Active Magazine // Stamford & Rutland // Summer 2023

Have pet, will travel; taking your dog to France

Meet one of Burghley’s guides

Where can you enjoy a walk, wash your dog afterwards and then buy it some food?

The hardware shop is the backbone of any town Will climbs Ben Lomond

Social media influencers

Editor and Publisher Mary Bremner mary@theactivemag.com

Deputy editor Kate Maxim kate@theactivemag.com

Art editor Matt Tarrant

Contributors

Will Hetherington, Jeremy Smithson-Beswick, Advertisement Sales Director Lisa Chauhan lisa@theactivemag.com

Production assistant Gary Curtis Accounts accounts@theactivemag.com

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Active magazine is published monthly 10 times per year.

ISSN 2059-8513

Published by Triangle Publishing Ltd www.theactivemag.com

Cover Image: @theoldbuilding

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EDITOR’S LETTER

THE SUMMER SOLSTICE has been and gone and the nights are beginning to draw in; but this is barely noticeable yet and the summer has only truly just got started so we are ‘making hay whilst the sun shines.’ And there’s lots of hay to make at this time of year.

Here at Active we have all been enjoying ourselves having adventures and meeting interesting people, some of which you can read about this month. Will has been climbing mountains in Scotland. I’ve been to France with my dog and Kate has been enjoying sunny breaks at home and abroad. But we’ve all still been working away to bring you another great issue.

Unless you are a complete social media refuser you will ha e heard of the ter in encer know how e ecti e they are and probably en oy followin so e. These people really do ha e a h e in ence’ on s and mostly it’s for the good. And there are quite a few very successful account holders in Stamford, Rutland and the Welland Valley. Too many for us to mention in our article b t we ha e really en oyed catchin p with so e of the and findin o t ore abo t their accounts which are very entertaining, informative and often full of really good local information. And may I draw your attention to our fabulous front cover image which was photo raphed by o r ery own in encer theoldb ildin who also designs our adverts for us.

I have a real interest in history, historical buildings and architecture and have always wanted to know more about the guides who impart so much information when you visit a stately home. Well now I know! Read my interview with Roger akes a ide at B r hley to find o t ore.

A great new addition to Fineshade woods is Posh Petz, the pet food and accessories store. As well as the excellent shop, they provide a self service pet wash which is such a good idea, particularly if you’ve been walking through the woods when it’s muddy. You can wash your dogs and then pop them back in the car clean. Kate went to meet owner lise to find o t ore.

The summer holidays are now here so it’s time to get out with the family and enjoy the fresh air and sunshine as well as your garden. Tessa Burns suggests ways to introduce the children to gardening which could be the start of a life-long passion, even if they don’t realise it yet. And by getting children to grow their own vegetables it might encourage them to eat more of them.

Enjoy the issue and all that is going on in our beautiful part of the country this summer.

Mary - Editor

‘Here at Active we have all been enjoying ourselves having adventures and meeting interesting people.’

ActiveLife

Meet some local social media influencers. Try this delicious crayfish recipe courtesy of the Red Lion at West Deeping. Visit Calveo, Rutland’s aesthetic specialists. Will walks up Scotland’s Ben Lomond.

“It is a stunning course around a hill Some really technically challenging holes Thoroughly enjoyed and would recommend Staff also lovely!”

Toft Golf Club, located between Bourne and Stamford, is home to rolling hills providing stunning views of the local area. Combined with our popular driving range and wellstocked Pro Shop, Toft has something to offer for all golfers.

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

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

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

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

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

e

You can always be sure of a warm welcome here at Toft Golf Club, so whether you are thinking of membership, a visitor booking or a society day, make sure to get in touch now!

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.

www.clarecottage.org

www.clarecottage.org

www.clarecottage.org

Toft Golf Club, Main Road, Toft, Bourne, Lincolnshire PE10 0JT Tel: 01778 590852 Email: toftgolfclub@outlook.com Web: www.toftgolfclub.co.uk

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Kelmarsh Hall, the historic gardens and woodland walks are open to visitors from April - September 2023 on set days of the week

Sweet Peas' Tearoom are open in the stableyard at Kelmarsh, serving lunch, hot drinks and sweet treats.

For opening dates, times and prices, please see the website www.kelmarsh.com

Kelmarsh, Northants, NN6 9LY enquiries@kelmarsh.com - 01604686543

New wedding and events venue

ED’S HILL TOP Tent is a new venue, just outside Stamford, overlooking the Gwash river which is perfect for weddings, family celebrations, events and parties. The ‘tent’ is a beautiful 12 x 24 metre traditional sailcloth tent nestled into stunning countryside which can take up to 200 guests seated or 400 standing for a reception. There is ample parking for up to 200 cars and the setting is

New committee members wanted

IF YOU HAVE an interest in local history, genealogy or archaeology, the Stamford & District Local History Society is on the lookout for additional committee members, particularly if you have marketing, PR, copywriting, website and finance ad inistration skills. It is not an onerous time commitment and potential new members could attend meetings before making a fir decision.

If interested please go to www.stamfordlocalhistorysociety.org.uk

just fabulous in the countryside with breathtaking views but just minutes from Stamford and the A1.

Ed and his team can help you organise everything and put you in touch with his chosen s ppliers incl din caterers orist e ent ana e ent and any ore. To find out more go to www.edshilltoptent.com and Instagram @edshilltoptent

The Pied strider

ROBIN BALL, CHAIRMAN of Stamford Striders, has just completed a personal challenge to celebrate his 70th Birthday; 70@70. Fundraising for Crohn’s and Colitis UK he ran 70 miles in under 24 hours and completed the Rutland Round. He started running at 4pm on Saturday 1 July, running thro h the ni ht and finished ho rs and 20 minutes later on Sunday 2 July, quite an achievement!

What started out as a personal challenge created great support and he was certainly never lonely on the route. Fiona, a fellow ultra-marathoner joined him as part of her training for most of the journey and the support from the Stamford Striders Club was remarkable and incredibly heart warming with many of them joining him too. Alongside the support from the club and friends, Robin’s family were also keen to join in including a horde of grandchildren!

Robin was running to raise money for Crohn’s and Colitis UK - Robin Ball is fundraising for Crohn’s & Colitis UK (justgiving.com)

Show garden gold winner

OUR GARDEN DESIGN columnist TJ from TJ Kennedy Garden and Landscape Design has recently won a gold medal at the Gardener’s World Live show at the NEC. The garden shows three spaces that are beautiful individually and together. The materials and planting repeat but their form is desi ned to re ect the character of where they appear. In the front garden, textured planting gives a smart entrance. The potting area is visible, encouraging neighbours to interact with a bench o erin a spontaneous space to share.

The theatre of the courtyard poses the important question of minimalism, challenging our viewpoint on what a garden is. The rear planting, in contrast to the front, showcases a wild, exuberant style, a love of plants and beauty without a lawn.

Congratulations TJ!

www.tjkennedy.design

Fifty years of Ragdale

AWARD WINNING RAGDALE Hall has celebrated its 50th birthday recently which is quite an achievement. It started out in 1973 as a health farm where guests went to lose wei ht. Today it is ery di erent bein a odern spa with all its facilities including six pools, a cocktail bar and a reputation for delicious food and beauty treatments.

Originally built as a hunting lodge in the 18th century the a nificent hall has welco ed nearly two illion guests in the last 50 years. And here’s to many more years to come and many more guests!

www.ragdalehall.co.uk

Walking the Wright way

TEN MEMBERS OF the Wright Care at Home team have tackled the Norfolk coast Mighty Hike, walking 26.2 miles from Cromer to Holkham to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support.

Outside their busy roles delivering care in the community, the team have been training since January, wanting to pay tribute to all the wonderful customers they have cared for and continue to do.

Setting themselves a target of £2,500, raising the money with bake sales and a gig at the Green Dragon in Ryhall, they managed to raise in the end a total of £4,428.

It was a scorcher of a day and from mile 15 they all went into a ‘power ballad’ singing state to help them push through!

www.wrightcareathome.co.uk

d Teddy Bears Picnic

‘Learn

Summer School – 17th – 21st July

Autumn Termstarts on the4th of September.

• Monday evening

• Tuesday & Thursday daytime

www.folkinghamcreative.co.uk

STAMFORD AND DISTRICT Local History Society has now published its upcoming talks for the 2023/4 season. All eetin s are held on the first Th rsday of the month at 7pm at Barn Hill Methodist church and everyone is welcome. Entry, to include tea and biscuits, is £2 for members and £5 for non. For a list of the talks and more information go to www.stamfordlocalhistorysociety.org.uk

What’s On!

THE PICKLED SHOP in Bulwick continues to run its popular workshops throughout the summer. You can enjoy Jewellery on 20 July, an introduction to astrology on 1 August and ripped paper collage on 17 August. All workshops include materials and a delicious lunch. To book a class go to www.bulwickvillageshop.com or www. thepickledshop.com

LINCOLNSHIRE YOUTH BALLET will be performing A Midsummer Night’s Dream at Stamford’s Corn Exchange on August 12. There will be a matinee and evening performance. Tickets are available at the box o ce or fro www.stamfordcornexchange.co.uk

THERE’S SOMETHING FOR everyone at Nene Park this summer including six weeks of summer holiday events. Make sure you book yo r space for these as they fill p fast. There’s so much going on including the Nene outdoor watersports and activity centre being open daily from 11-6. You can take lake and river boat trips, visit the visitor centre, gift and farm shop and just e plore the wider parkland. To find o t more about events and to book activities go to www.nenepark.org.uk/summer

THE TEDDY BEARS’ picnic at Deene Park is back by popular demand! It will be held on Wednesday August 2 from 12-4pm. Enjoy your picnic by the lake, meet Mr Teddy Bear, enjoy storytelling and singalongs and much more. Bring your own blankets/chairs/ picnic and dress for the weather as it’s an outside event. Tickets available to purchase online at www.deenepark.com

TICKETS ARE NOW on sale for the no cial ala ies s er e hibition coming to Peterborough cathedral from July to st . The e hibition which is rarely seen in the UK, is the largest private tar ars fan collection with o er e hibits. Tickets can be bo ht ia www. peterborough-cathedral.org.uk/galaxies. aspx

THE HALLATON FESTIVAL of rchaeolo y r ns fro ly. allaton se and the allaton ch rch restoration tr st will be r nnin displays walks and talks as well as ser in l nches and teas. or ore details abo t openin times and tickets visit www.hallatonmuseum.co.uk/festivalofarchaeology

MAXEY CAR SHOW takes place on st at illowbrook ar on the arhol to ord road. t’s a reat day o t with lots to do for the whole fa ily as well as to en oy the ehicles. or ore infor ation isit www.maxeyclassiccarandbikeshow.com

YEW TREE FARM at osberton will be taking part in the NGS on July 23. This lo ely arden co ers acres and there’s something for everyone from vegetables to fab lo s herbaceo s borders. nd of co rse there will be cake

YOUTH SPACE IS A free weekly yo th ro p that r ns on ednesdays fro . p for year olds. t is a safe welco in incl si e space where yo n people can be the sel es and catch p with friends. t is held in ppin ha ’s town hall and o es o tside on Tod’s iece for the summer.

They o er food table tennis pool table crafts and a es as well as o a and art workshops. They are the oice of teens and aim to help support them and provide them with a place to chill and ha e f n.

There are fun and friendly volunteers on hand to help o t and they are always lookin for ore. heck o t their acebook and nsta ra pa es at ppin ha o th Space. www.uppinghamyouth.co.uk.

THE FLAGSHIP FUNDRAISING event of the Jon Egging Trust, JETRide, is a popular annual cycling sportive that starts and finishes at olle e ranwell in Lincolnshire on September 24. hoose fro or ile erita e Trails which wind their way thro h the quaint villages of rural Lincolnshire. This incl si e ride welco es e eryone fro seasoned club riders to the occasional cyclist. www.joneggingtrust.org.uk/jetride

ost fish on ers will be able to pro ide crayfish for yo or yo could use white crab meat, king prawns or even lobster as a luxurious alternative.

RECIPE

Red Lion recipe: Crayfish and heritage

tomatoes on sourdough toast

Frazer King from the Red Lion in West Deeping gives us a delicious, summery recipe

INGREDIENTS, SERVES 2

• 250g heritage tomatoes

• 150g fresh cooked crayfish

• Two slices good quality sourdough, toasted

• Pinch sea salt

• 50g capers

• ½ red onion

• 1 sprig of oregano or thyme leaves, depending on preference

• 100ml rapeseed oil

METHOD

• Roughly chop tomatoes into a bowl, mixing as many varieties as possible.

• Season with a pinch of salt.

• Add most of the rapeseed oil but save a tablespoon for later.

• Finely dice red onion and mix through the tomatoes along with the capers.

• Place the tomato mix on top of the toast and sprinkle o er the cooked crayfish tails.

• Finish with some freshly picked oregano or thyme leaves.

Silverweed

SILVERWEED, OR TO give it its botanical name Potentilla anserina, is a very common but scarcely noticed wild plant that grows on grassland, in meadows and along verges throughout the UK and Ireland.

Also known traditionally as mouse grass and geese grass (because it is a favourite food of the goose) silverweed is a perennial creeping plant that grows only to around 150mm high. It has a thin trailing stem and the leaves are compound with deeply serrated lea ets that are almost feathery in appearance, woolly to the touch and a silvery green in colour. The undersides of the leaves are greyer in hue. From June until September the plant will prod ce a fi e petalled yellow b tterc p like ower rowin on a lea ess stem.

This humble plant has been cultivated for food since prehistoric times. In some parts of the UK it was still grown until the arrival of the potato.

All parts of the silverweed are edible, although the leaves and stems don’t make a particularly tasty snack. It is the roots that are of interest. They have the appearance of a tiny parsnip and can be eaten raw, boiled, baked or even dried and ro nd into a o r to ake bread. The roots have a pleasant nutty and starchy a o r.

In recent centuries the plant has been relegated to a famine food since the back breakin and fiddly work of excavating the roots, then cleaning and preparing them seems to be, by modern standards hardly worth the e ort.

Curiously, it is said that the leaves used to be put in shoes as the starch contained would absorb sweat. Whether or not you choose to stick some in your trainers when you go for a jog is up to you.

Hot, hot, hot

We might love the hot sunny weather, but our gardens not so much. Tessa Burns recommends some sun lovers and tips on getting kids into gardening

AS I WRITE we are enjoying fabulous hot weather, so I hope I’m not tempting fate. But of course hot, sunny weather means dry gardens. Two plants which can withstand these conditions are Agapanthus and succulents.

Agapanthus originate from the south of Africa. They can be grown in pots or borders. Strong upright stems carry spectacular ower heads which bloo fro id ne to mid August depending on cultivar. Colours range from the pure white of Arctic Star which is beautiful in green and white borders, through lilac and mauve, Twister has lilac centres fading to white trumpets. But my favourites have to be the stunning mid-blue to indigo pallet, the vivid Northern Star being a wonderful example. Agapanthus are happy in a mixed herbaceous border or as a sole occupant of large terracotta pots.

I’ve never been a fan of cacti but succulents are far more attractive and versatile and are growing in popularity, both as houseplants and in the garden. Be as imaginative and creative as you like when choosing containers but make drainage holes in the base. Place them where they can be viewed and appreciated and in full sun. A compost of 70/30 John Innes no 2/horticultural grit will provide good drainage. Add a layer of a decorative mulch after planting to avoid plants rottin o .

che erias o er ario s te t red rosettes in greens and silver. Sedums form mats of colour. Aloes have spiky forms varying in colour, pattern and size. The dramatic dark purple rosettes of Aeonium Zwartkop add height and contrast. These succulents will need protecting during the winter. Succulents are ideal for vertical wall planting, fun in old picture frames or a larger arrangement, and are often used for planting ‘green roofs’ on sheds or bin stores. Once you start collecting you’ll be hooked.

There’s no better time to get your children

involved in the garden now that the summer holidays are here. You don’t need to spend loads on pots - recycle and repurpose tins, milk containers, juice cartons, takeaway boxes, yogurt pots, lengths of guttering, the possibilities are endless, just remember to make drainage holes. Invest in a bag of compost, some fast growing seeds, maybe a few herbs and salad plants.

Share seed packs with friends to cut down cost. Hanging baskets can be used for strawberries or tomatoes. Plant pepper seeds or melon seeds to start growing your own. Let the children harvest their edibles and help prepare a meal with them. Each child co ld choose their own beddin plants to fill their container. They will need to water them daily, especially the small containers which will dry o t ickly. ost of yo r o sprin will ha e rown a s n ower at school try Black Eyed Susan for a change. This climber is easy to grow and has cheery yellow owers with black centres.

lant so e b tter y and bee attractin plants. Build a bug hotel from bits of log, twi s fir cones brick end and r bble. ake a mini pond from an old washing up bowl. Add some pebbles and rocks as a beach area for small birds and mammals to reach the water.

Most garden centres supply hedgehog food to encourage this endangered little creature into our gardens. They also require fresh water to drink; children will love doing this.

Encourage the children to keep a record of birds and creatures they see in their garden. Children are born adventurous and interested, exploring and enquiring, so it’s good to encourage this rather than have little ones who are scared or indi erent to creatures sharing our spaces. Who doesn’t love a wiggly worm, ladybird or beautiful b tter y after all.

www.wellandvale.co.uk

Rowan Griffiths tells us about Silverweed roots

Have dog, will travel

Mary travels to France with her faithful friend in tow

OMETHING I HAVE always wanted to do is drive to and through Europe, France in particular, taking a few weeks to do it. But I’ve just never got round to it and ’ e also ot one ite si nificant problem; Ailsa, a rather large Scottish deerhound/greyhound rescue who likes to be by my side at all times.

This summer it was time to take action, if I didn’t do it now I might never do it. Time and circumstances were right. I decided I was going to spend three weeks in France and Ailsa was going to come with me. Carpe diem as they say.

Since Brexit I knew it was more complicated to take a pet to Europe, but do your research, plan ahead and get your paperwork in order and it’s perfectly doable.

And talk to your vet and take their advice.

First of all Ailsa needed a rabies jab (this applies to cats and ferrets too of a specific type, your vet should know, and it must be done at least 21 days before you travel. This jab lasts for three years. Your dog also needs to be up to date with its vaccines, must be microchipped and will need an animal health certificate which replaces the old style passport. Again, all of this is second nature to your vet so do ask them what to do.

The ani al health certificate needs to be filled in by yo r et st before yo tra el no ore than days before. t is ite specific with lots of paperwork including which country or countries you are going to. Check that your vet is able to sign this document as it needs to be done by an o cial eterinarian.’ o are able to p t p to fi e

ani als on one certificate. was only oin to France but it seems you need more paperwork if you travel to other countries as well. The vet will charge you to do this as it does take some time and is a 10 page document. I found that the charge varies considerably for this document; my vet was £100 cheaper than another vet in Stamford. nnoyin ly this health certificate only lasts for 10 days for entry into the EU and four months for re-entry to the UK. So, if you want to go more than once a year you will ha e to pay for another health certificate to be done.

All of this was carried out with very little hassle; you do have to rely on the vet to do it properly as it is an o cial doc ent. nd there is one very important proviso. You have to take your animal to a vet in France for them to administer a tapeworm tablet and si n yo r certificate accordin ly. f yo don’t do this your pet will not be allowed back into the UK. This has to be administered between 5 days and 24 hours before you travel.

I decided I wanted to go on Le Shuttle. This means that you can stay with your pet

during the journey, it only takes 35 minutes and it was something else I had always wanted to experience. Again it’s not complicated but because you are travelling with a pet you need to allow extra check in time. They recommend allowing an hour for this.

We duly turned up at Calais and headed to the pet check in. You need to take your animal into reception where they check your paperwork, ask you to scan the microchip

and then give you a sticker for your windscreen which shows you are travelling with animals. We were then put on an earlier train as we’d arrived in good time. The process was duly reversed at Calais and again it couldn’t have been smoother.

We travelled through France to our destination in the south west which was an eight hour drive from Calais. We stopped a couple of times and duly arrived with two happy dogs in tow. Yes, rather than one large hairy lurcher I also had an elderly chocolate Labrador with me too. The French love dogs and our two were made a fuss of wherever they went. Ailsa was a bit of a conundrum as Scottish deerhounds and lurchers are not widely recognised in France. Wherever she went I was asked what she was. She was pointed at in the street and I was stopped frequently. She, of course, took it all in her stride!

will definitely tra el with ilsa a ain. s long as you have your paperwork in good order and are organised there shouldn’t be a problem and make sure you get yourself a good vet who knows what they are doing.

There are a few rules and regulations, one of which is you cannot take pet food with you to France so again, do your homework.

If you are a foot passenger you cannot take a dog with you on the train. But there are ways round this. Le Pet Express is one company that takes multiple people and their pets in a minibus on the train, picking you up at Ashford and dropping you off in Calais. Or there are other services which take individuals. A quick google search helps here. Or you can send pets on a flight and you meet them at the other end.

www.gov.uk/taking-your-pet-abroad

www.eurotunnel.com

www.prioryvetsstamford.co.uk

www.lepetexpress.com

Posh Petz

LISE SANDIFORD IS the owner of Posh Petz, an independent pet shop based in Peterborough and now also at Top Lodge in Fineshade Woods between Stamford, Uppingham, Oundle and Corby. Her aim, when she started in 2011, was to open a natural pet store providing everything a dog needs that is good quality, nutritious and tasty and to make sure the owners understand exactly what they’re buying. There was nothing similar in the area at the time.

Originally Elise started the business in partnership with a friend at erpentine reen in eterboro h then they o ed to a di erent nit in Padholme Road East and at the end of 2019 when her friend moved away from the area, Elise took over the business completely. At the beginning of 2022 Elise was walking with a friend at Fineshade and saw the sign for the old cow shed to rent and thought it would be a great location to open a second shop as ‘loads of people come here to walk, it’s a lovely spot, and there really should be something like this on site.’ She took over in March 2022 and has since built up a loyal customer base.

Pet owners are far more clued up nowadays about what is good for their animals as there is so much more information available. ‘We have loads of customers coming to the shop who research and educate themselves about nutrition and allergies,’ says Elise.

hen yo look at a food as a ood r le of th b yo want the first ingredient to be meat not grain. Dogs are carnivores after all. They do

need vegetables as well, and grain isn’t bad for them unless they’re allergic to it, but if you feed your dog products with additives and artificial colo rants it’s like eatin fast food or sweets e ery day and their beha io r and health ay s er.’

lise is ery keen on raw food for do s. sell di erent brands b t the one I sell the most is Natural Instinct. All are classed as complete food with meat, veg and everything else they need like salmon oil, spinach, sea kelp and vitamin C. You don’t need added biscuit.’

The food looks like pâté, you defrost the whole block and it lasts in the fridge for 3-4 days. The breed of dog depends on how much you feed them but an adult dog would have just 2-3% of their body weight each day as the raw food is so dense and nutritious. And one major benefit is yo et pick pable poo it’s always solid beca se of the bone content. We talk a lot about poo in the shop!

‘I have a lot of vegetarians who feed their pets raw food as they know their pets need it b t we do et the odd person who finds the b et cart’ a little npleasant.’ or do s on the other hand the do y treats on o er are p re hea en. lise sells deer le s chicken feet rabbit ears pi sno ts filled and hollow hoo es and the intri in bulls’ pizzles! As she told me, ‘I see it as nothing goes to waste, we’re sin st we’re not oin to eat which is better than oin in a bin. Also our treats are so tasty because it’s actual meat. Deer legs are bones with hair on and hair is a natural wormer and good for the gut.

Where can you buy natural, nutritious pet food, walk in a beautiful woodland and give your dog a bath in the same place? Kate finds out

'Elise sells deer legs, chicken feet, rabbit ears, pig snouts, filled and hollow hooves and the intriguing bulls’ pizzles!'

It’s the same with our hairy rabbit ears, and because they’re all pure air-dried meat with nothing processed about them, it’s going to be more appealing to dogs as they should be eating meat. In the wild a wolf would eat meat. Having said that, one of the most popular products during the summer are the lactose-free Frozzy’s doggy ice-cream, as it is a nice cooling treat.’

As well as food, Elise sells a wide range of accessories, beds, toys, bowls s pple ents dental ea and wor in treat ents. he stocks a variety of harnesses including the ‘Perfect Fit’ harness which comes in three pieces, and you build them to the dog. They are also great for puppies as when they grow you can buy a piece at a time, plus as they sit on the dog’s front, not across the shoulders they are much better from a movement and comfort point of view.

Elise also caters for cats, hamsters, rabbits, guinea pigs, hedgehogs and wild birds. Customers can buy online but people enjoy visiting the shop and also going for a walk, eating at the café and hiring bikes

from the newly refurbished bike shop. If you join the Forestry Commission you get free parking onsite for £52 per year. But if you’re just collecting orders from Posh Petz, you can park for up to 20 minutes free of charge.

One exciting new development is the self-service pet wash facility due to open at the end of July. There’s a hydraulic bath in the Peterborough store and the one in Fineshade will have a ramp for easy access. Everything is provided including shampoo, towels, brushes and a blaster dryer. It takes about 20-30 minutes to give your dog a full bath unless they have a very matted coat, and it costs £15 per dog. ‘It’s a great thing to do before you get them back in the car,’ says Elise. ‘If you wait until you get home after a walk the muck goes everywhere and you end up with wet, smelly towels. Let us take the hassle away for you.’

www.peterboroughposhpetz.co.uk

Full of facts

REALLY ENJOY visiting historical houses because I love history and architecture but am equally, if not more so, fascinated by the story behind these fabulous buildings. Yes, I know I am nosey but sometimes - quite often in fact - the family’s story has helped shape the fort nes or isfort ne of the ho se. nd the person who can usually give you all this information is the guide who is either sitting in the room you walk into or actually showing you around the house. I would probably like to do this one day when I have more time so I was pleased to meet one of them.

o er akes fro reetha is so eone yo i ht reco nise if yo ha e isited B r hley o se recently. o er was a bio che ist in his previous life and spent a lot of his career doing research. As well as bein ery scientific with a passion for science o er also has a passion for history, particularly Tudor history, and researches that as well. ‘I was coming to the end of my career and thinking about retirement but knew I wanted to still have a purpose and to be able to indulge my love of history and research.’

He thought about being a guide and approached Oakham museum witho t any s ccess and decided to rin B r hley on the o chance. e ti ed it perfectly as they were lookin for a ide and he fitted

their requirements perfectly and 10 years later he is still there. Many houses use volunteers but Burghley has always paid their guides as they find this eans people are ore co itted. o er and the tea of guides work from March to October and have to agree to commit to two or three days a week, ‘but we work round holidays and each other’s commitments.’ A rota is circulated at the beginning of the season ‘so we all know what we are doing and can plan accordingly.’ They are o ered an ann al contract and are then in ited back e ery year unless you have blotted your copybook ‘which is very, very unusual and no one leaves because they don’t enjoy it.’

Most of the guides are retired or approaching retirement but the youngest is 37 and there are 25 of them in total, with 11 or 12 working each day. They range from retired policemen, teachers, professional people to widows and so e of the front of ho se sta oin the when they come to the end of their careers. They all have one thing in common, a passion for history and a thirst for knowledge.

The guides work across 18 state rooms and need to know about every single one of them as they could be located anywhere. Every 40 minutes they swap rooms so the guides need to know about all the rooms; and there’s a lot to know! They might also take tours around the house as well so it’s a varied role. Learning about all the art and paintings is a feat in itself and some rooms are more challenging than others because of their contents. The guides are expected to get up to speed before they start the season but there are guides’ notes available and there is also a training day every year and the other guides help out too. I can see why a passion for history is needed but it’s the perfect way to keep the brain acti e and to eet people. o er really enjoys this side of the job as well as working with the other guides and we eet p for co ee d rin the winter too so it’s ite sociable.’

And, of course, it’s not just about imparting knowledge to interested visitors. The guides also have to watch visitors too. ‘We have to keep an eye on unusual activity as obviously many of the treasures in the house are priceless. Information is shared about unsavoury characters who might be casing the joint but thankfully that is a very rare occurrence and I’ve never spotted anyone shady.’

‘We usually get asked similar questions by visitors and 90% of the time I can answer them. But you do get the occasional art historian who will know more than me, so I can learn from them. I don’t like not being able to answer a question so am always doing more research. My favourite part of the job is chatting to the visitors.

‘What I particularly like about our team of guides is that there is no hierarchy. No one knows more than anyone else and we are happy to share our knowledge with each other and new guides too which makes for a happy, friendly team.’

o er’s partic lar passion apart fro the ho se is the ecil fa ily the sel es especially illia ecil and his s ccessors and he can tell you about most of the clocks in the house too as they are another passion. o er is a an who still does his research and en oys writin . So much so that he has written an art catalogue on the whole collection in the house which took him a year to do (which other ides find ery sef l too . did it for y own satisfaction really as my career was based on research and I still enjoy doing that now.’

‘I might be biased,’ he says, ‘but I think Burghley is one of the best houses to visit in the country. It’s a house of contrasts with priceless works of art, incredible rooms including the Heaven and Hell ones and the largest private collection of 17th century Italian baroque in the world.’

Historical houses always have a story to tell and the guides in each room often impart it. Mary meets a local guide

Image: Matt Tarrant

Image: Matt Tarrant

'The guides work across 18 state rooms and need to know about every single one of them as they could be located anywhere.'

Inside info on Influencers

Infl uencers, much maligned or misunderstood? Mary meets some local ones who are helping ‘infl uence’ us all and in a good way

UNLESS YOU ARE a complete social media virgin you will have heard abo t in encers and the in ence’ they ha e on our retail choices. They have become a very powerful phenomenon, some with millions of followers who are also being paid millions to post on their Instagram pages to encourage us to purchase what they are pushing. We have all heard about Love Island contestants who are paid thousands to promote teeth whitening or similar and before the days of regulation it was a free for all with many of them making money in nefarious ways by lyin ’ to their followers b t ti es ha e chan ed and any in encers’ today are o erin a really sef l ser ice with lots of information to hand. And what is most interesting is that social media appears to have been embraced mainly by women so it is women who are building their businesses

online; building successful businesses too, which is great to see.

s a a a ine p blisher an in encer could be classed as the bane of our lives. Many advertisers have turned their back on mainstream media and decided to pay an in encer instead to pro ote their prod cts this happens internationally, nationally and locally and many very well known magazines have fallen by the wayside because of this. This could be viewed as detrimental but it has also meant that some of the big magazine names have lost some of their grip on the market which is no bad thing. And advertisers have begun to realise that sin an in encer despite bein ery successful in targeting their audience, does also ignore the rest of the market. So there is room for everyone. And of course, every business today worth their salt has their own Instagram/facebook account to promote their own product, including us.

Part of me is repelled by the phenomenon; the shallowness of prancing around pouting with very few clothes on to promote something, but to be fair that is only done by certain individuals and anyone serious about building a brand very rarely does this today. Another part of me is full of admiration for these individuals who have built careers through hard work, skill, creativity, dedication and perseverance (and mainly kept their clothes on). They invite us into their lives and entertain us. And trust me, I know some of them and how hard they work; hats o to the and there’s roo eno h for us all.

Our area has many very successful in encers so e yo won’t realise are local whilst others foc s on o r area and o er a reat ser ice. ’ e been catchin p with some of them for a chat; some do it just for love whilst others have built very successful, profitable b sinesses.

@prettylittlestamford

10,000 followers.

If you live in Stamford and are on social media you will have come across this account. Molly Warren, the face behind @prettylittlestamford is an ex High School girl who just loves Stamford, its architecture, the people and the local businesses. If you need to know what’s going on in the town look at this account. Molly, who works in financial plannin in her real life’ started the account in February 2019.

lo e the town and started takin photos of the stunning buildings as I really enjoy photography. Rather than putting the photos on my personal Instagram account I decided to start a separate account just for the town. I started gaining a few followers but didn’t think much about it. During Covid I kept posting photos taken during my walks and got a good response and then when everything opened up again I started focusing on local businesses, saying what was happening, who was new, that sort of thing as I wanted the town to thrive again and thought I might be able to help. And my following started to grow quite quickly. I really enjoy taking photos, making reels and videos so social media is perfect for me. realised that people wanted to know what was happening locally as well as see fabulous photos and I wanted to help the area come alive again and to help encourage customers back through the door. Once I got to 3,000 followers businesses started to take notice of the account and contact me to tell me what they were up to, particularly small local businesses, mainly run by media savvy people. I would then promote them on @ prettylittlestamford. The site then grew organically. I found that I had followers from all over the world, many of whom had lived in Stamford and moved away. I was never paid apart from the odd free glass of wine, co ee or pi a which was fine as it was ne er supposed to be about that.

ha e now ot to o er followers (and rising) which is incredible, I can’t quite

believe it. I now cover a slightly wider area including Rutland. People now know me and recognise me (although Eric my daschund is better known than me) and I have got to know a lot of the other local in encers which is great as I have made new friends. We are often invited to attend events and are always bumping into each other. As we are all sli htly di erent there isn’t a clash and en oy catchin p with cti e a a ine at these events too! I am starting to be paid for some posts and always put on the post if that

is the case so followers are aware.

The acco nt has always been abo t Stamford, not me so I am happy to have been in the background although that is starting to change. But I have a successful career in finance and like that ha e two separate lives and can keep the account pretty chilled posting three or four times a week rather than daily; I intend to keep it that way as e en now a spendin p to fi e ho rs a day on social media, and that’s enough for me.’

‘I have now got to over 10,000 followers (and rising) which is incredible, I can’t quite believe it.'

@rutlandblog

6,500 followers

Charlie Pallett, aka The Rutland Blogger, planned to be a wedding photographer but then decided to concentrate on graphic design and, more recently, social media training and her own blog. She’s had an nsta ra acco nt since the first week it was la nched and ori inally wrote a blo abo t fashion lifestyle and bea ty beco in a finalist two years running with the Beauty Blog awards. When she bought her first ho se with her now fianc and was reno atin it she realised there were no online recommendations about where to buy things locally so she transitioned from beauty, fashion and lifestyle to helping put Rutland retailers on the map. Within three days she had people wantin to ad ertise on her nsta ra and facebook pa es as well as her website rutlandblog.co.uk

‘I see my job as guiding people to the right places and am all about promoting small businesses, breaking the stigma that buying local doesn’t ha e to break the bank and yo et so ch ore ality and al e in shoppin s all.

‘I would call myself a blogger and content creator not an in encer ’ they didn’t e ist when started nearly years a o. ’ so eti es ifted prod cts or e periences in e chan e for content b t

will only share thin s like or wo ld p rchase yself. ’ ery passionate abo t that. nd yo now ha e to disclose what is an ad ert as rules and regulations are constantly changing. This can sometimes be hard to keep on top of.

f people ha e an e ent they want e to share or if there’s anythin I should check out, they let me know. In the social media packages I o er ad ise ad ertisin in print too beca se ha in a physical ite in your hands is still really important particularly for the older eneration and people doin social edia deto es. always pick p local a a ines there’s content in there that can’t find online.’

Now that Charlie has a baby she is juggling with her job promoting other people’s social media platforms, her own accounts and, of co rse tanley. er a era e daily screen ti e sed to be abo t ei ht hours but she’s recently hired someone to help her. And unfortunately her time as a local councillor for Uppingham Town Council has had to come to an end for the time being as she prioritises her life as a first ti e .

‘I’m passionate about being a young, local woman in the area who champions local causes, just like my Nana Elizabeth Clayton, an acti e e ber of the Barrowden co nity for any any years always sed to. lo ed bein on the co ncil b t felt that wo ldn’t be able to be as good a councillor as I want to be and also be a mum, so I st really hope ha e inspired another yo n fe ale to oin the council in my place.’

ow harlie has entered a new chapter in her life and is ery e cited to share what’s a ailable for children and fa ilies in the area. harlie and her fianc ha e decided not to show tanley’s face online b t she’s e cited to show hi all her fa o rite thin s in the area and says now can speak fro personal e perience and there are so any ro ps far parks and acti ities to do aro nd here for fa ilies. also tell b sinesses where there is roo for i pro e ent and what ay be missing.’

t least with this ob harlie can be e ible and can send posts during 3am feeds if necessary!

‘If people have an event they want me to share or if there’s anything I should check out, they let me know.'

@rosieannbutcher

123,000 followers

Rosie grew up near Stamford and studied A level photography at Stamford College (the start of her passion) followed by a photography degree. She currently lives in Manchester but returns to the town at least monthly and is seriously considering moving back (as does virtually everyone). Stamford is often used as a backdrop in Rosie’s photos.

‘It all began when I wanted to use social media as a marketing tool for my photography business. I was a freelance photographer and wanted to reach a wider audience to attract new clients. But my images weren’t getting a huge reach so I decided to tell the story of me behind the lens; what I was wearing to shoots, behind the scenes on the photo shoots and making the captions more personal as I knew that’s what the Instagram algorithm favoured.

I’ve always loved style and fashion and worked in that industry as a photographer so it was a natural transition to share more of that. My account grew fairly quickly and gained traction. By now I was sharing more than just behind the scenes and including more about my life, what I’m up to, things to do locally and what I was wearing every day; so beca e a fashion and lifestyle in encer.

I love how creative I can be with my account and can use my photography e perience. foc s on o tfit repetition ood quality wardrobe essentials and conscious shopping; not just impulse buying. My ethos is to find ite s which s it yo yo lo e and will wear for years.

I think of myself as an online stylist and my ‘5 ways to wear…’ series has been really pop lar. lo e seein y o tfits inspire people. I try to share all parts of life, good and bad, to keep it real so people can see reality and not just the so called ‘perfect Instagram life.’

Sometimes social media can get a bad rep and I think it’s important to be aware of who you follow and how their content makes you feel; unfollow if negative. The favourite part of my job is chatting and connecting with people with similar interests, mainly in the UK, but also from all over the world. I’m lucky to have a lovely audience. do find it hard to switch o and often it feels like I work 24/7 but the plus side is that it can be e ible. can work fro anywhere and being your own boss has its perks…

'I’ve always loved style and fashion and worked in that industry as a photographer so it was a natural transition to share more of that.'

@foodieinrutland

1,400followers

Georgia Harris describes her Instagram account as ‘wining, dinin and doc entin the best food and drink n land’s s allest co nty has to o er.’ he started it p rely to post pict res of the food she and her boyfriend Lia had been eatin d rin lockdown.

was bored ’ says eor ia. ’d st finished ni ersity and didn’t ha e a ob. e were allowed to lea e o r ho se once a day so we’d o into akha or ta ford and try to find so ewhere to ha e a nice sandwich and a co ee. n y birthday in o e ber yo weren’t allowed to sit inside so y friend and bo ht a co ee and a cake fro tters and ate it on a park bench ’

ince then she has b ilt p ite a followin fro local p bs resta rants and bars and people who li e locally who are interested in food. ow she’s in ited to isit new resta rants or e istin en es who ha e ade chan es like The Barnsdale near tland ater.

The skills she’s learned r nnin the acco nt ha e stood her in ood stead helpin her to sec re her first ob in for a B B technolo y co pany. r n the work social edia acco nts and we’ e fo nd that nsta ra reels are st like short for ideos which is h e in the corporate world. s write all day in y ob don’t want to do a blo . nsta ra is so is al it works well for e and Tik Tok will probably be y ne t stop.’

hene er eor ia wants to find the best places to eat and drink when she tra els she always searches local nsta ra and Tik Tok acco nts. he takes pict res of the food she eats all the ti e akin Lia wait for his food

he’s ne er been paid for her posts b t has been ifted eals and prod cts. ne thin she is clear on is ens rin she i es honest feedback in person not in a post. f ha e a bad e perience don’t see any worth in oin online and bashin so eone for it it doesn’t benefit anyone.’

@winingawaytheweekend

39,200 followers

While I was still at university studying English, I needed some distractions as in y final year had st fo r ho rs a week of ni ersity ti e dire really. t rned to writin for entertain ent rather than analysis. The comments on my essays started to read, ‘You don’t have to try and sell Hardy to me.’

There ha e been any obs since fro o rnalis incl din the odd article for cti e to arketin recr it ent and back to arketin . ha en’t re retted any of it and it has been a fantastic way to fi re o t where y tr e stren ths lie.

t see s those stren ths ha en’t chan ed a reat deal fro y ni ersity days and ’ still e cellent at drinkin wine. o ch so that ha e b ilt a career o t of it. y blo winin awaytheweekend on nsta ra and eor iefenn.co. k started when workin for a le edia in . They s ested we start a blo to practice what we were doin f ll ti e b t on a topic we act ally cared abo t wine see ed like a ood idea. There were no other wine blo ers in the of note. ine critics ancis obinson and larke were the well known na es with their h e personalities and co plete de otion to the world of wine. still ha e to pinch yself that a now in ited to the same tastings as them.

et asked a lot how it all act ally works and predo inantly how ake a li in o t of it. sin y skills in photo raphy and co nication work with brands to prod ce copy photo raphy or ideo raphy to pro ote so ethin . t aries enor o sly which is what lo e so ch abo t it. co ld be pro otin an entire re ion shinin li ht on the ibera del ero as an e a ple or si ply pro otin an indi id al brand. also host tastin s at e ents write for a a ines and so eti es it can be as specific as helpin a co ple choose the wine for their weddin day.

t is di erent e ery sin le day and of co rse there are challen es b t so far a ha in a lot of f n and isitin a lot of ery interestin ineyards and places.’

@theoldbuilding

20,900 followers

If any of you love Stamford and Georgian architecture our ad designer Gary Curtis is the one to follow; you will have seen many of his photos in the magazine over the years as he is a superb photographer as well as designer.

‘I always had a passion for historic architecture and loved taking photos of my beautiful town, Stamford. After posting them on my personal Instagram account I soon found these were by far the most popular, so decided that a proper home was needed and in 2018 @ theoldbuilding was born. It started small and I received few ‘likes’ but I enjoyed doing the photographs for this new account and slowly my followers and ‘likes’ started to grow. Currently I have over 20k followers on Instagram and over 90k followers on Twitter. My followers are mostly fans of historic architecture as well as history and travel and are from all over the world.

I am very selective over which images I post and also what buildings I will allow on my socials; basically anything up to WW2. Consistency and maintaining a standard are absolutely key to people taking an interest in my accounts. I have embraced making reels but try to ake the into short o ies rather than the fi e second clip you often see.

Bein fro ta ford a blessed with the finest classical eor ian architecture right on my doorstep. However, travels to other beautiful locations have allowed me to just not be purely Stamford based now. My most popular photographs can be sometimes from London, Bath

and Paris. South Kensington and Mayfair are always winners!

I care very much about protecting our built heritage and this is a constant passion and focus. I highlight the history of my home town and promote it as well as making sure it’s maintained and cared for. I have received many messages from followers telling me they have added Stamford to their holiday trips from abroad since seeing the town on my socials. This makes me very proud and happy.

@theoldbuilding has given me the chance to visit places like Grimsthorpe and Belvoir Castles when closed to the public. Last month I was lucky enough to be invited by a follower to the a nificent e cl si e e bers only oyal to obile l b on all Mall in London.

I hope my love for Stamford and the independent businesses we are l cky to ha e is re ected on y social edia.’

o e other local in encers of note are the rowe sisters laurencrowe88 (185k followers) @sineadcrowe (157k) who mainly foc s on fashion. nd tland irlfashionstyle k followers and styleinthesti . k who do the sa e as well as any ore.

'My followers are mostly fans of historic architecture as well as history and travel and are from all over the world.'

Backbone of the town

Kate met Stuart Blow of Stu Pots in Oundle and couldn’t leave empty handed

EVERY TOWN SHOULD have a hardware shop; it’s the backbone of the high street. And you need to give yourself time to have a really good look around too; you’re bound to end up with far more than you popped in for.

One such shop is Stu Pots in Oundle. Together with his parents, owner Stuart Blow has run it for 30 years. Originally from Blaby, just outside Leicester, the family came to Oundle to take over the shop during the recession in the early nineties as the gentleman who previously owned it was in financial di c lty.

There was nothing wrong with the business and it has since grown from

strength to strength. Stuart’s background is in tools and ironmongery which they still do a bit of but they call themselves primarily a cookware rather then hardware shop. The choice of earthenware, enamelware, pots, pans, knives and crockery is vast. And it’s always of the best quality.

‘We sell products at the higher end of the market,’ says Stuart. ‘There’s no point in competing with the supermarkets who get their pans really cheap but you won’t get the quality, non-stick specialist items there that I sell like the cast iron, shallow casseroles you use for one-pot cooking from hob to oven. If you’ve been buying your frying pans from the supermarket and you’ve been disappointed with them, many people get to a stage where they want to spend a bit more and get better quality. One of my saucepans is something you’ll keep for life.’

As John Lewis in Peterborough has now closed t art finds e en ore c sto ers are coming to him. He's built a very loyal following over the years with parents of Oundle School children and people from overseas either visiting or working locally in Peterborough or the Alconbury base.

‘Oundle is very cosmopolitan,’ Stuart told me. ‘Some people go away and then come back. thers ay li e in the area for fi e years, then go away and someone else arrives, so the customer dynamic is always changing. You have to be a people person but it’s very interesting and you get friendly with them. Some school parents wait until they visit to buy our cookware. We had one gentleman who bought eight bone china

coronation mugs to take back to Florida. Interestingly a lot of French and Italians bought them too, they must prefer our monarchs!’

Apparently their typical customer is a middle-aged woman! ‘But people who dislike shopping like us too,’ says Stuart, ‘as we have such a wide spectrum of products you can get everything you need in one hit. And I give them what they want rather than what they think they want. Advice is part of the service.’

Fashions change and according to Stuart everything comes back round. ‘People are buying enamelware that our grandmothers were using.’ I don’t suppose my Grandma had an airfryer or sodastream but she’d definitely be fa iliar with the wide array of cleanin aterials sink pl s y sprays Sabatier knives, clothes lines, rotary airers and even rubber tips to extend walking sticks. ‘We won’t sell many of those a year b t o erin a ser ice like that or fittin batteries for people can make them very happy. We may cost 50p more than online but people always come back.’

We always advocate shopping local in Active and shops like Stu Pots make it easy. They can order things in for people, they also deliver and are full of useful advice. Why wouldn’t you shop there? It’s fun and you’re guaranteed to walk out with something you didn’t realise you needed!

Stu Pots is open six days a week Monday to Saturday from 9am-5pm. 36 Market Place, Oundle. 01832 275414.

48 KING STREET WEST DEEPING PE6 9HP

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

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

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Tailor made treatments

Where can you go locally for a range of tailored aesthetic treatments in a rural, relaxed environment? Kate finds out

LORNA TRIGGS, WHO has a back ro nd in arketin spotted a ap in the arket locally for an aesthetic b siness o erin skin re enation laser hair re o al and body conto rin that was ery ch client foc sed and o ered a rela ed and welco in en iron ent. o in she opened one and called it al eo.

ri inally the clinic was in Barleythorpe st o tside akha and foc sed on hair re o al cal eo is act ally Latin for be bald be hairless.’ B t o er ti e Lorna has e panded the b siness into a f lly ed ed aesthetics clinic relocatin to tland arden illa e at shwell with a ch lar er footfall and a wider de o raphic of clients. They certainly pack a lot in to the fi e treat ent roo s and now o er e erythin fro anic res pedic res and assa es to hair re o al hydrafacials radio fre ency icroneedlin der aplanin and body sc lptin all the way thro h to doctor led in ectables.

e ha e a h e a o nt of arley treet le el e ip ent here ’ says Lorna as we wanted to brin London standard treat ents to tland in a r ral en iron ent which is easily accessible. eople now don’t ha e to tra el far to benefit fro a tea of practitioners with ni e skill sets.

e o er a tailored treat ent o rney as e eryone has a di erent ob ecti e of what they want to achie e and how they want to achie e it. r anti wrinkle in ections and fillers are carried o t by a doctor b t they are not for e erybody so we also ha e a wide ran e of achine based treat ents for clients who prefer a non in asi e approach to skin re enation.’ The fo r knowled eable and e tre ely welco in e bers of the tea are also oined a few days a week by a local practitioner o erin per anent cos etic treat ents. The list is e tensi e and people often start with one treat ent then

ra itate to the any others on o er. ost of the treat ents are best e perienced as a co rse to ain the best res lts b t st a sin le hydrafacial for e a ple i es an instant low which is reat for special occasions.

r doors are always open and we o er free cons ltations for all o r treat ents assessin o r clients’ s itability so they are f lly infor ed to ake the ri ht decisions. any en are t rnin to aesthetics nowadays as they are ore aware of what is possible be that hair re o al pore red ction or achie in a ore sc lpted fi re.’ Lorna is keen on self care obser in that people don’t prioritise the sel es. e’re all abo t s pportin wo en and en to feel better in the sel es thro h skin and body care. nd we’re always p shin forwards beca se yo ha e to keep p with the trends and the technolo ies.’

pen si days a week. al eo is well worth a isit. o ’ll be in e perienced welco in hands.

www.calveo.co.uk

‘We offer a tailored treatment journey as everyone has a different objective of what they want to achieve and how they want to achieve it.

The views are stunning and the path is very well maintained.

I’ll take the high road

Ben Lomond provides spectacular views of the loch below and makes a good introduction to Scotland’s high peaks, as Will Hetherington discovers

The definition of a nro is a cottish o ntain with a hei ht of ore than feet etres and there are of the on the cottish o ntaineerin l b list. They are na ed after ir h nro who prod ced nro’s Tables in and was also a fo nder e ber of the . o e of the so nd incredibly inti idatin s ch as the naccessible innacle at the top of rr ear on the sle of kye. s the na e s ests the final s it can only be reached by en ine rock cli bin . Thankf lly not all of these peaks re ire s ch technical astery stren th and bra ery and the ery so thern ost of the lot happens to be al ost on the doorstep of the etropolis of las ow. To walk to the top of Ben Lo ond all yo need do is to et yo rself to the pretty lochside settle ent of owardennan only an ho r’s dri e fro the

city centre ha e a bit of deter ination so e basic pro isions and war clothin and fo r or fi e ho rs to spare. ltho h yo wo ld be wise to also st dy the weather forecast caref lly before yo set o t.

A giant playground

The o ntain do inates the eastern shore of Loch Lo ond the lar est freshwater lake in reat Britain in ter s of s rface area and the s b ect of that fa o s son abo t bonnie banks and low and hi h roads. The loch is also the ateway to the i hlands and the weekend play ro nd of the . illion people who li e in the etropolitan area of las ow. ith that catch ent it’s no s rprise the ational Tr st for cotland esti ates Ben Lo ond sees ore than people a year atte pt to reach the top.

ith that last n ber in ind we arri ed at the car park at owardennan at . p

The loch is also the gateway to the Highlands and the weekend playground of the 1.8 million people who live in the metropolitan area of Glasgow.

Ben Lomond dominates the eastern shore of the loch.

Established in Peterborough since 2011, we have recently opened a NEW STORE at Fineshade Wood

Natural food and treats

Variety of raw food for cats & dogs

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Harness fittings in store

Friendly Staff, with help & advice always available

Find us at: The Arches Forestry England Visitor Centre

Fineshade, Corby NN17 3BB 01780 440846

www.peterboroughposhpetz.co.uk posh.petz@yahoo.co.uk

home care as as you are.

well-trusted care service, you can remain at home surrounded by loved ones and still enjoy your home, garden and community situation where you need an extra pair of hands to help with daily chores, or complex needs that require more dedicated care. packages around you and your individual needs which means that you and assured you’ll receive care and support exactly as you need. Our care from a 30-minute care visit, companionship, community outings, shopping, to 24 hour and Live in Care.

Care in your home, just as you like it.

Care in your home, just as you like it.

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service, you’ll want to engage with people you can trust, who are , understand and show compassion. Caring for people throughout and for over 10 years, our team deliver all of this and more.

Stamford & Rutland

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Referred to by our customers as ‘lovely blue angels’ we deliver award-winning home care as personal as you are.

Referred to by our customers as ‘lovely blue angels’ we deliver award-winning home care as personal as you are.

With our well-trusted care service, you can remain at home surrounded by loved ones and beloved pets and still enjoy your home, garden and community

With our well-trusted care service, you can remain at home surrounded by loved ones and beloved pets and still enjoy your home, garden and community.

With our well-trusted care service, you can remain at home surrounded by loved ones and beloved pets and still enjoy your home, garden and community

You may be in a situation where you need an extra pair of hands to help with daily chores, or you may have complex needs that require more dedicated care.

You may be in a situation where you need an extra pair of hands to help with daily chores, or you may have complex needs that require more dedicated care.

You may be in a situation where you need an extra pair of hands to help with daily chores, or you may have complex needs that require more dedicated care.

We build our care packages around you and your individual needs which means that you and your family can rest assured you’ll receive care and support exactly as you need. Our care covers everything from a 30-minute care visit, companionship, community outings, shopping, night care, through to 24 hour and Live in Care.

We build our care packages around you and your individual needs which means that you and your family can rest assured you’ll receive care and support exactly as you need. Our care covers everything from a 30-minute care visit, companionship, community outings, shopping, night care, through to 24 hour and Live in Care.

We build our care packages around you and your individual needs which means that you and your family can rest assured you’ll receive care and support exactly as you need. Our care covers everything from a 30-minute care visit, companionship, community outings, shopping, night care, through to 24 hour and Live in Care.

With such a personal service, you’ll want to engage with people you can trust, who are highly trained, who listen, understand and show compassion. Caring for people throughout Stamford, Bourne and Rutland for over 10 years, our team deliver all of this and more.

With such a personal service, you’ll want to engage with people you can trust, who are highly trained, who listen, understand and show compassion. Caring for people throughout Peterborough, Oundle, Stamford, Bourne and Rutland for over 10 years, our team deliver all of this and more.

With such a personal service, you’ll want to engage with people you can trust, who are highly trained, who listen, understand and show compassion. Caring for people throughout Stamford, Bourne and Rutland for over 10 years, our team deliver all of this and more.

Bluebird Care Stamford & Rutland

Bluebird Care Stamford & Rutland

01780 480 881 | stamford@bluebirdcare.co.uk

bluebirdcare.co.uk/stamford-rutland

01780 480 881 | stamford@bluebirdcare.co.uk bluebirdcare.co.uk/stamford-rutland

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Bluebird Care Peterborough & Oundle Bluebirdcare.co.uk/Peterborough-Oundle

Luss and the islands of Loch Lomond

The sandstone houses in the pretty little village of Luss on the western shore of Loch Lomond were originally built by the Colquhoun family to accommodate workers from their nearby slate quarries. But today this model village is more of a tourist goldmine with those idyllic one level cottages, gift shops, church and pier, which was built in 1875. From 1953 the pier was visited daily by the Maid of the Loch, the last paddle steamer to be built in Britain, providing a service for travellers and tourists from Balloch. Sadly the Maid of the Loch is not in service at the moment but there is a charity dedicated to returning it to the water (maidoftheloch.org)

There are also 23 islands on the loch, notably Inchmurrin with its castle completed in 1303 by the Earls of Lennox, Inchconnachan which was the holiday home of Lady Arran who once held the women’s waterspeed record having reached 103mph on Lake Windermere, and Inchcruin which was an 18th century asylum for the insane.

on a stunning Thursday afternoon, having both taken ti e o for a lon weekend in the Loch Lo ond The Trossachs ational ark (founded in 2002). It’s a lovely drive up the east shore of the loch, passing plenty of people either embarking on the West Highland Way looking full of energy and smiles, or some who are near the end of the adventure, looking a little more weary with their rucksacks taking a toll on tired legs. Luckily for them this famous long distance route doesn’t require them to scale mighty Ben Lomond, but the sight of them all provides plenty of inspiration before parking up in the pretty car park at Rowardennan. It’s quite a small parking area but there is an overspill parking area a little to the south. I can imagine on a sunny weekend in midsummer one would need to arrive early to get a space.

Taking the easy road

The car park is at the lochside so those of you who are already thinking about the total ascent may have realised you start from almost sea level on this one - sadly the car does almost none of the work. Just to emphasise that, the highest point in enerally at old Lincolnshire is in the olds in the north of the county at 168m and the

highest point in relatively Himalayan-bycomparison Rutland is just outside Knossington at 197m. Ben Lomond is e ecti ely fi e ti es hi her than anythin in our area.

However it does have rather a nice path leading up to it. In fact it’s considered such an accessible route they call it the ‘tourist’ route just to make it clear that yes you might be scaling a Munro, but in no way should you think you have done anything special or indeed be deserving of a pat on the back on completion. There is a much steeper and ore di c lt ro te called the tar i an path, but we weren’t sure we had enough time to attempt that, and we had an inkling the easterly wind might be challenging enough higher up.

Hostile conditions up high

The guideline time in our walking book was appro i ately fi e ho rs so we fi red we would be back at the car before 6pm. The route starts from the convenient toilet block at the car park and is clearly marked. So obvious all the way in fact there is really no need for a map or navigation device on this one. or the first ile the path winds through some lovely woodland before suddenly bursting out on to the open hill

Ben Lomond is effectively five times higher than anything in our area.

The final ridgeline before the summit.

after the last of the deer fencing. From here there are occasional steeper sections but the path is extremely well maintained. Make no mistake, it will get your heart pumping and the sweat owin in ild conditions b t e ally if yo find the ri ht pace there’s no reason anyone who is used to walking a few miles regularly can’t make it to the top. As long as the weather plays ball...

Because we live in this calm corner of the east midlands we sometimes don’t realise what happens to the wind, rain and temperature at one kilometre above sea level. And this day was a case in point. When we were three quarters of the way up we crested a rise which p t s directly in the firin line of what was a 15mph easterly wind down at sea level. It’s hard to accurately estimate what speed that wind was up there, but 15mph is not enough to nearly knock me o er so let’s call it ore like ph. o e people love the wind in their hair and the sense of wildness it delivers - I’m not one of the . ddenly there was no point in tryin to make conversation because unless we were stood face to face shouting at each other our voices were instantly whipped way over the loch towards Argyll and beyond. It was hard to keep our balance and, of course, the temperature plummeted. Luckily it was

probably only 15 minutes before we got round the next shoulder of the mountain and could hear again, but it was a salutary lesson about the hostility of this environment. It should never be taken lightly and, even if it does feel faintly tropical when you get out of the car, don’t fall for it.

Where the air is very clear

Once we were around that shoulder though it was only another 15 or 20 minutes to the peak, where we were able to take a little shelter in the lee of the wind on the western side of the trig point and enjoy a snack and some simply breathtaking views. Apparently you can see Ben Nevis to the north, the Ochils and Pentlands to the east, Galloway to the south and Mull, Islay and Arran to the west. And no doubt we did see all of them on this day, because the air quality was so incredibly clear, but without someone to tell us which was which we were just happy to

enjoy the whole panorama, including the island-strewn Loch Lomond beneath us. Of course it’s hard work walking up a mountain, even an ‘easy’ one like this, but you soon forget about that when you get to the top. Views like that are worth every step and more.

If we had more time we might have taken the Ptarmigan route down but it will have to wait till another day, and also if it’s that steep it’s probably better to ascend that way and descend on the shallower gradient. As it was we sped back down the way we went up, ha pered a ain brie y by the wind which if anything, had strengthened since our ascent. We arrived at the car park at about 16.30 so it took us approximately three and a half hours for the seven miles and that was pushing it quite hard - a good indication of the di erence between walkin in cotland and Lincolnshire and exhilarating in the best possible way.

Of course it’s hard work walking up a mountain, even an ‘easy’ one like this, but you soon forget about that when you get to the top.

Ben Lomond is the most southerly of all the Munros.

Active Kids

Swimming success at Manor High

ALYSSA LO-SHUN-SHING started swimming as a baby and loved the water. She joined a swimming club aged four and had her first race aged five, winning a medal.

Alyssa joined Braunstone Swimming Club aged six and competed in her first Leicestershire County Age Group Championships (LASA) in 2018 and was crowned LASACAT Champion for the girls’ 10 years’ category. She won the same title in 2019 and again in 2020.

Alyssa was invited to join the City of Leicester Swimming Club in 2018 where she still is. She has progressed from swimming at county level to regional and now national. She was selected and invited by swim England to be on the National Age Group Development Program for 2022/2023 and is part of the Team Leicestershire Talent Athlete Program 2022/2023.

Alyssa is aiming to make a final at the British Summer Nationals this July, competing in 400m freestyle, 200m butterfly, 200m freestyle, 50m butterfly and 100m butterfly. She also has aspirations of doing an International Swim Meet and to be scouted for a sports scholarship.

The school is really proud of Alyssa’s achievements and we wish her every success in the future.

Both Arthur and Tommy Blacklaws have been swimming since they were babies and joined a competitive club when they were eight. They currently swim for City of Leicester, with their base club being Leicester Sharks.

This year Arthur has won all three (50m, 100m and 200m) county breaststroke titles and made all three regional finals. He holds numerous age group club records. He was part of the team who competed at the National league final last year in Cardiff and also the team who made the regional junior league final last year.

Tommy’s best achievement to date is qualifying for English nationals. He also has numerous county titles and last year made regional finals. Tommy competes at a regional level in three strokes and the medley so is an excellent all rounder whilst excelling at butterfly. Tommy also made national team finals for both the junior league when he was younger and also the national league in Cardiff last year, where he was in the same team as Arthur.

Both boys wish to make British Championships in the future and to go as far as they can with the sport while still enjoying it; we wish them luck.

Oakham fund raiser

NINETY-FIVE LOWER SCHOOL pupils from Oakham School, with their parents and members of staff, walked and cycled their way around Rutland Water recently to raise awareness and funds for The Brain Tumour Charity. In the largest lower school fundraising event since 2019 the pupils challenged themselves to either walk 10km or cycle the 27-km circuit, with several taking on the additional challenge of the Hambleton Peninsula.

Many family canine friends also accompanied the walkers on their route with nearly 30 dogs taking part.

The event raised over £5,000 which was increased to £7,000 as proceeds from a recent Non-Uniform Day were added to the total.

Cricket masterclass

OAKHAM SCHOOL HOSTED a cricket masterclass for pupils delivered by star cricketers Fi Morris and Ami Campbell who ran cricket coaching sessions as well as answering questions about all aspects of the game of cricket.

Lower school pupils were joined by visitors from nearby Brooke Priory, Spratton Hall, Laxton Junior, St Hugh’s and Copthill Independent Schools.

The event was organised in conjunction with the Mintridge Foundation, a registered charity that uses positive sporting role models to work with young people to encourage positive relationships with sport.

Stamford successes

TWO SWIMMING TEAMS from Stamford Junior School recently headed to Sheffield for the ESSA Primary Schools’ Team Championships. The SJS girls made the finals of both their relay races, with the boys narrowly missing out.

And well done to three Stamford teams who attended the British Schools’ floor and vault national finals in May. The teams qualified for the event by winning the regional rounds earlier this year. The U11 girls and U19 girls all performed with grace and elegance in very high-standard competitions and did themselves and the school proud.

The U14 boys’ team was a first for Stamford as it was the first time an all-boys team had competed at the National finals. They exceeded all expectations and showed confidence and determination and finished in an excellent second place. Silver medals for the history makers!

Well done Witham

WITHAM SPORT HAS had a fantastic Trinity term. The U11/10 mixed cricket team travelled to Repton School to play in the Donald Carr 50 Tournament.

The girls and boys were elated to win the tournament overall in a close final against St Peter’s, York and thoroughly deserved to do so. Well done everyone!

More swimming success

LEICESTER HIGH SCHOOL for Girls’ Year 5 and 6 swimmers secured a runners-up position in the Leicester City Primary School Swimming Gala. The event held at Wigston Swimming Pool brought together pupils from 10 schools across the region.

During the competition several Year 5 Leicester High pupils went head-to-head with their older peers in Year 6, making their achievement even more remarkable. A special mention must be made of Lakshmi, a Year 3 student who bravely stepped up to compete against swimmers from Year 5 and 6. Despite being younger than her competitors, Lakshmi demonstrated her remarkable abilities in the pool. Well done girls.

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EDITED BY KATE MAXIM

A pain in the head

ActiveBody  O

NE REASON PEOPLE seek help from physiotherapists is for neck pain and headaches. Headaches come in many forms: tension, migraine, cluster headache, all of which can be life altering. Often patients have sought any opinions been o ered dr s and lifestyle chan e ad ice before finally co in to see a physio. But in many cases the headaches are actually what is known as cervicogenic headache, the cause is related to the neck and the pain is from information received by the brain from the nerves in the upper cervical spine.

Features that imply that there may be a neck component to your headache include a headache that can change between the left and right side, either in separate headaches or during the same episode. Or one which is stronger on one side and changes during the episode. Headache starting in the neck, or one which co es on with specific head movements can also suggest that the neck is involved.

Migraine has so many varying factors, including sleep, nutrition, sensitivity to certain foods, light and stress but it too can have a neck component. By changing one or more of these things it is possible to reduce the tendency to have migraine as well as lessenin the pain and other e ects s ch as nausea, if they do occur.

One theory that has been shown recently in research is that what most headaches have in common is what we call a ‘sensitised brainstem.’ The brainstem is the small structure connecting the nerves from the brain to the rest of the body via the spinal cord. It sits above the neck at the base of the brain.

It is well known that with chronic pain there often is no longer a physical cause for it but that the brain can be sensitised and this prod ces an a plification of both pain and sensation to touch known as ‘allodynia.’ It would appear that messages from the three upper neck or cervical joints can also cause sensitisation and this can be experienced as headache or i raine. By a ectin the inp t from the neck to the brain can help reduce that sensitisation and thus reduce the pain and other symptoms such as aura, nausea etc.

As with all physiotherapy assessments, the patient telling ‘their story’ of the symptoms they feel, what makes them worse or better and what their life is like is the most important. This may sound unconnected but we know that science points to the importance of stress, sleep, nutrition etc on symptoms. It is very common for patients to find that their pain is better when they are on holiday or are out of a stressful situation.

During this assessment we can check there are no red a s s ch as a s dden onset or worsening of regular headache for no particular reason. Headaches associated with a history of cancer, high blood pressure,

fever, pregnancy or by increased pressure such as coughing should also be investigated separately.

Examining the patient includes looking at head and neck movements as well as a brief overview of general movement. Palpation of the muscles and joints that could create headache would be performed and blood pressure should be taken.

A particular method of headache treatment was started by a physiotherapist, Dean Watson, in Adelaide. He discovered that if he applied a specific type of press re thro h specific pper cer ical ertebral joints, that pressure brings on the headache but also then resolves it within a minute or so. This can be a helpful method of resolving headache in the longer term. This can be extremely successful in the treatment of migraine too.

Self management then continues with probably so e ad ice o ered abo t chan es in habits, exercise and wellbeing. The advice I would give to myself would be, don’t knit for hours on end trying to look at the tv at the same time!

To contact Sarah ring 07780 900201.

Headaches can be caused by many different factors and physios can help; Sarah Babbs explains

A

training facility specialising in exclusive personal training and small group classes

Wittering Grange, Wansford, Peterborough PE8 6NR

Nasty, nippy things

Insect bites can be a problem in the summer wherever you are

EVEN IF YOU’RE not tra ellin to any far n corners of the world this year os itoes and id es can still be a n isance in cooler cli es closer to ho e especially if yo ’re lookin forward to a ca pin or walkin holiday. The i ne syste ’s response to an insect’s sali a or eno can ca se pain swellin and redness and of co rse can itch like ad. ard o nwanted attention fro os itoes and other bitin insects with the followin insect repellin tips

Cover up

Take yo rself o the en The si plest way to do this is to co er p with lon slee ed shirts and tro sers especially at dawn and d sk when they are ost likely to bite and se a os ito net at ni ht.

Be choosy about your colours

hite repels al ost any insect whereas darker colo rs na y and black attract os itoes. This is beca se darker colo rs trap the prod ced by yo r body which appeals to the . ellow is also a ood colo r for repellin os itoes as they can barely see it.

Use an insect repellent on exposed skin

ood insect repellent on e posed skin sho ld also help to keep bitin b s at bay. any sprays and lotions will contain a che ical called T diethyl eta tol a ide which altho h e ecti e can prod ce ad erse reactions in so e people. at ral insect repellents can be st as e ecti e.

ee seed e tract is a pop lar alternati e to T containin sprays. The s ell of nee asks yo r indi id al scent akin yo less easy to find. t can also be sed a ainst id es which are partic larly tro bleso e in the and ies. Try o el’s erbal nsect epellent pray. t is s itable for all the fa ily b t not children nder fo r or pre nant wo en d e to the essential oils and sho ld be applied to e posed areas of skin e ery three ho rs or as re ired.

Top up on mosquito-repelling foods

arlic eaten on a re lar basis can ha e a repellent e ect and sho ld

ake yo s ell less appetisin to h n ry insects. This is d e to the co po nd allicin which is released thro h yo r pores. llicin interferes with yo r nat ral scent akin yo a harder tar et to find. nions and other allicin containin foods s ch as leeks shallots and chi es ha e a si ilar e ect.

pple cider ine ar is also belie ed to work in a si ilar way dis isin yo r scent whereas le on rass contains citronella a nat ral b repellent that can be applied to skin or sed in other ways. itronella candles for e a ple are a pop lar o tdoor repellent d rin the s er onths.

Avoid foods that attract mosquitoes ed cin yo r intake of s ary foods can also help. ar akes yo r blood taste sweeter especially to os itoes so by c ttin down on the sweet st yo sho ldn’t taste as ood. That said yo ’re not ho e and dry with salty foods either. os itoes are attracted to the hi h a o nt of lactic acid these foods prod ce which is also the reason why yo ’re likely to attract os itoes when yo e ercise and yo ’re likely to be wearin fewer clothes . nd their fa o rite be era e Beer. hilst researchers still aren’t s re why this is they do a ree that e en a s all bottle of beer see s to draw the little critters in.

A sneaky gin and tonic? Nope

er tho ht yo ’re i ne if yo drink in hilst there is so e e idence to s est that inine which is nat rally present in tonic water ay ha e a repellent e ect the a ority of scientists ref te this. ally di isi e is the assertion that thia in or B food so rces incl de to atoes can ha e a b repellent e ect. hat do we reco end tick to the bri ht colo rs and the nee and don’t for et the arlic. f it also wards o the odd h an which is not always a bad thin

For further information, visit Raj and his team at The Body Store 13 Town Square, Syston, LE7 1GZ or call 0116 269 4348.

Toft Golf Club

Celebrating 35 years, Toft is back fully in the hands of the family that founded it

LOCATED LESS THAN eight miles north of Stamford, Toft Golf Club is home to some rare rolling hills of South Lincolnshire that gives it stunning views over the local countryside. The attractive course offers a challenge for golfers of all abilities, with excellent drainage meaning it is a venue for all seasons. They also have a popular driving range, which is open to members and visitors seven days a week.

There are always deals to be had in the well-presented Pro Shop, with 33% off currently being offered on all Ping clothing. Many other major brands are stocked at Toft, such as TaylorMade, Under Armour, FootJoy and Skechers.

Times at Toft are very exciting. They have recently celebrated their 35-year anniversary and the club is now wholly owned by Mandy and Maz, daughters of founder, the late Derek Lees. Derek founded the club back in 1988 and it is his vision and legacy that is continuing to this day. The course has matured beautifully over the last 35 years and an awful lot has changed. The following pictures from 1988 and 2023 show just what a difference 35 years can make!

Toft is always welcoming to new members, visitors and societies. Take a look at their website to see the various membership packages on offer, as well as information on green fees and society deals. Whether you are new to the sport or a seasoned player, make sure to give Toft a try, you can always be sure of a warm and friendly welcome.

www.toftgolfclub.co.uk

‘They have recently celebrated their 35-year anniversary and the club is now wholly owned by Mandy and Maz, daughters of founder, the late Derek Lees.’

WE START WITH cricket and I’m pleased to say there seems to be something of a renaissance going on at Ketton Sports. After a fall from grace a couple of seasons ago which involved a dizzy fall into i ision o r after they’d brie y b rst like a supernova into the higher reaches of the lea e they now see to be fi htin back after their tra ails on and o the pitch. That’s good to see because the village and the facilities at Pit Lane deserve no less. Recent wins against Kibworth, Spalding and Stamford underline that fact, even though in recent memory they would have been co petin with those cl bs’ first sides rather than their thirds and under-15s. Nevertheless I look forward to seeing them continue to move upwards and onwards.

Up into the Premier Division and Oakham Town ha e had a c rate’s e of a season so far. They ha e had notable wins a ainst strong opposition in the form of Syston, Kibworth, Kegworth and Langtons but have faltered when they should have prevailed against lesser sides. Perhaps they need more inspiration and backbone, which they’ve maybe missed since the gentleman we’re about to mention retired (52 not out).

On August 20, to commemorate the late and reat hris Larsen akha Town will be playing two games against Leicestershire o er fifties he played for both sides himself) at the Lime Kilns for a newly inaugurated annual trophy. It’s thought his family will be there and there’s sure to be a feast of cricket, a barbecue with beer and

wine owin fro the bar and ch else. ll proceeds will be donated to Mind and I promise you it’s going to be a great day. rran e ents are still so ewhat id (including possibly the date) at time of writing so please check in at Oakham CC’s website for the latest details and I hope to see you there at the ground. It’s one not to be missed for the man who transformed akha Town’s cricketin a bitions fro a id table first di ision side b blin alon into an established Premier League club and was, to boot, ‘a well-humoured competitor b t ost i portantly a loyal and fierce friend.’

Although it seems only a nanosecond ago when the last football season ended, the new one begins only three weeks after this edition hits the streets and transfer fever is

already well underway. It’s been an extremely busy close season at newly promoted Stamford Daniels and there’s no denying it must have come as a bit of a blow for their fans to learn that their top scorer Jonathon Margetts is amongst the leavers, Matlock-bound it seems.

However, three players have been poached fro ri als rantha Town Lee haw shton er and arry ood. Boss Graham Drury seems particularly enth siastic abo t ood sayin he’s a ery talented footballer,’ and ‘really caught my eye with his ability to r n with the ball and a ect teams.’ He’s similarly upbeat about 19-yearold striker Jenson Cooper who joins from Rushden and Diamonds (relegated last year and now in arboro h Town’s di ision commenting ‘I am really excited to see what he can do in a Stamford kit. I spoke to my old

The cricket season is well underway and one intrepid runner is faster now aged 70 than he was at 48. Jeremy Smithson-Beswick enlightens us

‘Up into the Premier Division and Oakham Town have had a curate’s egg of a season so far.’

number two Andy Burgess who worked with him for nearly a season and he said he’s getting better with every game.’

It’s going to be a challenging campaign for the side at their new level and I’m not sure any of us are really clear about how they’ll do, but that’s the beauty of football I guess. We’ll keep you posted.

The Rutland 10K race is one of the most scenic and popular local athletic events for many a mile. Four months ago we covered Oakham man Nick Taylor and his ambition to run it, singling him out from the 430 other doughty entrants because he ‘doesn’t like running,’ hadn’t done so apart from a momentary aberration 22 years ago and has just turned 70. The motivation was to raise money for medical charity EMICS and also to see if he could outperform his time for the distance on his only previous outing all those years ago. ‘Can I at 70 beat me at 48?’ as he put it. We promised back in March to update you on how he did with those unbelievably ancient and rusty knees.

Training started with a mixture of strengthening exercises and running work (after a prudent visit to his GP) with the occasional scheduled rest day. He told me it was sometimes tough – in fact when I asked him if he ever felt like saying ‘bugger this’ after the first 500 yards he said, ‘oh yes, most days’ – but of course the thought of letting the charity down spurred him on.

Eventually the big day came around and seemingly surrounded by much younger, fitter and experienced competitors (OK, perhaps not so seemingly at all) off he set. To cut a long - six and half miles long - story short Nick finished a creditable two thirds of the way down the field. Once the initial euphoric feelings of relief and excitement at the finish line were over he looked to his stopwatch to check his all-important time only to realise it was still ticking away because he’d forgotten to turn it off.

So, a few minutes of stress passed as he

waited for the official result. When it came through he’d succeeded in beating his 2001 time by just 21 seconds. Whether that or the £1,200 he’s raised so far is the greater achievement I’ll leave you to ponder. All would be grateful for any further donations - just search for Nick’s Rutland 10K at justgiving.com.

As a wrinkly myself, I’d also like give a

shout out to four other names on the honours board. Lionel Bandy and Richard Horsecroft valiantly ran in the 75 to 79-year-old category and there were two other runners in Nick’s age group, Valerie Croft and Jane Walker, the latter beating her time by nearly eight minutes! Do get in touch you four and I’ll be delighted to share your own personal stories next year.

THORPE BY WATER

On your bike!

ROUTE

Distance: 28.08 mi

Elevation: 1462 ft

LEAVE GRETTON AND head south to the T junction. Turn left to Deene and look out for stunning Kirby Hall on your left at the 4 mile point. Once you get to the busy A43, turn right and then left shortly afterwards in to Deenthorpe before enjoying a mostly downhill ride to Oundle passing through Upper and Lower Benefield on the way. There’s lots of places for a break in Oundle if needed.

Then head north to Southwick up the short hill. Once down the hill after Southwick it is uphill for quite a while so pace yourself as you ride up to Bulwick and then cross back over the A43. Go past Laxton and follow the road to Harringworth. There is a choice here. Turn right in the village to stay on the south side of the river. Or cross and turn left passing through Thorpe by Water before turning right back

to Gretton. Whichever route you choose, enjoy the sting in the tail riding back up the hill to Gretton! You can replenish your energy with some tasty refreshments from The Hatton Arms. https://www.strava.com/ routes/3100763539887182370

Or scan the QR code to get the route

GRETTON START / FINISH

01780 239181

www.classq.co.uk