Ulster Tatler December 2020

NORTHERN IRELAND’S NO1 GLOSSY

Ulster Tatler DECEMBER 2020

INTERVIEW THE POSH LADY FROM RADIO 4

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Best Looking, Feeling And Being Your

Cosmetic Mole and Skin Tag Removal

Ulster Tatler’s Joanne Harkness speaks to Alex Best, author, TV personality and ex-wife of the late George Best about her non-surgical Mr Andrewtreatment Diver is a Consultant Surgeon at Cosmetech and offers facelift withPlastic Cosmetech in their Holywood branch. skin tag and mole removal and other non- surgical treatments including is only naturalInjections. to be under pressure up with Alex, 24 hours afterand Anti-wrinkle PDOatching Thread-lifts, Dermal Fillers He alsotooffers look good. “There is a bit more pressure her treatment, I would not have been Cosmetic Surgery Kingsbridge Hospital. because people are so quick to comment on aware that she hadatbeen through a Private

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your appearance when they see pictures in procedure at all - she was in good spirits magazines. However, even if I wasn’t in the and looking as fresh and glamorous as she public eye, I have always been someone who always does. She emphasised the lack of takes pride in their appearance. downtime needed with this treatment. “There oles are extremely in the general population“Iand arelike found in every –group including feel men don’tage have to think about is no anesthetic required,common the only thing used new born babies.

Most appear in childhood and up to the age of 25.

It is normal for an adult these things, they just jump in the shower and was some numbing cream. It was just like have between injections, 10 and 40 moles.

The skin contains pigment cellshaving called melanocytes which moan about to shave, whereas women going fortoanti-wrinkle you could makego the back pigment WhenI these it forms mole or ‘pigmented naevus’.

Theyour are hair to athink about waxing, getting even to melanin. work after! wokecells upgrow this in clustershave benign butwith rarelyno a mole can change into a type of skin called a melanoma. signs would be an done, nails, tan...theWarning list goes on.” morning bruising, just totally back to cancer increase in size, darkening of the colour, bleeding or ulcerationWith and athe significant change in shape. scrutiny to look goodAny and ‘age normal.” suspicious lesions bepublic seen byeye yourfor doctor to a it specialist necessary. can beif easy to turn to surgery but Alex has beenshould in the 20+and referredwell’ Skin starting tags are also common.

They are flesh coloured and usually have a narrow stalkthe to normal skin. They sometimes going under knife isn’t years, hervery career in modelling and are often seen in the chest, back, groin, undernecessary the breasts and on theaeyelids.

These are benign to gain more youthful look. Alex later becoming anneck, author and TVarmpits, personality. butacan be irritating rubbingshe on clothes or byitbeing cosmetically the patient.be keen on doing agreesunacceptable with this: “Ito wouldn’t As woman in thebymedia feels like

M

Q: How are skin tags and moles removed?

Skin tags are a bit easier and can be removed by cutting, freezing (cryotherapy) or burning off (electrotherapy). This should be done in a controlled sterile setting to minimise the risk of infection, and they do bleed so the clinic needs to be able to manage this. Moles are usually excised with a scalpel. Occasionally they are shaved off but to ensure completion of the removal, especially if there are any suspicious features, the whole depth of the skin needs to be removed in one piece. Moles should be sent to the lab for pathology to ensure there are no suspicious cells. At Cosmetech we send all moles for pathology.

“I noticed the difference straight away. It looks like I have a jawline now... I am absolutely thrilled with the results.”

Q: Does it hurt having these removed?

If there is going to be significant discomfort the doctor or surgeon should usually administer local anaesthetic to numb the area. There will be mild discomfort as the anaesthetic is being injected but it is usually not significant and the anaesthetic takes effect within a couple of minutes. For very small skin tags, they can sometimes be frozen off without anaesthetic. Cosmetech has local anaesthetic cream which can be applied in clinic in advance of the procedure. We don’t like causing pain and make every effort to minimise it.

anything that involves major surgery but I don’t mind having a few little tweaks here and there now that I am closer to 50 than 40.

Nothing invasive, just something to give a little bit of help along the way.”

With this in mind, the PDO Thread-Lift seemed like the perfect option for Alex, a non-surgical facelift, with zero downtime. So how does it work?

“They inject in threads, similiar to getting stitches. I had mine focused around the jawline and cheekbones. They are biodegradable, just like the surgical stitches that are used in cardiac surgery, they stimulate your own collagen production for up to 8 months before they dissolve, treatment results last from 12-18 months before they disappear, this thickens and tightens the skin.”

With the session only lasting 30-60 minutes, you could be mistaken that it would take a bit of time to develop but this was not the case according to Alex. “I noticed the difference straight away. It looks like I have a jawline now.

It doesn’t look overly drastic, like I have had my eyes pulled back, which can be the case with

surgical facelifts - it just gives my face more definition. I am absolutely thrilled with the results!”

Alex was also thrilled with the quality of service and attention to detail that she 114

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received at Cosmetech. “The team were absolutely amazing and the premises they have at their Holywood branch is great! They offer a wide range of treatments such as Botox, Dermal Fillers and mole removal. My consultant, Mr Gerard Smith is a Consultant Maxillofacial (head, face and neck) Surgeon with a specialist interest in nonsurgical treatments. He is fully trained to offer this treatment and I felt like I was in safe hands with him. Thread-lifts should only be performed by a trained doctor in a clinical environment, recently this procedure has been regulated by the CQC (Care Quality Commission) in the UK mainland so it’s very important to be careful where you go for Thread-lifts.

With a Cosmetech Clinic located in Chelsea, London, Alex has the best of both worlds – allowing her to come back to Q: How long does the procedure take?

Northern Ireland for the procedure in the Most of these branch, procedures very her quick.

A Holywood whileare having follow upcan appointment in the which mole be removed andChelsea the skinclinic sutured is just a 30-minute journey from within 5 to 10 minutes.train Administration ofher house in and Surrey. anaesthetic skin preparation add some Alexifhad previously in Portavogie time, and several lesions lived are being with her late husband George andA removed obviously it will take a bitBest longer. skin tag can be removed in a matter of seconds but again, it is key that this is done in a controlled sterile setting (don’t try this at home).

Q: Can I drive home afterwards?

Usually there is no issue with driving unless for example the lesion was near the eye and vision was temporarily affected by swelling or watering. Hand surgery can also affect driving but the vast majority of these lesions are small enough not to cause a problem. If in doubt bring a friend or relative or take a taxi.

Q: What about aftercare?

There is usually a dressing for the first 3 to 7 days and, depending upon the operation site, sutures may need to be BEFORE removed. On the face these are often removed

takes every opportunity to return to Northern Ireland to visit friends.

“I usually try and get over to Northern Ireland at least twice a year – I love coming back! Every time I come back I feel like it has changed for the better.

Places like Belfast have a real buzz about them and it is great to see places like Cosmetech, where there is a branch in Chelsea, opening up in both Belfast and Holywood.”

READER OFFER Quote Ulster Tatler when booking to redeem a £50 Voucher off your consultation fee.

Valid until December 31st 2020

To book a consultation at Cosmetechplease call

between 5 to 7 days, but are left a bit 028 9042 3200 longer on other body areas. Again these should Other be removed by someone skilled and treatments available experienced doing it incorrectly can include: as Anti-wrinkle Injections, Dermal PDO Thread-lifts, Thread leave bitsfillers, of stitch in the skin, or risk vein removal, Aqualyx fat dissolving reopening the wound. about a week injections andAfter Profhilo. most wounds do not need dressed but should be kept clean, and paraffin ointment often helps at this time. Depending on your surgeon, the wound may be dressed with ointment alone or sometimes skin glue.

Q: Will I have a scar?

All surgery which cuts through the full depth of skin will leave a scar. Skin tag excision shouldn’t leave much noticeable scarring but mole excision usually will. The quality of the scar can vary depending on genetics. To optimise the scar we perform precise stitching, remove stitches at the appropriate time, and encourage scar management in the form of moisturising and massage. Scars can take up to 2 years to mature to their final appearance.

If a scar does become thicker or remain red for a long time there are treatments such as steroid injections or laser colour reduction, but these AFTER are thankfully rarely necessary.

PDO THREAD-LIFT FACT FILE WITH MR GERARD SMITH, CONSULTANT MAXILLOFACIAL SURGEON.

This treatment uses absorbable threads to lift and rejuvenate the face, resulting in a fresh and youthful appearance. The Thread-Lift treatment repositions sagging skin to tighten and add definition to the face.

Procedure Time Two x 1-2 hour sessions, 4-6 weeks apart.

Result Effect You can see lifting results immediately. Skin rejuvenating and tightening effects start from 3- 4 weeks and continue for up to 8 months.

READER OFFER

Quote Ulster Tatler 347 when booking to Result Duration redeem a £50fiVoucher off The majority of patients nd the treatment your12-18 consultation results last from months.fee.

Valid until December 31st 2020 Back To tobook worka consultation at Cosmetech You can resume normal immediately please call 028activity 9042 3200 following the treatment.

Other treatments available include: Sensitivity Anti-wrinkle Injections, Dermal fillers, PDO There may be sensitivity 24-48 hours post Thread-lifts, Thread vein removal, Aqualyx treatment. fat dissolving injections and Profhilo.

Risks and complications There’s a chance of bruising, swelling and tenderness post treatment.

Who performs the treatment?

Our Consultant Surgeons have a background in head, neck and face reconstructive surgery, plastic surgery and maxillofacial surgery.

Cosmetech is a Consultant Surgeon-led Clinic, we have two locations - Holywood, Northern Ireland and Chelsea, London.

Prices from £595 - £2600 To book a complimentary consultation quote “Ulster Tatler” and receive 10% discount!

Maypole Clinic 5-7 Shore Road Holywood BT18 9XH T: 028 9042 3200 E: frontdesk@cosmetech.co.uk www.cosmetech.co.uk

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introducing our new super skin booster Profhilo is creating a real buzz in the aesthetic world, with many practitioners referring to it “as something they have been waiting for” or as “the most exciting development in injectable treatments in a long time.”

“It’s like the holy grail of skincare. It’s better than looking well rested. The result is a dewy, healthy, slightly plumper looking glow that takes a good five years off your face.”

PROFHILO

How does Profhilo work?

As a stabilised product Profhilo lasts in the skin around 28 days. During this time the stimulation of four different types of collagen and elastin takes place by slow release of HA. In the short term, the Profhilo gel spreads out in the superficial layer of your skin, encouraging hydration, but the really good news is that clinical tests show that it also improves elasticity and collagen production, in a process called ‘biostimulation’ which results in significant tissue improvement and delivers great results as a skin boosting treatment on its own or in combination with other aesthetic treatments currently on offer.

This characteristic of Profhilo® makes it an ideal treatment for improving elasticity and tightening areas such as the neck, around the mouth and hands without giving an artificially enhanced appearance.

Imogen Edwards Jones.

What is Profhilo®?

A skin laxity treatment, Profhilo® uses patented technologies engineered for ‘skin remodelling and boosting’, a revolutionary concept of ‘curling’ wrinkles rather than ‘filling’ them.

It uses a unique concentration of Hyaluronic Acid, which penetrates deeply through the skin to accelerate the production

of collagen and elastin, creating plumper, more hydrated skin. Profhilo® works across the entire face rather than focusing on one area, and is therefore fantastic for those looking to smooth fine lines and wrinkles, and achieve an overall more youthful appearance.

Hyaluronic acid is a naturally occurring substance that’s found in our bodies and frequently used in moisturising serums because it attracts water molecules. Unlike creams, the hyaluronic acid in Profhilo has been ‘cross-linked’ intensifying the bonds between the molecules so that it stays in the skin for longer.

And unlike other fillers that are injected deep into the face Profhilo is injected into the superficial layers of the skin where it spreads out to do its magic.

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What does the treatment involve?

Profhilo is an injectable treatment administered subcutaneously. You need two sessions, with a four-week gap for optimum results.

There’s no need for anaesthetic as the injections are so superficial. Then it is just five quick jabs on either side of your face and if you chose to have your neck treated, about 10 more in your neck. Your skin will feel smoother from the first week after the treatment. But we treat again a month later and that’s when you begin to see the real benefits. That’s because it stays in the skin for 30 days, but if it is in the skin for 60 days, you get a long-lasting response in the skin.

It stimulates new collagen, which is a protein in the skin, and new elastin. So the plumpness, firmness and springiness improve and that can last up to six months post treatment. Immediately after the treatment

®

little red lumps may appear, like insect bites, but these will disappear within a few hours, as the liquid disperses.

The bumps on your neck can take a little longer to settle and blotching will generally disappear within one to two days.

How quickly can you see results?

Results appear usually after about four weeks and increase over time with new collagen and elastin forming. The effects are long-lasting.

They typically last around six months and the feedback from our patients to date has been fantastic. For best results two treatments of 2ml are recommended, four weeks apart.

Maintenance treatments can be scheduled according to your body’s response to treatment, usually every six months afterwards.

“Most people see results within a month”, says Amanda, lead aesthetic nurse at the ASC, but some of our patients noticed a difference in their skin within a couple of weeks.

The skin looked more plumped and Amanda Wilson youthful. Nothing Lead Aesthetic Nurse dramatic, but at the same time very noticeable.

“The biggest change comes after the second treatment. And that’s when people really start to notice. What have you done? Your skin is glowing. There’s only one snag of course…

Once you have had it you are officially hooked”

Are there potential side-effects and risks?

Profhilo®, a multi award winning product, was launched in February 2015 in Italy. It’s been used worldwide ever since. Over 150,000 patients have been treated so far with no adverse reactions reported It’s no wonder everybody loves it.

To book your Profhilo treatments contact the ASC clinic at Botanic Avenue Belfast on 028 9031 9060 Dr. John Curran FBCAM, Amanda Wilson INP, BSc (Hons), PG DIP

26/11/2020 09:34

The perfect gift for Christmas or why not treat yourself?

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Contents

December 2020

56

90

92 FEATURES 28

UT STYLE

NEW COLUMNIST – KATHY CLUGSTON My Glamorous Showbiz Life

30

INSIDE TRACK Our top picks of the month

32

GIRL ABOUT TOWN UT’s columnist Nuala Meenehan

44

MY TOP 10 Also throughout the magazine

56

JANE HARDY INTERVIEW Radio 4’s Kathy Clugston

74

STAYCATIONS Where to go this winter

This month’s cover features Northern Ireland’s premier hotel and spa, Galgorm Spa & Golf Resort, which has been transformed for the festive season.

Galgorm Spa & Golf Resort Galgorm, Co. Antrim, BT42 1EA T: 028 2588 1001 www.galgorm.com

92

THE VOICE 2020 Our local heroes

101

ALL THINGS CHRISTMAS Get into the Christmas spirit

121 UT BRIDES

Local readers’ weddings 140

AN EXTRACT Psychiatrist in the Chair: The Official Biography of Anthony Clare

142

ARTS ROUND-UP

155

KNOW THE LAW Wills in the Time of Coronavirus

60

MY STYLE Fashion inspiration for local trendsetters

69

HAIR MATTERS With Andrew Mulvenna

64

JOANNE REVIEWS The latest beauty releases

Full Colour

Keep In Touch With Ulster Tatler At:

*

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follow us on twitter @ulstertatlermag or like us on facebook

Black

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ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION UK - £30.00 RoI - £60.00 Overseas - £60.00 ULSTER TATLER ISSN 0049 5107 39 Boucher Rd, Belfast BT12 6UT Tel: (028) 9066 3311 www.ulstertatler.com e-mail: info@ulstertatler.com Ulster Tatler Groups is a name used by Ulster Journals Ltd. Company registered in Northern Ireland, registration number NI005037, registered office as listed.

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Editor’s Letter

Good News?

This month I am happy to announce the arrival of our new columnist (drum roll, please!), Kathy Clugston. For those of you unfamiliar with her work – where have you been? - turn to page 28 to read her inaugural column. You should then turn to page 56 to check out her interview with Jane Hardy. I must say, here at Ulster Tatler Towers, we are all chuffed to bits to have her on board.

Over the past decade or so my ears have always pricked up when I have heard her on Radio 4, whether it be reading the news, announcing the shipping forecast or hosting Gardeners’ Question Time. Over the coming months I can’t wait to see how her column develops. I have no

EDITOR: Christopher Sherry

doubt that she will be a great addition to the magazine.

To put it mildly, 2020 has been a year like no other. I’m sure many of you will be glad to see the back of it. To use management speak it has certainly been ‘challenging’. At least, hopefully, during the month of December we should be able to celebrate Christmas in some shape or form. I am also looking forward to getting a bit of a break. Being a natural optimist, I am confident that in 2021 we will see things improve. Anyway, all that remains is for me to wish you a Merry Christmas and to thank you for your support over the year. Roll on 2021.

Chris Sherry Editor, Ulster Tatler

ASSISTANT EDITOR: Kellie Burch EDITORIAL MANAGER: James Sherry UT WOMAN: Joanne Harkness EDITORIAL ASSISTANT: Chloe Heaney SALES & MARKETING MANAGER: Lorraine Gill Gerry Waddell COPY CONTROLLER: Gemma Johnston PRODUCTION MANAGER: Richard Sherry PRODUCTION/DESIGN: Tatler Type

Only NI based social magazine audited by ABC.

QUOTE FOR THE MONTH

“The past is past, but I hope the present is what you wanted.”

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COLUMN COLUMN / LIFE & TIMES

Kathy Clugston Kathy Clugston is a freelance radio presenter. She chairs the long-running BBC Radio 4 programme ‘Gardeners’ Question Time’ and presents the weekly entertainment show ‘The Ticket’ on BBC Radio Ulster.

MY GLAMOROUS SHOWBIZ LIFE

In the first installment of her new column, Kathy Clugston talks about her ‘glamorous’ life in radio.

Hello and welcome to this, my first Ulster Tatler column. What a privilege to occupy the same space as the great Ian Sansom. I once had a ‘conversation’ with him as the voice of a SatNav in one of his Radio 4 documentaries; my bit was recorded separately though, so, annoyingly, I never got to meet him.

Now, if you were hoping for a gossipy rundown of celebrity encounters, glitzy dos and gorgeous frocks, I must ask you to prepare for disappointment. I’m afraid the title is ironic. There’s not that much glamour in showbiz. Not at my end of it, anyway.

This realisation properly hit me in 2002 while lying on a studio floor in the Dutch town of Hilversum. I had managed to wangle a job as a newsreader on Radio Netherlands, which broadcast worldwide in several languages, including English. The idea was that this would be a step up the glamour ladder from my job as a television announcer at BBC Northern Ireland, where, unlike our

counterparts at UTV, who got to wear makeup and open the occasional fête, we did not appear on camera and sat alone in an airless basement with a lot of buttons to push. There was always a small chance you might share the lift with Donna Traynor but, by and large, the glamour remained tantalisingly out of reach. So I fled to The Continent, as people called it then, and found myself doing night shifts.

I need hardly tell you that working through the night from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. is in no way glamorous. Reading the news is hard when your eyes are stinging pinholes, your tongue is a drowsy slug and you have to muster perkiness for listeners in Dar Es Salaam tuning in expectantly over breakfast. There was a period in the shift, around 3 a.m., when there were no programmes on air and you could lie down on the floor, wrapped in your coat or, if you were feeling brave, the communal Radio Netherlands fleece (provenance and state of

Illustration by Jacky Sheridan

infestation unknown) and conk out for half an hour. It was during one of these undignified catnaps that my dream of a glossy media lifestyle bit the dust (of which there was an unseemly amount in that studio carpet. Urgh.)

I now understand, and should have then, that glamour is all illusion. Smoke and mirrors, powder and paint. In 18th-century Scotland, the word was associated with magic, deception and witchcraft. Wizards and jugglers were said to “cast glamour o’er the eyes of the spectator”, which is a perfect description of what TV and film stars do to us today. Radio is different; it doesn’t have quite the same effect.

Part of it is, of course, that we can’t see the presenters (although Radio 4 listeners often admit to picturing us in evening wear, even first thing in the morning), but radio also tends to attract a type I call the ‘introverted show-off’. Lots of people who talk for a living would rather do it in a darkened studio than in a room full of people. They like attention, but don’t particularly want to be looked at.

Radio people want to cast a spell with their voice, safe in the knowledge that what they are wearing, and whether or not their hair is sticking up, genuinely does not matter.

It’s not that I don’t care what I look like, I just don’t care very much. A job in radio, especially if you work early in the morning or late at night, gives you a bye-ball where wardrobe is concerned. I have been sitting next to a serving UK Prime Minister wearing the night before’s clothes and a hoodie; I’ve read the Shipping Forecast in my slippers, and introduced The Archers with a big smear of pain au chocolat on my face. No one cared!

Not wishing to make light of a difficult time, lockdown has been, sartorially speaking, the dream. Who’d have foreseen that important meetings could be attended with a jumper hastily pulled over pyjamas? That jogging bottoms would never be inappropriate attire?

I can’t wait for the day our lives return to something resembling normality. Just don’t ask me to dress up for the occasion.

See page 56 for Kathy’s interview with Jane Hardy.

THIS MONTH’S OBSESSIONS: Schitt’s Creek - I started watching the Canadian sitcom on Netflix after it won virtually every Emmy award. It takes a while to warm up, but stick with it: the 20-minute episodes soon become hilarious, life-affirming hugs.

(Note: quite sweary and sexy.)

Gin Rummy - My mum and I decided to take up this two-person card game as a way of passing the long winter weeks ahead. One Youtube tutorial later and we were off. We’ve started a tournament. It is SERIOUS.

Medjool dates - Stuff them with peanut butter (the good stuff: crunchy, no added sugar) and sprinkle with sea salt. As satisfying as a chocolate hobnob, but healthier (and vegan, by the way).

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27/11/2020 15:42

WRIGHTS DESIGN HOUSE

WINNER - BEST KITCHEN RETAILER IRISH KITCHEN AWARDS PRODUCING EXCEPTIONAL KITCHENS & FURNITURE FOR OVER 5O YEARS Temple Cross, Lisburn, BT27 6YL

028 9263 9964

info@wrightsdesignhouse.com

wrightsdesignhouse.com

InsideTrack Ulster Tatler gives you our top picks for this month.

CHECK OUT Pet lovers can treat their furry friends this Christmas with gifts from pet boutique, Murphy & Bailey. The shop, owned by friends Karen and Judith brings you the very best in pet treats, including: coats, cards, shampoo, bowls and much more. Not forgetting the humans, there are also gifts for cat and dog lovers, such as cat and dog themed mugs, notepads and jewellery, which make perfect gifts this Christmas (or should I say purrfect). You can call in to the store on Belmont Road or find what you need on their online store.

65 Belmont Road, Belfast

OUT AND ABOUT

EAT & DRINK

The Ormeau Parklet has temporarily turned a small number of on-street parking spaces into outdoor space.

Pedestrians and local businesses can use the designed pavement area to help with physical distancing. It is being delivered as a collaborative partnership to test a new way of achieving civic projects across the charity, private, and public sectors.

The approach champions the importance of quality design for Belfast’s public spaces and includes ongoing engagement and research during the trial to build local evidence for other possible placemaking projects in the city.

Combining food and art, Fruit Shop, is a collective of Belfastbased artists considering the city’s ecosystem as a fertile site for research. Working with a suburban residential café, they merge food production and grassroots growing initiatives with local food histores. The café is open for takeaway, providing a weekly updated menu. You can drop in for a takeaway tea or coffee with a freshly baked pastry, or enjoy a hearty bowl of porridge, bacon bap, soup or chowder.

Ormeau Road, Belfast

438 Ormeau Road, Belfast

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THE DOUBLE AWARD WINNING UK & IRELAND BATHROOM RETAILER OF THE YEAR 2019

Infinite customisation options available.

Exclusive to Soaks Bathrooms.

MON - SAT: 9.30AM - 5PM, THURS: 9.30AM - 8PM / 5 - 7 APOLLO RD, BELFAST, BT12 6HP / TEL: (028) 9068 1121 / WWW.SOAKSBATHROOMS.COM

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GIRL ABOUT TOWN

EDITED BY NUALA MEENEHAN

Nuala Meenehan works in the media and is a leading model.

FESTIVE LUST LIST

ALL WRAPPED UP! It’s the season of the coat, from puffers, parkas to bombers, warmth and practicality reign supreme in the coat stakes but that doesn’t mean you need sacrifice style. Faux fur is huge this season, as are electric shades and animal prints. Learn to embrace vibrant colours and the animal inside you!

This year’s festive season will be strange, and I for one am going to do everything that takes me to my happy place. Anything goes this Christmas, so do what makes you feel happy. Crack open the champers, run a relaxing bubble bath, put your festive favourite party dress on with your slippers. There’s tons of inspiration out there that’ll put a smile on your face, from chunky knits, faux-fur coats, leather pants, and not to mention sweatpants and sweatshirts. Whether you’re staying at home in your coziest sweats or dressing up to face the cold weather, go all out on in head to toe sequins or stay cosy and casual, heres my festive fashion lust list from some of favourite local retail brands.

Sequin skirt, Essential Antwerp, Peel.

SUPER SIZE ME Cosy knits will take you to your happy place. Chunky oversized sweaters are BIG this season (excuse the pun); cardigans are having a sweeping revival. Pair a grandpa-style knit with casual wear or offset the long silhouette with a feminine mini dress.

BAGS OF STYLE Santa stop here! I’m obsessed with the entire range from local and now global luxury handbag brand Taylor Yates. I’ve sent my letter early to Father Christmas asking for the Norma...fingers crossed.

Animal print reversable faux suede coat, Logans, Cloughmills.

Beauty with a purpose luxury handbag brand Taylor Yates have created the ‘beautiful purpose’ Christmas box’ £45, worth over £100, with 100% of the profit going to GLOW NI, a women’s Charity based in Northern Ireland. The aim is to sell 100 boxes, which will help Glow run a 10 week programme that will help change the life of 10 women. Bag yours now. Go to www.tayloryates.com/collections

BACK TO BLACK Black is most certainly back and head-to-toe is having a moment.

Let’s remember that right now we need to celebrate where we can, and something sparkly is just what we need to keep our spirits lifted.

XD Xenia Design sequin top and trousers, Peel.

‘Norma’ handbag in plum, Taylor Yates

Creenstone Coat, Peel, Bloomfield Avenue.

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A different perspective Some furniture is made for the here and now.

CHRISTMAS DRESSER CREATIVE Some is built to stand the test of time.

At Neptune, we believe that the best can do both.

Because good design never grows old.

Neptune Belfast, Ormeau Road, 028 9691 9988 Neptune by Malone & Smyth, Fermanagh, 028 6774 1885

Book an appointment to chat to one of our friendly designers – on us. neptune.com/a-different-perspective

ULSTER_TATLER_CHRISTMASDRESSER_210x297 NOV20.indd 1

06/11/2020 11:55

GIRL ABOUT TOWN

EDITED BY NUALA MEENEHAN

LOVE LOCAL THIS CHRISTMAS

If 2020 has taught me anything, it’s taught me to appreciate and support our local businesses – they are the heartbeat of our community. Local retailers are working harder than ever to sprinkle and spread festive cheer this Christmas. If there was ever a time to support local it’s now, whether you’re shopping safely in-store or shopping online these are gifts that keep on giving.

2.

Nuala Meenehan works in the media and is a leading model.

Mrs Organics This gorgeous self-care range from Mrs Organics contains only certified organic ingredients or ingredients that are found in their natural pure state. Lovingly made in County Down, ingredients are eco-friendly, cruelty-free, sustainable, and free from parabens, preservatives, sulphates, phthalates, synthetic colour, and fragrance. Packaging is biodegradable, reusable, recyclable and of course plastic-free. You’ll find something to suit every loved one including ‘The Wee Pamper’ box, ‘The New Mummy’ box and ‘The Sea Swimmer’ gift boxes. Go to www.mrsrganics.com

1.

Refuge Chocolate Possibly the best chocolate in the world, Refuge Chocolate, was the winner of four awards at the Irish Food Awards 2018 including; Best New Product in Ireland and Best Artisan Product in Ireland. Products are fair trade and as waste free as possible, nut-free, egg-free, dairy-free and gluten-free options. Refuge Chocolate give money back to supporting local charity Flourish NI (a Northern Ireland based anti-human trafficking charity). Fill your stockings with Chocolate Coated Peanut Butter Balls, bags of Chocolate Melts and delicious Chocolate Orange shards.

Refuge Chocolate is available at any good local health store or artisan shop or shop online at www.refugehotchocolate.com

3.

4.

Belfast Food Tour™ in a box Enjoy a flavour of the award-winning Belfast Food Tour™ from the comfort of your own home. Belfast Food Tour™ In A Box have curated a selection of our favourite local produce to enjoy at home or to give as a gift to someone you really like! Packed full of local goodies, we know these will hit the spot for anyone who loves top-notch local food and drink and fantastic facts about the different food and drink they’ll be enjoying! For party people, Party Apart is a Christmas present must! Go to www.tasteandtour.co.uk

Heaven Scent You’ll be a Christmas Star with any gift from luxury perfume brand Stories Parfums. The STORIES Nº.02 ULTIMATE TRIO OF TREATS £165 (worth £198) is heaven scent! This stunning collection is a sure favourite gift to give or receive this season, offering an elegant trio of gender-inclusive Eau de Parfum and hand & body treats.

You Glow Girl When you purchase from local charity enterprise You Glow Girl, you are joining a movement that help women find their voice and purpose in life.

One hundred per cent of the profits from You Glow Girl goes to their partner charity GLOW (Giving Life Opportunities to Women) who deliver vital mental health and wellbeing programmes to vulnerable women and girls in Northern Ireland. Cute beanies and water bottles are sure to delight! Go to: www.glowni.com

5.

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26/11/2020 09:56

GIRL ABOUT TOWN

EDITED BY NUALA MEENEHAN

CROWNING GLORY

There’s no doubt about it, these are challenging times but underneath the difficult news, there are exciting developments happening with local brands. Top of the list is Voduz Hair. Since launching in May 2019 the thriving Irish hair brand has continued to go from strength to strength. Now the creators of Voduz Hair, Brendan McDowell of Bperfect Cosmetics, and Denise Phillips owner of PELO Hair Salons have gone one step further and launched their first-ever hair care product, Velvet Crown.

I hit the jackpot when I was asked to work on their super sleek new advertising campaign along with DJ, social media trailblazer, media personality and total babe Melissa Riddell, and stunning Belfast model Caoilainn Kelly. Bringing their A-game as always was top photographer, Glenn Norwood, and Richter Media who shot the campaign.

I can tell you first-hand Velvet Crown is a ‘must-have product’, it is a beautifully lightweight thermal conditioning spray, which acts as a thermal protector for up to 230°, delivering sleek, smooth and a super shiny finish to all hair types. voduzhair.com

Nuala Meenehan works in the media and is a leading model.

Micheal Campbell, Clodagh McFaul, Denise Phillips and Claire Byrne.

Denise Phillips and Brendan McDowell (photo taken before lockdown).

DJ and social media trailblazer, Melissa Riddell.

SEAMUS HEANEY HOMEPLACE There are some who’d scoff and perhaps rightly so, that until recently I knew little about Seamus Heaney let alone know where he came from. I knew he is one of the most celebrated of Irish poets, that ‘Death of a Naturalist’ his first collection of poems in 1966 are amongst his most famous, sadly that was where my knowledge stopped, but all that changed when I worked on tourism campaign for Mid Ulster District Council, heartland and birthplace of Seamus Heaney and one of the most beautiful regions in Northern Ireland.

This beautifully shot campaign was made in much happier times, pre Coronavirus. The highlights for me were many, aside from working with my model and actor buddie, Derek Dubery for three days, baking and eating soda bread on a griddle with Bronagh Duffin at Bakehouse, Bellaghy, was devine! Spending a rather choppy tour of Lough Neagh courtesy of Lough Neagh Boat Tours and the biggest highlight of all visiting the beautiful Seamus Heaney HomePlace, the purpose-built arts and literary centre, which celebrates the life and work of the late poet and Nobel Laureate.

There are so many highlights here, this is one of Northern Ireland’s most beautiful gems, and a must visit when we’re moving more freely. A special thanks to Seamus Heaney HomePlace and Mid-Ulster Council. For now I’ll leave you good folks with a poignant quote from the man himself which resonates especially at this time “Even if the hopes you started out with are dashed, hope has to be maintained”.

Seamus Heaney 1939 - 2013

Derek Dubery and Nuala Meenehan setting sail with Lough Neagh.Tours.

Derek Dubery, Nuala Meenehan and Bronagh Duffin filming at Bakehouse.

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Retail Showroom of the Year Finalist 2018 CELEBRATING OvER 40 YEARS IN BUSINESS

3 Mulnafye Road, Mountfield, Omagh BT79 0PG Tel: 028 8077 1226 www.mountfieldkitchens.co.uk

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THE SCENE

Barbara Fleet celebrates her birthday picnic with family Gemma, Nichola and Colin.

James and Monica Stewart with Spud.

SEAPARK, HOLYWOOD Martine and Matthew Gibney with Marley.

Jacqueline and David Harbinson with grandson Luca Devlin and 12 week old puppy Ruby.

With the introduction of stricter social restrictions, our photographer was out and about capturing life in the ‘new normal’ as people meet up and enjoy time together at a safe distance in outside spaces. Here we have pictures from Seapark, Holywood.

Ruth Boal and Fiona Steele.

Greg Quigg, Dolores Campbell-Quigg and Tilly.

Ashley Clarke and David Hanley.

Patricia and Tom Miller.

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THE SCENE

George Armstrong and Mark Douglas the Krazi Bakers.

Robert and Ellie Wallace from RJ’s plants.

Gail Brennan and grandson Jamie Wilson.

CARRICK MARKET Guests ocked to the sunny seaside town of Carrick recently to support local businesses at the weekly market which takes place in Joymount car park. The market offers a wide variety of goods - from household goods, plants, clothing, giftware and a range of fresh local food produce. The market has now re-opened safely, keeping in line with social distancing rules, including one-way systems and no car boot sales.

Joan and Lindsay Davison with grand children Sienna and Kadance and Jet the dog.

Drew McQuitty, Isla Hobson, Ellie Darley and Nicola Darley.

Natalie Chapman and grandad Louis Chapman.

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26/11/2020 10:17

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THE SCENE Continued from page 40

Dennis and Mavis Cairns with Mini.

Ray and Mandy Blain with Chai.

Stephen McCaffrey and Anna McGarvey with Frank.

Mum and daughter Isabella Traynor and Tracey McCormick enjoying a day out from Ballyclare.

Courtney Cash with ten week old Luna the Irish Doodle.

Daughter and mum Carol Esdale and Leeanne McCracken.

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Wish upon a Star...

Gifts & Soft Furnishings Bushmills Road, Coleraine

Tel: 028 7034 4482 • www.rightprice.co.uk Opening Hours: Monday - Saturday 9.00am - 5.30pm

MAKE YOUR HOUSE A CHRISTMAS HOME

MY

ANNA LIESCHING

Curator of Art, National Museums NI

10. FAVOURITE Movie: Portrait of a Lady on Fire Band/Musician: Changes all the time, currently on repeat: Nina Simone, Velvet Underground, Lizzo, Anna Calvi, TV on the Radio, Thee Oh Sees Book: Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie Restaurant: Bo Tree Kitchen Holiday Destination: Italy and Morocco Drink: Negroni Meal: Anything I eat in Italy or Morocco

1. What do you love most about your job?

The sheer variety of it, I work on so many things: exhibitions, publications, events, research, TV shows, education and working physically with objects. This means I get to meet and work with so many different types of people. I’m learning constantly!

2. What has been your career highlight to date?

I’ve had many highlights in my job as I get to do so many great things. The achievement of an exhibition is always great, as there’s so much work and so many people involved, I love being part of team with everyone applying their own expertise. Then we get to share all our effort with the public. Nothing beats seeing people in a gallery enjoying the exhibition you have created for them. Curating our newest exhibition at the Ulster Museum, Renoir and the New Era, has been particularly special as I got to research and write about works that have never been to Belfast before including the centrepiece of the exhibition - Renoir’s La Loge (1874) painting.

3. What are your favourite hobbies/activities outside of work?

I love to travel, most of my free time is spent going places. This of course has changed in the past year so have been enjoying appreciating my own home and surroundings. I socialise a lot, and most of my friends work in the arts so our hobbies are an extension of our jobs. We visit exhibitions, go to arts events here and abroad.

4. What is your daily routine?

I hate routine! I’m pretty lucky in my job that a routine is impossible, no two days are the same. I do try and get outside and be active at least once a day.

5. Do you have a fitness regime?

I keep pretty active, I run and swim and do yoga. I also walk everywhere.

6. Do you have any tips for staying positive during this time?

I try and stay as positive as possible by staying present and being appreciative of what I have. I am lucky to be surrounded by positive people so if I’m ever feeling negative I always turn to someone to chat. I think good mental health is about not being scared to communicate when you don’t feel 100%.

7. What do you think is the best thing about living in Northern Ireland?

I like that its small, sometimes I hate that too. But it’s great to be able to live in a city and also have access to the countryside and shore quickly. It’s also a really creative place with so much going on in the arts and I feel lucky being part of that.

8. What is your mantra or favourite quote that you live by?

I recently came across a quote from Berthe Morisot, featured in the Renoir and the New Era exhibition: “A love of Nature is consolation against failure”- pretty fitting in lockdown life when getting outside has been so important.

9. Who has been your biggest influence?

I’m influenced every day by friends and colleagues. Belfast is full of amazing creative and exciting people who inspire me every day. I’m lucky to be surrounded by a great bunch of women who blow me away with the things they do in their lives. Motivated people motivate me.

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Circon Collection

View the Collection at

www.wardenbros.com

THE SCENE

Phyllis McAuley and Carole Johnston.

Terry and Sandra Corr with Phoebe.

CS LEWIS SQUARE MARKET A festive themed market was organised in partnership with Urban Market as part of this years C.S. Lewis Festival. This socially distanced event was a great way to support local business and trade.

Megan, Toby and Michael Dorman.

. The Moffett family Esther, Elijah, Faithe and John with puppy Isla.

Patrycji Jarosz and David Long with Lara.

Edel McKenna, Joe Conway and ďŹ ve-month old Cruit.

Lewis Square tour guide Peter McCabe and Eastside partnership Chairman Andrew Hassard.

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VOTING OPENS MARCH 2021

#UTAWARDS21

TITLE SPONSOR

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13TH ULSTER TATLER AWARDS WRIGHTS DESIGN HOUSE

St Anne’s Cathedral, Thursday 9th September 2021 CATEGORY SPONSORS

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PAGE47.indd 4

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MY

LAUREN LECKEY Miss Northern Ireland

10. FAVOURITE Movie: Pretty Woman or most period dramas Band/Musician: David Bowie / The Eurythmics Book: The Rules of Life – Richard Templar Restaurant: Nu Dehli – Belfast Holiday Destination: Los Angeles / Marbella Drink: Flavoured Sparkling water / Amaretto Sour Meal: Roast beef diner

1. What do you love most about being Miss NI? There are so many perks that come with being Miss Northern Ireland. The opportunities are endless with all of the events in which I have attended.

After every photoshoot or every catwalk I am always learning and improving. I get to meet so many people: the sponsors, photographers along with the talented ACA Team and models. Being an ambassador for the Northern Ireland Children’s Hospice I am also very passionate about helping them with raising as much awareness and funds for the hospice as possible.

much as I love running outside with the cold and dark evenings I prefer to go to the gym. I struggle the most with meeting my steps target on the days I don’t go for a run. To make up for the missing steps I always go on long walks at the weekend.

6. Do you have any tips for staying positive during this time?

Be grateful and focus on what makes you happy. It’s very important what we put into our bodies, by eating healthy nutritious food you will have more energy – exercising regularly is just as important even if it is only a walk in the evening or start of the day. Lastly, ensuring you have good nights sleep. I always go to bed and get up at the same time every day to keep a routine in place.

2. What has been your highlight as Miss NI to date?

The one highlight that has stood out was taking part in the Miss World Contest in London of November to December last year. There were ladies from over 110 countries all together on the one stage. I got to see a show at the London opera along with afternoon tea in the Houses of Parliament. Throughout the duration of the three weeks I made great friends who I am still in contact with and plan to visit in the future.

7. What do you think is the best thing about living in Northern Ireland?

Northern Ireland has a little part of everything we all love packed into only six little counties. In the centre of it all we have Belfast, which is perfect for a great shopping experience. To anyone I speak to about Northern Ireland one thing I always find myself telling people is our exceptional food and great local produce. We are spoilt for choice when it comes to scenery, with so many historic landmarks, picturesque nature reserves and beautiful coastlines.

3. What are your favourite hobbies/activities outside of work?

I love being creative, especially with food. I find cooking so relaxing – every Sunday I make my family a lovely dinner and dessert. I also love decorating cakes. When it comes to the weekends I enjoy dinner and cocktails in some of my favourite Belfast spots, The Europa, Café Parisian and the Grand Central Hotel.

8. What is your mantra or favourite quote that you live by?

“Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.” – Dr. Seuss. Another one is one my mum has always said to me and stuck with me “It’s nice to be important, but it’s more important to be nice”.

4. What is your daily routine?

I wake up at 8.00am daily, which is great as I live beside my work and don’t have to travel. I have a large cup of tea when I come into work... and probably several more cups throughout the day. My day in work varies from day-to-day, sometimes I’m based in the office, and other days I will be doing lots of driving. I finish work at 5pm, head home for a quick change of clothes, then go to my trainer or the gym. Once I come home I like to get a bath and style my hair, my weekly routine includes Luxe Gold tanning on a Thursday ready for the weekend. In the late evenings I sit down to enjoy my dinner, having the rest of the evening free.

9. Who has been your biggest influence?

Growing up and being surrounded by a tight knit family I have been lucky to have so many people who supported me and shaped me into the person I am today. My mum is so creative and a great baker, teaching me her tips and tricks. My dad is very determined and a hard worker.

For further info about the Miss NI competition log in to www.missnorthernirelandcontest.co.uk Follow on Instagram @missnorthernireland.contest

5. Do you have a fitness regime?

I go to a personal trainer twice a week for strength training, along with two or three gym sessions where I run 5-10KM in the evenings. As 48

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THE SCENE

Phyllis McAuley and Carole Johnston.

Subrat and Geeta with children Nirbhay and Ishaan.

ANTRIM CASTLE GARDENS Our photographer was out and about at Antrim Castle Gardens as families and friends enjoyed a walk in the beautiful grounds on a crisp and sunny autumn day.

Granny Kathleen Somerville with Colin Somerville, George and Selina and parents Lynne and Tony Lunn.

Katrina Patterson and Ciara Boucher with children left-right Daniel, Benjamin, Noah, Joshua, Sophia and Lucy and Sparky the dog.

Derek Bennett and Joan Gray.

Mary, Niamh and Stephen McHenry.

Granny Crawford with Sarah and Charlie Watters.

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26/11/2020 09:40

W to e lo se ok aft eing for w er loc you ard kd aga ow in n.

The Speckled Hen, A Multi-Award-Winning Pub Is One Of Ireland’s Oldest Pubs Dating Back To 1660.

Situated in the ancient Parish of Derriaghy (Doire Achaidh – Field of Oak) on the edge of Milltown Village, the Speckled Hen has a warm, cosy atmosphere and a passion for simple, rustic cuisine, craft beers, ciders and a friendly welcome. Relax in the old bar; enjoy a drink in front of the fire. Or relax in one of the pub’s beer garden cabañas. Try a beer from the pub’s Black Mountain Brewery or savour one of our Hen’s Blend spirits.

Choose from a selection of great pub food presented at its very best in one of our dining rooms or eat on the outdoor patio.

We look forward to welcoming you to The Speckled Hen.

47 Derriaghy Road, Lisburn BT28 3SH Tel: 028 9061 1113 Email: speckledhenlisburn@gmail.com

www.speckledhenlisburn.com

Wishing all our customers a HAPPY CHRISTMAS

PAGE51.indd 1

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NEWS

SPREADING THE NEWS We look at some of the stories making headlines this month.

HUMAN HIGHWAY Eastside Awards in association with George Best Belfast City Airport has built a reputation for recognising all that is good about East Belfast and this year, more than any other, the organisers want to hear uplifting stories of how the community has pulled together and how businesses have innovated, pivoted and diversified to survive.

Eastside Awards needs to hear from you to create ‘East Belfast – Our Story 2020’.

‘East Belfast – Our Story 2020’ will showcase contributions made to the economic, social and community development of the area.

Turning the spotlight on those who have made a real difference inspiring pride, enriching lives and galvanising the creation of a positive future for the people of East Belfast. A film of stories recounting how the people of East Belfast have responded to the COVID-19 pandemic. ‘East Belfast – Our Story 2020’ will be broadcast at a premiere in January (subject to current government guidelines).

If you would like to share your story about human kindness, how you have coped in 2020, if you know a teacher who has gone the extra mile, if you have an exceptional neighbour, if your community group risked their health to help others during lockdown or you know of a volunteer who should be recognised, send your story via video to info@eastsideawards.org or visit www.eastsidewards.org for further information. Closing date for story submissions is 5.00pm on Friday 11 December.

Jonathan McAlpin, Chief Executive of East Belfast Enterprise and Chair of Eastside Awards committee, is joined by sponsors Lucy Blenkinsopp, Kainos; Stephen Hughes, Weresure Insurance Services; Damian Campbell, Fleet Financial and John D’Arcy of The Open University.

BUY BELFAST

THREE IN A ROW

Throughout the festive period, Belfast City Council is supporting local businesses and entrepreneurs by hosting the ‘Buy Belfast’ virtual Christmas Market to allow them to share and sell their products with the public. This group has been created to support our entrepreneurs and to encourage people to shop local this Christmas. Enjoy browsing through all of our fantastic, local businesses at your leisure, from the comfort of your own home.

From 20 November to 20 December, you can browse and buy fabulous, unique gifts from over 100 small Belfast businesses – and know that you’re giving much valued support to local entrepreneurs.

From sweet treats, to arts and crafts, accessories and jewellery, beauty, antiques, theatre vouchers and much more, you’ll find something to delight pretty much everyone on your list.

To find out more and join the group, visit : www.belfastcity.gov.uk/buybelfast

In the toughest of trading years for the hospitality sector, Titanic Hotel Belfast has been awarded the most soughtafter title of ‘Northern Ireland’s Leading Hotel’, for the third time in a row, at the World Travel Awards 2020.

Every hotel in the Adrian McNally, General Manager, and country has these Yvonne McIlree, Director of Sales and awards in their sights Marketing. as they recognise the winner’s commitment to excellence on a global scale and are described by World Travel Awards as the ultimate industry accolade.

Adrian McNally, General Manager, Titanic Hotel Belfast, said: “It’s such a unique honour for us to win this international award again. Given the tough year the hospitality industry has faced in 2020 and the agility with which we at Titanic Hotel Belfast have had to adapt the offering for our guests, being named ‘Northern Ireland’s Leading Hotel’ is reassuring, as it proves our guests have continued confidence in us as we navigate these challenging times” www.titanichotelbelfast.com

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CUTE KIDS ANNOUNCED! Marie Allen Photography, based in Portadown, recently ran a Cute Kids competition in association with Ulster Tatler magazine. The competition ran over several editions and the highly anticipated winners were recently announced.

The winner of the 2-4 years category was James Turley, aged 4 from Portadown. The judge felt that James’ photo was everything that a cute kid should be and the photo captured his cute look perfectly.

James’ parents were delighted to receive a professional portfolio courtesy of Marie Allen Photography plus £100 cash as the prize winners.

Winner James Turley pictured with his mum and sister.

Also featured is Rebekah Brown, aged 4 from Laurelvale, who was the runner up in this category.

For more information about Marie Allen Photography visit www.marieallen.co.uk

Runner Up, Rebekah Brown.

Winner, James Turley.

Catherine Patton, Ulster Tatler, winner James Turley, runner up Rebekah Brown with her mummy Hollie Brown.

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26/11/2020 09:42

MY

BETHANY FIRTH MBE

Four-time Paralympic Gold Medallist in swimming

10. FAVOURITE Movie: Leap Year Band/Musician: Abba Restaurant: Haptik in Newtownards – I love supporting local businesses.

Holiday Destination: Canada Drink: Hot chocolate Meal: Roast dinner with lots of gravy and all the trimmings!

1. What do you love most about your job?

It’s definitely my teammates and my support team. Every day they encourage me to be better and we’re such a tight-knit group. I also love that I get the opportunity to travel so much. I get to meet so many wonderful people from so many different cultures and see the world.

cup of tea in a warm house. Even if I’m having a bad day I make sure that I take time to count my blessings. Aside from that, I try to live in the moment. Making sure I check in with myself and how I’m feeling, and I surround myself with people who love me. I’m not afraid to ask for help when I need it.

2. What has been your career highlight to date?

I have so many favourite moments that it’s hard to choose! One definite highlight is the London Olympics in 2012. I struggled that year with a shoulder injury and qualified for the final in fourth place. To then walk away with my first ever Paralympic gold medal when I was just 16 was an incredibly special moment for me.

7. What do you think is the best thing about living in Northern Ireland?

The people and the stunning landscapes. No matter where you go in Northern Ireland someone is bound to stop and chat to you and we have such beautiful scenery, especially when you travel up the coast.

8. What is your mantra or favourite quote that you live by?

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13.

3. What are your favourite hobbies/activities outside of work?

I enjoy walking my little dog, Russell, in the forest or on the beach and spending time with my family. Family games night is always fun with my competitive nature. With my favourite snacks there as well I’m happy!

9. Who has been your biggest influence?

My coach Nelson Lindsay who has voluntarily been my coach for so many years. He has been so patient teaching me in ways that allow me to understand, no matter my disability. He understands the daily challenges in life outside of the pool and is always there when you need him no matter what the problem is. It’s thanks to him that I’m so passionate about encouraging young people to get involved in sport.

This year I’m an ambassador for Lidl Northern Ireland’s Sport For Good programme. They’re giving 40 secondary schools across Northern Ireland the chance to win £3,000 worth of sports equipment in order to help encourage young people to get involved with sports and benefit from the physical, social and mental benefits that it offers.

4. What is your daily routine?

I wake up at 4:30 am every day. After my pre-pool routine, I go to the pool for training and follow-up with my post-pool routine. Then it’s home for breakfast (and a nap!) before I hit the gym and train with my physio. After that, I have a healthy lunch and walk Russell before it’s back to the pool for more training. I try and relax with a good dinner in the evenings, and then it’s really important that I get an early night.

Seeing as I get up so early every morning, I usually try to be in bed for 8.30pm.

Bethany Firth is one of this year’s ambassadors for Lidl Northern Ireland’s Sport For Good initiative. Designed to encourage and support young people to make the most of the physical and mental benefits of sport participation, the campaign will see forty secondary schools across Northern Ireland receive £3,000 worth of vouchers to invest in essential sports equipment for their schools. To nominate a secondary school of your choice, visit your local Lidl store and enter the 10-digit barcode from your receipt at www.lidl-ni.co.uk/lidl-communityworks. The competition closes on Friday 18th December.

5. Do you have a fitness regime?

My career demands me to keep fit, so this includes my daily swimming and gym routine – but I don’t see it as a chore as it has got me to where I am today, as well as keeping me healthy and happy!

6. Do you have any tips for staying positive during this time?

Staying positive is incredibly important. Every night I fill in my gratitude journal and this helps me keep everything in perspective and reminds me to be grateful for even the small things, like having a warm 54

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27/11/2020 11:58

The Word

FOSTER CARERS URGENTLY NEEDED IN NORTHERN IRELAND Action for Children have made an urgent call for potential foster carers to come forward in Northern Ireland.

Avery Bowser, children’s services manager, explained: “The need is very great in Northern Ireland at the moment but the numbers coming forward have been too small.

“We know that there are lots of people who have the space in their home to foster but they are often put off by myths about fostering. They think it’s only for certain types of people.

“We need people from different backgrounds and communities to become foster carers because our children are all so different.

“At Action for Children we provide foster families that have the warmth and stability that enable children to cope with the changes that life brings them.

“We do that by recruiting ordinary people, from all walks of life, who do something extraordinary – become a foster carer.” Avery is asking readers to think about fostering or encourage someone else who could foster.

“All kinds of people can foster. You have to be over 21, have a spare room, the ability to work with children and have the time in your life to give.

“So please give our friendly fostering team a call. The need in Belfast is very urgent and I am appealing for your help.”

If you are interested in becoming a foster carer or would like to find out more, please contact Action for Children’s fostering team on 028 90460500 or email fostercareni@actionforchildren.org.uk

Avery Bowser Children’s Services Manager.

Room for more

Start your fostering journey with us

Contact our friendly fostering team today: 028 9046 0500 fostercareni@actionforchildren.org.uk actionforchildren.org.uk/fostering

@AFCNIFostercare

Registered charity nos. 1097940/SC038092. Company no. 4764232. © Action for Children 2020.1524.

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26/11/2020 09:43

INTERVIEW

Jane Hardy is a feature writer who has interviewed a few of the big names from Arlene Foster to Mrs Thatcher.

KATHY’S COME HOME Kathy Clugston, owner of Radio 4’s ‘posh’ voice, discusses her return to Northern Ireland, media heroes and her new Ulster Tatler column with Jane Hardy.

D

iscussing Yuletide plans with Kathy Clugston, this magazine’s shiny new columnist, I discover she isn’t really a Christmas person. “I always volunteered to work over Christmas. You got more money and it was fun. There weren’t many people about but there was a festive atmosphere.”

Since returning home to Belfast two years ago, Ms Clugston has been spending December 25 with her widowed mother, Pat. “It’ll just be the two of us this year, unless things change and we can see other members of the family.”

Unfortunately, Kathy won’t be able to see her partner, Radio 4 presenter Jim Lee, who remains in London. “Since lockdown, we’ve had a long-distance relationship,” she notes.

The big day won’t involve roast turkey as Kathy is vegetarian. “Yes, a nice nut roast and all the trimmings,” she says with a visible smile online. In terms of gifts, the Clugstons play it low key. “I don’t believe in just buying things, so something small.”

This is a Zoom interview and behind the broadcaster is a striking image. It’s a poster in red and black depicting Norma Desmond in the famous Broadway show Sunset Boulevard.

She adds: “ I’ve been broadcasting from the spare room and when I do Gardeners’ Question Time, I get a pot plant in focus.”

Unsurprisingly, Ms Clugston is a BBC woman through and through. Her favourite listening is in fact the station she is best known for gracing with that voice, Radio 4. “I am a diehard Radio 4 listener.”

Asked whether she regards her accent as posh, the adjective usually used, she says: “It’s funny. When I started at the BBC I had complaints about my accent. It was at the tail end of that (anti- regional) feeling.” Now she

routinely receives fan letters but goes into mock-Hollywood wives mode as she says: “Not really, although people have said to me they didn’t know anyone from Northern Ireland sounded like me. They thought we were all broad.”

Ms Clugston reveals that she has recorded a couple of Gardeners’ Question Time broadcasts that day, and feels tired.

You wouldn’t have known. She recalls her interview for this prime role MC-ing the show that really sorts greenfly issues and covers intense discussion on subjects including perfume in roses. “When they called me in (to the BBC), I never expected to be given the job.”

Kathy Clugston is noticeable for her voice, her warmth and also for her height. She outs herself as being an impressive 6ft 1inch. Are there any advantages, I ask, beyond being able to see the departure board in airports above everybody’s heads? “If I’d been short, would life have been different? I’m not sure but there are benefits. People offer me more deference as height indicates authority and we tend to make judgements about others all the time via body language. And people always ask me the way and seem to look to me for advice.” Sensibly, Clugston didn’t place limits on the height of potential boyfriends. “No, I didn’t want to limit the gene pool!” Kathy adds that she is glad she came of age in the ‘80s. “My mother’s pretty tall, say 5ft 9in, and hated being tall in the ‘40s. By the time I was at school in the late ‘80s, things had changed and I don’t think it’s something you should get hung up about.”

Kathy’s first column, which you sense will be majorly entertaining, will be about life and she plans to talk about the difference between

radio and TV and how you can wear pj bottoms or whatever on air as you are unseen.

She, of course, is stylish in a pink top.

One of her gigs is presenting BBC Radio Ulster’s The Ticket, the station’s sussed weekly arts round-up. Kathy says she has enjoyed quite a few performances pre-lockdown.

“Yes, we’re lucky to have such brilliant arts provision here and I have enjoyed great shows at the Lyric (Kiss Me Kate from NI Opera, the 50th anniversary show, Geraldine Hughes’ one woman show), also Grand Opera House entertainment (including Maggie Muff!) and

Showing early gardening promise.

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27/11/2020 15:44

INTERVIEW

“We continuity announcers were stuck away in a box, but when we went to the cafe, it was exciting. The BBC building in Ormeau Avenue was a magical place.”

Kathy Clugston with the late Nicholas Parsons.

Ulster Orchestra provision.”

We touch on Ms Clugston’s media heroes.

“Sue MacGregor and Paddy O’Connell. If you could mix them together, get their media love child, you’d have the perfect broadcasting baby. Sue was always so on it (on Radio 4) and Paddy’s so warm.”

Warmth is a broadcasting trait Clugston says she feels is crucial to success, one she has in spades. Funnily enough for the woman who is clearly dedicated to her career Kathy reveals that she spent her twenties trying out different jobs as she had no great career plan. “This may sound irritating to people who are dying to work in the media and I try to encourage the next generation. I didn’t know what I was going to do and worked for Stena Line for a while in customer service.”

Eventually, she applied to BBC NI, and the rest is history. “We continuity announcers were stuck away in a box, but when we went to the cafe, it was exciting. The BBC building on Ormeau Avenue was a magical place. You’d see people like Donna Traynor and Wendy Austin in the queue.”

Enthusiasm for the job naturally paid dividends. Kathy says that when she did her day’s training, she asked if she could do continuity announcements. Her brilliant career had begun.

On arrival in London, when Kathy went national a few years later, she says now that she loved another famous building, Broadcasting House with its famous postcode, W1A 1AA. Asked whether she had enjoyed the satirical show, W1, which was shot on the second floor and featured a company man (brilliant Hugh Bonneville) who finds the woke and pc rules frustrating, she says, “Yes, I found it definitely resonated and was near the knuckle.” She adds that there was often a frisson in the famous building as you rubbed

shoulders with familiar figures from TV and radio. “You might see someone like Evan Davis in the lift.”

A highlight of my time at Radio 4 was meeting the legendary Nicholas Parsons (the late host of Radio 4’s Just A Minute). A few years ago I wrote a musical, which was staged at the Watermill Theatre in Berkshire.

It featured a fictional - and quite outrageous - version of Nicholas. Not only did he give me permission to do it, he came and saw the show and took it all in great part. He was fantastic.

We discuss the constraints of lockdown and the way some people have discovered a new creativity. “I’m an only child and quite used to being alone. I don’t mind solitude. And I have been so lucky that you can work in radio easily from home.” In fact, Ms Clugston’s back bedroom has become an impromptu studio.

We return conversationally to the arts, essential in tough times. Kathy adds that as presenter on The Ticket, she’s being introduced to great musical talent here. “I like Duke Special’s work. He is inspiring.”

When not at work and when it’s permitted, Kathy Clugston enjoys eating out in Belfast.

“As a vegetarian, I like places like Jumon on Fountain Street which offers a good range of options. Otherwise, you tend to find that there’s one thing on the menu for us, and that is risotto.” She says she also enjoys walking in Ormeau Park and along the Lagan towpath, both of which are near her home off the Ravenhill Road. “Of course, I grew up in south Belfast and remember as a teenager going to the park. What did we do? Nothing too terrible, the usual things in a misspent youth.”

Clearly, Ms Clugston is, relatively speaking, flourishing during this difficult year. She says that she is a glass half-full person, which helps. “I try to look on the bright side if I can.

You have to have faith in people, otherwise the world would be rather bleak.”

Check out Kathy’s new column on page 28.

Kathy pictured on location for Gardeners’ Question Time.

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27/11/2020 15:44

ULSTER TATLER

S T Y L E Linda Bryans and son Chris.

Style Watch EACH MONTH ULSTER TATLER SHOWCASES OUR FAVOURITE LOOK SNAPPED OUT AND ABOUT. Emma Quin and Zoe Tostevein, pictured at out and about in Ormeau Park, Belfast.

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26/11/2020 09:52

U T

S T Y L E

MY STYLE As said by fashion guru Coco Chanel: “fashion changes, but style endures“. Each issue, we introduce you to stylish local people who enviably manage demanding work schedules while looking polished to perfection.

Justine Riddoch

UK’s leading Tina Turner Tribute – Totally Tina

How would you describe your style?

It has always been my own and a mix of what is in style, and what suits my body shape. But never determine by what age group should wear what. Fashion has always been an extension of my personality and have used it to stand out, be different and face challenges head on with confidence.

What are your wardrobe staples that you can’t live without?

I have to say my 5” stillettos, I have 150 pairs, all covered in crystals, and my sequin Ugg boots for after a show when my feet are killing me.

Do you have a favourite designer or high street brand?

I love Karen Millen, Steve Madden and Dune. But I can’t resist a bargain and unusual pre-loved items online or hunting around shops – especially when travelling around the world in cruise ships.

Do you have any style icons?

I admire any strong, confident woman, but would have to say my icon has to be Tina Turner. She was the oldest woman to appear on the cover of Vogue and her style has morphed so many times over each decade. Using her clothes sometimes as a mask, taking herself from Anna May Bullock and becoming what Tina Turner fans expect.

How has your style changed over the years?

Working on cruises and playing hundreds of theatres each year I get to dress up every week. I’m very fortunate to be able to match many styles – from finding a boutique in the Caribbean that rivals any red carpet design to wear on a formal night, to fabric bought from a sari shop in Mumbai to create a stage costume out of. I love glamour and sparkle and I am lucky enough to have places to wear the over-the-top and extraordinary.

What are your fashion pet peeves?

I don’t have any. Everyday I express myself with my style, it can be anything from bo-ho, to super glamour, rock chick, to professional director of my company. My attire matches whatever mood I feel or whatever I have to wear for that day. Luckily sometimes it is just a fluffy onesie and slippers on my day off.

TICKET INFO: Totally Tina will be touring The Hastings Hotels in December 2020 and January 2021.

27 December 2020 - Slieve Donard Hotel, Newcastle 28 December 2020 - Stormont Hotel, Belfast 29 Jan 2021 - Ballygally Hotel, Larne 30 Jan 2021 - Stormont Hotel, Belfast Tickets available from Ticketmaster and hotel receptions.

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U T

S T Y L E

MY STYLE

Aisling Gallagher

Fashion Blogger & Youtuber from Belfast How would you describe your style?

I would describe my style as cool, bold and playful. I love experimenting with prints and colours but I also love the days where I’ll strip it all back and wear something neutral and calm.

What are your wardrobe staples that you can’t live without?

Three things I couldn’t live without would be my blazers (I have one in almost every colour but everyone should have at least a black blazer!) leather leggings, again I have a lot of colours but they are super easy to dress up and down. Finally some chunky boots, they give a little edge to any outfit!

Do you have a favourite designer or high street brand?

I have worked for Topshop for over four years so a lot of my wardrobe is Topshop, I think they are the best for jeans and boots.

I also love Zara and can’t forget Primark!

I’m definitely more of a high street girl than designer but I do always lust after designer handbags – I have my eye on a Marc Jacobs one!

Do you have any style icons?

A lot of my style icons now a days are people I follow on Instagram, I get a lot of inspiration and ideas from there. However people like Alexa Chung and Oliva Palermo will always be original fashionistas for me.

How has your style changed over the years?

As much as I love colours and prints I’ve definitely toned that down more over the last few years. I love experimenting with my wardrobe and try to add key pieces that I know I will keep and rewear which I’m very good at. Having one statement piece to your outfit makes all the difference.

What are your fashion pet peeves?

Maybe not an obvious one but something I think can make a difference is bad underwear.

It can really affect an outfit. Clear bra straps or bra straps on show (when they shouldn’t be) just automatically distracts from the look. It’s the same with the wrong underwear choice.

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FASHION

GIFT INSPIRATION FOR HER

1.

1.GUESS – Collaboration w i t h T h e G e t i n To u c h Fo u n d a t i o n , c o - d e s i g n e d with GIT president Betsy Nilan, 10% of each sale goes to the foundation. £109 at watchshop.com

3.

2.

2.Dermalogica – Yo u r S u p e r R i c h Reveal, with rapid reveal peels and super rich repair cream. £83

3 . Ta y l o r Ya t e s Fr a n c e s I c e , w i t h strap. £475 at tayloryates.com

FOR HIM 5.

4.

4 . AV I – 8 F l y b o y E n g i n e e r Automatic in collaboration with Help for Heroes. Each watch sold contributes directly to t h e f o u n d a t i o n ’s v i t a l r o l e i n supporting those with injuries and illnesses attributable to their service in the British A r m e d Fo r c e s . £ 2 2 5

5. Thalgo – M e n C r a c k e r, w i t h Regenerating Cream, A n t i - Fa t i g u e E y e Serum, After Shalve B a l m a n d Wa k e - U p Shower Gel. £18.50

6.

6. Dune London – Fe r n b l a c k s l i p p e r s £40

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26/11/2020 09:51

#Joanne Reviews...

Ulster Tatler’s Beauty & Fashion Editor, Joanne Harkness, reviews the Rimmel London products used in a virtual makeup masterclass.

GET MASK MAKEUP READY I think we would all agree it has been a strange year to say the least. One of the most prominent trends to emerge was the ‘virtual event’ and the rise of Zoom.

With no face-to-face events happening we have just had to adapt and make the most of fabulous technology we have come to rely on... how did we manage before internet came along?

Like many, I had taken part in Zoom meetings and once you get past the self conscious stage of tweaking the camera angles to make yourself look presentable, it is quite fun... perhaps as it is still a bit of a novelty.

An invite popped up in my emails that really caught my eye – a Rimmel London virtual makeup tutorial. Rimmel London is a cosmetic brand that everyone can instantly recognise with its red branding and ‘Live the London Look’ slogan - it is iconic. The theme behind this particular virtual tutorial was makeup with masks masterclass – another trend that we couldn’t have imagined at the start of 2020. Wearing masks is certainly not going away anytime soon, so we might as well look stylish while we stay safe.

Those taking part in the makeup masterclass were sent an amazing goodie bag with some of Rimmel London’s newest and most popular products so that we could follow along at home. The package included: the Lasting Matte Foundation, BrowPro

Micro Pencil, Wonderink Liner, Volume Boost Lash Primer, Scandaleyes Mascara and Insta Fix & Go Spray.

Not forgetting the beautiful face mask

by Irish designer, Jennifer Rothwell.

The class was being hosted by renowned makeup artist and Rimmel ambassador, James Molloy, who has worked with big names such as, Emma Watson and Dita Von Teese.

Straight away, James was very charismatic and passionate about the brand, I knew instantly I was going to come away with tricks of the trade.

He created a subtle, yet stunning look using the products that we were given, starting with a sleek matte base, bronzed for a bit of contour and topped off with a winged eyeliner to make the eyes pop. After all, when we are wearing masks, it is all about the eyes!

His tips and advice were very useful, such as using the setting spray before you apply your makeup as well as after.

The Rimmel London Insta Fix & Go Spray was very refreshing on the skin, with a cucumber and citrus-like scent – making me nostalgic for a summer holiday.

Even the best makeup artists in the world would probably admit that getting a winged eyeliner look is a tough task to master. My hands always shake and it ends up looking more like a squiggle than a smooth flick. James had great advice though, which was to lean your elbow on a table, then stamp and drag. I tried it with the Wonderink Liner and it worked a treat! In fact, I would say that this liquid liner is the best I have used as it glided on so easily and the tip

was just like using as pen – big thumbs up from me.

I have been using the Lasting Matte Foundation every day since, the texture is silky smooth and it does what it says on the tin – it lasts all day long. I was wary of using matte products in the past as I thought it would make my skin look dull, but it actually enhanced my skin without having an oily shine. I had never used an eyelash primer before, but the Volume Boost Lash Primer was a revolution! I didn’t realise how much of a difference it would make in making my lashes look longer.

With all these new tips, tricks and amazing products to try, I have no excuse now to look sleek and stylish while I rock my mask. With uncertain times, I find that some days to have get a bit of a ‘pick-me-up’ all I have to do is put on a bit of makeup and it makes me feel better. As they say, it’s the little things.

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Caldwells Est. 1895

98-100 Church Street, Ballymena, Co. Antrim BT43 6DF 02825 652810 • www.caldwellsjewellers.co.uk

PAGE65.indd 1

26/11/2020 09:58

FASHION

STAY HOME STYLE THIS CHRISTMAS FOR HER 3.

2.

1.

1.Marks & Spencer – The Holly Willoughby collection.

3.Accessorize -Embellished bee mule, £45

2 . N ex t – G o l d p l e a t e d skirt to add a touch of g l a m o u r. £ 4 0

FOR HIM 4.

6.

5.

FOR KIDS

6. Marks & Spencer – Boots, £39.50

5. Burton Red dogtooth j u m p e r, £ 2 5

4. Matalan - plaid shirt from the winter collection.

9.

8.

7.

7. Marks & Spencer Christmas 2020 collection.

8 . D e b e n h a m s Pe n g u i n dress, £19

9 . Tu - Fa i r I s l e c a r d i g a n , £13

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26/11/2020 14:14

Ferryquay Street, Derry-Londonderry 028 7126 1326 kularfashion.com

PAGE67.indd 2

26/11/2020 09:57

BEAUTY

A MAKEUP PICK-ME-UP 2.

1.

1 . AY U – R a d i a n t S k i n C r e a m a n d I n s t a n t U n d e r E y e C o n c e a l e r. w w w. a y u . i e

2. Note – Eye Set, with eyeshadow palette, eye liner and Sculpt Master mascara.

4.

3.

4. Chanel – Sublimage serum foundation, £110 3. pixi by petra – Liquid fairy l i g h t s d u o , g l i m m e r y s h a d o w. £22 68

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26/11/2020 14:25

COLUMN / HAIR MATTERS

Hair Matters...

with Andrew Mulvenna

Andrew Mulvenna has been a hairdresser for over 30 years and his career has spanned the full spectrum; product development, global campaign shoots and shows, international education, session-styling and creating runway collections. His true love is working at his three-storey salon (a converted Victorian bank) in Belfast city centre, developing his 30+ team and making clients very happy.

There’s no other way to say it as I am hoping you are still flicking through this lovely publication wondering what to buy whilst there is time to shop before Christmas day.

I know that it is easy to go online and shop for gifts this Christmas. It is hard to break the habit, but now more than ever your beloved salons need you!

Shopping local means the money stays local, taxes are paid, council rates are paid, people are employed and trained. This is now getting to ‘the serious-stuff level’ and it will affect all of us, that I’m sure of. Since the end of the first lockdown I have been making the switch little by little and I hope you might tackle that too, because when the pandemic is finally quashed to the point that we can all get back to some sort of normality, if we don’t support our business community now, there won’t be a lot left standing, and that will not be good for any of us socially, economically and environmentally. Please let’s all do our bit.

IT’S ALL ABOUT THE FREEBIES SO GET LOOKING By the time you are reading this, Andrew Mulvenna will have launched our ‘click & collect’ service, allowing you to order great gift sets to pick directly up from the salon speedily and safely. Check into our website under ‘GIFTS’ or connect with our social media platforms to see the great ranges and offers. For the most part all gift sets offer 20% off the standard price as well as packing in loads of free goodies. Starting from as little as £12 – there is something for everyone and let’s face it, who doesn’t love gorgeous hair and skin products to pamper ourselves?

THE WISH LIST There are really two big players this year on the professional wish list and what’s best is you can buy them too. Firstly there’s ‘Hot Tools’ tongs and Curl Bars (pictured above), which are the serious ‘go-to stylers’ for every Instagrammingstylist and professional session-stylist out there currently. They are quick and precise, so no hanging around, they get the job done perfectly (root to tip) and just as importantly they are very durable – this has been an issue with other brands. All tongs and curl-bars come in many sizes to suit your look and prices start from £70, great value considering others can be at least twice the price.

STEAMING AHEAD Our second big-hitter is the Stream-pod 3.0 by Rowenta and L’Oreal Pro. As mentioned in last months’ Hair Matters these are amazing in achieving a polished, perfect blow-dry with body (or wave if you wish) but with zero damage.

In fact they improve hair over time!

These do sell incredibly well and last for years and years. Available at Andrew Mulvenna, £245.

BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND Spoil someone rotten this Christmas with the Andrew Mulvenna Gift Card. Presented with a gift wallet and card, it guarantees to bring joy this Christmas day. We can also post out the Gift Cards so you don’t have to collect. Spend £90 or more on a Gift Card or Retail this Christmas season and we will give you a FREE LUXURY BLOW-DRY AND KERASTASE MASQUE RITUAL voucher worth £45.

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FASHION, BEAUTY AND LIFESTYLE PODCAST

Featuring Maryrose Stewart Starlight & Stone.

Carrie Taylor, Pureskin Aesthetics

Nichann Brice, Paul Leyburn, Earth Rainbow

Chara Clarke Glow NI

UlsterTatler Head to Toe podcast

Check out our fortnightly podcast to hear local experts give practical tips on the latest trends and how to look and feel good.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE FEATURED PLEASE CONTACT: GERRY.WADDELL@ULSTERTATLER.COM

Available on:

PAGE56.indd 2

02/11/2020 14:26

UT Style

LUXURY LINGERIE Perfectly Permanent Makeup specialise in creating naturally beautiful brows, eyes and lips. Look instantly younger and healthier and save time on your daily makeup routine.

A welcoming and friendly environment where we strictly adhere to COVID-19 guidelines.

FREE thorough consultation prior to any treatment.

PhiBrows & NanoBrows PMU Artist and Certified by the Permanent Makeup Training Academy.

BR O W S - E Y E S - LI P S

For more information and details on special Christmas offers please contact Joanne on Tel: 07548 225937 Email: perfectlypermanentmua@gmail.com

Marie Jo collection available at Orchid Lingerie & The Lingerie Room.

Visit www.orchidlingerie.co.uk for more information.

My Facebook page is @perfectlypermanentmakeup

JACK MURPHY JEWELLERS SUPPORT ANNUAL ST. VINCENT DE PAUL CHRISTMAS APPEAL The St. Joseph’s Conference of St. Vincent De Paul, Newry has been active for over 160 years with volunteers meeting on a weekly basis all year round to help the families of Newry in need. In 1918 the society played a significant role in helping the victims of the Spanish Flu and now fast forward over 100 years later, the society is playing another significant role throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. Due to the pandemic, the Conference has had to adapt to a new way of calling and visiting families but despite these challenging issues, the Conference has continued to ensure that those who seek help, receive assistance without delay.

Since the beginning of the pandemic from mid-March to 31st October, the Conference has had 485 requests for help. The help provided to these families and individuals over this period of 7 1/2 months has totalled to £6,510 worth of food vouchers, £12,200 in cash and 15,190 litres of oil. This is notably higher than any other year pre-Covid; there is great need in Newry during these difficult times.

Therefore, the society need your help and support.

This year, Jack Murphy Jewellers have kindly partnered with the Conference for the month of December in support of the annual SVP Christmas Appeal. They are asking for donations of new, unwrapped toys for children aged 0 - 12, vouchers or jewellery for teenagers aged 13+ and food hampers or cash donations to be used at the discretion of the Conference.

If you would like to donate, you can leave any of the previous listed, into Jack Murphy Jewellers, 63/65 Hill Street, Newry or the SVP Drop-In Centre, 30 Mill Street, Newry every Thursday and Saturday between now and Christmas from 10am - 1pm.

Your help is greatly appreciated. You can make a difference.

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26/11/2020 14:34

UT Style

FASHION FOR ALL THIS AUTUMN/WINTER Check out the autumn/winter collection from Ted Baker at Tom Morrow.

Tom Morrow 26 Scotch Street, Dungannon, BT70 1AR

HYDRA FACIAL IS THE HOT CELEBRITY FAVOURITE FACIAL FROM THE USA TO GET STAR QUALITY SKIN This seriously special facial leaves skin intensely hydrated, plumped and glowing. HydraFacial is a medical grade facial that combines lymphatic drainage with deep cleansing and pore extraction, before saturating the skin with treatment serums and finishing with intensive infrared. This is the only procedure that combines cleansing, exfoliation, extraction, hydration, antioxidant protection and red LED light therapy all in one.

HydraFacial is designed to provide instantly visible results after every treatment, alongside improvement in the health of your skin, giving you a complexion that you’ll love It’s like no other facial that you’ve ever experienced!

Contact the Aesthetic Skin Clinic 02890-319060 or visit their new website www.askinclinic.co.uk or information and live treatment videos.

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26/11/2020 10:06

Luxury Cosmetics Range with NEW Colour Collection just launched.

Full range exclusively available at The Medical Hall, The Quays Shopping Centre, Newry.

Also featuring:

Susan McCann

Cosmetics collection from First Lady Of Country Music Susan McCann

w w w . l yn da st rai nc osm e ti cs .c om

UlsterTatler FOCUS ON

T

Staycations

here has been no better time to explore Northern Ireland to uncover the hidden gems located right on our doorstep. This winter it is all about celebrating the local talent we have in our country, from artisan food and drink producers to artists, musicians and writers. Must-visit venues North of Ireland include the stunning Hillsborough Castle and Gardens, the atmospheric Titanic Belfast, and award-winning cultural venue The MAC. Culture is at the heart of Northern Ireland and some of the diverse talents who were showcased during Tourism Northern Ireland’s recent ‘Embrace A GIant Spirit’ virtual event included: 19-year-old multi-instrumentalist ROE from Derry~Londonderry; Belfast-born Neil Martin, a composer whose work has been performed across the world from Ground Zero to The Royal Albert Hall; Portaferry native Ryan McMullan, who has toured with Ed Sheeran and Snow Patrol; and Belfastborn West End singer Rachel Tucker. Speaking at the ‘Embrace A GIant Spirit’ virtual event, Tourism NI, Director of Marketing, Naomi Waite said: “This virtual event has brought to life some of the very best of Northern Ireland. It paid tribute to our wonderful venues and tourism attractions, as well as our outstanding food and drink and the giant spirit of our people. While things certainly look different at the moment, one thing that won’t change is the giant welcome you will receive from us when it is safe to do so.”

With so much on offer, it is no wonder so many people are opting to rediscover Ireland.

Read on to find out where some well known personalities will be exploring this winter.

Hillsborough Castle Courtesy of Northern Ireland Tourist Board

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26/11/2020 12:14

Winter Escapes

We chat to some prominent local figures about why Ireland, north and south, is the perfect place for a weekend retreat or a day trip this winter.

Mourne Mountains, Co. Down © Tourism Northern Ireland

Jasper McKinney MBE, Artist Following a busy summer in my studio on the outskirts of Banbridge, I have spent three months in rural France. On my return and when out of quarantine, I will crave culture and plan to have a gallery tour! Starting with breakfast in Quails at the F.E. McWilliam Gallery & Studio, Banbridge, a visit to ‘Living with Art: Picasso to Celmins’ from the British Museum. I will make a quick call into Mount Ida Pottery on the way to the Doghouse Gallery in Comber, which always inspires with a unique range of art and craft works including jewellery, ceramics and textiles. Next stop The Battletown Gallery, Newtownards, to see the Winter Exhibition and ending a busy day with a visit to The Engine Room Gallery in the Cathedral Quarter, Belfast. I will return home creatively refreshed and inspired to produce art!

Sarah Kelly, Marketing Manager, Belfast International Arts Festival After a two week self-isolation period, I’m really looking forward to spending Christmas with family in Moville, where I’m originally from. While there won’t be the usual party nights, I hope to catch up with friends and family and make the most of Donegal’s gorgeous beaches and hills.

Kinnagoe Bay is stunning no matter the season, with dramatic cliffs, golden sands and big waves. After a long walk I may indulge in a takeaway pizza and beer from Sean Tí.

For a more relaxing day I’ll grab a coffee from Olivia’s in Moville and take a stroll along the scenic shore path, which has fantastic views of Lough Foyle and Binevenagh. I’ll miss nights out in Rosato’s but hope to request a few takeaway espresso martinis!

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27/11/2020 09:33

Lisa & Des McGahan, owners, Ballinacurra House

Alison McFerran and her husband Mark

Alison McFerran Owner, The Battletown Gallery, Newtownards

Lisa & Des McGahan

We live in a beautiful part of the world, Kinsale – but since we couldn’t go overseas for our annual ‘break in the sun’, we felt so long as we could see water then it was the best we could do! We don’t like looking over the Atlantic or the Irish Sea in Summer – but a lough is different with the rolling hills. So we chose a staycation in Oughterard, near Galway, because it had direct access and spectacular views over Lough Corrib. And the quaint town of Oughterard was a welcome surprise, as well as Galway, which is one of our favourite places in Ireland. We had such an amazing time and loved the whole experience that we planned to rebook again in October – but unfortunately had to postpone our plans to travel due to the current restrictions . These plans are only on hold as we will certainly be rebooking when we can travel again.

As a family, we won’t be venturing too far this winter, and it isn’t even to do with the global pandemic!

We went to Iceland two Christmases ago... brilliant as it was, it made me realise how much I love to be at home on the shores of good old Strangford Lough!

Having family around, kids home from uni, and so many local eateries and coastal walks, plus fields on our door step, I wouldn’t rush to go away again!

Local to us are many great walks. A favourite of mine would be the flood gates beside Ards Airfield where the lough can be enjoyed no matter what the tide... I can see how so many of my artists are inspired by the light on the lough!

Another favourite place to walk is Mount Stewart which is only a ten minute drive from us. A beautiful stately home and gardens owned by the National Trust.

We have been able to enjoy membership here right from when the kids were small (playing hide and seek in the garden) until now, when they are more into getting the best Instagram photo (twenty years on!).

One place that I definitely have to mention is our favourite coffee shop “Haptik” in Frances Street in Newtownards! It has not only the best coffee but does the most amazing heart-warming brunches and never disappoints! For a delicious family meal, it has to be TukTuk; Asian cuisine... great to sit in (BYO) and a cosy atmosphere!

I am very thankful to live at the start of the Ards Peninsula, it has so much to offer, and to top it all, I just have to step across my yard into our gallery to view stunning local contemporary art!

Our gallery is open all year round by Appointment!

Susan Picken, Director of CQ Trust and Culture Night I never thought of myself as a yogi but yoga has been one of the key go-tos that has got me through lockdowns 1 and 2 and I’m hoping to see the New Year in at a yoga and walking retreat set in the Cliffs of Moher in beautiful County Clare. The combination of stunning scenery, bracing fresh air, exercise and relaxation is going to be the perfect way to welcome in 2021 and to look forward to a fresh start for the year. I’m keeping everything crossed that the situation improves and I’m able to go.

Claire McKay, author of Nourish with Taste: The Balrath Cookbook I love to cook but there’s nothing quite like hanging up the apron for the weekend and being pampered. For an effortless winter break my husband and I love a trip down to the Shelbourne hotel in Dublin. Steeped in luxury and history the Shelbourne is an instant relaxing antidote to our usually busy lives. Popping out to Grafton Street for a browse, grabbing a coffee in one of the many lovely coffee houses to sipping on a refreshing glass of bubbles whilst people-watching in the No.27 bar, it’s a complete escape from everyday life.

With so many wonderful restaurants around I’m always sure to get a few new recipe ideas. But whatever we do, I always make sure not to miss my favourite event, a long relaxing Shelbourne breakfast!

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27/11/2020 09:33

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THE NEWEST TREND TO HIT THE ‘AT HOME’ DINING EXPERIENCE Rare Grazing NI set up by identical twin sisters Rachel & Rebecca Vance will soon be celebrating their first year of business. The first in Northern Ireland to offer a range of charcuterie, savoury and sweet grazing style boxes delivered straight to your door. This business was born from a life-long passion for hospitality and good quality food and has grown into one of the leading grazing companies in the country.

Rare Grazing have recently released their Seasonal Christmas menu ‘The 12 Graze of Christmas’ with twelve Rachel & Rebecca Vance. different festive themed options to choose from. Whilst offering takeaway boxes, the girls also style grazing tables and really let their creativity come to life when catering for private parties and events.

The full menu can be viewed online at www.raregrazingni.com Social Media - Raregrazingni Email - raregrazingni@gmail.com

PAGE73.indd 1

26/11/2020 14:07

ISSUE: DECEMBER 1997

LOOKING BACK ULSTER TATLER

Pictured at the John Rocha evening at Fulton Furnishings, Boucher Crescent, Belfast were: Cyril Fulton, Eithne Fulton, daughter Anastacia and John Rocha.

Supermodel Sophie Anderton pictured at Belfast’s M-Club with Rachel and Simon Robinson Belvoir Park Golf Club team, winners of the Mail on Sunday Golf Club Classic, from left: Bronagh McCann, Elizabeth Johnson, Julie Morrison and Gail Linter.

Peter Lunn looked on as Malcolm Brodie MBE, one of Northern Ireland’s best known sports journalists, was presented with the Lunn’s Award of Excellence and a Commemorative Omega watch, by Desmond Llewelyn, better know as the gadget loving ‘Q’ in the James Bond movies.

Eileen Smith, Regional Centre Manager of Camelot presents Peter Lavery with a cheque for £20,000 from the Camelot Foundation in support of the Rita Charles Trust.

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26/11/2020 14:37

DAVID NELSON, BDS MSC (IMP DENT) CLINICAL LEAD

C R A N M O R E T E E T H I N A D AY Y O U R D E N TA L I M P L A N T D E S T I N AT I O N

Why Choose a Cranmore Dental Implant?

Dr Nelson has a Masters Degree in Dental Implantology and his area of practice is dedicated to implant treatment. He has been placing implants for over 17 years.

Dr Nelson regularly accepts referrals from other dentists for all aspects of dental implant treatment.

Cranmore is fully equipped with a Cone Beam CT scanner to accurately plan your treatment.

Dr Nelson uses an intra oral scanner for appropriate cases which eliminates the need for gooey impression material.

Complimentary, no obligation consultations are available with our Patient Care Coordinator.

the requisite healing time (approximately three to six months) your final restoration is fitted.

Teeth in a day can successfully provide a solution for missing teeth in a single appointment without the waiting time associated with traditional dental implant treatment. It is often considered as a solution for a person who has no teeth and is a denture wearer.

Benefits of Teeth in a Day - Restores the form and function of your teeth within the same day.

- Stable replacement teeth for eating, speaking and smiling with confidence.

- Eliminates dentures.

the

pain

of

ill-fitting

What are teeth in a day?

Book a Complimentary Dental Implant Consultation

As the name suggests this treatment involves the placement of dental implants and attachment of provisional teeth restorations within the same day. It usually requires between 4 and 6 implants depending on your individual needs. After

When you decide it’s time to replace a missing tooth or teeth, we are here for you. We accept nothing less than the best for our patients. Talk your decision through with us, book a complimentary consultation* today on 028 9038 1822.

15 Windsor Avenue Belfast BT9 6EE T: 028 9038 1822 E: info@cranmoredental.com

www.cranmoredental.com *Non clinical consultation with Patient Care Coordinator.

BEAUTY

BEST IN BEAUTY 2.

3.

1.

2. Skingredients – Sally Cleanse with salicylic acid.

3. Image Skincare – Vital C travel kit.

5.

4.

1. Elave – Sensitive skin hydrating essentials, £22.59

4 . O l e h e n r i k s e n – Po w e r J u i c e ™ skincare set, available from Boots, £42

5 . C o d ex – S k i n S u p e r f o o d nourishing face cream and a limited edition holiday soap.

REVOLUTIONARY NONSURGICAL THREAD VEIN TREATMENT

THE PERFECT CHRISTMAS GIFT

Before

Lynda Strain Cosmetics Eye Shadow Palette’s available online at www.lyndastrainmakeup.com

After

ThermaVein offers instant, safe and permanent treatment for vascular blemishes, red veins often referred to as thread veins or spider veins and medically referred to as ‘telangiectasia’. Red veins are cosmetically unsightly and are too fine to be treated in the same way as larger veins. This treatment is suitable for all skin types.

Call Cosmetech on 02890423200 to book a complimentary consultation or visit: www.cosmetech.co.uk for further information.

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27/11/2020 14:49

COLUMN

Rebecca Nelson

Rebecca is founder and Director of Physiotherapy at Apex Clinic and Apex Headache Clinic.

ENJOY THE GIFT OF NO HEADACHES OR MIGRAINES AT CHRISTMAS

With the festive season upon us, Rebecca Nelson, Spinal & Headache Physiotherapy Specialist and the owner of Apex Clinic and Apex Headache Clinic, shares her top tips on staying headache and migraine free this Christmas. has a very high success rate in clearing or significantly easing patients of their debilitating headaches or migraines. It is our high success rate and medical model of treatment that encourages patients from all over Ireland and the UK to come to us for treatment. Whilst we receive many referrals from consultant neurologists and GPs, patients can refer themselves.

December is one of our busiest months at Apex Headache Clinic. For many, the festive season is a time of stress, involving last minute shopping, present delivering and plenty of household chores. While many will attribute their headaches or migraines to the stress of the silly season, the source of the problem is often entirely different.

It is not well known that the majority of headaches and migraines are in fact triggered from the upper neck region of the spine, even when the sufferer, in many cases doesn’t have any neck pain. Apex Headache Clinic can determine if the source of your headaches and migraines is your neck, after a thorough assessment.

A course of treatment will then follow, involving our unique regime of manual physiotherapy treatment, only offered at Apex Headache Clinic, called the “Nelson Headache Approach”. Our approach

Apex Headache Clinic’s survival guide for taking the headache or migraine out of Christmas • Choose your pillow carefully. Soft or flat pillows can be a major contributing factor for triggering headaches and migraines as well as neck pain and stiffness. Apex Headache Clinic are fighting the war against poor pillows with our own, custommade orthopedic pillow collection, which are clinically proven to reduce neck pain, headaches and/or migraines in the majority of cases. Apex Sleepwell Pillows are available to purchase from reception in our Stormont based clinic or from our website – www.apexheadacheclinic.co.uk • Resist the urge to sit in front of the TV all day. Prolonged periods of sitting in the same position often leads to a stiff neck, triggering headaches or migraines in the process.

Break up those box set marathons with movement. As little as a brisk walk for 5 to 10 minutes is all that is required to help to keep your neck from stiffening up.

• Avoid heavy lifting such as carrying heavy

apex

™

clinic

028 9048 4153

physiotherapy

podiatry

shopping bags, which can excessively load the upper neck region and trigger headaches or migraines. Instead, choose a trolley rather than a basket and minimize the lifting of heavy loads.

• Be careful when it comes to wine consumption, as even in small quantities, wine can trigger headaches or migraines severely. Spirits and cocktails are much less of a trigger, and ensure you balance alcohol drinking with water to keep hydrated.

• When a headache or migraine strikes, many people reach for painkillers in the hope of a little relief. However, too frequent medication can actually make them worse so limit taking tablets to the worst two or three days of any week and avoid taking codeine.

A heat pack can provide short-term relief and ice is not recommended.

Tis the season to be headache-free If you suffer headaches or migraines, help is at hand. There should be a cure waiting for you here. Book an initial assessment and treatment today with one of our Headache Physiotherapy Specialists at Apex Headache Clinic and take the headache out of your Christmas.

Gift vouchers are available, both in the clinic or by calling: 028 9048 4153.

Merry Christmas and a happy, headachefree New Year from the Team at Apex Clinic!

apex

™

headache

chiropody

clinic massage

Ireland’s leading physiotherapy & sports injury clinic info@apexclinic.co.uk www.apexclinic.co.uk

info@apexheadacheclinic.co.uk www.apexheadacheclinic.co.uk

5-11 Summerhill Avenue Belfast BT5 7HD

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26/11/2020 10:23

MY

JILLIAN FREW

Account Executive, Duffy Rafferty Communications

10. FAVOURITE Movie: She’s the Man – an oldie but it’s my go-to for a good laugh!

Band/Musician: Machine Gun Kelly Book: Ant Middleton’s book, ‘First Man In’ Restaurant: Tides, Portrush Holiday Destination: Benalmadena, Spain Drink: Disaronno and cola Meal: Steak or Prawn alfredo

5. Do you have a fitness regime?

I try to go to my local gym STLTH about 4 times a week – it’s a great atmosphere and I couldn’t function without my post-workout endorphins. It’s how I destress and keep up my energy.

6. Do you have any tips for staying positive during this time?

Surround yourself with people who lift you up and make you smile and always try and find the positive in everything, no matter how negative it may seem. Everything happens for a reason and just being kind in general I think keeps you in a positive mindset.

1. What do you love most about your job?

Working with so many different clients and seeing ideas and creativity come to life. It’s great to work on something different everyday and watch progress through to results.

2. What has been your career highlight to date?

My highlight so far would probably be meeting so many great people through my career and working with them.

7. What do you think is the best thing about living in Northern Ireland?

I think it’s often taken for granted what amazing scenery we have here, it really is breathtaking. As well as the people, it’s hard to beat the Norn Iron banter!

3. What are your favourite hobbies/activities outside of work?

My boyfriend Peter and I love going for long walks with a nice coffee on the North Coast at the weekend and throughout the week I like a nice balance of the gym and getting hooked on a great series.

8. What is your mantra or favourite quote that you live by?

Start each day with a grateful heart I think is a great one, it’s easy to get caught up in the negative especially at the moment but reminding myself of this helps ground me to what’s really important.

4. What is your daily routine?

I get up and have a nice coffee to get me started for the day before starting work at 9, the day usually flies in and I head to the gym most nights to get moving and unwind. After that I have dinner followed by a nice bath and sit down to catch up on Peaky Blinders, which I’m watching again at the minute as it’s just brilliant!

9. Who has been your biggest influence?

I couldn’t say just one person but I would say my family mostly, we’re very close and are each others biggest cheerleaders.

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27/11/2020 14:49

Are you getting enough of your body’s ‘Master Commander’, Magnesium?

Magnesium is the master mineral. It’s an essential mineral for your bones and muscles. But it is also vital for your heart, brain and nervous system, for producing antioxidants to ward off diseases, and for proper functioning of hundreds of enzymes that rule and regulate the body.

Magnesium deficiency causes all sorts of havoc within your cells, and the wreckage worsens as you age. Along with zinc, magnesium is the most frequent mineral deficiency found in the UK population.

Symptoms for magnesium deficiency include: tiredness, weakness, loss of appetite, arrhythmia, anaemia, cramps, mood swings, irritability, lethargy and depression.

Magnesium absorption is a challenge. Even traditionally magnesium rich foods are being depleted due to the detrimental environmental effects on our soil.

Examples of magnesium rich foods are: avocado, spinach, pumpkin seeds, cashews, dark chocolate, black beans and lentils to name just a few.

Hormonal Health Magnesium may have a significant impact on female health, including fluid retention, breast and menstrual pain, and PMS. Research shows that premenstrual mood swings are often helped by magnesium supplementation.

Clearly, magnesium is essential. We recommend Mineralife Zemvelo liquid ionic Magnesium for superior absorption. Earth Rainbow’s larder also contains food boxes, cold pressed juices, nut mylks, powerballs and granolas all containing magnesium rich ingredients. For example: Divine Lime and Cashew Blue.

Check out our larder at www.earthrainbow.co.uk.

Nichaan Brice M.A.R CNHC M.A.R.R Executive Creative Consultant

Relieves insomnia Magnesium prepares your body for sleep by relaxing your muscles, which may also prevent restless leg syndrome by lowering inflammation. It also helps to “shut off your mind” and calms your nerves by regulating neurotransmitters that tend to keep you awake.

Reduces high blood pressure Magnesium relaxes “smooth muscle” cells, meaning those in your veins and arteries, so they don’t constrict the flow of blood.

Improves Digestion Without magnesium, you can’t digest your food as it is involved in most of your digestive processes. This can lead to constipation, which is a common symptom of magnesium deficiency.

Pain Relief Pain related disorders such as migraine, tension headaches and fibromyalgia might be improved by magnesium supplementation. This is likely due to the effect magnesium has on vascular muscle function and nerve relaxation.

Visit Earth Rainbow online at:

www.earthrainbow.co.uk PAGE85.indd 1

26/11/2020 10:22

Column

Terrell Riley Terrell Riley is proprietor of Transformation Kid

A NEW ERA OF YOU! Terrell Riley (also known as Transformation Kid) discusses the other benefits of living a healthy lifestyle, aside from just aesthetics.

Well let me divulge a little secret to you all. I’ve a very simple, addictive, and achievable way to do it in style. Not only will it make you think/look/feel unreal. It will make you live longer, feel stronger, you’ll just be more positively awesome in general more than ever before...it’s called ‘THAT HEALTHY’...healthy eating, healthy exercise, healthy attitude towards life. Chasing the high you will most certainly get once you open yourself up to the idea of wanting to feel like an absolute boss every time you wake up in the morning no matter what the circumstances.

The consistency of pummelling your body with great nutrition will fortify your mind so that you think with the processing power of the new Apple MacBook Pro. The consistency of daily exercise will pump you up to be able to fend of a sabre-tooth tiger. Then throw in good hydration and BAM you are now able to sleep so deep that you’ll give Snow White a run for her money. Then combine all these things together and your recovery/cell regeneration will be that likened to Wolverine from the X-Men. So what you’re left with is a ‘YOU’ that is going to stay looking more youthful for longer, act more ambitiously in any given moment, and feel the confidence that ‘YOU DESERVE’ in the body that you live in.

Keep it simple, don’t apply any pressure to yourself and just make them healthy adjustments your new daily habits. Get busy in the kitchen, unleash your inner Gordan Ramsey. Get out in the great outdoors and go caveman, you don’t even need a gym to be active.

Give yourself that mental stimulation. Go get yourself a book to read (you remember them things right). Switch that phone off for a bit, ban the social media for a day or two here and there. Be at one with your own thoughts and nature, forget about them modern day stresses. We all need to bring it back a step, get a little Jurassic, let your hair flow in the wind, and scream out into the air like you just don’t care.

Look it’s as easy as one, two, three. Go at your pace to make it last, and don’t do anything that’s too extreme, that way your new lifestyle will stand the test of time...and if you really want to kick it up a gear, or don’t know where to start. Then all you need to is get yourself one of my T-KID BODY GUIDES. It’s as easy as click, purchase, follow, and watch yourself become that new you today!

We’re in a new era, and society has changed for the foreseeable future. So how are you going to combat the day-to-day struggles you face with the type of velocity/voraciousness of a modern day Tyrannosaurus Rex?

My aim in life is to get as many people as healthy as possible For more information:

Instagram: transformationkid Facebook: Transformation KID Website: www.transformationkid.com 86

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26/11/2020 10:22

Logan Wellbeing and Medical is the only combined naturopathic and medical clinic in Northern Ireland and is led by fertility consultant Ruth-Ellen Logan.

HELPING WITH YOUR FERTILITY JOURNEY What a year 2020 has been for so many of us, it has been unpredictable and most of our plans have been thrown in the air.

acupuncture, clinical reflexology, and Mayan abdominal massage techniques.

We also offer an exclusive range of micronutrient therapy given via IV or IM treatments, to improve overall wellbeing and health.

It has been a particularly difficult year for couples who are struggling with fertility issues. For over 12 years now Logan has been supporting couples facing fertility problems.

Ruth-Ellen

At our Lisburn Road clinic we offer a discreet non-invasive approach to fertility. This bespoke approach of combining naturopathic and medical treatments is suitable for both men and women.

Naturopathic protocols include a variety of fertility

Persona

To take the next step in your fertility journey or for more information on how to book a consultation, contact the clinic on 02890687467.

l Trainin g by Colin Gr aham

Logan Wellbeing SPORTS MASSAGE and Medical STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING

354 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 6GJ Tel: 028 9068 7467

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CONTACT COLIN TODAY: Email: Colin@optimumperformanceandrehabilitation.com

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www.optimumperformanceandrehabilitation.com 87

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26/11/2020 10:21

THE SCENE

Cara Taylor, Lisa Allen and Paula McInnes from SIX20.

Rosemary Howell, Susan Moore and Wendy Stubington.

ASSISI WINTER FAIR Assisi Animal Sanctuary recently held their winter fair at Queen’s Parade, Bangor. There were a range of stalls with crafts, gifts and food - with something for everyone. The very talented Jamie Floyd, Erin Cooke and Dolbro Dan provided fantastic music to create a lovely atmosphere for the local community who came out to support the fair.

Sophie Russell and Kathryn Armstrong.

Lauren McNeill with Ethan and Charlotte.

Karen, Lacey and Jamie Scott from Lula Blooms.

Phil and Sarah McClure and Charley and Jack.

Ros Young and Sandie Millership.

Joan Lennon, Petra Loyer and Carena Blake.

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26/11/2020 10:24

Health

STILL CARING THROUGH COVID THIS CHRISTMAS After Breidge Barry from Camlough survived two strokes in

her 50s, she was left to face the idea of living with a long-term disability for the rest of her life.

Breidge had been working as a childminder before her

stroke, a job she loved but was forced to give up. She was introduced to Northern Ireland Chest Heart and Stroke

(NICHS) shortly after and says the charity’s services helped

rebuild her strength and confidence. “After my second stroke, I literally couldn’t stand on my own two feet. Now, although I

have the wheelchair, I can walk around using a stick and make dinner.”

When the Coronavirus pandemic hit, it threatened Breidge’s

progress. However, NICHS have adapted their services so they can keep caring. “Our face-to-face support group meetings have had to be suspended, but we’re still able to meet via

video conference,” Breidges says. “I also know that wonderful NICHS care staff are only a phone call away any time I need them.”

To find out more about how Northern Ireland Chest Heart

and Stroke are Still Caring through COVID for people like

Breidge, or to support our Christmas appeal with a donation please visit www.nichs.org.uk or call 028 90320184.

We’ve been helping local people for almost 75 years, and with your help we can continue to be there for people who need us now, as well as those who will need us in the future.

A gift in your Will could not only help your loved ones but can leave a legacy of hope for generations to come.

In Northern Ireland four in ten adult deaths are Please visit nichs.org.uk/giftsinwills for further caused by chest, heart and stroke illnesses. We’re working hard to change this by funding life-changing information on leaving a gift in your Will to NICHS or call us on 028 9032 0184. research and caring for those who are affected by devastating health conditions every day.

Preventing, Supporting, Caring and Rebuilding across Northern Ireland.

Registered with the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland NIC 103593

Your legacy of hope and care - a gift in your Will.

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26/11/2020 15:02

MY

PATRICK BRADLEY Award-winning architect

10. FAVOURITE Movie: Casablanca Band/Musician: Coldplay Book: Peak Performance by Brad Stulberg & Steve Magness Restaurant: Ardtara Country House in Upperlands, Maghera Holiday Destination: Drakensberg in South Africa Drink: Jameson with Coke & ice Meal: Takeaway pizza

1. What do you love most about your job?

I think every Architect will agree that it mostly is an enjoyable, creative career developing a concept through to realisation. Architecture is very subjective so to see a client excited and truly satisfied with the overall design is greatly rewarding, especially observing the client’s enthusiasm and emotions as the building rises from the ground through to the completion.

bed. I light the fire, pour a glass of wine and make dinner, and Victoria and I sit down and enjoy. Some nights I could end up back out in the studio, depending on deadlines (which is more often than not).

5. Do you have a fitness regime?

I don’t have a fitness routine, I’m rocking the dad bode. Although, my day-to-day activities – either climbing up and down scaffolding on site or working on the farm, I generally feel keeps me fit.

2. What has been your career highlight to date?

This would have to be, being crowned Kevin McClouds Grandest ‘Grand Design’ of 20 years of the show airing. I am so humbled and honoured, although it still has not sunk in, if I’m completely honest.

6. Do you have any tips for staying positive during this time?

I believe focusing on the solutions rather than focusing on the problems (I guess that’s how we were trained as architects) and I try to always stay upbeat, keep smiling and laugh as much as possible.

3. What are your favourite hobbies/activities outside of work?

I don’t find much time to myself to be honest. I love my job and it takes up a great deal of my time. I work six days a week, Saturdays are usually spent helping my father on the farm if I’m not in the studio catching up. I try to spend any remaining time with my family and friends. I do enjoy watching sport or listening to music / going to concerts.

7. What do you think is the best thing about living in Northern Ireland?

Everything and anything, we have it all on our doorstep. I believe we do not appreciate what this little place has to offer.

8. What is your mantra or favourite quote that you live by?

“He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life” - Muhamad Ali.

4. What is your daily routine?

I wake up, enjoy a coffee outside and take time to myself, I then head back inside, downstairs and give the Queen (Victoria) coffee in bed (every morning). I take a long shower and get psyched for the day, then I’m off out to the studio, from then on every day is different. I am either in the studio designing, out on site, meeting existing or new clients, or if needed by my father out on the farm. I try to be back in the house around 5:30/6pm to spend time with Eve before she goes to

9. Who has been your biggest influence?

My inspiration has been fuelled from many things and individuals throughout my life. This ranges from sports personalities to famous Architects, from family to friends and from nature to buildings. We all take inspiration from different things.

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26/11/2020 16:16

Habitat’s Online Escape Room Join us as we travel the world and visit Habitat projects in this online expedition.

We hope you will have fun as you complete the challenging puzzles and exciting games. We also hope that you will learn more about why housing is vital in breaking the cycle of poverty and in helping to drive the sustainable development goals. That’s why Habitat is focused on building a world where everyone has a safe place to live.

So pack your bag and sign up for the journey!

www.habitatonlineexpedition.ie In 2021, make a resolution to serve the local community! Habitat ReStore has opportunities for people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities to learn new skills, build positive relationships and improve mental health and wellbeing.

Apply online today: www.habitatni.co.uk/restore

www.habitatni.co.uk

Raise your voice At Habitat for Humanity we believe that every man, woman and child should have a safe place to live.

By 2030, 1 out of 4 people will live in poor housing conditions. The fast-moving challenge posed by the COVID-19 pandemic adds another urgent reason to ensure that people can shelter at home and protect their health and families.

Raise your voice, learn more and sign our petition!

www.habitatni.co.uk/petition

THE VOICE 2020 OUR LOCAL HEROES

Jonny Brooks.

In this edition of Ulster Tatler, we are doing a special feature on the two local finalists in The Voice 2020. Amazingly, this year there were two singers from Northern Ireland in the final of the Voice 2020: Brooke Scullion and Jonny Brooks.

Brooke is from Bellaghy, Co. Derry.

Brooke auditioned for The Voice because an event was being held on her campus in Magee College. She then joined Meghan Trainor’s team. The other local finalist is Jonny Brooks who is originally from Newbridge, Co Derry. The 28-yearold has been performing music since he was a teenager, playing in pubs and bars. He has also busked extensively throughout Belfast. In his blind audition, Jonny performed Van Morrison’s ‘Sweet Thing’, which led to Olly Murs and Tom Jones hitting their buzzers for him. Jonny’s coach on the show was Tom Jones. In this feature we chat to Brooke and Jonny.

Brooke Scullion.

The Voice 2020 judges, will.i.am, Meghan Trainor (virtually), Sir Tom Jones and Olly Murs.

The Voice 2020 finalists, Blessing Chitapa, Jonny Brooks, Brooke Scullion and Gevanni Hutton.

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27/11/2020 11:39

BELFAST SKIN CLINIC

A unique clinic offering treatments for all skin conditions in all age groups.

DERMATOLOGY PLASTIC SURGERY AESTHETICS LASER VASCULAR RHEUMATOLOGY Skin surgery including excision of skin cancer by Mohs surgery Skin Cancer screening and full body mole mapping • General Dermatology Varicose Vein Surgery • Hand Surgery • Laser Treatment • Allergy Testing Excess Sweating • Hair Loss • Rheumatology • Aesthetics • Nutrition • Skin Products For more information or to book an appointment, please call +44 (0)28 9066 7077, email: info@belfastskinclinic.com or visit www.belfastskinclinic.com

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26/11/2020 10:27

THE VOICE 2020 - OUR LOCAL HEROES

THE FUTURE LOOKS BRIGHT Ulster Tatler chats to Brooke Scullion, a finalist of The Voice 2020. Brooke is from originally from Bellaghy Co. Derry.

When did you first begin singing?

I began singing as soon as I could speak words, I was always very rhythmic which you can see in videos of me when I was even a little baby. There’s videos of me tripping over myself trying to dance, before I could even walk! I’ve loved singing for as long as I could remember, but I never thought I’d be good enough to make it to the music industry.

What has been a highlight in the Voice?

Having the opportunity to get to work with so many amazing, established artists in the industry and getting all their advice. Meghan taught me confidence, Ella Eyre taught me performance skills and The Voice have a lot of vocal coaches that teach you how to control your voice and make sure you don’t lose it

after performing. My range has grown so much and I’ve just loved meeting so many people and getting clarity on what I want my future to look like.

What are your plans for 2021?

I have a lot of plans for 2021, all really positive and feel achievable. I want to write with as many people as I can, do writing workshops and get a wider knowledge of my craft. Eventually I’d want to release an EP or even an album! I want to get a lot more performances under my belt, I love the performance aspect of music and I hope Covid can relax a bit so I could do an outdoor, socially distanced concert.

Who or what has been your biggest inspiration to date?

My biggest inspiration is Dolly Parton, the woman has created her own theme park! She has a whole empire, barely any scandals and about a thousand songs! Tina Turner, Cher or John Mayer - all of the above are inspirations to me and they’ve done it all, sang, danced, acting roles and I want to be able to do the same, I don’t want to limit myself to one thing.

Meghan is also an inspiration to me, she’s consistent, has grown with her audience and stayed the same person that her audience love.

What has the support been like from back home?

I was in Manchester for a lot of the build up to

the final - but I was sent so many pictures of the buzz back home. People really like to see local people do well, so I can feel the support.

The blessing coming from Ireland is that everyone wants to see you do well and will always back you.

What do you like most about Derry / Londonderry?

The community spirit and support, like I say people like to see local people do well and just looking at the support I had from my schools, Uni and local businesses is just amazing - it makes me very proud to have gone out and performed for everyone back home.

What would you recommend a tourist who is visiting Derry / Londonderry does?

Well on my doorstep there’s the Seamus Heaney Centre (with an unreal cafe!) and then I reckon if you’re going into the city you have to go check out the Derry Girls mural fun fact, I was actually an extra in Derry Girls!

That’s something I’m really delighted with to have on my CV!

Brooke Scullion performs with Ella Eyre.

Shane Delargy of Premier Electrics.

“

Premier Electrics would like to congratulate both Brooke and Jonny on their recent success on The Voice. Brooke and Jonny were hugely impressive throughout the competition and represented our local area with distinction, having brought a lot of positivity to the local area. They can both be proud of what they have accomplished so far, and we wish them both every success with their careers ahead.

“

Congratulations to Brooke Scullion and Jonny Brooks on their journey through The Voice. It was great to see two young singers follow their dreams and do so well in the competition - they created excitement and positivity for the people of Northern Ireland during a challenging time.

“

Best of luck in the future Brooke and Jonny. From everyone at City of Derry Airport.

“

PAGE92-99 VOICE.indd 4

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27/11/2020 11:45

Congratulations to Brooke Scullion & Jonny Brooks from City of Derry Airport

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THE VOICE 2020 - OUR LOCAL HEROES

UlsterTatler Head to Toe podcast Ulster Tatler’s Joanne Harkness speaks to Voice finalist Brooke Scullion.

Available on:

Congratulations to Brooke Scullion and Jonny Brooks for reaching the final of The Voice.

“

Congratulations to Brooke and Jonny and their amazing achievements on The Voice. We are delighted that Brooke has collaborated with us on sharing her experiences of treatments at Belfast Skin Clinic. We look forward to seeing her again soon. We wish Brooke and Jonny every success in the future.

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Dr McHenry - Belfast Skin Clinic

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NOW IRELAND’S LARGEST DERMATOLOGY CLINIC Established just 4 years ago by Dr Pamela McHenry, Belfast Skin Clinic has now grown to be the largest skin clinic in Ireland, with over 40 staff.

Bringing together a team of highly skilled Consultant Dermatologists, Plastic Surgeons, Allergy Specialists, Aesthetic practitioners, Vascular surgeons, Rheumatologists, Skin therapists and a Nutritionist, the Belfast Skin Clinic is a unique facility. It is equipped with the latest technology for the diagnosis and treatment of all skin and skin related problems in adults and children. It has established a reputation for excellence and is highly regarded by medical colleagues and patients.

Dr Pamela McHenry

Be there when it happens.

Congratulations to Brooke and Jonny on their fantastic achievements on The Voice.

Best wishes to you both for the future from everyone at MyTicketApp.

For more information or to book an appointment visit: www.belfastskinclinic.com or email: info@belfastskinclinic.com

Karl Diamond, managing director

www.myticketapp.co.uk 96

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27/11/2020 16:43

FROM PARIS TO NORTHERN IRELAND DARE TO BE DIFFERENT Born in Paris in 1955, DS is a unique car brand. Throughout its history it has had a design led philosophy and remains a symbol of Parisian luxury.

Active LED Vison headlights come alive the second you unlock the vehicle and swivel through 180 degrees and give off a purple light in a show of welcome.

The current success of the Formula E Team as two-time ABB Formula E constructor champions is testimony to the advanced technology and performance of every DS vehicle.

However, it is inside that the car really comes to life. The specification depends on the model but each will feature a high fashion interior.

Choose your finish with Nappa leather seats and watchstrap design, leather upholstery with pearl stitching and polyambient lighting.

This leading technology was developed for the track but taken to the road and DS is proud of the fact that they have the lowest CO2 emissions of any multi energy premium brand. We are leaders in the advancement of the electric car revolution with fully electric or hybrid versions available in all new models.

The DS 7 Crossback features a 12� HD Touchscreen including a central Crystal control for volume, a range of shortcut buttons below the screen giving you immediate access to features such as comfort, media and Bluetooth connectivity, Android AutoTM and Apple CarPlay.

On the road it is the DS 3 and DS 7 Crossback models which are really turning heads. These next generation SUV’s are sophisticated vehicles which embody French savoir-faire with bold charismatic design, detailed craftsmanship and innovative technology.

Even at first glance, the DS 7 Crossback is instantly recognisable by the stunning hexagonal rim of the grill.

The DS 7 Crossback offers space in abundance, passengers can relax with plenty of room, the rear seats recline electrically from 23 degrees to 32 degrees. The high density sponge provides comfort and support and the front seats can be heated, ventilated or set to massage with five modes available, all operated from the central touchscreen.

DS stunning light signatures are at the heart of the DS design ethos from the beginning, fashioned like a piece of jewellery, the DS

DS 3 Crossback is the luxury compact SUV, combining refinement and advanced technology. With its striking design, DS 3 Crossback stands out as modern,

DS STO RE B E L FA S T 02 8 9038 35 1 3 deal e r. dsautom ob ile s . c o. u k

D S STORE EGLINTON 0 2 8 71 81 2 2 77 d s s tor en i.com

DS Ulster Tatler Advertorial ART.indd 1

sophisticated and elegant. At the front, the iconic DS WINGS surrounding the grille give a chiselled and sculpted appearance. From the rear, a muscular shoulder-line evokes powerful performance. There is elegance too, thanks to the slim rear lights, connected by a chrome strip featuring the Crossback signature.

DS Automobiles offer not just luxury and comfort but a host of safety features which keep you and your passengers safe on the road.

DS Brand Ambassador for Northern Ireland, Pete Snodden, was one of the first twenty people on the island of Ireland to drive the DS 7 Crossback and was an instant convert to the car due to the comfort, design and technology. He also loves the versatility of the vehicle which is just as suitable for his family trips away as it is for putting the clubs in the boot and heading to the golf course.

26/11/2020 17:18

THE VOICE 2020 - OUR LOCAL HEROES

HE’S JUST GETTING STARTED Ulster Tatler chats to Jonny Brooks, a finalist in The Voice 2020. Jonny is originally from Castledawson, Co Derry.

When did you first begin singing?

I think I first started singing when I was around 8-9 years old. I remember loving to sing and perform as a child, I had my first toy guitar when I was around 4. I didn’t seriously pursue it until a bit later on in my life. When I was 16/17, I played a song for one of my close friends and he liked it enough to encourage me to keep pursuing it. I suppose I have him to thank for me starting to pursue music seriously!

What has been a highlight in the Voice?

I think the highlight will always have to be my duet with Tom Jones! Not a sentence I ever thought I would be saying. That will probably be the highlight of my singing career, never mind the Voice.

my musical childhood heroes that I grew up with inspired me to ask for a guitar when I was 11 and play every day. But I think for me, my family and friends have been my inspiration to continue to push forward with my music. Their messages and support the last year have helped me through and gave me the reassurance that I needed.

What has the support been like from back home?

It has been incredible the whole way through the show. On the week leading up to the final there were messages of support from my old primary school (Anahorish), with banners made and put up around the school and the local area. I think it generated some excitement, it was great to be able to bring that to people this year, and their support is something I’ll never forget.

What are your plans for 2021?

I’m hoping to use any momentum from the Voice to keep pushing forward and try to release some of my own music eventually. I’m going to keep playing, writing and posting and I hope that once the world starts to get back to normal I can play regularly again! The Voice gave me a renewed love for music and performing, so I’m feeling good about the next year.

Who or what has been your biggest inspiration to date?

I think it’s been a mixture of things for me. All of

Jonny Performing with Sir Tom Jones.

RESIDENTIAL • COMMERCIAL

Unit K Toome Retail Park, Toomebridge, County Antrim BT41 3SF Tel: 028 7965 9001 Email: mail@jmlighting.co.uk www.jmlighting.co.uk

Many Congratulations to our two local artists Brooke Scullion and Jonny Brooks for reaching the Final of the Voice UK 2020. We wish them continued success in the future. From Everyone at JM Lighting and JM Electrical Wholesale

JM ELECTRICAL

WHOLESALE

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27/11/2020 12:59

MEETING THE ELECTRICAL NEEDS OF COMMERCIAL, INDUSTRIAL, LEISURE AND RETAIL CLIENTS ACROSS IRELAND, UK AND EUROPE

Premier Electrics congratulate both Brooke and Jonny on their recent success on The Voice.

They can both be very proud of what they have accomplished so far and we wish them every success with their careers ahead.

W: www.premierelectrics.com E: info@premierelectrics.com T: 028 7938 6849

PAGE92-99 VOICE.indd 9

premierElectrics

26/11/2020 11:55

THE SCENE

Ryan and Trevor Broome.

Trevor and Rosaleen Breen.

STAND UP FOR THE ULSTER MEN Jenna Shepherd and Leah Stoneman.

Ulster rugby fans attended the recent match against Scarlets for the Pro14 competition – the ďŹ rst time fans have been through the Kingspan Gates since the Covid-19 restrictions. With the fans behind them, Ulster went onto beat Scarlets 26-24.

.

Julie-Ann and Marc Bailie.

Carolyn and Willie Graham.

Lowell and Carol Courtney.

Greg and Colleen Templeton.

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26/11/2020 10:32

4 4 - 4 6 W A R I N G S T R E E T, B E L F A S T, B T 1 2 E D G A R D I N E R B ROT H E R S . C O. U K

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26/11/2020 10:32

102 ALL THINGS CHRISTMAS

All Wrapped Up Dark evenings, seasonal hot drinks at your favourite coffee shops, twinkly lights and sparkle can only mean one thing: it’s Christmas!

In this issue of Ulster Tatler, we take a close look at some of the amazing local companies we have here on our doorstep and see what they are doing at this special time of year. We chat to local hotels and eateries to see what treats they will be offering us this festive season. As well as being a joyful and exciting time of year, Christmas can be very stressful. This feature will provide lots of inspiration on relaxing ways to spend the Christmas season with your family. If you are looking for gifts for your nearest and dearest, look no further, our special Christmas guide has you covered, giving you unique gift ideas for all the family.

Ringing in the Festive Season

Ulster Tatler chats to Philip Warke, one of the Directors at Gardiner Brothers about the festive season.

What is your job title? Describe a typical working day for you.

My Name is Philip Warke and I am one of the Directors at Gardiner Brothers. A typical working day for me involves organising jewellery orders from the in the morning and consulting with diamond suppliers to ensure the perfect diamond is selected for our customers.

After that I usually have a number of appointments scheduled with customers, appointments are becoming more frequent due to the current climate.

What style of rings are on trend at the moment?

For us our Aurora Diamond range is ever growing in popularity. The added sparkle and shine created from the extra diamond facets has allowed the range to become one of our leading products. It has continued to grow more and more popular since we introduced it around two years ago.

What aspect of your job do you enjoy most?

What I enjoy most about my job is the one to one basis of helping people pick out engagement rings, wedding rings and any other jewellery requirements. Every customer is different and it is great to be able to create bespoke rings for each customer’s desired design.

Christmas is a very popular time for couples to get engaged, what advice would you give to someone who is searching for that perfect ring to propose with?

My advice for people searching for the perfect ring this Christmas would be to call early. Even calling in just for a chat can help you decide what is the best option for you and allows us to put the plans in place to create it. Have a look around as well, at the moment value for money is at the top of everyones mind, you will see from other jewellers our value and quality is unmatched.

Which products do you expect will be your best sellers this Christmas?

It is always hard to predict which styles will be most popular each Christmas. Luckily our range continues to grow in all areas of jewellery. We have massive ranges of diamond, gemstone and gold jewellery in stock to ensure we are prepared for any popular requests this Christmas. Diamond earrings and pendants are always popular we already have hundreds of pieces on order or held over for customers. Don’t leave it too late!

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26/11/2020 10:34

104 ALL THINGS CHRISTMAS

Enjoy a Deluxe Christmas

Lidl Northern Ireland has launched their bestselling Deluxe Christmas range, allowing shoppers to enjoy luxury for less this Christmas! With everything from sweet treats and desserts to cheeses and drinks starting at just £0.69, you will be able to whip up a feast this Christmas for the entire family.

Decadent Desserts If you have a sweet tooth, look no further than Lidl’s Deluxe Christmas dessert selection to satisfy that craving. Tuck in to traditional Christmas sweet treats such as Mince Pies (£1.49, available from 5th November), Profiteroles (£2.19, available from 10th December), Fresh Artisan Cakes (£9.99) and a Gingerbread House Kit (£5.99, available now).

Sophisticated Spreads Lidl’s Irish Cheese Hamper (£17.99, available from 10th December) which will make it easy to create an impressive after-dinner creation with the retailer’s selection of Irish cheeses. Alternatively, warm your guests up with Lidl’s Baking Camembert (£2.99, available from 17th December) paired with some fresh bread from Lidl’s in-store bakery to dip in, or treat your guests to Lidl’s Deluxe Irish Truckles (£1.79, available from 26th November) with some Deluxe Relish (£1.59), part of everyday range.

SALTED CARAMEL ESPRESSO MARTINI INGREDIENTS 70ml Salted Caramel Deluxe Irish Cream Liqueur 35ml Korol Vodka 60ml Double espresso White chocolate shavings to serve METHOD Place all ingredients into a cocktail shaker along with some ice. You want the ice to smash up while chilling the liquid down as this is what creates the frothy top.

Once shaken, tap the side to break the vacuum seal and using a strainer, pour into chilled glasses. Garnish with white chocolate shavings.

Festive Offers Lidl Northern Ireland is serving up a host of tasty tipples to toast the festive season, including its popular Deluxe Irish Cream Liqueurs (£6.99 each).

Spice up the traditional bread and butter pudding using Lidl’s Original Deluxe Irish Cream Liqueur. Or for an after dinner treat, try Lidl’s espresso martini with a twist using the retailer’s Salted Caramel Deluxe Irish Cream Liqueur (see right for recipe!). The perfect way to finish off any festive meal!

Lidl’s Deluxe Christmas range is available now in all 39 stores across the region with more unique items added throughout the festive season.

Be part of the next chapter of our history!

This Christmas follow in the footsteps of the renowned abolitionist, philanthropist and reformer Mary Ann McCracken.

Give the gift of membership to Belfast’s oldest charity which has continued to address disadvantage since 1752.

Members receive two free events per year and 20% off weekly talks, tours and merchandise including: Official Launch of Mary Ann McCracken Foundation Wednesday 20th January 2021 (evening) Guest Speaker: Professor David Olusoga Topic: The Legacies of Slavery For more information Email: info@cliftonbelfast.org.uk Phone: 028 9099 7022

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27/11/2020 16:33

IT’S THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR AT Stewart & Gibson Ltd, a family-run department store situated right in the heart of Ballynahinch, County Down.

Established in 1919, we recently celebrated our 101st birthday, an achievement, which we hope speaks to the quality of our staff, service and goods. We are a small, but very dedicated team with a wealth of knowledge and experience, and we are very proud of the reputation and relationships we have built up with our local community.

Offering a huge range of furniture, kitchenware, toys, giftware, hardware, gardening equipment and much more besides, all at competitive prices, our store is currently transformed into a Winter Wonderland. Christmas is certainly not cancelled here! There’s something for everyone and every occasion in our store. From a huge range of Britain’s Farm Toys for the (big?) kids, our popular WoodWick Candles, including reed diffusers, wax melts and gift sets, quality Prestige cookware products for

Stewart & Gibson Ltd 25-27 Main Street, Ballynahinch, County Down, BT24 8DR

PAGE105.indd 3

the all-important Christmas dinner and not forgetting scarves, hats and gloves for the cold months ahead.

In the run up to Christmas, we can provide all of the essentials, including a wide variety of trees, lights, decorations and baubles, right down to accessories including suction cups, gutter hooks, wreath hooks, bannister clips and more. If you haven’t already, just check out our showstopping window display for a little teaser of what we have to offer. We really do go all out at Christmas, taking great pride in our display, and this year is no different.

We very much look forward to seeing our familiar customers, and hope to meet some new ones too. Happy Christmas everyone, take care and stay safe.

New stock arriving regularly, keep in touch via our social media platforms for sneak peaks, special offers and more.

T: 028 9756 2220 E: stewartandgibson@hotmail.co.uk www.stewartandgibson.co.uk

Facebook & Instagram @stewartandgibsonltd

26/11/2020 10:35

unique

•

artisanal

•

local

in klöver is a truly local shop featuring the work of artists & makers from across Northern Ireland and beyond.

Our mission is to create an inspiring place to shop for genuinely unique, handmade products. Everything we sell is sustainably sourced from independent makers.

Photography by Kalie Reid

follow us @inkloverni

A truly local shop showcasing independent artists & makers OPENING HOURS once restrictions are lifted

Every Day until Christmas 9.30am - 4.30pm Closing 2pm Christmas Eve*

hillsborough

2-4 ballynahinch street hillsborough county down BT26 6AW

moira

92a main street moira county down BT67 0LH *10% of sales will be donated to the Welcome Organisation Belfast, a charity helping those affected by homelessness.

shop online at www.inklover.co.uk

108 ALL THINGS CHRISTMAS

Love Local This Christmas

in klöver is a truly local shop, showcasing the work of independent artists and makers.

They believe that everyone can aspire to shop in a more thoughtful and ethical way. Buying less and making better choices is at the centre of their ethos and they’ll go that extra mile to help you find something that will be cherished and admired this Christmas.

When you shop at in klöver, you are helping to build a more vibrant, local community and enabling people to make a living doing what they love.

For more information visit www.inklover.co.uk

Mashing Through the Snow, Mash Direct Launch Festive Range www.skeaeggs.com

Christmas 2020 will be a smaller Christmas gathering, with families being able to spend more time together, with more of a focus on convenient, festive, and healthy dishes for them to enjoy together.

Local vegetable side-dish producer, Mash Direct has launched their seasonal products to cater for all your festive needs and take the stress out of Christmas, allowing you to spend more time with family, with the added convenience of delivery, direct to your door!

Website: www.mashdirect.com / www.mashdirect.com/shop Facebook: www.facebook.com/MashDirect Instagram: @mashdirect

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26/11/2020 10:52

Mention Ulster Tat ler and get a FREE but tery leather co soft smetic purse wit h every pur chase!

LUXURY LEATHER AND ALPACA DESIGNER JACKETS AND COATS. COLLECTION OF CURATED ACCESSORIES PERFECT FOR CHRISTMAS GIVING. FREE PERSONAL SHOPPING SERVICE OFFERING ONE-TO-ONE ADVICE FOR THOSE WISHING TO SELECT THE PERFECT GIFT - PLEASE CALL IN ADVANCE TO BOOK.

PAGE109.indd 2

26/11/2020 10:52

110 ALL THINGS CHRISTMAS THE SCENE

From Croft Community day care, Bangor are Hazel, Clare, Kellie, Brian, Theresa and Catherine.

NEWTOWNARDS CHRISTMAS FAIR

‘Window Wonderland’ singer Orla McCormack.

Singer Matthew Cavan.

Newtownards town centre was transformed for Christmas with a ‘Window Wonderland’ theme, as various shops had festive performers in their window displays. There was also the market with local stall holders to provide inspiration for Christmas gifts.

Anne McCormick and Heather Faris.

Ballet dancer Zoe Kyte performs in the Alan Espey store window.

Gavin Dunlop from Sweetie Rush NI. Adam Ashford with Lara Steele and Laura Cuevas-Gamez from Excel clothing in Newtownards.

‘A wee token’ stall holders daughter and mum Barbara Hardy and Karen Paisley.

Graham and Andrea Ganon from the Penninsula Kelp Co. One-man-band playing in Warden Brothers window.

PAGE110.indd 2

Emma Wolsey and Molly.

Continued on page 112

26/11/2020 16:48

ALL THINGS CHRISTMAS

111

Create a New Memory this Christmas COOKING THE PERFECT DINNER?

Come visit our award-winning shops for fresh local produce.

Coffey Butchers are two high class butchers and fruit shops in Finaghy and on the Lisburn Road, follow us on Facebook for all the latest products and special offers!

Our two retail shops are situated at 380 Lisburn Road – established in 1928 and at 126b Upper Lisburn Road – established 1955. Both shops offer unrivalled levels of customer service and satisfaction often envied by our competition and take great pride supplying our customers with only the finest locally sourced meat and meat products. All our beef is hand picked and dry-aged on the bone to give it flavour, tenderness and quality guaranteed.

Turkey, Gammon and Game all available for Christmas.

Cut and prepared to customer requirements

Coffeys 126b Upper Lisburn Rd Finaghy, BT10 0BE T: 028 9061 1982 E: finaghy@coffeybutchers.co.uk

Coffeys 380 Lisburn Rd Belfast, BT9 6GL T: 028 9066 6292 E: lisburnroad@coffeybutchers.co.uk

Buick House Candles is a new luxury candle business based in County Down.

Using an old family name, the founder, Gail Lynas, has created elegant luxury fragrances to trigger memories of people, places and past times and to create new memories.

There are six candles in the range, all based on her home and surroundings. All candles are made with the finest ingredients, are hand poured using a blend of natural waxes, then beautifully wrapped before being packaged in an elegant box with a unique design based on Georgian floor tiles.

On dark winter days, adding luxury fragrance and candlelit ambience to your home creates the perfect atmosphere... whether for yourself or someone special, these make the perfect gift.

For more information visit www.buickhousecandles.com

NOW OFFERING DELIVERIES • Fresh Vegetables • Fresh Fruit • Fruit Baskets • Vegetable Boxes

• Fresh Flowers • Bunches • Bouquets • Arrangements • Easy Parking at the Door

187 MOIRA ROAD, LISBURN BT28 1JA Open Monday to Saturday 8.00am - 6.00pm

Tel: 028 9266 6507

Email: evansfarmshop@outlook.com www.evansfarmshop.co.uk

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Fresh Deliveries Evans Farm Shop based on Moira Road, Lisburn have a team of efficient and experienced staff who provide friendly and courteous service. They offer a delivery service to local shops, schools, cafes, restaurants and canteens. You can also phone them with your order and they will have it prepared and ready for collection. The shop stocks everything from fresh, local and imported fruit and vegetables, flowers, plants, dairy products, jams, chutneys and more. evansfarmshop.co.uk Tel: 028 9266 6507

26/11/2020 10:51

112 ALL THINGS CHRISTMAS THE SCENE Continued from page 110

Glenn and Alison Simpson with Old English Sheepdogs Toby and Ralph.

Cora and Grandmum Karen Robson from Newtownards.

Tap dancer Adam Ashford in the Excel store.

Sharon Graham and dad Bill Weir.

Mary and John Cargo and mum Margaret Cargo.

Robin and Ruth Collins, dogs Jess and Tilly and their son Robbie visiting from Vermont.

Story teller Derek Dubery in Petal Power orists.

Find the Perfect Gift this Christmas

A range of Wedgwood and Waterford products that are perfect for Christmas gifts and Christmas drinks.

Available from Wardens of Newtownards

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www.wardenbros.com

27/11/2020 10:35

4 4 - 4 6 W A R I N G S T R E E T, B E L F A S T, B T 1 2 E D G A R D I N E R B ROT H E R S . C O. U K

114 ALL THINGS CHRISTMAS

Green Fingers Family Granola

Green Fingers Family is a new local, artisan, family business producing Great Taste award winning granolas.

All of their products are vegan friendly, 100% natural, nutritious, and only sweetened naturally. Everything is handmade in small batches & the packaging is compostable.

Shop online at greenfingersfamily.co.uk

Ke Nako Biltong

Springmount Farm Shop

A Woodland Free Range Egg Farm & Farm Shop in Co Down. Their ‘Cluck & Collect’ Farm Shop is open dawn to dusk Monday to Saturday.

Visit: Springmount Farm Free Range Eggs on Facebook.

39 Springmount Rd, Ballygowan, Newtownards BT23 6NF

Erne Larder

Slice of award-winning, mouth-watering organically reared beef biltong from Ke Nako Biltong.

Specialised cabinets dry cure our delicious biltong to melt in the mouth perfection.

Thick and Zesty limited edition Irish Whiskey Marmalade £2.99 Smooth, sweet and smokey Irish Bacon Jam £3.29

Ke Nako Biltong www.kenakobiltong.co.uk

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Available from www.ernelarder.com Tel: 07740 138653

26/11/2020 16:25

ALL THINGS CHRISTMAS

Long Meadow Cider

115

Choose convenience this Christmas Indulge in Prephouse’s convenient ready to pour 480g gravies, fresh from the chilled cabinet, along with their delicious versatile glaze, adding the finishing touches to any festive center piece.

This hamper from Great Taste award winning Long Meadow Cider will make the perfect gift this Christmas, filled with delicious local artisan products. Contact Long Meadow Cider for further information andd to place your order. www.longmeadowcider.com

Station Road

Visit www. prephouse.co.uk to see the full range.

Optimum Fitness Quality carpets, perfect for a new year interior overhaul from Station Road Carpets, Magherafelt.

T: 028 7930 0550

GINgle All The Way

Get the New Year off to a good start with a voucher for Optimum Performance & Rehabilitation. This can be redeemed for a range of services including: infrared sauna treatment, gym sessions and sports massage therapy.

For more information visit: www.optimumperformanceandrehabilitation.com Premium gin handcrafted in Co.Tyrone.

Visit the online shop – www.Symphoniagin.com

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27/11/2020 14:23

116 ALL THINGS CHRISTMAS

A Festive Recipe from the Slieve Donard Resort & Spa Hazel Magill, the Head Chef of the Slieve Donard Resort & Spa in Newcastle shares one of her favourite festive recipes for you to enjoy at home this Christmas.

Orange and Cranberry Drizzle Cake Ingredients •420 g White Caster Sugar •170 g Butter softened •3 Medium Eggs •Zest of 2 Medium Oranges •3 tbs Orange Juice •1 tsp Vanilla Extract or paste •420 g Self Raising Flour •340 g Fresh Cranberries

CHRISTMAS 2020 Festive Afternoon Tea

Whether for a break from retail therapy or an elegant catch up with friends indulge in afternoon tea Fitzwilliam Style this December.

From £30 per person

Christmas in The City

Make your Christmas Magical this year - we all deserve it!

Christmas Day Luncheon

Champagne Reception & Gourmet 5 course lunch £130.00 Adults | £70.00 Children

Christmas in the City Stayovers

Mulled wine & mince pies/champagne/gourmet dining/ Santa Claus/luxurious accommodation - what’s not to love?

2 Night Package from £299 per person sharing

Christmas Vouchers

Give the gift of Fitzmas this year. Choose from a monetary gift voucher to a bespoke voucher for overnight stays.

For further details and booking, contact our Christmas department enq@fitzwilliamhotelbelfast.com Tel: +44 (0)28 9044 2080

www.fitzwilliamhotelbelfast.com

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Method Preheat the oven to 165*c Fan Assisted. Grease and line an 8”/20cm Square loose bottomed baking tin with baking parchment. Beat the butter and sugar together, with an electric mixer, until you reach a smooth marzipan consistency, and the sugar is not so grainy.

This may take about 10 mins.

In a small jug, lightly beat the eggs, orange juice, orange zest and Vanilla Extract together until well combined. This will help distribute the flavours around the cake. Add a tablespoon of flour, to the cake batter. While the mixer is beating, gradually add the beaten egg mixture a little at a time. Beat until the mixture is light and creamy. Scraping down the sides of the mixing bowl at intervals.

Add the remaining flour and Cranberries and mix gently until well combined. You should have a cookie dough consistency which is needed to prevent all the Cranberries from sinking to the bottom of the cake during baking.

If you still have a little unmixed flour left in the bowl add a little more orange juice and give it another mix. Add the cake batter to your prepared cake tin, spreading and levelling the top.

Bake in the centre of the oven, for about 65 – 70 mins or until baked, testing the centre of the cake until it comes out clean.

Covering the top of the cake tin with baking parchment will help prevent burning during baking.

If baking the cake in a larger shallow tin, you will need to adjust the baking times. You may find that the top has a light crispy crust and may have some brown speckling. This is due to the large amount of sugar and how smooth your cake batter is after the initial beating.

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ALL THINGS CHRISTMAS

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BEET THE CHRISTMAS STRESS!

ALL PRODUCTS

GLUTEN FREE

Available in retailers throughout Northern Ireland or visit our shop: www.mashdirect.com/shop

Have Yourself a Sustainable Little Christmas Ulster Tatler’s Chloe Heaney chats to Lucy Wallace founder of in klöver and klöver haus.

Tell us a bit about In Klover and what they do?

Based in Hillsborough and Moira, our shops showcase the work of independent artists and makers. We are driven by a belief that everyone should aspire to shop in a more thoughtful and ethical way so everything we sell is sustainably sourced. We love to support local artists and always try to find things that are a little bit different from what you’d find elsewhere.

What kinds of gifts do you have on offer?

As everything is handmade, you will find genuinely unique gifts and one-of-a-kind pieces. We have a wide range of products from candles and ceramics through to jewellery and wall art. As well as original paintings, we also have lots of affordable gifts and stocking fillers so there really is something for everyone. We’ve sourced lots of Northern Ireland themed gifts and

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decorations this year which are proving to be very popular. We’ve also found that people are putting up Christmas decorations extra early this year!

You have a great selection of unique Christmas cards, tell us a bit about those.

All of our Christmas cards are lovingly designed by independent artists. We have selected a fantastic range of Christmas cards which are funny, quirky or feature local Northern Irish scenes. Finding extra special cards has been particularly important this year as people will be sending cards to friends and family that they may not be seeing this Christmas. We offer a service on our website www.inklover.co.uk where we’ll write and send cards directly to your chosen recipient. We also have a loyalty card for cards bought in our shops.

26/11/2020 11:22

RESTORATION AND REVIVAL What was the inspiration behind starting up a vintage furniture company?

D4vintage is a vintage furniture company sourcing and restoring many different styles of antique furniture and homewares. D4vintage naturally evolved over many years, it is the brain child of two brothers, one having a passion for McM furniture, whose obsession for the period was fuelled whilst working in Scandinavia for nearly a decade. The other whose passion for restoring vintage furniture took them very naturally down this path.

What type of products do you sell?

We sell a wide variety of furniture and homeware, the easiest way is to check out our stock is to visit our website: www.d4vintage.com.

Is there a particular era of interiors that is making a comeback now?

Having spent a considerable amount of time living in Scandinavia, Mid-Century modern is a big part of our obsession; this currently is going through a revival with no signs of slowing down.

Where do you source your stock and do you restore items yourselves?

Do you restore the items yourselves? We source stock from all over the world and we lovingly restore each individual piece if warranted and more importantly to the clients’ requirements.

In a world of throw-away style, is buying vintage a better way to be more sustainable/eco friendly?

Reusing furniture is not only eco-friendly and sustainable but we find the warmth and iconic styles are hard to match these days, not to mention the build quality of the past decades.

Why should people choose to shop local this Christmas and beyond?

Shopping local is the way forward to support the local community, there is a better customer service as the customer can interface one on one not to mention the after sales care we supply. Shopping local reduces the carbon foot print maybe only a little but if we all try it helps for future generations.

Which product would make the perfect gift this festive season?

There are many gifts depending on the customer, though with the current climate we have seen a rise in home office and entertaining from home, we have a wide variety of office, dining and drinks cabinets which would make the perfect Christmas gift.

Where can people view your stock, do you have a studio as well as an online store?

Customers are more than welcome to arrange an appointment to view their piece of furniture at our studio. Our studio is based just outside Ballyclare, full details of our location can be found on google and contact details on the website www.d4vintage.com

T: 028 9086 2777 | M: 07483133744 | E: info@d4vintage.com | www.d4vintage.com

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26/11/2020 11:25

UlsterTatler PETS AT

Christmas

Don’t send your cat crackers this Christmas!

Cats Protection’s Belfast Adoption Centre would like to remind pet owners that the festive period can be hazardous to cats. To help keep your puss safe and happy this Christmas, the charity has come up with some top tips: Decorations can be dangerous to cats if broken or nibbled by cats, particularly items like glass baubles, tinsel and fairy light cables. If your cat can't keep his paws off them then it is best to keep him out of the room unless supervised.

Noisy parties can be stressful for cats. If you are planning a full house, ensure your cat has a safe, quiet room where he can retreat to avoid all the fuss. Many cats are startled by the sound of loud bangs so try to keep him out of harm’s way when it comes to pulling crackers, letting off party poppers and general commotion.

Holly, ivy and mistletoe are potentially toxic to cats so if you choose to have them in the home, position them well away from your cat’s reach. If you receive any plants as Christmas gifts, check that they are safe for cats. A full list of potentially harmful plants can be found on the International Cat Care website at icatcare.org/advice/ poisonous-plants If going away at Christmas make plans for your cat well in advance, particularly if you are planning to put him in a cattery.

As New Year approaches, make preparations if you expect there will be firework displays nearby.

Try to reduce outside noise by keeping curtains drawn, which will also reduce awareness of any flashes. Playing soothing music or having the TV on may also help. A pheromone plug-in diffuser such as Feliway can be used to decrease anxiety and can have a calming effect.

Pets can be an integral part of the family, offering joy, companionship and comfort.

In this edition of Ulster Tatler, we look at how you can ensure you are giving the best care possible to your furry friends over the cold, festive season.

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26/11/2020 16:04

BRIDES Ulster Tatler

Ashleigh Hornsby & Colin Skitt who were recently married at Drumbeg Parish Church.

See inside feature for full coverage.

Photography by Crazy Happy Love.

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IN THE PICTURE LOCAL READERS’ WEDDINGS

26/11/2020 11:25

S O C I E T Y

W E D D I N G S MCCANN & DENNISON

Joanna McCann, from Kilmore Road, Lurgan, and Matthew Dennison, Robinson Crescent, Bangor, were married on 1st September 2020 at the Diamond Gospel Hall, Kilmore. After the ceremony, guests were invited to attend the reception, which was hosted at Clandeboye Lodge. The couple enjoyed a relaxing honeymoon at Fota Island, Cork.

Photography by Jonathan Deighan Photography.

02 UT BRIDES

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26/11/2020 11:26

S O C I E T Y

W E D D I N G S

COOKE & BAKOVLJEV

Juliet Cooke from Ballyclare and Alex Bakovljev from Edinburgh were recently married at St Mary’s Parish Church, Kilmood, County Down with a brief reception afterwards at Quay Hill on the shores of Strangford Lough. The formal celebrations took place 3 weeks later on board Juliet’s parents 86 ft Turkish gulet ‘Salamander’ near Bodrum in Turkey, and afterwards ashore at Orhan’s Restaurant in the small village of Cokertme.

The ever-changing limits on wedding numbers due to the pandemic led to the 2 country wedding plan, developed in case either event would have to be cancelled due to new restrictions. By good fortune ultimately both events were able to take place, creating unique and delightful memories for the newly weds and those who were able to attend one or both ceremonies. Salamander Voyages will use the experience gained to offer similar ceremonies in Turkey in the future.

Photos by Puci Wedding Story and Marty Galbraith Creative Photographer of the Year.

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27/11/2020 12:31

S O C I E T Y

The bride and groom with Cassandra Cully (Matron of Honour), Matthew Squance (Best Man), Bradley and Parker Cully (Paige Boys) and Ella and Freya Major (Flower Girls).

W E D D I N G S

The groom’s family: Matthew Squance (Best Man), Neula Squance (Mother of the Groom), Groom Mark Squance, Bride Stephanie Ashfield-Beattie, Carlton Squance (Father of the Groom), Jill and Gavin Major, and Ella Major (Flower Girl).

ASHFIELD-BEATTIE & SQUANCE Stephanie Ashfield-Beattie, from Portadown, Co. Armagh, married Mark Squance, from Donaghadee, Co. Down, on 10th August 2020. The happy couple hosted their intimate wedding ceremony and reception at Orange Tree House, Greyabbey. Due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, Stephanie and Mark opted for a staycation for their honeymoon, exploring the hidden gems right on their doorstep.

Photography by Williamstudio.

The bride’s family: Eleanor Ashfield-Beattie (Mother of the Bride), Groom Mark Squance, Bride Stephanie Ashfield-Beattie, Julia and Archie Ashfield (Grandparents of the Bride).

The bride’s family: Mollie Nolan, Tyler Ashfield-Beattie, Cassandra Cully, Groom Mark Squance, Bride Stephanie Ashfield-Beattie, Eleanor Ashfield-Beattie, Dalton AshfieldBeattie and Jackie Conn, Front row: Parker and Bradley Cully.

04 UT BRIDES

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26/11/2020 11:26

SAY ‘I DO’ IN STYLE AT THE ROE PARK RESORT

S O C I E T Y

W E D D I N G S

Roe Park Resort is one of Northern Ireland’s most desirable wedding destinations. Having undergone a £500,000 refurbishment, the Roe Park Suite has been transformed into a luxury wedding space with its own private bar and entrance.

The freshly landscaped grounds of the 4-star resort, set on the edge of the beautiful Roe Valley Country Park, create a pictureperfect setting for your official photographs to capture a day you will never forget.

A stunning new addition to the resort, the outdoor wedding gazebo, is the perfect unique location to host a civil ceremony in the great outdoors, or to enjoy a drinks reception to remember with the dramatic backdrop of the Inishowen Peninsula offering spectacular views across the local landscape.

The resort is the perfect setting for small and intimate receptions as well as larger gatherings, and is fully licensed for wedding ceremonies.

The Roe Park Resort guarantees to host only one wedding per day, ensuring privacy and exclusivity, giving your special day the VIP touch it deserves.

The Roe Park Resort’s expert team of wedding co-ordinators will work with you to design a unique wedding package and ensure that every aspect is tailored to your individual needs.

E: Weddings@RoeParkResort.com Tel: +44 (0) 28 777 22222 www.RoeParkResort.com

Exclusive to you With only one wedding per day, we are exclusive to you.

Wedding ceremonies now being conducted in our new Gazebo.

WWW.ROEPARKRESORT.COM +44 (0)28 7772 2222

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26/11/2020 15:59

S O C I E T Y

W E D D I N G S

HORNSBY & SKITT Ashleigh Hornsby and Colin Skitt were recently married on 10 October 2020. The ceremony took place at Drumbeg Parish Church followed by a reception at The Ivanhoe. All honeymoon plans are currently on hold due to covid.

Photography by Crazy Happy Love Photos.

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26/11/2020 11:29

S O C I E T Y

LUXURY AND PROFESSIONALISM

At LH Executive Chauffeurs they pride themselves in delivering luxury and professionalism with all their services.

Founded in 2017, they are a family run company with over 30 years experience in the luxury travel sector. LH Executive Chauffeurs is an industry leading prestige company based in Belfast, providing services to the whole of Ireland including clients internationally.

They provide a range of professional chauffeur driven, modern luxury executive Mercedes S class cars and Mercedes V class multi seaters across Ireland and Northern Ireland. Specialising in executive hire, wedding car hire and luxury bespoke tours.

For more information visit www.lhexecutivechauffeurs.com T: 07715498245

THINK MAKE-UP The Clare McKinney Make-up and Beauty Salon has gained a reputation as an essential port of call for any bride-to-be. Clare has won accolades such as Health and Beauty Consultant in the Ulster Tatler People of the Year Awards and has also featured as the make-up artist on various Ulster Bride shoots, as well as television commercials and hair shoots.

The Clare McKinney Make-up and Beauty Salon is launching its new cosmeceutical skincare range, IMAGE. Image is a high quality, paraben free brand from the USA that works at a cellular level of your skin. The salon now offers a range of facials and facial peels to correct, rejuvenate and boost the skin’s health. Revitalise dry, dull, ageing skin with Vitamin C enriched facials or treat yourself to a course of facial peels that promote skin clarity, even skin tone and improve texture. With a variety of different peeling solutions they can treat various skin conditions including rosacea, high pigmentation, sun damage and acne.

Clare and her team are now available to come out to do makeup for parties – or any occasion. Any style you desire can be achieved, whether it is subtle or something more dramatic.

Tel: 028 9266 1111

W E D D I N G S

A striking modern look with a gold geometric hexagonal tier and handmade sugar flowers to wow your guests.

Beautiful and elegant with handmade edible lace and soft fresh florals, a classic vintage style.

HomeCaked is an award winning wedding cake designer based in Armagh. I work closely with all my brides and grooms to insure they get a unique one off piece of art for their special day.

T: 07871342000 E: homecaked@gmail.com

Clare McKinney Make-Up & Beauty Award winning team of therapist/make-up artists and salon

We strive to provide the highest level of standards and service.

Our aim is to offer clients the opportunity to experience high quality treatments in a relaxed and unhurried environment. We now call out to smaller wedding parties as well.

Prices will be given on application.

You could be on the groom’s side or a guest, you don’t have to be the bride!

Vita Liberata Spray Tan Now Available

SPACES STILL AVAILABLE FOR 2020 AND 2021 WEDDINGS!

WE HOPE YOU ENJOY THE EXPERIENCE Salon of the Year Finalists at The Ulster Tatler Awards 2018 & 2019 5 Market Place, Lisburn, BT28 1AN Tel: 028 9266 1111 Mobile: 07885 693630

Find us on

www.claremckinney.com UT BRIDES 07

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S O C I E T Y

W E D D I N G S

THE HENDERSON WEDDING Karla McIntyre and Gavin Henderson were married at Belfast City Hall on 1st August 2020. The happy couple hosted their reception at the Culloden Estate and Spa, Bangor.

Karla’s wedding dress was by Ruedi, flowers were by Flowers of Elegance and hair & makeup by Shelleyblair_hairandmakeup. The couple will go on their postponed honeymoon next year.

Photography by Collette Creative Photography.

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S O C I E T Y

W E D D I N G S

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S O C I E T Y

W E D D I N G S

KENNEDY-HALL WEDDING Elaine and Sandra Kennedy-Hall of Castleburn Road, Carrickfergus, were married on 16 October 2020 at Clandeboye Lodge. The happy couple honeymooned in the Maldives.

Photography by Aaron Owens of Make My Day Photography.

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26/11/2020 10:33

S O C I E T Y

W E D D I N G S

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26/11/2020 10:33

THE COMEBACK OF THE MULTI-FUNCTIONAL KITCHEN AS WE USE THEM NOW MORE THAN EVER The Covid-19 pandemic has forced us to spend more time at home, which inevitably means that our kitchens have never been have been used, probably more than ever in our lifetimes. People are changing the way they live, work and socialise within their kitchen space. Kitchens have become home offices, classrooms and restaurants.

New clients at Mode German Kitchens are more focused on functionality and practicality but also the aesthetics of the whole room. Previous clients, meanwhile, are enjoying their kitchens more than ever before – baking their own breads, cooking meals and eating together.

Lockdown has reminded families of the importance of spending quality time together and we have found different activities to differentiate between the days and weeks while we are ‘staying home’. Spending more time in the home has meant that open-plan kitchens have been used extremely well. We have needed multi-functional spaces, which facilitate cooking, dining and living as well as the new office or schoolroom, which has arisen in recent months! For the past few years, we have been linking the kitchen, dining and living furniture in open-plan houses to create unique and multi-functional spaces.

regular cupboards as you can see and access everything so much more easily and nothing gets lost for a decade at the back!

Maybe you are also thinking of continuing with the baking and cooking when the restrictions are lifted and are considering updating your appliances to suit your new lifestyle? As a Neff Kitchen specialist, Mode German Kitchens can offer their incredible promotion, which is running from now until the end of January 2021 to earn up to £1400 cash back! Check out their website for more information https://www. neff-home.com/uk/discover/promotions/kitchen-promotions/kitchencashback or get in touch with Mode German Kitchens and they would be more than happy to help you with the process.

Mode German Kitchens 162 Lisburn Road, Belfast, BT9 6AL www.modegermankitchens.co.uk E: studio@modegk.co.uk T: 028 9066 0011

At the beginning of the pandemic, it seemed like everyone simultaneously thought ‘let’s make banana bread or our own pasta’ because it created a family activity as well as meeting a need due to the lack of supplies in shops. As our recipes changed and we bought more mixers, our kitchen storage needed to adapt. At Mode German Kitchens, they think deep drawers are one of the ultimate storage solutions and regularly add an internal drawer with a cutlery insert to allocate spaces for all your necessary utensils. Their deep drawers, larders and corner units are much more efficient storage spaces than 132

Luxury Natural Wax Candles BUICK

THE MEADOW

THE LIBRARY

Hand poured in N. Ireland Set in the heart of County Down, Buick House creates luxury candles using only the finest ingredients to create a range of elegant fragrances, giving your home a wonderful ambience.

B U IC K H OUSECA N DL ES. CO M

THE LANE

THE LAUNDRY ROOM

THE LOFT

CHANGING THE FACE OF IRISH ARCHITECTURE The award-winning 2020 Architects have continued, despite the challenges of this absurd year, to create beautiful spaces for living, working and enjoying. They see the need for inspirational homes and clever design to be more important now than ever and have responded beautifully as seen in some of their most recent projects including this family home (pictured right) which uses the forms and materials of the Irish countryside and results in something spectacular.

The practice is located near the North Antrim coast and owners Gareth, Michael and Richard have in less than a decade grown the business into a recognisable brand throughout Ireland. It is clear from looking at a 2020 building, which can be found across the North and increasingly the Republic of Ireland that they are changing the face of Irish architecture and for the better. Their work is modern, intelligent and subtle and somehow manages to preserve the essence of traditional Irish architecture and shaping it into something cutting edge and beautiful. They work on a variety of projects from extensions to commercial buildings, but they are best known for stunning, sustainable, bespoke homes.

For more information visit www.2020architects.co.uk

SOLID WOOD CRAFTSMANSHIP

LUXURY KITCHENS, BESPOKE DOORS, STAIRS & WINDOWS

RH Joinery Ltd, Unit 3, 48 Cloyfin Road, Coleraine, BT52 2NY, Tel: 028 7035 5431, www.rhjoinery.com 134

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UT Living

CHOOSING THE RIGHT GIFT

Many people are continuing to spend on their homes this year, due to the worldwide coronavirus pandemic. RightPrice have been delighted to be able to assist their customers with the supply and delivery of carpets, furniture, and accessories. At present the large homewares store is getting ready for Christmas, and they have an abundance of items currently instore ready for immediate delivery throughout Northern Ireland.

If you are struggling for some ideas for Christmas then why not check out ďŹ shbowl, their giftware department for an array of gifts and Christmas decorations, or indeed why not choose a gift voucher which can be used in any department. RightPrice are open 6 days a week 9-5.30pm and welcome all customers to view the goods instore, and to speak with one of their experienced sales team. As always RightPrice pride themselves on their excellent customer service and this focus continues, with prompt contact free delivery available province wide, on all stock goods.

For further details check out the website – www.rightprice.co.uk or social media.

JACKSONS OF SAINTFIELD

Call in and see us or call 028 9751 1429, home delivery or collection available.

Jacksons of Saintfield T. 028 9751 1429

JACKSONS OF MOIRA

100 Main Street T. 028 9261 3660 Free parking at rear

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UT Living

GIVE YOUR BATHROOM A MAKEOVER Call in to one of McCall’s showrooms in Clough, Carryduff or Portadown and you will not be disappointed at the fabulous range of bathrooms on display from leading brands. The extensive range of bathrooms on display are of course complimented by a stunning tile collection.

McCall Tiles & Bathrooms offer a vast array of luxury imported floor, wall, kitchen and bathroom tiles. Under tile heating is also available along with a wide range of laminate, engineered and solid wooden flooring. The wide range of mirrors, cabinets and bathroom accessories on display will complete your bathroom makeover.

The staff’s extensive product knowledge, excellent customer service and attention to detail have made J & W McCall Supplies an award winning, leading supplier in Ireland. Visit one of the showrooms today to experience innovative, unique tiles and bathrooms to suit all tastes and budgets. Why not take advantage of the free 3D design service to help you bring your ideas together.

McCalls New Year Sale starts 4th January, with up to 40% off all tiles in stock, as well as fabulous discounts on their bathroom ranges.

For more information visit www.jwmccall.co.uk

WHERE TO FIND INSPIRATION How Alwood finds the future kitchen styles Everyone is tired of hearing how bizarre 2020 has been but for many of us it has allowed us to dig deeper and do that bit of extra homework before fixing up our homes and kitchens. So much of the DIY has been done and the garden has never looked better! As the dark nights are here and the fires are lit, with more lockdown time on our hands we are spending more time on our sofas with iPads, phones or laptops.

There are so many options, and so many opinions but just remember to be honest with yourself. Instagram, Pinterest, Google images, Houzz, Facebook, magazines, the list is endless. With designing a kitchen being such a rare event don’t forget the most honest source of information you have – family and friends! Online may have the advantage of often being up to date, while in the real world any advice may be more than a couple of years old, but weighing up both can be invaluable. Lastly a little tip: to see what’s really out there, the websites of high-end estate agents even those in places like Paris, Los Angeles or London, can give us unique ideas. Often the trends that we will see, can be seen at Alwood first!

For more information visit www.alwoodkitchens.com 136

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26/11/2020 10:42

UNIQUE CONTEMPORARY DESIGNED PODS WITH ZERO MAINTENANCE

Outer Space Pods build bespoke office and garden rooms to suit your needs.

We also build complete live-in Pods with kitchen and bathroom.

Call us to discuss your requirements.

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108A Melmount Road, Sion Mills, Co. Tyrone, BT82 9PY 077 8454 6285 | 028 816 59390 info@outerspacepods.com | www.outerspacepods.com

OUTER SP CE PODS 26/11/2020 10:43

The Word

CLEARANCE SALE NOW ON Creations’ fantastic clearance is now on, selling end of line items and making way for new product!

Don’t miss out on great discounts and take the piece home with you. Browse the huge selection of furniture at Creations’ spacious newly extended showroom at Boucher Crescent.

They are bursting with ideas and unique pieces to completely redecorate your room, or if it is just that finishing touch that you need. Creations offer everything from bedroom, dining and living room furniture to mirrors, pictures and giftware.

They also have a fabulous new divan section offering great space saving divans, and many mattresses from Silentnight, Sealy, Respa and luxury brand Hypnos. Many pieces are in stock ready for immediate collection or delivery so you don’t have to wait.

They have strict cleaning guidelines in place to make you feel safe and happy while browsing their beautiful store. As a small run family firm Creations prides itself that it has been around for 35 years. They provide excellent customer service to help every customer find what it is they need. Creations Boucher Crescent really is a destination you don’t want to miss out on!

For more information visit www.creations-interiors.com

AL FRESCO CHRISTMAS SETTINGS The Christmas table is a special feature of our festive celebrations: a central focus and an opportunity to create stylish, convivial surroundings for our friends and family. And while indoor gettogethers might take a back seat this year, outdoor gatherings may prove to be a more flexible alternative, depending on restrictions.

Leading interior design house, Neptune, suggests considering style, warmth and lighting when making this most unusual of seasons a magical one with an al fresco Christmas supper. As with any successful setting, the key is to pick a theme and stick to it. You could consider a woodland scheme for your table with trailing ivy, rustic wooden table and benches, even a log pile acting as a draftbreaker. Decorate a nearby tree or evergreen bush with baubles and lights to create an outdoor Christmas tree and use texture to add visual warmth – rattan, sheepskins and chunky throws do more than keep us warm, they exude a sense of depth, which suggests cosiness.

The key to a happy winter al fresco lunch or supper party has to be keeping the guests warm.

Pick your table location carefully — a sheltered spot against a wall and away from drafts, or maybe inside a greenhouse with all the windows and doors thrown open.

Look for chairs with slip covers or skirted legs like the Havana Lloyd Loom chairs which will protect legs and ankles from drafts. Use sheepskin rugs as seat and back coverings — they are ridiculously warm and comforting — and treat guests to the luxury of a Tussock sheepskin-covered hot water bottle against their backs. Drape a pure wool throw, such as the new, weighty Auburn throw, over each chair for guests to wrap themselves in.

For more information visit www.neptune.com 138

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27/11/2020 15:01

NEW TILE TRENDS FOR 2021 Life has changed so much during this year and we are all looking forward to 2021 with new hope, new priorities and a wish to improve our circumstances for the better. For many of us this means completely transforming the look, feel and use of space within our homes to create new environments that positively focus on improved lifestyles and family needs.

If it’s time to renovate then choosing the correct tiles can be the most difficult, even overwhelming, task; especially given the huge variety of options available. What style, what size or what colour to use are all questions to ponder along with the worry of selecting tiles that might go out of fashion quickly. To help you, we looked at some key tile trends that will be of particular interest to homeowners decorating or revamping in the coming year.

Wood Effect Tiles One of the coolest things about new tile trends is the astonishing realistic look and feel manufacturers can achieve on the finish.

While this can be seen on stone and marble effect tiles it is particularly prevalent on wood effect tiles where the detailed textures and colour variations accomplished are extraordinary real, ensuring they will be one of the hottest options on the flooring market in 2021. Keep an eye out for a shift towards larger wood effect planks, white-washed colours and parquet designs.

Outdoor Spaces Maximizing outdoor areas to increase the size of usable living space came rushing into focus during 2020 and will continue apace over the next year. The development of 2cm porcelain pavers that look exactly like your internal tiles offers the ability to seamlessly transition from indoor to adjoining outdoor living spaces that automatically increases living spaces and creates additional entertainment areas for family and friends. With superior technical properties, robust outdoor porcelain can withstand inclement weather, heavy duty foot traffic, temperature changes and remain easy to clean and maintain.

Decorative Tiles Replicating the ornate hand crafted flooring of ages gone by decorative floor tiles are right on trend. Many people are only just discovering these attractively patterned tiles so it will continue to grow in popularity. And with many manufacturers introducing new colours, designs and ranges the trend for decorative tiles look set to last for years.

Colours and Tones 2020 was all about mid greys and lighter cool tones. While they will remain popular the greys will move towards black while the lighter tones will push towards white-washed, beachy looks and bright white marbles. Homeowners are increasingly using flooring to set the style and feel of their home. That means more options are needed and manufacturers are responding.

Over the next year look out for a return to nature with terracotta tones complemented by moss green and mint colours to evoke an organic feel while shades of burnt orange and russet brown will help create a relaxing environment. Just what we need after this year.

For superior tile and paving finishes and expert advice on colours, styles, layouts etc for your interior design or exterior landscaping project our team in Armatile will help you choose the perfect combinations to deliver your dream home.

As the largest importer and distributor of tiles, we source and stock the very latest ranges from selected high quality tile manufacturers across Italy and Spain ensuring we can offer you the best selection.

From your very first visit until your last tile is fitted we promise to provide you with the right products, advice and service to achieve all your project designs, deadlines and budgets with elegance, style and peace of mind.

Book an appointment with us and we will assist you every step of the way to create the perfect tile finishes for your home – both inside and out. To book an appointment online - www. armatile.com/book-an-appointment

Visit our showrooms in: Belfast - Boucher Crescent, BT12 6HU T: 028 9068 2752 Armagh - Loughgall BT61 7NP T: 028 3752 7007 Newry - Greenbank Industrial Estate BT34 2QX T: 028 3026 6021

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26/11/2020 10:46

EXTRACT

PSYCHIATRIST IN THE CHAIR

Extract from Psychiatrist in the Chair: The Official Biography of Anthony Clare by Brendan Kelly and Muiris Houston.

This excerpt focuses on Clare’s interview with Esther Rantzen in 1993.

Anthony Clare

Anthony Clare (1942-2007) was the bestknown psychiatrist of his generation. He achieved international fame through his interviews with prominent public figures on In the Psychiatrist’s Chair on BBC Radio 4.

Between 1982 and 2001, Clare spoke with hundreds of well-known figures for the programme, ranging from Stephen Fry to Spike Milligan, Maya Angelou to Anthony Hopkins, Barbara Cartland to Arthur Ashe.

In the Psychiatrist’s Chair was produced

by Michael Ember who came from Hungary to the UK in 1956 and made multiple talkradio programmes for the BBC. In the early 1970s, Ember devised Stop the Week, a lighthearted programme that Clare appeared on and that ran for 18 years, until 1992.

Ember also revived Start the Week, devised Midweek and, with Clare, co-created In the Psychiatrist’s Chair, which was probably Ember’s most iconic work.

In the Psychiatrist’s Chair was originally to be titled What Makes you Tick? and its raison d’être was to reveal the real person behind the façade of celebrity. Ember had studied psychology and criminology at the University of London and shared with Clare a deep curiosity about human motivation and behaviour. Ember retired from the BBC in 1992 but he and his wife Liz established an independent company to continue producing In the Psychiatrist’s Chair beyond that point.

Clare described the idea for the series as a joint one that grew out of discussions between Clare and Ember over several years.

In addition, Judith Jackson, who worked in the biochemistry department at the Maudsley Hospital in London, where Clare also worked, expressed an interest in knowing about the inner lives of well-known people. Ember had noted articles and book reviews that Clare wrote for the Spectator and New Society, and was, of course, familiar with Clare’s involvement in Stop the Week, Thicker than Water, and Let’s Talk About Me, the latter being a fascinating exploration of the burgeoning boom in self-exploration and experiential psychotherapy in California, and a joint enterprise with BBC producer, Sally Thompson.

Clare’s interview with Esther Rantzen in 1993 was a classic of the genre that Clare was rapidly re-inventing with his Chair: warm, revelatory and frequently memorable.

Rantzen was and still is a very public figure who achieved great popularity as presenter of That’s Life, a magazine-style television series between 1973 and 1994, and for her charity work. But she admitted to Clare that she had never felt attractive and she spoke frankly about her experience of depression: Anthony with his wife Jane.

Image courtesy of The Irish Times.

The format of In the Psychiatrist’s Chair was that Clare would interview guests in considerable depth and without haste, in an effort to explore their childhoods, self-image, and current motivations. The format was not entirely new: Clare was keenly aware of Face to Face, a series of television interviews

by John Freeman that ran on the BBC from 1959 to 1962 and enjoyed considerable success. Clare was also aware that reactions to such in-depth and sometimes emotional interviews were decidedly mixed, with some regarding them as tasteless violations and others seeing them as vindicating the whole idea of in-depth interviewing, to which Clare was clearly attracted.

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EXTRACT Rantzen recalls that the interview with Clare ‘was an interesting experience for me.

Because the series was a game-changer, as an interviewer myself I was very interested in the whole process’. Rantzen ‘knew Tony because we both used to take part in Start the Week with Richard Baker. He was a regular on it and so was I… We got to know each other quite well and I’d always been fascinated by his views. As a psychiatrist he was in an interesting trade. I remember many conversations I had with him about the books and authors we were discussing. I was a bit reluctant to do In the Psychiatrist’s Chair.

I took some persuading, because I knew it would be probing and revealing, and I am very bad at introspection’.

Clare certainly probed, and Rantzen’s answers were open and honest. Rantzen was ‘very accustomed to answering questions about what I do and campaigns I am associated with. That’s normally what people talk to me about. I find that quite easy, if challenging.

What I’m not used to are questions about who I am. Every time I tried to answer one of his questions about me with an answer about what I do, he wouldn’t let me’.

Rantzen was ‘very used to a radio studio full of microphones and pieces of random equipment, with a producer and technicians clearly on view through the window. But for In the Psychiatrist’s Chair your chair was arranged so that the only person you could

see was Tony. The producer and equipment were completely out of your sightline. It was low-lit and claustrophobic and he was sitting very close. He was inescapable. When journalists interview you, they talk about things you’ve done but when you read their description, they’ve drawn conclusions (often unflattering in my case) about who you really are. But Tony was doing something quite other, getting you to describe yourself and analyse yourself - and that was quite a challenge.’

Over time, certain aspects of Clare’s programme evolved. Some of the emphasis shifted from the interviewee to the interviewer as the figure of Clare became more established in the public eye. From a technical perspective, Ember used quite long silences in the final edits, which was very unusual on radio, and the interviewee had no editorial control over the final edit that was broadcast.

But many features remained constant.

Clare’s wife Jane recalls that, after his return to Ireland in 1989, Clare would ‘leave St Patrick’s Hospital in Dublin with 15 minutes to spare to catch the airplane to London.

He’d run off the plane, do the interview, and come back that evening’. She adds that ‘different people elicited a different response from Tony. Tony was a debater and could be combative. He was very good at seeing where the chink was.’

Extract from Psychiatrist in the Chair: The Official Biography of Anthony Clare

by Brendan Kelly and Muiris Houston (Merrion Press, 2020).

Further information: Michael Wilson M.D. Paul Yates Art, Zurich. michael@paulyatesart.com

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26/11/2020 11:28

Arts Round-up SEAMUS HEANEY HOMEPLACE MARKS 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF NOBEL PRIZE Actors, authors and an ambassador come together for a one-off programme of performances to mark the 25th anniversary of the award of the Nobel Prize in Literature to Seamus Heaney.

As well as its focus on Heaney’s work, this bespoke production will also celebrate the work of the other three Irish Nobel Literature Laureates - WB Yeats, George Bernard Shaw and Samuel Beckett.

Seamus Heaney HomePlace, the literary centre which celebrates the poet’s life and work, is staging a series of virtual events available from Friday 11th December 2020.

This unique programme will celebrate the anniversary when Seamus Heaney became one of only four Irish writers to receive the most prestigious literary award in the world.

Star of stage and screen Fiona Shaw will read an excerpt of Beckett’s ‘Happy Days’, the life and work of George Bernard Shaw will be analysed by friend of HomePlace, Fintan O’Toole, who will also be part of the panel discussion on Yeats with Mark O’Connell and Emma Dabiri, titled ‘The Centre Cannot Hold’.

A Nobel Celebration – ‘more spacewalk than stepping stone’, a title which uses Heaney’s own words to describe his journey from South Derry to the Stockholm stage where he received the Nobel Prize, will be opened by actor Ciarán Hinds with a specially recorded reading of ‘Digging’. The occasion will include a key note address from Daniel Mulhall, Ambassador for Ireland to the United States, talks by renowned academics and authors Rosie Lavan and Roy Foster, and an introduction to her acclaimed version of Seamus Heaney’s ‘Anahorish’ by Lisa Hannigan.

This event will celebrate the 100 years anniversary of the publication of ‘The Second Coming’ and is presented in conjunction with Yeats Society, Sligo. The exciting, varied and lauded line up will provide a thoroughly unique perspective on Irish literature and its celebrated writers during these unprecedented times, while showcasing the breath and quality of guests and performers regularly appearing at Seamus Heaney HomePlace.

A Nobel Celebration – ‘more spacewalk than stepping stone’ is a virtual event, with

tickets available for online viewing from the Seamus Heaney HomePlace website, which will be on sale for £15. Each ticket purchased will allow the audience the opportunity to watch and re-watch the entire event from Friday 11th December up until Sunday 20th December 2020, ensuring the programme can be enjoyed more than once and at a time that is suitable for everyone.

WHAT IS THE WORD WHAT IS THE WORD is an audio cinematic experience presenting a curated collection of Samuel Beckett poems, performed by some of Ireland’s leading actors.

After a fall in his apartment in 1988, Samuel Beckett moved to the Tiers Temps nursing home in Paris, France. It was here that Beckett, aged 82, wrote ‘Comment dire’ in French. On the manuscript of his English translation, which he called ‘what is the word’ and is considered to be his final poem, he wrote: ‘Keep! for end’.

WHAT IS THE WORD grapples with the struggle to express, a theme present from Beckett’s early work but sharpened by his lived experience of illness. It offers an immersive sensory journey into some of Beckett’s most rarely performed works.

A Pan Pan production in collaboration with Cork Midsummer Festival, Poetry Ireland, Kilkenny Arts Festival, Irish Film Institute and the Trinity Centre for Beckett Studies, WHAT IS THE WORD takes place at Strand Arts Centre on 17 December 2020.

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26/11/2020 14:17

Arts Diary

ONLINE AT THE LINEN HALL LIBRARY Discover the secrets of a recently found WWI notebook, delve into Irish unionist politician Edward Carson’s personal scrapbook, make Christmas cards in an online craft workshop, explore Northern Ireland feminism – just a few tempting treats for those dark December days.

And all online at the Linen Hall Library.

From the Linen Hall Archives Series with Jason Burke Edward Carson’s Scrapbook Monday 7 December at 7.00pm Linen Hall Cultural Events Programmer Jason Burke takes a closer look at Edward Carson’s personal scrapbook from the anti-Home Rule campaign, held in the Linen Hal archives. Edward Carson (1854 – 1935) was a lawyer and politician, who led Ulster unionist resistance to the British government’s attempts to introduce Home Rule to the whole of Ireland.

Don’t Forget to Write @ Christmas Online curated craft workshop with Ciaran Doran Thursday 10 December 2.00pm – 5.00pm Inspired by the tradition of handwritten cards, letters and postcards, join a lively and creative festive workshop with creative curator Ciaran Doran. A pack will be sent to participants which will include handstamped designs inspired by the Linen Hall Library Book Plate Collection, Christmas gift tags and postcards.

Spaces are limited so please book early. Book at www. linenhall.com.

Northern Ireland Political Collection series with Dr Aimee Walsh: Protest, Periodicals and Republican Feminism (1975 – 1986) Monday 14 December at 7.00pm This talk explains that rather than a distinct difference, northern feminism and nationalism can be understood as both aiming to attain autonomy, bodily and political, with overlaps in objectives evident across their periodical publications. In presenting these republican feminist case studies, this public lecture will examine the interactions and intersections between feminism and Irish nationalism in the context of the ‘Troubles’ conflict, with a particular focus on the Armagh Gaol prison protests between 1975 and 1986.

For more information about the Linen Hall Library go to: www.linenhall.com.

Joe O’Neill Chief Executive of Belfast Harbour, Kerrie Sweeney Chief Executive of Maritime Belfast Trust and Chair of Maritime Belfast Trust Marie Therese McGivern.

CELEBRATING THE CITY’S MARITIME HERITAGE A new chapter will begin for Titanic Foundation Ltd, the charity responsible for promoting and preserving Belfast’s maritime heritage, as it becomes known as Maritime Belfast Trust. For over 10 years the charity has been building a commitment and responsibility for Belfast’s internationally renowned maritime heritage. Maritime Belfast Trust will broaden its remit to help deliver Belfast’s waterfront as a vibrant, accessible heritage destination and will work alongside key partners to support with the delivery of the city’s Covid-19 recovery plans.

Set up to deliver the visitor attraction Titanic Belfast, Titanic Foundation’s other achievements include the restoration of the former Harland and Wolff Drawing Offices - now Titanic Hotel Belfast, the acquisition of the SS Nomadic, and the relocation of The Great Light. As Maritime Belfast Trust their commitment and responsibility for these iconic maritime assets will remain unchanged as they build on the importance of Belfast’s maritime heritage for the city and its people.

With the recent challenges presented by Covid-19, the work of Maritime Belfast Trust will be vital in supporting Belfast’s recovery. In conjunction with strategic partners including Belfast Harbour and Belfast City Council, the charity’s plans to help support Belfast’s Covid recovery strategy include the development of the Maritime Mile, an exciting Blueway for the city, which represents one navigational mile of water and 10 kilometres of accessible, connected waterfront.

Maritime Belfast Trust will focus on five key themes to enable it to deliver on its mission ‘to preserve and promote Belfast’s rich maritime heritage for the enjoyment of current and future generations and in doing so contribute to sustainable social and economic development’. The themes: Connect, Energise, Enrich, Influence, Thrive, will help with the delivery of Belfast’s waterfront as a vibrant, accessible heritage destination with a focus on the Maritime Mile.

For further details visit www.maritimebelfast.com and follow the conversation on Twitter and LinkedIN. 143

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26/11/2020 14:17

NEW IRISH LITERATURE

WINTER MUST-READS

With the arrival of the longer nights, now is the perfect time to curl up with a good book. Here we look at some of the latest releases which are sure to make it onto your winter must-read list.

PENINSULA

AMONG THE KINGS

Gillian and David are strangers with their own reasons for returning alone to Northern Ireland. However, when they find themselves in neighbouring holiday cottages, their intention is to avoid getting involved. But life is everything but predictable.

From the Great War - one of the bloodiest and cruellest conflicts in history involving soldiers from across Ireland and indeed the entire the World - author Mark Scott tells a poignant tale. The inspiration for Among The Kings: The Unknown Warrior, came from a notebook carried through the trenches by his great grandfather, Jimmy Scott. Inside was a list of names, written with the tiny pencil still attached to the fragile cover. The notebook was returned to Ireland following Jimmy Scott’s death. With this family heirloom in his hand, the author vowed to discover the stories of these men who gave their all in the Great War.

Forced to resolve issues from the past, each must stay in the flow of a present which brings its own challenges. In reconnecting with the ‘raw truthfulness of the countryside’, they feel driven to confront inescapable truths about themselves and others – and drawn to consider fresh, uncharted possibilities for the future.

Peninsula, by Northern Irish born author and poet Tanya Ravenswater, is a compelling novel about people being alone and together; the upsides and downsides of family and community; about those with the power to wound or heal; dialogues and silence; about bridges broken and bridges to be built.

Beautifully written, Peninsula acknowledges the darkness in human experience, while celebrating the pleasures and the lighter side of being alive.

Peninsula by Tanya Ravenswater Published by Dalzell Press

During his journey, Scott unravels a remarkable Irish connection to the story of the Unknown Warrior, unearthing documents that detailed for the first time the full untold story of this event - and what happened to the bodies of those not selected for burial in Westminster Abbey in 1920.

This is the moving, often heart-breaking, account of the men whose names Jimmy Scott carefully pencilled into his notebook and of one man, who played a pivotal role in the remembrance of The Missing.

Among The Kings: The Unknown Warrior An Untold Story by Mark Scott Published by Colourpoint Books

NOURISH WITH TASTE: THE BALRATH COOKBOOK Bursting with a diverse selection of nutritional dishes which put an emphasis on ‘real cooking’, Nourish With Taste: The Balrath Cookbook is the perfect gift this Christmas. Written by Donaghmore pharmacist Claire McKay, the book not only aims to present an enticing collection of mouth-watering recipes, but has been released for charity with all profits from the book going to support UNICEF. Inside you will find recipes that are for real life; no fads just healthy and nutritional food that does not compromise on taste. The book is illustrated with photography by Claire taken during everyday meal prep, adding to the authenticity of the publication. Claire said: “Creating this book has been a momentous personal project for me, which has absorbed most of my personal time outside my professional day job as a pharmacist.

Combining my professional knowledge with a personal love of cooking, I have created, what I hope you will agree, is a stunning cookbook filled with nutritious and delicious recipes for the whole family to enjoy.” With an aim to help people on both a nutritional and humanitarian level, this stunning book, which boasts tantalising recipes presented in an easily accessible format, embodies the true spirit of Christmas.

Nourish With Taste: The Balrath Cookbook by Claire McKay Published by Claire McKay. Currently available by contacting Claire directly on Instagram at Bigsis_at_balrath, or in Waterstones from December.

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26/11/2020 12:01

A PRIVATE OASIS - IN THE HEART OF IRELAND Ballinacurra House, Kinsale – an awardwinning exclusive use private estate - has had to re-invent itself after the fall-out from the COVID-19 pandemic.

As a reaction the current situation, owners Des McGahan, who hails from Northern Ireland, and his wife Lisa, have developed a whole raft of new business concepts for the property, including private boardrooms and controlled inspirational work settings, staycations, dine & stay, popup restaurants and the private dining room experience – reflecting the style of the estate.

“Hotels cannot offer the controlled safe environment that a private and exclusive country house can. So there has been an upsurge in interest in groups renting their own private sole use spaces, as it offers a safe environment, control of who is on the property and a multitude of indoor and outdoor private spaces to enjoy with your own ‘bubble’”, said Dungannon-born Des. On the doorstep is the cool coastal heritage town of Kinsale, known as the “Irish Rivera” with its stunning harbor, world class facilities such as sailing, outdoor leisure centres in abundance, the spectacular Old Head Golf Course, horse riding, over 60 bars and restaurants, low density population, clean open spaces and connectivity via Cork

Des and Lisa McGahan with their family.

international airport. And of course safety is of paramount importance.

Ballinacurra House operates as an Exclusive Hire Private Estate only, offering uniquely designed décor, Michelin Standard food, “top class service” in the fab “Riviera” location of Kinsale – that combines seclusion via the 40 acre sole use estate but not isolation for smaller bespoke events and gatherings.

The story of Ballinacurra House began in the late 80s in Montego Bay, Jamaica, where Des, who had established his own highly successful events management agency in Hong Kong — the largest in Asia at the time — was overseeing preparations for a major golf tournament.

“We rented two beautiful mansions in Montego Bay — one belonged to Paul McCartney, one to Luis Vuitton,” he recalls, adding that each mansion played host to a range of celebrities and business executives in private, beautifully-appointed surroundings. “I saw how there was a niche

for a private estate offering and having sold my business – we relocated to Kinsale and decided to set up Ireland’s First Exclusive Hire property.”

In 1998 Des and Lisa pursued their dream of developing Ireland’s premier “Private Estate for Exclusive Hire”. “It took us four years to restore this place,” said Des. “It wasn’t crumbling exactly but it was a massive overhaul. Each of the rooms is designed (in honour) of the countries that we have visited in our lives and so each room is totally different.”

As Kinsale is also widely heralded as one of the top gourmet destinations in Ireland, attracting some of the countries top real estate prices, the venue has attracted rock stars and royalty including Michael Jackson and the King of Netherlands to name a few.

To book an exclusive stay or perfect event at Ballinacurra House, visit: www. ballinacurra.com

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26/11/2020 12:02

Discover the true taste of

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26/11/2020 12:15

Christmas at the Courtyard The Courtyard, Carrickfergus is a unique collection of shops and businesses located on the edge of the medieval town centre. Surrounding a newly refurbished courtyard and garden, it provides a tranquil and interesting place to visit.

Itʼs that time of year again! While it may not be the Christmas we are used to, we still plan to make it one to remember. With the decorations sparkling, and the shops stuffed with Christmas stock, it is almost a breath of normality shopping in The Courtyard.

From a post box personally delivered by Santa for his letters in The Secret Bookshelf, and personalised childrenʼs gifts in one of our NEW shops, Dreamy Gifts and Crafts, to a wonderful array of decorations at JAVART and beautiful selection of gifts for him and gifts for her available in The Silver Store. You can also purchase a fabulous food hamper as a gift from Take Thyme, and be sure to browse through their many wonderful products while youʼre there.

If itʼs something long lasting youʼre looking for, there is also Tom Stephenson, professional artist and owner of The Art Gallery. Here, you will find ethereal paintings of the Antrim coast scenery that will evoke memories of summer days, or there are paintings of his famous sheep, and related puns, to bring a smile with every gift, and everything in between!

No Christmas outfit is complete without a trip to the hairdressers and the nail salon. Well thatʼs where The Nail Room and Kelly Courtney Hair Design are here to help! Up to date with the latest trends and designs, Julie and her team strive to provide excellent service, always with a smile, and knowledge through her classes and online videos. Kelly Courtney Hair Design is beautiful and relaxing hair salon set within the inner courtyard, where Kelly is eager to find the perfect style for you.

Donʼt worry though; there is also a new barbershop available for the men. Ruthless Barbershop, opened in November, aim to provide a comprehensive grooming service in a contemporary and friendly

atmosphere. Situated up the stairs just inside the front courtyard, with a stunning view of Belfast Lough, the guys are always eager to see new faces.

All of our business owners have been, and constantly are, striving to provide the safest environment for all their customers. This includes individual sanitising stations, one-way systems, regular cleaning of the shop, wearing masks, screens and anything else theyʼve been able to think of! We want to make sure your visit to us is as happy, but also as safe as possible.

The Courtyard 38 Scotch Quarter, Carrickfergus, BT38 7DP E: courtyardcarrickfergus@gmail.com W: www.thecourtyardcarrickfergus.com

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26/11/2020 12:25

124 All Things Christmas

Eat : Stay : Relax

WHISKEY AND HOT SAUCE FUSION

Multi Award Winning company dedicated to producing the finest free range eggs in the industry Bushmills® Irish Whiskey has collaborated with hot sauce specialists, Rebel Chilli, to host a series of online cocktail masterclasses this winter. The immersive events are part of the Black Bush Stories campaign which celebrates the parallels between Bushmills and an individual and their craft, while providing an opportunity for attendees to discover a new skill.

Since establishing Rebel Chilli in 2014, founder Paul Moore has come a long way from working in his mother’s kitchen. The company now supplies some of the largest retailers in Ireland and beyond, winning a number of prestigious awards. As part of the collaboration, Paul has created a Black Bush Barrel Aged Hot Sauce. The ‘Black Bush & Hot Sauce’ events will take place across two weeks, commencing Thursday 26th November, with 13 event slots to choose from. Tickets cost £10 and include an event kit with all of the tools needed to take part. The full schedule, along with a link to purchase tickets is available at blackbushstories.com.

Wa

E Gel

• Multi award winning, including Great Taste, Irish Quality Food Awards and Blas na hEireann Gold awards • Family run business • Farm to fork • All hens are free range

Fes

• High welfare standards • British Lion accredited

festive

How Santa get to party

Cavanagh Free Range Eggs Ltd. 58 Clonkee Road, Cavanagh, Newtownbutler Co. Fermangh, BT92 8FH Website: www.cavanagheggs.co.uk Email: hello@cavanagheggs.co.uk Facebook: facebook.com/cavanaghfreerangeeggs.co.uk Twitter: @cavanagheggs Phone: 028 6773 7889 Mobile John: 078 5796 4436 Mobile Eileen: 078 5796 4468

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What Got to

What year?

Hmm

What Afraid aweso Memp back

ISSUE: DECEMBER 2012

LOOKING BACK ULSTER TATLER

Aideen McCaul, Gerry Waddell, Lorraine Gill and Eleanor Ramsey at the annual Ulster Tatler Christmas Drinks reception in 2012.

Catherine Milhench, Dorothy Palmer, Gene Fitzpatrick and Margaret Bell at the Lady Taveners 25th anniversary lunch at the Europa Hotel, Belfast.

University of Ulster School of Nursing annual celebration of excellence evening was attended

by UU Pro-Vice Chancellor Deirdre Heenan, UU Coleraine Chancellor Dr James Nesbitt and Nursing Course Director Marie O’Neill.

Marie Therese McGivern, Chief Executive of Belfast Metropolitan College, US Consulate General Gregory Burton and Ross Williamson, Head of Weber Shandwick NI, pictured at the U.S. Consulate in Belfast’s Election Breakfast.

Pictured celebrating the launch of actor Sam Neill’s Two Paddocks wine range at the Bureau by the Lough were: Dana Curran, Nuala Meenehan, Sam Neill and Damien Curran.

Roger and Debbie Pollen at the Federation of Small Businesses annual charity ball at the Ramada Hotel, Belfast.

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The Word

UNSURPASSABLE QUALITY At Rodgers Meats we aim to provide our customers with local quality meats & poultry at a competitive price that does not compromise on our standards of excellence.

On our first time of entering the prestigious Great Taste Awards, we were awarded One Gold Star each for our Dry Aged Sirloin Steaks, our Fillet Steaks and our T-Bone Steaks.

Rodgers Meats, Belfast has a range of different turkey and ham options to suit every occasion this Christmas including; County Antrim Whole White Turkeys - £7.00 per kilo.

County Down Whole Bronze Turkeys – £9.00 per kilo.

(Add £5 extra if you would like your turkey boned and rolled, or £8 if you would also like it stuffed).

County Antrim White Butterfly Breasts – £9.00 per kilo.

County Down Bronze Butterfly Breasts – £11.00 per kilo.

Slipper Gammons – £10.00 each (1.8 - 2.2kg).

Horseshoe Gammons – £7.00 per kilo (2.2 - 6.5kg).

Now taking orders online and instore for all your Christmas goodies 65 Upper Braniel Road, Belfast, BT5 7TX www.rodgersmeats.co.uk T: 028 9044 9221 Open Monday – Saturday: 9am-5pm

For more information on their Christmas packages visit www. rodgersmeats.co.uk

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THE SCENE

Nicola Hunter and Jonathan Saulters.

Peter McKittrick and son Ben. Hedley Abernethy and son Rhys.

THE GAWA GET BACK TO WINDSOR PARK Fans who were lucky enough to get their hands on tickets turned out in style to support Northern Ireland at Windsor park, as the took on Slovakia in the Euro play-off ďŹ nal. The team gave it their all with the support of the Green and White Army, but unfortunately were pipped at the post in extra time. The following week the team were back in Belfast again to take on Romania in the UEFA Nations league. Fans turned out again to cheer on the team, with celebrations for Boyce’s goal in the 56th minute.

Caleb and mum Claire Wade.

Simon and Sean Cunningham.

Cameron and Alan Greer.

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Linda Dobbs and Gail Simpson.

Alison and Werner Kirkpatrick from Ballymoney.

Marti and Gareth Deering.

Brothers Jacob and Chris Pollock.

Allan Coates, Adams Johnny Elliott.

Jacqui, David,Chris Tom and Eveand Lynch.

Darren and Mervyn Shaw.

Ivan and Daniel Bell.

Faith Seaton and Reece Cordiner.

Joanne Harkness and brother Simon.

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THE SCENE

Emma Quin and Zoe Tostevein.

Sebastian and Kathryn.

Anna, Thomas and Eimear Toland.

ORMEAU PARK Our photographer was out and about in Ormeau Park to capture families and friends as they made the most of the autumn sunshine. It is the perfect place for a picnic and a stroll as you catch up with your nearest and dearest.

Mall McGovern and Julie Streich.

Rosie McGowan, Catherine Kearney, Sharon Matthews and Trudi Drummond.

Aya and Jack Shewihi with children Amira and Adam.

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Column / Know the Law

Michael Graham

Michael Graham is Head of the Private Client Department at Cleaver Fulton Rankin and a founding member of the Northern Ireland Branch of the Society of Trust & Estate Practitioners. He is also a full member of Solicitors for the Elderly.

Wills in the Time of Coronavirus This month Michael Graham of Cleaver Fulton Rankin discusses the importance of wills and the need for many of us to take action now to protect our loved ones’ inheritance. which may need to be addressed, such as the best way to deal with business assets or how to provide for beneficiaries who are suffering from a disability and for whom outright gifts may not be appropriate. In such cases, the use of trusts may be desirable and these may be incorporated into your will itself or set up during your lifetime, with assets being transferred into them in the event of your death.

You should also bear in mind the fact that if you fail to make proper provision for your family or anyone who is financially dependent upon you when you die, then a disappointed beneficiary may be able to bring a claim against your estate. Often, the costs of such claims are paid from the estate, resulting in even greater loss to your intended beneficiaries. Careful planning in the first place can help to minimise the risk of such claims arising.

Given the complexities involved it is important that when making a will or undertaking any estate planning you consult with a specialist solicitor who is able to advise on all of these key areas and help you to make the best possible will in light of your own particular circumstances. It is also worth noting that, under Northern Irish law, there are strict formalities required to be complied with in order for a will to be valid and, unlike the rest of the UK, these rules have not been relaxed despite the ongoing health emergency. It is therefore as important as ever to get proper, professional advice.

It has been a difficult year for everyone since Coronavirus disrupted life dramatically back in March. Even so, with the New Year upon us there will still be the usual talk of resolutions and we are often bombarded with messages about the importance of making a will.

The main target of this kind of marketing are people who have never made a will, and this makes sense as only around one third of people in Northern Ireland have actually done so, but even if you have already put something in place it is always worth reviewing your arrangements from time to time to ensure that they are in order. It goes without saying that if you experience a significant change in your personal circumstances, such as the death of an intended beneficiary, or if you become aware of a change to the relevant tax rules, you may need to update whatever arrangements you have in place.

There are significant risks if you die intestate, that is, without a will. In that case then you (and your beneficiaries) are relying on the law to decide how your assets should pass on death and this could produce some unexpected results. For example, you might assume that if you die all your assets will pass to your husband or wife absolutely but in fact this is not always the case. Only a proportion of your estate may do so and any balance over the applicable threshold will be shared between your spouse and your children, even if they are young children. If you have no children then your parents or siblings may have an entitlement. Clearly, this is unlikely to reflect your wishes. Many people also intend to leave specific gifts or sums of money to friends or charities and such legacies can only be incorporated by will. Making a will also allows you to choose executors to deal with your estate, and to appoint guardians to take care of your children if you should die whilst they are still minors.

For those with larger or more complex estates, making (and regularly reviewing) a will is a key first step in developing a clear succession plan. This is of particular importance if you have concerns about inheritance tax, or if there are other issues

An article of this kind can never provide a complete guide to the law in these areas which may be subject to change from time to time. The opinions and suggestions made within this article should not be interpreted as specific advice in relation to any particular individual or individuals. Neither Michael Graham nor Cleaver Fulton Rankin accept responsibility for any loss occasioned by someone acting or refraining to act on the basis of the opinions and suggestions contained in this article.

At Cleaver Fulton Rankin we recognise the importance our clients attach to providing financial security for themselves and their families. Our Private Client team offers practical advice and sound guidance, based on many years’ experience, in the following areas:

• Professional executor and trustee service • Wills • Trusts • Administration of Estates • Nursing Care issues

•

• •

Enduring Powers of Attorney and Office of Care & Protection matters Family Law Residential Conveyancing

To find out more please contact: Michael Graham - m.graham@cfrlaw.co.uk Cleaver Fulton Rankin - 50 Bedford Street, Belfast BT2 7FW | T: 028 9024 3141 | W: www.cleaverfultonrankin.co.uk | @ CFR_Law

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MY

DAVID TORRENS Owner of No Alibis Bookstore.

10. FAVOURITE Movie: Paris, Texas Band/Musician: Impossible to answer... partial to most jazz Book: The next one Restaurant: Kaffeo - Botanic Avenue Holiday Destination: Anywhere at the moment Drink: Coffee Meal: All Italian food

1. What do you love most about your job?

Everything... I have the dream job.

2. What has been your career highlight to date?

Being able to stay open for the last 23 years.

3. What are your favourite hobbies/activities outside of work?

I like hill walking and doing nothing... depending on my mood and available hills.

4. What is your daily routine?

Thankfully, routine does not play a big role in our business, each day has new tasks and challenges. The only routine we need to worry about is getting the shop open for 9am!

5. Do you have a fitness regime?

Working in a bookshop is quite a physical job, books can be heavy. I would love to be able to do more exercise on a regular basis but it is not always possible. Thankfully the hills are close by.

6. Do you have any tips for staying positive during this time?

It is almost impossible not to feel overwhelmed at the moment. For me personally, the realisation that no matter how bad it seems to be here, there are many other places in the world where things are infinitely worse.

7. What do you think is the best thing about living in Northern Ireland?

I love the landscape.

8. What is your mantra or favourite quote that you live by?

I don’t have one.

9. Who has been your biggest influence?

My partner Claudia, she keeps me grounded.

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The Word

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THE SCENE

Leanne Scott with Ruby, Harry, Charlotte and Fionn.

Stephen, Eva and Angela Rice.

Emily McGowan and Alex Connolly.

SAINTFIELD SATURDAY MARKET Sandra McAuley MBE and Caroline McAuley.

Saintfield Saturday Market runs every week from 8.30am2.30pm and has a wide range of stalls, including fresh fruit and vegetables, locally caught fish, baked goods and much more.

Our photographer was out as locals enjoyed their trip to the market on a lovely, sunny Saturday.

Cllr Katherine Owen and Cllr Patrick Brown.

Siobhan and Liam Byrne with Pedro and Meg.

Louise McKeown and Lorna Donnan.

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BUYING OR SELLING YOUR HOME? Stephen Scott and Company Solicitors in Newtownards prides itself on delivering a first rate, efficient and personal service to private client individuals and businesses.

As experts in the property sector, Stephen Scott and Company solicitors have extensive experience in the buying and selling process.

Whether you are buying your first home or selling and looking to upgrade, we would be delighted to guide you through the process every step of the way.

Why do you need a solicitor?

The law requires that land cannot be sold unless a contract is signed by both the seller and the buyer. Deeds have to be prepared and executed, registration fees and tax paid, mortgages drawn up and monies to change hands. When the estate agent confirms that your price or offer has been accepted, this is only the start of the process.

Until a contract is signed, ownership of property does not exchange hands. A good solicitor is needed to ensure the contract is legitimate and you understand all sections especially the small print.

Selling Your Home?

If you are selling your home, you will be advised on how to negotiate to get the best deal possible. Your main aim is a successful sale and with Stephen Scott and Company solicitors, you will have the best team working on your behalf.

Having established good working relationships with reputable agencies all over the province, we can assist you in choosing an estate agent. We know who will get the job done and who will work with us to achieve your goal of a hassle free move.

All too frequently, we have found that people approach us when they have already selected their agent and in fact have agreed their sale. It is important to seek advice at an early stage.

We act solely for you and are not relying on business referrals from mortgage brokers and estate agents – putting you first at all times.

Stephen Scott & Company Solicitors 45 Court Street Newtownards Co. Down BT23 7NX T: 028 9182 1700 E: info@stephenscottsolicitors.com www.stephenscottsolicitors.com

Stephen Scott and Company is a solicitors practice in Newtownards.

We aim to deliver a first rate, efficient and personal service to private client individuals and businesses.

Since its inception in 1998 by Stephen Scott, the firm has grown from strength to strength.

We are well known locally for our expertise in personal injury claims, matrimonial cases, property law and Wills and Probate.

We concentrate primarily on the following areas of law: Buying and selling property Personal injury Business law Employment law Matrimonial law Wills and estates

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ISSUE: NOVEMBER 2004

LOOKING BACK ULSTER TATLER

Pictured at the Northern Ireland Chest Heart and Stroke Celebrity Golf Classic at The Hilton, Templepatrick, were: Greg Williamson and Emma Lavery (NICHS), Gerry Kelly, Andrew Dougal (NICHS Chief Executive), Don Allen (former Sports Council Chairman and Stroke sufferer), Danny Elliott, Clare Sheeran and Samantha Creighton (NICHS).

Pictured at Rockmount Golf Club Annual Open Week were The Captains with Kirby Magee and Gerry O’Connor.

Pictured at the launch of Xtreme Bowling at Dundonald International Ice Bowl were: Iris Robinson, Clare McCollum, Peter Robinson and Pamela Ballantine.

Maurice Brooks, Chairman of the NITTA, Kevin McCloud and Frank McCloskey, Director RSUA, at an evening with Kevin McCloud hosted at The Culloden Hotel.

Toasting the introduction of the Ulster Reform Club’s new wine list were: Peter and Mary Browne, Chris McCleane, Ciara Collins, Linsey Wilson, Jan Meek and Wayne Niekies.

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OPEN 9.30AM – 6.00PM MONDAY – SATURDAY. 1 GLENFORD ROAD, NEWTOWNARDS, BT23 4AU TEL: 028 9182 2544

WWW.SOUNDASLEEPBEDS.COM

27/11/2020 12:43

ULSTER TATLER

DECEMBER 2020

VOLUME 54 NO.12 ULSTERTATLER.COM

the chatel aine ® collec tion

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