Active Magazine // Stamford & Rutland // May 2024

134 | MAY 2024

Magical Mallorca; we enjoy a guided walking holiday in Mallorca

Rutland Roman villa; first in our Digging in Britain series

Sixth sense: How to unlock your body’s superpower

Local business news

Shoe story; well fitting shoes are vital for our feet

Editor and Publisher Mary Bremner mary@theactivemag.com

Deputy editor Kate Maxim kate@theactivemag.com

Art editor Matt Tarrant

Contributors Will Hetherington, Jeremy Smithson-Beswick,

Advertisement Sales Director Lisa Chauhan lisa@theactivemag.com

Production assistant Gary Curtis Accounts accounts@theactivemag.com

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Active magazine is published monthly 10 times per year.

ISSN 2059-8513

Published by Triangle Publishing Ltd www.theactivemag.com

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EDITOR’S LETTER

‘Living your best life is important as none of us know what is around the corner’

’ve been living my best life this month, firstly by heading to Mallorca to join a walking holiday, courtesy of Market Harborough based Involved Holidays. This is something I’ve always wanted to do and it lived up to my expectations. Those few days in mid March were just the boost my sun-starved, vitamin D lacking body needed. And the guided walks taking in the beautiful scenery in fabulous weather were the icing on the cake.

The three of us recently enjoyed a tasting session with water sommelier Ben Izzett and it turns out that water is definitely not just water. was fascinated to try all the di erent waters and to find out more about what a water sommelier is and does. And it was equally interesting to see how our tastes di ered so much. Our area is steeped in history and we are still finding new treasures beneath the soil including the fabulous Roman villa found in Rutland a few years ago. Kate has been catching up with im rvine to find out more about this (it’s fascinating) and for the next couple of months we are going to be concentrating on treasures that are found below ground in our new series Digging in Britain – and there are plenty of them.

Living your best life is important as none of us know what is around the corner. And getting older means that realistically there is more behind you than ahead (not that I’m ready to be put out to pasture yet) so getting out and enjoying life is vital. Nicola Blower from Walkrite advises on the correct fit for your shoes comfort is vital . hysio Sarah Babbs is a great advocate for getting out there and keeping active and Dr Naomi Murphy tells us how to develop our sixth sense which is fascinating; all great ways to live our best lives.

Enjoy the issue, there’s lots packed into it.

Mary - Editor

Be Inspired

ISSUE 134 / MAY 2024

ACTIVE LIFE

9 LOCAL NEWS

Lots of new businesses are popping up locally

24 TRAVEL

Mary enjoys a guided walking tour in Mallorca

31 CHARITY CONCERT

Enjoy a recital by Tesserae at Apethorpe Palace

32 WATER IS NOT JUST WATER

We meet Ben Izzett, a Stamford based water sommelier

36 NEW SERIES, DIGGING IN BRITAIN

How a series of chance events led to the discovery of Rutland’s Roman mosaic

42 WILL’S WALKS

Will heads to the fenland to enjoy big skies and open countryside

46 LOCAL SCHOOL NEWS

ACTIVE BODY

52 THE FIT OF YOUR SHOES IS VITAL

55 GO WITH YOUR GUT

How to unlock your body’s own superpower

ACTIVE SPORT

56 THE ROUNDUP

Jeremy brings us up to date with local sport

ActiveLife

Water is not just water | Local business news

Rutland Roman villa | Will heads to the edge of the Fens in big sky country

Marvellous Mallorca; enjoy a guided walking holiday on the island p24

Aspen Manor Care Home stands apart from other care homes in Rutland. We cherry-pick our sta , ensuring we hire sta who are the best at what they do, ensuring high-quality care for our residents.

“The care my grandad received from the team at Aspen Manor was exceptional. All of the sta went above and beyond to make it his second home, and to make us feel welcome. Everyone who cared for Grandad was so personable and their caring, lovely nature really shone. In an incredibly di cult time, it was made easier by knowing he was receiving first-class care. A beautiful home with an outstanding team”. Review from Leanne D (Granddaughter of Resident), Overall Experience

DUXIANA opens in Stamford

Stamford is set to welcome DUXIANA bed and furniture store - a company that prides itself on high quality products and exceptional service - to Ironmonger Street. This expansion brings premium sleep solutions to the area and is D A A’S first mono brand store in partnership with Belvedere Interiors.

With a reputation for unparalleled quality and comfort, DUXIANA is a leader in the bed and furniture market. The brand’s commitment to innovation and craftsmanship is evident in its products which are designed to provide customers with the ultimate sleep experience.

The new store in Stamford is a testament to DUXIANA’s continued growth and success in the competitive sleep industry. The boutique environment o ers visitors a luxurious and inviting experience where they can explore DUXIANA’s range of premium handcrafted mattresses and accessories. Customers can expect to find a wide selection of products that cater to their individual sleep needs and preferences.

Customers can have personalised consultations with sleep experts who can help them find the perfect solution for their needs. The store will also host regular events and workshops about sleep wellness providing valuable insights and tips on how to achieve a good night’s sleep.

All Saints hair salon expands into Stamford

Amy Thornley, owner of All Saints hair salon in Oakham, is expanding having bought what was Gerards in Stamford following the retirement of the owner in January. Now rebranded to All Saints, the salon in The George Hotel Mews has been redecorated, refurbished and updated. A new stylist has been taken on to join the ones already there and Amy is looking for another fully qualified hairdresser so do get in touch with her if you are interested. Products now available at the newly refurbished salon are Wella, Iveda and Kerastase.

Amy has always wanted to open a salon in Stamford and hopes to open a third salon in another local town before long. To make an appointment please ring 01780 753002 or @allsaintshairdressing_stamford

DUXIANA’s decision to open a store in Stamford re ects not only its commitment to expanding its presence but also its belief in the importance of connecting with customers on a local level and strengthening relationships with them. www.duxiana.co.uk

New clinic in Oundle

There is no doubt that if you feel good about yourself and how you look it helps with your confidence and this in itself is empowering. f you invest in yourself and look after your skin you can slow the ageing process down; grow old gracefully still but by having facials and the odd treatment it can be managed better. And this means you feel better about yourself, have more confidence and, because of this, are generally happier.

This is Yin Jeune’s philosophy and I’ve got to say I agree with her, she makes a very good point. Yin opened the Luxe Skin Lab in West Street in Oundle in February and is using this philosophy to help her many clients who are loving her new clinic which is modern and clean with the latest equipment and professional sta . She has the odd celebrity client too but she’s far too discreet to name them.

After many years working in beauty spas, Yin is now following her passion and focusing solely on skincare. ‘We all age but we can help delay the process and this in itself makes you feel good about yourself,’ she says. ‘And I love working with my clients to help enhance how they look.’

Yin and her sta use medical grade products and o er everything from traditional facials to Caci, to injectables and aesthetics. Yin’s mantra is to enhance naturally what you already have. She o ers all sorts of fillers which are very popular with clients, and treatments to boost the skin and collagen production. Natural looking is what her brand promotes, she is not interested in changing how you look but enhancing it.

The clinic o ers lots of treatments including laser hair removal,

botox and body treatments too which are also very popular including fat dissolving injections and much, much more. There is a medical team of two doctors who are fully qualified to administer the injections and then Yin herself. Two other therapists deliver Caci, hair removal, facials and other treatments as well.

‘I think it’s really important that women invest time and money in themselves and I love to help and see the results. If you look after yourself and have nice skin you feel better which increases confidence and is empowering and that has to be a good thing.’

For ay Yin is o ering a promotion on olynucleotide treatment which helps stimulate your own stem cells to regenerate more collagen and elastin. t normally costs £38 but she is o ering treatments during ay for £2 5. To find out more about the clinic and the o er visit www.luxeskinlab.co.uk

STAPLEFORD FREEDOM FIELD

Stamford Yoga

Calm your mind, relieve anxiety.

12 Broad Street, Stamford, Lincolnshire, PE9 1PG Mob: 07738 272474

Website: www.stamfordyoga.co.uk

Email: info@stamfordyoga.co.uk

Open Mondays and Thursdays 10am until 3pm. Private Hire and Group Bookings welcome.

Pilates studio in Lamport

Our bodies need to move regularly to retain the ability to do so. But sadly, most of us don’t move enough. Functional mobility is how well you can move your joints through a full range of motion. The better you can move, the lower the risk of injury.

Maintaining strength and mobility in all your joints will make everyday tasks easier and we need them to last a lifetime. Joint compression caused by weak muscles and poor postural habits puts heavy demands on our joints causing extra wear and tear, soreness and often pain.

Pilates is recommended worldwide and recognised as a safe and accessible form of exercise for all abilities, bodies and ages. Louise Arnold and Lorraine Blackall have been sharing the benefits of Pilates for over 15 years in their communities, initially with Pilates mat work classes in Brixworth and surrounding villages. But they wanted to open their own studio and that is what they have done. The Old Dairy Pilates Studio at Lamport Manor Farm, NN6 9HF opened in 2021 and is a Pilates Apparatus Studio with reformers, towers, chairs and arc barrels where they can o er smaller, bespoke classes and look after the individual needs of their clients.

The Old Dairy Pilates Studio is a cosy and friendly place where you can enjoy the benefits of reformers and other ilates equipment. You can become a member, book private sessions or arrange private group sessions with your friends.

The studio is not a gym, but a place where you can feel comfortable and supported by the experienced and qualified instructors. They have expertise in balance, posture, cycling, running, joint pre- and post-operative rehab, foot problems, horse riding, sciatica, pre- and post-natal, pelvic health and more.

The Pilates apparatus, despite looking a bit like a torture chamber, is actually a really safe place to move your body. The machines use springs to create resistance so you are able to work deeper into the muscles while supporting joints in a non-weight bearing way. The results speak for themselves with many clients citing better functional body awareness and fewer aches and pains.

The pair have built a lovely community at their studio. Their clients are local people who share a passion for Pilates and help each other through the exercises and like to challenge themselves and have fun at the same time.

f you want to improve your mobility, reduce pain and sti ness, and enjoy a better quality of life, why not give ilates a try They have classes for everyone whatever your level. You will be surprised by how much di erence it can make.

To find out more about The Old Dairy ilates studio and local mat classes visit: www.theolddairypilates.co.uk email hello@theolddairypilates.co.uk or call Lorraine on 07305091041 / Louise 07766807184.

What’s On!

Friday May 17 there will be a black tie fundraiser at The Barnsdale to help raise funds to stop the closure of The Parks School in Oakham. Individual tickets are available as well as opportunities for sponsorship tables. Tickets are from £75 with tables of up to 10 people. To find out more about the event and ticket sales contact @rutlandwomeninbusiness www.rutlandcreative.co.uk/events

f you love owers or gardening go to Stamford Flower Club’s ower arranging demonstration on May 13 at the Methodist church on Barn Hill; 6.15pm for a 7pm start. ational demonstrator argaret Rumens will create large, imaginative oral arrangements and o er top tips in oral art and design at the same time. Video screen to enhance detail. Refreshments. A warm welcome awaits. Membership not required £6. No need to book.

Contact karenlelawrie@icloud.com

For ay ational Walking month why not try ordic walking oin instructor o Douglas, for a fun, practical and engaging workshop on Saturday 25 ay or 2 une from 9.30am - 12 noon on the middle fields of ppingham. She’ll introduce you to the art of Nordic walking focusing on your personal goals, the principles of the technique, correct muscle engagement and propulsion for better pace, balance and calorie burn. t’s £25 for a half day workshop.

Phone 07949 392018 or email igniteability@icloud.com to book a space.

raham orton is coming to the Curve in Leicester on September 22 where he will promote his new novel Frankie, share tales from his star studded sofa and answer audience questions. Tickets are on sale now and include a copy of his novel from www.socomedy.co.uk

ffington scarecrow festival takes place on May 5 and 6 from 11-4pm and this year will be celebrating 101 years of the BBC. There’s lots to do for all the family including a qui sheet and all those scarecrows to enjoy.

RunThrough, the K’s largest and fastest growing running events company is holding the orthampton 5k, 10k and junior race on ay 2 at Sixfields Stadium in support of Northamptonshire Health charity. For more information visit www.runthrough.co.uk

1st June

“A Summer’s Evening Entertainment” is hosted by Clipsham Yew Tree Avenue Trust. Clipsham Yew Tree Avenue Trust are holding a summer’s evening entertainment on 1 June to raise money to help restore and maintain the avenue planted nearly 200 years ago. The event, held in the church, will feature Village oices and friends, wine and a ra e with a prize of a meal for two at The Olive Branch. Tickets cost £10 and are available from Bytham community shop. Email info@yewtreeavenue.co.uk

Peterborough Celebrates Festival is back for the third year on 18-19 May. This free family festival hosted by the Nene Park Trust is a love letter to the city. There’s lots going on including free and ticketed events. www.peterboroughcelebratesfestival.co.uk

Easton Walled Gardens are running garden tours throughout May. There is no need to book and tours start at 2pm. www.visiteaston.co.uk

On May 26 Westbrook House near Market Harborough will be open for the NGS. Enjoy large, multi coloured perennial borders, a woodland path, walled garden and more.

A date for your diary. Maxey classic car show takes place at Scotsmans Lodge on the Stamford Road on August 17 from 11-4pm. Admission is £5 (under 14s free) and there’s lots going on including live music and a bar and, of course, all those stunning vehicles.

Pea and asparagus risotto

May means fresh peas and asparagus in the garden and local shops, and nothing beats fresh English asparagus, or newly picked peas. These two vegetables combine perfectly to make this simple risotto which truly represents English May-time at its best.

Ingredients

• 1 bunch of fresh English asparagus. Heads cut to about 5cm lengths and thinly slice stalks

• 500ml chicken or vegetable stock

• 150 ml white wine

• 1 small chopped onion

• 2 crushed garlic cloves

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 20g butter

• 175g arborio rice

• 25g parmesan cheese

• 100g peas (fresh if possible)

• Salt and pepper

• 2 tsp lemon juice

• Lemon zest

Method

• Simmer the stock and then add the asparagus heads for just two minutes. Remove and set to one side. Chop the rest of the asparagus stems into small slices.

• Heat the oil and butter together in a heavy, wide bottomed pan and gently cook the onion until transparent, stirring all the time. Add the asparagus slices and stir for another two minutes. Then add the rice and stir until it goes semitransparent.

• Stir in the wine and then reduce the heat and start adding the stock a ladle at a time stirring constantly until it is absorbed, then add another ladle full until it has all been used. Try the rice, it should be cooked, but with a bit of a bite.

• Then add the asparagus tips and stir in. Add the parmesan, salt and pepper then remove from the heat, cover with a lid or tin foil and leave for a few minutes to settle.

• Then stir once more to incorporate the parmesan and serve straight away. A simple, seasonal meal that just feels like early summer.

Upholstery workshops

High Street East Uppingham

Upholstery Workshop Dates

9.30-4pm each day £70

January 6th, 7th, 11th, 12th, 14th, 15th, 18th, 19th, 21st, 25th, 26th, 28th

February 8th, 9th, 11th, 12th, 15th, 16th, 18th, 22nd, 23rd,

March 4th, 8th, 9th, 11th, 12th, 15th, 16th, 18th, 22nd, 23rd

Learn traditional upholstery, breathe new life into old pieces, in a fun environment with like minded people

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

April 1st, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 12th, 13th, 26th, 27th, 28th, 29th

Optimise your mental and physical performance

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Safe and easy to use, RoshiWave deploys light and electromagnetic stimulation over the full range of brain frequencies to achieve what psychologists describe as the brain’s steady-state response.

Find real peace of mind…

• Induce calm and reduce anxiety

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• Provide relaxation around stressful situations

This simple portable device, small enough to fit in a pocket or handbag, helps to deliver the inner peace you seek.

Exclusively from Octopus Psychology in the UK

For more information, visit octopuspsychology.com/shop/roshiwave/

Joatno40

smarTrike Xtend

The smarTrike Xtend 5 stage ride-on is a trike that converts to a scooter and can be used by children aged from 12 months to 12 years. We asked Olive (and her mum Rosie) to try one out

The smarTrike has been a welcome addition on our walks; Olive is a fan. Made for children from 12 months to 12 years, the first stage is a parent controlled push along. Then with a tilt steer you can remove the handle so that it is then a ride on for your toddler and finally, as your child grows, you remove the ride on and extend the handlebar so it becomes a scooter that can have the handlebar raised as your child grows.

At two and a half Olive is the perfect age to use all stages and is doing so. The scooter setting is maybe a little too much for her at the moment but she’s still enjoying trying to get to grips with a new skill and when she gives up, raising the handlebar is perfect for us to walk alongside her and pull her along without breaking our back, something my friend commented on only yesterday, that ‘it’s great

that it extends that far.’ It works well, is light but still feels very solid and is built to last. It is also easy to push on grass and gravel. I can see her using the scooter for many, many years and it’s worth the investment as it will last for so long.

Olive’s favourite features on what she calls her ‘motorbike’ are the ashing lights in the wheels and the compartment which she likes to use for snacks and toy storage when we are out and about.

To change from trike to scooter is a little fiddly as you need two Allen keys so you can’t do it mid walk. But that’s a really minor thing as I don’t think we would want to do that anyway – plan ahead! To change from push along to trike is super easy. Price: £149.99 from www.smartrike.co.uk

Something ancient on the roof

Rowan Griffiths extols the virtues of moss

This plant is to be found in damp and shady places on every continent where plants can survive by photosynthesis, and is one of the world’s most ancient. Moss.

t was one of the first plants to grow and thrive on land and dates back around 450 million years. Mosses (and there are in excess of 20,000 species are non owering and, like ferns produce spores, have both stems and leaves, but not roots in the conventional sense. Instead, they have small hairlike structures called rhizoids whose function, apart from sucking up nourishment, is to secure the moss to soil, rocks and bark. Or your roof. Nutrients are also obtained by the plant acting as a sponge to collect minerals

from rainwater and dust particles.

Mosses play an important role in the emergence of ecosystems as they are amongst the first plants to recolonise areas of disturbed ground following a forest fire or landslide), help to stabilise the ground and retain moisture so help other plants to grow.

Mosses also act as a home for small creatures, mainly invertebrates such as woodlice, which is why it is common to see upturned patches where birds have tugged up the plant in search of food.

Moss has antiseptic properties and evidence shows that it was used in folk medicine to dress and clean wounds. This treatment was used successfully in clinical therapeutics throughout the First World War

before the emergence of antibiotics. Our ancestors also used it as loo paper! ost significantly, moss which covers around 3% of the earth’s land surface) provides more carbon o setting than all the trees on the planet. So if you see anyone scraping the moss o their roof give them a polite ticking o .

Get garden ready

The growing season is upon us, and Kate discovers where to go to get your gardening equipment ready

DG Norman’s in Rockingham, just outside Corby, is a veritable treasure trove of agricultural and horticultural parts and machinery. If you need your garden or agricultural equipment serviced or repaired, this is the place to go. Hundreds of lawnmowers and hand held tools like strimmers, hedge trimmers and chainsaws pass through the doors every year; farm tractors and diggers too. It is a very well respected business in the area known for its expertise and reliability.

David Norman set up shop 42 years ago after a long apprenticeship as an engineer at Mirrlees Blackstones in Stamford making marine engines, followed by a number of years on the Rockingham Estate. But now he and his team, who he considers his good friends, are kept busy all day, every day helping people keep their equipment in tip top condition.

‘Obviously if you look after your equipment, it will last much longer,’ David says. ‘Ideally lawnmowers should be serviced every year, at least change the oil and sharpen the blades. And when you put your lawnmower away at the end of the season, it’s advisable to empty the fuel as it’s poor quality these days so it doesn’t keep well in the engine. Make sure it’s stored somewhere dry too. Don’t leave your tools in the garden to rust!’

David, Gavin who runs the workshop, and new apprentice Ted carry out regular services, welding and repairs. And Esme in the store can source most parts required for both horticultural and agricultural machines. ‘We’re not a high street shop but if someone asks for something we can usually get hold of it.’

There’s a whole wall of hydraulic hoses – most agricultural and plant machines will have one attached somewhere – and another huge section of gate furniture. Oils, grease, filters, stock netting, pest control, pipe fittings, discs, bolts, paint You name it, they’ve got it or will get it.

Most of the lawnmowers currently for sale are Cobras – a middle range lawnmower but, again, the team can source any make you want including Hayter and Honda if you’re after a more top end model. They recommend the best equipment for people’s individual needs.

While I was there, David’s brothers were collecting a huge machine from a local cricket club which ‘they’ll be desperate for by the end of the week,’ David told me. And they often have about 20 ride on mowers in for repair at any one time. ‘We do lots of mowers for golf courses and councils as well as gardeners.

‘Every day is di erent. We never know who will walk in or phone, but we’re always here to help. We know how important people’s equipment is to them. If the farmers all start drilling at once now the weather is picking up, there’s bound to be quite a few breakdowns all at the same time too.’

The growing season used to be considered March to October but now a lot of people cut their grass all year round, even using their lawnmower to pick up leaves. But that’s fine, according to David. ‘ t keeps us busy all year round too.’

www.dgnorman.co.uk

My boots were definitely made for walking

Solo holidays can be daunting for some but not if you join a walking holiday, as Mary found out

When I‘m away I still like to go on a walk every day to stretch the legs and see the sights. If I’m in a city I really enjoy guided city walks where you learn about the history and architecture. But sometimes you want to go a bit further afield and slightly o the beaten track. So that means you have to invest in maps, find footpaths and, in my case, quite often get lost. And if you’re alone that can be a bit scary.

So, I have always fancied the idea of a walking holiday but not one where you walk 20 miles a day at a super-fast pace carrying your belongings on your back. That just sounds like a hard slog to me. I want to enjoy my surroundings, take in the views and have time to relax as well as have a good walk. And if you’re travelling alone and you join a group you will meet fellow walkers.

When I interviewed Steve West, owner of Involved Holidays in Market Harborough, his walking holidays sounded perfect; guided walks of about eight miles led by a local guide with a day o between each walk to do your own thing. That’s just the sort of holiday I had in mind so when Steve invited me to join one of his groups I jumped at the chance. Steve suggested Mallorca as this is one of their most popular holidays, no single room supplements, so many solos, and mid March when it would be warm but not too hot. Sign me up please. Involved Holiday’s mantra is that once you arrive at the airport they look after you until they drop you back there so I duly arrived at alma and headed to the meeting point. The Edinburgh ight had arrived a few minutes before me so we were then driven for about an hour across the island to Cala Ratjada where we were staying. We arrived at the Bella Playa hotel after the restaurant had shut so cold meat and cheese platters had been left prepared for us, which was very welcome.

I was told to meet my fellow walkers and the guide the following morning at 9.15am where I would learn a bit more about the hotel, the area and the walks. But first of all it was time to sample the breakfast bu et.

The Bella Playa and spa hotel is enormous and we were told on arrival that it was full. This was hard to believe as it was so quiet. I had a lovely, large luxury room overlooking one of four pools and hadn’t really seen a soul so I was very surprised to turn up for breakfast and find it teeming with guests. The food was a help yourself bu et and didn’t have great expectations as bu ets and large amounts of people never seem to work. Well, I was very, very wrong. There was so much choice ranging from full English, meat and cheese, every sort of bread you could think of, fruit (so much fruit), yoghurt, bratwurst, omelette, pastries, lots more than I can mention and sparkling wine too. couldn’t face cava first thing in the morning but many of the – mostly German – guests certainly could.

Duly replete I headed to meet my other intrepid walkers. There were 17 of us, three of them men. It turned out we were all single travellers except for three pairs.

We were then introduced to Julio who was our guide for the week and we were his first group of the season. He went through every walk, explained how everything worked and then o ered an extra optional walk too if anyone wanted to sign up for it. There were opportunities to hire bikes, go kayaking, take balloon rides and trips

ement@lamporthall.co.uk

A family event embodying the spirit of rural activities, cra s and history. Event includes arena performances by equestrian Ben Atkinson, shopping, food, agricultural vehicle displays, a traditional fairground and animals. Tel: (01604) 686272 Email: engagement@lamporthall.co.uk

to gardens and museums on your days o so you could be on the go all week if you wanted.

And then it was time to head o on our first walk. hadn’t thought too much about what the other guests would be like other than expected them to be mainly retired and probably more women than men, which was correct. But there were a few of us still working and all were definitely young at heart. had also wondered if the walking speed might be too slow, or then again, too fast. was about to find out.

This walk was going to take us up to the working Capdepera lighthouse which is on the island’s most eastern point. We would walk through the town towards the pine forests then through the dunes of Cala Agulla, round the peninsula of Cala Ratjada via Cala Lliteras back to the port where we would finish, about nine nautical miles.

We set o and left the town heading upwards through walled rural properties, olive trees galore, sheep and dogs. The properties we were walking past were pretty remote and each one had at least one dog who announced our presence very noisily. There’d be no sneaking up on properties for a spot of burglary here We were all setting a good steady pace, strung out pretty well and starting to chat. ost of the group were seasoned walking holiday stalwarts. any were on their third, fourth or even fifth trip with nvolved as ‘if anything goes wrong they really look after you,’ whilst some had been with other companies as well. think was the only walking holiday virgin. The couple from Caithness did tell me that the lack of men was quite unusual in their experience four trips and counting .

ulio was an excellent guide stopping frequently to allow us a breather and to impart local knowledge. We learnt that allorcan pork is so delicious as the pigs are fed on the fig trees which were in abundant supply rather than acorns it’s what makes allorcans so sweet apparently . We walked past the artist ustavo’s house, heard a Sardinian warbler courtesy of a bird watching app and learnt more

'Julio was an excellent guide stopping frequently to allow us a breather and to impart local knowledge.'

about uan arch, a local businessman, banker, arms’ smuggler and Franco supporter who acquired great wealth and power and whose palace we could see.

Once we got to the lighthouse the views were stunning, including looking towards enorca which is only 24 nautical miles away. The lighthouse was built in 18 1 and used to operate an olive oil lamp. ow rather less romantically, it’s using wifi. We sat here taking in the views, enjoying the sunshine and a snack before we headed back down towards the sea again. ulio was a great guide, informative, full of fun, and made sure that no one got left behind. The whole group got to rest and interestingly those at the front always changed so the pace was pretty accurate, no stragglers or rushers.

We walked around the peninsula past some beautiful beaches and ended up in the port where our walk finished. Some of us headed back to the hotel with ulio, others went for ice cream and the rest of us headed to a bar to sit in the sun and enjoy a well deserved beer or glass of wine a happy bunch of walkers.

That evening for another delicious bu et dinner the hotel had put tables together so that we could all eat en masse which worked really well. The next day was a day o so was planning to walk to Cala

'We had an earlier start for walk number two as we were heading to the interior of the island to Petra and a climb up to a monastery.'

Ajulla beach for a paddle about 700m from the hotel and then to the Port for a spot of sightseeing. Then I was going to make the most of the fabulous sunshine and the pool. The hotel has a spa including sauna, Turkish bath and treatments on o er including massages. But decided that the warm March sunshine was much more tempting than a sauna full of naked Germans (I had been warned).

We all met for another excellent dinner and those I hadn’t seen around the pool filled me in on what they had been up to. The food was so delicious and plentiful it was a very good thing that would be walking again the next day.

We had an earlier start for walk number two as we were heading to the interior of the island to etra and a climb up to a monastery. This was going to be more demanding as it was rougher underfoot and a longer climb. And it was a new walk so we were e ectively ulio’s guinea pigs.

On the bus ulio pointed out the sites. We passed through anacor, one of the main cities on the island famous for its pearl factories and home to Rafa Nadal.

The bus dropped us o and up we went, and up and up. Today was hotter and as we were inland there was no sea breeze. We walked through some beautiful countryside, met a couple of donkeys and found out more from ulio about the island, saw wild olive trees, carob trees ‘one seed is the si e of a gold carat.’ By now we could see the monastery and it looked a long way up. The monastery was built in the 1 00s and was beautiful. We were all puffing and panting when we got to the top and enjoyed the cool interior and fabulous crypt. We

were all then very surprised that we had only completed about a third of the walk; that long, long pull uphill had felt like 20 miles but the views from the monastery were worth the e ort. You could see the sea in one direction and the at plains in the other which we all took in whilst having a snack and a rest.

The walk back towards Petra was rough underfoot, full of chat and companionship, we were all really enjoying ourselves. etra is a pretty pastoral village with a strong religious history. And a very pretty square where we all sat and enjoyed another well earned beer or glass of wine surrounded by lycra clad cyclists who had shot past us earlier.

For me this was the end of my walking trip but the others still had another guided walk to look forward to and an extra voluntary day in Soller too where they could either enjoy another walk or a day in the resort. I was quite envious to be missing out.

I nipped into the Port once we got back to the hotel and as I was strolling back in the warm sunshine I realised how good I felt; revelling in the warmth of the sun, nicely weary from some fresh air and exercise, completely relaxed and having enjoyed some excellent company. Life doesn’t get much better.

would thoroughly recommend a walking holiday with nvolved Holidays. You really are well looked after, meet interesting people, enjoy some excellent walking, delicious food and you don’t worry about being a solo traveller. You will meet lots of like minded people in the same circumstances certainly did and can’t wait to go again.

www.involvedholidays.com www.bellaplaya.com

TARKA are thrilled to be back at Woolfox (near Stamford) for May Half-Term! From the 28th-31st May, they will be hosting their popular holiday camps in the spacious grounds, for children aged 3-8 years.

Get ready for an unforgettable experience as they have prepared a lineup of fantastic developmental exercise games and activities for your children. Each day will have a unique theme, ensuring that no two days are alike. You will be able to book for the full week, or individual days.

A summer concert

Enjoy a recital by Tesserae at Apethorpe Palace

Book a date in your diary to go to Apethorpe Palace and listen to the beautifully blended voices of Tesserae on a summer afternoon of music-making on Sunday June 9 from 3-6pm. This highly-talented female quartet will be singing in the stunning surroundings of the chapel in the recently restored Apethorpe Palace. Don’t miss this opportunity to be part of a unique event, set in the country house which was a favourite of James I.

Tesserae was formed when the octet they sang with was unable to meet. In Spring 2021, the four singing friends met in a garden in Bringhurst and sang their hearts out. Tesserae sing a range of unaccompanied works from early polyphony to modern jazz, including spirituals, folk songs and pieces by contemporary composers. Since then, they have enjoyed finding music for female voices and have even had a few pieces arranged and written for them.

They have been invited to contribute to a number of lunchtime concert recitals in the East Midlands including the churches of Oakham, Newark, Breedon-on-the Hill, Launde Abbey and Derby Cathedral. Tesserae is made up of two sopranos and two altos: Clare Robertson-Hughes, Liz Blades, Caroline Summers and Kate Hill. The name Tesserae is a nod to their origins in the octet, Mosaic: tesserae are the individual tiles that make up a mosaic.

Part of their programme for the recital will explore pieces from the Tudor and Stuart periods in keeping with the architecture of the house. The setting of the medieval Great Hall with its beautiful 15th century oriel window, now a chapel, is perfect for an intimate vocal quartet.

As ever, the four singers will be donating proceeds from the recital to charity. On this occasion, the recipient will be our local Air Ambulance which provides an essential emergency service to the

people living in Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Rutland, Warwickshire and Northamptonshire. The service relies completely on voluntary contributions. The critical care paramedics, doctors and pilots attend an average of ten rescue missions a day with a £2,300 cost per mission.

Set in beautiful Northamptonshire, not far from Oundle, Apethorpe Palace has been described by English Heritage as ‘among England’s greatest country houses.’ Visited in 1566 by Elizabeth I, it was known for its ‘commodious entertainment’ in the time of James I. The Palace is extensive with over 100 rooms set around two courtyards including the Great Hall and Gate Tower dating from the late 15th century.

Major building took place at the command of James I between 1621-24 creating the state rooms, and the classical facades were added in the 18th century. The property underwent a 10-year restoration programme by English Heritage led by Nick Hill, MBE, who will give a short talk on the history of the building prior to the recital. Since 2014 Apethorpe Palace has been the private residence of Baron and Baroness Pfetten and their family with on-going restoration bringing the interior back to life. Each summer, it is possible to book a tour of the house including the state rooms with English Heritage.

After the recital guests will be invited to enjoy a drink in the 18th century White Hall and view the beautiful gardens and exterior of the house.

Tickets (£40) in advance only from tesseraequartet@gmail.com www.english-heritage.org.uk

Water is not just water

Mary meets water sommelier Ben Izzett and we all enjoy a water tasting session with him

Water is something we all take for granted; turn on the tap and out it comes, it’s safe to drink and pretty palatable. But two billion people in the world don’t have access to this and it does make you think. We have a lot to be grateful for.

But a water sommelier, what’s that all about and why would we use one? A water sommelier is exactly the same as a wine one, just with water. They are trained to taste, evaluate and educate you on the qualities of water available throughout the world and they are qualified to do it. They are becoming a ‘thing’ with many top class restaurants now employing them alongside a wine sommelier.

Ben ett from Stamford has recently qualified as one and o ered to come and do a water tasting for us. I was really looking forward to this as ’d heard about water sommeliers and wanted to find out more. And I did.

Ben works for Veolia which is a company that specialises in water and waste management, and energy services. He is on the training

side of the business and came across the concept of a water sommelier when preparing an event for a group of graduates. It went down very well so he decided to train as one. Some of you may have heard of Martin Riese, the world’s leading water sommelier. He is German, based in America where water sommeliers are a ‘big thing’ Europe too) and where America goes it appears we follow. London now has about 10 restaurants that employ water sommeliers, other big cities in the K as well. ‘There’s a growing community of water sommeliers now,’ Ben says.

Ben qualified last year doing an online course with the Fine Water Academy. ‘ t was a bit of a passion project for me as was fascinated by the whole subject.’ He certainly opened our eyes to the amount of di erent bottled waters available, including the cost of them and the source. f you head to Waitrose you will find a huge variety still and carbonated sourced from all over the world down one of their aisles. Water is still, naturally carbonated or carbonation is added artificially. t can be high in sodium, soft, hard, have low mineral

content or high and include elements such as magnesium, and it even varies in texture. Water is definitely not just water. And the cost of a bottle of water re ects this. When Ben told us that you can pay £ ,000 a bottle we nearly fell over. This water is from Svalbard in Norway in the Arctic Circle. t is literally carved from a polar iceberg and is untouched with an extremely low mineral content. And is becoming more and more difficult to source.

We were going to try three di erent still waters and three carbonated ones. The bottles we were tasting ranged from £3 to £12. And they came from all over the world, were packaged beautifully in varying bottle shapes and si es a marketeer’s dream.

There are lots of rules and regulations when it comes to selling water. Some is classed as natural mineral water, others as spring; they are di erent. ineral content varies considerably but nutritionally there is no value whatever the label says as water has 0 calories. f you filter water you take all the minerals out of it, which is the good

part. Mineral content can vary depending on how the water is sourced. Fundamentally water comes down as rain, permeates through rock and is then either found underground or comes back up through more rock in an artesian spring. Some water comes up warm and it can be naturally carbonated too, typically due to underground pressure or chalk deposits dissolving in the water.

Water is measured for its mineral content classified as total dissolved solids (TDS). Sea water is 35,000 TDS, your average tap water is between 2-300 TDS.

Ben lined us up with six wine glasses each and o we went. The first water was called Bree e and from the Canary slands. This water was virtually mineral free as it’s basically the mist collected so it has not travelled through any rock, therefore has a super low TDS of 30 and costs £11 a bottle. This was my favourite and Ben thinks it would be perfect with sushi as it’s ‘super light.’

'When Ben told us that you can pay £7,000 a bottle we nearly fell over. This water is from Svalbard in Norway in the Arctic Circle.'

ext was skld which is a Danish water with a rather romantic story. With a TDS of 320 it came out of the bottle with a satisfying glug (just like wine). Ben then shook the bottle and it went cloudy, re ecting the oxygen content in the water. an Bender had retired to a remote part of Denmark to buy some land. He needed a water supply and found an artesian spring in his forest. He tasted the water and realised he had come across a special water and started bottling and selling it; so much for retirement. Kate could tell that this water had a di erent body to it, detected a slightly di erent taste whilst Lisa couldn’t really tell the di erence.

And then it was the turn of Three Bays which is from Australia and took 2,000 years to create having started out as rain falling in New

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Zealand, trickled through rocks, under the ocean and risen in Three Bays in Australia. This had the highest TDS of the three still waters with 1300. This meant the mineral content was high. I picked this up immediately and really didn’t like it. All I could taste was salty water and it appears I am quite sensitive to mineral content. Kate liked this one whilst Lisa, after tasting this tried Iskld again and immediately preferred it so had picked up on a taste even though she thought she hadn’t.

Water also has di erent H levels and can be acidic or alkaline. Bree e is a dry water which is acidic. Sparkling water has di erent levels of carbonation and . are not naturally carbonated. And if the water you are drinking has a very high magnesium content you can have too much of it. Equally a very pure water which has had all the minerals taken out of it can be bad for you something to do with leaching minerals out of you.

We then turned to the carbonated water. am not a fan of fi y water or fi y drinks apart from champagne and would never choose to drink it preferring my water ‘straight.’ Ben agreed with me whilst Kate and Lisa really like sparkling water.

Elsenham is from a chalk confined aquifer near Bishop’s Stortford, costs £12 and has a 400 TDS. t also comes in a lovely bottle. Kate liked this one best. erlage from the alec ow Spa area in oland was next. This carbonated mineral water has a predominance of calcium and

'Water is most definitely not just water and I would recommend a water tasting session with Ben.'

bicarbonate apparently with low sodium and a TDS of 08. This was the least fi y and my favourite, Lisa’s too.

And then it was the turn of the Vichy Catalan water from Barcelona with a TDS of 2 00. ts bottle is supposed to re ect the design of audi, and is very pretty. With a TDS of 2 00 it means it has the equivalent of 1 gram of sodium giving it a predominantly salty taste. t was far too salty for me. thought it was horrible and wouldn’t even want to water the plants with it Kate and Lisa agreed, but less strongly, whilst Ben is a fan and says it goes really well with steak or dark chocolate. know that next time ’m in Barcelona will be checking the bottled water they serve as this is what you will get. At £3 a bottle it was one of the cheapest we tried, but definitely not for me.

We thoroughly enjoyed our water tasting session and learnt a lot. Ben is a knowledgeable enthusiast giving us lots of snippets of information. We now know what to look for on a water menu. It really was fascinating hearing about the di erent waters and where they are from, and there was of course talk about dead sheep in water courses. We really enjoyed looking at all the bottles too. arketing and packaging are a lot of the attraction. Ben even had a German cuvée which is a blend of di erent waters in what looked like a champagne bottle.

Water is most definitely not just water and would recommend a water tasting session with Ben. You will learn a lot. It should always be drunk at room temperature with no ice and definitely no slice of lemon. ‘But that is all down to personal preference,’ says Ben. And his best tip: ‘ f you can smell the water, don’t drink it, it’s likely to be contaminated.’

www.beyondthirst.co.uk

ben@beyondthirst.co.uk

DIGGING IN BRITAIN: PART 1

Rutland Roman Villa

How did a series of chance events lead to the discovery in a field in Rutland of a Roman mosaic depicting the Battle of Troy? Kate fi nds out

This is one of the most intriguing stories I’ve ever heard because it happened by chance, and it happened right here in Rutland during the Covid lockdown in June 2020.

Jim Irvine, an engineer and son of farmer Brian Naylor, visited the farm with his wife and two children when the rule of six came into force enabling them to see their grandparents and mess around in the local river on a summer’s day. So far, so good. On their usual path to the river, they were chased by a swarm of bees. So, on the way back they took a di erent route along the margins of a field that had bare patches in the wheat crop due to ooding the previous winter. It was here that Jim spotted some oyster shells and unusual shards of pottery - some painted black - which he, as someone interested in archaeology, realised wasn’t a standard find.

That evening he decided to do some metaphorical digging and brought up an aerial view of the land on Google Maps from 2018. This was the third chance event: bees, failing wheat crop, and now an image which, because of the particularly dry soil conditions that year, showed an incredible crop mark. If the Google image had been taken at another time, it may not have been so clear.

‘Seeing the crop mark in the first place,’ im told me, ‘was as exciting as finding the mosaic a few weeks later.’ t pointed to a building approximately 35 metres long, with other structures nearby, later thought to be barns and a bathhouse. Excited, Jim continued his research. He looked at old maps, LIDAR mapping (Light Detection and Ranging) and Historical Environment Records (HER), all of which can be easily accessed online. Jim is adamant that ‘anyone can do this sort of research; you don’t have to be an expert. You don’t need special training or tools but be warned, you can waste hours on these sites!’

Hitting the spot

However, his skills as an engineer did serve him well because by using all the information from the maps and surveys, his phone GPS and the hedgerows and tractor tramlines which are always spaced 24 metres apart, he triangulated the findings to pinpoint exactly where

‘It’s a once in a lifetime find; one of the finest mosaics in Northern Europe.’

he wanted to dig. Judging from the crop marks he guessed he was about to discover a medieval church as the building didn’t look like a typical Roman villa constructed with four sides and a courtyard in the middle.

One August day in 2020 Jim and Brian took a spade and dug a trench, expecting to locate a medieval wall. Instead, they hit a very at, hard surface made up of small, stone tesserae. ‘ was looking for a wall and found a oor. And was quite annoyed to begin with, as it wasn’t what I’d been expecting!’ He expanded the trench and found larger tesserae and knew then it was a mosaic. Digging further they found a braided rope pattern, then a foot. What was attached to the foot? It turned out to be a man wearing blue and red striped clothing. I can’t imagine how Jim and Brian must have felt at that moment. Brian had owned the farm with his brother since the 1960s and Jim had helped him each summer since he was in his teens. ‘I’ve ploughed this field and loaded bales on it for 30 years,’ he says. ‘A few large stones have been thrown up over the years, so large they’ve broken the shear bolts on the plough but we never imagined something like this was under our feet.’

As David Neal, an expert in Roman mosaics and who has painted a copy of every one found in Britain, later said: ‘It’s a once in a lifetime find one of the finest mosaics in orthern Europe.’

But I’m getting ahead of the tale. What do you do one hot summer’s day when you find what is obviously a mosaic You fetch the digger of course. And for the rest of the day Jim and Brian uncovered if not the

whole mosaic, then the best part of the 11 x 7 metre mosaic dating from approximately 370 AD, the late Roman period. Bit by bit three separate panels emerged from the soil and we now know they depict crucial scenes from the final stage of the Battle of Troy which mythically took place 1,800 miles from Rutland.

Duel to the death

The bottom panel depicts the reek hero Achilles and Hector of Troy duelling on chariots after Hector had killed Patroclus, Achilles’ beloved companion.

Memorialised in Homer’s 8th-century BC epic poem, The liad, he goes into great detail about the battle including the colour of each soldier’s horses and here, in this mosaic, the horses are indeed the colours described. But, in the liad the men fought on foot not horseback.

The middle panel shows defeated Hector being dragged behind Achilles’ chariot and the third, final panel depicts Hector’s father, King Priam (in the red and blue stripes) tragically exchanging Hector’s body for his weight in gold. This weighing scene features in a dramatic trilogy by Aeschylus and shows that elements of the mosaic appear to be a combination of di erent interpretations of the story.

A mosaic which tells a story is very unusual; normally they are decorative oor or wall coverings consisting of di erent patterns and include the occasional figure. This find has led the experts to believe the owner of the villa was a wealthy Roman with a knowledge of classical literature. But why here?

The site is not far from Ermine Street or the reat North Road as we now know it, which was used by the Romans to travel north. Other sites along the Chater and Welland valleys provide more evidence that the Romans did inhabit this area. Analysis of the finds here in Rutland, especially the seeds and grains which show chitted spelt indicates they were brewing beer here. The tesserae are made from local stone and the sheer size of the mosaic oor shows how big the room was that housed it. As it faced north, it would have been very dark, lit mainly by candlelight although there may have been a large window in the apse at one end - a semi circular area. This would have been where the host’s guests would have sat while they were regaled with the tale of the battle between Achilles and Hector. Was it an inn for travellers? We will probably never know for certain.

‘A mosaic which tells a story is very unusual; normally they are decorative floor or wall coverings consisting of different patterns and include the occasional figure. ’

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Digging for Britain

Once Jim and Brian had seen what they were dealing with they contacted the archaeological team at Leicestershire County Council, who are the advisors to Rutland County Council. Funds were initially secured by Historic England for investigations by the University of Leicester Archaeological Services (ULAS) in August 2020. For two summers archaeologists spent hours examining, recording and analysing the finds. eophysical surveys using magnetometry and ground penetrating radar were instrumental in pinpointing areas for further investigation. The following summer, further investigations were made by ULAS, and archaeologist Alice Roberts came to present an episode of Digging for Britain.

‘ f we hadn’t dug the hole in the first place,’ im says, ‘the discovery wouldn’t have been made. If we had dug a small hole and phoned up the experts, they’d have told us to fill it in and that someone would come out to see it in a couple of years because they had so many other things to look at. But as we’d uncovered practically the whole thing they had no choice but to come straight out. I’ve met many enthusiastic archaeologists and students over the last few years which has been wonderful and it raises the question as to what else is waiting to be found in the county. This is classed as a unique mosaic but only until someone finds another one. ’d like to educate people to spot these signs, the hardest thing is to look properly but it’s easy once you’ve learned how.

‘It helps in our understanding of history, and we’ve added a piece to an incomplete puzzle of what the Romans were doing in Britain, and how they lived and behaved.’

And now the mosaic has been covered up again, under grass, and Jim doesn’t know when it will next see the light of day. This will be down to Rutland County Council and Historic England and future levels of funding. It is protected as a scheduled ancient monument by the Department of Culture Media and Sport (DCMS) and so

excavations have become even more restricted. Jim would like to see it rolled up and removed (the technology is there to do this, it’s common practice all over reece and placed in a suitable museum where people can visit, admire and learn from it.

‘ was the first person to see it in 1, 00 years,’ he says. ‘And when everyone left on the Friday afternoon was on my own in the field under a spectacular October sky. With the CB filled it back in. And it could be forever. It was a pretty poignant feeling knowing it’s very unlikely it will be seen again, or at least for a few years, and I feel privileged to be the first and last person to have seen it.’

Aslackby and Graby

Straddling the A15 this walk offers a surprisingly grand village centre, a superb ford, and some big sky country.

By Will Hetherington

Images: Will Hetherington

WILL’S WALK

Difficulty rating

The route Park near the church in Aslackby and head south down Kirkby Underwood Road (this is marked as Sovereign Street on Google maps but the road sign in the village begs to di er . You will know you are on the right road because almost immediately you will find the impressive ford with a white bridge to the left. After the ford you will soon see the footpath sign on the left. Take this path and you will reach the A15 in 10 minutes. Cross with care and carry on towards the tiny hamlet of raby. After another 10 minutes you will reach this handful of houses, which acts as a last outpost before the at fenland begins in earnest out to the east. t’s worth a little detour along the road and back just to have a look.

To resume the route head west out of raby along the road and turn left on to the footpath at the road T junction. This path will take you over the fields to the layby on the A15. Turn right at the layby and when you get to the main road you will see the path straight ahead. Again, cross with care and leave the busy A15 behind. From this point if you have the prevailing south westerly you should hear no more from the road.

Follow the path as it makes a couple of right angle turns and watch out for deer as you go. With the si eable Temple Wood nearby there are plenty around. After the second right angle turn it’s a straight kilometre heading west, passing Littleworth Barn and ictoria Farm along the way, until you reach Kirkby nderwood Road. Turn right here and it’s a lovely stroll for about a mile along the meandering country lane back into Aslackby, where you can explore the village a little more, with a smattering of very grand old houses around the church.

The ford in Aslackby.

Lone trees are a feature of this walk.

11t h M AY

Reg i ster you r i nterest : admissions@withamhall.com 01778 590222

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ACTIVE INFO

The magnificent 14th century church of St James the Great dominates the village centre and Aslackby also has several other interesting features, including the Manor House dating back to the 17th century and a site of a preceptory for the Knights Templars.

Essential information

WHERE TO PARK

In Aslackby near the church.

DISTANCE

Four miles.

HIGHLIGHTS

Some big sky country over the fens, a lovely ford, the chance to see some deer and the pretty centre of Aslackby.

LOWLIGHTS

With the prevailing south westerly wind, the section of this walk on the east of the main road will have some road noise, but that means it’s very peaceful on the west side of the A15, where most of the walk happens.

REFRESHMENTS

The Robin Hood and Little John at Aslackby.

DIFFICULTY RATING

Two paws; there are some minor undulations but otherwise it’s pretty easy going.

THE POOCH PERSPECTIVE

It’s a nice stroll for the dogs and the ford in Aslackby makes for a good refreshment stop. And welly wash!

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.

Active Kids

Join the yoga tribe

Yoga Tribe is run by experienced yoga teachers Helen Taylorson and Emma Ansell for primary school children during the school holidays. And this summer, to expand on their great holiday club for little people that o ers something a little di erent, they plan to run a tween/teen retreat day in August as well.

Yoga and mindfulness are scientifically proven to support child development by building strength, exibility and motor skills whilst supporting mental health and promoting focus, empathy and positivity which helps brains and bodies connect. Yoga Tribe was established three years ago to provide an alternative summer holiday camp for five to ten year olds and they love it. Helen and Emma will lead the group through the day’s fun activities based on the philosophy and practice of yoga.

Emma and Helen have been teaching both adults and children for over 10 years and are fully trained, DBS checked and insured. The Yoga Tribe Day will be on onday 5 August at Waltham in the Wolds illage Hall and the Teen Yoga Retreat on August 8 at Frisby lakes. To book a place on either and find out more visit www.hdyoya.co.uk

Success at rugby 7s

Oakham School’s nder 14 girls’ and nder 1 boys’ rugby sevens teams are celebrating after achieving double success in the Rosslyn ark ational Schools Sevens Tournament.

The nder 14 girls’ team were runners up in the competition and are the best team in the K after losing by just one point in the final against Dubai based umeirah English Speaking School, an ama ing achievement given that some members of the team had only played their first competitive sevens match on the morning of the tournament. The team are just the second cohort of Oakham School girl rugby players to compete at the famous sevens festival.

Two days after the girls’ success, Oakham’s nder 1 boys’ team began their sevens campaign, which culminated in them winning the late. Over two highly competitive days the boys competed superbly, topping their group on day one and beating Stowe 20 0 in the final.

Cast and crew celebrations

The cast and crew of Catmose College and Harington School are celebrating the success of their recent production of ‘The Addams Family.’ The show got rave reviews and standing ovations from sold-out audiences.

Around 90 students (from Years 7-12) worked on this performance for several months. As well as taking on the roles of the cast, students ran the lighting and sound, helped with creating the choreography and props, backstage and with the refreshments. This musical follows many successful productions at Catmose College, most recently ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’, ‘Legally Blonde’ and the Year 7 performance of ‘Frozen’.

They look forward to seeing you at future performances which include Music on a Spring evening in May.

The success of ‘The Addams Family’ is a testament to the talent and creativity of the students at Catmose College and Harington School as well as the dedication and support of the school’s sta and community. The production provided an opportunity for students to show o their skills and passion for the performing arts and was a memorable experience for everyone involved. Congratulations to the cast and crew of ‘The Addams Family’ for a job well done!

Concert at Cambridge

Oakham School’s musicians delivered a stunning gala concert in the superb acoustic setting of Cambridge’s West Road Concert Hall recently, displaying a wealth of range and talent to the delight of the Cambridge audience.

Oakham School’s musicians enjoy many opportunities to perform to local audiences throughout the year. As well as staging concerts in the school’s beautiful chapel, the talented students deliver free, weekly Wednesday lunchtime recitals in Oakham’s All Saints Church.

To view the full programme of concerts visit www.oakham.rutland.sch.uk/arts

Victory at rugby 7s for Stamford

Stamford Schools’ under 18 rugby 7s team emerged victorious at the Rosslyn ark ational Schools Sevens, conquering a field of 220 schools to claim the U18 Boys’ Vase trophy. The tournament was held in March and the road to victory wasn’t easy. The boys faced tough competition throughout the day, battling against some of the best schools in the country. Their unwavering spirit and exceptional teamwork shone through in every match. Special recognition goes to James E, who was deservedly awarded the title of Player of the Tournament for his outstanding performance.

One Man two guvnors

Stamford Schools’ recent senior production, One Man, Two Guvnors, delighted audiences with its brilliant comedy set in Brighton during the 1 0s. With action split between a pub, the street and the pier, the play transported viewers to a vibrant era filled with humour and charm. From the impeccable performances to the seamless execution of scene changes, the production showed the immense talent within Stamford School’s drama department. Audiences were enthralled by the energy and wit on stage, making each performance a memorable experience.

Stamford reach public speaking finals

A team of public speakers from Stamford School recently reached the third round of the regional finals of the English Speaking Union’s Churchill public speaking competition. Held at Loughborough Grammar School they were the only team to go through to the Nationals Finals which will be held at Churchill College, Cambridge University.

ublic Speaking is di erent to debating it is not confrontational. The chair and questioner have to pair up with a speaker from a di erent school on the day, so have to be able to work as a team with people they don’t know. Good luck.

Easter egg hunt success

The first Witham Hall Charity Easter Egg Hunt was an egg cellent success with over 250 visitors. They were blessed with a beautiful spring morning, perfect for children to explore the grounds and search for clues to be rewarded with a tasty treat in the pop up café. A fantastic £500 was raised for Tommy’s Arc, a children’s cancer charity. They look forward to seeing you again next year.

ActiveBody

EDITED BY KATE MAXIM

A privileged career

Sarah Babbs explains that physiotherapists treat many different conditions and sometimes have to have di cult conversations

It is a privilege when patients ask for our help. Often people come to us to sort out an injury which is stopping them doing something be that golf, running or playing with their grandchildren. Others come for help with pain that has troubled them for many years, often having sought care from many different practitioners but not getting the result they want. And others come because they have realised they are becoming less fit so are more likely to not join a friend for a walk because they don’t want to reveal they might not manage the hills or make the distance. And all of these people will be feeling vulnerable in one way or another. Asking us to care for them and putting their trust in us is humbling.

Sometimes the conversations we have in clinic can be difficult. A runner training for a marathon may have signs of a stress fracture. Hearing that they probably won’t be able to run can be devastating. Others will have heard of bad experiences of friends and be in denial as to what the best management will be. I have had a couple of patients who have greeted me at our first appointment with words to the effect of ‘I know you’ll tell me I need a new hip but I won’t have one.’ And others will have poor general health which adds to their problem.

It is therefore important that we are able to look at the wider picture, to support people through their presenting issue by looking at the circumstances around their complaint. A study I recently read about took place in private physiotherapy clinics in Australia looking at those who presented to the clinic with pain which appeared to have a musculoskeletal cause.

On measuring various health factors, over a third were found to be suffering from a condition called metabolic syndrome. This condition occurs when three of five of the following are present - abdominal obesity, hypertension, elevated triglycerides, lowered high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and elevated fasting glucose, ie cardiac, precursor or actual diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity measured by standard criteria. This condition causes poor long term health as well as high health care costs.

Interesting to physiotherapists is that one of the mechanisms of metabolic syndrome is chronic low-grade inflammation. This low-grade inflammation also exists in musculoskeletal conditions such as osteoarthritis, osteoporosis and tendinopathy and can be the

presenting complaint of those in physiotherapy clinics. In fact, 25% of the general population of Australia has metabolic syndrome which increases to 37% in the study in physiotherapy clinics.

Metabolic syndrome can be improved with physical activity and exercise alone, as well as changes to diet and lifestyle. As physiotherapists we are well placed (and have a duty) to help people with their general health. It is important that we have those difficult conversations. The recommendation is for adults to do 0 minutes of moderate activity a week or 75 minutes vigorous intensity as well as two weight sessions. This can be incorporated into exercise programmes for our patients.

Other factors, known as the biopsychosocial picture are always important. Stress plays an enormous role in pain, as does expectation from the patient, family and society. Talking about and helping patients to understand this context is vital. Often the simplest things can help: breathing techniques, improving diet, even simply walking outside with the sun on our faces.

Physiotherapy can have a wider remit than many think, as I say, a privileged career. And my ladies who didn’t want their hip surgeries - once they understood and were gently helped to make the decision to go ahead - wonder why they didn’t do it sooner. The improvement to their life and activity levels was immense. I don’t know who first said this but I rather love the saying ‘If doctors save lives, then physiotherapists make them worth living.’

To contact Sarah ring 07780 900201.

AOil those joints

Olive oil shots anyone?

drizzle of olive oil on your salad adds flavour and is perceived to be good for you, as is adding a drizzle to soups and other dishes. Now a nutritionist at Bulk.com says that drinking one shot of olive oil every day will not only have significant benefits for your skin, hair, and nails but also help you lose weight and reduce joint pain.

Maintaining healthy skin, nails and hair can be difficult in the cold weather, and the late spring that we are experiencing with central heating still on is not helping. However, by increasing your olive oil intake, you could significantly improve your overall health. Experts suggest starting with one shot of olive oil for 30 days.

‘When you drink olive oil daily something extraordinary can happen to you. Olive oil, particularly extra-virgin, is one of the biggest superfoods. It is packed with antioxidant compounds like vitamin E, oleacein and oleocanthal as well as compounds called polyphenols which are really good for your hair, skin, joints and weight.’ says Abigail Roberts, sports nutritionist at Bulk.com

Impacts on joints and pain

According to research, the Mediterranean diet which is heavily focused on olive oil, is proven to help with cognitive function, cognitive decline and dementia risk. This is thought to be because the polyphenols in olive oil act as a natural painkiller and can even work better than ibuprofen. Studies have also confirmed the effectiveness of olive oil in controlling morning inflammatory pain of phalanges and knees among women with rheumatoid arthritis.

Weight loss

A daily shot of olive oil, some people claim, helps with weight loss. There may be some truth in this because it is rich in monounsaturated fatty acids. These are

known to help with weight loss by increasing metabolism, reducing your appetite and body fat. A study revealed a treatment group who were given extra virgin olive oil lost 80% more body fat than the control group who didn’t have it. In the long term, olive oil continues to have positive effects on the body and helps keep weight off or stable.

If the thought of a shot of olive oil makes you feel nauseous - and it might do so - you can drizzle it onto an egg and avocado dish or a salad.

‘When you drink olive oil daily something extraordinary can happen to you. Olive oil, particularly extra-virgin, is one of the biggest superfoods.

Gut health

One of the most significant benefits of olive oil is to gut health. This is because the antioxidants in olive oil can help to repair and heal the gut lining by stimulating the diversity of the bacteria, particularly good bacteria. Olive oil consumption can also help encourage your intestines to absorb more vitamins and minerals from the foods you eat. It also helps to increase Bifidobacteria in the gut, which can increase the feeling of being full and have positive effects on weight and cholesterol. Olive oil does not contain any fibre, therefore, pairing it with a high-fibre-content food such as quinoa or lentils is a perfect balance.

But be warned, consuming too much olive oil can have adverse effects leading to an upset stomach, so the old adage ‘everything in moderation’ rings true here. And perhaps, rather than a neat shot on an empty stomach pair it with food to help ease digestion.

www.bulk.com

WShoe story

The changing shape of our footwear could be the cause of our foot problems, podiatrist Nicola Blower explains

hen did you last think about your shoes? If at all, it is usually whether they match the outfit you are wearing or whether they hurt or not (and that’s often not until the moment they do). We often think about shoes as a piece of clothing rather than something that can a ect our feet, movement and cause injuries. Apart from sport that is, where shoe companies actually make claims about what their shoes can help you do, running faster, jumping higher or, sometimes, preventing injury.

As podiatrists we work with footwear every day. Sometimes shoes are the cause of pain or injury, spending too long in high heels or uncomfortable safety shoes at work. Shoes can help prevent deformity if we make sure they fit properly around a growing foot. We can use them (or not) to improve pain and injury such as the right tech in a running shoe or encourage more barefoot walking in developing children.

It is thought that humans started to use foot coverings that could be regarded as shoes as long as 500,000 years ago. But there is no evidence of an actual shoe until a discovery was made in California in a cave thought to be about 9,000 years old. There are also indications that our shoes started to a ect our feet as much as 2 ,000 years ago, evidenced by examining foot skeletons which showed that the lesser toes (second to fifth had started to get weaker. This is thought to be due to advances in technical skills, meaning more rugged shoes, so the lesser toes didn’t have to work as hard to grip the ground.

Technical skills and abilities have gone on to in uence footwear manufacture since these early shoes, from the types of materials used to the way a shoe is constructed. Mass production instead of traditional shoemaking also meant that shoes were no longer fitted to the shape of each person’s feet. And, now, the first fully 3D printed shoes have been made.

Some of these developments are a positive (lighter weight and using materials that can be recycled or biodegrade), some are unknown, but some are a negative. oorer fit and fewer shops to try shoes on has an immediate impact on the foot and function. And fewer components in the manufacture of the shoe often leads to more instability and poorer foot function leading to pain and injury.

‘Sometimes shoes are the cause of pain or injury, spending too long in high heels or uncomfortable safety shoes at work.’

PROBLEM

Bunions and toe deformities

In clinic, footwear is a routine part of our musculoskeletal assessments. The shoes that are being worn are always assessed and taken into account when looking at pain, injury and development. We measure all of our patient’s feet so that we know the true foot size and then assess this against the shoes that are being worn as up to 70% of women and 30% of men are wearing the wrong size. And then we look more closely. The shape of the sole of the shoe, thickness of the sole at the heel in comparison to the ball of the foot (the pitch or drop of the shoe), stability of the midsole, exibility of the upper of the shoe and the fastenings can all have an e ect on injury, pain and deformity. We can then use footwear to treat problems. Examples of this can be seen in the table. So, when you next think about your shoes consider, are they part of the problem or could they be part of the solution? www.walkrite.co.uk

FOOTWEAR FIX

Get feet properly measured for length and width and make sure your most often worn shoes are the correct size; change lacing to remove pressure over joints; stretch shoes over prominent joints, eg spot-stretching

Inside ankle and arch pain

Pain at the front of the knee and shin splints in running and walking

Heel pain

Wear shoes with a wider sole at the heel and the middle of the foot to prevent foot from rolling inwards; make sure the middle of the sole is not very flexible; try to wear a shoe with a solid heel counter

Achilles and calf painAvoid flat, flexible shoes; wear shoes with more ‘drop’ if running (8mm or more)

Avoid shoes with more ‘drop’ as higher heel positions in comparison to the ball of the foot increases load onto the front of the knee and the shin; shoes with a drop of 5mm or less in running help; in walking, shoes with more cushioned soles and less thick heels help as long as the middle of the sole of the shoe is wider

Avoid shoes with a prominent arch that can press into the arch and heel; wear shoes with more shock absorption in the sole and inside the shoe; avoid flat, flexible shoes and walking or standing for long periods on hard, flat floors

Growing feetProperly measure the child’s foot; barefoot or socks only in the house; barefoot outside if safe to do so as it helps development; foot-shaped shoes if possible and child is in no pain until at least aged 9 to prevent deformity

HALLS CYCLE CENTRE 10-12 Northampton Road, Market Harborough, Leics, LE16 9HE. 01858 465507

www.georgehallscycles.co.uk georgehallscycle@aol.com

Go with your gut

Psychologist Dr Naomi Murphy explores how to unlock your body’s own secret superpower

We marvel at Spiderman’s spider-sense, his signature superpower that helps him detect threats around him. But what if you have a similar power that can help you know when you’re making wise or poor decisions, a sixth sense that tells you when you should take action or when you should avoid it?

You do. It is called interoception. But it is a sense that many of us have stopped listening to. With awareness and practice you can rediscover it and use it to make better life decisions. Here’s how.

What is interoception?

Interoception is the recognition and processing of inner bodily sensations. There are obvious examples - knowing when you’re hungry or when you’re tired, detecting a quickening of your heartbeat or your breathing. But interoception is also responsible for that gut feeling you get when thinking about whether to go on a second date, accept a new job, which seat to choose as you enter a meeting room.

With our other senses, some of us are born with more awareness. The same is true of interoception. Some of us can do it easily. For example, around 60% of people can count their own heartbeats just by listening internally. But others find it much harder.

Some of this ability may be inherited. But we also know that a lack of attention to our inner state early in life might shrink this superpower. If you were told ‘not to cry’ when you were upset, you learn to ignore the internal signs that you’re sad. If your dad never said he was proud of you, maybe you don’t learn how to savour the sense of achievement you get when something goes well. If cuddles were rare, you lose familiarity with wanting to reach out to others for comfort.

We need our spider-sense

Some ailments impair our ability to listen to what our body is telling us. Mental and physical conditions such as chronic pain,

addictive behaviour, anxiety, depression and other mood disorders, PTSD, OCD, somatic disorder and neurodegenerative diseases reduce our interoception skills.

Being more conscious of what we are experiencing inside our bodies allows us to make conscious choices about how we manage discomfort rather than acting impulsively. It also allows us to recognise when we feel more nourished, emotionally and spiritually, and find ways to bolster this.

When we become conscious of bodily signs of discomfort and distress, it makes it easier to have conversations about our experiences. t also helps us find new ways of dealing with situations so put our bodies under less stress.

Hone it

Careful attention to how tiny movements a ect our internal sensations help us strengthen awareness of what we’re feeling.

You can increase your interoceptive ability by practicing observing what your body feels. It’s one of the reasons practices such as somatic yoga and tai chi have grown in popularity. As a psychologist I often use a technique called sensorimotor psychotherapy to help clients. This focuses on how the body senses feelings and

emotions, bypassing the logical brain which always tries to rationalise feelings instead of ‘feeling’ them.

Peter Parker famously noticed when there was a threat in the environment around him. You too can train yourself to notice the atmosphere when you walk into work, recognise when your partner is having a bad day or your child is about to misbehave. Simply spend more time noticing what’s going on inside you. Likewise, try noticing the physical sensations you have when you see a loved one, listen to a favourite song, or just look outside.

As with wine tasting, the more you savour the experience, the more you will be able to detect change. And once you can, life will become richer, personal relationships better and, who knows, perhaps your enhanced performance at work will develop an exciting new career path.

Making use of that superpower within you provides a new route towards success, whether your goal is better self-awareness, relationships or greater peace of mind. Listening to your heart - physically and metaphorically - is a great place to start.

www.octopuspsychology.com 07771 732104

As one season draws to a close another one begins. Jeremy Smithson-Beswick rounds everything up for us

At time of writing, Stamford Daniels continue to keep us on tenterhooks in their pursuit of a play o place in Premier Division Central – a sentence I didn’t ever think I’d pen when they were promoted just last year and is a testament to how well they’ve performed over the season. A spectacular away win at the run-away champions, Needham Market, by no less than three goals to nil, kept up the momentum with Lee Shaw scoring twice and Rhys Hilton also chipping in with the third. In spite of then sustaining a real body blow

in the subsequent game, which they lost by the same score away to fifth placed Leamington, they’re now back o the canvas and swinging punches. There’s still all to play for for Graham Drury’s side, placed seventh on 5 points and, of course, the fifth spot would be enough. With a game in hand over Stratford and Redditch (and also Leamington) above them and only seven points spanning all four sides, Drury will be focused on squeezing the optimal results from the remaining three matches, despite losing almost his entire first choice defence to

injury. It’s a long shot, but stranger things have happened.

Harborough Town remain top of their own division despite their first defeat for months in early April against Rushden and Diamonds but have performed well since and were boosted late on in the month by what football bu s call a ‘Hawaii’ against uorn 5 0 with ake Du y named man of the match for his three assists. Speaking afterwards Assistant anager David Sta modestly called it a ‘confident performance’ noting that the side had ‘been on it’ from the

opening whistle. Their first goal came in the eighth minute and they also hit the crossbar and had at least one e ort cleared o the line. The league remains tight and they are not yet guaranteed automatic promotion as both Anstey and Spalding are too close for comfort and there’s a possible points deduction coming for accidentally fielding an ineligible player.

The two towns also both had successful rugby seasons to rival their round ball cousins. Stamford did eventually miss out on promotion by a tiny margin as expected despite being unbeaten in 2024 until the penultimate game away to league winners Daventry. And Market Harborough also finished in that frustrating third position having been leaders for some while and in the mix for the title until the final day. Alas, an away match to the eventual title winners, Nuneaton, proved too much of an ask on that afternoon, particularly after a red card for forward ack Digby in only the fifth minute for what the club described as ‘a rugby collision’ and a ‘harsh decision’. Two bright spots for them however were new international honours for the club’s Sam Byrd and Tamsin Baynes. Sam, who played for them up to the age of sixteen and continues to coach the under 13s, was picked for Scotland’s under 18s and Tamsin for England in the same age group. Their caps followed on from ex player Finn Carndu ’s captaincy of England under 20s in their title-winning six nations campaign back in March. In contrast, Oakham have had a pretty

“Stamford did eventually miss out on promotion by a tiny margin as expected despite being unbeaten in 2024.’”

miserable time of it culminating in relegation. We’ll miss the twice-yearly games against Stamford which are always fiercely contested yet sportsmanlike and convivial. I’d like to predict Oaks will bounce back straight away but I’m afraid that looks rather unlikely unless there are significant changes to the way the club is currently run. It gives me no pleasure to say so.

As anticipated, the cricket season has gotten o to a shaky start due to the relentless rain we had earlier this year which has left wickets too wet to accommodate a roller and sodden outfields. Several pre season friendlies have already succumbed due to the waterlogging. It will be an interesting season once it does get under way and doubtless Uppingham will set their sights on promotion back to the Premier league in order to reinstate their derby games against Oakham and the latter will be hoping for an even stronger performance than last year’s excellent e ort.

As an aside, I’d like to hear from those of you interested in the local cricket scene if you have any views or comments on the potential of a new Rutland side playing in the minor counties competitions. It’s an idea that, to be honest, hasn’t yet got much further than the inside of my own head but I think it’s an intriguing thought. With our two town sides playing successfully at only one and two tiers down from there respectively – and potentially with outstanding young talent added from our excellent cricket-playing schools – I’m convinced that such combined

resources would be enough to ensure competitiveness at the higher level. Whilst I don’t see us playing three-day games in Devon anytime soon (that would test the mettle of even the most committed amateur) there are also T20 and one-day competitions whose leagues are geographically based. The most appropriate T20 league, for example, contains only Cambs, Su olk, orfolk and Lincs, which could be manageable. Any comments, questions, observations or criticisms thankfully received at Jeremy@ theactivemag.com

It seems not a month goes past without us reporting on some local activity appealing for more participants and this time, following our publicity for the redoubtable Rutland Morris Men (and women now as a result of their recruitment drive I understand) it’s the turn of the Maypole Dancers of Braunston.

Jo Palmer-Phillips has launched an appeal for more youngsters to come forward to join in what is ‘the only village in Rutland that has maypole dancing every year.’ They’re looking for another seven children from school years four to eight. You don’t have to be from the village itself as sadly there aren’t enough of the right age group living there any longer and anyone interested should get in touch at maypoledancing@outlook.com

You’ll need to be really quick o the mark to make May Day, but perhaps get in touch now ready for next year?

RAFA Rides 2024 is bigger than ever

The RAF Association’s global cycling event RAFA Rides is back, and this year, it’s bigger than ever

RAFA Rides will return to Kendrew Barracks, formerly RAF Cottesmore, in Rutland on Saturday 15 June. Riders will tackle a selection of routes, ranging from 25 to 100 miles, around the picturesque countryside of Leicestershire and Rutland.

The first RAFA Rides event took place in 2018. Since then, over 3,200 people have taken part uniting Air Force communities locally and internationally and creating a strong global community of cyclists that has raised over £450,000 for those in need.

Rachel Huxford, Deputy Chief Executive Officer for the RAF Association, said: ‘RAFA Rides not only fosters a deep sense of connection between riders, but it also helps people to improve their overall physical and

mental wellbeing by encouraging them to invest in their health and fitness, all whilst raising money to support the Association’s vital welfare work.

‘Last year over 1,000 cyclists took part in our event in Rutland and around the globe, raising over £110,000. We’re looking forward to welcoming more riders than ever in 2024 as we continue to grow the event, providing even more ways for people to be part of this incredible global community.’

For the first time this year, cyclists will also have the unique opportunity to join cycling events at two of the RAF’s large stations, RAF Brize Norton and RAF Marham.

Another addition for 2024 is the RAFA Rides virtual global Zwift event. The Zwift

ride will take place on Saturday 15 June and will feature as a live feed during the RAFA Rides' event at Kendrew Barracks.

Cyclists based all over the world can also join in with RAFA Rides Your Way where teams and individuals can create their own events, choosing their own start time, distance and location.

Everyone is very welcome to join the ride so to sign up go to www.rides.rafa.org.uk