Active Magazine // Stamford & Rutland // October 2022

An

A hug in a biscuit , what we all need at the moment

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

Front cover image Caroline Stafford

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ISSN 2059-8513

Published by Triangle Publishing Ltd www.theactivemag.com

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EDITOR’S LETTER

‘I suppose we just took for granted that she would always be there.’

THIS MONTH WE felt it only right to pay our respects to our late monarch, Queen Elizabeth ll. As I write we are just days away from her funeral with many thousands of people going to view her lying in state; a spectacle which those who see it will remember for the rest of their lives, as indeed we all will.

As a nation we are still processing her death and I am surprised at how sad I felt when I heard she had died. She was a very old lady who was looking increasingly frail so it was inevitable that it would happen fairly soon. But she had been on the throne for 70 years and I suppose we just took for granted that she would always be with us; even though it was obvious that this wouldn’t be the case.

he as ust al ays there uite a remote figure in my youth ho didn’t pay much heed to apart from admiring the jewels and not liking her choice of hats (this was the late 70s). But as we both matured, my admiration and respect for her increased. Not just because she carried on working with incredible energy and enthusiasm to such an old age. It was the way she held everyone together, including the Commonwealth and some quite tricky customers. She never seemed to put a foot wrong and her stoicism when many around her seemed to lose theirs was something to be admired. We never really knew what she was thinking and at times she must ha e had to su er some uite a ful fools so patien e and forbearance are more qualities to be admired, as well as a remarkably good sense of humour which became more apparent as she aged and allowed us to see more of her character.

There aren’t many of us who remember another sovereign, or if you do you are over 70, so the vast majority of us are proud Elizabethans. And as an Elizabethan I would like to say thank you for your duty, service to the nation and for being our queen; you will be missed.

God save the King!

Mary - Editor

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Middle and Upper School Open Morning

Saturday 1 October 10am

Lower School Open Morning Saturday 8 October 10am

Lower School Boarding Taster Weekend Saturday 8 & Sunday 9 October

Lower School Open Morning Saturday 12 November 10am

At Oakham School, we are proud to offer pupils the ideal environment to learn, grow and thrive in the heart of rural Rutland.

Join us at an Open Event to discover more about our high-achieving, co-educational boarding and day school for pupils aged 10-18.

ACTIVE LIFE

3 A TRIBUTE TO HM QUEEN ELIZABETH II

20 A HUG IN A BISCUIT

We chat to the owner of the Kitsch Hen about her gifting business

22 APPLE DAYS

The season of ‘mists and mellow fruitfulness’ means apple harvest

27 STAMFORD’S UNIQUE BOUTIQUE

From alterations to couture, this business does it all

31 PUMPED UP PADDLEBOARDING

Kate tries out a blow-up paddleboard

34 RAISING OUR SPIRITS

We meet a spiritual medium

SERIES

38 MANAGE YOUR LIFE Sales coaching can help your business

40 WILL’S WALKS

Two walks from Will this month

ACTIVE BODY

51 BE NUTRIENT SAVVY

As we get older we need fewer calories but more nutrients

ACTIVE KIDS

52 SCHOOLS ARE BACK

ACTIVE SPORT

54 GOLF LESSONS

Our art editor Matt takes up golf again but needs some pointers

Joy for Jordan

SINGER-SONGWRITER JORDAN Poole has won the Travers Rising Stars 2022 competition held at the Glastonblaby festival recently. Jordan beat over 50 initial entries and then the finalists ho all performed at laston la y www.travers-foundation.org.uk

Valhalla victorious

FIFTY ATHLETES RECENTLY took part in the South Lincolnshire Strongest 2022 competition at Holbeach which runs alongside the food festival in the town.

The Valhalla Project gym based in Essendine near Stamford entered with a team of seven of their gym members, all of whom did well. And Dan Wiggin won the Inters Strongest man trophy.

New shop

THE WHITE COUNTRY Store, a family run home interior company based in Stamford has just opened a store in the town’s corn exchange. The shop is full of accessories for Halloween as well as lots of other home interior products. You can either shop at the new premises or online at www.thewhitecountrystore.com

What’s On!

STAMFORD FLOWER CLUB are holding their monthly demo on October 10 at Barn Hill Methodist church with doors opening at 6pm for a 7pm start. A warm welcome awaits everyone who ill en oy a demonstration of fi e di erent arrangements from Jackie West. No need to book or be a member, just turn up at the door on the night.

www.stamfordflowerclub.com

THE SIMPLE FACT is that just about everyone can sing, so what could be better than a free course that will help you discover your voice?

Hereward Harmony is a well-established male singing chorus who are running a ‘Learn to Sing’ Course at the Orton Wistow Community Centre, PE2 6XN.

The course will be each Thursday from 7.30pm to 9pm starting on October 6 until November 3. You do not have to read music and will sing alongside at least one experienced singer. You will receive sheet music and teach tracks that will allow you to practice during the week.

They are a friendly and sociable chorus who promise that you will enjoy the experience. It doesn’t matter whether you’re new to singing or can already sing. Progress will be rapid, and you may be surprised at how easy it is to make a great sound. Reserve your place now by ringing Alan Lund on 07850 007057 www.facebook.com/HerewardHarmony

GEORGIA JOY FLORIST is now taking bookings for her popular Christmas wreath workshops which will be held locally. oo early to a oid missing out o find dates times and locations, as well as to book visit www.georgiajoy.co.uk @georgia_florist

MEDIUMSHIP AT THE museum with Alison Stead takes place on October 14. Held at Oakham museum in support of Peppers-a safe place, this promises to be an entertaining evening. Tickets £15 or £18 available from www.wegottickets. com/event/554755

THE HARBOROUGH SINGERS will give a performance of Brahms’ German Requiem at St Andrew’s Church, Lyddington, on Saturday November 5. The concert starts at 7.30pm and tickets cost £15 from www.harboroughsingers.com or the Old White Hart in Lyddington or email, julia@unna.co.uk, or phone 07761 729558

We are a family run Seasonal Home Interior company, based in the beautiful town of Stamford in Lincolnshire.

The

Exchange, Broad

Minestrone soup with added pasta

AGOOD THING about autumn is that it’s soup season, and I love soup; it’s nutritious, delicious and so easy and cheap to make as well as being brilliant for using up leftover, slightly sad veg. My trusty soupmaker, one of the best investments I’ve made in the last few years comes out of the cupboard and is used most days. I stick my head in the fridge, grab what’s looking a bit limp and shove it in with some stock and, hey presto half an hour later I’ve got a delicious soup!

This minestrone soup recipe is really simple. It has chorizo in it, but you don’t need to use that, you could add lentils or beans. Adapt the recipe to suit what you’ve got in the veg drawer.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 2 cooking chorizos, sliced

• 1 diced onion

• 2 sliced carrots

• 2 sliced celery sticks

• 1 litre chicken or veg stock

• Tin chopped tomatoes

• 125g small pasta shapes

• Salt and pepper

• 2 handfuls of chopped kale (or spinach)

• Bunch of fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried

METHOD

• Heat the olive oil in a large pan, add the chorizo slices and cook slowly for about fi e minutes

• Add the onion, carrots and celery and fry gently until softened, about five minutes. Then add the tomatoes and thyme and salt and pepper to taste.

ring to the oil and simmer for fi e minutes before adding the pasta. Stir well and simmer for about 10 minutes until the pasta is cooked. Then add kale and simmer for a few minutes.

• Serve piping hot and sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese if you wish. A hug in a bowl!

Autumn colours

It could well be a spectacular autumn this year. Tessa Burns from Welland Vale Garden Centre tells us how to enjoy some incredible shows of autumn foliage

AS DECIDUOUS TREES prepare for dormancy over winter the sap is drawn down towards the roots and ea h leaf is sealed o from its stem ensuring no water gets to it. This means photosynthesis will stop so the green from chlorophyll fades allowing other colours present in the leaf to e seen learly in all their glory – autumn colours.

asi otany lesson o er and a to gardening hi h shru s and trees ill gi e us the est display of autumn olour in our garden irst things first though to en oy the est autumn olour plants need to e sited in direct sunlight. Too shady a spot and the display on t e so onderful ers of ourse are first on our list he hoi e is ast and a ers an e either planted in a order or ontainer ome of the est reds are the onitifolium arieties ango a u the oral ar maple turns yello and range ream li es up to its name f your er is in a ontainer it is ulnera le to frost so rap the pot ith u le rap and ensure the pot is raised o the ground on ri s or pot feet f the sight of u le rap o ends you, wrap that with a cover of sacking if that is prefera le er idophyllum oyd s arf ill re ard

you with leaves of yellow, pinkish-red. Rhus Red Autumn Lace displays rich autumn colours, or Tiger’s Eyes, a smaller version, turns to orange. My gardens are never without an Amelanchier. Autumn Brilliance has pretty spring o ers follo ed y deli ate lea es hi h turn eautiful shades of red oropetalum er ed is an e ergreen shru ith dar urgundy foliage earing rilliant red o ers in late inter and early spring ontinue s oggygria lame turns to old orange and Euonymus alatus compactus has the appropriate name of Fire Bush. Another wonderful colour display is pro ided y er eris dmiration f you can plant Cercis canadensis Forest Pansy so that its heart shaped lea es an e a lit y the autumn sun it ill e transformed into a thing of i rant eauty ust li e a pie e of stained glass.

ut are must e ta en hen planting Parthenocissus - Virginia Creeper or Boston y lthough the display of autumn olour is super these lim ers are igorous gro ers and ill ui ly ta e o er so e arned erries are a alua le food sour e for irds alli arpa i hotomata ears stunning lusters of i rant purple e el li e

erries on are ran hes i urnum pulus the uelder ose has shiny red erries which appear almost translucent with foliage hi h turns rilliant shades of pin purple and red.

ra apple alus ed elis or ndian agi ear olourful fruits and are ideal small trees.

yra antha erries in shades of yello orange and scarlet are also popular with irds espe ially la irds and thrushes and of ourse ma e rilliant hedging too n oy the hedgerows laden with ripening hips and ha s in a ele ration of autumn efore the fieldfares and red ings arri e for a fren y of feeding stripping the erries from the hedges.

he shru s mentioned ill reate a wonderful contrast against glossy green e ergreens ost are suita le for our smaller gardens. Plan where one or two of these eauties an e planted to ring endless hours of en oyment as they light up areas in your outdoor space as we approach the close of the year nd sit a and en oy those autumn colours.

www.wellandvale.co.uk

GARDENING

Rowan on Rowans

He had to do it; Rowan Gri ths tells us about his favourite tree, the rowan GARDENING

THE MOUNTAIN ASH or rowan tree is my favourite and Britain’s highest growing tree. No, not the tallest tree but the one found ourishing at the greatest ele ation up to 1,000 metres in fact. Although naturally an upland tree and ommon on moors mountains and crags the rowan tree is now easily found in all parts and ha itats of the nited ingdom t is a popular muni ipal tree and idely planted along roadsides and on housing estates where it is unmistakable for its brilliant red orange berries in the autumn it ma es uite a display

The rowan is a small deciduous, native tree

gro ing up to m in height t has a smooth greyish ar and the lea es omprise of six to eight pairs of small o al and toothed lea ets ith a larger single leaf at the tip he lea es resemble those of the ash tree, hence the alternative name for the rowan, the mountain ash, although they are not related. The rowan is actually a cousin of the rose.

The leaves turn yellow to red in the later months and will often cling to the tree until November. In May to June the rowan produ es lossoms in ran hed lusters of fi e petalled reamy hite o ers he tree is est identified y the luster of eshy erries that ripen in eptem er and

which are much favoured by thrushes and other larger songbirds. These birds will distri ute the seeds through their droppings which is why the tree is often seen growing in apparently ina essi le pla es su h as ro re i es or steep mountain sides

To humans the rowan has a mystical quality and was known as the tree of life sym olising ourage isdom and prote tion in elti mythology so planted alongside the house for prote tion trange really as the erries are poisonous and mouth pu eringly itter hen ra ut on a positi e note they are edi le hen oo ed into an appealing loo ing dar orange elly

The brightest city on earth

Tacky or terrific, Las Vegas is on many of our bucket lists and there’s always a chance you may win a fortune

TRAVEL

LAS VEGAS IN the US state of Nevada is apparently the most visible city from space, it has so many lights. Sod the environment, this is Vegas! Situated within the Mojave Desert it gets hot, very hot and is the driest city in America.

The 25th most populated city in the US, and still growing rapidly, Las Vegas (which means the meadows in Spanish) is renowned for shotgun weddings (overseen by an Elvis impersonator), gambling, entertainment and nightlife. The number of people who have eloped to Vegas is numerous and it seems to be top of the list for hen and stag dos nd of ourse the num er of films made a out egas are renowned and have made the city iconic.

The main part of Las Vegas is The Strip which is known for its large, smart hotels and casinos, expensive shops and restaurants and is over four miles long. Some of these hotels are renowned for their incredible displays including the Bellagio which has a spectacular fountain display every evening. You can spend many an hour wandering along window shopping, popping in for a drink in some of the famous bars and, of course, trying your hand on the slot machines. You never know, the jackpot might be yours.

Caesar’s Palace is world famous for its casino and gambling and is ast ith nearly rooms plus grand suites any a film shot of playing poker springs to mind and you expect still to see Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin sitting at one of the tables.

Las Vegas is also renowned for its famous residencies from singers ranging from historically, Frank Sinatra, Elvis and Tom Jones to Elton John, Lady GaGa and Adele, bringing us right up to date.

Be prepared to spend a fortune buying drinks and food – it is not cheap – and make sure you don’t lose another fortune at the gaming tables or slot machines.

If you have any money left and want to get away from the madness of the city a trip to the Grand Canyon in Arizona is a must. It’s a 45 minute heli opter ight from the ity or you an en oy numerous coach tours that pick you up from your hotel. The drive takes over four hours but you will see many sights along the way.

This geological phenomenon is a massive gorge that is 10 miles across and a mile deep. The Colorado river runs along the bottom of it. If you take a helicopter trip you can land in the bottom of the canyon alongside the river. And it really is a must to visit. And, of course, there is the Skywalk bridge which is a glass horseshoe shaped walkway that is built out over a 4,000 foot drop – I don’t think you’d be able to pay me to go on that!

Las Vegas really is quite a place. Love it or hate it; and most love it, it’s certainly one to experience. Just embrace it all.

'The main part of Las Vegas is The Strip which is known for its large, smart hotels and casinos, expensive shops and restaurants and is over four miles long.'

A hug in a biscuit

THE KITSCH HEN started seven years ago at Caroline ta ord s it hen ta le he had re ently mo ed to utland from e ar ith her hus and and at the same time they ere undergoing fertility treatment a ing as a ay to help alle iate a it of the stress and distra t myself from it all y hus and is a dairy farmer so spent a fair amount of time on my o n at home due to the long hours he or s a ing ga e me a fo us and found it ery therapeuti d got to no a lot of ouples ho ere going through ut none that li ed lo ally e ere all going through some tough times and anted to send something to a friend to let her no that as thin ing of her and understood ho she as feeling t an e an in redi ly lonely and isolating time e en if you ha e lose friends and family friend had gi en me a stamp set that she had lying around in her gift shop similar to a dynamo and one day a ed some is uits and then stamped messages onto the i ing saying you are lo ed you re not alone and e gentle ith yourself popped them in a ox and posted them lo e a good uote and thin gentle inspirational ones an e so helpful hen you don t no hat to say ut don t ant to say nothing anted to righten up my friend s day and let her no as thin ing of her suppose it as asi ally sending a hug in a is uit through the post hen ouldn t e there to gi e her one in person t as also really helpful for me at the time too

aroline then sent is uits to uite a fe friends as they ere so ell re ei ed and then people started as ing her to send them to their friends and it gre from there he set up a ery simple e site to ta e orders and uilt a strong follo ing on so ial media parti ularly nstagram he usiness model is ery simple all is uits are sold online through the e site and is uits are sent through the post ou an send a single is uit or a ox of six or he is uits are stu to the ox using i ing so they don t get damaged during transit nd an ou h for ho thrilling it is to re ei e them they really do ring pleasure

here are many times in life that feel hallenging aroline says and to re ei e some is uits through the post ith messages of hope and lo e on them ompletely unexpe tedly an e a real pi me up and a lo ely unexpe ted treat iously the is uits an e sent for ery happy o asions too e a e for irthdays engagements ele rations and ongratulations hey ring oy hi h is hat it s all a out

also thin it s really important to share that life does not ha e to ompletely stop during fertility treatment e ent through an unsu essful de ade of hilst gro ing a usiness and trying to eep li ing rather than putting life on hold d lo e people in a similar situation to feel that life an still e meaningful e en hen things don t or out in the ay e hoped or three years aroline a ed de orated and posted her is uits

Caroline Stafford started her business, The Kitsch Hen, during a challenging time in her life. Mary finds out more

from her cottage in Edith Weston but eventually outgrew the space so moved the business to a unit at the old Ashwell Prison in 2018. At the same time she took on Tash to bake the biscuits and Grace to help with packing and admin so she could concentrate on growing the business and designing and creating the biscuits.

he is uits are a anilla is uit ith our sour ed lo ally from the Windmill at Whissendine. Icing is hand mixed with pastel colours mainly used, though any colour can be matched. With Tash onboard Caroline has been able to expand the business. She now works with a lot of businesses creating bespoke branded biscuits which are becoming more and more popular. She can emboss company logos on biscuits using a 3D printer, or print directly onto edible icing. They’re proving really popular for events, personalised thank you gifts for lients or as a ay to re ard and than sta and ele rate spe ial occasions within a business. She created 3,000 biscuits for the NHS at the end of lockdown and Mamas and Papas and Joules are regular clients. I loved her PG Tips ones! Book launches are popular too.

And then of course, there are weddings. Her biscuits can be used as place names or given as wedding favours and this year, as you can imagine, she’s been very busy. With the 3D printer, bespoke embossers with the bride and groom’s names and wedding date can be designed and each biscuit is individually wrapped and heat sealed to keep them fresh.

The team can bake, ice and pack up to 500 boxes a week – that is a lot of biscuits. And Caroline is normally doing about 1,000 biscuits a week for her online customers, corporates and weddings; they are busy. There is no waste from her business either which Caroline thinks is very important. Obviously the biscuits are eaten and all packaging is recyclable or compostable.

Caroline is obviously very entrepreneurial and creative although she expressed surprise when I suggested that. She loves writing, quotations and language and spent time in New Zealand working for a skin care company which was growing rapidly and proved inspirational. When she moved back to the UK she helped set up a deli in Southwell in Nottinghamshire, and then launched a pre-loved children’s clothing shop which did very well. But with her ongoing IVF treatment she found it very hard to run this business so sold it before moving to Oakham.

‘Biscuits taste good but Kitsch Hen is all about the message as well. The heart of the business is really important – sending an edible hug through the post when you can’t be there in person. Gifting is what we do. Receiving a biscuit is all about slowing down and looking after yourself. You can put the kettle on, sit down and enjoy your biscuit –self care. We connect through words so a biscuit with words on is a lovely gift which people are thrilled to receive.’ This business really is a hug in a biscuit.

www.the-kitsch-hen.co.uk @thekitschhen

'The team can bake, ice and pack up to 500 boxes a week – that is a lot of biscuits. And Caroline is normally doing about 1,000 biscuits a week for her online customers, corporates and weddings; they are busy.'

Images: Rachel Connerton

THE SEASON OF ‘MISTS AND MELLOW FRUITFULNESS’

Autumn means apple days; Peter Lloyd Bennet and Adam Cade from Stamford Community Orchard Group talk apples

STAMFORD COMMUNITY ORCHARD Group (SCOG) members are passionate about maintaining the tradition which reaches back to Roman times - and possibly beyond - of nurturing fruit trees and growing apples for the enefit of ommunities and onne ting ith nature

We are currently promoting the establishment of orchards in Corby, Stamford and Ketton along with a number of organisations including North Northamptonshire Council, Burghley Estate, Balfour Beattie Homes and the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust.

Members of our committee are also researching and trying to propagate some of the local varieties as well as providing training and advice to other groups about setting up and managing orchards.

Stamford community orchard has had another very produ ti e year e ha e a ne sign sho ing the di erent varieties of apple trees and some varieties have produced prolifi rops e are grateful to e eryone ho has ta en active roles in maintaining and caring for the community orchard. In June our committee shared a very enjoyable social evening there.

Stamford apple day which will be held on October 1 is one of the most important events of the year supported by the East of England Apples and Orchards Project which attracts about a thousand visitors to Stamford Arts Centre. We are linking with the Welland Valley Art Society and Art Pop-up this year to co-ordinate exhibitions on apple day. o al usinesses ontri ute ith a ariety of di erent stalls. Apple day is an opportunity for people to bring along apples from their garden or allotment for identifi ation of spe ifi arieties y experts s ell as apple identifi ation there is the popular tombola stall, games for children and stalls selling apple related gifts and produce.

As well as our autumn apple day we complete the

fruiting season in our community orchard next year with our winter wassail (January 7), springtime orchard blossom day (April 30), and summertime orchard picnic (June 21).

The Stamford orchard wassail is another popular annual event in our diary which takes place as close to the twelfth night as possible. This ancient ceremony is to ‘bless’ the trees to produce a good crop. The orchard is decorated with lots of lanterns and toast is hung in the branches of the apple trees and there is a lit brazier. It starts with dances by Rutland Morris followed by the traditional noisy procession of banging pots and pans to accompany the wassail king and queen. There’s singing from Stamford Woven Chords choir, story-telling by Mark Fraser and more dancing from utland orris e finish ith a final rendition of the Wassail song.

The orchard blossom day allows people to experience, enjoy and learn about and celebrate traditional and community orchards, fruit trees and their varied blossom. The aim is to widen the appeal of traditional orchards and their rich biodiversity, to reach new people online as well as through local and national media, as part of a Europeanwide campaign. Everyone is welcome to enjoy live music from a folk band and a storyteller provides everyone with further entertainment.

We welcome the involvement of children from local schools such as St Augustine’s who recently joined us in the orchard for a series of community events. The children explored the or hard dis o ered la erries a first for them all sadly), yellow rattle, shield beetles, grasshoppers, rotten fruit, etc and also did some amazing collaborative art work. As part of our education programme we plan to show children the apple press and then they sample some of the apples from the orchard. The orchard has also been used by our local scout group and for a family art project day with some of the lo al hildren oming to the or hard for the first time and enjoying a picnic amongst the apple trees. The Welland Art Society also came to paint and draw in the orchard.

Over the last few years we have trained over 200 people to graft new fruit trees by splicing scion wood of a known variety to a rootstock, as well as to prune trees for maximum production. On February 25 we will be running another grafting and pruning workshop at the Rutland Agricultural Showground. Locally we have produced a bumper plum, apple and pear harvest this year. We are also able to lend some processing and pressing equipment to community groups and schools.

f you ant to find out more a out our onderful heritage of tree fruit and traditional orchards do contact us to volunteer in the orchards, process fruit or join some of our workshops or events, we would love to see you.

www.scog.org.uk or scogchair@gmail.com

Anna

Opening

Tuesday 9am-5pm

Wednesday 10am -5pm

Thursday 10am 5pm

Friday 9am -5pm

Saturday 9am -4pm

APPLE PRESSING

Apple pressing traditionally takes place after the apples have been harvested in the autumn. Waterloo Cottage community garden tells us how it all works

THE APPLE HARVEST usually starts in September and continues for a couple of months. And with the harvest comes apple pressing which was the traditional way to make apple juice. And similar methods are still used today. Our local community orchards hold apple pressing days where people can come and join in and help and go home with their own freshly pressed juice.

Apple pressing has taken place at Waterloo Cottage community garden in Great Oxendon for several years now. The community garden has a share in Market Harborough Apple Press which is looked after by the Grafters and Growers Group on behalf of the shareholders.

Apple pressing is a fun activity suitable for everyone. There are four main stages to using the press and producing apple juice:

First the apples are roughly cut. Then the chopped apples are put in the scratter to be reduced to pulp. The pulped apples are put into the juicer. And then the juice is collected and, hey presto, you have apple juice!

This year the Apple Pressing event will take place at Waterloo Cottage Farm Shop on Friday October 7 from 12 to 7pm and Saturday October 8 from 10am to 4pm.

Everyone is welcome, with or without apples but do bring some if you have your own trees. Bring along empty containers to take away some juice for which there is a small charge - £2.00 with apples, £3.00 without.

‘Apple pressing has taken place at Waterloo Cottage community garden in Great Oxendon for several years now.’

The unique boutique

Many of you will remember, over five years ago, a tiny little boutique and alterations shop opened in Stamford’s Cheyne Lane.

How times have changed

FIVE YEARS AGO Anna-Maria D’Amato, talented dress designer and seamstress, opened her tiny little boutique in Stamford’s Cheyne Lane. She specialised in bridal dresses and alterations and was very quickly, very successful. Anna is professionally trained in costume design and had worked as a dresser for many well known names in the entertainment industry and is well known for her corsetry skills. She could alter anything and also made wedding dresses from scratch.

The business quickly grew with a bespoke bridal shop opening opposite The George and then, earlier this year, the tiny boutique became a much larger one as Anna was able to take over the shop next door and join the two together creating a mini department store where you can buy occasion wear, hats and accessories, evening wear and stylish day wear.

But the core of the business is fundamentally the same. Great dressmaking skills, styling advice and tailor made couture. Anna and her team alter wedding dresses, even if you haven't bought them from her – there’s been a lot of that in the last two years – as well as prom dresses, and her seamstress skills can be turned to anything including cushions, curtains and soft furnishings. And obviously anything you buy in the shop can be altered as well. What’s best about Anna is that just by having a chat with her you can get some really good advice about pulling a look together; she’s full of ideas. She’s a great stylist and e ause of her design and se ing s ills she really no s her stu which you will quickly realise once you start chatting to her.

If you pop down to the bridal shop where you can buy a wedding dress ha e a espo e one designed or one altered you ill also find a huge range of wedding shoes to choose from. And after the wedding there is a shoe dyeing service available, costing less than £20, and you don’t even have to have bought the shoes from Anna. Colour charts are available so you can dye your wedding shoes to make them so mu h more ersatile nd if a mother of the ride outfit is made shoes and handbag can be dyed to match the fabric exactly. This bespoke service is very popular.

nna and her team o er a uni ue ser i e in the to n and definitely live up to the name ‘the unique boutique.’

The two year plan

Kevin Yates and his family lived on the south coast and had no intention of moving, but fate always lends a hand when it is least expected, or wanted, in Kev’s case

KEV HAD TRAINED as a graphic designer and whilst at univerity entered a local radio station competition to redesign their logo and randing hi h he on his spurred him on to work in advertising agencies before moving into the more corporate world as the studio art director running the studio for llian e and ei ester his as a ig o managing sta running large budget campaigns and coming up with creative input and ideas for ad ertising and mar eting strategies

udgets ere high and times ere ex iting so e as en oying life. And then, 27 years ago, the Alliance and Leicester relocated to Leicester and Kev was asked to move with them. ‘I had young twins and our lives were on the south coast so none of us were that keen. But we came up and had a look, loved the area around Rutland Water so de ided to gi e it t o years nd that as they say as it

ut it asn t really he family had settled happily li ing at or ott and corporate life was going well. So well that Kev was headhunted to head up another studio with a large corporate company as art director so took the chance and moved. Five months later he was made redundant.

ur e alls ome out of no here in life and it s ho you rea t to them often that is the making of you. Kev picked it up and chucked it straight back. By now the children were older so he realised the dream that he d al ays had in the a of his mind ut had ne er een a le to do e ause of finan ial se urity and family life he set up his o n design company.

d al ays anted my o n studio ut the timing had ne er een right. A young family, mortgage and life in general meant I needed finan ial se urity o as my han e to realise the dream and or for myself ne didn t ant any sta so made the de ision to eep the usiness small enough for me to manage on my o n t s mani at times ut it or s

It obviously does as Scion Design is now in its 17th year. Kev initially worked from his attic and then a purpose built studio attached to the house in Morcott and now, following a move to Uppingham, from his studio there. He is very busy designing ro hures posters lea ets helping ith orporate identity in luding branding and logos, rebranding etc. Basically, anything to do with graphics and advertising, Scion Design and Kev is who you need.

He has many local clients including Uppingham School, Welland Vale garden centre, Wingates Gallery, the Lake Isle and Smithers urslo to name a fe as ell as lients further afield all o er the country.

His gam le paid o to go on his o n and he s een ery su essful He is well known for his graphic design work so if you need any brochures, rebranding or logos doing – as well as other design work pay e a isit he s got lots of experien e and ideas hat t o year plan has certainly been stretched a bit and long may it stretch further.

www.sciondesign.co.uk

Pumped up paddleboards

Kate reviews a 10 foot SUP and doesn’t want to give it back

HAVING SPENT a week on a Greek island where I went paddleboarding daily on the beautiful and buoyant Aegean sea, I was thrilled to be asked to review the ortofino addle oard from rail utdoor Leisure.

ra ing a oard from a ra on a sunny ea h is totally di erent to arrying an in ata le stand up paddle oard on your a to the ri er an pumping it up and laun hing it on a mu h ooler i er ene on an early autumn day ut as extremely een to do it as d een thin ing of uying a porta le one myself hy e ause of the freedom o ning your o n oard gi es you of ourse or until the end of you get a ft in ata le

ith e erything you need to transport it in ate it and hit the open ater in luding a ag pump and ad usta le paddle nd this means you an ta e it here the mood ta es you on a ri er la e anal or the sea tually it s not uite as easy as that as you should ta e out a ater ay li en e to paddle oard on the ma ority of managed ri ers and anals in ngland and ales f you don t you ould end up ith a fine from the ater ay authority f you oin ritish anoeing or anoe ales you get a li en e for m of ater ays in luded ith the mem ership ou don t need a li en e for paddle oarding on the sea or on some la es and ri ers ut it s a good idea to he efore you start here s a handy ater ays loo up tool on the ritish anoeing e site

he o addling app is great too as it suggests sites you an laun h from and pla es you an eat at on the ay met my friend arion ho is a een aya er in the ar par at the ueen s Head in assington near ar ell t s right on the little inlet there ust o the ri er and the perfe t uiet spot to laun h a rand ne board!

he ortofino foot oard eighs g and pa s right do n into a ompa t tra el ag omplete ith straps for you to arry it on your a hoisted it on my a for the short al do n to the ater s edge and it didn t feel too hea y or um ersome at all

en for someone as impra ti al as me it as easy to atta h the pump to the no le on the oard he pump has an in uilt pressure

gauge allo ing you to in ate the oard to the optimum pressure hi h if you don t rea h you ll e in danger of the oard reasing hen you re on it nd that ould e a shame as it should e a sta le ride supporting a maximum load of g he ortofino is in hes thi hi h gi es it se eral ad antages o er a in h t s easier to arry faster to in ate and gi es a lo er entre of gra ity ut it s stronger than a in h t s also ider than many other ft s hi h helps redu e the amount it o les and the ripte h de helps you grip hen it s et not that had that pro lem the day ent arion had arned me that on e it starts to feel di ult to eep in ating the oard you ha e to eep going and then some more to rea h the orre t pressure of he as right it started getting really tiring so de ided to gi e up at t ould ha e een a roo ie error and the oard did a tually lie uite lo in the ri er and as may e not as responsi e as it ould ha e een ut it as fine ext time d pro a ly eep going or note to self in est in an ele tri pump to ma e life easier!

fitted the fin in one easy mo ement atta hed the an le strap hi h stops the oard from oating a ay if you fall o and s re ed the paddle together he paddle is ad usta le from m to m so it s

omforta le to use hate er your height and if you hange from neeling to standing nd then as ready to laun h t as a it of a drop from the edge to the ater ut held the paddle firmly on the oard to sta ilise it and then lam ered on to a neeling position as o ! here as no one else there and it as eautifully uiet ith ust the du s for ompany and the sound of the pu la nmo er in the a ground as e headed out of the inlet up the ri er to ards otheringhay addle oarding is so pea eful you really are the losest you an e to the ater ithout eing in it and if you neel you re at the perfe t eye le el to at h any ildlife a ti ity on the an s nother option is to uy a on ersion it

to turn your oard into a sit do n aya hi h in ludes a seat ith a rest footrest and paddle lade extension ut prefer oarding and after an hour s fun on the ri er ith arion in her aya e headed a to assington in time for a sand i h and some ery deli ious hips at the ueen s Head

ut first things first needed to de ate the oard and sto it a ay in the ag Ho often do you ta e something out of its pa aging and find it doesn t fit hen you put it a again ell hoe er designed this ag left plenty of room for the oard the paddles and pump so there as a solutely no need to struggle hen sho ing it a in again

arion did remind me that hen got home ould need to ash the oard or at least let it dry so the eeds fall o to stop any ross ontamination from one ri er to another nd if you go oarding in the sea you must ash the salt o to stop it rotting the plasti

lo e paddle oarding and ha ing your o n hi h you an easily in ate and de ate and ta e on your tra els is a simple pleasure that definitely ant to ontinue en oying erhaps ust on t gi e it a ! hey re easy to ta e on a ight too so ho no s may e ll e returning to the egean ith a oard of my o n next year

www.trailoutdoorleisure.co.uk

Raising our spirits

Kate met Alison Stead, a spiritual medium, and had plenty of questions to ask about the spirit world

JOKING ASIDE ABOUT how she must have known what I was about to ask, I had a very interesting conversation recently with Alison Stead, a spiritual medium who lives and works in Oakham. Whatever your views are on life after death, spirits and ghosts, it’s fascinating to hear the experiences of someone directly in the industry, so to speak.

Alison is a very bubbly, friendly and straightforward woman who took care to base her answers purely on her own experience and knowledge. There are apparently many trains of thought in mediumship and mediums can have di eren es of opinion!

iously my first uestion as hat exactly is a spiritual medium? According to Alison, ‘a medium is someone who is able to connect with those in the spirit world; someone who is able to pass on messages from people’s loved ones during a reading.’

his immediately egged the uestion of hat is the spirit orld t s a di erent energetic space,’ Alison says. ‘We are all energy so when we die our physical body ceases to work but our consciousness survives and that is held within our spirit which becomes part of the spirit world.’

Does this last forever then? According to Alison, energy is energy and can never die but it changes state from physical into etherical and the connection will always be there. As she says: ‘You can’t feel air but you know it’s there, it’s not tangible but it’s accessible. It’s the same with spiritual energy.’

I wondered if she believes in reincarnation? ‘Yes I do,’ she says. ‘I believe e ha e di erent lifetimes and in ea h life e must experien e and learn di erent things which we take back to spirit so our whole consciousness becomes a more rounded energy. I don’t think someone ould ome a as a y or a dog ut e may have another lifetime as a human being and in that life we may have connections with people we have had in this lifetime but in a di erent ay he purpose of that is to help ea h other learn di erent lessons and perspectives.’

I’m very open minded and for right or wrong, I feel (and hope) there may be some form of life after death, but I imagine Alison encounters sceptics all the time. How does she cope with someone who is much less inclined to believe her?

‘I don’t ever attempt to change anyone’s thoughts or belief. We all have free will and we’re entitled to believe what we want. But what tends to happen is that people come to me who don’t believe and sit with their arms rossed and an e uite testing ut hen do connect with someone they know their whole stance softens and if they go away with a nugget of thought they didn’t have before and then mull it all over, then that’s good. I’m pleased.’

TUNING IN

So what exactly happens during a reading? The mission is for the medium to connect with a loved one to facilitate communication with the client or sitter. It’s a three-way connection process; the medium is the piggy in the middle and, as Alison explains, ‘if you imagine an old style radio where you tune in to get the right fre uen y it an sound a it fuzzy. The spirit has to be able to blend with the medium who in turn has to blend with the person having the reading. If it’s not the right time for them to have the reading for some reason, the connection may not be right, or maybe that medium is not the right one for that person at the time.’

One medium may have a regular client who usually hears from one particular relative but they may go to another medium who doesn’t bring that particular person through as their energy is di erent hat an be due to life experiences and knowledge of di erent ultures for example he spirit know what the medium knows and tap into that.

ometimes people ha e a ery fixed mind on who they want to hear from,’ says Alison, or they ant a spe ifi pie e of e iden e ut (and other mediums) can never guarantee to do that because people in the spirit world also have free will. If you phone up and want to speak to Aunt Hilda and she’s out in the garden, Uncle Fred may pick up and speak to you. It’s the same with the spirit world. But it will always be the spirit person who is best able to give you the support and guidance and information you need at the time. However, that may not be the information you think you need.’

It sounds a fascinating way to spend your working day and I wondered if there was a typical client? Stereotypically people think it’s mainly women who would seek a reading but Alison sees approximately 60% women and 40% men. ‘They come for guidance;

sometimes they feel a bit unsure of where they’re going in life; they may come around the time of an anniversary of their loved one, hoping to hear from them. If people are feeling uite lonely it s ni e to ha e the knowledge we’re not, in fact, alone. On the other hand, I’ve had people looking for spe ifi s li e here a ill is ept

‘Others come with a ‘I don’t believe, what can you do’ kind of attitude. But most come to be comforted and to know their connection with their loved one is still going. My job is to bring peace of mind from the other side, to share the whisperings of spirit. People usually come on their own but they may bring someone else for reassurance. A reading would normally last an hour but I can do half an hour. It’s not set in stone so I ouldn t stop dead on the lo !

ediums an or in di erent ays

Apparently a connecting spirit may work ith ea h of our fi e senses ometimes

Alison will get sensations of taste and smell, but mainly she works clairsentiently which means she feels di erent to herself ill feel how the spirit person felt when they ere here so my hair ill feel di erent ll feel li e am a di erent height or uild or earing di erent lothes that s ho uild up a picture of what that spirit person is like. I’m also given physical sensations that they would have felt while alive either through illness or life experience. Sometimes I’ll hold my hands in a di erent ay or on t e a le to use my arm or my fa e ill feel di erent that often happens with people who have had a stroke. I may get a sensation within my heart area and I’ve learnt to distinguish whether it’s palpitations, angina or a heart attack. I love it when people with false teeth come forward because I feel like my teeth can move in my mouth and it’s a very funny experience.’

hat sounded uite alarming to me ut Alison has a contract with those in the spirit

world whereby she sets out her expectations on how she works with them. At the end of the reading she lets the feelings go. ‘They’re not my feelings or experiences. They belong to the spirit person, and much as a trained counsellor learns not to take on the issues or di ulties of their lients neither do trained as a counsellor years ago which helps with the boundaries.’

ondered if she d e er felt s ared or threatened o ut ha e had spirit people ho ha e ome through ho ha e een really uite angry f someone as cantankerous in life and came through as ery lo ing and mild the lient may not re ognise them! don t e ome angry myself ut feel the anger of the spirit person t may be because they were an angry person, or it may e e ause they feel angry o er a situation or on ehalf of the lient t an actually be a way of showing their support for their lo ed ones

a h reading is uni ue spirits gi e their point of ie rather than o er ad i e t an e fun if they re ery strong personalities and some can be really shy, because they were in real life or because they didn’t elie e in spirit hen they ere do n here That’s a fun spirit to work with. Sometimes they just need a bit of encouragement.

‘Some people worry what skeletons are going to come out of the closet or what sort of reception they’ll get from the spirit. But when people go to spirit they often carry on learning and ill ha e gained a deeper understanding of hy a lient may ha e certain thoughts or feelings towards them and the di ulties they may ha e aused The spirit can then acknowledge that things ould ha e een di erent

t s usually someone the lient no s ut Alison has had experiences of people who are researching their family tree and someone further a ho they ha e ne er met comes through.

pirits do not gi e ad ne s a ording to lison t s not ethi al or the ay spirit or and they ould ne er diagnose hey are not allowed to stalk you or watch you while you re in the athroom! ut they may ha e an awareness of something not being well which they would put across in a gentle way. They wouldn’t say you’re going to die next Wednesday, but they may say something like e re a are you e een putting o going to the doctor which may make the person think. ‘

DON’T FEED THE MEDIUM ondered if lison gets the impression her lients ear plain lothes or ta e o their wedding rings to appear more of a blank an as ou mean they don t feed the medium! don t loo for lues don t or psychically, my job is to be a channel for spirit.'

Psychics work with the energy of the person in front of them, mediumship is working with the discarnate spirit and their energy sy hi or is on a di erent i rational le el using things li e tarot cards and psychometry which is reading from an object.

eryone is psy hi to some degree and e eryone potentially is mediumisti it ust depends on their le el of sensiti ity and whether they want to do anything with it. oung hildren are ery open to the spirit orld and often ha e imaginary friends which are, most likely, spirit children.’

As a young child Alison had imaginary friends far longer than anyone else she ne he told me d tal to people ho weren’t there and got quite badly bullied for it. The knowledge of the spirit world was al ays ith me ut didn t no hat it as hen hen as a friend in ited me to go to a spiritualist hur h in ettering didn’t know what a medium or spiritualism was but the medium at the meeting spoke for 10-15 minutes and during that time so many of my questions were answered.

erything made sense to me

fter that found out a out the utland piritual o iety in a ham here learned a it more a out hat it meant didn t set out to e ome a medium ut here am ta e spirit ery seriously ut don t ta e myself in that spirit seriously.

e spent a lot of time learning ho to or ith the spirit orld e e ti ely and in an ethical way. A lot of my work comes from

word of mouth. The proof is in the pudding. run a ir le and run ourses and or shops in a ham and online o er Zoom, Facebook messenger and WhatsApp.’

Alison is running a public demonstration of mediumship at Oakham museum on 14 to er i ets are a aila le through egotti ets om e ent t is a fundraiser for Peppers - a safe space. Fundraising for community groups has always been important to Alison and she raises funds for a di erent harity e ery year.

y o is to gi e the right message to the right person on the night. Sometimes the spirit can be quite cheeky and there may be a few people coming through with the same olour hair hen ha e to or ery hard to get the right recipient. Equally if the re ipient isn t ery omforta le ith hearing from the spirit person, it’s up to me to politely than the spirit person for oming find this ery sad as the spirit has spent all that time and energy to make contact.

an t do a reading for myself ut ha e a ery strong sense of intuition hi h is my inner spirit being informed by spirit. Some things m not intuiti e a out e ause e all ha e to learn or example don t no the results of the lottery ish!

ut ent through a phase of inning ompetitions helped y spirit on a i e on the radio after being asked a geography uestion hi h despite not ha ing a lue it suddenly came to me what the answer was. hen pi ed up the i e it as purple and it said "Spirit" on it!’

one to one hour reading is half an hour is ift ou hers are a aila le and lison urrently o ers free meditation sessions or if you take two readings you get the second reading half price.

Old school rules, new school tools

Kate had a snap lesson with sales coach Simon White and took some handy tips away with her

IN THE CURRENT economic climate we could all use a bit of help to maintain and expand our businesses, be it a large corporation or a sole trader. I met Simon White of Simon White Business Development Ltd, a sales trainer, sales coach and LinkedIn consultant, and was impressed by his advice.

On his website Simon promises to help businesses ‘win more deals, retain more customers, and grow key accounts.’ But is it really that easy I wondered?

he first thing you noti e hen you meet Simon is his energy, friendly, easy-going

manner and straightforward way of explaining anything to do with sales. It’s no surprise to hear he has over 25 years’ sales management experience, the last eight years running his own consultancy. Most of his work is sales coaching and training but he still continues to sell for one or two clients ‘to keep me sharp and constantly developing my own skills.’ As he points out, ‘if I’m standing up in front of a room of people giving them sales skills, it’s nice for them to know the day before I was using those same techniques.’

The world of sales has changed over the

years. The internet has helped hugely in the early part of a sales process. ‘If you cold called 25 years ago,’ Simon told me, ‘and someone was interested in your product, you’d have jumped in your car and driven three hours to Slough say, and you’d lose days and days doing that. Now if you approach a company via LinkedIn or email or phone you may agree to have a follow up meeting over Zoom or Teams which would take less than an hour.

‘If I’d been coaching 25 years ago I’d be using my own knowledge and what I’d read in books which is based on someone else’s experience. Now a lot of what I share is based on fact or intelligence gathered via research I’ve done. And I know where to look for those facts. Selling is not telling, and telling is not training either. It’s not all about what I know but how I create the content and the activities and games that bring that knowledge to life. The old ‘chalk and tal approa h isn t as e e ti e anymore.’

As a sales trainer you’d expect most of Simon’s clients to be sales people but they’re not always. A lot of the time they’re small business owners or subject/technical experts like solicitors or engineers; someone

ho has to sell their produ ts or ser i es ut ho are not sales people hey e still got to net or ualify e aluate leads to determine their li elihood of ma ing a purchase) and close opportunities. Why would you choose to employ one particular soli itor out of a hoi e of three t ill ome do n to their a ility to sell themsel es and their ser i es

ome of the training do is around ey a ount management so loo ing after the a ounts you e got he are minimum is that you ant to eep them and if you an you’ll want to grow them by selling to other di isions or upselling or ross selling produ ts and ser i es ou might also get referrals from them nd you o iously want to be adding new clients, but it’s al ays easier to sell to an existing lient

than to a cold customer.

Before a meeting Simon al ays as s his lients an important question and it’s one that can be used in all sorts of s enarios His uestion is fast forward three months and what can your team (or yourself) do then that they an t do no He then ta es them into the future and loo s at if they ant to e more e ient in meetings for example or to lose more deals rom that he tailors the ontent of his training to fit hat they e told him r he arries out a training needs analysis to understand people’s blind spots and opportunities for de elopment

M ANAGE YOURLIF

someone who has been in sales for 30 years there is still so much to learn. We call it

‘old school rules, new school tools tu you may ha e learnt in the 1980s is still applicable but we’re now doing it ia in ed n or hats pp or sending ideo messages

n a room there ill al ays e mixed a ility he says and e en if you ha e

Sales training is where Simon shares his no ledge ith lients introdu ing a ti ities to ring that no ledge to life He suggests that training or s est if it s reinforced by coaching. Coaching or mentoring ta es pla e on a one to one asis and addresses lients spe ifi hallenges may as hat s hanged sin e e last spo e r hat do you ant to get out of this parti ular session t may e to fo us on closing deals and we may critique the phone alls they e made or at h re ordings of their sales together e ll loo at hat they thin they e done ell and hat they ould do to impro e for next time e an re ie their sales pipeline y loo ing at their data ase may as hen they are next going to see a parti ular lient nd hat is the purpose of their next meeting hat ould go rong hat do you need to as them hat do you need to prepare in ad an e t s good to ha e someone to oun e thoughts o and hopefully there will be some lightbulb moments.’

He suggests a lended approa h to sales this might include the phone, email, direct mail in ed n net or ing e ents and exhi itions ou e got to go here your audien e is in ed n may not e the pla e for you but it is a forum where you can buy and sell ser i es olla orate ith and learn from people. There are thousands of training courses you can download if you’re a premium in ed n ustomer you an follow thought leaders in your industry, you can follow your competitors and your prospe ts ith the right approa h hi h tea h on my training ourses in ed n an be a goldmine of new opportunities and possibilities.’

hat imon really en oys is or ing ith ompanies o er a period of time He may coach a business owner once a month for a few months and that will be enough. Someone else may want coaching once a ee for years

ome people don t no hat they ant when they contact me. That’s why we need a on ersation to egin ith hen if m the right fit for them e an or either in person or ia oom hi h means no or all o er the orld e already got three sales training courses in Dubai oo ed for next year!

www.swbusinessdevelopment.co.uk

‘Simon suggests a blended approach to sales: this might include the phone, email, direct mail, LinkedIn, networking events and exhibitions.'

WILL’S WALK

Ryhall and surrounding farmland

You can really stretch your legs on this breezy walk on the attractive farmland to the north west of Ryhall.

By Will Hetherington.

The memorable path between Grange Farm and The Drift.

Images: Will Hetherington

ACTIVE INFO

Difficulty rating

The route

Park in Ryhall either on Mill Street or as close as you can. Walk north west along Mill Street up to the A6121 and turn left. You will see the footpath going up the side of a house on the right hand side in 50 metres. Head up here and then diagonally uphill a ross the field eyond until you meet the B1176. Cross the road to the entrance to Top Farm caravan site and follow the footpath sign on the right through the gate. al a ross the fields until you get to the a ess road for Grange Farm. Turn left here and stay on the road through the farm loo ing out for some Highland attle in a field on the right if you are lu y n e you are eyond the farm the road peters out into the fields eyond ut the path heading north west is evident. It feels incongruously remote out here, with Tolethorpe Oaks wood lending some texture to the rural idyll. Stay on the path and you will soon come to The Drift. Turn left here and then left again through the gate in the hedge opposite Heath ottage an attra ti e red ri uilding o head south west for a couple of minutes and you will enter the plantation go do nhill through the plantation earing left at the signpost halfway down. You will then reach the main farm road through Walk Farm. Keep heading south firstly up uite a steep hill and then on the at for metres efore you ill see the footpath sign pointing to the left. Go through the gap in the hedge here and follow the path across a series of six fields and ultimately do nhill a into yhall en oying some fine ie s of the church and village ahead as you do.

Despite the proximity to Stamford this entire walk takes place in Rutland and according to the 2011 census Ryhall is the fourth biggest settlement in Rutland, after Oakham, Uppingham and Ketton.

Turn left at Heath Cottage.

There is plenty of open country on this walk.

The paths are clearly marked.

START/ FINISH

Essential information

WHERE TO PARK In Ryhall.

DISTANCE

Three and half miles.

HIGHLIGHTS

The wonderful rolling path between Grange Farm and The Drift with Tolethorpe Oaks wood dominating the scene. The hilltop views and the open country.

LOWLIGHTS

It can be a dry and dusty route with no fresh water.

REFRESHMENTS

The Green Dragon or the Millstone in Ryhall.

DIFFICULTY RATING

Two paws. It’s a nice distance but can be muddy in parts during the winter and there are some undulations.

THE POOCH PERSPECTIVE

You are likely to see some livestock on the way round but it’s mostly the other side of a fence. There isn’t really any fresh water on the route so be warned on a hot day.

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.

Wansford, Yarwell & Nassington

The Nene Way and Old Sulehay Forest combine with three pretty villages to make for a serious leg stretch, as Will Hetherington discovers.

A handy ford for the dogs at Nassington.

Images: Will Hetherington

WILL’S WALK

ACTIVE INFO

Difficulty rating

The route

Start at the northern end of the splendid stone bridge in Wansford where the Nene Way footpath heads south from the road just before the bridge. Keep heading south with the river away to your left (you can head down to the river at the halfway point if you want) for the best part of a mile until you come into Yarwell. When you get into the village keep heading south on Mill Road for about 100 metres and you will come to the left turn signposted Nene Way and Nene Valley Railway. Head down here and take the right turn in less than a minute where there is a white marker on the post. Keep heading south till you come to the access road to Yarwell Mill and turn left here to walk into the holiday complex.

Go past the mill on your left, turn right to cross the river and then turn right again immediately to pass the café and cross the bridge over the lock. Keep following the Nene Way signs and you will move swiftly away from Yarwell Mill. Keep the woods (and then the tributary) on your left, passing the sign to the Nene Valley Railway, and after a while you will start to arc south west towards Nassington, crossing the Nene once more along the way. When you reach the village turn right and then first left on to hur h treet hen you rea h it you can walk through the churchyard and then keep heading north on hur h treet and straight on to orthfield ane where the main road bends to the left. Just keep going and you will come to the bridleway and the ford almost as soon as you leave the village.

Go under the old railway bridge and look out for the left turn in the trees very shortly afterwards. From here the path goes north west gradually uphill over a mixture of grazing and ara le fields for almost a mile efore rea hing ulehay Road. When you get to the road turn left and then follow it round to the right and 400 metres after the bend you will see the entrance on the right to the main path through Sulehay Woods. Take this path and keep heading east all the ay through the oodland ith its magnifi ent ancient oak, ash and maple trees.

Old Sulehay Nature Reserve covers 210 acres and features a mixture of woodland, limestone quarries, grassland and wetlands. Old Sulehay Forest is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).

Just before you reach the end of the wood take the footpath signposted to the left and, after a short stretch in the woods, turn right when you get to the fence and walk down the narrow channel for 500 metres until you ome into ansford asture nature reser e ross the pasture and when you get to the road at the junction of ing s li e road and ld ei ester road turn right and al east back into Wansford alongside the road.

The route goes under the dismantled railway just north of Nassington.

LOCAL INDEPENDENT GARDEN CENTRE

Essential information

WHERE TO PARK

In Wansford.

DISTANCE

Six and a quarter miles.

HIGHLIGHTS

The old bridge at Wansford, the river Nene and Old Sulehay Forest with its magnificent ancient trees.

LOWLIGHTS

After prolonged periods of heavy rain the Nene can occasionally flood making parts of this walk inaccessible, but that is quite rare and there is a detour staying on the roads between Yarwell and Nassington.

REFRESHMENTS

The Paper Mills and The Haycock Hotel in Wansford.

DIFFICULTY RATING

Three paws. It’s a long way but it’s pretty easy underfoot and there’s nothing steep.

THE POOCH PERSPECTIVE

Good access to water in the first half but you are likely to encounter some livestock.

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.

START/ FINISH

©Crown copyright 2022 Ordnance Survey. Media 023/22

Will’s Walk

The lock at Yarwell Mill.

ActiveBody

EDITED BY KATE MAXIM

And swing

Physio Sarah Babbs treats many golfers, who often don’t realise that their aches and pains are related to their sport

this sit and pla e the hands on the thighs While keeping the head still and looking for ard slide the left hand for ard the right hand backwards to rotate the body and then repeat in the opposite direction. The back moves throughout giving a lovely movement and pre enting that feeling of sti ness

M

ANY, MANY OF my patients are golfers and I am often asked for help with injuries which may appear to be unrelated to golf. ut often find that if e dig deeper there have been niggles on the course for a while which prevent comfortable and successful play. And the good news is that often the rehabilitation for these injuries can make a positi e di eren e on e a playing nd even better news; if you don’t play golf all the relevant advice here will help you keep more mobile as well.

olf has hanged for many espe ially professional golf. This started really with Tiger Woods. Many were sceptical about his fitness regimes until his onstant inning pro ed them rong o golfers fitness and strength training is equivalent to that of many other sports. Mobility and power are equally vital.

o ility or mo ement in di erent parts of the ody is important as ithout it the po er generated cannot pass through the body from the feet to the lu hi h a e ts the swing and club’s speed. The movement through the er i al spine the onne tion at the cervical spine and the thoracic spine and ri age through the lum ar spine and then around the hips are all equally important. If you ha e a sti ne and try a golf s ing you’ll notice that you can’t manage a full swing. Improve the neck rotation and the swing improves.

Many of us spend a lot more time sitting these days typing a ay at our omputers and feel sti er as e try to t ist round ust getting up and moving frequently throughout the day helps to improve this and extra stretches can improve it further. My favourite is one we call the thigh slide. To do

Shoulder mobility seems obvious but standing against a wall and lifting the arms over the head to reach the wall behind is a good guide to a reasonable range of movement. Being able to turn the arms outwards and inwards at the shoulder will help the follow through after the back swing and might prevent both hooking and slicing the ball.

Having good movement at the hip is important and being able to rotate your leg at the hip without twisting more than necessary in the spine helps with the swing. You can improve the amount of internal rotation hen the leg turns in ards ith both stretches and strength work such as the yoga pigeon stretch.

Strength will help to produce more power; hence force to the golf swing giving increased club speed and hopefully adding

more distance to the shot. In so many ir umstan es transfer of for es is the most important element from the a s ing through the lu to its head onto the all and then releasing the force at the end of the swing. Important here also is balance and being able to transfer weight from the setting stance with weight balanced equally through oth feet to the transfer of eight from your lead foot with the back foot adjusted on its toe as you go through the swing.

Basic exercises to improve all of the above are those with which many will be familiar s uats lunges and deadlifts eing the most o ious hese all help ith strength of ourse ut s uats impro e mo ility lunges and single leg deadlifts improve balance.

ardia fitness running al ing and cycling all help to manage the ability to get round the course without exhaustion and leaving enough energy for the 19th hole. Your physiotherapist will be able to help expand on these ideas helping ensure that golf is no longer as famously alleged a good al ruined.

To contact Sarah ring 07780 900201.

What are you missing?

Getting older means fewer calories but more of some nutrients. Gary Trickett explains

AS WE AGE our nutritional requirements change. We tend to need fewer calories to maintain our body weight because our activity levels, mobility and muscle mass decrease. If we were to continue eating the same number of calories per day as we did when younger we’d soon pile on the pounds, especially around our middles. This is particularly true for women during and post menopause. But, whilst we may need fewer calories, there are certain nutrients we need more of.

irst things first ma e sure your diet is as supportive as it can be. Eat plenty of fruit and egeta les at least fi e portions a day as these provide vitamins and minerals, as well as fi re hi h is important for healthy digestion and to help prevent constipation.

Complex carbohydrates are needed for energy some itamins and fi re and an e found in wholegrains, whole wheat pasta, brown rice, brown bread, green vegetables, beans, lentils and pulses. And balance your carbs with protein. Protein keeps you full for longer and also delivers key amino acids that are needed for tissue repair and the production of neurotransmitters.

inally ma e sure you drin su ient water. We need water to pee, poo and perspire - ultimately to excrete waste and ush out toxins u ient ater also ena les the kidneys to do their job properly and helps prevent kidney stones.

When we age our thirst receptors can work less well, making us more prone to dehydration. How much water you need will vary according to your daily activity. On average, men need at least two litres of water a day, and women at least 1.6 litres. The NHS recommends drinking between six to eight glasses a day.

Ageing is also linked to a decrease in stoma h a id hi h an a e t the a sorption of nutrients, such as vitamin B12, calcium, iron and magnesium. To aid stomach acid production chew your food! As obvious as it may sound, so few do. Chewing not only breaks your meal down into a manageable

size, it also alerts the stomach to the imminent arrival of food, giving it time to produce the digestive enzymes it needs to break food down. For a helping hand with digestive enzymes, a digestive supplement like Molkosan Fruit taken half an hour before each meal can also help.

Nutrients that become especially important as you age include protein, vitamin D, calcium and vitamin B12.

It’s common to lose muscle and strength as you age. Typically we lose between 3% and 8% muscle mass each decade after the age of 30. This can eventually lead to weakness, fractures and generally poor health. Eating more protein on a regular basis can help to maintain muscle mass by up to 40%. A review of 20 recent studies in older people found that eating more protein or taking protein supplements may slow the rate of muscle loss, increase muscle mass and help build more muscle. Protein is relatively easy to source from your diet with lean white meats, tuna, tofu, lentils, yoghurt and eggs being some of the best protein providers.

Vitamin D and calcium are also needed in greater supply. They are important for several reasons but especially so for bone health. As we age we naturally lose bone density, which means we’re more prone to fractures and breakages. Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the body and with 99% found in bones and teeth, it’s hugely important in the fight against osteoporosis and vitamin D helps the body to absorb calcium.

Try to eat four servings of calcium-rich foods a day. These include dairy products such as yoghurt, skimmed milk and cheese ut ear in mind heese an e di ult to digest). Spinach, broccoli, beans, peas, sardines and pilchards are also excellent calcium providers and they contain heaps of magnesium, which is also important for calcium absorption.

Food sources of vitamin D include cod li er oil and oily fish ut supplements providing both calcium and vitamin D are

usually recommended to ensure adequate levels in older adults. A Vogel’s Balance Mineral Drink provides calcium and vitamin D3, as well as other important minerals such as magnesium, zinc and potassium.

Vitamin B12 is essential for making red blood cells and maintaining healthy brain function. Studies estimate that up to 30% of people over the age of 50 have a reduced ability to absorb vitamin B12 from their diet, hi h o er time an ause defi ien y

Again the reason for this has to do with insu ient le els of stoma h a id itamin B12 in the diet is bound to proteins in the food you eat. Before your body can use it, stomach acid must help it separate from these food proteins. Reduced stomach acid production can result in less vitamin B12 being absorbed from the food you eat. If you follow a vegan diet you’re even more at risk of defi ien y e ause itamin is mainly found in animal products. Non-animal B12 an e sour ed from fortified foods su h as breakfast cereal and yeast extracts, but a supplement is often recommended to avoid defi ien y hen supplementing ith vitamin B12, the Vegan Society recommends taking at least 10mcg daily.

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

Active Kids

Hunstanton hurrah

STAMFORD TENNIS CLUB has been celebrating the success of some of its younger members at Hunstanton tennis week this summer.

Guss Woodfield won the Under 12 boys’ round robin as well as the Under 12 boys’ doubles with partner Harry Dodds.

Harington students heading to Goodwood

SIXTH FORM STUDENTS at Harington School in Oakham have achieved great success in a challenge to design, build and drive an electric car to compete in the International Greenpower Challenge which takes place at Goodwood.

In 10 weeks the students have designed and built an electric race car and raised over £3,000 of funding. In July, driver Thomas Harvey raced to second place in his class and third overall in the national competition at Blyton Park Racetrack, in Lincolnshire. This was after they had made modifications that led them to improve on their eighth place overall at Mallory Park (Leicestershire).

The team has now qualified for the annual International Final at Goodwood Motor Circuit which takes place on 9 October.

The Arkwright Engineering Scholarship awarded to James Stoate encouraged him to kickstart the process and provide an initial £200 of funding. The team are very grateful to their sponsors Amanet Ltd, C S Ellis (Group) Ltd and Berridge Taxis but need further funds for them to make additional improvements to their car, so are looking for sponsorship, support and advice from companies or individuals please.

The team have made great achievements in such a short time competing against teams with access to racetracks, years of experience, much more specialist equipment and expertise.

If you would like to help please contact: haringtongreenpower@gmail.com or office@haringtonschool.

And Millie Spilsbury and Alfie Rymers won the U14 mixed doubles so the club has done really well. Some of this credit must go to the club’s head coach CJ Selvidge along with Glen Perkins. Well done everyone!

Oakham’s busy summer

OVER THE SUMMER holidays, Oakham School welcomed hundreds of visitors to its campus attending a variety of courses and events.

One of the sporting highlights was the training camps and football festivals for academy football teams from around the world, led by Tom Statham Soccer. Teams that were onsite this year included Virginia Rush, Boston Bolts, Napa Utd, Futuro Canada and NCE (New York) from America and Canada. From the UK, the School has welcomed Man Utd, Newcastle, Arsenal, Sunderland, Shrewsbury, Norwich, Aston Villa, ISFA, Brighton, Galway, Cliftonville and Accrington Stanley.

Well done Witham

WITHAM HALL WAS delighted to accept the Alice Rose Award as part of the inaugural Talk Education Awards for Innovation in Education. Alice Rose was the co-founder of Talk Education who sadly died in May 2022. In honour of Alice, the judges selected the school that embodies the qualities she was most passionate about: ‘a school where children are allowed to be children, one that supports growth and learning but allows them to climb trees and get muddy knees, here onfident nurtured happy hildren en oy their hildhood true home-from-home.’

Awarded by the Talk Education team, as well as Alice’s husband James Rose and her three young boys, there was no shortlist or application process for this very special award. Witham Hall is honoured to e the first re ipient of this award in Alice’s name and are extremely grateful to the Talk Education team and the Rose family for this humbling recognition.

Equestrian Success

EVA, A PUPIL from roo e riory hool re ently ualified for the ust for hools sho umping finals held at toneleigh a was lying in 7th place in the 60cm league out of more than 150 competitors throughout the country.

Eva and her pony, Covenham Cameo (Betsy), jumped clear in the first round and a fantasti speedy round in the ump o riding tight turns, cutting corners and going clear to go into the lead and become the Just for Schools 60cm Individual Champion. Congratulations Eva - what a fantastic achievement!

ActiveSport

Lesson 1 Getting to grips with golf

Having played a bit when younger, our art editor, Matt Tarrant, has taken up golf again, but needs some help from a professional…

ONE OF THE positi es to ome out of the di ult last fe years is that golf parti ipation is up again eing one of the first a ti ities you ould do outside ith friends post lo do n more and more people seem to e ta ing up the sport or ust playing mu h more than efore esear h sho s parti ipation is o er higher in than it as in good ne s for lo al golf lu s

le the dust o my lu s in and started playing so ially on a lo al par ut sin e then the ug to play regularly has itten mainly e ause the all has started to go straighter re ently had een ought a set of lu s in my late teens and used to manoeu re my ay from rough to rough e entually dropping the all in the hole it too a lot of perse eran e!

no ing as no going to e playing regularly ne needed to enlist the help of a professional to iron out the many reases in my game o alled ar nder ood the Head rofessional at oolfox ountry lu hi h is ust up the outside tamford and oo ed a ne starter lesson ar has een ith oolfox for o er years ut is a pro ith o er years experien e and has or ed internationally in ahrain and gypt he lu is on the site of the former utland ounty ourse ut is eing ompletely reno ated into a modern ta e on a ountry lu and an t ait to loo around on e the uilding or is finished ne of the first things the lu did as re italise the dri ing range ith ne ar fa ilities easy onta tless payment for alls and smart loo ing pra ti e ays

SERIES

nd then it as time to start the first lesson hit alls ith a se en iron to sho ar here things ere going rong hough it asn t all ad there as plenty for us to or on irst things first e started at the grip hi h needed to e a it tighter ith my left hand mo ing around a little to help the lu fa e ome through a it straighter

fter another alls ar noti ed my left nee as ending a it too mu h and the lu angle as pointing o er my shoulder at the top of my s ing his all sounded good and simple to re tify ut re tifying your long term ad s ing into something more orre t isn t al ays easy and these hanges felt really odd d een doing it rong for years so the mus le memory had to e hanged as ell as te hni ue he next alls didn t go ell f a mole had popped its head up it may ha e een in trou le ut as they say pra ti e ma es perfe t so ept at it and the ne position gradually e ame more omforta le and the all started to than fully head o in the right dire tion ar then pointed out as too lo in my stan e so standing up a it taller o er the all e erything started to ome together fter minutes of ad i e from ar my lesson as o er ut it left me enthused for my next round of nd loo ing for ard to my next lesson

A lesson with Mark is £30 for 40 mins or a package of 3 x 40min sessions for £80. Contact mark@woolfox.uk www.woolfox.uk or follow on Instagram @woolfoxgolf

‘I hit 10 balls with a seven iron to show Mark where things were going wrong. Though it wasn’t all bad, there was plenty for us to work on. ’

Active

OUR CRICKET SEASON has drawn to a close - and with no lack of drama at the death, particularly for Oakham Town. Their dearest of rivals Uppingham had been mathematically relegated from the Leicestershire Premier League some time ago so it was Oaks who went into the last aturday hoping to y the ag and preser e a utland presen e in the top ight for next season. However, they were only one point away from the drop zone themselves and so it ame do n to a them or us final day vying with fellow-strugglers Lutterworth to sur i e a s had an a ay fixture against sixth pla ed arro o n hile their relegation contenders had an even tougher ask, travelling to second-placed Rothley Park.

a s ere still in the fight for sur i al on that last day only due to a do-or-die victory the penultimate weekend against Loughborough, in which Harry Tyler took 5 for 13 and Cameron Flowers boosted their batting total to a more defendable total with 36 runs late in the innings. It set up a nail iting finish to the mat h and they ust a out prevailed.

o to that final aturday a ham atted first and rea hed a ompetiti e total of

with Charlie Hurley scoring 118 not out at num er a ly assisted y o aylor and d iddle arro didn t fold ho e er putting on for the first i et and were over 170 for the third, but then ne s egan to filter through that othley Park were battling back against a good Lutterworth total and gradually Oaks put things out of their hands, bowling out the home side for to ensure no last dit h heroics by Lutterworth could deny them.

It was standing room only back at the Lime Kilns pavilion later on that evening to celebrate and the bar takings were close to a re ord hi h ill do the lu s finan es no harm at all s for next year it seems li ely that a ne fast o ler is set to oin them ut perhaps the greatest improvement in form ould ome a out if they ould ust resist getting married. It didn’t help their campaign

that the side was decimated by attendance at s uad mem ers nuptials so if you ould ust li e in sin until next season finishes that d e appreciated chaps. Where’s your sense of priorities after all?

ourne also had a last day de ider although a much more positive one in their case as it was to decide the Lincs Premiership title rather than relegation. Only they or Sleaford could win it and it was, therefore, fitting that the t o sides ere to play ea h other in the final fixture t turned out to e rather a urious a air in the e ent ith leaford inning the mat h ut ourne the title. The latter had gone into the match 11 points clear, which meant Sleaford needed bonus points with both bat and ball to overhaul them – a factor that hadn’t escaped the attention of ourne s atsmen ho s ored slo ly for the loss of ust t o i ets

The cricket season draws to a close whilst the rugby one starts. Jeremy Smithson-Beswick updates us

‘Bourne also had a lastday decider, although a much more positive one in their case as it was to decide the Lincs Premiership title rather than relegation.’

Bourne’s title winning side

Sam Peero of Deepings Swimming Club

in the opening innings, which was enough to render leaford s response irrele ant o su h appre iation of the su tleties of the scoring system were necessary for urghley ar ho landed the Hunts i ision ne title ith a game to spare ollo ing their first e er ixes title this year it s een a season to remem er for them ne of the ni e things a out the lo al sports scene for traditionalists is the rhythms of summer and winter still exist, in contrast to the national stage where the seasonal pun tuation et een sports seem lurred eyond understanding hus around these parts cricket’s sunset is almost simultaneous ith rug y s sunrise

mu h hanged tamford side started ith an a ay in against ong u y after they played a more coherent second half ut then lost the next mat h at ar et os orth t as lose though to and oa h att l inson ill e pleased o erall ith the ay the ne side is gelling he omen s side has on oth their arm up matches at a canter ahead of the season proper he first as a ay at am ridge and they eren t attered y the s oreline which included a hat trick from Nikki Hudson on de ut or as the similar s ore against elper anything ut a true re e tion of their dominan e here as also another hat trick, this one from Hannah ennis

his is a ham rug y lu s entenary year and they started promisingly ith a in orthampton asuals ut ame do n to earth ith a ump against elling orough he other foot all game has also started of ourse and ar et Har orough ontinue to set ne re ords heir promotion last season ualified them for entry into the rophy for the first time e er and they on their inaugural game in the competition away to ed orth nited this month n the up

proper they’ve reached the second qualifying round hi h is yet another first for the ees Just like the cricket, the swimming season has now drawn to a close and Deepings signed o ith medals in luding golds at their last meet t as also their final performance under Lynn Chapman as Head oa h ho is stepping do n after years at the helm he said his as a onderful competition to see out my career at Deepings imming lu here ere so many excellent performances from all the swimmers, many of whom have the potential to a hie e great su ess in the sport

DESIGN FOR PRINT

am eero ho has een at the lu for years ta es o er he promised to or tirelessly to inspire and prepare all our s immers hate er their le el of a ility and am ition so they an a hie e their full potential

Finally, congratulations are due to al olm a lings s he steps do n from full-time duties as Oakham CC’s grounds man after a tenure of a out t o hundred years an thin of no more fitting a time for him to in a ifetime hie ement ard which was announced at a packed ceremony at ra e oad last month ell deser ed!

BRANDING LOGO

contact@zerosixdesign.com www.zerosixdesign.com

START IN UPPINGHAM and travel south west towards Horninghold and enjoy the steep downhill switchback soon after leaving Uppingham – it will be the last such luxury! Head up the first of many steep hills through Horninghold before turning right in Hallaton to Tugby. Take care crossing the busy A47.

Keep on the undulating road in a north easterly direction and you will reach the high point at 14.5 miles. Here you will turn right to Braunston-in-Rutland where it is mostly downhill all the way into Oakham. Leave Oakham and hopefully you will still have some energy for the last seven miles home along the Ridlington Ripples. Three climbs await you on the way to Ayston before you join the roundabout and a short hop back into Uppingham. This is a challenging ride and you’ll certainly be ready for tapas or pizza at The Crown when you get back to Uppingham.

https://www.strava.com/ routes/3002494684822680346 Or scan to QR code

TUGBY

AYSTON RIDLINGTON

BROOKE

Volume 2 of Will’s Walks

Another 21 rambles around Stamford and Rutland

masses with our first Will’s Walks book, so Will has got his boots on again and found you 21 more walks to enjoy. Some are short and sweet for those busy days and others are lengthier and more arduous for when you want to spend longer exploring the area; and we’re sure you’ll enjoy them all.

The perfect present and only £8.95 plus P&P. For more details and to order your copies, visit www.theactivemag.com. Also available from many local shops and bookshops.