Active Magazine // Stamford & Rutland // October 2023

EDITOR’S LETTER

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

Cover image: Molly Warren @prettylittlestamford

Accounts accounts@theactivemag.com

Active magazine, Eventus Business Centre, Sunderland Road, Northfield Industrial Estate, Market Deeping, PE6 8FD

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Active magazine is published monthly 10 times per year.

ISSN 2059-8513

Published by Triangle Publishing Ltd www.theactivemag.com

Disclaimer

Copyright (c) Triangle Publishing Ltd (TPL) 2019. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, or be stored in any retrieval system, of any nature, without prior permission from TPL. Any views or opinions expressed do not necessarily represent the views or opinions of TPL or its a liates. isclaimer of Liability. hilst every e ort has been made to ensure the quality and accuracy of the information contained in this publication at the time of going to press, TPL and its a liates assume no responsibility as to the accuracy or completeness of and, to the extent permitted by law, shall not be liable for any errors or omissions or any loss, damage or expense incurred by reliance on information or any statement contained in this publication. Advertisers are solely responsible for the content of the advertising material which they submit and for ensuring the material complies with applicable laws.

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THE NIGHTS ARE now definitely drawing in but we were thankfully able to enjoy (or not) the unexpected heatwave to give us that longed for Indian Summer. It was an added bonus to be able to top up the vitamin D before thoughts turn to lighting the fire alloween and cloc s changing. Something to look forward to as well, and I can’t wait, is that Gary who designs our adverts is bringing out his first boo . any of you will know him as @theoldbuilding on Instagram and the book is a collection of his fabulous photographs of tamford it s going to be the perfect co ee table boo . t s out in October and you can find out how to order a copy on our News pages.

For those of us who live in old houses it’s always fascinating to know who lived in your home before you. You may have noticed blue plaques popping up around Stamford and I really enjoyed catching up with imon from ere Before Us to find out more about them and a bit about my own home s history it was fascinating stu .

Will went walking in Transylvania this summer and had a great time, although to quote Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale stage directions, it was almost ‘Exit pursued by a bear.’ I will leave it up to him to tell you more and I’m rather glad it was him rather than me.

Kate has been meeting cadets from all three forces. I’ve been rummaging through a lovely pre loved home interiors shop in Uppingham and our travel piece is about one of our capital cities in the U ardi .

I have no idea if England, or any of the four nations teams, will still be in the rugby world cup when you are reading this but I hope they all still are. I shall be spending much of the month watching with interest as I’m sure most of you will be. Fingers crossed!

Mary - Editor

‘Many of you will know him as @theoldbuilding on Instagram and the book is a collection of his fabulous photographs of Stamford.’

ActiveLife

Croeso i Caerdydd. Meet the house detective. Enviroland, a new business in Stamford. Capable, confident cadets. Tracey’s Emporium, it’s full of treasures.

Will has a close encounter of the hairy kind p40

The definitive book of Stamford from @theoldbuilding

Gary Curtis, our very own advert designer and super talented photographer known as @theoldbuilding on Instagram, has pulled his love of architecture, history, photography and Stamford together to publish a book which is a definitive elegant and beautiful collection of images of Georgian Stamford taken between 2018 and 2023.

This beautiful boo is a celebration of the finest stone town in England, Stamford. Published in high quality print this page hardbac boo ma es an ideal co ee table addition for any Stamfordian or fan of classical architecture. The book covers the stunning period centre of Stamford with its elegant townhouses shops pubs and caf s and re ects Gary’s love for his home town. Available to pre-order from www.theoldbuilding.com for October delivery.

They made it!

On the 23 August Lisa and Bruce from WildDog Events made it to the roof of Africa and in so doing, climbed their highest summit of 5895m.

‘It was an incredible experience - the scenery, the porters and our team of nine adventurers made it so special and an unforgettable trip,’ said Bruce. was so chu ed to reach the top said Lisa. ‘I enjoyed every minute of the seven days that got us there but I have to say summit night was brutal. Luckily our training paid o and we were in very safe hands with our expert guides. The sunrise at the summit will stay with me forever.’

WildDog Events would love for others to experience the beauty of Kilimanjaro and are running the adventure next year – if you are een or ust want to find out more about the experience, drop them a message at events@wildogevents.com

Murano Silver

Molly from Murano Silver has collaborated with Vurchoo by producing the Stamford stud earrings to help raise funds for Bumps and Beyond, a Stamford based charity that supports parents before and after pregnancy. The charity can provide equipment and clothing for newborns up to the age of 11 and takes donations from people who no longer need their baby clothing, cots and equipment.

Vurchoo helps fund schools around the world by making studs of hope as well as necklaces named after each country it supports and now, because of Molly, Stamford mums and children will be helped too.

www.bumps-and-beyond.org

www.vurchoo.co.uk

@murano_silver

New for The Wick and Wax Co

The Wick & Wax Co of Stamford has added to its range of scented, handmade luxury candles with three new fragrances including Valencian Orange, Pomegranate Rose with Amber and more recently, Lavandula. Whilst candles are at the heart of this business, after much demand from customers at the Defender Burghley Horse Trials last year, they decided to add wax melts to their repertoire, for those who prefer to use burners rather than candles.

The company melted its Valencian Orange and Tuscany fragrances on this year’s stand, creating a beautifully layered scent that wafted throughout the Country Living Pavilion. The melts come in 10 of the most popular fragrances and each 5-piece bar costs just £7 and lasts between 40 to 50 hours o ering excellent value so much so that they sold out at this year’s event!

With candle season now well underway, additional gift boxes and candle subscription options will soon be available as well as their incredible range of candles and wax melts, all handmade in small batches to maintain the highest quality.

Keep an eye out for The Wick & Wax Co pop-up shops at upcoming local Artisan and Christmas fairs where you will have the opportunity to come and smell the di erent scents and have a chat with Sasha Olsen, the owner and chandler, about her passion for candles.

www.thewickandwax.co

Stamford Veterinary Centre’s wolf run

On the 2 September the team at Stamford Veterinary Centre, Great Casterton took part in the Warwickshire Wolf Run. The course was 10K long and they had to tackle 30 gruelling obstacles that tested both their endurance and ability to work as a team to make sure everyone crossed the finish line in one piece.

The group raised over £1,000 for the MS Society. Practice Manager, Jessica Fawcett added: ‘This is a cause close to our hearts as one of our colleagues was diagnosed with the condition back in April 2022.’ veryone crossed the finish line together feeling accomplished albeit a little sti on onday morning.

Upholstery workshops

Joatno40 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

April

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

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

What’s On!

THE TOLETHORPE CLOTHING sale is back by popular demand. This year it will be held on October 29 at Tolethorpe Hall featuring 30 store holders selling pre loved, vintage and costume clothing as well as accessories galore. The sale starts at 10am and will feature mainly womenswear but there will be men’s clothing too. Anyone wanting a stall can contact tolethorpeclothinsales@gmail.com

A MAGICAL WINTER festival is coming to Nene Park throughout December and tickets are available now. Starting on December 1 enjoy an evening of whimsical wonder where secluded woodland at Ferry Meadows will be transformed into an enchanted forest with something for everyone.

www.nenepark.org.uk/winter-festival

GEORGIA JOY FLORIST is o ering Christmas wreathmaking workshops at Braceborough village hall on November 25 and at Nassington on November 26. All materials and tools are provided along with mulled wine and mince pies. It’s a great way to start your hristmas o and you go home with a beautiful wreath. Tickets are available now, but selling fast so do book quickly.

www.georgiajoy.co.uk @georgia_florist

THE HARBOROUGH SINGERS will be appearing at St Wilfrid’s church, Kibworth on November 4. This chamber choir will perform a concert entitled The Road Home, music for the journey of life. Tickets are £12 from www.harboroughsingers.com or from The Well in Kibworth Beauchamp.

JOIN PETERBOROUGH MALE Voice Choir and Peterborough Voices in Peterborough Cathedral on October 7 as they perform Stars Above and Earth Below, a feast of contemporary choral music for equal voices from across the globe, featuring recently commissioned works by MarieClaire Saindon, Joan Szymko and Cheryl Frances-Hoad. To book visit www. peterboroughsings.org.uk/tickets

AFTER THE HUGE success of Maxey’s classic car show they already have a date for your diary next year. So save the date for August 17 2024, it promises to be another good show.

FOLLOWING THE SUCCESS of the inaugural evening last year, medium Alison Stead is running a fundraising mediumship evening in Market Overton village Hall on 20 October. Proceeds will go to the Cancer Wellbeing Centre in Peterborough.

Doors open at 7pm for a 7.30pm start. Standard tickets cost £15 and VIP tickets cost £18. VIP guests will receive a welcome drink and a goody bag. Complimentary refreshments are available at the interval and there will be a lucky ticket table.

www.wegottickets.com/event/591532/

French chicken casserole

The French know how to cook chicken and you will often get a version of this simple, delicious recipe as the plat du jour in many a local restaurant, usually served with haricot verts (French beans). Here’s our version.

Ingredients

• 6 chicken thighs, with the skin on

• 25g butter

• 250g mushrooms, sliced

• 1 onion, diced

• 3 crushed garlic cloves

• 25g plain flour

• 150ml white wine

• 350ml chicken stock

• Salt and pepper

• 500g new potatoes sliced in half

• 4 sprigs fresh thyme

• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary

• 50ml cream

Method

• Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper.

• Using a cast iron casserole dish, melt the butter in it and sear the chicken skin on both sides for 2-3 minutes each side until golden brown. Set aside.

• Add mushrooms and onion, season with salt and pepper and cook until tender, about 7 minutes. Then stir in garlic. Then stir in our.

• Add wine, scraping any bits off the side and stir well. Add chicken stock, potatoes and herbs and then put the chicken back in as well.

• Place casserole in the oven and cook at 180 degrees until potatoes and chicken are cooked, about 45 minutes.

• Stir in cream, add salt and pepper and serve immediately. As I said the French often serve with French beans. Bon appetit!

Whatever you want to say to your team, clients or suppliers – be it hello, thank you, sorry, Merry Christmas or congratulations, hampers are a wonderful way to send your best wishes. We deliver individual hampers along with personalised handwritten cards – using cards from our hand-illustrated range or something customised for you.

We o er three di erently size hampers lled with a selection of pickles or preserves, crackers, chocolates, cookies, tea or perhaps something a little stronger! Or course, if you would prefer something smaller, larger, rounder, or ashier then we can make that happen too.

@thepickledshop

@bulwickvillageshop

The plum of Damascus

Rowan Griffiths talks damsons

LIKE THE FIG, grape, mulberry and many more, the damson was introduced to Britain by the Romans. Originally from Syria it takes its name from the Latin damascenum, literally the plum of Damascus.

Damsons can be found in gardens and parks, growing along hedgerows or in woodlands. It is a low growing tree, generally reaching 5-10 metres in height. The trunk and branches are thin, with dark coloured and often lichen-covered bark. The leaves are shiny, oval in shape with serrated edges and are slightly downy underneath. In the spring the tree blossoms with clusters of small white owers each with five petals. n the autumn, from August to October, they produce an oval indigo-coloured fruit covered with a thin, white bloom. The esh of this edible fruit is green and has a slightly sour plum-like taste but is full of avour.

Historically, the main use of damsons was jam making and popular until WWll when the scarcity of sugar signalled a decline. However, there are still commercial damson orchards in erefordshire where the trees benefit from the warm, moist Gulf Stream air.

Damsons are relatives of sloes, bullaces, cherry plums and domestic plums, all of which are edible. As a cousin of the sloe, damson gin can be made by the same method as sloe gin and is excellent. I shall be making some from my own tree.

GARDENING

Beautiful berries

We can have berries galore in our garden, and the wildlife will love it. Tessa Burns tells us what to plant

OCTOBER IS WHEN the final crops from the fruit and nut trees are collected. But woe betide anyone picking blackberries after Michaelmas, the 29 September, according to folklore! Elderberries and sloes make delicious preserves and gins and quince, delicious jelly. A mulberry may take some years before it fruits, or try a medlar whose ugly fruits are left to blett which means they’re almost rotten, but make a wonderful jelly.

There’s a wide choice of trees and shrubs which bear berries throughout the autumn and winter. Sorbus - Rowan or mountain ash was traditionally planted to ward o witches. For smaller gardens Sorbus vilmorinii or Autumn spire would be suitable. Almost luminous orange or red berries attract birds, as do those of Viburnum opulus, the guelder rose.

Malus red sentinel, an attractive crab apple, sheds its autumn golden foliage but the glossy red fruit remain throughout the winter months. Euonymus red cascade, the spindle bush, has foliage that turns a startling scarlet and unusual winged fruits of orange and pink appear. Rosa rugosa has large red hips and those of rosa geranium are large and crimson. If you want hips on your garden roses don’t deadhead.

Pyracantha is an evergreen often trained on a fence or grown as a hedge. Its devilish thorns o er good protection for nesting birds and the mass of yellow, orange or red fruits provide food over winter. Cotoneaster plants range from large shrubs to horizontal ground cover, deciduous or evergreen, bearing clusters of red, purple or black berries and Rothschildianus has yellow fruit.

For more unusual colours try Callicarpas. The foliage turns gold and red in autumn before falling to expose dark stems with purple berries which look really dramatic. Clerodendron is a large deciduous shrub producing fragrant owers from midsummer to autumn. The berries ripen to bright blue encircled by pinklobes. Viburnum davidii is a useful evergreen planted in full sun. The berries are bright turquoise.

Honeysuckles can be deciduous, semievergreen or evergreen with red or black clusters of berries. Ivies are shade tolerant evergreens and will o er dense growth for wildlife. Variegated varieties of holly do best in full sunlight. The dark green J C VanTol and Nelly Stevens are self-fertile female plants so don’t require a male holly nearby to produce berries. The names of hollies are often misleading. Golden King is female and produces red berries clustered among the golden variegated foliage. Silver Queen is male with silver edges to the glossy leaves. Myrtifolia aurea maculata is another male cultivar. The males will not produce berries but will pollinate the female cultivars. For smaller berry bearing shrubs we have Gaultheria procumbens which is a dense carpeting evergreen with red tinged foliage bearing red berries. Skimmia are compact evergreens with small white or yellow owers and shiny red berries needing male and female cultivars to get berries. Skimmia jap rubella or Fragrans are male. Nymas Kew white and Pabella are female. They do well in shade or partial shade, prefer slightly acidic soil and are useful for containers. Hypericum androsaemum is an aromatic shrub which grows well in shade. It bears red fruits which ripen to purple black on purple foliage. www.wellandvale.co.uk

Croeso i Caerdydd

THE FORMER HISTORIC Tiger Bay, the old docklands area, has been regenerated since the creation of the ardi barrage in the s and is now nown as ardi Bay. The freshwater la e that was created has a circular mapped trail a at m ( . miles and is a highly recommended wal or cycle (either bring your own or there are many hire options including electric bi es . long the trail is a wetlands area with resident bird and insect species and migrant bird visitors especially in the spring.

lose by is the vibrant ermaid uay with bars caf s and two elsh ice cream parlours as well as a comedy club Techni uest cience iscovery entre and a cinema. The views across the water are attractive and interesting as all the original doc s remain and many old timbers and steps are still in use. mall boats are available for hire or you can pay for a minute tour of the bay area.

s you pass by the giant metre erris wheel you can t miss the iconic copper coloured fa ade of the ales illennium entre which stages touring shows and often has free performances and immersive virtual reality films. The route then ta es you through Pierhead where you can contrast the terracotta bric wor gothic revival Pierhead building with the ad acent modern enedd building home to the elsh Parliament. ou may not have noticed yet but you are on a sculpture trail outlining a fascinating history of ardi including the coal industry but also with reference to among others oald ahl vor ovello r ho and the elsh ugby Union. There are information boards on the route in both elsh and nglish.

The trail continues passing the s ate pla a outdoor gym and ua Par and you can en oy the views across the evern stuary to the omerset and evon oast as you approach the barrage. epending on the tide the Bristol hannel having one of the highest tidal ranges in the world of m ( feet you may see a parade of small boats passing through the loc s.

hilst the route continues through a more urban area there is still plenty to see as you travel alongside and then over the iver ly into the ports illage an area which houses the ardi nternational Pool and a whitewater adventure facility. range of activities such as paddle boarding and canoeing can be organised here. ust a few minutes wal away on the other side of the barrage is the beautiful town of Penarth with its ictorian pier and rt eco pavilion which is well worth a visit.

On another day you might consider catching the half hourly river taxi which has a running commentary from ermaid uay up the iver Ta into the city passing the Principality tadium before landing in Bute Par next to ardi astle. epending on your interests you can en oy watching an exciting game of rugby or meander along the animal wall in front of the castle spotting stunning stone carvings including a lynx bear seal wolf and hyena. ardi is blessed with a good modern shopping centre t avid s ewi ant containing the shops you would expect in the capital city of ales but also seven beautiful ictorian and dwardian arcades located in the astle uarter. ere you ll find independent art vintage clothing and ewellery shops as well as businesses selling local produce caf s and coc tail bars. The arcades retain many original architectural details and remember to loo up as well as forwards.

Bicycle use is very easy in ardi with dedicated bi e lanes and dual use pavements where signposted. ou can use an app to release a bi e from doc ing spots around the city although it s an easy wal to visit some of the historical buildings to the north. Par lovers may prefer to follow the Ta Trail through the Bute Par and rboretum a popular and largely tra c free route although you may not complete the m ( miles on this wee end visit

www.visitwales.com

www.thecityofarcades.com

If you haven’t visited Cardiff lately you should put it on your shortlist. Deborah Stuart tells us why

'The views across the water are attractive and interesting as all the original docks remain and many old timbers and steps are still in use.'

THE HOUSE DETECTIVE

Mary meets Simon from Here Before Us who can delve into our houses’ history, and it’s fascinating stuff

IAM VERY interested in architecture and history so whenever I visit an historic house, as well as admiring the structure of the building, I always want to know about the family that lived there, how they got to where they are and, sometimes, how they lost everything. Maybe I’m just nosey (I am) but so are a lot of us, interested in what and who went before us.

Many of us live in old, even ancient houses so many, many families have lived in our homes before us, experiencing births, deaths, tragedies, bankruptcy, fame and even infamy and mostly we are completely unaware of it. Unless that is you live in a house with an English Heritage blue plaque on it celebrating someone famous. Stamford has a few including, of course, Sir Malcolm Sargent in Wharf Road.

I live in a Victorian house in Stamford so know that it has some stories to tell and often wonder what secrets it holds. Who sat looking at my fireplace before me or was anyone born or indeed died in one of the bedrooms? Macabre maybe, but fascinating too. We can look at our title deeds if we have them as that will tell us who owned the house before us, but that’s about it. Not any more, meet Simon Warren from Here Before Us who really is the house detective.

Simon was an architectural and interiors photographer specialising in beautiful residential houses. He also has a love of history so, like me, often wondered about the history of the houses he was

photographing and the people who had lived there.

‘I was living in Walthamstow in London, travelling a lot and beginning to think of a way to ease myself out of the photography business as it was time for a change. Well, the pandemic did that for me as obviously my work stopped immediately.’

This gave Simon time to reassess and he moved from central London back to his roots in Kent, settling in Folkestone which is an historic seaside town with a very pretty high street and independent shops. ‘I love history, particularly the Victorian era as it was a time of such innovation,’ he told me. ‘Whilst living in Walthamstow I got to know an artist who produced a piece of art which was blue plaques of the people who had lived in a certain street in that part of London. The plaques were displayed in windows on one street. I was thinking about it once I’d moved and was getting to know my new town. I could do this in Folkestone. Not as a piece of art but researching the history of houses and businesses in the town. I was interested in this and new many other people would be too and could o er them a service, the history of their home which would then be put on a blue plaque window vinyl.’

He started Here Before Us in November 2021 by contacting businesses in Folkestone and house renovators on Instagram. He knew these people loved their houses and would be fascinated about finding out about the history of their homes and they were. ell let s be honest, who wouldn’t be?

Simon generally looks at houses from 1861 to 1939 (any later and people might still be alive) as he can access census details. He can delve further using old maps including street maps and, for more details, or older houses can go further back as well. For the really complicated searches he uses an historian (at an extra charge) who also works as a private investigator so she is the perfect person to delve deeper. ome searches do prove di cult particularly ancient

He started Here Before Us in November 2021 by contacting businesses in Folkestone and house renovators on Instagram.'

cottages as they quite often have their names changed. House numbers also change so it’s pretty complicated work at times. ‘I never give up and can sometimes trace the children of the house first then work backwards.’ And he has found some very interesting stories from some of the houses including the Aide de camp of Queen ictoria Bear rylls grandfather and illiam un who built a house for ells in andgate. This was his th pla ue.

Understandably imon s pla ues were very popular and uic ly started popping up around Folkestone and other towns across the country with many people buying them as presents as they are the perfect gift. e said stumbled across prettylittlestamford on Instagram. I loved Molly’s photos and could see she loved her town which is stunning so got in touch with her. The towns m interested in are historic attractive and full of independent businesses. These businesses are vital as they are the lifeblood of a town.’

s well as residential houses imon has also had lots of interest from independent business owners particularly in tamford. The first of his pla ues to appear in tamford was at nergy which is apt as owner arah ewell is the face behind hop tamford. olly s prettylittlestamford nstagram account was the first residential property. More have now popped up and an interesting one is loisters in t ary s treet previously occupied by a butcher called ancourt (a well nown name in tamford . The great granddaughter arah ancourt wal ed past and recognised her great grandfather s name and subsequently supplied a photo of him standing outside his shop. This is the charm of tamford families stay in the town for generations.

nd what about my house Built about it does not appear in a census until when it was about years old. This would be because when it was built it would have had a name rather than a number (as did all the ictorian houses in the street . n it was owned by the Bagley family who were still there years later. harles Bagley a rural postman lived here with his wife and four children. Of those four children two died. One son lbert Bagley

was illed at The omme on ugust aged ust . e is commemorated on the Thiepval emorial and on the pla ues on the ar emorial in Broad treet. sad tale that will be re ected in many houses in the town.

imon has yet to come across any criminals or murderers but has found a few ‘suspicious deaths’ as well as errant husbands and wives. s they say every picture tells a story and every house certainly does. If you wish to discover your house’s hidden secrets contact imon at ere Before Us. ach blue pla ue costs and the pla ues also make a perfect gift.

www.herebeforeus.co.uk

'More have now popped up and an interesting one is Cloisters in St Mary’s Street, previously occupied by a butcher called Fancourt.'

Capable, confident cadets

DURING THE EVENINGS in many schools, town and drill halls around the country you ll find hundreds of young people of di erent backgrounds learning what it means to be a cadet. The Army Cadet orce ( the oyal ir force ir adets (RAFAC), the Sea Cadet Corps and the Combined Cadet Force (CCF) are vast and thriving youth organisations which share the same goals. They give youngsters the opportunity to learn a wide variety of s ills gain ualifications grow in confidence ma e friends and above all have fun. The tag line for the is fun friendship and adventure’ which completely sums up the ethos of the cadet organisations.

In our area we have the Lincolnshire ACF with a detachment in tamford the Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland ACF with detachments in Oakham, St George’s Barracks, Oundle and Market Harborough. The South and East Midlands

Air Cadets run squadrons in Oakham, tamford and ar et arborough. nd in Market Harborough are the Sea Cadets.

I spoke to Lieutenant Colonel Paul Laycock from the Lincolnshire rmy adet orce who joined the cadets aged 14 then enlisted in the regular army, later the Army Reserve and has now come full circle to volunteer with the cadets. He was keen to point out that the cadet force is not a recruiting organisation for the army but using a range of military

activities it helps youngsters become more rounded and resilient having gained skills and ualifications and learnt basic life lessons like how to turn up on time to appointments confident and smartly turned out. f you re not interested in putting on camou age cream and haring around the woods then after initial training you don t necessarily have to. There are many other activities to try. And the list is vast. Cadets take core subjects on the army cadet syllabus like drill and turnout, community engagement first aid training and navigation. But they can also elect nonmilitary subjects such as music, sport, communication and information systems. or those who are interested in the military side there s s ill at arms fieldcraft shooting and military knowledge courses. As cadets progress through the syllabus, they can gain promotion and attend courses to enable them to deliver training to younger, less experienced cadets.

Currently there are two wheelchair users in the Lincolnshire orce with a split of

Kate chats to officers from the Army and Sea Cadets, and a former Lord-Lieutenant Air Cadet

Tanholt Fire Wood

boys to 40% girls with 773 cadets across 28 locations, including Stamford.

The cadets meet one evening a week and would normally expect to attend three weekend camps per year, a 10-day annual summer camp and they can even go on expeditions abroad. The key thing is that it’s accessible to all children so there’s no cost to join, the uniform is provided free, on loan, by the Ministry of Defence and activities cost about £10 per day. This includes all transport, meals, accommodation and kit. If a child has free school meals they will often very discreetly be subsidised further. Currently Lincolnshire is the unit achieving the most of ualifications across the U . ith a enrolment fee and an average charge of £10 per day, a bronze award would cost approximately £55. It could be treble that through a school programme.

Sea Cadets

When you ask the members to describe the benefits of being part of the ar et arborough ea adets invariably the first answer they give is they feel they belong to one big, extended family. There are currently 56 cadets consisting of the Junior Cadets (9-12 years old), Sea Cadets (12-18) and Royal Marines Cadets (13-18). They frequently mix, with the older members guiding and providing support to the younger cadets.

Thirty eight year old xecutive O cer

Shane Daley has been with the Sea Cadets since the age of 13 when he trespassed on the regional premises in Northampton with a group of friends and tried to push a boat into the water. He’s been paying the service back ever since and is very glad to do so! He’s recently handed over the reins of ommanding O cer after a tenure of ten years but he s staying on to continue to o er

his many leadership and boat work skills to the next generation.

Market Harborough Sea Cadets operate out of Welland Park Academy alongside the Police Cadets; the Army Cadets are around the corner on Coventry Road. They meet weekly in the summer at the Union Wharf canal basin and regularly travel by bus to the regional boat station in Thrapston to learn aya ing canoeing sailing windsurfing rowing and powerboating. This sea cadet unit is the furthest away from the sea, but is reputedly a very active force on the water compared to the coastal units. The sea cadets access maritime skills such as boat work and navigation but if you have more tactical interests the Royal Marines cadets also focus on weapons training and fieldcraft. ou can also ta e part in some ying activities.

Just like the army and air cadets, the youngsters who join gain a sense of achievement grow in personal confidence and develop attributes such as teamwork, leadership and social skills. They can gain ualifications such as BT s of certificates and awards accredited by the national awarding bodies such as the British Canoeing Association. Their aim is to give their ‘younger members a greater headstart in life.’ And surely everyone wants that.

It is also an exciting organisation to be part of as an adult volunteer. They are actively recruiting for new volunteers to come

forward to be part of the team; previous military experience is a bonus, but adults with other skills such as teamwork or training experience are very warmly welcomed. And this call out is echoed by all the cadet forces. any of the cadet o cers who do the training are volunteers and they ma e a tremendous di erence putting in a lot of time to help out.

Then there is the Combined Cadet Force (CCF) which is funded and run entirely di erently at school level. Ten years ago there were approximately 250 CCF groups in independent schools and 100 units in state schools. Now, after an expansion programme there’s a long waiting list of state schools wanting to join. Locally, amongst others there are CCF units at Uppingham, Oakham, Oundle and Stamford, Welland Academy in Stamford and many of the schools in Peterborough and Corby.

Lord-Lieutenant’s cadets

Each year cadets are chosen on merit to act as representatives to the Lord-Lieutenant of each administrative county of England. To be chosen is seen as one of the highest achievements in the Cadet Forces.

Rutland’s Lord-Lieutenant Dr Sarah Furness will inaugurate cadets from the ACF, RAFAC and CCF at a special ceremony at Casterton College on October 12 at 6pm. She is very keen to encourage youngsters from all

'There are currently 56 cadets consisting of the Junior Cadets (9-12 years old), Sea Cadets (12-18) and Royal Marines Cadets (13-18).'

around the county to turn up on the evening and celebrate her new cadets but also to find out what amazing opportunities you’re given as a member of the cadet forces.

‘The great thing about the cadets,’ she says, ‘is it gives you a sense of being part of a team and you learn how to work with others. It helps with mental health resilience too as it gives young people a way of stepping outside the whole social media pressure. When they go o on camp they ac uire s ills get used to being away from home, gain independence and have fun.’

Research by the University of orthampton in shows that the benefits of becoming a cadet lasts a lifetime and are re ected in greater earning power even if you don’t go on to join the military. This impact is even more marked for cadets with economic and other disadvantages. Whilst there is no expectation that cadets will continue in the military, if they choose to, it has advantages. Joining the military is easier if you have been a cadet and it can be a way

of avoiding student debt as the Army, Navy or Air Force will pay tuition fees and give funds for training and trips during the holidays if you sign a contract to join up afterwards.

Thomas Menzies, a former LordLieutenant’s cadet, is currently at Birmingham University studying aerospace engineering. He joined 2248 Air Cadets utland uadron in Oa ham when he was 12 and gained many badges including bronze first aid bron e of master cadet blue leadership, blue gliding and blue aviation badges and, most prestigiously, the LordLieutenant’s cadet badge.

Being a Lord-Lieutenant’s cadet is a ceremonial role representing the cadet forces and accompanying the Lord-Lieutenant wherever she goes. Cadets like to show their faces in the community so enjoy participating in parades and ag raising ceremonies. Thomas was given many uni ue opportunities he wouldn’t normally have had as an ordinary cadet, such as attending all of

Sarah’s major ceremonies.

e told me that being a cadet definitely developed me as a person. I became more of a leader and more innovative. When you’re young you don’t normally get opportunities to lead your peers. Having had that experience early I realise I’m happy in a leadership role and so this year I’m the president of the Thai Boxing student society. I enjoy being part of an extended social group and organising the activities.’

Having had just a small insight into the world of the cadet forces, I can see the opportunities and benefits are huge. s an air cadet you can get a gliding licence from the age of 14 before you can even learn to drive a car! But more importantly, as Sarah succinctly put it: ‘Cadets are people who take responsibility; they look people in the eye.’

www.armycadets.com

www.sea-cadets.org

www.raf.mod.uk

www.combinedcadetforce.org.uk

'Being a LordLieutenant’s cadet is a ceremonial role representing the cadet forces and accompanying the Lord-Lieutenant wherever she goes.'

SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE

ILOVE SCOUTING around antique shops, bric a brac, second hand and pre loved shops; even what would have once been called junk shops. It’s fascinating to see what’s available, grabbing a bargain and marvelling that stu that was in your childhood home is now perceived to be trendy, and in some cases, valuable. I have never understood why you would want to go to somewhere like IKEA to buy a chest of drawers that you have to assemble yourself, pay a lot for and it’s not even particularly the best quality. Why wouldn’t you go to a pre loved shop and buy a Victorian chest of drawers usually for much less money; it’s already assembled and the wood is good quality. And most importantly,

that piece of furniture has character.

So, a lady after my own heart is Tracey Cox who owns Tracey’s Emporium on Station Road in Uppingham. Tracey has always loved a good rummage in a second hand shop and enjoyed spending time looking through junk shops with her father when she was a child. It’s obviously in her genes. And she has a really good eye for what will sell and what her customers will like. I rarely leave empty handed when I pop in to see her, temptation is never far away.

After a career as a sales negotiator for new homes when Tracey had her children she wanted bits for her own house so started to source them herself. ‘I knew I could buy second hand much cheaper than new and

also by doing this was stopping stu going into landfill and being wasted.

Very soon Tracey was sourcing more than she needed (and she’d got the bug) so started selling it on Facebook Marketplace. There is no doubt about it Tracey is good at sourcing lovely pre loved pieces, ‘it’s what I enjoy the most.’ This was in 2016 and the start of Tracey s new edgling venture which began to grow quite rapidly. It also meant she was able to be at home with the children. Before long she had taken on market stalls around the area trading five days a wee . he had ust been o ered a permanent pitch on tamford mar et (notoriously di cult to get after being a temporary trader when she was also o ered a permanent unit in orby indoor market.

‘I’d spent 18 months doing the markets and it had gone really well and I’d enjoyed them but standing outside in all weathers was beginning to take its toll. A unit came up in Corby’s indoor market and after considering it I knew it was perfect for me.’ This was in September 2018 and one unit quickly became four. Tracey sells everything for the house including furniture and home and interiors décor but does not sell large pieces such as beds, sofas and large wardrobes as ‘there’s only me and I can’t physically manage it.’ She doesn’t sell any electrical goods either apart from lamps which are all PAT tested. Furniture has always been what sells best,

There’s a shop in Uppingham which is stuffed to the brim with pre loved furniture and house décor. Mary meets the owner of Tracey’s Emporium

chests of drawers in particular.

Now that she had four units Tracey was finding the trading hours of orby s indoor mar et restricting. They didn t open on Sundays and closed at 4pm. Tracey wanted to have her own unit so that she could be more exible. wanted a place of my own with a roller shutter door so that if wanted to still be here at pm could be. orting everything out ta es time and pm was too

rigid for me.

The unit in Uppingham was perfect for Tracey so she took it on. And then of course ovid struc and we went into loc downs. didn t now what to do as had to stop trading. But decided to push on and refurbished the place decorated and once could started restoc ing. One of the good things to come from the loc downs is that many auction houses still operate remotely so can bid online and then pic up stoc later rather than have to actually attend the auction. s m a sole trader this really wor s well for me.

s said Tracey really does have a good eye and knows her customers really well so nows what they will buy. y ethos is to ma e a small profit on every item and have a good turnover and it really wor s for me. Tracey sells lots of mirrors and storage items are always popular. And customers know they will uite often find something unusual and uni ue in Tracey s unit they always find a home . f you want a life si e model of arilyn onroe Tracey has one as well as lots of coloured glass (her favourite interesting signage and even old ashtrays and whis y ugs which are always popular. nd there are new things as well. any of Tracey s signs are new and very collectible.

Tracey very cleverly marketed her stock as pre loved rather than second hand. Pre loved seems more acceptable to people and

particularly now it means they are saving a piece of furniture from landfill and being scrapped. ustomers are much more aware of sustainability and by buying pre loved you are doing your bit for the environment as well as bagging a bargain and buying a lovely piece of furniture or something for the house which is good uality. Television shows extolling the virtues of pre loved furniture have made shops li e Tracey s even more popular and she s finding that her customer base is getting younger as traditionally it was middle aged people who appreciated the value of pre loved. Not any longer. People moving into their first home now come to me for furniture and interior furnishings. nd money is tight so it all helps. Tracey also has a very active and popular aceboo page so sells a lot of stu that way. She puts it on the site and people snap it up. Tracey also has a van and delivers locally with eggie the pug (Tracey s constant companion often riding shotgun.

Tracey can source for you as well so do chat to her if you are loo ing for something specific. he s nowledgeable and has that very good eye. Pop in and say hello doubt you ll leave empty handed.

Tracey is open from Wednesday to Sunday. Follow her on Facebook Tracey’s Emporium The shop is at Fernie Court, Station Road, Uppingham. 01572 729998.

The Filling in the Sandwich

Two Stamford entrepreneurs have launched a new business, Enviroland Ltd. Mary chats with them to find out all about it

TOM HELLIWELL AND ain owner are probably familiar names around Stamford. School mates from tamford chool they went on to launch lass in an award winning planning and architecture business based in tamford and have now founded nviroland. s they deal with planning developers and local authorities as part of their lass business ain and Tom were aware that an nvironment ct passed in is being implemented in ovember

. This ct ma es it a national re uirement in ngland that every development over residential properties commercial too must provide a gain in biodiversity to improve habitats. ome local authorities are as ing for an even higher percentage gain. nd by pril almost every development however small will have to demonstrate this gain as well.

The two year transition period has now come to an end so this condition of planning be it green or brownfield is now to be implemented. The government realises that not all developments would be able to fulfil this re uirement on site. onse uently to prevent a slowdown in home construction landowners have an opportunity to improve the ecological value of their land and sell the generated biodiversity units to developers who need to o set biodiversity losses on their development sites.

But of course marrying the two together can be a problem. nviroland is the filling between the sandwich you could say.

ouses need to be built and commercial premises too says ain but the environment needs to be protected as well so this net gain in biodiversity is going to be really beneficial. very development must compensate any loss of habitat by a minimum net gain. nd this can only be a good thing.

This means that every ma or planning application from ovember will need to be assessed by an ecologist who will wor to a standard metric designated by . t doesn t matter if it is brown or greenfield this ecologist will have to wor out what the gain is and how many biodiversity units will be needed and it s the same standard throughout the country. ome developments will provide their gains on site but certainly not all of them. nd some developers will decide it s more profitable or practical to buy biodiversity units from a local landowner. Local authorities are very een that developers eep the gain within their administrative area which ma es sense.

e were aware that the ct was coming into force very soon says Tom and wanted to find out more about it but there didn t seem to be any answers. e realised we were in the perfect position as we have a good landowner networ through lass and also have the necessary planning nowledge. t made sense to us and it would mean that any developer coming to us for planning advice could also be assisted with their biodiversity net gain re uirements.

nviroland is providing the service of bringing developers and landowners together. They are signing up estate owners farmers and landowners to provide a habitat ban of biodiversity units. nterested landowners must commit their land for a term of years and sign up to ta e their land out of food production. mprovements to habitats may include planting trees and hedges poc ets of scrub wild ower meadows and even putting in ponds. Landowners must also commit to maintain these enhanced areas of land for years so it is a big commitment. nd of course it s a perfect way for landowners to diversify and increase income.

nviroland does not encourage landowners to put their whole

farms into biodiversity net gain schemes, in fact they will be actively discouraged to do this. ue to the financial potential of biodiversity net gain schemes, many landowners will come out of the Countryside tewardship cheme (they can t do both whilst others will give small poc ets of land to create biodiversity units. ain and Tom are attracting a great deal of interest from landowners from London to arlisle to orfol including large estates landowners farmers and local authorities across the country. They plan to have acres signed up for exclusive use by nviroland by ovember. n ecologist will assess the land on o er and wor ing to regulations will wor out how many biodiversity units can be created on each parcel of land.

ecreational pressures can ma e biodiversity net gain challenging so municipal par s or sports fields will not typically be included. Once schemes are implemented access to the land is limited for obvious reasons wildlife will have a peaceful undisturbed habitat.

Landowners will usually be paid for the value of the unit per annum multiplied by years so interest is high. This might mean that if the land is sold the as ing price is lower because of course the new owner must carry on the year commitment but the original landowner will have had the received significant returns for the units so can absorb the lower land price.

nviroland will be the bro er between developer and landowner and will also ma e sure that environmental responsibilities are adhered to. They will manage the biodiversity implementation on site if need be but most landowners will be able to and will prefer to manage it themselves. nviroland will provide the ecological survey and enhancement plan register the land on behalf of the landowner and then bro er the sale between developer and landowner.

This is all very new so prices per unit are still being wor ed out as are the unit re uirements pre and post development but everything is moving fast. t has to ovember is not far away The value of the units will ultimately be decided by supply and demand when everything settles down and gets established.

f you are interested as a landowner get in touch with nviroland and ta e the eligibility test which is on their website. nd developers are encouraged to get in touch too as Tom and ain and nviroland can o er advice about planning and biodiversity units and bro er introductions.

www.enviroland.co.uk

Outdoor living

Kate talks to Ben Freeman of Freeman Landscaping and fi nds out why he’s just the man for your landscaping jobs

TWENTY YEARS AGO when Ben started his landscaping business, we didn’t know much about ‘outdoor living’ in this country. We may have had a patio area, a water feature, even a summer house, but nowadays many people have dedicated, all weather, outdoor areas on their properties where they cook, eat, drink, read, play games and watch TV. He’s currently building an outdoor art room for a customer who loves the outdoor light and has a fantastic view over the Nene that she wants to take advantage of. Instead of just a few infrequent balmy summer evenings a year, people can now sit outside until much later in the evening if they have the structures in place to make it as easy and comfortable as possible.

Ben does all kinds of hard landscaping work, small and large, from a complete site clearance and rebuild to a small refresh of existing features. He also has a designer who advises on planting schemes. very ob is di erent Ben told me. ou

start with a bare scape and then my client and I put our own personalities into it. We have long preliminary discussions and look at a range of materials and go from there. We either work from sketches or I have detailed plans drawn up.’

Ben and his team will create or remove seating areas, lawns, borders, walls, fences, raised beds. He often works on new build properties which he finds really interesting as it’s a completely blank canvas. Other clients don’t like the existing features in their gardens and want a change. ll o er them ideas, they might have their own too and so we come to a design together.’

Local materials

He comes from a farming background; his grandparents used to own the land on what is now Tallington Lakes. His parents are farmers and his father set up an aggregates business selling sand, gravel, topsoil and turf to landscapers. And they still do. What Ben doesn’t know about materials is probably not worth knowing. He always takes samples to the clients such as stone, paving and wood so they can feel and touch what they’re getting. He tends to use local materials unless the clients have other ideas such as outdoor marble which is very popular right now.

ood e ect aluminium pergolas and shutters are another huge trend as they’re easy to care for, lightweight, and to the naked eye you wouldn’t know they’re not wood. Similarly, composite decking is often used now instead of wooden decking as composite lasts forever and wood can be a slip hazard.

Personally Ben likes simple, linear lines with symmetry so the design ows inside to out, ‘but obviously the customer is always

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right. I will tell them if I don’t agree with their choices and give them the reasons why but ultimately it’s their decision.

‘I thrive on my reputation. If you’re honest and truthful and you do a job like you’d want it doing at your own home then people appreciate that. And I have to be prepared to make changes half way through a project if it doesn’t seem right. I would never just push through with the original plans if, for some reason, they weren’t working.’

Since Covid and people working from home more they’re looking at their outside space with a more critical eye. And many realise that by adding more to your space, it adds value to your property.

‘I often say, less is more,’ Ben told me. ‘I work a lot with families and retired people who want simplicity: a formal seating area where you can eat, then an area where you can sit to read and relax, with very little work to do when you go outside. If people don’t have the luxury of a large garden, I do smaller spaces and can make a lot of di erence regardless of si e. ou can elongate gardens with natural, simple ideas. ou can easily ma e things loo much better quite quickly.’ Some people have no shade in their garden so he would build a pagoda or put up a shield that comes out from the house. Others have courtyard gardens and have planted a massive amount of evergreen plants that now swallow the whole space. Ben can sort that out too.

Picture this

‘It’s helpful to have a picture in your head of how you’d like your space to be and I’d always advise to do it in stages. Do the hard landscaping first the paving planters raised beds then the heating, lighting and planting.’

When I asked him what his garden was like, he admitted his wife has taken over. ‘Ours is a very busy country garden with lots of owers and colour and di erent spaces. It’s like the Forth Bridge, it takes a lot of work.’

Ben never knows what his next job will be ‘which keeps me going. It gives me variety and invigorates the mind and I’m lucky to have a passion for what I do. Most of my work is either through recommendation and people having seen what I’ve done, and knowing they can trust me. Being honest and as straightforward as possible, having proper conversations up front and not wasting people’s time, that’s key to my business.’

For details visit www.freemanlandscaping.co.uk

'If people don’t have the luxury of a large garden, I do smaller spaces and can make a lot of difference regardless of size.'

‘Learn new skills in an environment humming with inspiration’

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Explore where John Clare lived and worked, a shop with local crafts, beautiful gardens and relaxed café serving homemade scones, cakes and soups

Explore where John Clare lived and worked, a shop with local crafts, beautiful gardens and relaxed café serving homemade scones, cakes and soups

Explore where John Clare l and worked, a shop with lo crafts, beautiful gardens an relaxed café serving homem scones, cakes and soups

Open Mondays and Thursdays 10am until 3pm.

Open Mondays and Thursdays 10am until 3pm.

Open Mondays and Thursda 10am until 3pm.

Private Hire and Group Bookings

Private Hire and Group Bookings welcome.

Private Hire and Group Bookings welcome.

Private Hire and Group Boo welcome.

Clare Cottage, 12 Woodgate, Helpston, Peterborough. PE6 7ED.

Clare Cottage, 12 Woodgate, Helpston, Peterborough. PE6 7ED.

www.clarecottage.org

are Cottage, 12 Woodgate, Helpston, terborough. PE6 7ED. 01733 253330 Email: info@clarecottage.org

Tel: 01733 253330 Email: info@clarecottage.org

Clare Cottage, 12 Woodgate, Helpston, Peterborough. PE6 7ED.

Tel: 01733 253330 Email: info@clarecottage.org

Tel: 01733 253330 Email: info@clarecottage.org

www.clarecottage.org

www.clarecottage.org

Physio for all

Physiotherapist Jake Showler of Showler

Physiotherapy has recently opened a clinic in Stamford. Mary meets him

JAKE SHOWLER GRADUATED as a chartered physiotherapist in 2017 in Leeds and returned home to work in Stamford hospital mainly dealing with outpatients who were recovering from surgery and injuries. After a few years when he realised he could make a bigger impact on people’s lives by working privately, he joined the family business established over 25 years ago in Peterborough as a partner and set up a clinic in Ketton that ran alongside the other branch which is still in Peterborough. ‘But I always had my eye on Stamford as it’s such a lovely place,’ he told me, ‘and most of my patients live here, so it just made sense. The room at Assembo became available and it was perfect for me so I made the move into town and am so pleased I did. Most of my patients can walk to see me and I’ve got a really good set up here.’

Jake’s business has grown mainly through word of mouth and recommendations and he treats all patients with musculoskeletal problems including back pain. He is able to diagnose problems and then treat them. His treatment is mainly hands on but will include advice and specific exercises that the patient can do at home. s an ex semi-professional footballer and now a very keen marathon and ultra

marathon runner who also does triathlons he knows what he’s talking about when it comes to sports injuries as well and is always very keen to help people keep doing what they love. ‘To be told to stop running or playing a sport which they have a passion for just makes people miserable.’

As well as elderly people with joint problems including arthritis and joint replacements he does a lot of paediatric work as well, dealing mainly with sports injuries. Anything to do with the muscles, joints and bones, Jake can help. He also treats a lot of patients with back and neck pain which is often associated with working from home - think laptop open on the sofa, lack of movement during the day and bad posture. Jake is very proud that Showler Physiotherapy is the highest rated physiotherapy clinic by Google in the region.

‘I prioritise keeping patients doing what they love whether this be running, walking the dog or living life without pain.’

www.showlerphysiotherapy.co.uk

'Jake’s business has grown mainly through word of mouth and recommendations and he treats all patients with musculoskeletal problems including back pain.'

WILL’S

Where the bears roam free

Walking in Transylvania is full of adventure, as Will Hetherington discovered in June

Transylvania is full of stunning scenes like this.

The hilltop village of Magura is an oasis of bucolic charm.

‘There is a fairytale castle here, which was built in the 14th century to police the mountain pass between Wallachia and Transylvania.’

WHY ROMANIA? WHEN I walked the Camino to Santiago de Compostela in northern pain in met Andrea who told me all about the Carpathian Mountains in her home country. I liked the sound of this range of high peaks with abundant wild ower meadows where bears, eagles and wolves thrive and the wine pours freely. The embryo of an idea was formed, and it steadily grew over the years. When we were trying to decide where to go on holiday this year I mentioned it and the idea received the stamp of approval, so we boo ed our ights in and out of Bucharest and worked out the rest from there. It felt like an adventure and so it turned out.

The capital city is not in Transylvania, lying as it does on the at plain that ma es up the region of Wallachia. After a couple of days in the big smoke we took the two and half hour train from the Gare de Nord to Brasov. uring the ourney the at lands and fertile arable fields gave way to rolling foothills and dense woodland as the train slowly ascended into the southern edge of the Carpathians. Before long we could see patches of snow settled into hollows near the tops, and this was the middle of June. The highest point in omania is more than metres so these are serious mountains.

Sound the alarm

To reinforce the idea we were very much in new territory, as we passed the little town of Predeal most of the mobile phones in our carriage started buzzing. This seemed odd until we also received the phone alarm that a bear had been spotted walking down Predeal high street and everyone was advised to stay indoors and keep pets out of the way. It all seemed so exotic – here we were on a train full of people speaking a language that sounds Italian but really isn’t, heading to a place we had never heard of just a few months previously, and receiving warning messages about bears in the street. Little did

we know how apt that moment was.

The centre of Brasov sits in a bowl high up in the Carpathians and the city sprawls out on to the plateau to the north. It has a population of nearly so it s bigger than Peterborough and it felt like it as we took a taxi from the railway station to the incredibly pretty centre. If you stand in the main square and look around you would be forgiven for thinking you were in Bavaria.

ost of the fortified settlements in this region were built by Saxons who had traipsed from north west Europe to use their s ills in creating fortified towns and churches to repel the Tatar and Mongol invaders from the east. Brasov is still also called Kronstadt today while Transylvania is also known as the Siebenburgen. There is a long history of invasion and regime change in this part of eastern Europe, but there is no denying the lasting mark left by the German builders in the numerous pretty towns and villages.

Taking a wrong turn

After a night in Brasov the mountains beckoned, and we were whisked to the village of Bran where we would begin our walking adventure. There is a fairytale castle here, which was built in the 14th century to police the mountain pass between Wallachia and Transylvania. It was also a favourite of Queen Marie, the last queen of Romania who was also a granddaughter of Queen Victoria. Today it is an imposing sight and a magnetic tourist attraction.

For us it was also the gateway to exploring the region on foot, and we were soon heading uphill in dense woodland. Our route included five days of wal ing staying at di erent guest houses every night (apart from one two-night stay in the middle) and was designed to cover a range of terrain from rolling hills and wooded valleys to ravines and steep climbs to mountain huts.

On paper the distances didn’t look too daunting ( miles a day on average but it s rarely that simple. Let me take you back to that dense woodland. Having left the last vestiges of the settlement of Bran behind we passed a sign indicating we were heading in to the Bucegi Park. This sign was adorned with cute images of a Paddingtonesque bear with his little knapsack and cap. Misleading.

After the sign we started to go uphill very steeply on the sort of mountain mud track where you might expect to see BMX bikers careering downhill. It was hard but we persevered and eventually came to a crossing in a glade where we made our big mistake. Actually it turned out we had already made our big mistake and missed a turn further back, so we weren’t at the same glade referred to in our instructions. We also had a GPS route to follow and after some deliberation we thought if we carried on in roughly the right direction the trail would probably re-join the one we needed.

Bran Castle was loved by Marie, the last Queen of Romania who was a granddaughter of Queen Victoria.

Transylvania

woods.

A close encounter

After a few more minutes of generally uphill travel, for some reason I was in front for once and I realised the path was gradually petering out to nothing as it climbed ahead towards some dense bushes. I was just about to break the bad news that we were going to have to retrace our steps when I looked ahead one more time only to see a large mammal, the like of which I have never seen before, 50 yards ahead standing broadside on the track on all fours. Remember that Paddingtonesque bear from the sign – like I said misleading. This male brown bear (ursus arctos - I have done my research now) was approximately four times my size. Even on all fours I could see the immense size of its powerful limbs and giant torso and could only imagine what it would look like stood on its hind legs. As I saw the gigantic animal it almost instantaneously blended into the woodland scene behind, and was gone from sight in a silent instant.

What do you do when you encounter a bear? I spun around instantly and said: ‘Turn and walk now!’ There was obviously a convincing look on my face because there was no demand for explanation. To emphasise my point our new ursine friend sent out some warning grunts and snu es from his hideaway as if to say: ‘All three of us know you two are on the wrong track –leave now and I may overlook it. Persist and see what you get.’

It was enough for both of us. We did our best impression of those odd people who go race walking to backtrack half a mile to the peaceful mountain glade where it all went wrong in the first place. loo ed over my shoulder on average every two seconds but we were safe. On initial sight had that dreaded feeling one gets during a car crash or similar dangerous accident. In an instant I knew this powerful animal could tear me apart in seconds – and it would be me by the way. If I was a bear faced with the two of us I would definitely go for the slower moving one with more meat on it.

What else can I tell you about this incident? It was an unplanned and unexpected adrenaline rush. A scary

privilege and an unexpected outcome of taking a wrong turn. We were lucky it didn’t want to discuss things more seriously and we were also luc y to see such a magnificent animal in its natural habitat. The densely wooded slopes of the Carpathian Mountains had already delivered more than we could have wished, and it wasn’t even midday on our first morning. Oh and don t fall for the cute little pictures on the signs like I did.

After the close encounter with the giant, hairy mammal the rest of our walking on day one was arduous but largely unremarkable until the final descent from the mountains towards the holiday village of Moiecu de Sus. As we emerged from the woodland high above the rooftops below all we could see in between was wild ower meadows covering the whole mountain side. It was like a scene from Heidi as we dropped fast through these colourful fields which could have been painted by Monet, and it was pure vindication for visiting in June. By the time that first cold beer was in hand in the village the bear seemed a distant memory from the dar woods in a di erent land.

The jewel of the mountains

We reached the linear village of Magura at the end of our second day of walking, which was another tough one with a lot of undulation. It sits near the base of the Piatra Craiului ridge high above and it is almost like a museum of life in the Transylvanian

The bears do not look like this.

Just one of many peaceful paths through the

An independent day prep school welcoming girls and boys aged 4-13.

countryside. We had a two-night stay in a basic guesthouse where we were fed breakfast and dinner and there was wine in jugs for the brave. The village itself consists of a string of smallholdings where the main daily activity in June appears to be to laboriously transfer all the hay from the barn to the field surrounding it by pitchfor so it can dry out, only to then frantically rush to get it all back in again when it rains, which it does frequently at this time of year. When the weather appears set fair for a few hours the scythes come out to make some more hay to add to the pile. Occasionally the scene is interrupted by a horse and cart trotting past with little more than a touch of the hat from the driver to the wor ers in the hay fields. This Poldarkian scene is slightly mesmerising and, apart from the incongruously anachronistic nature, it’s also notable for the lack of engine noise. There are few mowers, strimmers and tractors and the cumulative e ect is of overwhelming tranquility. But fear not there is a bar serving cold beer in the only place in town, which conveniently has a terrace with grandstand views of the bucolic scenes below.

Canines on the trail

During the rest of our time hiking in Transylvania nothing could quite reach the excitement levels of the bear, however other highlights included the Zarnesti Gorge – a tremendous natural fissure in the roc s wide enough for an access track for the mountains high above in the Piatra Craiului National Park. As we were about to leave this gorge for the steep track through the woods up to the Cabana Curmutura (mountain hut) we were left dumbfounded by four identical large dogs that looked somewhere between a wolf, a collie, a German Shepherd and a St Bernard. They came trotting down the track one by one and then headed o into the gorge beyond without even saying good day. They were totally unaccompanied and didn’t even waste a glance at us. Their behaviour was entirely reminiscent of a security patrol, but we noticed a wooden bar hanging from their collars and we were able to ascertain later they are livestock guarding dogs. These wooden bars are called dangle sticks and are designed to slow the dogs down should they feel the urge to go chasing deer or any other prey. Even though we didn’t know what their role was when we first saw them the dangle stick helped to make it clear to us they were not entirely wild. To be completely ignored by four large dogs on patrol was another new experience but oddly reassuring.

On the topic of dogs, I am dutybound to mention that if you have a fear of them generally then this part of the world may not be the best place for you to go walking. The paths pass many houses and smallholdings in the countryside and almost all of them have dogs which come out to usher you past. Some bark a bit and some pay close attention

and even though they are all domesticated they are not tethered.

Beyond the walking

After the Zarnesti Gorge and another day of wal ing we finished our pedestrian adventure back in Brasov where there are plentiful fine restaurants and bars to relax after six hard days in the mountains. Romania is part of the EU but has retained its own currency, the lei, so it does represent good value for visitors from the UK at roughly half price. An excellent dinner for two with ample drinks in the best restaurant in Brasov costs about £70, which softens the blow after those physically demanding uphill yards. It’s also worth noting that the wine (red and white) in the restaurants and bars in the bigger towns and cities is generally superb. I can’t say the same for the guesthouses in the back of beyond but what would you expect?

We hired a car for £35 a day to explore a bit more of the area and found ourselves in the stunning fortress town of Sighisoara,

which was also built by the Saxons. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site and so it should be, with its incredible position and almost completely intact defensive wall complete with towers named after the di erent trades in the town hence the Tinsmiths’ Tower and the Ropemakers’ Tower. It’s well worth a day or two and we stayed in a four-room suite in the bewitchingly Germanic Taschler House just outside the town wall. With metre thick stone walls this old bakery remains surprisingly cool even in the heat of the Eastern European afternoon, and it even has its own mini German beer garden hidden away from the masses. There are many more places to explore in Transylvania but they will have to wait until next time.

If you are wondering why I haven’t mentioned Dracula it’s because Bram Stoker made him up, having never even visited Romania. There are some tourist shops linked to the story but otherwise you may or may not be disappointed to learn the infamous vampire doesn’t feature heavily in Transylvanian life. If you are a big fan you can let your imagination do the work, but I would suggest there is plenty to see here without worrying about Mr Stoker’s creation.

i ir now ies direct to Brasov from Luton, making Transylvania extremely accessible.

Zarnesti Gorge made for an impressive start to day four.

The beautiful main square in Brasov.

Active Kids

Two schools merge

ON TUESDAY 5 September the Stamford Schools became co-educational at all stages as Stamford High School and Stamford School merged.

The senior school from Years 7-10 will be taught in coeducational classes at all stages at the St Paul’s site. Years 12 and 13 are now based at the newly refurbished sixth form at St Martin’s, formerly Stamford High School. Year 11 students, who are midway through their GCSE courses, remain in single sex classes on their current sites. From September 2024, Stamford School will be fully co-educational in every year group.

Will Phelan, Principal of the Stamford Schools, which incorporates the Stamford Junior School, Stamford School and Stamford Sixth Form, comments: ‘This is such an exciting time for all our Schools, particularly the senior school where children will learn in co-educational lessons from 11 – 16. In 1997 Dr Peter Mason, our Principal at the time, opened our co-educational sixth form. We are now completing what he started by merging to co-educational learning at all stages.’

Tom Cartledge, Chair of Governors for Stamford Endowed Schools, said: ‘The leadership of the school took the brave but absolutely right decision to create a co-ed school providing outstanding opportunities for our students to succeed. This year represents a great moment for all our community - parents, teachers and pupils - to come together and celebrate this new chapter in our story - let’s make it happen!’

Showjumping pupils

BROOKE PRIORY SCHOOL were proudly represented by Eliza, Annabel, Lauren and Archie over the August Bank Holiday weekend. They took part in the Fernie Pony club team show jumping event, representing Cottesmore PC.

All of the children, including George who was also competing, did a super job. Congratulations!

Entrepreneurial pupils

WILLIAM AUSTEN, HEAD of Witham Hall, was delighted to be presented with a business plan from four entrepreneurial Year 7 pupils for ‘The Snack Shack,’ a pupil-run, mobile tuck shop at Witham Hall. Will, James, Ted and Harry pitched their idea to sell sweets to their fellow pupils at school events and worked with the assistant head, Mr Erskine-Naylor, to develop their marketing plan, logistics, inventory and social responsibility plan. They successfully set up shop and sold an enormous number of sweets at the Witham Hall charity Fun Run, the proceeds of which were donated to the school charity, Tommy’s Arc.

The boys’ business acumen was channelled for good, and their efforts were recognised at Speech Day jointly accepting the Chairman’s Shield for Contribution to Charity. Witham Hall looks forward to many more visits to the Snack Shack.

Image: Harriet Allen

Two years in a row

THE ANNUAL LTA Hunstanton Tennis tournament is held in the town in Norfolk every summer in August. Hundreds enter each year, from all age groups and from many different clubs and schools. Contestants come from far afield and have various different rankings and abilities.

Friends Alfie Rymer and Millie Spilsbury, both pupils at Uppingham School and local to the area won the U14 mixed doubles for the second year running. Well done!

New sports coach at Leicester High

SAM TRATT HAS joined Leicester High School for Girls in the PE department as the new sports coach. With a background in coaching and a passion for promoting physical education and enrichment activities, Sam is ready to create a positive shift in the school’s sports program.

Sam’s impressive coaching journey includes spending five years working at St Mary’s Hinckley, coaching various sports including hockey. Outside of school, after three years coaching National League hockey, he is currently coaching a local ladies’ team. Additionally, he is the manager of a women’s football team.

In addition to sports coaching, Sam is also set to manage enrichment activities aimed at improving students’ overall health including outdoor adventures.

Two new appointments for Oakham

OAKHAM SCHOOL HAS appointed two ex-professional sportsmen to senior positions in its sports department. Rupert Harden has been appointed director of rugby and ex Oakhamian, Tom Fell has joined as head of cricket development.

As a player, Rupert enjoyed a successful professional rugby career. After progressing through the Newcastle Falcons Academy, he played for Gloucester and Benetton Treviso. He also featured in the senior England squad under Stuart Lancaster for a tour of South Africa in 2012.

Fell, meanwhile, enjoyed a successful professional cricket career as a right-handed batsman, representing Worcestershire for nine years and playing 97 first-class games for his county.

As an Old Oakhamian, Tom holds the accolade of being the School’s 1st XI all-time record run-scorer. In his last year at Oakham, he recorded eight successive scores of 50 or more runs, including two centuries.

ActiveBody

EDITED BY KATE MAXIM

Lifestyle causes

Tired all the time

Experts at myGP have explored the reasons behind constant weariness and when you should contact your GP

EVERYONE FEELS TIRED from time to time. But for some people, this feeling is very frequent, to the point that it even has its own acronym – TATT, or ‘tired all the time’. According to YouGov, one in eight Britons (13%) live in a state of permanent exhaustion, while 25% of the population is weary ‘most of the time.’ Only 3% of Brits say they are always ready to crack on with their day-to-day life fully energised!

There may be several reasons why a night’s sleep doesn’t recharge your body as it should. This could be down to psychological factors, physical and health conditions, and lifestyle habits.

Psychological causes

Poor mental health is one of the most common causes of tiredness and fatigue as it can lead to conditions such as insomnia or simply hinder the quality of your sleep, which can in turn cause daytime drowsiness.

Distressing or shocking life events can have an impact on your ability to rest and sleep properly, making you feel exhausted for days, if not weeks. Stress is a fatigue-inducing factor too. This doesn’t have to mean problems at wor or with finances even happy events li e getting married, starting your dream job and moving house come with their fair share of stress. Both anxiety and depression are closely linked to chronic fatigue. These two conditions can have a negative in uence on energy levels even if you manage to get the recommended eight hours of sleep.

Physical and health-related causes

There are many di erent physical conditions and health related causes that may show constant tiredness as a prime symptom. These include:

Sleep apnoea, when your breathing starts and stops when you’re sleeping, meaning you will struggle to get a good night’s rest on a regular basis, causing deep fatigue during the day.

Anaemia is a condition where your body lacks iron and produces fewer healthy red blood cells to carry oxygen to organs and tissues. This is a common condition that, among other symptoms such as dizziness, weakness and pale skin, has tiredness as one of its main consequences.

enopause is also a ma or factor in sleep di culties. This is because hormones change significantly over this time leading to hot ushes and sweats that either wa e you up at night or ma e it di cult to fall asleep in the first place.

Everyone has their very own routine, which can have a knock on e ect on tiredness levels. f you wor night shifts for example you may end up getting tired more easily, especially if your slots alter from one week to the next. Likewise, if you are constantly busy, it’s easy to get into the habit of drin ing co ee tea and energy drinks regularly to temporarily boost your activity levels. However, these all contain ca eine which is a stimulant that can disrupt your sleep pattern. The same is true with alcohol.

Some of the most prevalent disadvantages of being tired all the time are memory and concentration issues, mood changes and reduced immunity.

During sleep, your brain goes through complex processes to help you remember and retain information. Restless nights, which provoke fatigue can negatively a ect both your short and long term memory. Likewise, drowsiness can cause trouble when it comes to thin ing and concentrating. f you often feel tired you may find that your creative and problem-solving skills are below par on a regular basis. Being tired can make you very moody and quicktempered and, if this sense of fatigue persists, could result in more serious conditions in the long term such as anxiety and depression. Constant tiredness also goes hand-inhand with a wea ened immune system. f it doesn t wor as well as it should you are more li ely catch colds and u.

When should you see a doctor?

f you realise your tiredness is triggered by poor sleep hygiene such as exposure to screens before bedtime, going to bed too late, a warm bedroom, etc, you can change your night routines yourself and won’t need to see a healthcare professional. But if tiredness continues to be a problem, Dr Leyland, Clinical Advisor at myGP says you should pay your doctor a visit.

‘Fatigue can result in slower reactions, reduced ability to process information, memory lapses, absent-mindedness and reduced co-ordination. These can lead to accidents or reduced productivity, for example at work. Where possible you should consider lifestyle changes to improve sleep but seek advice from your GP if tiredness symptoms persist. There may be an underlying health issue.’

While tiredness is a very common trait, it can hide other conditions that need nipping in the bud. Tiredness can, therefore, be a motivating factor in acting rather than waiting for other more serious conditions to develop.

www.mygp.com

You are never too old

Sarah

NE OF THE many privileges in my life as a physiotherapist is being invited to help people in their homes. This can range from those who have recently had surgery so are unable to get to the clinic, to those who are more infirm and need some support to stay safe in their homes. I also visit a few people in care homes, some to help get them back to their own home as they recover from hospital stays following illness, falls and surgery.

I really do think that older people can be written o their age seen first and assumptions then made. So, although it may sound a bit trite, I do try and see people as they are, as they were, and still with the dreams and hopes that we all have. There was a wonderful exhibition a few years ago called e ections where Tom ussey photographed older people but with the re ection in the mirror in front of them being a photograph of them in their prime, often in Forces uniform with their futures ahead of them. Such a fantastic image and a good reminder of who people still are even when infirm.

Working with someone in their home can o er an insight into how they manage day to day. Watching someone refuse a walking aid but then use every piece of furniture to grab hold of as they walk around a room helps to see the wider picture and to then o er help appropriately. Doing squats and lunges while holding onto the Aga rail is a common exercise!

The recommendations for those over 65 are that each week they should be doing 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity such as brisk walking, in bouts of 10 minutes or more.

Those who are already pretty active can achieve the same benefit with minutes of vigorous activity such as running, fast cycling and stair climbing.

Muscle strengthening work should be done twice a week. Body weight may be enough and include squats, weight lifting (which could include carrying shopping), hopping and stepping to improve bone density.

Unfortunately falls can be a major problem for older people so working on balance and co-ordination is vital. Simple ways such as standing on one leg while cleaning teeth is one idea. Tai chi and yoga are also of great benefit.

Four simple exercises done daily can help to start the process. Standing on tip toes at least 10 times, standing on one leg for 10 seconds, going from sitting in a chair to standing and sitting again 10 times and walking with one foot in front of the other as if on a tightrope for 10 steps will work many

muscle groups and can be done by most people.

or those who are more infirm exercising while seated is a great way to improve fitness and maintain and build strength. And at the other end of the spectrum we all know people in their seventies and older who still go to the gym, dance and run, even marathons. Swimming is a popular way to exercise and swimming outdoors attracts everyone, you are never too old.

There was a wonderful advert which showed a frail, elderly gentleman dragging a ettlebell across the oor. ach day he lifted the weight a little more and walked a little more as his friends and family raised their eyebrows in concern. Then Christmas Day came and he was able to lift his granddaughter so that she could place the star on the top of their Christmas tree. What better reason could there be to stay fit and strong?

To contact Sarah ring 07780 900201.

Old age does not need to be a barrier to keeping active. Physiotherapist

Babbs explains

Explore with Will’s Walks Explore with Will’s Walks

Enjoy walks around Stamford and Rutland, exploring towns, villages and the open countryside. Some shorter walks of up to four miles and then some real leg stretchers which will tire you and the dog out.

Available at www.theactivemag.com or from local stockists

ActiveSport

Padel tennis, a growing sport

Combine padel tennis with a weekend break

WE HAVE FEATURED padel tennis before when Kate played on the courts at Market Harborough cricket, squash and padel club a few years ago. Since then we’ve been watching how padel has become one of the fastest-growing sports in the world with over 25 million people playing worldwide. David Beckham, Andy Murray and Rafa Nadal are reported to be among its newest converts.

There are over 250 padel courts across the UK and Ireland and that number is increasing but so far in our area, it’s only in Market Harborough where can you play. For that reason many people are now booking holidays to places with courts so they can use their downtime to learn a new game or improve on their existing skills.

As padel tennis originated in Mexico it’s no surprise the game is huge in South and Central America but it’s also the second largest sport in Spain in terms of numbers of people playing. And if Spain is too far, there is now a dedicated indoor Padel Club at the 19th century castle hotel Adare Manor in County Limerick, Ireland.

Club Manager Gerry O’Halloran told us they regularly welcome families and guests who are familiar with the sport and want to battle it out on the court. But they also have a lot of clients who reserve lessons with their fully ualified instructors because they re ta ing it up for the first time.

Padel tennis is always played in doubles and is suitable for all ages and abilities to play. As it’s considered to be a slightly slower racket sport in comparison to tennis it therefore becomes that little bit more en oyable as you get older. huge benefit of padel is the increase in aerobic capacity and therefore fitness while also alleviating stress. Similarly, padel is a relatively simple game to understand, making it an easier game to play and improve in. Gerry says, ‘we’ve seen clients that have never played a racket sport but after a couple of lessons with our instructors they were comfortably able to do all the di erent types of shots and movements in the game.’ This means rallies are more achievable early on.

Sensibly, as the Irish weather is notoriously unpredictable they built their courts indoor rather than outdoor. And as it’s the third of the size of a tennis court, it’s easier to get around and, with four walls, it means speed and accuracy are key components of the game.

Currently the Padel Club, Adare Manor is open to residents only. www.adaremanor.com

For details of the different racket sports memberships and coaching in Market Harborough visit www.harboroughcsc.co.uk

Top Southern European cycle routes

What could be better than a European cycle ride through stunning scenery, taking in the local cuisine along the way?

IN AN ERA where health and well-being take centre stage, many people are choosing breaks packed with adventure and exploration instead of the more traditional ‘stay and lay’ trips and they can be enjoyed all year round. Wizz Air has discovered the latest must-try cycling holidays.

Nice (France)

Famed for its iconic Riviera, Nice is equally renowned for its cycling routes, thanks partly to the city’s commitment to promoting this eco-friendly mode of transportation.

One of the highlights of Nice is the Col de la Bonette route (the highest road in Europe). Cyclists on this trail experience the thrill of climbing through the Alpes-Maritimes and are rewarded with panoramic and adrenaline rushing views of mountain landscapes. Route length: Roughly 14 miles.

Mallorca (Spain)

Mallorca has long been a favourite destination for cyclists as the island’s scenic beauty has something for everyone, from beginners to seasoned cyclists.

The Serra de Tramutana is a mountain range guaranteeing a challenging ride with rewarding views of the sea. Covering towns like ller Pollen a and alldemossa it o ers a taste of allorca s vibrant culture and history.

Route length: 40 to 50 miles depending on the route taken.

Malaga (Spain)

Another must-visit destination in Spain is Malaga. Nestled in Spain’s osta del ol alaga o ers a blend of coastal landscapes and hilly inland routes.

must try path is the un and vocado route. This trail winds through lush orchards and breathta ing coastlines. yclists can explore the charm of traditional ndalusian villages tasting local delicacies along the way ma ing it a feast for the eyes and the palate.

Route length: Roughly 46 miles.

Tuscany (Italy)

Tuscany is a region that embodies the very soul of the country and for cyclists Tuscany is paradise o ering a diverse array of routes through rolling hills ancient olive groves and pictures ue villages.

One popular route is through the hianti wine region where cyclists can explore charming towns li e reve and adda. This trail o ers a classic Tuscan experience combining physical activity with the pleasure of tasting famous wines and local cuisine.

Route length: Roughly 48 miles.

Lanzarote (Canary Islands)

Lan arote is a uni ue destination that provides a dreamy cycling experience with moon li e terrain a pleasant climate and serene roads.

The Timanfaya ational Par circular route is a must do experience which passes through volcanic landscapes and vineyards providing a uni ue blend of nature and culture.

Route length: Roughly 70 miles.

Faro (Portugal)

Beyond the city s historic attractions there s plenty of outdoor activities here cycling being one of the most popular. lat coastal roads are perfect for casual cycling while more experienced cyclists can tac le the challenging hilly terrains.

a e your way to lcoutim for the ia lgarviana route which crosses the lgarve region providing a close loo at Portugal s countryside before reaching the southwestern tip of urope at ape t incent. ar ed by scenic valleys and rural villages this route allows cyclists to experience a side of the lgarve often missed by coastal visitors.

Route length: Roughly 186 miles (depending on the route taken).

‘Flat coastal roads are perfect for casual cycling, while more experienced cyclists can tackle the challenging hilly terrains.’

THE CRICKET SEASON is drawing to a close but, after a rainy start, there’s since been much to relish. One of the pleasures of our local scene is the variety of nationalities to be found enjoying the game on the grounds around us. Aussies, Kiwis, South Africans and all those from the sub-continent abound to our immense oint benefit.

A German, however, is a bit of a collector’s item. So rare is it that the unique individual I take pleasure in introducing you to, one Dieter Klein of Rothley Park, is not even considered to be an overseas player by the authorities, in spite of what his passport says, as his home nation is ‘a non-playing country.’

ieter may care to di er. itto othley s recent opponents, the Langtons who - batting

second against a challenging total of 228came up against this Teutonic whirlwind who promptly dismissed them almost single handed for an innings of, wait for it, a mere runs. is bowling figures were an e ually astonishing 9 wickets in only 3.1 overs for 6, a statistic I don’t think you’ll ever read again, and certainly the most startling I can recall.

It’s only fair to tell you that Dieter did have a first class career at Leicestershire and at the age of 35 is, alas, not a young undiscovered genius about to change the face of international cricket, but nevertheless –wow!

Some other local cricketers can consider themselves unlucky that their own exploits this month were somewhat eclipsed by the above, with many performances deserving

what otherwise might have merited star billing.

Oakham’s Rob Taylor is one of those with a spectacular innings of 219 not out, which was also against the unlucky Langtons (who must be wondering what they’ve done to upset the gods of cricket to have reaped such a double whirlwind). Apart from the total, Taylor’s innings was notable for his coming in with his side being two wickets down for no runs and then weathering a further storm as batsmen continued to fall at the other end, to the point where Oa s were five down for less than fifty. e almost single handedly (apart from Davarsh Shah with whom he shared a stand of over 150) took them to a total of 339 before pitching in with two wickets as a bowler to boot to help skittle the opposition out for under 200.

Also worthy of a lead story in most other editions were Barnack CC who performed the double, winning both Hunts Division 1 and the Rutland League, and Burghley Park who, barring a last gasp hiccup, will win South Lincs Division 1.

As the cricket door closes so the rugby one opens and it’s been a promising start for Stamford with two wins from two at time of writing. An opening day victory over Long Buckby was followed by a peach of a game in the sunshine at Hambleton Road against Market Bosworth with a total of 79 points scored most in the first minutes. Tries from Toby Anderson, Mike Harris, Zach orley (two the first an outstanding

The cricket season is coming to an end but there have been some outstanding performances recently. Jeremy Smithson-Beswick fills us in

‘Also worthy of a lead story in most other editions were Barnack CC who performed the double, winning both Hunts Division 1 and the Rutland League’

individual e ort and i e endal (with a run from within his own half were su cient to see them through by 45-34.

Oakham had the narrowest of home wins on day one, edging out Old Laurentians 28-27 but were then unable to emulate Stamford, losing to ar et Bosworth albeit away by 31-22.

For those who feel the sometimes brutal physicality of rugby is not for them, touch rugby is the alternative and it’s a growing discipline. There’s an umbrella organisation, England Touch, who say the sport is ‘in a period of unrivalled growth in terms of the

number of people playing‘ - of both genders. In fact, mixed sides are common and there are local, regional and international competitions with twenty counties fielding national sides.

Locally, Sarah Owen, of a club called Peterborough Touch has been telling us about their own progress, including ‘a stellar summer season seeing her side finish top of division 3 of the National Touch Series, beating local rivals from Nottingham and ambridge as well as sti competition from as far north as Yorkshire and as far south as Reading.

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Their mixed squad is made up of talent of all ages, from 14 to 40 plus, many of whom have also gone on to represent idland Tigers in their junior, opens and senior squads. In preparation for playing at the higher level next summer they’re actively recruiting new members. She told us: ‘Touch rugby is an inclusive sport that takes all the fun, skill and strategy of rugby but focuses on finesse over force.

They train every Wednesday 6:30pm8:30pm in Fengate, Peterborough, and beginners are always welcome. For more information contact: touchrugby@prufc.com

That other form of football (round ball goals with nets is still allegedly a contact sport despite the best e orts of its governing body (yes O m a grumpy old traditionalist and there was a recent local derby in the opening ualifying round of the up Harborough Town versus Stamford Daniels. The latter took the lead in the second half through Harry Wood but this spurred the Bees with them then going close three times Silvano Obeng and Rhys Hoenes to the fore, before the referee decided tamford s i e Armstrong had handled in the box, Connor ennedy slotting the spot ic . arborough went ahead when Hoenes calmly lobbed the keeper and made sure of their place in the next round with a third through another ennedy penalty deep into stoppage time.

Their reward is a giant-killing opportunity away to Tamworth, second placed in the Vanarama National League North, a side they’ve played pre-season friendlies with for the last two years. anager itch ustin said: ‘It’s always a bit of a glamour game for us. thin it s the first time the club will play a team from that level in a competitive game. It’s one our club and the boys should relish.’

PARK IN THE car park of the George & Dragon in the pretty village of Seaton and enjoy the free wheel down the hill before the climb back up into and beyond Harringworth. Coast down through Laxton and cross the A43. Go through Bulwick and enjoy a mainly downhill ride all the way to Southwick where you will turn left toward Oundle, passing Glapthorn on the way. There are lots of places to stop in Oundle for a mid-ride drink. Be sure to refuel for the ride home which is mostly uphill.

Leave Oundle and head west passing both Benefields (Upper and Lower), before continuing the climb up to Deenethorpe and recrossing the busy A43. Head through Deene and follow the signs to Gretton before the downhill stretch back into the river valley. But then the sting in the tail….

The next three miles are all uphill to Uppingham. Pass through Lyddington and stay on the road until taking a left turn at the crossroads and soon you will be in Uppingham before you head south east to arrive back in Seaton where you can enjoy a leisurely final pit stop at the pub.

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