being healthy. But I’d say for the last few months I was enjoying life a little too much, which, having put it on paper swiftly became apparent. Having finished the questionnaire online it’s then submitted to The Body Coach team, and Samantha in my case. She is then tasked with putting together the specific weights and measures. Sadly not the weights and measures I’d listed in my food diary from the previous week. Joe made it very clear that alcohol is a big no-no on the plan, although he realises that ninety days may include one or two

nights out. As a team sportsman, part of the attraction of sport for me is celebrating the success or commiserating the losses in the pub afterwards. So it’ll be interesting to see if my teammates will still talk to me over the next three months. A couple of days after having submitted the questionnaire, Samantha replied with a 100-page document listing all I needed to know for my first month, Cycle One. It’s pretty confusing at first. You are expected to piece together what you want to eat from a short, but plentiful list of options. There are no set meal plans so you do need to spend a bit of time planning out your week. The meals are specific as to when you fit in your HIIT (high intensity interval training) sessions ensuring a lower carbohydrate intake when you’re not training, enabling you to fit the plan into what works best for your lifestyle. With the weekly meal planner nailed it was time to order the food. It turns out there is a price to being healthy…as Tesco’s kindly informed me when confirming my online order. It was double my normal spend. Even the nice Tesco chap that delivers to me every week commented on the size of the order. On top of that was a

trip to buy some whey protein, coconut oil, wheatgrass and the variety of vitamin tablets that were recommended from the local health food store. I’d best see it as an investment. With the fridge and kitchen cupboards now bursting at the seams with all that healthy food. I guess it’s time to start. Follow my progress over the next few month’s issues. And wish me luck. I may need it… Find out more about the 90 Day SSS Challenge at www.thebodycoach.co.uk and the Microsoft Band at www.microsoft. com/en-gb.

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53.indd 1

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ACTIVE BODY

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

THE SKINNY JEAN IS DEAD… Or so say the fashion bloggers and fashionistas, but many of us are still clinging to them. True, the skinny jean and high heel look can look trashy, so be careful, but those in the fashion world are opting for flares, and many with flares cut off just above the ankle. This is a tricky look to carry off as it can make your legs look short so, unless you have limbs like a gazelle, be wary. The best way to wear a kick flare is with a heel as that can add length to your legs. It seems that wider trousers are here to stay so it might be worth investing in some and experimenting with the look. A tip is that the hem needs to touch the floor, so decide what height

heel you are going for and buy accordingly. Mid-flares can look good with flat shoes, and trainers are very ‘on trend’ this year.

they are easy to kick off and you don’t suffer with painful blisters on your heels.

THE BACKLESS SHOE IS BANG ON TREND

As well as the white plimsoll (make sure you stock up on shoe whitener) the backless shoe is making a comeback. Not always the most practical item of footwear, they are inclined to fall off whilst walking upstairs, but some are better than others. A mule with a thicker strap is usually a safer bet and there are some lovely ones in the shops now. The best thing about mules is that

5 4 M A Y 2 0 16 ///

54-55 Fitness beauty SR OK.indd 54

24/04/2016 08:06

And finally... The latest fashions to show off

Anastasia bikini £42 www.elcyclothing.com

FAKEBAKE TAN You’ve got the beach body after all the exercise but, if you’re anything like me at this time of year, your skin is a dull grey colour through lack of sunshine. We can’t all get on a plane to catch some rays and sometimes we need an instant fix – this is where a fake tan comes in. I’d never had a fake tan before and had images of coming out orange and blotchy, but was reassured those days are gone – thank goodness. Tracey from The Range at Toft was going to use Fakebake and promised that it wouldn’t make me any darker than I would naturally go in the sun. I can’t say it was dignified getting the tan, far from it. I was stood in a pop-up tent wearing a shower cap and not much else being told to turn as I was sprayed. If you are familiar with the spray machine that creosotes fences you won’t be far away from envisaging me. But it only took minutes so it wasn’t too bad. Once I’d dried off, and was only slightly sticky, I was able to get dressed. A good tip is to wear loose clothes. The ideal time to have a spray tan is in the evening so you can leave it on overnight before showering it off in the morning revealing a golden tan. So was I orange? No! I looked healthy and had a good glow, just what I wanted after a long winter of no exposure to the sun. My tan lasted a good few days and faded naturally with no blotching. I did have a moment’s panic a few days later

when I noticed that my toenails were an awful brown colour. I thought I’d got some nasty fungal disease until I remembered the tan. Note to self... paint toenails after getting a tan. Full spray tan £20 The Range, Toft House Hotel www.therangehairandbeauty.co.uk 01778 590506 I can never understand women who appear on the beach dolled up to the nines wearing full make-up. How are they going to get a tan and won’t they just sweat it all off? But maybe that’s just me. What I can sympathise with is going without mascara, particularly if you have light eyelashes. Getting your eyelashes tinted is a great way to overcome the horror of going mascara-free. The tint takes minutes to be brushed on and lasts a good few weeks, almost four in my case. It’s ideal if you are in a hot climate, no running mascara, ditto getting hot and sweaty in the gym. And it only costs the price of a cheap mascara!

Piha funky stripe bandeau bikini £56 www.chameleonboutique.co.uk

Eyelash tint £6 www therangehairandbeauty.co.uk 01778 590506 Please note that both of these beauty treatments needed a patch test 24 hours beforehand to test for allergies.

Sunset stripes padded bikini by Huit 8 Top £42 Bottoms £26 www.poze-lingerie.uk, 2 Star Lane, Stamford

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24/04/2016 08:06

Feature /// Club maintenance

All things bright and beautiful Michael Flatters of Fen Tiger with advice about the main pests clubs and organisations are likely to come across as nature wakes up after winter THE OUTDOOR NATURE of sports and leisure clubs means that pests are going to cause headaches. MOLES The mole population has been increasing in recent years due to several mild wet winters which provide perfect conditions for them to thrive. This is causing increasing problems on pitches and grounds across the country. They leave their tale-tell mole hills and a maze of tunnels underground. This poses a real hazard to sportsmen and women with the risk of injury, particularly when the tunnels collapse. They also inhibit grass growth and prove very frustrating when trying to create a perfect playing surface. Solution: The most effective way of controlling moles is using traps. It is a specialised skill to successfully catch them but a large area can be cleared in a short time. Gassing can also be used but this is a dangerous task and very dependant on the soil structure underneath.

they can run for cover quickly if needed. These bolt holes in particular are often hard to see and have caused many ankle injuries to people out walking, jogging or playing sports. Added to this they also dig small divots in the soil and rub their chins in them as a way of scent marking their territory. The short grass on a cricket pitches are often a favourite area for this. There are also laws in place (Control of Pests Act 1954) which states that rabbits have to be controlled on your property. Solution: Large numbers of rabbits in a sporting environment will inevitably need controlling in some form. There are several methods that can be used including gassing, shooting, ferreting and trapping. Usually a combination of all of these have to be undertaken to gain control. Once the current population has been removed a well built and maintained rabbit proof fence will prevent further problems from new populations causing issues and will protect pitches and players.

RABBITS Rabbits thrive in our beautiful rural location and build their warrens in hedgerows, woodlands and embankments. They can travel large areas to feed and often have half way “bolt holes” between where they feed and where they live so

RATS AND MICE Brown rats and House mice are two highly successful species of rodent that thrive living in close proximity to mankind. Unfortunately this can cause many problems as they carry many diseases passed mainly through their urine,

droppings and the fleas that they carry. Weil’s disease is particularly dangerous and can kill if untreated. Their need to gnaw to keep their constantly growing teeth filed down also proves hazardous if they have access to wires. Many fires are caused through rodent damage to wiring. Both species will inhabit buildings usually living in the loft and travelling to food sources along wires and pipes in the wall cavities. They have no preference to how clean or not a building is and can appear anywhere where they can safely nest and feed. Solution: We personally try to trap rodents to gain control as this stops the risk of poisoned rodents dying in wall cavities or where other species may find them and consume them. Traps can be purchased easily but as many of you will know that it is easier said than done completely eradicating a population with traps alone, especially with rats. There are many other products on the market aimed at discouraging rodents but in our experience very few work. We have removed many mouse nests from sonic repelling devices! Rodenticides can also be used in situations where trapping isn’t being effective or where the population is too high to control quickly with traps. We do not recommend home owners using rodenticides themselves as the risk of accidently poisoning children, pets and other

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wildlife is too high and believe these products should only be used by fully trained professionals who understand the risks and can minimise them. Bees Everyone is aware of the importance of bees in our environment in aiding pollination of flowers and plants. However in the wrong place they can cause problems. The different bumblebee species are rarely aggressive and if the nesting area isn’t disturbed then they can live harmoniously alongside us. Honey bees can be a bit more tricky if they chose to create their nests in chimneys or roof spaces. When their honey supplies build it quite often drips through ceilings and light fixtures. Having bees living close by becomes a serious problem if you have an allergy to their stings. Solution: There is a common misconception that bees species are protected and cannot be killed. This is in fact untrue. However this is always the last resort against these useful insects. With bumblebees we find a bit of reassurance about their gentle nature, and some advice about keeping children and pets away for their short nesting period is enough to make sure everyone is happy. Some species like to nest in bird boxes and several times we have relocated them, box and all, to our workshop wall to live out the summer undisturbed. With honey bees we work with local bee keepers to try and remove nests

and swarms without harming them. Usually using a combination of smokers and “bee vacuums” they can be taken away safely and set up in a hive somewhere else. We have often had to work with roofers to remove sections of tiles to gain access to the nest and to make sure any honey is removed too. Wasps These insects don’t have many allies as we have all had a day out or a picnic ruined by them bombarding our sweet tasting food. They are actually very useful friends to gardeners however as most of their season is spent ridding our plants of caterpillars and aphids to feed to their hungry larvae back in the nest. One adult wasp can collect 100 aphids a day, and some species of wasps nest can produce over 10,000 individuals. The adult swaps the aphids with a sweet sticky substance produced by the larvae. It is at the end of the wasp season that we start getting problems. The queen wasp stops laying eggs and there are no new larvae for the adults to feed. That’s when we start being plagued by hungry adult wasps after our fizzy drinks and sweets. Solution: We treat many wasp nest each year. Wasp stings are actually designed to cause allergic reactions in people and can be fatal if that reaction takes hold. When the nest is accessible we can treat using an insecticide and the nest is inactive within hours. It can be more

difficult protecting an outdoor area like a sports field where players and spectators congregate but the nests are elsewhere. Scout wasp are sent out from the nest and find food sources, bins near a clubhouse. They then go back to the nest and tell the others where the food source is and many more wasps will follow. This causes that typical situation of many wasps flying around people eating outside. Wasp traps are often used but they usually let some wasps escape, and they will bring others back making the problem many times worse. We use a revolutionary wasp trap called WaspBane which catches these scout wasps and doesn’t let any escape. This stops the message getting back to the nest and lets the wasps feed elsewhere and not around the picnic area.

• Effective solutions for all your pest concerns • Fully qualified and insured staff available to offer a fast and friendly service • Female technician available if required

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56-57 FEATURE CLUB SR.indd 57

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Feature /// Great walks

TOP STAT

built in the 19th Exton Hall was the ruins of the to se Century clo 1869 a chapel In e. us original ho Thomas of St to d dedicate s added. Canterbury wa home of the The hall is the Noel family.

Exton Park

With plenty of established estate roads and no stiles this is a good walk for a wet day, as Will Hetherington discovers Photography: Will Hetherington Difficulty rating (out of five)

THE ROUTE

Park somewhere in the centre of Exton. I parked on Pudding Bag Lane but it doesn’t really matter as it’s a circular route so you will walk the same distance wherever you park. Head to the collection of Exton estate farm buildings in the north west corner of the village. Follow the footpath through one gate and then keep heading north west on a long straight estate road. You will soon go through one belt of trees and then take the right hand turn to follow the path as it curves around the northern edge of this belt. Turn left at the next footpath/road junction and head north east, keeping Tunneley Wood on your right. This stretch is part of the Viking Way and it’s easy walking on these estate roads and you will

more than likely see a few other people out and about because it’s attractive old parkland. When you reach the top end of Tunneley Wood turn right, keeping the wood on your right-hand side and head east for almost a kilometre down the avenue. At the end of the wood there is a bridleway signposted back to Exton. I took this path and it’s a decent mile-long hike back to the edge of Exton on this route. However, if you are feeling energetic you can carry on from here to Fort Henry and come back on one of a couple of other footpaths. Fort Henry is on the old boating lake on the Exton estate and on a nice day it’s worth a visit but it’s not necessarily part of this walk. If you don’t take the Fort Henry option the path drops down across arable ﬁelds to a junction where four footpaths meet. Turn right here and enjoy the climb before Exton comes into view again. From here it’s a very straight run back into the village with the church dead ahead all the way. Exton is a very pretty old stone village and the park makes for a really good walk with no

interruptions from stiles or awkward footing. It’s ideal if you want a really good leg stretch, but be warned – if there is a northerly or easterly wind blowing this walk can be fairly exposed.

Clockwise, from above

The bridleway leading back to Exton; this avenue runs along the northern edge of Tunneley Wood; Exton is a very attractive village

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ESSENTIAL INFORMATION Where to park Anywhere in the old part of the village but I chose Pudding Bag Lane because it’s near the farm at the start of the walk.

➛

Distance and time Three miles/one hour

➛

➛ ➛

START

Highlights Exton is an attractive village and the ancient parkland is well laid out. It’s easy going underfoot and excellent in wet weather. Lowlights It’s exposed most of the way around, but if you don’t like the weather... Refreshments The Fox & Hounds – but be warned, dogs are not too welcome. Difficulty rating Two paws. It’s good underfoot and should be suitable for most people. The pooch perspective It’s arable farmland mostly but there are sheep fields nearer the village and there aren’t any fresh water streams. For your own safety and navigation make sure you have an OS map with you when you go out walking. You won’t regret it.

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58-59 Walk feature SR OK.indd 59

24/04/2016 08:10

Family Fun Day Sunday 22nd May, 11am-3pm Nene Outdoors, Lakeside Centre, Ferry Meadows

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dexters BAR AND KITCHEN

“Everything was spot on definitely will be going back”

2-3 CROWN COURT, MARKET PLACE OUNDLE, PE8 4BQ

“Excellent burgers and pizzas! Great wine. Great service.”

01832 273366

22/04/2016 13:57

Feature /// Sportsman's Dinner

Dexters Bar and Kitchen, Oundle Will and Matt enjoy great food and a bustling atmosphere at this town centre eaterie Will Well, you can’t get much more central than this can you? It’s just inside Crown Court which is pretty much on the Market Place in Oundle. The town centre is really rather attractive and Dexters is open all day so I can see it would be a good spot for lunch or dinner.

Will Long day in the ofﬁce looking at pictures of cars? Not exactly hard labour is it? But you are right that bottle of beer was lovely and my starter of calamari with tartare sauce (£5.95) was a healthy portion too. The atmosphere has got even better and the restaurant is now full.

Matt I didn’t really need you to go into that much detail – the fact the whole lot disappeared while I was re-arranging my napkin was a bit of a clue that you approved. I’ve never seen a burger and chips disappear that fast so I suppose that’s the ultimate seal of approval.

Matt The atmosphere is just right in here. It’s lit well and is actually quite bright but also cosy. And with plenty of other people in for dinner the background conversation really makes the restaurant come to life. It’s obviously doing well or else there wouldn’t be so many people in here on a Tuesday night.

Matt It’s service with a genuine smile which makes all the difference. And there was something distinctly cheerful about my main course: seafood paella with mussels, king prawns and squid (£13.50). There were plenty of mussels and a decent dose of chilli. I’d say it was halfway between a paella and a risotto but it was none the worse for it.

Will Correct, and just because I have done lots of exercise today and everything else was so good I thought pudding would be a good idea too. Those well-made made proﬁteroles with a rich and smooth chocolate sauce were bang on.

Will And there are about 80 seats outside so they can really make hay if the sun shines this summer. The location is so good, why wouldn’t you pop in here for a bite to eat on a nice sunny afternoon. Matt Or even just a decent bottle of beer like this Nene Valley Brewery blond session ale, which is a lovely way to relax after a long day in the ofﬁce. But I was also hungry and the Brindisa chorizo pan fried with onions and garlic (£5.50) was a decent starter and ﬁlled a gap in a very tasty way.

Will It looked great but I wouldn’t swap it for my burger. I’d heard that Adrian and his team serve up a decent burger and that was no disappointment. The Dexters classic burger with added cheddar (£10.75) comes with sweet potato fries and an excellent coleslaw. I chose the brioche bun as I always will if given the option. The burger was nicely pink which may not be to everyone’s taste but I think it’s the best way to cook them, the brioche bun and the trimmings were perfect and the sweet potato fries were perfectly crisp.

Matt And the lemon roulade was very sharp, with a fantastic raspberry coulis. It looked like quite a heavy pudding when it arrived but it was actually a lot lighter than it looked and was extremely enjoyable. In fact the whole meal has been excellent and it’s clear Adrian and the team are on to a good thing.

Dexters Bar and Kitchen

2-3 Crown Court, Market Place, Oundle, PE8 4BQ. Telephone: 01832 273366. www.dextersofoundle.co.uk

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22/04/2016 14:18

Rutland Dancers’ Perform in 12th Spotlight Dance Festival

From Sunday 20th March to Thursday 24th March, over 530 dancers from Rutland’s primary, secondary and community dance schools descended on the Stamford Corn Exchange Theatre to take part in the Spotlight Dance Festival 2016. The event kicked off on the Sunday evening, where dancers of all ages took to the stage to perform in the Community Show. Winners of the Active Rutland Sports Project of the Year Award 2015; Step2It inclusion group opened the show, with a record number of 25 acts to follow. Dancers from the Emily Redding Dance Academy and Rutland Youth Dance Academy returned to perform at the festival along with soloist and duet performers Eleanor Firth, Natalie Hall and Savannah French. In its third year, the Community Show welcomed dancers from two additional schools of adult performers; Oakham Studios and Nicky Morris’ Silver Swans. Emma Clithero from RYDA’s Booty Shaker group said “I totally enjoyed the experience of performing in Spotlight. It’s fantastic to be involved in such a professional and talented show. Booty Shakers are like family to me and I couldn’t imagine not dancing with them. It’s awesome!” The excitement continued into the following week, where students from 16 Rutland primary schools would also perform. For some children it was their first experience of performing in a theatre, when they shared their routines with the other schools at the dress rehearsals. Due to the large numbers of primary schools involved, we had to run two shows, which took place back to back on the Tuesday and Wednesday evenings. Students thoroughly entertained their families and friends with a wide variety of themed dances, colourful costumes and props.

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Chris Thomas, the event organiser and School Sport Network Manager for Rutland commented, “It’s great to see so many people brought together through dance, the atmosphere throughout rehearsals and back stage has been electric! Everyone is so positive and encouraging to each other. The children all came off the stage buzzing, wanting to do it all again.” The festival concluded with a showcase of Casterton College Rutland and Uppingham Community College’s dance talent. Dancers spent the day rehearsing their routines with a full technical and dress rehearsal, enabling other students to watch and appreciate the displays of their fellow performers. The school shows were all compered by Chris Thomas and Alexa Smith, one of the 5 Gold Ambassadors from the Rutland Leadership Academy. Alexa took the opportunity to assist with all aspects of the festival and opened each show with an address to the audience of her personal journey through the Spotlight shows over the years, starting as a performer in school, through to helping schools prepare a dance to finally being involved with the organising and hosting of the show. For the first time in the history of the show, the whole secondary school cast performed together on stage in a finale routine to Queens “Don’t Stop Me Now”. It was an excellent end to an excellent experience for all involved. Sarah Bell, the Creative Director of the show, congratulates performers by saying; “What a wonderful week we had at Spotlight 2016! A huge well done to all dancers that performed in the event. I was blown away by the quality of the pieces and by all of your performances - so much energy and talent on stage. I hope you are all very proud of yourselves!”

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For more information on other key areas of the Active Rutland Team, please visit our website or social media pages below or alternatively contact a member of the team on activerecreation@rutland. gov.uk or call 01572 720936.

@Active Rutland

www.activerutland.org.uk www.rutland.gov.uk

Active Rutland1

15/04/2016 12:41:49

Feature /// School sports

Strong showing from BGS runners Bourne took part in final races of the cross country season in the Fenland Relay Race at Crowland and once again highlighted its strength in this particular sport. In teams of four, a course of just over one mile for each member of the team, run as a relay event, with the first team home being the winner. The junior girls stormed to victory leading by some distance whilst the inter girls also dominated, again taking first place. For the boys, two second place finishes were the final positions but the inter boys were so close to claiming victory with Ollie Smith closing a significant gap that had

Above

The BGS inter girs and boys teams

been opened up on an earlier leg. The junior boys also performed well but again just fell short of top spot.

Before the races, both girls teams were in good positions to win their league, while the inter boys led but by a narrow margin, with the junior

boys team in third. But as the results were announced, it transpired the teams managed to claim all four league titles. Additionally, a number of students also finished in the top 10 individuals, with Hana Ray (inter girls) and Aaron Hunt (inter boys), winning their leagues. Top 10 positions went to: Junior boys: Lewis Woodfine (4th), Lewis Jacobs (6th), Samuel Staines (6th) Junior girls: Elin James (2nd) Inter boys: Aaron Hunt (1st) Inter Girls: Hana Ray (1st), Neve Hattee (2nd), Shannon Woodfine (6th), Megan Stewart (10th).

Stamford U14s are East hockey champions Stamford School U14 boys’ hockey team has won the East Final hockey tournament. During the opening match of the finals against Bishop Stortford, the boys raced into a 3-0 lead in the first half with two goals from Joey Evison and one from Harry Smith. The second started poorly with two Stamford boys being sinbinned and Bishops scoring two goals. With the game finely poised the Stamford boys showed their quality with a great team goal finished by centre midfielder Harry Tidswell. The match ended 4 -2 to Stamford with a tough Framlingham side to play. In the final the boys took full control of the game from the first whistle, with George Howard scoring in under two minutes. Another two goals followed from Joey Evison and Charlie Foster to seal the win and put the team through to consecutive National Hockey Finals as the East Schools hockey champions.

Catmose cup run comes to an end Catmose College year 8 and 9 girls’ football team’s superb run the in the Leicestershire and Rutland Cup ended in the semi-ﬁnal against Thomas Astley. The girls played worked well as a team, although the coach of the opposition, also the Under 16 girls county coach was very impressed and asked a number of the girls to attend trials next year when they are old enough. Well done to Leach Crawford, Libby Rawlings, Jenny Sennett, Lottie Lemon, Beki Gale, Imogen Mould, Maisie Smith, Monique Price, Myah Durno, Charlotte Wara, Molly White, Georgia Gilbert and Leila Baines for reaching the semi-ﬁnal.

U13s unbeaten on tour Stamford Rugby U13s enjoyed a fine end to their season with an unbeaten tour. On the back of a successful adventure to France in 2015, the boys bravely headed north across the border to Scotland. The squad enjoyed three days of fun and hard work both on and off the field. They enjoyed a tour of Murrayfield, a ghost tour around Edinburgh, a bounce around at the Ryse trampoline centre as well as beach cricket, swimming and plenty of relaxing in the hotel jacuzzi. They played some fantastic rugby in their three contests. They defeated Lassawade 43-0, Melrose 27-5 and a previously undefeated Currie RFC side 14-7 in a thrilling encounter. A great way to end the season with some very tired players.

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Sophie and Maeve selected for national U16 hockey tournament Sophie Skelton and Maeve Macdonald (both year 11) have qualiﬁed for the U16 National Hockey Tournament as part of the Leicester Ladies team. The girls will represent the U16s against the many other talented clubs competing at the spectacular Lee Valley during the Easter Holidays. The tournament will provide an opportunity for the girls to gain invaluable experience and it is a great reward for all of their hard work and progress in recent seasons. Both girls have been heavily involved with SHS 1st XI during an incredibly successful season and continue to train at Leicester Ladies Hockey Club (recently registered with the 1st team) and at NAGS (National Age Group Squads). Head of girls’ sport at Stamford High School, Maria Higgins, said: “I would like to wish the girls the best of luck at the national tournament and look forward to hearing all about it. I know they will relish every moment of the tournament.”

Bowlers in open event Twenty-five of the region’s best young bowling talent competed at Stamford IBC for the annual open junior singles title with home grown Jay Travis-Jenner claiming the £80 first prize after a thrilling tournament. Players came from as far afield as Derbyshire, Northants and Cambridgeshire with Stamford’s seven-year-old Owen Aspinall, the youngest. But it was 17-year-old Travis-Jenner who won the top prize, donated by sponsor David Broadhurst from D & M Sports, by defeating Tay O’Neil (15) from Desborough IBC, 14-2 in just six ends. He emerged with four successive wins in qualifying for the semi-final against 14-year-old Emma Muir (Desborough) which he won without conceding a shot. Against O’Neil he opened with a full house of four shots and finally clinched it by trailing the jack for three with two ends to spare. O’Neil, the youngest player at his club to represent them in the Denny Cup national inter-club championship, beat City of Ely’s Jamie Chapman, who out scored Kieran Crane (Spalding), Oliver Moore (Boston), Lucy Ackroyd (Ely) and his 17-year-old brother Ben to a semi-final spot on shots difference. With more than 40 spectators staying to watch the closing stages, tribute was paid to the organisers including Keith Rippin, Alan Romaine and Mike Ramsden as well as an army of volunteer markers who supervised each match. It is planned to retain the tournament for an annual slot in the fixtures with D&M Sports, who staged a successful bowls shop at the event, agreeing to continue its sponsorship into 2017.

SPORT RELIEF 24 HOURS AT UCC by Alfie Finch-Critchley More than 50 students from Uppingham Community College took part in the college’s first ever Sportathon; an endurance event in which the participants had to play sport continuously for 24 hours. The aim of the event was to raise money for Sport Relief, so students had to collect a minimum sponsorship of £50 each to do the event. The event began with everyone’s favourite PE activity, dodgeball, and then then the sports changed roughly every hour, with short breaks fitted in for particpants to catch their breaths. A er playing football, handball, tennis and starting the basketball tournament the arrival of pizza and a generous donation of chips, pies, sausages and fishcakes from the local Silver Fish Bar helped them battle through. An early morning (or late night) Futsal tournament kept the students’ energy levels high, and the daylight hours were passed with a combination of football, badminton, table tennis and bowls, with the finale of the event a relay on the astro. Spirits were high and everyone was pleased and proud of their success. We had done it! The relay brought the whole event to a close, as a cataclysmic error from me allowed Mr Bourne’s team to win the race and end the event on a high. Overall, it was a fantastic achievement for every student to complete all 24 hours of sport, and hopefully others will get the chance to do the same in two years’ time when the next Sportathon takes place. Huge thanks have to go to the teachers who supported us during the event, with special mentions to Miss Craven, who organised the event and the rest of the PE staff who supported and ran the different sports.

/// M AY 2 0 1 6 6 5

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22/04/2016 17:56

RUTLAND WATER Relaxing Meditation Retreat Sunday 15 May 10am - 12.15pm

Birdwatching Centre, Egleton, LE15 8BT ÂŁ15 (pre-booking required)

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

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

www.drolmacentre.org.uk

Could you be eligible for a scholarship? For information and sport scholarship opportunities for 13+ and 16+ entry call 01572 758758 admissions@oakham.rutland.sch.uk

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Oakham is a great co-educational boarding and day school for 10-18 year olds offering A Levels and the IB

www.oakham.rutland.sch.uk

22/04/2016 14:11

Feature /// School sport

County sports extravaganza More than 970 of the county’s top school-based athletes and disabled athletes competed at the largest competitive school sport event across Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland. The athletes, aged 12-18 years from 55 schools, descended on Loughborough University for a day full of ﬁerce competition at the Leicestershire & Rutland School Games Spring Championships. The 127 teams were representing the 10 School Sport and Physical Activity Networks (SSPANs) in 15 competitions across eight sports. All teams qualiﬁed from their Level 2 Partnership Finals, to compete in this Level 3 County Final Championships. Leicestershire & Rutland Sport in partnership with the School Sport & Physical Activity Networks, deliver the School Games Programme, which is open to all young people aged 5-18 years, of all abilities and backgrounds. With the honour of becoming county champions up for grabs, the athletes then ran, threw, jumped, passed, rowed and swam during four hours of high quality sporting action. The youngsters battled in the sports of wheelchair basketball, learning disability basketball, boccia, dodgeball, indoor rowing, sportshall athletics, swimming and volleyball. Claire Jarvis, school games manager from Leicestershire & Rutland Sport, said: “The standard of the individuals taking part and the young leaders and volunteers was incredible – we really do have a phenomenal amount of talent and I’m sure for many this is just the start of their sporting journey.”

RESULTS

Spirit of the games winners: Blaby & Harborough

Wheelchair basketball Winners: North West Leicestershire Spirit of the games winners: Hinckley & Bosworth

Sportshall Athletics Year 7 Girls Winners: West Leicester Spirit of the games winners: Melton & Belvoir

Learning Disability Basketball – Division A Winners: North Charnwood Spirit of the games winners: North West Leicestershire Learning Disability Basketball – Division B Winners: Hinckley & Bosworth Spirit of the games winners: East Leicester Boccia MLD Winners: East Leicester Spirit of the games winners: Oadby & Wigston Boccia SLD Winners: North Charnwood Spirit of the games winners: East Leicester Dodgeball Winners: North Charnwood Spirit of the games winners: East Leicester

Sportshall Athletics Year 7 Boys Winners: Oadby & Wigston Spirit of the games winners: East Leicester Sportshall Athletics Year 8 Girls Winners: Oadby & Wigston Spirit of the games winners: Oadby & Wigston Sportshall Athletics Year 8 Boys Winners: Oadby & Wigston Spirit of the games winners: Rutland Swimming Key Stage 3 Winners: Hinckley & Bosworth Spirit of the games winners: Hinckley & Bosworth Swimming Key Stage 4 Winners: Blaby & Harborough Spirit of the games winners: East Leicester

Rowing Year 9 Winners: Blaby & Harborough Spirit of the games winners: Melton & Belvoir

Volleyball Girls Winners: North West Leicestershire Spirit of the games winners: North West Leicestershire

Rowing Year 11 Winners: Blaby & Harborough

Winners: Hinckley & Bosworth Spirit of the games winners: East Leicester

LITTLE GENIUS QUIZ Stamford Endowed Schools played host to 12 local primary schools recently in the first ever Little Genius Quiz. Rutland Radio’s Rob Persani hosted the quiz, which was well attended by teachers, parents and other supporters. The professional quiz company, Quiz Time, wowed the audience with their set-up of interactive buzzers, ‘lock-out’ podiums, sound effects and lighting, which all made for a memorable evening. Rob Persani was full of praise for the event, saying: “Personally I was amazed at the amount all the Year 5s knew and how quickly they got the answers, a great atmosphere throughout and well done Witham Hall for winning.” Principal of the Stamford Endowed Schools, Stephen Roberts, said “It was wonderful to see so many local primary schools coming together for the maiden Little Genius Quiz. Congratulations to Witham Hall, the first ever winners. We look forward to continuing this event in future years.”

Crista back at Oakham School Oakham School welcomed back GB hockey player and double Olympian Crista Cullen to coach Lower School hockey teams and share some of her sporting wisdom. Crista, who recently came out of retirement to join the GB women’s squad ahead of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, has just returned from Perth, where the GB team narrowly lost to Australia in their six-match test series. At the end of the afternoon, Crista spent time with some of the senior hockey players, answering their questions and giving them tips for their matches ahead. The school’s director of hockey, Ashley Denman, said: “It was fantastic to welcome Crista back to the school to inspire the next generation of hockey stars. “The lower school pupils were thrilled to be coached by one of the world’s most celebrated defenders, and it is great that they can beneﬁt from her ample expertise.” /// M AY 2 0 1 6 6 7

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22/04/2016 17:57

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

Rugby

Strong finish for Oaks to secure fifth spot in league BY JEREMY BESWICK

akham finished a creditable fifth in Midlands 2 East (South) – a strong league featuring the likes of Melton, Lutterworth and Market Harborough, all of whom could be successful a tier or so higher. They finished their campaign with two wins and two losses, starting with an away victory at Biggleswade. Nick Houghton, normally a flanker, was transformed into an emergency scrum-half for the match and proceeded to shatter expectations with an outstanding game, making all of us wonder why he’s been hiding in the scrum all these years. To be fair, in his absence Oakham’s forwards did have a torrid time at the set piece and also had countless penalties awarded against them at the breakdown, but tries from Houghton himself, prop Chris Carr and John Mitchell saw Oaks 17-13 up at half time, a lead which would have been far more comfortable but for the penalty count against them – Biggleswade’s only try also a result of a penalty award.

Robert Duffin Hedgelaying. Fencing. Groundwork. Demolition. Clearance. Concreting. Ditching. Decking. Menages.

The penalties continued to come in the second period, but Oaks’ backs were able to score enough tries to counter the disadvantage – James Beanland, Nick Wackwitz, Mark Woodward and Martyn Stimson all contributing to see them home 39-26. Next up was a home fixture against Leicester Forest, who have been something of a bogey side for the Oaks this year. They started well, however, and had numerous opportunities to score in the first 10 minutes before Will Armstrong got their opener. There followed a period of Oakham dominance with James Padley and Stee Vukinavanua bossing the game from the centre. By now they were playing some attractive rugby and could have had several more tries but looked to have just faltered at the last – until Martyn Stimson and Ollie Booth went over in quick succession. Forest’s forwards weighed in with a try of their own from a five-metre scrum but Nick Houghton, again playing scrum-half, replied for the Oaks to give them a half time lead of 24-7. The second period opened with both

Padley and Vukinavanua, so often the creators in the first half, converting themselves into finishers. First Vukinavanua showed good strength to force his way through and then Padley, with a stunning individual try from far out, extended Oaks’ lead and at this stage they looked to have the match won with a comfortable gap approaching 30 points. Perhaps due to the wide margin, coach Tom Armstrong made three substitutions – all in the scrum – which revitalised Forest who were duly awarded a penalty try for consistent interference at the breakdown together with a yellow card, John Mitchell being the unlucky player to be singled out. It was just as well that James Beanland scored against the run of play because Forest’s forwards were now superior and they were to score another two push over tries to make it 41-28 to Oakham. They finished their season with two real toughies in the shape of promotion rivals Lutterworth and Market Harborough. The away match at the former was a somewhat sobering experience as they went down by 62

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6 8 M AY 2 0 16 ///

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22/04/2016 14:19

TIGERS IMAGES

Tigers talk Richard Cockerill was in a bullish mood at the press conference sandwiched between the Stade Francais and Northampton games. He was entitled to be, the French side having been given a hammering at Welford Road in the quarter-final with Tigers scoring six tries on their way to a 41-13 victory. “Some of our tries were fantastic and patches of our play were as good as we’ve ever been,” he said. With an eye to that upcoming game away to the Saints he added: “I’m absolutely delighted to be in the semi-final. Now we’re in one, we want to be in another.” With three key games in two weeks was he considering rotation? “No, we’ll pick the best side available. If we win against Northampton, we’ll make the top four,” he predicted and he was as good as his word, fielding a largely unchanged side that all but ended Saints’ hope of qualification as Tigers ran out 30-24 winners. He’d have been delighted with that too. Before the game he’d told us: “They’ve got quality. We’ll need to be on our game – right on it.” Later I sat down with the man mountain that is lock Graham Kitchener. Much later as it turned out. “He’s always the last one to appear a er training,” said Tigers’ press officer Gary Sherrard. “I think it’s because there’s more of him to wash.” Kitchener missed the start of this season through injury. “It was a frustrating start, to come through pre-season unscathed and then pick up a knock right at the end, but it’s been a pretty good season for me ever since,” he said. Kitchener is an all-round athlete, having been junior England shot putt champion and on the books at Wolverhampton Wanderers’ academy in his youth. Having played for England at under 16s, under 18s and under 20s, now he was 26 did he still have hopes of breaking into the senior side? “I think I’m pretty close. I was in the larger squad for the Six Nations last season. There are lots of good second rows out there at the moment so it’ll be difficult, but I’ve just got to concentrate on getting it right for Leicester.” With this run of three key games, how do you keep yourself mentally in the right place, at peak performance, over such an extended period, I asked. “A season is a long hard slog, but now it all comes down to these three games. If you can’t get yourself up for those, then you’re doing something seriously wrong. This is what all the hard work has been for. The key will be

to 5, but they performed admirably in losing 21-28 to a Harborough side that still had a chance of promotion on the final day, denying them the bonus point they needed. Stoneygate continue their march back towards former glories now they are based in Uppingham and as they rise up the leagues they are beginning to face sterner tests from better sides. Three such fixtures happened this month, against Melton 2nd XV, Loughborough 2nd XV and Hinckley 3rd XV. The first half at Melton was a somewhat dour, forwards-dominated affair; a penalty to Stoneygate and a penalty try to Melton the only scores. The second period was much better with Stoneygate showing “a new lease of life, especially in the pack” and “the renewed Stoneygate eight allowing a solid platform for the backs to do their job” according to club captain Cillian Brugha.

Above

Lock Graham Kitchener credits Aaron Mauger for much of the improvement in Tigers’ form

about consistent form over the entire 80 minutes. Stade was a lot better.” He credited Aaron Mauger for much of the improvement. “He’s been very good for us – the balance he’s brought. We were overly reliant on the forwards but now our backs are tearing defences to shreds.” Apparently Mauger is a much calmer character than Cockers, who is “always angry” according to Kitchener, but “that’s why we love him.”

Those backs were showing too much pace for the Melton defence and wing James Keywood soon broke the deadlock with a fine try, closely followed by another from hooker Richard Deacon to see Gate home by 15-5. They’ll welcome Melton for their last league match of the season. A 26-9 win away to Cosby followed before they travelled to Loughborough who are top of the table and a much tougher proposition. The first half was described by Brugha as “one to forget” as they conceded four tries, but the second half was more even and Brugha added: “Despite losing the second-half 12-7 it was a far more positive 40 minutes. Jack Clark scored an excellent try after chasing down Ben Aspell’s clearance and running the length of the field to score under the post,” before conceding “31-7 was a true reflection and a deserved win for Loughborough.”

“Great beers, great food and a great atmosphere”

Hinckley 3rds also proved too much for them, inﬂicting a further defeat on Gate by 64-19 to demonstrate that, although progress has been made, much remains to be done. Elsewhere, Stamford Town seemed to steady their ship for their last few ﬁxtures, beating Bakewell Mannerians and Spalding, drawing with West Bridgford and losing narrowly (24-26) away to fourth-placed Ashbourne. Deepings signed off with a 15-16 defeat at Sileby Town, only a missed last minute penalty denying them the win after tries from Tim Shilling and Kelvin Squires, but skipper Guy Cunningham is hoping for great things next season. As for Stamford College Old Boys’ recent league results, well, let’s just say they’re obviously saving themselves for the Lincs Cup Final on May 2. Good luck lads.

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22/04/2016 14:19

Roundup

Football

Daniels go down

t gives me no pleasure at all to confirm that my pre-season prediction of relegation for Stamford AFC has rung true. After three years of step three football in the Northern Premier League, the Daniels have succumbed to the drop. Graham Drury was paraded as Stamford’s saviour before Christmas, taking over a side that had conceded more goals than Aston Villa after David Staff’s overly extended tenure and then a disastrous 10-game spell from ‘Stan’ Wilson. If Drury had been given those 10 games as well, I’m pretty sure we’d be celebrating staying up. That said, he did still have five months to turn things round but when you take over a side and almost have to change the entire squad, it’s not an easy task. Drury is contracted to stay with the club next season and if he keeps the current squad and the fans continue to come through the turnstiles, I’d say Stamford will be one of the favourites for promotion. Down the road at Blackstones, they’ll be happy with a mid-table finish in the UCL Division One in Phil Gadsby’s first season at the helm. Stones have had a few years in the doldrums but it seems that the rot has now stopped and you’d consider that they may look to target promotion next season. Their

BY DEAN CORNISH league form recently has been mixed, which you may expect when most games are dead rubbers towards the end of the season. In the same division, Oakham United’s first season at this level has also been a success. They threatened to challenge the top six at the start of the season, but then fell back to finish the season in the bottom half. Lewis Leckie has again been the main goal threat but it seems that one of his varying suitors will get their man in the close season, and next year will be tough without him and his 26 goals. In the Peterborough League Premier Division, Ketton have had a mixed end to the season after initially threatening the top of the table with an inspired run after the new year. It looks like they will still finish in the top half though, having won almost half of their games, and with managerial change midseason that’s quite an effort. Rob Ward has done a good job since joining the club, and with investment and infrastructure improvements at Pit Lane I forecast Ketton will push for a promotion place next term. Uppingham Town, meanwhile, will finish fifth from bottom and they’re in freefall with heavy defeats at Stilton, Peterborough ICA and Stamford Lions in the cup. Next season will be a tough one for Billy Beaver’s side.

One side that will be joining the Premier Division are the Stamford Lions who have ﬁnished the season as First Division champions under manager James Sheehan. The Lions have lost just two of their 28 league games and deserve to win the division ahead of Wisbech Town Reserves. The Lions have had a good core of players this season, with the main goal threat coming from Ryan Brown (29 goals) and Rob Forster (18). They had hoped to lift the trophy at Stamford AFC’s Zeeco stadium after the local derby against Stamford Bels. However, the Bels spoiled the party with a wonderful 2-1 win courtesy of two goals from hotshot Paul Cramp. The Lions, though, will deservedly go up to the Prem and with their good squad and superb new facilities behind the Daniels’ ground at Borderville, they’ll be hoping for a challenge at promotion in the next few years. Could Stamford maybe have another side in the UCL? I suspect that’s what Sheehan will be hoping. It looks like exciting times ahead for the Lions. In the lower divisions, Oakham United Reserves won Division 2, and Stamford Bels Reserves are involved in a titanic promotion battle in Division 4.

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7 0 M AY 2016 ///

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Equestrianism

Weather batters Belton

BY JULIA DUNGWORTH

elton International Horse Trials took place in the middle of April, normally signifying that we are definitely eventing and it’s definitely Spring. However, this was not the case this year, with some very wet conditions on the Friday for the novice sections. A few of locals paid the price, as Belton is often one of their premier events to go to and unfortunately this was not their year. Matt Hecking from Oakham was one of the few locals who ran well in one of the two intermediates on the Friday to finish fifth. With snow first thing on Saturday morning, the rest of the intermediates were cancelled (along with the unaffiliated dressage) and both 2* sections delayed until the afternoon, which left a very oddly quiet morning at Belton. The afternoon then saw a handful of competitors deciding not to run, but overall the course was probably the fairest of them all. Tim Cheffings was the eventual winner, beating fellow British rider Flora Harris into second place. One of the best locals was Richard Skelt from Norman Cross who finished a very credible 18th. The other section was won by popular rider

Ludwig Svennerstal from Sweden, with, coincidently, Flora Harris finishing as bridesmaid again and Richard Skelt once more putting in a very credible performance to be the highest place local, this time finishing 24th. The Sunday was back to the Belton we all know and love with cars backing up into Grantham trying to get in to watch the action and visit the trade area. Both William Fox-Pitt and Andrew Nicholson were riding after their injuries last year and I’m sure many people came just to watch the masters at work. The 3* suffered very badly with balloting this time, with it being an Olympic year where most of the teams and trainers were present trying to get a glimpse of early form to help make their team selections. They had over 150 entries and only had space for 120! The deserved winner was Australia’s Christopher Burton who finished on his very impressive dressage score of 34.5, with France’s Thomas Carlisle in second and fourth and Germany’s Bettina Hoy just sneaking in-between his two horses to finish in third place. Gemma Tattersall was the best of the Brits finishing in sixth place with Kitty King and Oliver Townend sneaking into the top 10, but

still 10 marks off the winner. Let’s hope the three of them get onto the team. Local rider Simon Grieve had two relatively inexperienced horses running in the 3*, both finishing with clear cross-country sheets but not in the placings. Simon’s next big run will be at Badminton with his best horse Cornacrew, so best of luck to him. I am beginning to think that point-topointing is only for the warm blooded among us, having spent another ‘it’s going to be warm’ day at Garthorpe where I yet again came home chilled to the bone. This time it was the turn of the Belvoir Hunt and despite the chilly day, again there was a full car park and a surprisingly large amount of people hanging around outside the bookies! For the first time ever I came home in profit, as did a few others, as all the favourites stormed to victory in spite of the soft going. There was a good turn out for the seven races with 47 runners. Tom Chatfield-Roberts, son of John and Doone who are both Belvoir subscribers, was one of my favourite victors, this year winning two races. If you feel like you’ve missed out (or more likely crave the better weather) then the Melton Hunt Club are still to run their event, which will take place on Sunday, May 8.

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/// M AY 2016

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Golf

THE 19TH HOLE Everything you need to know about local golf COURSE NEWS Epic battle of the Sargoods The final of Greetham Valley’s Winter League competition had been delayed due to one of the players suffering a rib injury, but when it finally got underway it was an epic contest with more inter-family rivalry than Game Of Thrones. Darren (father) and Joseph (son) Sargood, pictured, defeated Harry (son) and Tom (grandfather) McGrath over 18 holes. Never more than one hole either way, Darren and Joseph finally took the title 2 and 1. Drive like Bubba! Thinking you need a new driver? How about a limited edition Ping G30 driver in pink, with regular shaft and 10.5 degree loft. As used by Bubba Watson (probably with a stiffer shaft though!) and he averages 308 yards on tour. Rutland Water has one of these very rare beasts (only 500 have been produced) for sale at £349. Give the pro shop a call on 01572 737525. Rutland County There is a lot going on at Rutland County. New pro Dominic Fitzpatrick, is instigating plenty of change and has brought his Golf Fitz brand to the venue. If it is tuition you are looking for then Dominic offers both individual and group sessions under the Golf Fitz Coaching Academy. The club has also invested in a Skytrak flight monitor, which can be set up in a bay to measure your swing speed and launch angle. It’s a clever

piece of kit, and ideal for checking you’re getting the best out of your clubs and your swing. They have also recently converted the nine-hole par 3 course into a ‘Super-Six’ which, in addition to longer holes, contains two elevated tees. Sharing the space occupied by the Super Six course is the nine-hole ‘Footygolf’ course, which has been getting interest especially for birthday parties for children. There are some superb programmes for beginners still on offer at Rutland County, too. For ladies who have not played before, RCGC is offering a get-into-golf programme. Some places still exist for the ladies courses and also the junior scholarship. Call 01780 460330 or email dominic@golfﬁtz.co.uk. Burghley Academy season starts Burghley Park has launched its 2016 Academy programme, and there are still spaces available. The idea is to get beginners, or golfers who haven’t played in a while, back into the game. There are 25 sessions over the summer, starting in early May, mostly on Wednesdays, Friday and Sundays, and you pick around 15 of them. There’s a three-hole academy course, as well as use of the driving range, putting and chipping areas for practice, as well as the opportunity to go out with members and play a few rounds. You can use the practice facilities and clubhouse whenever you want. The academy season ticket costs £300 for adults, £200 for intermediates (aged 18 - 30) and full-time students and £125 for under 18s. For details, contact club pro Mark Jackson on 01780 753789 (option 1) or email professional@ burghleyparkgolfclub.co.uk  Got any golf news, tips, recommendations or put in some stellar performances this month? Email Steve Moody – steve@theactivemag.com.

PRO TIPS

Are you losing your grip? Burghley Park’s Mark Jackson on how to hold your club... The grip is your only connection to the club, so is the most important part of the golf set-up. Overlooked by most coaches and golfers, the grip governs the way the club is swung. Two things I believe in – the grip needs to be in the right position and the right pressure; the neutral grip provides all of these. These 3 examples below highlight this: 1 Weak 2 Strong 3 Neutral

You will see both hands are too far to the left on the club which will promote an open clubface at impact. Hitting the ball high weak on right. Both of the hands here are too far to the right on the club. This is called a strong grip and promotes a closed clubface at impact making the ball will fly low and left. Gripping the club correctly, or neutral, allows the clubface to remain square throughout the golf swing producing a more consistent hit and flight.

74 M AY 2016 ///

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23/04/2016 14:07

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Take a tour and discover what makes every day special at our schools.

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Tuesday 17th May, 10am – 12 noon

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