Vale life aug sep 2014 web by Charlie Trott

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Vale Life

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Aug/Sept 2014

Cover picture: Singer/songwriter/harpist Georgia Ruth is performing at this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Towersey Festival See page 20

Food for thought

16 pages of delicious local produce

Your name here Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s get personal!

Murder & apocalypse What are you reading?

Waste not want not

Mum & daughter clean up And the usual suspects: Katy, Penny, Naomi, Polly, Amanda, Janice, Rob, Dee, Alan and much, much more... See our website at: www.vale-life.co.uk

Free local listings for events and businesses

w dinner for Two at the Three Pigeons w 50 Years Of Towersey Book w w Clay shooting at Oxford Gun Company w Pocket Ninja w

The Old The Old Thatched Inn Thatched Inn Gastro Pub

Gastro Pub TheMainOld Street, Adstock, Buckinghamshire, MK18 2JN hatched Inn

Gastro Pub Main Street Adstock Buckinghamshire MK18 2JN

Open seven da Lunch from 12 Dinner from 6p Serving all day

We offer a uniq We offer a unique blend of high quality dining, hosted in a relaxed Tel 01296 712584 in a relaxe and comfortable environment, serving locally sourced food www.theoldthatchedinn.co.uk ser Open seven days

Main Street Adstock Buckinghamshire MK18 2JN

Lunch from 12 noon - 2. Dinner from 6pm - 9.30p Serving all day Sunday

Open seven days We offer a unique blend o Lunch from 12 noon - 2.30pm Dinner from 6pm - 9.30pm in -a9pm relaxed and com Serving all day Sunday from 12 noon Telephone: 01296 712584 serving locally

01296 712584

theoldthatchedinn.co.uk 2

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2014

www.theoldthatchedinn.co.uk

Bartlettâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

The Hambledon Wing Open May 2013. To enquire please call 01296 747000 or visit www.peverelcourt.co.uk

Exceptional Elderly Care in Buckinghamshire Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2014

Launching a new business venture?

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Feel free to contact us to see what we can do for your business, whether it be a complete project or a re-brand of your corporate identity.

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Herald Joinery / Slenderpane Ltd, Unit 5, Thame Road Industrial Estate, Thame Road, Haddenham, Bucks, HP17 8BZ Herald Joinery: 01844 291111 www.heraldsashwindows.co.uk Slenderpane: 01844 292779 www.slenderpane.co.uk

Church View

Established 1992

Funeral Directors

The Independent Family Funeral Service

43b Buckingham Street, Aylesbury, HP20 2NQ Tel: 01296 423233 / 0800 298 8514 Email: suesflowers2@hotmail.com www.suesflowers.co.uk w Weddings w Corporate w Special Occasions w w Birthdays Parties w Sympathy w Gifts w w Soft Toys w Wines and Champagne w Innovative, contemporary and traditional designs 4

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2014

46 Buckingham Street Aylesbury Buckinghamshire HP20 2LL

Telephone: 01296 398553 24 Hour Service

A tradition of dignity, respect & choice

Quality reclaimed materials right on your doorstep... Looking for beautiful materials for your project? Local reclamation yard has been supplying both trade & domestic customers for nearly 25 years.

• Reclaimed bricks (over 100,000) • Handmade Imperial new bricks • York Stone 300 sq yds • Railway sleepers

At Buckinghamshire Glass & Glazing we offer a variety of services ranging from small maintenance and repairs to replacement windows and doors.

We are fully insured & C erta s s C ert i fi ed

• Roof tiles inc. Pegs, Tilehurst etc. • Roof slates 20/10, 18/10 etc. • 130 ton of setts ...& much more!

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Please call us with your requirements or arrange an appointment to view the current catalogue at our 32,000 sq ft undercover yard in Winslow. Addington Business Park, Verney Road, Nr Winslow, Bucks MK18 2JX

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Installation · Conservatory Repairs · replacement glass · patio door repairs · replacement locks · leak prevention · bi-folding doors · emergency 24hr boarding up

Call Us Now on: 01296 488118 www.buckinghamshireglassandglazing.co.uk

Serving Buckinghamshire, oxfordshire & Hertfordshire

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2014

www.mottsholidays.com

Luxury Coach Holidays

Theatre trips, day trips and short breaks Day Trips: August

DayTrips, Theatres & Shows Festive BREAK! Warner Cricket St Thomas Historic Hotel - Festive Break featuring Cliff Richard & The Shadows tribute band

Tue 19th London Eye & Thames Cruise: £49 Sat 23rd Longleat Safari Park & House: £41 Sun 24th Le Touquet (French Coast) by Ferry: £39 Weds 27th Buckingham Palace The State Rooms: £41 travel.com otts£42 Sat 30th Thorpe Park: m . w w w : Sat k onlineChessington World Boo30th of Adventures: £46

We have managed to secure an amazing late deal at the fantastic Warner Cricket St Thomas Hotel, in South Somerset and are passing the savings on to you, our loyal customers. Enjoy this festive themed break in the beautiful historic hotel set in 160 acres of lakes, cascades and gardens. As well as all the normal facilities you would expect from a Warner resort, this trip also includes

Day Trips: September Tue 2nd Fri 5th Sat 6th Thu 11th Sat 13th Mon 15th Thu 18th Sun 21st Sat 27th

Colchester Zoo: £35 Kew Gardens & Palace: £33 Lille Vraderie Fair via Eurotunnel: £39 Sights of Suffolk & Afternoon tea: £29 Chateau Tilques Lunch via Euro Tunnel: £70 Eltham Palace & Gardens, London: £29 HMS Belfast ship, London & leisure time: £35 Ostend (Belgian Coast) via Eurotunnel: £39 St Omer & La Coupole, France via Eurotunnel: £39

Cricket St Thomas Historic Hotel

excursions to Exeter Christmas Market and Clarks Shopping Outlet. From Motts area only – no major interchange. Fri 12th December: 4 Days Half Board just £235

Yorkshire Dales Christmas Festivals & Leeds Xmas Market

Enjoy three days in the beautiful, scenic Yorkshire Dales with stunning views, stone buildings and quirky shops. This trip includes visits to Grassington Dickensian Festival, Christkindelmark market in Leeds City Centre - one of the most established German Christmas Markets in the UK and also Skipton Christmas Market, where you can enjoy the street entertainment on offer in the town and peruse the market. Why not pick

Xmas market: pic by Bob Peters

up a bargain or sample some of the great food stalls whilst soaking up the festive spirit? Fri 12th Dec - 3 days Half Board just £135 (No single supplement but limited availability).

Staverton Park hotel 1940s Christmas Variety Break

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2014

George Fornby Al Jolson competition on Boxing The Andrews Sisters Day. Also included is

Lorrie Brown as Dame Vera Lynn

and also a comedy washerwoman! There are also quizzes, competitions and carol singers and even a best dressed guest

a Sherry Reception, Traditional Christmas Day Lunch, Afternoon Tea with Christmas Cake, unlimited Tea & Coffee and excursions to Stratford and Warwick and a Boxing Day Mystery Drive Tue 23rd Dec: 5 days half board only £499 (£60 Single supplement).

Motts Holidays 4 Buckingham Street, Aylesbury, HP20 2LD BOOKING HOTLINE: 01296 336666 www.facebook.com/mottstravel

Ri HOng LI now 01 DA fo 29 Y B r y 6 RO o 33 C ur 66 H 20 66 UR 14 E!

This fabulous 40s themed xmas break comes with all the festive trimmings. The entertainment room is decorated with bunting, posters, flags, webbing and an air raid warden is your compere/host throughout your stay. There are two nights of live music with tributes from George Formby, Vera Lynn, Gracie Fields, The Andrews Sisters

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2014

Great rates Amazing results To advertise in Vale Life Magazine Call Charlie on 07702 006218

Spread the word across The Vale: see: www.vale-life.co.uk for details

Food for thought

C’est chic!

Salad days

Ready, teddy, go!

Shop with a view

Empty scents

Missing kittens mystery

Your name here

Join The Kangaroos

Spa in the parc

Like a bite?

Twice as nice

September show

Star stylist is an inspiration

Join the festivities

Sun, sea & scones

Turn it up!

It’s a dirty job!

Sweet dreams

Waste not want not

Band of brothers

Look outside!

Murder & apocalypse

40 years young

30 Investment dressing

Moving up a gear

8 10 12 16 17 18 19 20 22 24 26 28

Your guide to local produce Sexy salad the Bucksum way Lovely spot for a tasty snack

Heather fears worst for new litter Flying quads are stars of the show Foodie’s new site will tell you where Thame event is back on track Towersey celebrates festival gold Stuart Robb’s music round up Shakespeare at the Waterside Musical mix at new Academy Book House tips for summer reading ‘Spend out on staples’ says Katy

Horsing around

Boho cool will add charm to your arm Teddy to raise funds for allergic Nat Sally sniffs out vintage collectibles Clothing firm gets personal Woburn’s new spa is uber-lush A day is not enough at Champneys

Andrew Barton cuts a dash at Thame salon South coast sortie for silver celebration Hospice looking for tough mudders! Team behind skips led by mum and daughter Add a little wow to your garden Candyman celebrates Golf anniversary Big new base for KM Commercials

y chance we have another animal related theme for our Face of the Vale this edition. From Les Stocker and his work establishing Tiggywinkle’s Wildlife Hospital we turn the focus on Neil Smith who created Horsewyse at Long Crendon, a rather unusual riding school. Neil has a special empathy with horses and youngsters and is doing some amazing work using voice trained horses to help children with a whole range of problems, emotional, mental and physical. Turn to page 68 to find out more. Meanwhile it’s been a lovely

Summer so far and I’ve very much enjoyed being out and about around the Vale visiting our rather lovely selection of farm shops and local producers. There’s been a fair bit of sampling involved and I have discovered the most superb sausages, produced at Howe Farm near Dorton. Apparently Amber and Martin use the whole pig for their sausage making - you really notice the difference in flavour and texture. Read on to find out more about our local producers. There’s nothing like fresh local fare and surprisingly in most cases it’s pretty much the same price as supermarket produce or in some cases even better value, especially

when you consider the quality and provenance of what you are buying. Try some of the places we mention here, they really are good.

ongratulations to the following Jun/July edition competition winners! Hopefully your prizes will have arrived by now, please let us know if not. Commiserations to those who weren’t so lucky - read on though for more competitions inside this

edition, including the chance to win: Dinner for two at The Three Pigeons, Milton Common; a 50 Years Of Towersey Festival book; a Pocket Ninja tool; and a Clay Pigeon Shooting Session for four at The Oxford Gun Company. Last issue’s prizewinners were:

Dinner for two at The Crown, Cuddington: Katie Hine, Watermead Dog stay at Maccabee’s Pet Hotel: Michelle Bye, Bierton Tickets to the Chilterns Craft & Design Show: Claire Middleton, Wotton Underwood; Lynn Woodfield, Aylesbury;

Cheers everybody, happy reading!

Charlie

Charlie Trott, Editor

Paul Davies, Chesham Meal for two at Pizza Express, Aylesbury: Ms T.M. Pottle, Tring; Karinna Williamson, Thame; Terry Kaye, Great Kimble; Philip Childs, Stone; Rachel Britnell, Towersey

Vale Life Magazine is designed and published by House of Mouse, 23 Glenham Road, Thame, Oxfordshire, OX9 3WD Telephone: 01844 261579 Mobile: 07702 006218 Website: www.vale-life.co.uk Email: editor@vale-life.co.uk Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of Vale Life. We cannot be held responsible for any inaccuracies, omissions or late changes. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the permission of the publishers. Printed in the UK by The Magazine Printing Company www.magprint.co.uk

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2014

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Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2014

Farm shop / local produce feature

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rchard View Farm Voucher

Our area boasts a veritable smorgasbord of cracking artisan food producers. They are lovingly crafting beautiful, tasty, healthy titbits for our table - so go hunter gatherers, seek them out and enjoy...

t seems as if food is on growing fabulous things to eat. everyone’s mind and lips at Going to the supermarket may be the moment! I don’t mean we convenient but it’s not half as much are constantly eating, although fun as a visit to the local farmers’ the obesity figures might suggest market or farm shop, where chances there are more than a few of us who are you’ll be able to chat with the need to take stock of just what and people who are growing and making when we are nibbling, it’s that food those items for your plate. has become fashionable. Chef ’s are Farm shops and farmers’ celebrities, obscure artisan producers markets allow farmers to directly are lauded for their handcrafted sell their produce to the general cheeses and ancient heritage apple public, benefitting both farmer juices, while food festivals are and consumer as it reduces costs/ packing in folk eager to sample the increases profit margins while best local produce or uncover a offering locally produced foods. particularly fine gentleman’s relish! Haddenham’s Vale Harvest has There’s been a few eating scares been a brilliant success, drawing over the last several years and it together some top quality local may be that people are waking up to producers on the first Saturday the fact that what you eat is not so of each month. The next Vale much what you are, but could make Harvest on Saturday, Sept 6th is a a big difference to how you feel. Yes specially extended one from 9am we want cheap food but not if it to 3pm and will feature additional means, tasteless, ‘grey’, gas-packed, street food stalls, a bar, seating industrially produced, chemically and entertainment. Regulars at the enhanced, salt and sugar packed, market include Kirsty’s Kitchen meals that are actually not very with her famous Scotch eggs in good for us. We want to eat, Paying for pick your own fruit at Peterley Farm healthy, fresh food, bursting with flavour and natural goodness and support those local producers who are doing a brilliant job and giving us a choice. Eating local, natural, freshly grown and produced seasonal food is good not only for your health, but for the environment, for the future of local producers and also for your tastebuds, as eating with the seasons ensures amazing flavours (kirstyskitchen@ we enjoy more taste and less gmail.com / 07920 521484 / @ waste. Food which is grown and kirstyskitchen) and Made By reared close to home and sold in Mums making seasonal goodies its seasonal prime will be in tiptop using local produce including jams, condition and often cheaper than chutneys, cakes, biscuits and sweets imported out of season produce. (www.made-bymums.co.uk) and There’s generally less packaging there are many more, see: http:// and less waste when you buy from valeharvest.weebly.com local farm shops and farmers’ Stringent environmental health markets and living in the Vale we regulations apply for food safety, are fortunate to have a fabulous hygiene and labelling requirements selection of local farm shops and and trading standards regulations producers who are making and pertaining to descriptions, weights 8

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2014

Thame Food Festival

and measures are also applicable, so this is no easy option for the small producer! If you are not able to get to a local market or farm shop you can have the loveliest fresh local produce delivered to your door now. Ten Mile Menu is an online food store and delivery service of supplies from a fabulous list of local producers. There’s organic veg boxes from Sandy Lane Farm, Lacey’s amazing Guernsey cow milk, locally reared meat and charcuterie, a huge list of top quality produce in fact - see: www.tenmilemenu.co.uk for full details or to place an order. Order by a Tuesday for delivery on Thursday and Friday. And, even better, if you place an order for four or more Sandy Lane veg boxes before the end of August you’ll get one free! Accomplished Italian cook Giuliana Cortese has been an energetic figure on the local food scene over the last few years since she started Cici-Coco Kitchen from her home in Cuddington. Giuliana has been producing the most fabulous lasagne and hosting cookery courses at her home and in a variety of exciting and unusual local locations.

Giuliana is a passionate advocate for the use of local, seasonal produce and her classes are filled with tips for finding the best ingredients. “People need to understand the value of good food.,” says Giuliana. “There is so much around here. If you go to the farmers’ markets and farm shops you can find almost everything you need and even things you wouldn’t imagine you would find, like chorizo or special cheeses. You need to be flexible though don’t go with a recipe saying I need these things, go with an open mind and say ‘what is there that I can use, what looks good and fresh and will make a lovely mea?’ “It’s not all about reproducing a recipe it’s about eating nice, fresh, local seasonal food, that’s the key. “Sandy Lane Farm is an amazing example, they are trying new things and producing new and unusual vegetables, different squashes and Japanese vegetables I’ve never seen. They are very helpful and will explain how best to use them, experimenting is part of the fun! “There is a new butcher in Quainton, Rikki who runs the Egghouse Charcuterie and produces some lovely cured meats and sausages. He’s even producing his own Bresola and it’s very good. Orchard View Farm is doing

Farm shop / local produce feature really well with their farm shop, the meat they produce is fantastic, they have pork and lamb and venison in season, and they stock items from other local producers - vegetables from Sandy Lane, lovely scotch eggs, sausage rolls, all fresh. There’s a nice café there too. “I used to sell at the Vale Harvest market but I was eating too much of the St George’s Gelato ice cream - it’s so lovely and made in Haddenham! Bucksum in Long Crendon has lovely fresh salads and vegetables. I bought all my tomatoes from them last year for my tomato sauces, they taste gorgeous. They give you good advice too and can suggest some really good recipes. “To make my pasta I’ve been using heritage flour from a mill at Prestwood. Old grains reintroduced from ancient varieties found on thatched roofs! I use spelt and rivet flour and mix the two to make my own pasta flour. It’s been fantastic, I’ve made egg pasta with it and I’m experimenting with other styles. Even prime ingredients like that can be found locally. “Our Cici-Coco cookery classes have been very popular and are our

main focus this year. “They are a lot of fun and very sociable. You will learn some skills, cook your meal and get to know the other people on the course, then sit down and enjoy eating with a nice glass of wine and socialising with the others on the course. It’s relaxed and very enjoyable, it’s like having dinner out, without going out! “Prices vary depending on what we are cooking, two or three courses etc. It’s a five hour experience and costs between £95 and £115, although our Christmas menu can be more as the ingredients are more expensive, there are full details at: www.cicicoco.com “We are also doing some pastamaking classes upstairs at The Swan Hotel during Thame Food Festival and we have some autumn cookery classes at Beam Cottage, Cuddington (Sept 5th and 23rd) Sandy Lane Farm (Sept 21st) and at Tyringham Hall, Cuddington (Sept 13th), coming up - it’s beautiful there with lovely gardens. The first one at Beam Cottage is to inspire you with local, summer vegetables and create the perfect vegetarian meal!”

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2014

Farmers’ Markets www.local-food.net

Aylesbury

Old Market Square, 4th Tuesday of month, 9am-2pm Diane Fawcett: 01296 585880 / dfawcett@aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk

Bicester

Sheep Street, 2nd Thursday of month, 8.30am-2pm Peter Williams: 01865 820159. www.tvfm.org.uk

Buckingham

Old Cattle Pens, High Street, 1st Tuesday of month 7.30am-1pm. P J Heath: 01280 816426

Haddenham

Vale Harvest, Haddenham Village Hall, Haddenham, HP17 8EE. 1st Sat of month, 9am-1pm. Web: http://valeharvest.weebly.com/

Lewknor

Lewknor School playground 2nd & 4th Friday of month 2.30pm-4pm. Simon Brignall: sbrignall@psaconnect.net

Princes Risborough

High Street, 3rd Thursday of month, 8.30am-1.30pm Dennis Green: 01844 343198 / dennis_green@wycombe.gov.uk

Tetsworth

Village Hall, 3rd Saturday of month, 9.30am-12.30pm Email: rachel.stoakes@btinternet.com

Thame

Upper High Street. 2nd Tuesday of month, 8.30am-1.30pm www.thametowncouncil.gov.uk Cassie Pinnells: 01844 212833

Tiddington

Sandy Lane Farm. Every Thursday, 2pm-6pm, Charles Bennett, Tel: 01844 279269. enquiries@sandylanefarm.net

Tring

Alternate Saturdays at: The Marketplace, Brook Street, Tring 9am-12.15pm enquiries@tringfarmersmarket.co.uk Tel: 01442 842252 www.tringfarmersmarket.co.uk

Wendover

Off High Street, 3rd Saturday of month 10am-1pm, Wendover Parish Council: 01296 623056

Winslow

Market Square, 1st Sunday in month, 10am-2pm Winslow Town Council: 01296 712448 www.winslowbucks.org

CiCi-CoCo Kitchen Italian Cookery School L’Arte di Mangiare Locale

Discover the best of local produce and regional Italian recipes with award winning cook, Giulaina Cortese. Great culinary fun for everyone... from Tuscany to Tiddington, Calabria to Cuddington. To find out more e-mail thecook@cici-coco.com or visit www.cici-coco.com

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2014

Bucksum’s sexy salad first sprouted in a garden polytunnel at Long Crendon in 2006! It is now served across the region in homes and restaurants and is the leafy choice of celebrity chefs...

avid Newman and partner Tracy run Bucksum Farm Shop at Shabbington Field Farm, just outside Long Crendon on the road to Shabbington. They are open two days a week (Weds 12-5pm & Sat 9am-1pm) selling a range of fresh, seasonal fruit and vegetables plus their famous Bucksum salad leaves David grew up on the farm, which was primarily dairy until the 90s, and went to Lord Williams’s School and then Hampden Hall Agricultural College before following his father into farming. “I managed another farm for a while farming on a larger scale and producing lots at small margins,” says David. “Here we are trying to produce the best quality in smaller amounts. We’ve got 20 acres I can crop but we’re only using about five at the moment. “I started growing salad leaves for home use in 2006 as I thought I could produce a more interesting selection than you get in supermarkets. It grew so well that we started bagging and selling some on the market at Thame and Waddesdon and supplying local restaurants such as The Five Arrows, The Angel and Waddesdon Manor. “I met Tom Kerridge, who runs the Hand and Flowers at Marlow, the first pub ever to gain two Michelin stars, in 2009, through The Great British Menu - the producers were looking for a local grower and I have supplied him ever since. In 2010 we opened the farm shop and in 2013 I was awarded Best Local Farmer in the Observer Food Monthly Annual Awards. We have been nominated for Best Independent Retailer this year and are currently awaiting the results!”

David checks his purslane

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2014

Amaranth adds a splash of colour

Tracy and David in the Bucksum Farm shop

Looking round the Bucksum operation leaves one amazed, first of all that David is able to produce up to 100kg salad a week from such a small area and secondly that David and Tracy do pretty well everything themselves by hand, from sowing to tending, harvesting, washing and bagging plus stocking and manning the shop, delivering and doing the occasional market and event! “We only do about one event a month,” says David. “We have a stall at Vale Harvest in Haddenham every first Saturday, and then we’ve got Brill Food festival on August 23rd, Thame Food Festival on September 27th, and Waterperry Apple weekend in October.” So what is it that has the top chefs clamouring for Bucksum salad leaves? “You want texture, taste, shape and colour in a salad,” says David. “A nice mix so when a chef dresses the plate it really brings things alive. We grow a variety of leaves from Summer purslane, a mild crunchy succulent leaf, to Amaranth which adds a bit of colour and texture, there are different Chards, Spinach, Greek Cress, Mizuna or Japanese Mustard, which has a characteristic piquant peppery flavour, Tatsoi (another Japanese native) which resembles spinach with its spoon-shaped leaves, but has a stronger, mustardy flavour and is a deeper, darker green. A lot of salad leaves are Oriental brassicas, they are quite hardy but grow quickly. I grow them through the winter

in poly tunnels and as long as they don’t freeze they can be harvested all year round. Some people just like a standard lettuce, so we sell a few of those too!” David also supplies seasonal items from his farm hedgerows such as elderflower and blackberries on request and grows a range of vegetables from beetroots to leeks, onions to spinach, tomatoes and aubergines. “David and I both love cooking and food,” says Tracy. “We actually first met at Thame Food Festival! We swap recipes with our customers and have a collection in the shop and we’ve made some ‘Bucksum Field Kitchen’ videos demonstrating simple ways to cook with our produce. You can see them on our website at: www.bucksum.co.uk.” “We started supplying salad and then got asked for more fresh local produce,” says David, “so we’ve tied up with other producers in the area. We stock a natural constantly changing selection that follows the seasons and our customers seem to appreciate that. Using seasonal produce means you are cooking with the seasons and your food tends to naturally suit the time of year.” l Bucksum Farm Shop, Shabbington Field Farm, Long Crendon, Buckinghamshire, HP18 9EU Tel: 07784 333977 Email: david@bucksum.co.uk Website: www.bucksum.co.uk Twitter @Bucksumsalads Facebook: Bucksum

Farm shop / local produce feature

PE Mead & Sons

E Mead & Sons Farm Shop and Tea Rooms at Tring Reservoirs near Wilstone is more of a market place for local food producers than a farm shop. In fact their beautiful, converted Grade II listed barn is crammed with exciting artisan produce from suppliers near and far. There’s a full range of the Wilstone Farm’s own Chiltern Cold Pressed extra virgin rapeseed oils and dressings and their home produced beef and lamb, plus a good selection of fresh fruit and veg that come in direct from market

twice a week and when the season is right, from local sources such as Grove Farm Pick Your Own at Ivinghoe. Meads have been farming in the area since the 1800s - Simon and Chris Mead at Wilstone Great Farm are the sixth generation. Their farm is mixed producing arable crops, beef and lamb. They have stables for livery and produce charcoal and firewood. In the farm shop there’s all you could need: eggs from Bradmoor Farm, Haddenham; freshly baked bread every morning from Prudens

Chiltern Cold Pressed oils and dressings

Vegetable selection

Amber with her Dexter cattle

In the poly tunnel

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2014

Bakery in Markyate; Beechdean Icecream; Chris & Simon Mead fine free range pork, ham, gammon, bacon and sausages from Wicks Manor at Maldon; Heygates flours; Entrance to Farm Shop & Tea Rooms handmade truffles from KiwiChik; biscuits from Just Biscuits at Stoke Mandeville; Chiltern Natural Foods’ nuts, seeds, cereals and dried fruits; Indian chutneys from Rani’s Kitchen; handmade cakes from Bury Farm bakery; fruit juices, dairy products, pre-prepared meals, preserves, treats, cards, gifts, plants, compost and Calor Gas and a whole room of animal feeds, pet The main barn foods and accessories... this is just The Tea Rooms scraping the surface! In addition, the tea room serves teas, coffees and a selection of homemade cakes and delicious light meals all day. l P E Mead & Sons Farm Shop, Wilstone, Near Tring, Hertfordshire, HP23 4NT. Tel; 01442 828478 Web: www.pemeadandsons.co.uk Mon-Sat: 9am-5.30pm, Sun: 9am-4.30pm

Howe Farm shop

artin and Amber Partner moved to Howe Farm in June 2012 to start a rare breed pig farm with a few cows and chickens for good measure! If their amazing pork sausages are anything to go by - they use the whole pig to produce a meaty, superbly succulent and very tasty banger - they are already doing a brilliant job. “It was a free range chicken farm when we took over here,” says Amber. “Martin and I had been living in Hampshire and looking for a place to start a pig farm. We found Howe Farm which is in a beautiful spot with

Amber and Howdy check on the pigs

The farm shop

about 24 acres. We took on the hens and brought in pigs to fatten. Now we have two sows and are breeding our own British Lops and Oxford Sandy and Blacks. We have Castlemilk Moorit sheep and four Dexter cattle, poly tunnels and beds for growing fruit and veg and cut flowers. I make cakes, jams, preserves and chutneys with our produce and we sell everything from a little shed at the front gate - that’s our farm shop. It’s just our own produce, the idea is to keep food miles down and for people to know where their food has come from and that it has been produced with care here at Howe Farm - and hopefully taste the quality! “We also sell at Princes Risborough market on the first Thursday of each month and have a pop-up shop in Dorton village on a Saturday morning from 10am-12pm.” Amber is originally from California and used to work in the financial sector, while Martin, who is from Wokingham is a project manager. “Neither of us have a farming background,” says Amber, “but we

Above: Amber and Martin. Right: Flowers, eggs, jam and home made cake, mmm! both like the outdoor life and being active and we’re interested in food! I came here a vegetarian, but I eat meat from our farm now! “I’ve been learning how to spin wool at a spinning group in Haddenham, which I really love. I’m planning to spin wool from our sheep and knit things to sell as well. “Come and find our little farm shop, we’ve always got bacon and sausage and fresh eggs and baked goods, seasonal veg and flowers and we put a sign out at the gate when there’s pork or beef in.” l Howe Farm, Ashendon Road, Dorton, Nr Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, HP18 0NY. Tel: 07852 417218 Email; Amber@howefarmshop.co.uk Web: www.howefarmshop.co.uk Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2014

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2014

Orchard View Farm might be work in progress but it’s coming along rather nicely and worth a visit for the sausages alone...

nspired by the original Escape to River Cottage series, Jim and Helen Mackellar decided to become more self-sufficient. Living in Great Kimble at the time the couple bought some chickens and set to cultivating their own vegetables. “It was very difficult to find good quality local meat, raised to high welfare standards back then,” says Jim, who grew up in Haddenham. “So we decided to try rearing our own pigs and sheep. We didn’t have the space where we were but discovered Orchard View Cottage at Little Meadle was for sale with a couple of acres. It transpired they were further acres to be had and suddenly we were looking at starting our own small farm!” Orchard View Farm was an overgrown field back in 2009 but with five years of hard work, Jim and Helen, with help from family and friends, are well on the way to creating their dream. Some readers may have seen chef Simon Rimmer voting an Orchard View sausage his absolute favourite on C4’s Sunday Brunch recently - they have come a long way! Jim and Helen now have a farm shop and café, with beautiful countryside views across their fields of sheep, pigs and deer. There is an outside eating area and the grounds are being further landscaped to create a fabulous children’s play area, while a heritage orchard of rare and ancient apple trees has been planted. Helen has a team of five now in the farm shop and a full menu is available all day, so you can have a cream tea in the morning or a full English breakfast in the afternoon if you wish! It’s a very reasonable selection of sandwiches, snacks and meals made with prime local ingredients. A children’s menu is also available and proving very popular. “We started very basically,” says Jim, “with a couple of counters and a few products. We’re steadily developing things, improving the display units, widening our range of products and we’ve had a toilet block built!” It’s true to say that every time you visit something has changed. There is currently a flock, or ‘rafter’ of turkeys being readied for

Happy pigs in foreground, Orchard View Farm Shop, far right, in background 12

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2014

Jim and Helen Mackellar with children Archie and Isla and their friend Una an Oxford Down lamb

Large Black sow Pandy has just had piglets Fresh vegetable selection with comfortable café area in background

Christmas and rare breeds of pigs and sheep in the meadows which have already produced award-winning joints and sausages. “We are rearing heritage Jacob Sheep and Large Black and British Lop pigs, partly to preserve the ancient breeds and partly because their meat is so tasty,” says Helen. “The breeds are not grown commercially because they don’t have big litters and are slower to grow and mature. They are lovely to keep though and produce delicious meat with more flavour as they have spent longer out in the fields. We won three stars at the British Great Taste Awards for our Large Black pork joint in 2012 and a star for our lamb & rosemary burgers in 2013 - they are like Michelin stars for producers - our Fruity Pork Pie won a bronze medal at the British Pie Awards too. Our Jacob sheep are a similar proposition, producing the most fabulous lamb, or ‘hogget’ as it is called when the sheep are more than a year old.” “Our meat may be more expensive to produce but it won’t cost our customers more to buy, as we’ve always been about making good quality meat accessible to everybody. We keep our prices in line with supermarket prices and people are generally surprised at how reasonable we are. We produce the vast

Helen serves a customer at the meat counter

majority of the pork and lamb sold here and we make our own sausages, bacon, black pudding, burgers, pies, quiches, jams, honey, cakes, all the food in the café - even our baked beans are homemade here on the farm!” “We also do outside catering: hog roasts, lamb roasts and barbecues,” says Jim “and we can cater for parties, functions and weddings on the farm too.” A selection of outside products, sourced as being of excellent quality enhance the Orchard View farm shop range: Chiltern Cold Pressed rapeseed oil and dressings, vegetables from Sandy Lane Farm, soft fruit from Rectory Farm, Pasture Farm apple juice, Lacey’s milk and beef from The Pointer at Brill to name a few. You can have a weekly meat and veg box made up for collection if you like and for special occasions they do fabulous hampers of foodie goodies. Helen and Jim have come a long way and Mr Fearnley-Whittingstall can be justly proud!

l Orchard View Farm, Stockwell Lane, Little Meadle, Buckinghamshire, HP17 9UG Tel: 01844 273387 / 07968 560724 Email: Helen@orchardviewfarm.co.uk Web: www.orchardviewfarm.co.uk Open: Tue-Sat 9.30am-5.30pm, Sun 10am-4pm

Farm shop / local produce feature

Seasons Farm Shop

easons Farm shop, just down the hill from Speen, near Princes Risborough has to be one of the most stylish in the area. From its gleaming deli counter and impressive selection of artisan cheeses to the beautifully dressed meat counter, to the cloth covered café tables, glittering shelves of Italian gourmet goodies and quirky cow wallpaper it’s a classy joint and well stocked with premium quality local produce and tempting delicacies from further afield. Part of Beechdean Farms, Seasons Farm Shop is run by Alison Kent. The shop and café has been open for just two years now but has already won two ‘Best Farm Shop’ awards: “I was never that impressed with the meat at the supermarket,” says Alison. “I knew we could do better. Our family has been farming the Chilterns for over 50 years. We produce happy, top quality free range, beef, lamb and pork which can be trimmed and cut to your

requirements by our skilful butchers Gary and Lee. The meat in the shop is 100% traceable and where possible comes from our family farm. Our beef is Hereford beef, our pork is from home reared Oxford Sandy and Black Pigs (also known as Plum Pudding Pigs), one of the oldest British Rare breeds and our lambs, which graze freely and taste amazing, are a Romney Sheep/North Country Mule cross, bred to produce the most succulent and tasty lamb possible. “We make our own pork pies, sausage rolls, sausages, burgers and hams. We know what goes into them, they are a wholesome, healthy meal with very little fat and lots of quality meat. Our larger pies come in ceramic dishes (small returnable deposit) in a choice of Steak and Kidney, Steak and Cider or Chicken, Leek and Bacon. “We aim to be friendly, informative and efficient and offer top quality, competitively priced produce. We take care to ensure our prices remain

competitive with supermarket prices whilst our products exceed supermarket quality. “We have tried to offer a good range of produce, so you can not only buy staples, such as meat, vegetables, bread, fruit, cheese, eggs and milk but also treats and more exotic items for a dinner party or occasion. You can also have a lovely cup of coffee or tea and a snack to recharge your batteries!” “It’s a lot of fun running the shop. I meet so many lovely people, a lot of whom become friends. There’s a lovely buzz at times, especially on Saturday morning when people come in for a coffee, a chat and a bacon butty, as much as to get supplies. l Seasons Farm Shop, Home Farm, North Dean, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, HP14 4NQ Tel: 01494 562481 Web: www.seasons-farmshop.co.uk Open Mon-Sat, 9am-5.30pm

Sandy Lane Farm Leeks and broad beans

Patty pan squash George, Sue and Charles Bennett

andy Lane Farm is a small, family-run farm at Tiddington near Thame, which hosts a fabulous produce market every Thursday afternoon from 2pm6.30pm in an old barn. It is run by Charles and Sue Bennett and Charles’s son George with help from George’s wife Cate. Charles was left the farm by his godfather some 30 years ago. He was living in America at the time and came back with his family to take it on. “It’s a small farm,” says George, 38, “only 100 acres, so a real challenge,

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2014

as we can’t afford mechanisation. We farm organically and operate on a small scale selling direct to pubs restaurants and the public within a 20 mile radius. We sell at one or two markets, a couple of farm shops and through veg box schemes in local schools and veg boxes delivered by Ten Mile Menu and Veg In Clover. “Selling direct we offer good value for money. The vegetables are super fresh, organic and yet a similar price to Waitrose non-organic veg. “The ground is great for growing here, especially for vegetables, root vegetables and sweetcorn - we grow quite a variety of squash, patty pans, courgettes, carrots, garlic, basil, Japanese shiso, edemame, kohlrabi, a real mixture! “We also rear free range sheep and pigs (Gloucester Old Spots and Oxford Sandy and Blacks), have some chickens and bees and offer livery for horses.” In the farm shop Sandy Lane have their own stunning vegetables, meats and produce, plus additional items from local producers and some more

Above left: butchers Gary & Lee This pic & below: Seasons Farm Shop

Alison Kent, centre and helpers

Potatoes and Kohlrabi exotic items from further afield. They stock North Aston dairy organic milk, Shands Cakes, Cici-Coco, local jams, Orchard View pies made using Sandy Lane meats and some salami, chorizo and pancetta made for them with their own meat by the Cotswold Curer: “We enjoy working with other local producers and using our skills to help one another,” says George. “We can cater for weddings and parties here and have a field for occasional camping. We have events such as seasonal dinners and from September the farm shop will open on Saturdays as well, from 11am-3pm. We aim to be here for at least another 30 years!” l Sandy Lane Farm, Sandy Lane, Tiddington, Oxfordshire, OX9 2LA Tel: 01844 279269 enquiries@sandylanefarm.net www.sandylanefarm.net Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2014

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2014

The Wild Strawberry Café

eterley Manor Farm and Farm shop has been providing, fresh, homegrown fruit, vegetables, flowers and plants for over 30 years! Roger Brill, bought the farm in 1982 and runs it today with the help of his wife Jane, their daughters: Philippa, Gemma, Katy and his Mum and Dad - it is a thriving family business. Roger is the fourth generation of Brills to farm in the area, his Great Grandfather Edward started it all back in the 1880s! The Peterley farming year begins with the growing of early Spring bedding plants and shrubs for hanging baskets and tubs in the nursery. ‘Pick your own’, follows with Strawberries, gooseberries and broad-beans from mid June through to the Summer season of gooseberries, green beans, beetroot, carrots and spinach - crops and weather permitting. There may still be a few raspberries cropping if you

Farm shop / local produce feature

Peterley Manor Farm

read this in August. Come Autumn it’s pumpkins for Hallowe’en and then Christmas Trees of all varieties for the festive season. Peterley Farm produce and their delicious Apple Juice can be bought in the large, well-stocked Farm Shop, alongside locally produced speciality breads, handmade honey, ice cream, cakes, jams and chutneys, English cheeses, cut flowers, locally produced meats, a selection of healthy ready meals and much more from nearby producers. It’s well worth a visit. Peterley Manor Farm is a great place for a family trip too. In addition to the fun to be had picking your own fruit, there are four lovely Alpacas to see and this Summer the arrival of ‘The Wild Strawberry Cafe’. Katy Brill had the idea of setting up a place to enjoy freshly prepared and homecooked breakfasts, lunches and snacks at the farm and their stunning Yurt, surrounded by hay bales makes a lovely, ‘country fete’ type setting in which to refresh.

Katy uses the best fresh ingredients to produce delicious dishes - her varied menu includes, 12 hour slow roast Gloucester Old Spot Pulled Pork (farmed in Amersham) in BBQ sauce, served with freshly made red cabbage, fennel and celeriac slaw in a local brioche bun. Fresh daily specials, using only seasonal produce are also on offer and can be accompanied by Peterley’s homegrown apple juice, a speciality tea or freshly roasted coffee. Katy’s homemade Chocolate Brownies are a favourite with all the regulars, so get there early to avoid a shortage! Children can enjoy their very own ’Little Strawberry picnic basket’ filled with delicious goodies, play around the hay bales and generally have a lovely time in a beautiful setting.

l Peterley Manor Farm, Peterley Lane, Prestwood, Great Missenden, Bucks HP16 0HH Tel:01494 863566 Web: www.peterlymanorfarm.co.uk Twitter @Peterleyfarm Open: Tue-Sat 8.30am-5pm, Sun 9am-1pm

Jane, Roger, Roger’s Mum and Philippa Katy Pick Your Own

The Farm Shop

Rumseys Chocolates

Nigel at work

Chocolate buttons

ince 1991 Nigel Rumsey has been creating an exquisite range of handmade chocolates. Thirty years experience as a Chef and Patissier has provided the inspiration and depth of knowledge needed to become a Master Chocolatier of distinction. Nigel has travelled from London to Paris and Geneva in order to perfect his skills and learn the secrets of the gourmet chocolate makers of Europe and his aim now, as it was when he began, is to produce top quality products from the finest ingredients. Inspired by the film Chocolat, Nigel and his wife Mary opened their first Chocolaterie in Wendover on Valentine’s Day, 2004. They transformed a delightful former bank in the centre of town and created a relaxing setting in which to eat lunch, drink coffee, tea or hot chocolate and choose from a wonderful selection of handmade chocolates, cakes and patisserie, sandwiches and snacks.

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2014

The business grew and a second chocolaterie was opened at Thame. Both have theatres of chocolate which are visible to customers and are in regular use, creating a visual focus as well as lots of lovely aromas and mouthwatering chocolate. “We are dedicated to producing foods of the highest quality that are fresh, home-made and use locally sourced ingredients,” says Mary, “whether it’s bread from The Cottage Bakery in Thame or meat from Parminter’s of Haddenham. The menu includes pastries, sandwiches, cakes, tarts and a fantastic range of ice creams made to Nigel’s own secret recipe. Specials of the day include a wholesome soup and seasonal salad accompanied by fruit cordials, a glass of house wine or a fine real ale from The Chiltern Brewery. “Rumsey’s is primarily about creating the most fabulous chocolate, so the company is particularly proud of scooping numerous

Mary and Nigel Rumsey Gold Star awards, over the last couple of years, at The Fine Food Exhibition Great Taste Awards. It’s a fantastic achievement and one that acknowledges the quality and deliciousness of our products. “We’re a small family business but we’ve got a great team of very lovely, loyal staff, focused on looking after our customers and presenting a really good offering at our shops.” l Rumsey’s of Wendover, The Old Bank, 26 High Street, Wendover, Bucks, HP22 6EA Tel: 01296 625060 Open: Mon-Sat: 8.30am-6pm, Sun: 10am-6pm l Rumsey’s of Thame, 8 Upper High Street, Thame, Oxon, OX9 3ER Tel: 01844 260303 Open: Mon-Sat: 9am-6pm, Sun: 10am-5.30pm l Website: www.rumseys.co.uk Follow us on Twitter: @rumseyschoc

l Recipe:

Lauren, The Rumba Kitchen

Buckwheat, Courgette Ribbons, Broad Beans, Roasted Red Pepper and Chorizo Crumb Salad (Serves 4)

Ingredients:

2 Courgettes – 1 yellow and 1 green if available 1 Pepper – green/ red/ yellow all will work perfectly 200 grams Broad Beans 3 Garlic cloves finely chopped 200 grams Buckwheat Groats 150 grams fresh Chorizo finely chopped Olive oil for cooking For the dressing 1 Tbsp Dijon Mustard 1 Tbsp Honey 1 Tsp Balsamic Vinegar 2 Tsp Cider Vinegar 6 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil Salt and Pepper to taste Combine all ingredients and mix, either in a salad dressing shaker, an empty jam jar or similar, season to taste and set aside. What to do: Preheat the oven to 220C/gas 7. Place the pepper on a baking tray with a drizzle of oil and roast until soft and blackened on the outside, about 30–40 minutes. When the pepper is cooked place

Buckwheat, Courgette Ribbons, Broad Beans, Roasted Red Pepper and Chorizo Crumb Salad in a bowl and cover with clingfilm. Leave the pepper to cool - the steam will help loosen the skin, so you can peel it easily. In a small saucepan, bring water and salt to a boil. Add buckwheat groats, reduce heat, cover and cook until all water has absorbed, about 10 minutes. Remove lid and allow to cool slightly whilst you prepare the remaining ingredients. You can also cook your buckwheat groats the previous day and let them cool overnight. In a non stick frying pan heat a drizzle of olive oil on a medium-low heat, then gently soften the garlic, crumbled chorizo and broad beans until they are cooked through but still maintain their shape and texture, 4-5 minutes. Take from pan and set aside. Peel the pepper removing all the skin and seeds, slice into long slithers.

Vale Life : May/Jun 2014

t The Rumba Kitchen we aim to produce delicious, beautiful food in various locations, using fresh, seasonal and local produce. We are a mobile business appearing in numerous forms from Pop Up Restaurants/Cafés, to Seasonal Supper Farm Banquets, Wedding Feasts and more. We take great pride in developing original menus to suit specific needs or requirements. Influences are taken from the Mediterranean, Middle East and Asia. We believe we eat with our eyes as well as out tastebuds so presentation is key, but not with a stiff upper lip! The Rumba Kitchen is also the home of Rumba Churros - a street food business that serves authentic, tasty, fresh Spanish Churros with an expansive,

Using a vegetable peeler or mandolin on a fine setting start to peel the courgettes lengthways creating a ribbon like slice. Add the buckwheat, broad beans (including any remaining infused garlic chorizo oil from the pan!) and pepper to your salad bowl, sprinkle over the crumbled feta and add the salad dressing.

Lauren Scott unique range of sugars and sauces. Look out for us a various events this summer including Thame Food Festival. l The Rumba Kitchen is run by Lauren Scott. Email: rumbachurros@hotmail. co.uk Twitter @therumbakitchen, Facebook.com/therumbakitchen or Instagram @therumbakitchen Garnish with your choice of fresh herbs such as finely chopped basil, parsley or coriander – if you feel like putting a bit more colour into the dish scatter a handful of nasturtium or cornflower petals. Serve and eat while still warm. You could also add a couple of handfuls of crumbled feta instead of the chorizo to create a vegetarian option.

SUNDAY

Y VER CAR INN E HOLIDAY AT TH

£13.95

Why not treat the family this Sunday to a delicious Three Course Carvery Lunch at the Holiday Inn, Aylesbury.

PeR ADuLT

£9.95 CHILDReN uNDeR 12

Call us to book your table in our child-friendly Junction Restaurant, where we will have a fantastic Three Course Lunch waiting for you at an amazing price!

decoration station There’s an ice-cream er too! and a colouring corn Perfect venue for family gatherings, birthdays and anniversaries.

PRIVA T EVENT E AT THE S HOLID A Y INN

Packages available from £20 per person to include Three Course Meal and private room hire.

TRIBUTE NIGHTS

AT THE HOLIDAY INN Three Course Buffet, Disco & Tribute Act Sat 22nd November…Abba Night

£32.95 PeR PeRSON

Fri 28th November…70s Disco Night Sat 29th November…2Tone, Reggae, Pop, Motown and Soul Band

For more information or to book any of the above events, contact us on 01296 734000 and quote reference ‘VALe eVeNTS 1’ Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2014

Column: Heather Jan Brunt ‘This farming life’

Mystery of missing kittens

e were very pleased when our farm cat got pregnant. She is a friendly affectionate cat who follows my husband everywhere and we expected her to follow in the footsteps of all our previous cats and have the kittens in front of us. With this in mind we prepared a temporary birthing box that could be burnt after all the kittens arrived, and another permanent nest to move them into once she’d cleaned them up. We bought extra food to nourish her as she nursed them; made sure her worm and flea treatments were up to date and waited for the big day to arrive. Over the weekend she was due she stayed with us all the time, sat on our knees, wanted lots of cuddles, our excitement at the impending birth rose and friends and family were in touch regularly for updates. Then she disappeared. When she returned 24 hours later she was thin and had a

Heather with one of her new kittens bloody bottom that she proceeded conscientiously to clean. Our joy was mixed with concern. She spent two hours with us, but we felt she should be with her kittens. This pattern continued for weeks. She was clearly full of milk, ate ravenously, but spent very long periods of time with us and not with her kittens. We searched everywhere every day. We visited

neighbours’ gardens. As the weeks went by, we began to wonder if she’d had a phantom pregnancy and lactation and whether the kittens actually existed. Why were they not running around? We feared that when they eventually made their presence felt they would be feral. And then my husband heard noises above the tool shed in the barn. He had searched there before, and he spent a week searching it again until finally he found a little pair of eyes! Three exquisite black kittens were hidden in the most inaccessible very dark place. At nearly five weeks old and having never seen anyone other than their mother I was sure they would be wild. But they are not! Thanks to the tender loving nature of their mother they are perfectly happy to be picked up and handled. She is a first time mother and we surmise instinct drove her to hide them from view, but now we have found them and they are all in the utility room

This farming life Heather Jan Brunt

she is extremely relaxed about sharing them with us. The only residual anxiety we can detect is that she mews when they run about the room; she prefers it when they are all in a clump sleeping. We have already found loving homes for the kittens and when they are old enough they will move on, but for the time being we can finally revel in enjoying their very welcome company. l Heather Jan Brunt is a journalist

and a farmer’s wife. You can follow her on Twitter @HJBjournalist. She and her husband sell their own award winning Terrick Beef and other local produce from their small farm shop in Terrick on the first Friday and Saturday of each month. See: www.downonthefarm.co.uk

Win dinner for two at The Three Pigeons

he Three Pigeons is a unique and atmospheric pub/restaurant housed at Lassco’s Milton Common Architectural Salvage Centre, near Thame. Originally an old coaching inn the pub is set in large, walled gardens with outbuildings much of which is crammed with the most fascinating reclaimed salvage from buildings across the country and which you are welcome to explore - ideal for working up an appetite! The restaurant has a lovely relaxed atmosphere and light airy feel while the old and unusual artefacts and pieces of salvage add a sense of history and more elegant times. Run by experienced chefs Edward Madden and James Ngu, the restaurant boasts a simple yet refined menu packed with locally sourced ingredients and seasonal produce. James and Edward met while both working at Babylon Restaurant at Kensington Roof Gardens. Edward later worked at Lassco’s Brunswick House Restaurant and discovered The Three Pigeons when he came down to cover as relief chef one weekend. Their focus is on modern British cuisine with an ever-changing selection of dishes which can be enjoyed in the restaurant or in 16

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2014

James and Edward The Three Pigeons

the beer garden. Dishes include starters such as: Beetroot & Goats Cheese Salad; Rolled Pigs Cheek, Mustard & Apple; Squid & Tomato Salad; and Sand Eels & Aioli; while mains include: Braised Duck Salad & Red Onion Marmalade £10.50; Roast Courgette, Lentils & Green Sauce £10.80; Bacon Beef Burger & Chunky Hand Cut Chips £12.80; or Whole Plaice, Violet Potatoes salad £11.10 and desserts include: Eton Mess £4.40; Roast Peach Parcel, Blueberries & Cream £5.60; and Chocolate Almond Cake & Blackcurrant Ice Cream £5.10

“Edward and I incorporate many influences in our cooking,” says James, “we aim to produce well presented, delicious, seasonal, really good food, but I couldn’t put a name on the style of cooking, it can’t really be pigeon-holed, you could say Modern British as that seems to mean a bit of everything!” “We like fresh local produce where possible,” says Edward, “Good ingredients are very important. We add our own twist to traditional recipes. We’ll see what’s available and in season and work with it.” If you’d like to be in with a

chance of winning dinner for two, with a bottle of house wine, at The Three Pigeons, Milton Common simply email your name, address and telephone number, along with the answer to the following question to: editor@vale-life.co.uk Where is Babylon restaurant? Winner to be drawn at random from correct entries and notified by email by Sept 14th, 2014. l The Three Pigeons, London Road, Milton Common, Oxon, OX9 2JN Tel: 01844 277183 Email: info@thethreepigeons.co.uk Web: www.thethreepigeons.co.uk

www.buckscountyshow.co.uk Thursday, August 28th, 2014 Buy your tickets in advance and save £££s!

Bucks County show offers a fun-filled day out for all the family. You’ll see the best of local livestock and produce, show jumping, country crafts, those spectacular Kangaroo Kids on their Quad Bikes and much, much, more...

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2014

Kangaroo Kids Pic courtesy of Terry Harris

eedon Park, situated on the outskirts of Aylesbury, will be home to the 147th Bucks County Show on Thursday August 28th. The Bucks County Show is one of the best one day agricultural shows in the country and one of Buckinghamshire’s biggest summer attractions. The show is packed with exciting things to see and do and this year’s attractions in the Main Ring include, for the first time, the Kangaroo Kids Quad Bike Stunt Team along with the return of the RAF Halton Pipes & Drums, who will perform twice in the main ring and then return for the finale. The ever popular Sheep Show will provide both humorous and educational entertainment while some serious competition will be taking place in the show ring with some sixty cattle classes and over thirty sheep classes give the chance to see some of the best livestock in the country. There are around eighty equine classes including qualifiers for the Horse of the Year Show and the Royal International Horse Show. Following the success of the

new Bucks Breeders Championship launched last year this returns renamed as the Bucks County Breeders Championship, offering winners of qualifying In Hand classes the opportunity to compete. The Home and Garden marquee is filled with entries from people demonstrating their skills in cooking, wine making, photography, flower arranging, handicrafts and flower and vegetable growing. There are over two hundred Trade Stands, a Shopping Marquee, a new larger Food Hall, a Rural Craft Marquee and an entertaining Countryside Area. The Show is packed with competitions, displays and

breathtaking events whilst demonstrating traditional Buckinghamshire rural and agricultural activities. There is something for all the family to enjoy so why not end the summer holidays with a fantastic family day out at the Bucks County Show. For further information or to purchase tickets visit: www.buckscountyshow.co.uk or contact the office on 01296 680400. l Bucks County Show, Weedon Park, Aylesbury, Bucks, HP22 4NN Thursday, August 28th, 2014 Tickets and info: www.buckscountyshow.co.uk Office tel: 01296 680400.

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2014

l Column: Jacqui

Like a bite?

ne Saturday night last year, I did something rather out of character. I went to a restaurant unfamiliar to me, to join eleven virtual strangers who I’d met online, known to me only by their online profiles. No, it wasn’t some strange dating event, and it actually sounds a bit stupid when I read that back. ‘Eleven strangers… Met online… At an unfamiliar venue’... Like one of those moments in a horror film where the girl opens ‘that’ door, or runs into a dark scary forest only to trip over the inevitable stick. Thankfully on this occasion, I wasn’t about to meet an untimely demise; I was simply attending my very first tweetup a mere few hundred yards from my home, at what Twitter had unanimously decided was the purveyor of Oxford’s very best burgers. Atomic Burgers, in case you were wondering. For the uninitiated, tweetups are physical gatherings of people

Thorndyke ‘Foodie On Tour’

who’ve met online via the social media platform Twitter. Over the course of the next few hours, we talked film, cocktails, food, more film, blogging, sci-fi, ethics, politics, and of course more food! Four of the twelve of us there were food bloggers, all local to the area, with different lengths of experience and varying food tastes. Within a few days of tweetup, I’d had an idea - what if the four of us were to combine forces and create an all singing, all dancing, restaurant guide for Oxford? Four became three and the idea took shape - we wanted a website that offered restaurant listings, candid in-depth reviews, recommendations and news. Somewhere people would come when deciding where in Oxford to eat. Eight and a half months after that first tweetup, www. bittenoxford.co.uk was born. Having spent months on web design and databases, we took a deep breath, and hit publish. Seconds ticked by with loud, lingering thuds while we waited for a response. Cold sweats kicked in, with panic threatening to take hold, as we waited, and

waited, and waited for a reaction. Fingers crossed so hard circulation was a mere memory. Finally, as social media awoke to the launch, a flurry of positive responses arrived and we exhaled with collective relief. We’d done it. We’d really bloody done it. And people actually liked it! Holy crap. Since that initial launch, we’ve published numerous food and drink articles, multiple restaurant reviews, our very own magazine column, and most recently, launched an events arm to Bitten. As I write this it’s been a mere two days since we confirmed our very first event booking - a Street Food Festival for Oxford. We love great food, and we especially love great street food, but it just doesn’t seem to have taken off properly in Oxford – so we’re planning to change this. I read somewhere recently that the current craze for street food is a wonderful way of making exciting and adventurous food accessible for everyone, no matter the swell of their pocket, and I cannot agree more. For under a tenner, you can get some of the most exciting, fresh and innovative

Vale Life : Sept/Oct 2013

Jacqui Thorndyke

food, immediately! What’s not to love? So dear readers, watch this space… a street food revolution is coming! l Bitten Street Food Festival is on Oct 4th at the Oxford Castle Quarter. Follow Bitten Oxford on Twitter or Facebook (BittenOxford) for further details, or visit the website at www.bittenoxford.co.uk. For local food and restaurant reviews and recommendations, visit www.foodieontour.co.uk, or follow Jacqui on Twitter @FoodieOnTour. To contact Jacqui directly, please email: foodieontour@yahoo.co.uk

WhicH way to the Nosh pit, Jamie?!

amie Oliver and Alex James present The fourth Big Feastival from Fri, Aug 29th to Sun, Aug 31st, a unique weekend celebration of music, food and fun for all the family, set on cheesemaker and Blur bassist Alex’s Cotswolds farm at Kingham. It’s a relaxed event at which to enjoy music from top acts, tuck into celebrity chef demos in the Big Kitchen and have your fill from the cream of the UK’s street food crop. You can browse local producer stands, join a cookery class or get your foodie fix joining top chefs for Q&A sessions. The Wyld Wood Organic Cider Teepee is a cross between a traditional cider bar and Café Del Mar and the perfect spot to soak up the atmosphere while enjoying a premium organic cider to the sounds of Fatboy Slim, Jamie Cullum or De La Soul. Made from Herefordshire’s finest organic apples and matured in old oak vats at Westons Cider Mill, Wyld Wood Organic Cider has a fullbodied taste with a ripe fresh aroma, ideal for washing down the delicious foods and flavours on offer at The Big Feastival. For more info see: www. facebook.com/WestonsWyldWood or: www.westons-cider.co.uk Camping tickets have already sold

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2014

The Wyld Wood Cider Teepee

Alex and Jamie at last year’s Big Feastival Fatboy Slim

out for Feastival - not surprising when you consider the musical line up includes Fatboy Slim, Kelis (who is a trained Cordon Blue chef), Jamie Cullum, De La Soul, Laura Mvula, Bjorn Again, Levi Roots, Stornoway, Fleetwood Bac, Jazzie B on the Soul II Soul Soundsystem, DJ Norman Jay, Dodgy, Lee Thompson Ska, Cuban Brothers, Jake Isaac, Monster Ceilidh, Jake Isaac, Kimberly Anne, Nathan Watson, Ward Thomas and many more.

Meanwhile on the food side there’s Jamie Oliver of course, Gennaro Contaldo, Mark Hix, Gizzi Erskine, Ashley Palmer-Watts, Monica Galleti, Rachel Khoo, Levi Roots, Emily Watkins... a real smorgasbord! For youngsters there’s a Little Dudes Den, arts & crafts workshop, Big Top games, climbing wall, sandpit, a vintage funfair. and a whole lot of entertainment, it’s a real family affair. See the Big Feastival website: www.thebigfeastival.com

for full details and ticket information. l The Big Feastival August 29th-31st at Churchill Heath Farm, Kingham, Oxon, OX7 6UJ (3 mins Kingham railway station). Tickets from £30 Friday to £65 Saturday, and £55 Sunday; Teens are less, U13s free. Call box office: 0844 995 9673 or go to: www.SeeTickets.com

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2014 A great day for all the family… 2014 Attractions Include: Fun Dog Show The Traditional Bakery Show The Sheep Show Home & Garden Marquee (Formerly Domestic) Food Hall Shopping & Craft Marquee Many Traders Food Theatre Food Courts Livestock Classes Sheep & Cattle Showjumping Showing Classes Alpaca Display Bird Display Whip Cracker

TICKET SALES Ticket Description

Advance Price

On-The-Day Price

Adult

£12.00

£15.00

Senior Citizen Junior 5-15 years

£8.00

£10.00

FREE

Junior 5-15 years

£4.00

£5.00

Under 5’s

FREE

(when accompanied by a paying adult)

Thursday 18th September 2014

Oxfordshire’s County Show 8.30am - 6.00pm

Aylesbury Tourist Information Centre Princes Risborough Information Centre Wendover Tourist Information Centre C.H. Brown & Son - Oxford Covered Market The Kennel Shop - Stokenchurch Tickets Anywhere - Thame Thame Information Centre

Vintage Machinery, Lorries & Tractors

Marlow Information Centre

Traditional Steam Fair

High Wycombe Tourist Information

Classic Cars

Witney Visitor Information Centre

Morris Dancers

Thame Show

Oxford Visitor Information Centre

Thame Concert Band Band Stand Local Radio

Advance Tickets for the 2014 Show will be available through the website or at the above outlets from Tuesday 1st July 2014 DIRECTIONS The Thame Show is held off the A4129 Thame to Princess Risborough Road. The full address is: The Thame Showground, Kingsey Road, Thame, Oxfordshire OX9 3JL

The Thame and Oxfordshire County Show is back to it’s traditional slot this year, on the third Thursday in September, promising a bumper crop of cracking, country-style, fun and frolics... For more information THAME SHOW Suite 3, 55 North Street, Thame, Oxon OX9 3BH Tel: 01844 212737 Fax: 01844 218481 Email: info@thameshow.co.uk

www.thameshow.co.uk Registered Charity Number: 1084349

Fantastic fun for all the family

DL Leaflet.indd 1

Scurry racing Floral displays

ue to popular demand, The Thame and Oxfordshire County Show returns to its traditional third Thursday in September date this year - on September 18th (8.30am-6pm). Thame Show is traditionally an Agricultural and Produce show which takes place to coincide with the farming calendar so this time of year is really where it belongs. Attractions in the main ring include top class Show Jumping competitions including the Oxfordshire Area Trial, Scurry Driving, a Parade of Hounds and Beagles, the Cattle Parade and Presentations, an Agricultural Display of Vintage Machinery, Lorries and Tractors, The Kangaroo Kids Quad Bike Stunt Team, and a Display of Classic Cars. In the Countryside Arena there is much to see from Bob Hogg’s amazing Sheepdog Display, to a demonstration of the versatility of the mule from Mules R Us, to a fast moving and captivating display from Gamegoer Gundogs, demonstrating a working dog’s training - their breeds include: Spaniels, Retrievers, Pointers and Setters. The Sheep Show is a fascinating insight into breeds, attributes, sheep shearing and

Sheepdog display

how wool from the sheep’s back becomes a jumper to wear, while the Lamb National Sheep Race is great fun for all the family. The hardy Herdwick sheep, a breed known for their agility and ability to jump natural hazards, become stars of track and field and the audience gets to cheer on their favourites as the sheep, in their individual colours, jump over fences to complete the race. Watch out too for Multiple Australian and World Champion Whip Cracker Ben Hughes who will be putting on displays throughout the day. Around the showground there will be the usual competitions for cattle, sheep, horses and donkeys along with displays of, birds and alpacas. There will also be a Fun Dog Show with a variety of classes into which anyone is welcome to enter their pet on the day. A new Food Theatre is being introduced this year with different demonstrations throughout the day and the Traditional Bakery Show will offer opportunities for everyone to ‘have a go’. Back by popular demand, the Public Bar is being reinstated with a fine selection of beers, wines and spirits and there will

20/05/2014 12:52

Livestock competitions Produce Gamegoer competition Gundogs

be two food courts with a great selection of mouthwatering hot and cold delicacies together with soft drinks, coffee etc. The ever popular food hall will also be selling local and home produce throughout the day. Throw in a Traditional Steam Fair, Trade and Craft Shows, A Bird Display, Morris Dancers and Thame Concert Band and there’s an awful lot to see in just one day! Tickets are available via the website or locally from: Aylesbury Tourist Information Centre, Princes Risborough Information Centre, Wendover Tourist Information Centre, Thame Information Centre and Tickets Anywhere, Thame. Adult tickets are £12 advance (£15 on gate), Children 5 to 15yrs with a paying adult are free, or £4 in advance if on their own (£5 on gate). Senior Citizens are £8 in advance (£10 on gate). Under 5s go free. l The Thame & Oxfordshire County Show, The Thame Showground, Kingsey Road, Thame, Oxfordshire OX9 3JL Show Office Tel: 01844 212737 Email: info@thameshow.co.uk Tickets & Info: www.thameshow.co.uk Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2014

Full details of this year’s fantastic 50th Anniversary Towersey Festival programme are now available at: www.towerseyfestival.com ! Have a look, plan your weekend and book your tickets before it’s too late! There are less than 200 adult weekend tickets left! It’s going to be a very special event - the last one to take place in Towersey Village, as next year the festival moves to Thame Showground...

014’s Towersey Festival features some great headline acts, including The Bootleg Beatles (Thu, Aug 21st), Seth Lakeman (Sat, Aug 23rd), Lau (Sat, Aug 23rd), and Richard Thompson (Fri, Aug 22nd). Thompson, the legendary songwriter and guitarist, who found fame with Fairport Convention, confesses he’s looking forward to Towersey. “I think festivals are great,” he says. “You see a lot of music you’d not get to see anywhere else, and you get a chance to see other people you don’t often get a chance to see. Festivals are a lot of fun!” ‘Fun’ is the perfect word to describe The Chipolatas. Regular visitors to the festival since the ‘90s, the trio now spend most of their time touring abroad, but jumped at the chance to appear at Towersey’s 50th Anniversary. Their specially curated Takeover Night (Sun, Aug 24th) features a cracking mix of music, laughs, dance and more. “We call ourselves a musical clown theatre show, but it’s hard to put a title on it,” says founder Chipolata Tristan Glover. “There is dance, storytelling, comedy, all set to a live music soundtrack. There’s a lot to it.” For their Takeover Night, they’ll be calling on a few friends, including Eliza Carthy, Spanish

Towersey Showground

Richard Thompson

Seth Lakeman clowns Pablo and Fredi, DJ Marc Brown, storyteller Taffy Thomas and The Fabulous Salami Brothers. Says Tristan: “I’m sure it’ll end up with everyone on the floor, dancing.”

Tickets please!

l Towersey Festival, Towersey Playing Field, Thame Road, Towersey, Oxfordshire, OX9 3QF 21st-25th August Tickets: 023 8071 1818 Web: www.towerseyfestival.com Twitter: @towerseyfesti Facebook: Towerseyfestival

Lots to see & do on showground

here’s no shortage of entertainment on offer at Towersey Festival this Bank Holiday as the famed annual event celebrates its 50th birthday. While the big-name acts keep festival goers entertained at the main stages, The Showground provides daytrippers and families with a packed day of activities, sights and tastes for just £8/£3 (Fri-Mon, 10am-6.30pm). Over 60 stalls offer gifts and goodies, from handmade soaps, jewellery and clothing, to garden herbs, while Towersey Real Ale and Cider Festival’s award-winning beverages provide the perfect accompaniment to an array of delicious street foods. Back by popular demand, The Bar Stage hosts a rolling programme of established and emerging acoustic, jazz, blues, rock and indie acts, while there’s also loads of free 20

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2014

performances and activities aimed squarely at families, with art, craft, science and circus workshops, puppet shows, face painting, games, singing, dancing, storytelling and more.

owersey Festival runs from Thursday 21st to Monday 25th August, 2014. Day tickets (Fri-Mon) £10-£40; evening concert tickets £10-£22. Showground-only tickets £8/£3. Tickets for the full festival start from £135 (adult), £55 (5-11yr). Camping tickets also available. Car parking and under 5s, free. For further information and to book tickets, call 023 8071 1818 or see: www.towerseyfestival.com Special Local Residents Offer: If you live in Thame or Towersey, adult Resident Season Tickets are available for the entire festival for just £70. That’s nearly half-price! These tickets are available only by calling 01629 827016.

Towersey, near Thame, Oxon.

Music Column:

Turn it up! with Stuart Robb

Shining at Abbey Road

Stuart Robb

Turn it up! Stuart Robb is an award-winning music professional who has supported the local music scene for over 15 years. He ran his own successful record label, and has organised countless gigs and music festivals (including Hobble on the Cobbles). Stuart is now actively supporting Friars Aylesbury, and the British Guitar Academy. Contact Stuart with local gig and music news at: stuart@stuartrobb.co.uk Add gigs to our website what’s on diary at: www.vale-life.co.uk

Live Music Saturday 16 August: Maxwell Hammer & Smith (rock covers), 8pm The Bell, Tring. Replica Rockaholics (rock/pop), 10.30pm ShootPool, Aylesbury. Thursday 21 AugustMonday, 25 August: Towersey Festival, Towersey. Friday 22 AugustSunday 24 August: Reading Festival, Reading. Friday 22 August: Kevin Tait, 9.30pm The Green Man, Aylesbury. Saturday, 23 August: Gwyn Ashton, 9pm ShootPool, Aylesbury. Sunday 24 August: Hobble On The Cobbles, 12noon8pm Aylesbury Town Centre. Saturday 30 August: Proms In The Park, 6.30pm Vale Park, Aylesbury. Sunday 31 August: Jam night, 8pm The Queen’s Head, Aylesbury. Thursday 4 SeptemberSunday 7 September: Bestival, Isle of Wight. Friday, 5 September: The Ska Faces (ska, 2tone,mod), 9.30pm ShootPool, Aylesbury. Friday 19 September: Leech (rock covers), 9.30pm, The Green Man, Aylesbury. Saturday 20 September: Steve Rothery (solo album launch night) 7pm, Pendley Court Theatre, Tring. 22

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2014

Vale Life : Aug/Sep 2014

opular local guitarist Bernie Marsden this month releases his solo studio album ‘Shine’, recorded at Abbey Road Studios. Bernie is known for his work with Whitesnake having written or co-written with David Coverdale many of the group’s hit songs, such as ‘Here I Go Again’. For more information visit: www.berniemarsden.com

x and Bucks Home Grown festival runs from August 15th-17th featuring many great local bands including Pearl Handled

Revolver, Sinfiction, Georgie Bird and The City Is Ours www.hmfoxford.co.uk

uitarist and founder member of multi-million-selling rock band Marillion, Steve Rothery, releases his long awaited solo album ‘The Ghosts of Pripyat’ on September 22nd. Steve, one of the most melodic and atmospheric guitar players around, recorded the album at Peter Gabriel’s Real World Studios earlier this year with guitarist Dave Foster, Leon Parr (drums) and Yatim Halimi

(bass). Tickets for the launch party at Pendley Court Theatre, (Tring) are still available (at the time of writing), on Saturday 20th September. www.steverothery.com

his year marks the 50th anniversary of Towersey Festival, (Aug 21st-22nd). Artists include Richard Thompson, Seth Lakeman and The Bootleg Beatles. Towersey continues to be completely independent and free from major corporate sponsors. www.towerseyfestival.com

Hey Joe!

caught up with Toploader singer Joe Washbourn, right, earlier this month, to chat about their forthcoming headline performance at Hobble on the Cobbles... Hi Joe, how does Toploader feel about being invited to headline at HOTC this summer? We’re super excited about headlining Hobble on the Cobbles this year. Great to be part of a free music festival that can offer so much to the people of Aylesbury and surrounding areas. It’s going to be a blast! Is the band currently working on any new material? We’re currently working on new songs that will form part of an album or EP at the end of the year. Although at the moment we are fully in ‘outdoor gig’ mode and it’s proving difficult to fit in studio time when you’re either stuck in a moving vehicle or in the middle of a field somewhere!

Toploader headline Hobble on the Cobbles on August 24th. The band are from left: Joe Washbourn, Matt Knight, Rob Green and Dan Hipgrave. You must have some great gigging stories from over the years? Are there any tales you can share with us!? Too many to recall or remember them all... a funny one was while supporting Robbie Williams when the entire front of house speakers packed up and 30,000 people were all gesturing at me to stop... massive paranoia ensued as I thought we’d obviously gone down like a lead balloon (Began to check my flies and such

Rockin’ on Heaven’s door

ast month, the local music scene was ‘rocked’ with the sad news of the passing of ‘local legend’ Pete ‘Raindog’ Stevens, pictured. Pete was always the life and soul of any party, a talented songwriter and guitarist, and frontman with The Original Sinners – a band who first launched back in 1987. They split in 1995 and then reformed again in 2009 to take part and win the ‘One Last Dream’ competition courtesy of Absolute Radio, which saw the

band perform on the main stage in Hyde Park at the Hard Rock Calling Festival. Pete and the ‘Sinners’ performed for me on numerous occasions including ‘The Last Local Rock Show’ - the last gig set up to promote and showcase local bands at the Aylesbury Civic Centre, before it was closed and later demolished, the Aylesbury Festival, and of course Hobble on the Cobbles. He was total rock’n’roll, and will be missed by the many who knew him.

like...). Turns out someone had accidentally kicked the plug out of the mixing desk and everyone was just trying to let us know that we were in complete silence! Actually kind of helped win them over in the end. They all shared in our pain! You’ve been touring most of the year already, and have performed at a variety of festivals. Is there a favourite so far, and what else are you looking forward to this year? Had a great time as Tom Jones’s special guest at the Proact Stadium in Chesterfield earlier in the summer. In fact they have all been great and lots of fun, our music has always suited the outdoor setting. We’re certainly looking forward to a great night with ‘HOTC’ in Aylesbury. See you all there... Many thanks Joe, we look forward to seeing you all in Aylesbury as well. Toploader will be on stage in Market Square at about 6.45pm, on August 24th. For all the latest information visit www.toploaderofficial.com For all the latest information on Hobble on the Cobbles, visit www.HobbleOnTheCobbles.com

Pro theatre on your doorstep!

ook out for professional theatre performances across our area this Autumn. Theatre In The Villages will be staging quality musicals, comedy, cabaret, children and magic shows as well as storytelling and theatre at intimate venues in rural locations near you. The Flamin’ Dames kick off the season in Winslow on September 27th, evoking the spirit of Gosford Park and Downton Abbey singing wartime favourites in, Queens of Song. A musical comedy focused around identical twins, Victor and Albert and a piano will take place in Shabbington on October 3rd and time travelling magicians Morgan and West

The Flamin’ Dames

will put on a mind blowing family show on Morgan & West October 4th in Chearsley. The Visit is a dark and comic tale of love, loss, revenge and living on turnip soup, to be performed by Teatro Unfortunato in Little Kimble on October 11th. An evening of classic songs from movies, shows and musicals, performed by West End singers Jayne O’Mahony and John Langley, is to take place worst of popular music, while in Wingrave on October Relative Pitch Opera includes story 12th, whilst a gripping one Victor & Albert telling, original music and song in a man show, based on ‘A captivating production of The Snow Warning to The Curious’, a famous ghost story Queen for 3yrs+ in Speen on November 29th. by M R James, will be performed in Weedon For ticket prices, how to buy tickets and on October 17th. details of other Theatre in the Villages In Wendover a stylish retelling of the classic performances and venues please visit: tale ‘Faust’ is scheduled for October 18th and www.aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk/theatreinthevillages on the same evening singer and TV presenter or call: 01296 585301. Isla St Clair will take you down memory lane with song and film recollections of good and bad folk from the past at Ickford Village Hall. Also on October 18th, a modern day look at some of Shakespeare’s famous characters in Bard Heards at Great Hampden Village Hall. November 15th is the date to catch The Ian English Boodlum Band in Oakley, performing a witty parody of the best and

Fancy a night out with Kylie?! Kylie MinogueNIA Oct 7th

ust a short drive up the M40, the prestigious National Indoor Arena (The NIA Birmingham) is currently undergoing a £26 million refurbishment. The venue is the ideal place to see some of the world’s most popular artists and will re-open in September with a busy Autumn programme of events including: Lee Evans 17th - 21st Sept The Vamps - 5th Oct Kylie 7th Oct Caro Emerald 11th Oct John Legend 12th Oct Lady Gaga 15th Oct Miranda Hart 17th Oct Disney On Ice celebrates 100 Years of Magic 22nd Oct-2nd Nov John Bishop 7th-8th Nov Enrique Iglesias 7th Nov The Who 7th Dec Culture Club plus special guest Alison Moyet 12th Dec Status Quo plus special guests Chas & Dave 13th Dec Chris Rea 14th Dec l For tickets and further info visit: www.thenia.co.uk or call: 0844 338 8000

Disney On Ice, NIA Oct 22nd-Nov 2nd

Enrique Inglesias NIA Nov 7th Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2014

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2014

April 23rd, 2014, marked the 450th anniversary of Shakespeare’s birth. Writing plays for London’s Globe Theatre all those years ago the bard could not have dreamt that four centuries later the theatre would be touring his work globally and stopping off at Aylesbury Waterside Theatre too...

he highly renowned Globe Theatre on Tour is returning to the Waterside with one of the Bard’s most-loved masterpieces, A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Vale Life spoke to the Executive Producer of this Shakespeare classic, Tom Bird who gave us the lowdown on why this production is set to be one to remember. • Why have Shakespeare’s plays stood the test of time so well? Tom: People ask all the time why Shakespeare is universal and timeless. It’s a really interesting question that I think about

quite a lot. The enthusiasm amongst audiences for Shakespeare just seems to grow. Every year more and more people call us from all around the world and say ‘Can you bring a show here?’ or ‘Can I come and do a show with you?’ We sell more and more tickets year on year, so the enthusiasm for the plays as stories, is growing all round the world, very, very fast. I’m not going to guess what the answer is as to why the works are universal or timeless but it just seems that it doesn’t matter where they are performed, there’s always some connection an audience member can make in

their mind between what’s happening on the stage and their own experiences and that’s incredible considering Shakespeare’s works were written around 400 years ago! • How has The Globe gone about producing A Midsummer Night’s Dream the costumes, set design etc Tom: The costumes on A Midsummer Night’s Dream are really key and a special part of the show. We spend more money here at The Globe on costumes than many other theatres do. That’s because it’s one of the story-telling elements - along with language,

Globe Theatre on Tour present Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream at Aylesbury Waterside Theatre from Wed 10th to Sun 14th September

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2014

Coming up at The Waterside Your at-a-glance guide to what’s on... What The Ladybird Heard

Tue 26th to Fri 29th Aug

A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Wed 10th to Sun 14th Sep

Stones in His Pockets

Tue 16th Sep

Simon Callow in The Man Jesus

Wed 17th Sep

The Definitive Rat Pack

Fri 19th Sep

Dawn French

Wed 24th Sep

The Drifters

Thur 25th Sep

Jackson Live in Concert

Fri 26th Sep

The Songs of Sister Act

Thu 2nd Oct

Rock ‘n’ Roll Paradise

Fri 3rd Oct

The Importance of Being Earnest

Mon 6th to Sat 11th Oct

Jim Davidson

Tue 14th Oct

Jackson Live: Friday, Sept 26th movement and music - that The Globe uses. There are no complicated lighting cues or electronic sound cues here, costume is one of the only ways that one can get the meaning across. It is renaissance inspired and often the costumes are very intricately made which is something that people now expect when they come to The Globe and something that we take really seriously.

• What can the audience expect from/ look forward to in the production? Tom: A Midsummer Night’s Dream is a larger production than King Lear, which we brought to Aylesbury last year. There are thirteen actors and three live musicians. There are so many striking elements to the show too. It had a hugely successful run here at The Globe last summer, it was really popular with critics, it sold out all through the summer. It’s very funny, and one of the best tellings of the Mechanicals. You’ll see clog dancing and fairies in the same show, which I never thought I’d see. It’s a really exciting production of which we are very proud.

• Why does The Globe take productions on tour? Tom: We have been touring since 2007 and since then our touring productions have grown and grown. We are going to more venues and travelling further. Over the next two years we are taking Hamlet to every country in the world to celebrate Shakespeare and so far the reaction has been incredible. The tour of Hamlet is something that came out of the Globe to Globe festival we held in 2012 for the Cultural Olympiad in London. We made so many friends from around the world by bringing lots of different groups into the Globe that we decided to do something else which was both large scale and international and would continue those friendships.

If Shakespeare isn’t up your street, fear not! There are plenty of other must-see shows on the horizon from The National Theatre’s smash-hit comedy One Man Two Guvnors, to Oscar Wilde’s witty masterpiece The Importance of Being Earnest, and No.1 author, Peter James’ The Perfect Murder. With this year’s panto cast recently announced starring the stunning Suzanne Shaw and loveable Russell Grant, it’s also not too early to book your ticket to the ball with Cinderella this Christmas.

• What age range is A Midsummer Night’s Dream suitable for? Tom: It is a great play for anyone! We don’t put age restrictions on our shows, it’s up to the parents’ discretion.

l Aylesbury Waterside Theatre, Exchange Street, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, HP20 1UG Telephone Booking: 0844 871 7607 Website: www.atgtickets.com/aylesbury

Dawn French: Wednesday, Sept 24th The Definitive Rat Pack: Friday, Sept 19th

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2014

Aspiring guitarists and keyboard players, jealous of the fabulous facilities and tuition that local drummers have been enjoying at Dunx Drum School, will now be able to join in the fun! XYZ Music Academy incorporates Dunx Drum School and in addition offers lessons for guitar and keyboards, as well as a host of exciting recording and rehearsing facilities...

unx Drum School is now part of XYZ Music Academy, a teaching facility offering tuition in guitar and keyboards as well as drums. Dunx himself, (music teacher and multi-instrumentalist Duncan Lee) has joined forces with his guitar-teacher brother Michael, and taken on a second unit at the Westcott Venture Park where Duncan set up his drum school a couple of years ago. “We’ve expanded and rebranded,” says Duncan, “and it’s already proving popular. “Quite a few of our drum students have brothers and sisters who are learning guitar or keyboards and it makes sense for them all to come here at the same time for their lessons.” XYZ Music Academy doesn’t just offer lessons though, there’s a band rehearsal room, a live gig/showcase room and both live and studio recording facilities. The Academy is set up to record bands, do live video shoots and even live gigs, as well as lessons and workshops. Duncan’s Rock School workshops have always been popular and he is developing the guitar, drum and keyboard tuition syllabuses, so they can run in tandem and players of similar grades and abilities will be able to play together - much more fun than practising on your own! “Students will work on the same songs and be able to perform them together if they wish,” says Duncan. “We also aim to have tuition videos online, so those who can’t make it along to the school can subscribe and follow the lessons at home. I’m also hoping to organise some masterclasses with top musicians in the gig room, so keep an eye on our website for details.” Duncan has been holding percussion

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2014

Main drum room

workshops at local nurseries and playgroups and is amazed at how quickly youngsters of three or four can pick up basic sight-reading skills. “I’ve been really impressed at how the very young can learn,” One of Duncan’s students performing says Duncan. “We already cater for at the school’s recent open day beginners to advanced players here and I am now developing a course just had about 60 pupils sitting their grades for the very young too. here and we have a pretty high success rate, “Our teaching mainly prepares students although pupils don’t have to take the exams.” for the national Rock School exams. We’ve

Guitar room Keyboard room

Live performace / gig / showcase room

Advanced Drum Workshops

Above, Michael. Right and top, Duncan at recent open day

“We’ll still be doing band workshops in the school holidays of course,” says Duncan. “XYZ is a space for students and bands to grow and develop musically with the equipment, skills and facilities to support them.” If you think you’d like to try lessons at XYZ Music Academy, Duncan offers free taster sessions. See the website for details or give him a call and

Welcome... Eat Well, Laugh Much, Drink Often...

book in to have a look round and try a lesson. If you attend a local school, watch out for Duncan with his drums. Next term he will be at Aylesbury Vale Academy, Mandeville School, Haddenham Community Junior School and St Michael’s in High Wycombe.

Focus is to be on the drummers’ practice routines and how to improve ability. Dates: 22nd & 23rd of August Course duration: 2 days Times: 10am-5pm Price per student: £60 Places per workshop: 5-10 (first 6 signed up will have the option of FREE pick up service) For more details see: www.dunxdrumschool. com/workshops

l XYZ Music Academy Dunx Drum School, Unit 407 Westcott Venture Park, Westcott, HP18 0PH

Web: www.dunxdrumschool.com E: duncan@dunxdrumschool.com Tel: 01296 655929 Mobile: 07708 733288

Dunx Drum School pupil performing at open day

Free children’s event in Aylesbury Town Centre every Thursday of the school holidays

Welcome... Andy and Emma welcome you to The Boot, modern country pub and eating house, in the heart of the picturesque Chiltern Hills. Come and join us this Summer, our huge garden is a safe space for children (and well behaved dogs) to play. We also have a stunning outdoor eating area, so make the most of this lovely, sunny Summer weather! Open: Tue-Sat : 11am-11pm Sundays: 12noon-7pm Food served: Tue-Sat: 12noon-2.30pm and 6pm-10pm (from 5pm Fridays) Coffee and pastries from 11am Sundays: 12noon-6pm Closed Mondays Chinnor Road, Bledlow Ridge, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, HP14 4AW Tel: 01494 481499 | Email: theteam@theboot-bledlowridge.co.uk Website: www.theboot-bledlowridge.co.uk

#AylesburyThursdays

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2014

l Column: Read all about it! Book reviews by The Book House, Thame

Tales of murder and apocalypse!

e are sellers of stories, and The Book House (both in Thame and Summertown, Oxford) has been uniting books with readers for over 40 years. The conversations we have with our customers are woven into the fabric of what we do and what we say: our bookshop is a meeting place for people to discuss and discover, it’s what we love and why we do what we do! That pleasure is augmented when a book falls into our hands, which pleases us all and which we can’t wait to share - at the moment, that book is called Burial Rites by Hannah Kent. Extraordinarily, Burial Rites is a debut novel, heralding an exceptional new voice. The tale told is no less remarkable: based on a true story and set in nineteenth century Iceland, it tells of a woman condemned to death for murdering her lover, the family forced to take her in and the priest tasked to give her absolution. But for there to be story, all is obviously not what it seems, and time is running out:

This year, we had just started the run of glorious weather when a publisher sent us an advanced reading copy of a young adult title called Rain by Virginia Bergin, and even though it arrived with a quirky toy containing a raincoat, we weren’t to be seduced by a book promoting weather whose absence had made us rejoice, so it was relegated to the shelf of advanced copies in our office, and languished there, complete with toy. Then a newly-appointed member of staff (whose start date was yet to come) came in and asked to read it. She was utterly gripped, as was her teenage daughter and every member winter is on the way, of staff who has since queued up as is the execution date: prepare for the copy! to be intrigued, enthralled and Fifteen year old Ruby is your exhilarated. Shortlisted for a raft of average teenage girl, obsessed with prizes, it is also proving very popular boys, friends, make-up and annoying her step dad. with our book groups. Then, one sunny bank holiday, all this changes... Our bookshop is housed in End of the World - tick. a beautiful, rambling, old listed Every raindrop can kill you - tick. building. Its low ceilings are Sufficient supplies of waterproof comfortingly cosy through the mascara - tick. winter, and IF we get a summer, This is a terrifying, yet darkly our conservatory and garden are comic novel about how the world compensation for the dark, cool interior where the sun cannot reach. ends - and it’s utterly compelling.

We hope we’ve tempted you. Come and see us, and to make the journey even more worthwhile we’ll give Vale Life readers £2 off either/ both of these books when you mention this review! Happy reading!

l The Book House, 93 High Street, Thame, Oxfordshire, OX9 3HJ Tel: 01844 213032 anybook@thebookhousethame.co.uk www.thebookhousethame.co.uk Open Mon-Sat: 9am-5.30pm.

Win 50th anniversary Towersey Book

he celebrations marking the 50th anniversary of Towersey Festival continue with the publication of a new book. Featuring 300 photographs, stories from festival-goers and interviews with many individuals who’ve shaped the much-loved annual event, Towersey Festival: 50 Years In The Making traces the festival’s history from small-scale beginnings as a one day event in 1965, to its current position as one of the most significant and popular events in the annual folk festival diary. Beginning with a brief history of the village, the book also includes newspaper reports and reviews, plus profiles of many of the key artists and acts who’ve entertained audiences, from Pam Ayres, Dave and Toni Arthur and the Cock And Bull Band, to Show Of Hands, Bellowhead, Eliza Carthy and Australia’s hairy Spooky Men’s Chorale. There are also contributions from regular attendees, who’ve grown up with, and been inspired by, the festival, turning annual attendance into a longstanding family tradition. “The festival set out as a fundraising event to rescue the decaying Towersey Village Memorial 28

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2014

attracts over 10,000 visitors to the Oxfordshire village. Visiting the 1966 festival, the Thame Gazette asserted that Towersey was the ‘little village with the big ideas’ and Towersey Festival: 50 Years In The Making shows those ideas have never lost their appeal. Copies can also be purchased at the 50th festival, which runs from Thursday 21st to Monday 25th August 2014, see page 20. If you’d like to be in with a chance of winning a copy of Towersey Festival: 50 Years In The Making,

Hall - a building that commemorated the 14 men who had lost their lives in the First World War,” writes author Derek Schofield. “In that first year (1965), it was a one-day village fete with morris dancing and a folk singing session in the pub barn. Its success can be measured by the money raised, the enjoyment of the day by the village residents and visitors, and by the fact that, in the following year, a three-day event was held.” That second three-day event, attended by a few hundred people, has since spread to five days, and now

simply email your name, address and telephone number, along with the answer to the following question to: editor@vale-life.co.uk Which year did the first Towersey festival take place?

Winner to be drawn at random from correct entries and notified by email by Sept 14th, 2014. l Derek Schofield’s Towersey Festival: 50 Years In The Making is published by Mrs Casey Music Ltd, and is available priced £20 (plus £5 P&P) from: www.towerseyfestival.com

LOCAL MOSAIC COURSES Discover how to design and make mosaics in informal and friendly classes. Summer courses and weekends. Venues: Phoenix Studio at Towersey, Missenden Abbey, and Queen’s Park in Aylesbury. Beginners and experienced mosaic artists welcome! For more information, visit:

www.rosalindwates.co.uk

l Column: Catherine Stoker Learning process

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2014

Not got the grades? Don’t panic! Independent education consultant Catherine Stoker advises on how to prepare for A Level results day, which is on August 14th this year...

f A level results day arrives and you find you haven’t attained the grades you need to confirm your place on the course of your dreams, try not to despair. There is a chance you might still be accepted if your grades have only slipped a little and if not, as long as your grades are reasonable and you are prepared to be proactive and flexible, you should secure an alternative. If you have only just missed out on your grades, pick up the phone as soon as possible. Let the university admissions tutor know how keen you are to study with them. Demonstrating enthusiasm by calling might just tip the balance in your favour. No matter how tempting, don’t allow a parent to call for you. If unsuccessful, consider your back-up offer carefully. Ask yourself if this is a course you really want to

Learning process Catherine Stoker study at a university you wish to attend. Paying fees for a minimum of three years study on the wrong course in a location you don’t enjoy will seem like a very long time. If you find yourself without a confirmed place, act quickly to find an alternative. It can be difficult to feel motivated at a time when you are experiencing disappointment, but the key to success is to get involved in the Clearing process as early as possible. Clearing allows those who have

Men’s barbers, 245 Main Road, Walter’s Ash, Bucks, HP14 4HT Men’s hair: £10.50 Wash & Cut: £14 Boy’s hair: £8.50 Crew cut: £6.50 Senior Citizen: £6.50 Under 5s: £6.50 Saturdays: all cuts £12 Open Mon, Tue, Wed, Fri: 9.30am to 5pm Sat: 7.30am to 4pm, Thur & Sun: closed

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not secured a place to research places on alternative courses. After the exam results are published, official university vacancy lists can be found on www.ucas.com or in The Telegraph. Twitter @ucas_online gives access to useful information updates. Seek advice from your school or an education consultant. Their familiarity with the Clearing system will assist you to quickly find courses of interest. Vacancies get snapped up so it can be useful to have expertise to support you, in being effective in moving forward with anything that interests you. Keep an open mind. You don’t need to stick to your original course of study and may find alternative courses that didn’t occur to you previously. Contact universities with courses of interest as soon as possible. Have your exam results, your UCAS personal ID and Clearing number to hand. You will find your Clearing number will appear automatically in your personal UCAS account. You will have the opportunity to speak with the admissions tutor to

ask questions about the course. Tell them a bit about yourself and why this course interests you. Prepare a few questions in advance and make sure you have practised selling yourself over the phone. Try the lift test. If you had one minute in the lift to tell them why they should offer you a place, what would you say? Ideally you should visit the university campus before making a final decision, but be prepared to verbally accept or decline an offer on the spot. With this in mind, it’s a good idea to telephone the universities in order of your preference for the courses they’re offering. Good Luck

l Catherine Stoker is Managing Director of the Independent Education Consultants, offering advice for parents on all aspects of education - from choosing a school, transition, to career planning and applying to university. For more details, visit: www. independenteducationconsultants.co.uk Blog: http://futureschoolsfairs.blogspot.co.uk

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Needs

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2014

with Katy Dyer

Personal stylist and fashion expert Katy scours our local boutiques and passes on tips and tricks for looking your best, plus the latest news on the high street trends M&S Autograph Coat £199 Autograph Top £39.50 Autograph Trouser £45 Bag £69 Shoes £79

Huggys: Solid 9ct White Gold “Huggy” style Earrings - £275 Hester Clarke, Aylesbury

M&S Collection Top £149 M&S Collection Blazer £110 M&S Collection Trouser £59 M&S Collection Jacket £99 Autograph Shoe £79 Bag £79 Below: Next Blue Trousers £32

Investment Dressing

o the sales are coming to an end and we are starting to see the pre-Autumn/ Winter pieces coming into the shops. But which items do you choose if you want something to last? We’ve all heard less is more but how do you choose timeless pieces that ooze style rather than make a fashion fail? Your investment buys will vary according to your lifestyle and personality but will typically consist of overcoats, suits, jackets, skirts, dresses and trousers - here’s how to get the most out of your wardrobe. Colour When purchasing investment pieces, stick with neutrals - and it doesn’t have to be black! Charcoal, blue, teal, tan and deep greens are great to base you outfit on then add a splash of detail with accessories to reflect your own style personality.

Accessories Add a real touch of class to your wardrobe with a smart watch. Classic leather straps are timeless (make sure to replace if it becomes worn) whilst more contemporary bracelet styles in metal are robust and a modern classic. A great belt will always finish off an outfit. Again, neutrals will be your best choice, so brown, black, navy or tan will make good choices. Stick to a plain buckle to work with the rest of your accessories. Make sure to choose accessories that are balanced with you own scale and proportions.

Fit & care tips for investment dressing: • when investing, rather than Styles looking at the price tag, consider Nothing can beat great tailoring ‘cost per wear’ - a £300 jacket that you in suits and coats. Take time to wear twice a week for three years invest in the best you can afford costs less per wear than a fashion and look for the shapes that are most flattering for your body shape. top for £15 in a sale that you wear Supple fabrics which have drape and once or twice. • don’t overload pockets with movement are perfect for those with phone, change or other personal a more curvy figure. If you have items, they will spoil the line of your a straighter body shape, try more clothes structured material such as linens, • before going shopping, review cottons and tweeds. what you have, and make a list of If you are purchasing a suit, it what you need to keep focused is always a good idea to get two • keep dry-cleaning to a minimum ‘bottoms’ for your jacket. It is likely as the fluids can damage and weaken the suit trousers or skirt will get fibres more wear, and they will probably need cleaning more often too. l Katy Dyer is an award-winning A blazer is always a winner personal stylist and image consultant. in your wardrobe - for men and From her home studio in Thame, she can help you discover the confidence women it will add elegance to any outfit, smartening up jeans or giving to change or develop your personal or professional style and image an air of authority for a dress or whether it’s finding the right outfit for casual shirt and trousers. Shirts & tops With shirts, it certainly pays to get the best quality you can afford. Quality in buttons and stitching will

give a good impression. Keeping the colours neutral rather than bold will also ensure your investment will stand the test of time. Soft whites, blues and crisp fine stripes will make great purchases and work with traditional tailoring in charcoal, black, pewter and navy.

a special occasion or to completely reinvent your look and make the most of you. For more details about the products and services available, visit: www.katydyer.com or email: katy@katydyer.com

Circle of Gentlemen White Shirt £139.95 Gallant, Thame

Hematite: Sterling Silver cufflinks inlaid with Hematite - £195 Lapis: Sterling Silver Cufflinks inlaid with Lapis Lazuli - £160 Hester Clarke, Aylesbury M&S Ladies’ Best of British Stud End Belt £25

0039 Italy Odina blouse, Curve, Wendover £115 M&S Collection Bag £129 M&S Collection Glove £18 Limited Edition Shoe £29.50

i Mehra, Gracie J, Boho Betty, Tina Van Der Velde, no this is not a shortlist of the latest Download Chart contenders, or Radio One’s hot to watch list - they are the labels on White Hart Studio’s stunning selection of Summer jewellery! It’s a ‘mash-up’ as the kids say of funky fashionable fun and sophisticated elegance. From Gracie J’s handcrafted glass and ceramic beads, glazed or dipped in silver, copper or 24-carat gold, threaded onto finest quality leather and beautifully presented on handcrafted felt in stylish boxes, to Boho Betty’s Bohemian chic - friendship bracelets that are more ‘best friends forever’ bracelets - well you’d have to forever love someone who gave you one of these gorgeous leather wrap bracelets or cuffs with precious stones, sparkling crystals, silvery balls and tapering shapes. Tiny Van Der Velde is a silver jewellery maker based in Thame crafting fine silver bracelets and necklaces, studs and rings, see her Les Bulles earrings and Les Couers heart pendant pictured below right. Fi Mehra designs and makes a full range of gem-set rings, bangles, pendants and earrings using silver, gold, gold leaf, sparkling stones and beautiful pearls. That’s her stunning ring and star pendant centre bottom and right and heart bracelet left. There’s lots more to lust over in White Hart’s jewellery cabinets, so a speedy visit is advised and while you are there why not choose a summery top or dress, it’ll look great with your new bangles and beads, tres chic in fact! l White Hart Studio, 15 Churchway, Haddenham, HP17 8AB Tel: 01844 292308 Open Tue-Sat 10am-5pm & Sun 11am-4pm Website: www.whitehartstudio.com www.facebook.com/WhiteHartStudio Twitter: @WhiteHartStudio

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2014

A B C AYLESBURY BULLION COMPANY The Family of Jewellers

11a, High St Aylesbury Buckinghamshire HP20 1SH Tel:

01296 423198

Jewellery designed and produced to your specifications, or choose from our extensive range of new, secondhand and antique pieces. l Diamond merchants (certified stones always available) l Antique restorations l Hand engraving

l Valuations: insurance and (carried out on the premises) l Insurance claims advisors l Complete repair service

probate

Servicing of Rolex, Tag, Omega, Raymond Weil, Gucci etc. Batteries fitted and waterproof testing carried out on the premises. Top prices paid in cash for antique and modern jewellery, watches (especially Rolex), coins, gold, silver, platinum and scrap precious metals. Part exchange available.

11a High Street, Aylesbury, Bucks, HP20 1SH

Tel: 01296 423198 www.aylesburybullion.co.uk

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2014

It’s been a great Summer so far, ideal for a wander around Thame’s lovely shops and a quick trip up Swan Walk to Ella Jane Gifts where the store is packed with tempting gifts and goodies...

ou wouldn’t usually expect to find a giant pink teddy in the window of Ella Jane Gifts. The boutique is better know for an amazing array of gifts, cards, homeware and jewellery at very attractive prices. Sure, there are some cute cuddly toys for younger shoppers but there’s also stylish leather bags, beautiful scarves, fabulous jewellery, picture frames, clocks and some rather gorgeous items of hand-painted shabby chic style furniture! The Giant Teddy is there for you to WIN in a special raffle being run to help raise funds for a local lad with a life-threatening and at times very debilitating illness! RAFFLE4NAT is just £1 a ticket with all money raised going to The Nathanael Armstrong Treatment Trust, an independent trust to help 16-year-old Nat Armstrong who suffers from such severe food allergies that there are very few things he can eat. Nat was a champion swimmer but has been

severely ill this year and has only recently begun responding to some groundbreaking desensitisation treatment for which he needs independent funding to continue. Pop in to Ella Jane Gifts and buy a raffle ticket or, if you don’t have a requirement for a giant Teddy, feel free to donate what you can to help Nat - there are details of how to donate on his website: www.help4nat.co.uk. While online you could also peruse Ella Jane Gift’s online shop which has a selection of gifts you can buy with a click and then either collect from the shop in Thame, or have posted to you. All Gifts purchased will be tissue and ribbon wrapped ready for you, or someone special, to collect or receive through the post. l Ella Jane Gifts, 11 Swan Walk, Thame, Oxfordshire, OX9 3HN Tel: 01844 260865 Email: alison@ellajanegifts.com Website: www.ellajanegifts.com Open: Monday-Saturday, 9am-5.30pm

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2014

Column: Sally Turner‘Fascinating finds’

Empty scents ooze history

ave you ever thought of collecting Antique or vintage scent bottles? They can be purchased from as little as a few pounds up to many thousands of pounds but remember - always buy perfect examples! The oldest proclaimed perfume bottles came from the Ancient Egyptians. The bottles were made of clay at first and later glass. The Romans kept their perfume in hollowed out precious stones to avoid any leakages, as at the time these fragrances were very highly prized. By the thirteenth century it is believed Europeans placed incense and perfume into silver or gold receptacles; handcrafted items, beset with precious stones, which were objects of great desire to be worn about the person or to be displayed in the home. 19th and 20th century scent bottles have long attracted collectors, due to their beautiful shapes and colours. Today there are so many different bottles to collect… from antique, egg-shaped, porcelain

Ruby red glass and silver double scent C1865

Vaseline glass and silver scent bottle C1880

Carved coquille nut and silver scent bottle C1760 Egg porcelain and silver scent bottle by C C May and Sons Chester 1890 scent bottles, to glass and silver, to carved shell, to gold and rock crystal, to vintage Baccarat bottles designed for Dior and Lalique bottles created for Coty - two of the most famous French perfumiers. Perfume bottles have long been given as tokens of love, and were often highly prized and treasured. Interestingly during the fashion

for very slim waists many ‘double scents’ were purchased by fashion conscious Victorian ladies. A red glass and silver double scent bottle is illustrated here, top left. It has two sections - one end of the bottle contained perfume and the other smelling salts, which were used to revive a fainting Lady whose corset was rather too tight!

Sally Turner

Fascinating finds l Sally Turner is an antiques expert with many years of experience. She buys and sells antiques and jewellery at her shop in Wendover. She is an expert in diamonds and precious stones and offers services including: cleaning and repairs of furniture, jewellery, antiques, clocks, oil paintings, enamel and porcelain, remodelling of jewellery and much more... l Sally Turner Antiques, Hogarth House, High Street, Wendover, Buckinghamshire, HP22 6DU Tel: 01296 624402 www.sallyturnerantiques.com Open 10am-5pm Mon-Sat (closed Wed and Sun)

ANTIQUES AT… WENDOVER A Dateline ANTIQUES CENTRE Est. 1987

Hester Clarke Fine Jewellers

Independent Family Jewellers since 1892 Goldsmiths House 10-14 Cambridge Street Aylesbury Bucks HP20 1RS www.hesterclarke.co.uk

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2014

01296 482963

We are a QUALITY ANTIQUES CENTRE offering town and country antiques in a Tudor brick and timber house, with wall paintings and inglenook fireplaces. Park in the Courtyard at the rear, where you will find Garden Antiques, a Tea Shop, the Barn Gallery shops and an artist’s studio. We are open every day from 10am to 5.30pm, Monday to Saturday and from 11am to 5pm, Sundays and Bank Holidays.

An American 8-day Wall Clock by E. Ingraham, C1880.

The Old Post Office, 25 High Street, Wendover, Bucks, HP22 6DU Tel: 01296 625335 Email: antiques@antiquesatwendover.co.uk Website: www.antiquesatwendover.co.uk

141 hell & Gilet

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2014

Companies, clubs and schools can choose from a vast range of personally branded clothing and sportswear these days, but how do you know you are ordering the right teamwear for your needs, or if the supplier you are dealing with can provide the quality and service you require...

imon Lambourne and Nick Hutton run Chiltern Leisure Ltd. The company is based at Milton Common, near Thame and supplies all manner of corporatewear, workwear, schoolwear and sports attire for organisations large and small. You will no doubt have seen their products around the local area - they supplied the rather stylish running shirts for this year’s Thame 10K run - a performance polyester running top with a complicated six colour print of a speeding runner on the front. They supply branded workwear and corporate clothing to companies from Kubota to ASM, from small businesses to national companies such as Farol, CPM and Panasonic to schools and sports clubs such as Thame Swimming Club and Thame Football Club. “We have a huge choice of work clothing available,” says Nick. “Something to suit all trades, from standard items such as T-shirts and polos to suits, shirts, trousers, outer garments, aprons, tabards, hi-vis safety wear, umbrellas, you name it - we can even supply a zip up dog hoodie! “Most of our orders are for personally branded items, printed or embroidered with company, school or club logos and crests, but we can supply unbranded items if required. “We have supplied motor racing teams with badges for their fire resistant suits embroidered in special Nomex fire resistant thread and nonmetallic, carbon umbrellas for corporate golf events, which have to be printed in special heat sealed presses - anything is possible!” Simon and Nick set up Chiltern Leisure six years ago. They knew each other well having worked at the same educational furniture company in Bicester for some 15 years. Nick is from Hampshire and has a retail and

Shirts being embroidered at Chiltern Leisure

Nick and Simon marketing background, while Simon is a local Chinnor lad, who went to Lord Williams’s School in Thame and now lives in the town. He has always taken a keen interest in sport, playing cricket for Aston Rowant and more recently football for Chinnor. While at Aston Rowant he organised some sportswear for the team and realised there was a need for a professional supplier of personalised sportswear in the area. “Once the business was up and running,” says Simon “it lead into schoolwear and then business and corporatewear. We work with established British based suppliers of premier range clothing and then print and embroider items to our clients’ individual requirements, so we are able to guarantee quality throughout and ensure a rapid turnaround.” Chiltern Leisure can supply personalised premium branded sportswear in performance fabrics from labels such as Canterbury, Gilbert, Gray Nicolls, Gunn & Moore, Kookaburra, Nike, Stanno and Surridge or unbranded sportswear of similar quality from Falcon Sport for those clubs and schools that wish to protect pupils from label envy! “We have some great multi-purpose sports shirts for schools,” says Nick, “perfect for hockey, netball, PE and games, which come in

a variety of colour combinations. The rugby shirts are reversible, so you have two shirts in one effectively - ideal for splitting classes into teams to play each other.” Personalisation can be anything from a discrete screen-printed logo, or embroidered crest, to vinyl lettering, digital transfers, or dye-sublimation, which is often used for logo combinations on modern sports shirts made from high performance sports fabrics. Nick and Simon’s service ethic shows in the way they relate to their customers: “Service is very important to us,” says Simon “and our in-house production capabilities give us an edge on the average supplier.” “As a local supplier for local companies we like to go out and see people, face to face,” says Nick. “The most important thing for us is understanding just what a customer’s needs are and with personalised wear there are so many variables, these may be quite complex. We can show the customer samples, advise as to the best options for embroidery and print and supply bespoke samples, so they can see and feel exactly what their finished garments are going to be like. “We may do a whole sizing up exercise providing samples of every size way to ensure the customer knows what to order and that it will fit when it arrives. “We see this as an ongoing partnership and aim to work as an extension of the customer’s organisation. We have just launched an e-commerce site that allows school, club and corporate clients to order additional items simply, online.” “We aim to give good value, a quality product and excellent service at a competitive price,” says Simon. “You won’t get better value or better service than we give here. l Chiltern Leisure Ltd incorporating Chiltern Sportswear, Chiltern Schoolwear and Chiltern Corporatewear, Chilworth Court, London Road, Milton Common, Thame, Oxfordshire OX9 2JY Tel: 01844 338941 Email: enquiries@chiltern-leisure.co.uk Web: www.chiltern-leisure.co.uk Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2014

by Cathy Soughton

The Rose & Crown Tring

nce an old coaching inn, The Rose and Crown on the High Street in Tring was demolished in 1905 and rebuilt by Lord Rothschild of Tring Park as an imposing modern hotel in a mock Tudor style. It is now undergoing another transformation into exclusive apartments designed for the over 55s. A pub has stood on the present site since at least the early 1600s, possibly earlier, as the pub name ‘Rose and Crown’ was common from the Tudor period and symbolised the merger of the royal houses of Lancaster and York under King Henry VII. In the 1700s, coaching inns developed to cater for the increasing number of stage coaches which took passengers between the main towns and London and a daily coach stopped at the Rose and Crown on route to London. In this period the inn’s frontage was level with other buildings on the High Street but it had a large central archway which led through to a courtyard and stables at the rear. The arrival of the railways and

The Rose and Crown, High Street, Tring the opening of a station at Tring in 1837 spelt the end of an era for stage coaches but a railway booking office was opened at the Rose and Crown with a connecting coach for the station. By the late 1800s the inn was being advertised as a commercial and family hotel and the headquarters of the new ‘Bicycle Touring Club’. The hotel also boasted a large billiard room with a resident Billiards Master. Lord Nathaniel ‘Natty’ Rothschild moved to Tring Park in 1872. His extensive estate included the Rose and Crown and numerous other properties in Tring. Like his other relatives in the Vale he made a lasting impact by renovating or building estate cottages and other public buildings. As reported by The Bucks Herald, he was

concerned about the ‘gradual decline of Tring’ and he sought to remedy this by building a first class modern hotel aimed at attracting tourists to the area. He appointed local architect William Huckvale to design the new Rose and Crown and building work commenced in 1905. The new hotel was built with a striking black and white gabled frontage and mullioned oak windows in a mock Tudor style which was in keeping with many of the other Rothschild estate buildings in the Vale. It had a wide semi-circular driveway (where the old inn had stood) and in addition to 20 bedrooms, featured a large banqueting room and various sporting facilities including a squash court, bowling green and tennis court which could be flooded in winter for

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2014

skating. Lord Rothschild rented out the hotel as a ‘Trust House’ to the recently formed Hertfordshire Public House Trust Company, which planned to run public houses where various activities were offered to avoid the ‘temptation of alcohol’. The Rose and Crown developed a reputation for quality and service as part of Trust Houses’s growing portfolio, (subsequently Trusthouse Forte). It was later bought by the owners of Pendley Manor and run as a private family hotel until it closed in 2012. Beechcroft are now converting the Rose and Crown into Rothschild Place – an exclusive development of luxury townhouses and apartments. 11 new homes have been created in the original building, including one converted and two new houses and eight converted apartments, whilst The Gardens comprises 12 new two and three-bedroom apartments. A further seven new homes are being created in The Mews. l Cathy Soughton is a professional genealogist and architectural historian providing family history and house history research in Bucks and adjacent counties: Tel: 01296 624845 Web: www.bucksresearch.co.uk Email: soughton@btopenworld.com

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Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2014

The award-winning Aqua Sana Spa company has recently opened a stunning new state of the art spa facility at Center Parcs, Woburn. “I can do that,” says Andrea Frost...

he new Center Parcs at Woburn bathrobes provided, removing the risk of Forest has just unveiled its leaving valuables behind! As a glasses wearer, innovative and already awardI wondered how I would get around but each nominated Aqua Sana spa. The steam/sauna room has a special rack outside facility is the first of its kind in Europe and to put your glasses in! offers a truly unique and relaxing experience The main Spa area is open and welcoming. with six nature-inspired spas to enjoy. There is foot spa area in which to relax and Center Parcs Woburn is set within 362 choose where you would like to start your Spa acres of Bedfordshire forest and boasts the experience. company’s largest Subtropical Swimming Over two floors there are six unique spas Paradise, along with 625 lodges, a 75 bedroom providing multi-sensory experiences to ensure hotel, six Spa Suites, restaurants, shops, over you completely let go and renew. Choose 100 leisure activities and the AquaSana spa, from: The Fire & Ice Spa, The Blossom which is offering Day Packages and Luxury Spa, The Herbal Spa, The Sensory Spa, Spa breaks to non Parc guests and being only The Mineral & Gemstone Spa and The Salt a short distance to travel by car for Vale Life Spa. The Spa area is modern and beautifully readers, provides luxury pampering almost on designed and looks out onto a secluded Sun our doorsteps! Terrace, a Zen Garden and a The spa combines the Blossom Spa Steam Room stunning Infinity Pool. There are best ideas from Europe’s plenty of relaxation areas and top spas. Construction beds to rest on. Director Don Camilleri, The treatment area has 22 told me that his brief cutting edge treatment rooms was, that it had to be and a good range of pampering the best spa in Europe! and relaxing face and body He travelled to France, treatments and massages Holland, Switzerland, developed for women, men and Germany, Italy and couples plus alternative therapies Austria to get the inspiration for Woburn and such as reflexology. There’s also a Pedicure the concept of bringing different influences Suite, two post treatment relaxation rooms from around the world to one place through a and a Serail Mud Suite. combination of Spa experiences. All the 40 therapists are experienced and I was lucky enough to be invited to be one highly trained and if mine was anything to of the first visitors and was keen to see if the go by, they certainly know their stuff - I new spa really was as good as it sounded. experienced the best massage I have ever had! I needn’t have worried - the large reception Once energised, or relaxed, you can soak up area/boutique is stylish and spacious and the sun on one of the outdoor terraces, take packed full of beauty products such as Elemis, a refreshing dip in the outdoor pool, chill out Decléor and Bliss to buy and try and there is in the tranquil spa garden or make use of the an Express Facial and Manicure area. Fitness Suite or the Vitalie Café, which offers Cashless wristband machines are located a nutritionally balanced and delicious menu of here for Spa guests to charge money onto Mediterranean style dishes, salads, tapas and a wristband - there are no pockets on the paninis, throughout the day. They also do an

Herbal Inhalation Bath

Salt Steam Room

Foot Spa

Outdoor infinity pool at night

ice-cool Strawberry Daiquiri if you prefer! For complete indulgence there are six luxury Spa suites. These are for one night stays, which include a treatment, meals and direct access to the World of Spa. It is not surprising Aqua Sana at Woburn Forest has already been nominated for a Best UK Spa award, it is truly first class. It’s beautifully designed - each spa area was lovely, spotlessly clean and unique, it’s very relaxing, has fantastic facilities and the staff are welcoming and helpful. Spa days start from £69 per person and Luxury Spa breaks start from £249 per person per night. For more information or to make a booking visit www.aquasana.co.uk or call 03448 266 205. l Aqua Sana Woburn Forest, Millbrook, Bedford, MK45 2HZ Tel: 03448 266 205 Website: www.aquasana.co.uk

His and Her’s Massage

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2014

l Column

Amanda Trott

A spa day should be a blissful way to de-stress but sometimes it seems there’s so much to pack in, there’s no time to relax! Perhaps a spa stay is the answer...

fter our trip to Champneys last year we promised we would return for an overnight stay, to really make the most of all the award-winning Tring Health Spa has to offer. With such a vast range of treatments and classes to try, one day just isn’t enough. You need to follow a military style timetable to schedule in all that exercise and relaxation and it can be quite exhausting! So we took the plunge and decided to book ourselves an overnight stay in one of Champneys’ suites (well someone has to do it!). The Spa’s lush, leafy grounds and tranquil setting has you feeling relaxed the minute you turn into the pretty tree lined drive. On arrival we were warmly greeted by the helpful reception team and shown to our luxurious rooms. Our living room had a bowl of the most delicious looking fruit on offer and our fluffy white robes and towels were folded on the sumptuous bed along with goody bags containing some of Champneys’ own brand products. Our ample suite looked out across manicured lawns to the woodland beyond and in the distance we could hear the gentle thwack of ball on racquet as more energetic guests partook in a game of tennis. Feeling like we really had got away from it all, we decided to relax in our suite for a while and peruse the Activity Schedule and the Spa Treatment and Wellbeing Guide, so we could plan any treatments we fancied around the classes we wanted to try. The activities on offer included Pilates, Yoga, Zumba, Aquafit, Circuits and Body Stretch, to name but a few. There were also some we were keen to learn more about including Body Sculpt ( toning and strengthening with small weights and resistance bands to improve your posture and define your shape) Barre Workout (a combination of dance and Pilates) and Fitsteps,

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2014

a form of exercise based around ballroom dancing. If you are the outdoors type there is of course tennis but you can also join an instructor and make the most of the Garden Walk or Long Hike or even take out a bicycle. The spa does of course have an air conditioned gym and a large pool as well for guests to use. The list of treatments on offer is staggering, ranging from a vast array of face and body treatments by Decléor, Carita and Elemis through to Wellbeing sessions in Acupuncture, Bowen Technique and Alexander Technique, to name just a few. You can also have Colour Analysis, Hypnotherapy, Iridology and Life Coaching among other things. All this to fit in along with breakfast, lunch and dinner too you’re beginning to now see why an overnight stay was needed!

Deciding to focus on the relaxation side of our stay we chose to take part in a Yoga and a Pilates class which were both excellent and catered for our inexperience very well. We also enjoyed a Stretch and Relax Class each day, taken by different instructors who lead us through a variety of weird and wonderful ways to stretch and lengthen tired, stressed muscles. A Deep Tissue Muscle Massage followed and we both came out feeling fabulous after 55 minutes of kneading with dynamic blends of essential oils. Constantly standing on my feet made me consider ‘Foot Heaven’, 55 minutes of exfoliation, massage and a paraffin wax treatment but in the end, feeling tense in my neck and scalp I chose an Indian Head Massage. My lovely therapist massaged my neck and shoulders and then

gave me a reviving scalp massage followed by a soothing face massage using pressure points and drainage techniques. We also managed to fit in a session in the warm, mineral rich Thelassotherapy pool with its jets to stimulate and tone tired aching muscles, which was fun and quite relaxing and then braved the rain for a quick splash in the outside Jaccuzzi. At some point during all this rest and relaxation we found time to enjoy the wonderful food Champneys has on offer. Lunch is an amazing buffet of delicious and appetising salads served alongside some lovely hot choices. Dinner is served fairly early in the evening to allow time to attend one of the interesting talks that are often on offer afterwards. The menu offers a small but appetising choice of three courses and again the food is delicious, healthy and varied but this time served by the friendly waiting team - you’re even allowed wine! Champneys at Tring is a wonderful place to stay to get away from it all. The rooms are very comfortable, the food is great and it is up to you to do as much or as little as you like. Lying on one of the loungers, conveniently located outside our suite, would have made me happy, if it hadn’t been for the rain, but taking part in some of the excellent classes and then snoozing my way through a variety of treatments wasn’t too bad either! l Champneys, Chesham Road, Wigginton, Nr Tring, Hertfordshire, HP23 6HX Reservations / booking: 0843 3162222 Email reservations@champneys.com Website: www.champneys.com l Amanda is a talented and experienced, Vidal Sassoon trained hair stylist. If you would like your hair cut, styled or coloured by Amanda she is available in Thame from Mondays through to Thursdays at Eclipse Hair Design. Call 01844 260062 to book or arrange a free consultation.

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Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2014

hame salon Eclipse Hair Design has been buzzing even more than usual of late, following an inspiring visit and workshop from ‘stylist to the stars’ Andrew Barton, pictured above, one of the most experienced and highly regarded figures in hairdressing. Resident hairdresser on the UK’s hit makeover show ‘10 Years Younger’ and creative head of his own Andrew Barton Hair Group, Andrew’s instinct for trend forecasting and signature style of ‘hair beauty’ is in demand all over the world, but he is also famous for his down-toearth approach to hairdressing and passion for transforming the hair of ‘real’ women, creating beautiful, feminine, wearable styles rather than conceptual looks.

Above and opposite page: Andrew Barton demonstrates cutting techniques to stylists at Eclipse Hair Design, Thame “Having Andrew in the salon for the day was totally amazing,” says Eclipse manager Vicki Krol. “It was designed as a motivational, training day and it certainly worked, we’ve all benefitted a lot. “He started with a meeting for myself and salon owner Louise in which we discussed running a salon, related ideas and tips, which was really good. Then he met the staff and talked about his career and we all asked him questions, which was fun - he had some great stories from working on hair for celebrities behind the scenes at photoshoots. Apparently he had to crouch, hidden on the floor in the back of a soft top sports car for one advert, so he could pop up between takes and pat the models hair back down - it’s not all

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glamour being a c’leb stylist! After lunch we got the headblocks out and had a training session during which he showed us all techniques for cutting the bob style, which is popular at the moment. All the girls enjoyed it very much. Andrew was really nice and very down to earth, it was a very inspiring day, very motivational. I think Andrew enjoyed his day in Thame too, away from the hustle and bustle of his Covent Garden Salon. He sent us a lovely email saying he had found it quite inspiring himself! “I really enjoyed my day at Eclipse Hair Design,” says Andrew. “Their staff are charming and the salon has an atmosphere of quality and success. They also have a team of

New at Eclipse!

Andrew with Eclipse team

hair experts with great energy who have a passion to do the best for their clients. “It was an inspirational day and I hope by exchanging business practice ideas and sharing new techniques I have helped the salon to fulfil its philosophy of developing and educating the team.

Here at Eclipse Hair Design we are very excited to announce that we have taken on a fantastic NEW brand - Pureology! Pureology’s mission is to provide professional hair colourists and our clients with the highest quality colour care products to enhance radiance and dramatically improve hair condition. Pureology focuses on colour protection, has Anti Fade Complex, zero sulphates and is 100% vegan. Pureology respects the environment while delivering longer lasting hair colour - guaranteed! Please ask in salon for details.

Eclipse Hair Design, 56 North Street, Thame, OX9 3BH Tel: 01844 260062 Web: www.eclipsehair-design.co.uk Email: info@eclipsehair-design.co.uk Follow us on Twitter: @eclipsethame and Facebook Eclipse Hair Design

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Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2014

A silver wedding anniversary is a very special occasion - you should probably be awarded some kind of medal, but ‘a stay at the seaside will do nicely,’ says Vale Life’s Andrea Frost...

ylesbury Vale is about as far from the sea as you can get in England, so it can be a bit of journey for us to enjoy it! However a visit to Lyme Regis on the Dorset Coast is certainly worth the effort! Part of the Jusassic Coast, Lyme Regis is an idyllic seaside town with winding streets full of quaint shops, higgledy picture-postcard cottages and views of the iconic Cobb (made famous by the film version of The French Lieutenant’s Woman with Meryl Streep) snaking out into the sea! It was from here our ships were sent to defeat the Spanish Armada in 1588. Nestled above the Bay overlooking the pretty harbour and beautiful beaches sits the Alexandra Hotel. A hotel since 1901, the Alexandra is set in stunning private gardens with views of the World Heritage Coast and cliffs of Lyme Bay. Here you can stay in a seaview room, beautifully decorated in typically English style, with lovely en suite bathrooms and sumptuous beds. With an award- winning wine cellar and restaurant, the Alexandra can also host a truly memorable fine-dining experience. The Head Chef at the Alexandra believes in sourcing seasonal locally sourced produce from nearby farms and has been received a Gold Award for Green Tourism and the Taste of the West 2014 title. The vegetables are grown at Trill Farm in Axminster and the ever so fresh fish is landed at nearby Brideport. British, Furleigh Estate wine is a feature of the extensive wine list on offer.

Fine dining and seas views at The Alexandra I was lucky enough to stay and dine here and chose Pan-seared Lyme Bay Scallops.Cauliflower Purée, and Carrot Crisps to start followed by baked Cornish Hake, Polenta, Sweet and Sour Cauliflower and Rocket Pesto. My husband (of 25 years - it was our anniversary!) decided on Seared Sirloin of Exmoor Beef, Potato Puree, Tenderstem Broccoli and Dorset Blue Vinny Cream... he described it as ‘epic and awesome!’ We followed with a Pear and Frangipan Tart and Vanilla Ice Cream and Dark Chocolate Torte, and Raspberry Sorbet and Coulis and a selection of West Country Cheeses. These included Wookey Hole Cave aged Cheddar, Dorset Red and Shapham Elmhirst. The food

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Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2014

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and setting and attentive and welcoming staff all made it a truly memorable Silver Wedding Aniversary! Thank you. Non guests of the Hotel are welcome to dine here for lunch or dinner and can also enjoy a delicious Cream Tea on the lawn or on the ‘Deck’ and take in this quintessentially British seaside town. Watch your scones though as the local Seagulls like them too! Stay a while, sleep in comfort, enjoy the elegant charm and dine in style - we loved it! l The Alexandra Hotel, Pund Street, Lyme Regis, Dorest, DT7 3HZ Tel: 01297 442010. Email: enquiries@hotellexandra.co.uk Web: www.hotelalexandra.co.uk

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Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2014

Where there’s muck there’s brass and one charity is hoping funds will come splattering in with entrants for a new event...

his November sees the launch of a new charity event, which is guaranteed to see you get down and dirty! The inaugural Mucky Mudder takes place on Sunday, November 16th, and is a chance to take part in a fundraiser with a difference. Are you up for the challenge? The Mucky Mudder is a brand new event for 2014 which will really test your endurance and sense of adventure. Hundreds of locals are expected to join the latest craze and take on the 5 mile challenge, tackling various obstacles such as climbing walls and tunnels in the mud, helping to raise vital funds for Rennie Grove Hospice Care in the process. The event takes place at Green Park, Aston Clinton, on Sunday, November 16th, (starting at 10am). Places will be limited and Vale residents are encouraged to sign up early to avoid disappointment. “The response we’ve had so far to this event has been brilliant,” says Gemma Martin, Senior Events Fundraiser at Rennie Grove Hospice Care. “We offer a variety of active events at Rennie Grove each year - such as a sprint triathlon, trail half marathon, cycle challenges and sponsored walks - but we wanted to do something a bit different which has a real fun factor about it. “The Mucky Mudder isn’t a timed race like some of our other events, but is a test of strength and stamina. It promises to be tough, but brilliant fun for all involved, and you’re guaranteed to get muddy! What’s great is that you don’t need to train for it and you don’t have to be an experienced runner to take part, all you need is the willpower to complete the course and some old clothes! “It could also be a great team building exercise and we’re keen for participants to get

Are you ready to muck in for Rennie Grove Hospice Care?

their friends, family and work colleagues together and enter as a group. We’d particularly love to see local businesses taking part so if you think it’s something your colleagues could be interested in, do get in touch and we can provide you with literature and help to get a team organised.” The event’s location, Green Park, is part of the Adventure Learning Foundation family of activity villages, and offers a wide range of outdoor, sporting and conference facilities within 80 acres of land. There is ample free parking available for participants, and there will be food outlets and a bar where participants can purchase well-deserved refreshments after completing the course. “We’re very grateful to everyone at Green Park for allowing us to use their superb facilities as it’s the perfect venue for this event.” said Gemma. “The element of surprise is very much part of the challenge so we don’t want to give too much

away about the course, but rest assured it will be suitably testing and plenty of mud will be involved! “Of course, the event has a serious side to it as well. Every penny raised in sponsorship will help us to continue to care for local patients suffering from cancer and other life-limiting illness, giving them the choice to remain at home with their families. “As with all of our fundraising events, we encourage participants to raise as much money as possible, and we can offer you support and materials to help with this. “There are so many ways to raise money - from cake sales and coffee mornings to car washes and slave auctions - so get creative and help us to carry on caring.” Registration for the Mucky Mudder costs £30 and participants must be 16 years old or above to take part (under 18s must have parental consent). For more information, please visit www.renniegrove.org/ muckymudder or call the Events Team on 01442 820740. l Rennie Grove Hospice Care Website: www.renniegrove.org

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2014

Health & Fitness

Column: Fitness Focus with Maria Bray

Juice is the word F

ive portions of fruit and vegetables a day is a well known nutritional requirement for those concerned about their own and their children’s health – but may not, after all, be enough, according to a new report by scientists, who suggest we should instead be aiming for seven a day, and mostly vegetables at that! Alarmingly for some who thought they were doing the right thing, tinned and frozen fruit may not be helpful at

all! The clear finding was that eating more fresh fruit and vegetables, is linked to living a longer, more healthy life. Eating at least seven portions of fresh fruit and vegetables a day was linked to a 42% lower risk of death from all causes. It was also associated with a 25% lower risk of cancer and 31% lower risk of heart disease or stroke. Vegetables seemed to be significantly more protection against disease than eating fruit, they say! How can this be achieved though, when we lead such busy lives and, if my children are anything to go by, some types of vegetables are

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disguising vegetables that are not usually welcomed by the family! Use a traditional kitchen blender or invest in a purpose made juicer, available from most kitchenware suppliers, which reduces the preparation time as there is no washing or peeling to do. l Juicing workshops are a great way of learning the best combinations to get the maximum benefit and these are held regularly at the Belmore Centre in Stoke Mandeville. For more information about Juicing and all things nutritional please contact: Maria Bray Nutritional Therapy 07715414719 or 01296 581561 Email: mjbfood4health@gmail.com Website: www.mariabray nutritionaltherapy.com

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Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2014

Health & Fitness

Column: Fitness Focus with Ewan Alman Aylesbury Cheerleading Academy

Cheer up! W

ith an estimated 40,000 participants, Cheerleading is one of the fastest growing sports in the UK. Most people have a common misconception that cheerleading is just dancing on the sidelines waving pom-poms in the air. In fact, it couldn’t be much further from the truth. Cheerleading has grown to become a hugely competitive and rewarding sport for both males and females. Athleticism, fitness, strength and flexibility are all required to be a successful competitor within the field. As well as the rising number of participants, there are a huge number of spectators who turn out to the various competitions throughout the year to cheer on their favorite team. The annual National Cheerleading Championships regularly attract in excess of 10,000 spectators! Aylesbury Cheerleading Academy (ACA) was formed in 2014 by myself Ewan Alman, Pascale

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Descrettes and Katie Alman. As a coaching team we have in excess of 20 years’ experience as competitive athletes, programme leaders and coaches within the Cheerleading and Gymnastic industries. ACA are the only cheerleading programme in Aylesbury to offer all the disciplines required to become a competitive athlete. We incorporate Gymnastics, Building Stunts, Pyramids, Dance and Performance. At ACA we are totally committed to getting the very best out of our athletes and we champion the idea that this sport helps to develop teamwork, leadership skills, physical fitness, self-confidence, discipline and much more at both recreational and competitive levels. Alongside this we are passionate about developing technically perfect skills within a safe and fun environment. ACA has classes for all ages from 4 years to adult. For those wishing to become part of our cheer family, ACA are pleased to

Katie Alman, Descrettes Ewan Alman and Pascale

announce that we will be holding tryouts for our competition squad on Saturday 20th September 2014 between 9am and 11am. This will take place at our regular training venue (Aylesbury Vale Academy, Berryfields) and will be an exciting opportunity for anyone interested in the sport to come and try out. Alternatively, if you just want to give cheerleading a go but not compete, then please get in contact to register for your FREE trial session for our recreational classes. For any further information about Aylesbury Cheerleading Academy please get in touch. l Aylesbury Cheerleading Academy Tel: 07958 144241, 07703 661972 www.aylesburycheerleading academy.co.uk Email; info@aylesburycheerleading academy.co.uk Facebook.com/aylesburycheer

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Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2014

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Exercise oror full healthy lifestyle coaching available Exerciseonly only full healthy lifestyle coaching available Joanna Beardsmore-Dilks Joanna Beardsmore-Dilks

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Let’s Glow Let’s « Glow Let’s Glow

Current Classes include: Current Classes include: High Intensity Interval Training, Aerobics, Current Classes include: Aerobics, Fitsteps™, High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), Bootc Fitsteps™, Bootcamps and Kettlebells. Aerobics, Fitsteps™, High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), Bo

Morning Classes: Fairford MorningLeys Classes: Fairford Leys Morning/ Classes: Fairford Leys Evening Classes: Bedgrove Junior School Fairford Leys /School/Fairf Evening Classes: Bedgrove Junior School/Sir Henry Floyd Grammar Evening Bedgrove Junior School/Sir Henry Floyd Grammar School/ Sir HenryClasses: Floyd Grammar School / Mandeville School

“I really enjoy the class atmosphere” “6 yearsMark of friendship” Jill “I really enjoy the classMark atmosphere”

“I really enjoy the class atmosphere” Mark Jill “6 years of friendship” Jill “6 years of friendship”

Find a class near you...

EASTER TENNIS CAMPS 2014

T: 01296 485933

For more details on our classes contact Jo:

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Exercise only or full healthy lifestyle coaching available

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Let’s Glow

Current Classes include:

Aerobics, Fitsteps™, High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), Bootcamps and Kettlebells. Morning Classes: Fairford Leys

Exercise only or full healthy lifestyle coaching available

WEEK 1 EASTER TENNIS COME AND Glow PLAY Let’s CAMPS 2014

Evening Classes: Bedgrove Junior School/Sir Henry Floyd Grammar School/Fairford Leys/Mandeville School

Joanna Beardsmore-Dilks

Current Classes include:

“I really enjoy the class atmosphere” Mark

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“Love Fitsteps, feeling great” Carole

Aerobics, Fitsteps™, High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), Bootcamps and Kettlebells.

at MondayWEEK April 7tTENNIS h1- Friday April 11th

For more details on our classes contact Jo:

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E: joanna.beardsmore-dilks@outlook.com

Morning Classes: Fairford Leys

Evening Classes: Bedgrove Junior School/Sir Henry Floyd Grammar School/Fairford Leys/Mandeville School

Aylesbury and “I really enjoy the class atmosphere” Mark Aston Clinton WEEK 2 Morning Classes: Fairford Leys Current Classes include:

Aerobics, Fitsteps™, High Training (HIIT), Bootcamps and Kettlebells. Monday AprilIntensity 7th - Friday AprilInterval 11th

WEEK 2

“6 years of friendship” Jill

“Love Fitsteps, feeling great” Carole

Monday April 14th - Thursday April 17th

For All Ages & Abilities,

T: 01296 485933 School E: joanna.beardsmore-dilks@outlook.com For more details on Grammar our classesSchool/Fairford contact Jo: Evening Classes: Bedgrove Junior School/Sir Henry Floyd Leys/Mandeville A typical day at camp includes:

Monday April 14th - Thursday April 17th

beginners performance players • Learning how to playto and score • Lots of fun and games Tots / Minis Juniors / AdultsJill “I really enjoy the class atmosphere” Markdrills / “6 years of friendship” • Racket skills and practice

“Love Fitsteps, feeling great” Carole EASTER TENNIS • Competitive matches... One to one sessions are available, please CAMPS on book now! T: 01296to 485933 E: joanna.beardsmore-dilks@outlook.com For more detailscall classes contact Jo: 826130 Aontypiourc•alJames day10% atDiscount camp2014 inclforu07834 des:siblings

Grouppick sessions WEEK 1coaching up until 4pm available for just from £5 to £95 • Early drop off from 8.30am and late

• Learning how to play and score Monday • Lots of April fun and14thgames- Thursday April 17th • Learning how to play and score • Lots of fun and games • Racket skil s and practice dril s • 10% Discount for siblings • 15% discount for a second course • Competitive matches. . Contact: James Woodwards

(full term fee includes a junior £4 per hour! Monday April 7th - Friday April 11th

membership to Aylesbury Tennis Club)

NEW2FOR 2014 WEEK A typical coaching session includes: • 25% Passport to leisure discount

A typical day at camp includes: • • • •

Learning how to play and score Lots of fun and games Racket skills and practice drills Competitive matches...

• 10% Discount for siblings

Mobile: 826130 • Early drop off07834 from 8.30am and late pick up until 4pm available for just Email: info@jwtcoaching.com £4 per hour! Website: www.jwtcoaching.com

• 10% Discount for siblings • Early drop off from 8.30am and late pick up until 4pm available for just £4 per hour!

NEW FOR 2014 VENUES: Aylesbury Tennis Club, HP21 9NJ • 25% Passport to leisure discount and Aston Park Tennis Club, HP22 5HL

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2014

“L

E: joanna.beards

T: 01296 485933

07889 905678 www.swimkidz.co.ukExercise only or full healthy lifestyle coaching available Joanna Beardsmore-Dilks tracey@swimkidz.co.uk For more Let’s details Glow contact Jo: 01296 485933 www.facebook.co.uk/swimkidz Email: joanna.beardsmore-dilks@outlook.com

“Love

Step inside by Polly Gibbs

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2014

The devil is certainly in the detail when it comes to home accessories - master the alluring art of arranging them for a little bit of heaven at home, says Polly Gibbs...

Polly Gibbs

Step inside

Polly Gibbs, Creative Director at Coco Design, shares her down to earth approach to interiors, from design secrets to trends and everything in between.

Symmetry or asymmetry, that is the question! Pic: Kelly Hoppen

urrounding ourselves with things we love generates a sense of comfort and security. They remind us of happy times, places we’ve been or simply bring us joy when we look at them. These focal points are important in keeping a space alive, so it’s worth really taking some time to consider these little vistas and how they relate to the bigger picture. Accessories can emphasise a room’s good points and transversely, hide a myriad of weak ones. They add personality, spirit and unique character to a space - whether it’s showhome chic or mid-century modern, collections of things maketh the home. More than likely you have a fair few niknaks already, so it’s really important to edit these down to key favourites that have a visual or textural relationship to one another. Whilst some will have sentimental value, it is ok to store them if they just don’t work in the room right now. When it comes to selecting objects, do some window shopping first to discover what 48

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2014

works for you. A moodboard, a montage of ideas, is the best way to map out your look and keep on track when shopping. Do you like pieces with some emotional resonance - maybe art, antiques or hand

crafted souvenirs? Or perhaps you prefer to shop with a specific theme in mind? Being your authentic self will make choosing easier and avoid a scheme that feels contrived. Consider pieces in terms of their shape, size, material and colour - the trick is to have a good mix, so they’ll be interesting when placed together. It’s also useful to decide if you like order, that is, perfect symmetry, or prefer a looser asymmetric style, as this will feed into the type of arrangement that works for you. There isn’t a right or wrong here because style is intensely personal; it is however, very much about how the objects are displayed. Arranging objects is all about composition

Repetition maximises impact. Pic: Kelly Hoppen

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2014

Pic: Kelly Hoppen - literally ‘putting together’, the organisation of items with conscious thought. The key to objects ‘working’ is harmony, the way they interact with each other Continued on page 50

Play with heights, shapes and textures . Pic: Kelly Hoppen

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Providing advice and installations to private customers, professionals and contractors for over 25 years Extensive experience with thatched, heritage and listed buildings. Unrivalled customer service through the commitment of our family team.

stylish

exceptionally

Oxfordshire • Buckinghamshire • Hertfordshire • Berkshire • and beyond Contact us to book your free home survey or to visit our showroom to see the stoves in action. Stoves

•

Installations

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Servicing

North Mill Road Bledlow Bucks HP27 9QP 01844 342400 info@northmillstoves.co.uk www.northmillstoves.co.uk Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2014

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2014

Step inside by Polly Gibbs

Continued from page 49 and the backdrop is as important as the objects themselves. Very ornate or decorative pieces are best appreciated against plain backgrounds; ‘Bringing your vision to life’ place these objet d’arts on mirrors and illuminate with We are a family-run business, based in Aylesbury, with over spotlights to inject real visual 25 years experience within the home improvement industry drama. •Expert Advice Stack, group, layer - play •Professional Fittingwith a mix of heights, shapes •Very Competitive and materials; placing metallic onto wood (mixing up for Residential andfinishes metallics is absolutely allowed!), Commercial workmatt with glossy, roughly •Carpets to suit alltextured next to smooth. Whilst each has a tactile Budgets quality, more important is the Whether you are looking for a conservatory, •Free Quotes sense of contrast that really windows, doors or roofline products, •No Obligation emphasises their differences Buckinghamshire Windows Ltd can help bring your vision to life and prevents a space from falling •Free Parking flat. For a no obligation consultation: 01296 326306 Use colour to punctuate the or email: enquiry@buckswindows.com look, picking up accents from CARPETS • VINYLS • SISAL • STAIR RODS elsewhere to pull the room www.buckswindows.com SAFETY FLOORING • WOOD • BINDING TAPES together.

Charles Huntington Flooring

Charles Huntington Flooring •Expert Advice •Professional Fitting •Very Competitive for Residential and Commercial work •Carpets to suit all OddBudgets numbered groupings work best and repetition is a brilliant •Free Quotes little trick for maximising impact, •NoforObligation especially contemporary schemes. •Free Parking

Charles Huntington Flooring

Opening Times: Monday to Friday 10am until 5pm Saturday 10am until 4pm. Any other time by appointment

Arrange identical objects like vases in a row either symmetrically

•Expert CARPETS • VINYLSAdvice • SISAL • STAIR RODS SAFETY FLOORING • WOOD • BINDING TAPES

•Professional Fitting Tel: 01296 337181 Mob: 07767370067 •Very Competitive Web: www.charleshuntington.co.uk Tel: 01296 Mob: 07767370067 for337181 Residential and 23 DUCK FARM COURT, STATION WAY, AYLESBURY, HP20 2SQ Web: www.charleshuntington.co.uk Commercial work DUCK FARM COURT, STATIONvinyl, WAY, AYLESBURY, HP20 2SQ WE WILL NOT BE BEATEN ON QUALITY OR SERVICE l Independent, family run carpet l Carpet, sisal, coir, hardwood l Extensive range of23traditional Charles Huntington Flooring to suit all and flooring specialists l Exclusive suppliers of Roger Oates and contemporary flooring •Carpets Charles Huntington Flooring Charles Huntington Flooring WEcan WILL NOT BE BEATENyet ON hard-wearing QUALITY OR SERVICE •Expert Advice Charles Huntington Flooring beautiful runners l Expert fitting service at competitive prices - we Budgets and rugs in our local area l Domestic and commercial match or better your quote •Expert Advice Charles Huntington Flooring Providing advice and installations •Expert Advice •Expert Advice•Free •Professional Fitting •Expert Advice to•Professional private customers, professionals and Fitting Quotes •Expert AdviceFitting •Professional •Professional Fitting contractors for over 25 years •Professional Fitting •Very Competitive •No Obligation •Professional Fitting for Residential and •Very Competitive •Very Competitive •Very Competitive •Very Competitive Extensive experience with Commercial work for Residential and for Residential and for Residential•Free and •Very Competitive Parking thatched, heritage and listed buildings. Commercial work for Residentialwork and Commercial Commercial work

Charles Huntington Flooring •

Opening Times: Monday to Friday 10am until 5pm S TA LL AT I NSaturday 10am until 4pm. Any other time by appointment

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for Residential •Carpets to suit and all Commercial work •Carpets to suit all Budgets Opening Times: Monday to Friday •10am 5pm CARPETS VINYLSuntil • SISAL • STAIR RODS CARPETS • VINYLS • SISAL • STAIR RODS CARPETS Saturday • VINYLS • SISAL • STAIR RODS CARPETS • VINYLS SISAL • Any STAIRother RODS SAFETY FLOORING • WOOD • BINDING TAPES until•RODS 4pm. time•Free by appointment CARPETS • VINYLS • 10am SISAL • STAIR SAFETY FLOORING • WOODQuotes • BINDING TAPES SAFETY FLOORING • WOOD • BINDING TAPES SAFETY FLOORING • WOOD • BINDING TAPES SAFETY FLOORINGTel: • WOOD • BINDING TAPES Opening Times: Monday to Friday 10am until 5pm 01296 337181 Mob: 07767370067 Opening Times: Monday to Friday 10am until 5pm •No Obligation 10am until 4pm. Any other time by appointment Opening Friday 10am until 5pmSaturday Opening Times: to Friday 10am until 5pm OpeningTimes: Times:Monday Mondayto to FridayMonday 10am until 5pm Saturday 10am until 4pm. Any other time by appointment Web: www.charleshuntington.co.uk Saturday 4pm. Any by appointment Saturday until time 4pm. Any other time Tel: by appointment 07767370067 Saturday10am 10amuntil until 4pm.10am Any other other time by appointment Tel:01296 01296 337181 337181 Mob: Mob: 07767370067 Tel: 337181 Mob:337181 07767370067 Tel: 01296 Mob: 07767370067 Web: •FreeHP20 Parking Tel:01296 0129623 337181 Web:www.charleshuntington.co.uk www.charleshuntington.co.uk DUCK Mob: FARM07767370067 COURT, STATION WAY, AYLESBURY, 2SQ Unrivalled customer service through

Commercial work •Carpets tofamily suitteam. all Budgets •Carpets to suit all •Carpets to suit all the commitment of our Budgets •Carpets to suit all Budgets Budgets •Free Quotes • VINYLS • SISAL • STAIR RODS Budgets Oxfordshire • Buckinghamshire • •Free Quotes exceptionallyCARPETS •Free Quotes •Free Quotes •No Obligation Hertfordshire • Berkshire • and beyond •Free Quotes •No SAFETY FLOORING • •No WOOD • BINDING TAPES •No Obligation Obligation •FreeObligation Parking •No Obligation •Free Parking Contact us to book your free home •Free Parking •Free Parking •Free Parking survey or to visit our showroom to see

stylish

the stoves in action.

Stoves

•

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North Mill Road Bledlow Bucks HP27 9QP 01844 342400 info@northmillstoves.co.uk www.northmillstoves.co.uk

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2014

•

Servicing

Symmetrical design Pic: Niki Schafer Dwell-Being

for orderly perfection, or off centre for an unexpected asymmetrical look. Try candles, scent diffusers, vases or just a row of apples on a platter for a simple display. I particularly like a group of

floor standing oversized art as well as various sized framed photos huddled together on a console table, perfect for the hallway or behind a sofa. Picture frames also make great bookends, gather a wide variety of collectibles and place them between books, creating loose symmetry. Remember it’s your home, your sanctuary, the place you store your most treasured possessions and memories. View with your heart as well as your eyes for a space that’s a stylish reflection of you.

l Polly Gibbs is an interior turned homeware designer based in Oxfordshire. Her designs, trend forecasts and expert advice have graced the pages of many a publication, whilst the simplicity of her homeware range delights designers and design lovers alike. www.coco-design.co.uk info@coco-design.co.uk Twitter: @coco_design Facebook.com/cocodesign.style

w Luxury Furniture & Home Accessories w

Get the look this summeR

The Lily Pot Floristry for all occasions

l Bouquets and arrangements for any occasion: anniversaries, weddings, birthdays, Christmas... contemporary or traditional designs l Floral Tributes: Option for bereaved to assist in creating floral tributes for their loved ones l Children’s Parties: Combining nature with arts and crafts skills in a fun atmosphere l Seasonal workshops: see website for details and dates

4 Lakeside, Watermead, Aylesbury, Bucks, HP19 0FX Tel: 01296 708095 / Mobile: 07538 296430 Email:info@thelilypot.co.uk Web: www.thelilypot.co.uk

Herald traditional Sash Windows Handmade in Haddenham

Stable, durable and aesthetically pleasing - Herald Sash Windows incorporating heritage slim, Slenderpane double-glazed units l l

London Cows Ltd, Oak Tree House, 1 Lower Road, Stoke Mandeville, Buckinghamshire, HP22 5UX sales: 01494 372270 / info@londoncows.co.uk

www.londoncows.co.uk

Looks like single glazing l Slim timber glazing bars Ideal for conservation areas l Choice of glass types l Trade and retail enquiries welcome

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2014

Homestyle

by Dee Dashwood

Is it curtains for curtains, or is this fashion for naked frames and minimal window dressing just a case of blind man’s buff? Curtain fan Dee Dashwood takes a peek through the voile...

’ve noted a growing trend for minimalist window dressing; a fashion which has migrated across from the USA, predominantly New England The Wooden Shutter. Now I agree they can look stunning, provide privacy if you live on a busy road and of course are perfect for keeping daylight out of a bedroom during the long days of summer. They can be painted in any shade to suit your scheme and louvred shutters work particularly well in multifunctional spaces as the movable slats allow you to control the light, as demonstrated in this lovely bathroom. Another type of shutter which adds to privacy yet allows a lot of light into a room is the café style shutter. These cover around half of the window height, so stop people being able to look in, yet are fully open at the top to allow light in. Often these will be installed in front rooms and bedrooms and in flats on upper floors if they are overlooked.

Cafe style shutters Whilst these shutters do exactly what it says on the tin, why do you choose them? Simplicity, or is it simply that it’s easy? A ‘no brainer’. Precluding the requirement to choose fabric and style? In my opinion, a window without curtains can make the room feel incomplete and cold. The addition of curtains to a window adds softness and that feeling of luxury. There is 52

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2014

New England bathroom with louvred shutters nothing like a well made pair of curtains to give your room that ‘je ne sais quoi’. We have been using curtains for centuries. Evidence from excavation sites at Olynthus, Pompeii and Herculaneum, shows that a curtain or ‘velum’, what were later called ‘portières’ appear to have been used as room dividers in ancient times. Mosaics from the 2nd to 6th century show curtains suspended from rods spanning arches. Portière is still the name for a hanging curtain placed over a draughty door or doorless entrance to a room. Now not everyone has the kind of budget that stretches to swags and tails, however, there are other options which will give your room a stylish look. Voiles I absolutely love voiles. The term comes from the French for veil and I think they are rather romantic. I agree that they are not efficient at blocking out light, however, they diffuse light and can look absolutely gorgeous as they billow in the breeze. Very Ibiza Chill! Voile panels are readily available in John Lewis or Laura Ashley and if you are of a mind,

Ikea has a range which you can cut to length. Don’t forget that with voiles you can add an attractive curtain rail to dress and provide a polished look. Roman Blinds Roman blinds look great on a wall of windows providing a smart yet relaxed look. The beauty of roman blinds is that they can reflect your colour scheme. These Laura Continued on page 54

These Laura Ashley blinds have panels of material to match the wallpaper on the opposite wall

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Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2014 53 14/07/2014 16:42

Made to measure curtains Continued from page 52 Ashley blinds have panels of material to match the wallpaper on the opposite wall which adds drama to the room when drawn in the evening. In this particular image, there is a sheer roller blind to provide privacy during the day if desired. Roller Blinds Roller blinds are a very simple and

Luxurious bedroom curtains with voile portiere affordable solution to window dressing. There are so many choices on the high street which will give your window an uplift. I like to use them in conjunction with either a voile panel or a readymade/handmade curtain. I dislike â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;netâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; curtains immensely but a sheer roller blind does wonders for a window. One because you can roll it up and down to provide natural light and if using as a sheer looks great at the window framed by either a voile or a curtain.

Made to measure Yes they can be costly but the initial investment is worthwhile given the long term pleasure and luxury they will provide. A well dressed window complements your home, makes an impression and lifts your decorating scheme. They soften and frame large windows and of course provide insulation in the winter. My personal preference is for curtains rather than shutter, however, if you wish to save some space and leave your interior design looking clean and sharp, shutters are ideal. l Dee Dashwood is a creative, Berkhamsted based interior stylist and founder of Dee Dashwood Interior Style and Design the home of creative interior styling, ideas, guides and workshops. Email: dashers@mac.com Twitter: @thestylegoddess

Colour matching blinds with furnishings 54

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2014

Made to measure curtains

See www.tillynilly.com (details right) for local made to measure curtains and blinds

Column: Penny Harper ‘Thoughts of a small town girl’

It’s a cat’s life! Dear Dad, Thank you for agreeing to look after the cat while I’m away. I am sure you will have a lovely time together and will get to know each other’s little nuances. I’ve just jotted down a few notes to help ease you through the process. I’m sure you will both be fine. Introducing Bozzy. Bozzy may look like a very large cat but he is under the illusion that he is a dog. Whether you decide to indulge this or not is up to you. He will assume that he is accompanying you on every car journey you make. Please check all car seats and the boot before departing to avoid any hairy ‘ta-da!’ moments halfway up the M40. Feeding the Bozzy Bozzy has two scheduled meals a day (morning and evening) and countless unscheduled meals throughout those 24 hours. These include shrew heads (he doesn’t like the bodies), mice, the top half of rabbits, and birds (whole). You will know when he has been snacking between meals because it will look as though a teeny-tiny

led to him being tagged. The addition of the stretchy collar and bell in more recent, enlightened times HAS lowered autopsy has been carried out on the his bird intake, and subsequent vomiting fits in the middle of the cream carpet in the living room. night. However, the bell does seem You will know when he has eaten a to act as some kind of mouse bird, because he will wait until you are asleep and then vomit it up onto magnet, in the same way that the your duvet. He has some issues with ice cream van attracts children. General Hygiene the legs. Bozzy likes to stand on Exercising the Bozzy the sink and watch you as Bozzy will accompany you take a bath. Don’t let you on most walks him put you off but also, choosing to make don’t be tempted to his saunter more pull the shower curtain entertaining by across as he is likely running ahead, hiding to see this as a direct in the long grass and invitation to dive at the then attacking your aforementioned curtain ankles. Bozzy likes to and plunge into the hunt and, like Cato, will water with you. hide in cupboards, on top Bozzy’s Bedtime of shelves and under beds Bozzy Bozzy likes to keep fairly and sofas for the thrill of regular hours, meaning he will making you scream like a little girl regularly wake you up at four-thirty when he claws you. in the morning and he will most He loves to play-fight and heads likely do this by depositing a live are his favourite target. Do not be mouse in your bed. I find that if tempted to bat him away, as this you spend time searching for the only seems to spur him on. mouse, Bozzy will take this as a Bozzy’s Bell sign that you are up and it’s now Bozzy used to be collar-free, breakfast time. However, if you but bad behaviour and the tragic blackbird massacre of Spring 2014 ignore said mouse, Bozzy will then

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2014

Penny Harper

Small Town

Girl

begin searching on your behalf, by frantically batting the duvet with his paw until he hears a squeak. It’s completely up to you which course of action you decide to take. Bozzy’s Downtime. Bozzy is like a big teddy bear and loves affection. His favourite cuddles involve putting a paw either side of your head… and then biting. The more he does this, the more comfortable he is with you being around. It means he loves you too. Enjoy him! And see you in six weeks. P.S. The vacuum might need emptying…it’s a bit full of feathers.

tillynilly creative interiors BLINDS AND SOFT-FURNISHINGS – free measuring and quotation: assistance with choosing appropriate products and installation available INTERIOR DESIGN SERVICE - tailored to your needs: from plan to completed design or help with finishing off your look Made to measure services include: • Wood Blinds • Romans • Curtains • Venetians • Rollers • Verticals • Room Dividers • Bench and Scatter cushions Re-upholstery and fabric supply also available

01844 220035 tillynilly.com info@tillynilly.com Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2014

Win a clay pigeon shooting session

he Oxford Gun Company at Oakley, near Thame, is a gun shop, country clothing store and shooting school catering for everyone from novices to experienced shots. Set in some 250 acres of beautiful Buckinghamshire countryside it boasts a converted 17th century barn for a shop and a huge meeting place/conference centre/ function room in a second barn. The award winning family-run shooting school provides everything that shots of any level and experience could need, from the first-time-shot through to the experienced shot looking to brush-up on their skills for the shooting season - and all in a relaxed environment with full time, friendly, professional and experienced

coaches. The shooting stands are all covered, so guests can shoot in comfort, whatever the weather and the course layout is changed every month to keep it interesting for regulars. It is the only shooting ground to have twice won the title of No.1 Shooting Ground in Britain in the Shooting Industry Awards. The Oxford Gun Company is run by Doug and Shirley Florent, son David and daughter Nicky: “We cater for everyone,” says Doug, “but we’ve always tried to encourage beginners to come along and see how much fun shooting can be. We’ve had over 20,000 new shots try our ‘Have-a-go’ days and nearly half these are ladies. “The days are on the first Saturday

of each month - you can book up to a few days before. You get 25 cartridges, 25 clays, use of a shotgun, all safety equipment and half-anhour with an instructor. Ladies and teenagers are particularly welcome (minimum age 12 years) all for only £25 per person.” As you can imagine these ‘Have-ago’ days are very popular, so it’s best to book up well in advance. More experienced shots can do ‘pay and play’ during the week with targets to suit their abilities and occasional coaching if required. The Oxford Gun Company also caters for Stag and Hen parties, Corporate Days and Special Events. If you’d like to be in with a chance of winning four ‘Have-a-go’ day

vouchers, so you and your family, or friends can experience a clay pigeon shooting session at The Oxford Gun Company, simply email your name, address and telephone number, along with the answer to the following question to: editor@vale-life.co.uk Where is The Oxford Gun Company located? Winner to be drawn at random from correct entries and notified by email by Sept 14th, 2014. l The Oxford Gun Company, Jericho Farm, Oxford Road, Oakley, Buckinghamshire, HP18 9RG Tel: 01844 238308 Websites: www.oxfordguncompany.co.uk www.theschoolschallenge.co.uk www.oxfordcountryclothing.co.uk

Town promises food, glorious food!

utumn is the ideal time to visit a food festival and this year on Saturday 27th September, the pick of the crop will be on show at Thame Food Festival. Raymond Blanc, Adam Simmonds, Shaun Dickens, Sophie Grigson and a fabulous double act from ‘the boy who bakes’ Edd Kimber and John Whaite, winners of the BBC’s Great British Bake Off, will all be highlights at this most tasteful of events. On the day you can ride into town on an original London Routemaster Double Decker Bus - possibly even

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2014

driven by festival compère Ken Bruce from BBC Radio 2 - and wend your way through the pretty market town whose streets will be packed on the day with over 150 stalls of local and artisan produce. The first Thame Food Festival was in 2008 introduced to promote and celebrate the wealth of wonderful food producers, food retailers, chefs, food and drink experts, restaurants and cafés in the local area and this remains the ‘raison d’etre’ of the event. It also showcases the beautiful historic market town of Thame. The Festival has grown each year and in 2012 was formally constituted as a Not-for-profit Community Interest Company, CIC. Expect all manner of edible and quaffable delights from cured meats and salamis, to chillis, local ales, healthy organic vegetables and naughty but nice homemade brownies. From Filipino fusion to hot smoked beef rolls from the grassy hills

between Boarstall and Brill, authentic Moroccan dishes and cruchy granola, there will be something for all tastes. Try your hand at sausage making or Italian cookery (Cici-Coco have a pasta-making workshop at The Swan) at one of the many handson workshops, which include sessions for teenagers and young foodies too. Learn how to bake perfect loaves of bread and become proficient at wine tasting. Sessions run all day at a number of locations throughout the festival and

can be booked in advance by going to the web site www.thamefoodfestival. co.uk Festival ambassador Raymond Blanc says: “The Thame Food Festival is a special day in my calendar and a day I truly love. Being festival ambassador is one of my passions. How wonderful it is to have seen the event grow from modest beginnings to the fantastic celebration of local and artisan food and drink it is today. Bon appétit.” Enjoy a bumper harvest at Thame Food Festival, a fantastic free foodie day out for all the family. The festival takes place from 9am-5pm on Saturday 27th September in Thame town centre. l For more information please go to www.thamefoodfestival.co.uk

‘The Art of Wood Burning’

JØtul “fighting the cold since 1853”

The most comprehensive showroom in Oxfordshire Over 75 stoves and 15 under fire on display Kiln dried and Eco logs

Jøtul – logo

HETAS registered. Ample free parking. Boundary Business Park, Wheatley Road, Garsington, OX44 9EJ Showroom open Monday-Friday, 10am-4pm, Saturday 10am-1pm For technical advice it is advisable to make an appointment

01865 361505 www.manorhousestoves.co.uk Featured stoves from JØtul Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2014

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2014

We all know what a skip is, but have you ever wondered where your rubbish ends up after it’s carted away? It is no longer buried in the ground but sorted and recycled, where possible, at a waste transfer station. ‘These are the new urban mines’, says Tricia Murray of Bucks Recycling...

kip hire being a fairly manly pursuit, it may surprise some to find that Westcott based waste disposal firm, Bucks Recycling is run by mother and daughter team, Tricia and Francesca Murray. The company was established by Tricia at Worminghall in 2000 and moved to their current, larger site on Westcott Venture Park, in 2012. On the surface Bucks Recycling offers reliable, professional, competitively priced skip hire, waste management and waste disposal services for domestic and commercial customers. Behind the scenes though Bucks Recycling is a state of the art waste transfer station where your overflowing skip is unloaded and the contents, sorted, cleaned, packed and recycled. “We mostly catered for domestic waste when we first started,” says Tricia, “but over the years the commercial and industrial sides have developed. We now recycle over 99% of waste collected - hardly anything goes to landfill, as Energy for Waste (EFW) incinerators now convert all residual waste to energy which means zero landfill. This appeals to many companies today, who want their waste reused and not going into landfill and we can issue waste reports that show just how environmentally friendly they are being. “There’s a shortage of landfill and a shortage of raw materials in the world today but we can sort, clean and process materials such as plastic and cardboard, so they can be used again rather than buried in the ground. Waste Transfer Stations have become modern day urban mines.” Since moving to Westcott, Bucks Recycling has invested in the latest recycling equipment, including mill size balers, shredders, screeners and crushers, to produce top quality raw materials from waste collected. “The skip comes in and is tipped out onto the floor of the waste station,” says Tricia. “We screen and clean rubble to separate it from any soil and crush it, to be reused as aggregate. “Anything too large for the picking belt is lifted out with a grab and then the waste is sorted into heavy and light piles. It’s lifted onto ramps which shake it like a giant sieve, to separate any soil. 58

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2014

Tricia and daughter Francesca outside the Bucks Recycling office “The remainder goes up a conveyor belt to the picking room, where it’s sorted by hand and metal is extracted with a magnet. Materials such as cardboard and plastic are shovelled up and packed into bales, while wood is shredded. “Cardboard either goes to a papermill or to China, as do plastics, while wood is used to make biomass ecofuel briquettes for heating or power. The one thing that turns up regularly but is awkward to recycle is the mattress! “We try to be as green as we can ourselves. We heat the offices with a boiler that can burn virgin or green timber such as tree stumps and being on Westcott Venture Park, which is aiming to be the greenest industrial park in Britain, our electricity is generated on site from huge fields of solar panels.” Tricia’s family is originally from the West of Ireland, but she grew up in London, went to school in Maida Vale and then worked in recruitment for a company that specialised in the construction industry. She married and gave up her job when Francesca was born but then retrained as a French teacher and taught in secondary schools for several years. Tricia’s husband, who worked in excavations and landscaping, had seen waste transfer stations in operation and decided to set up his own operation. He took a lease on a site but soon realised the location was too far from existing waste carriers to bring in much

business. So the idea of Tricia giving up teaching to start her own skip company and supply his waste transfer station was hatched. “I bought some skips and a lorry,” says Tricia. “I had one driver, one lorry and me. We really did start from scratch!” Fourteen years later Bucks Recycling has nearly 50 employees, 16 lorries, including a 32 ton grab lorry and an impressive waste transfer station. The company works a 25 mile radius covering parts of Bucks, Oxon and Herts including Oxford, Aylesbury, Buckingham, Tring and parts of Wycombe. Tricia’s daughter Francesca, 25, has helped out part-time at Bucks Recycling since she was about 14, and joined her mum full-time about three years ago. “She is a key member of the team now,” says Tricia. “She’s trained in business and as a personal assistant - her first job was working for Lord Levene, while he was Chairman of Lloyds! She now has qualifications in HR and Health and Safety too, so she is a major help in the day to day running of the business. She’s also a trained Cordon Bleu chef! “Many of the staff have been with me for some time - the two original drivers who started with us in 2000 are still with us today. It’s like a big family really. They are mostly local, family people and it is often commented on that our skip drivers are particularly friendly and helpful.”

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2014

Longest serving skip driver Martin Stanford

Belt supervisor Craig, Guntrip, right, and team Tricia and crane operator Johnny Butler

Inside the recycling plant Apparently the drivers can become quite attached to their vehicles and last September, Matthew, a driver who has been with Bucks Recycling for 10 years, married his Brazilian fiancée, Carmem. They wed at his local church in Ludgershall and then Matthew introduced his beautiful bride, Carmem, to his recently christened Skip Lorry ‘Carmem-Lucia’ which was waiting outside. The bride and groom posed for photographs in the specially decorated skip which had a carpeted floor, congratulations banners, pink ribbons and balloons! “All our drivers are professionally qualified Class I or II HGV licence holders,” says Tricia. “They are highly skilled and trained to do a challenging and potentially dangerous job, lifting skips weighing several tonnes and manoeuvring in and out of tight spaces on a daily basis. They have additional Certificates of Professional Competence, covering customer service and the health and safety elements of their work, which are updated annually with training sessions. “In the recycling centre we have ten pickers on our belt, taking out wood, metal and other specific materials, four machine drivers, operating excavators and fork lifts and a baler, baling up sorted materials. “In the office there’s admin staff dealing with accounts, reception, sales and transport. We also have our own workshop to deal with

most of our ongoing vehicle maintenance.” The last 10 years has seen a lot of changes in the waste industry and incredible advancements in recycling technology. Companies such as Bucks Recycling operate to professional standards, their workers are trained, their premises licenced and operations monitored to ensure best practice is adhered to. Any dust, dirt and noise is mostly contained within their sorting plant. “Some people worry about having a waste transfer station nearby,” says Tricia, “but it’s not stinky food waste and garbage like the bin men have to contend with, so there’s no nasty smells involved. “We deal with wood, metal, plastic and brick, it’s fairly clean and will usually be in and out of here in 24 hours. “There is a small amount of noise from some of the machinery but we have just had planning permission granted to build an acoustic soil bund, or mound, around our site, which will help insulate the surrounding area from any sounds.” Bucks Recycling has a comprehensive website (www.bucksrecycling.co.uk) which further describes their services and answers a variety of common questions. “The most common problem we have is people often order a skip that’s too small,” says Tricia. “Once you start clearing out, there’s always more to throw away than you

first thought! A standard skip can hold 6 cubic yards, it’s about 6ft x 4ft and will soon fill up. There’s also 3yd3 mini skips and 4yd3 midi skips available.” Rules and regulations denote that not all waste is suitable for a skip though - a list of what should not be skipped is included in your contract. If you do sneak forbidden items in they will generally be found and you may well be charged extra, or even worse the skip may be reloaded and returned to you! Batteries, gas bottles, plasterboard, tyres and liquids should all be taken to the local council tip. Asbestos needs to be dealt with separately from other waste, so it’s best to call for advice. “We’re not looking to expand any more now,” says Tricia. “we’re happy as we are although we have room for a couple of new drivers. We are always looking to improve the way we do things and see the continued training and development of our staff and investment in recycling technology as the way forward.” If you would like to order a skip or enquire about commercial or industrial waste disposal please contact Trisha as below. l Bucks Recycling Limited, The Old Gatehouse, Westcott Venture Park, Westcott,, Buckinghamshire, HP18 0XB Tel; 01296 651678 Email: sales@bucksrecycling.co.uk Web: www.bucksrecycling.co.uk Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2014

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2014

Pin and Derek with a metal ornamental canon from China

To make the most of your garden you need more than just plants and lawn. Luckily at Bucks Architectural you can find pagodas, planters, statues, seats, mirrors and more, to add that external wow factor, at prices that won’t have you digging too deep...

harp eyed readers will have spotted a hive of activity on the Wendover Road at Weston Turville, where Chiltern View Nursery has put up an impressive new showroom and had their large car park smartly paved. There’s not just plants on offer here though, Bucks Architectural are right next door with a fabulous display of architectural items for your garden - seats, statues fountains, birdbaths, sundials, cast iron busts, figures, plinths and urns, zinc planters, gazebos, arches and arbours, ornamental buddhas, classical statues, planters and figurines, the list goes on! The family business is run by Pin Morgan with help from husband Derek. Pin is from Udon in North East Thailand - the two met when Derek visited her country for a friend’s wedding. She has lived locally for 10 years now and the couple have two children. Derek has been in the garden architecture business since the early 90s and from 2001

Bucks Architectural

to 2007 partnered Mike Meiris in Site 77, at College Road near Tring, (now at Winslow) selling reclaimed building materials - for which Derek developed the garden architecture side. Pin and Derek started Bucks Architectural earlier this year and have created a delightful display of diverse items that will shape, enhance and embellish your garden. “You can come here and spend as little as £3 or splash out on a larger ornament for £1200,” says Derek. “We hope there is something for all tastes. We’re very friendly, we’ll carry heavy items to the car for you and we deliver locally for only £1 a mile!” “Our stone and concrete ornaments are mostly cast in Maidenhead,” says Pin, “and the solid, black, wrought iron metalwork is from Cambridge. Our colourful tin animals and birds have been very popular, we’ve sold lots of cockerals, pheasants, cranes and eagles, they are quite modern in style but unusual and colourful. People like our garden mirrors too. “Our stock is changing all the time and growing too, so it’s always worth popping in for a look.” Bucks Architectural is open seven days a week: Mon-Sat: 9am-5pm, Sun: 10am-4.30pm l Bucks Architectural, Next to Chiltern View Nurseries, Wendover Road, Weston Turville, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, HP22 5GX Tel: 07850 305555 www.bucksarchitectural.com

Cast iron horses head with rust patina

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2014

l Column ‘In the Garden’ with

Naomi MacKay

Lets party! I

t’s that time of year when much of the work in the garden is done - and now it’s time to kick back and relax and enjoy your outdoor space. If you’re planning a summer party or barbecue, here are a few ideas to help make the most of what I hope will be a sunny summer.

This LED Coffee Table from The Glow Company is made from white polyethylene and contains multi coloured LEDs, which glow from within

Tealights and flowers in a bowl can look quite stylish

Lights, action - party! Add atmosphere to your evening garden with solar lights. These are the easiest solution - no wiring required - and the performance is far better nowadays, so if you were put off them in the past, I’d recommend giving them another go. Gardman’s Cole & Bright range has a good selection - I have some very pretty solar fairy lights wrapped simply around an ornamental cherry tree about halfway down the garden - and they’re incredibly effective. I’m also a big fan of their lanterns, which look good during the day and at night.

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2014

The Glow Company (www. glow.co.uk) also has some novel ideas including bottle lights and an illuminated coffee table! And of course for a super budget option simply pop tealights or candles into glass jars and dot them around your garden and borders. They look really effective hung from trees too - simply wrap wire around the top of the jar and create a handle to hang off branches. Continued on page 62

Bottle lights from The Glow Company

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Get some garden games like this Giant Jenga

Continued from page 61 If you have containers without holes in the bottom, fill with water and float candles and a few flowers on the top to great effect. You’ll obviously need to make a judgement call about safety and candles if you have children at the party.

There are all kinds of garden games to enjoy - boules is often popular with all ages, and requires little room if you don’t have much space for running around.

Get your garden looking its best As we head into late summer, many of your early summering Game time plants will be past their best, so pop Everyone can enjoy some good to the garden centre and pick up garden games - let the kids enjoy some container-grown perennials them in the afternoon and once the to fill in gaps. Dahlias are cheerful light fades and the children have - and they’ll keep on flowering until been worn out the adults can take well into the autumn, so are good over! value. I came across a great product If you need to quickly brighten called Grass Graffiti (from up a garden for a party or barbecue, Johnsons), which is a chalk spray. see if you can pick up some readySpray it on your grass (or on walls), planted containers - a couple of to create goals, a football pitch, really well grown containers in full running tracks or targets for balls bloom will have more impact than or lawn darts. Unlike paint sprays trying to eke out a few bedding this does wash off, so feel free to plants in a number of containers write a birthday greeting on the dotted about the garden. lawn if you want! If the weather’s warm, you Set up an obstable course, have can always bring houseplants and a croquet game, run a rounders, conservatory plants out onto the cricket or French cricket game or patio to dress up your seating area. get a giant Jenga game from your garden l Naomi Mackay is a freelance centre. journalist and publisher of a website

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Garden Furniture & BBQs 62

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2014

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Column: Emma Ward‘Country Girl’

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2014

A life on the ocean waves!

ometimes on this usually green and soggy isle, the weather man is proved wrong, and the whole country starts shedding clothing and hauling the barbecue from the depths of the garden shed. This weekend has been one of those occasions! I am sitting here brown as a berry (with a hint of lobster) having returned from a fantastic weekend in the New Forest for my boyfriend’s 30th birthday. I had feared it would be a weekend of thunder storms and monsoon style downpours. Now this sort of weather would usually be disappointing but in our case it would have been disastrous. You see, I had gone all out for the special occasion and chartered a 40ft sailing yacht, berthed at Lymington, for the whole weekend, with the purpose of messing about on the Solent and stopping off for a spot of lunch on the Isle of Wight. The week before I watched the weather forecast like a hawk and was a little nervous when I saw nothing but black clouds and thunder bolts appearing on the tv

Ltdg ugh cin n o e r bo nery & F s i i ach Of R en M

Birthday Boy Cap’n Dale

screen. I couldn’t even share my concerns with Dale, as the whole event was a surprise treat. The day we arrived was gorgeous, but we had a thunder storm during the night and I expected our skipper, Simon to call any moment to cancel on us. Lo and behold the weather took a turn for the better. Our day did start off a bit grey but there was no sight of rain as Dale took the helm and steered us away from the quay under Simon’s very relaxed guidance! The weather turned out to be so good that there was barely enough

s plie Sup

wind to sail! So we did what us Brits do best and put the kettle on, tucked into a bit of nautical-themed birthday cake and went ‘sightseeing’ - we managed a lovely close view of The Needles at the western tip of the Isle of Wight. After a quick stop for a pub lunch the sun shone even brighter and the wind was now virtually nonexistent, so the only thing for it was a quick swim! Apparently the water was a lot colder than it looked...I handily forgot my swimsuit. Once we were back at the harbour and all dried off, myself and Dale made our way back to our hotel, the fabulous ‘Mill at Gordleton’, which is a converted watermill in a hamlet just outside Lymington. As my family used to own a handful of mills in Buckinghamshire, I thought this the perfect place to stay. It has a ‘modern country’ style and is fairly small with a popular restaurant. They even had their own adopted duck called Crispie who is sadly no longer with them, but his memory lives on in the cute fabric ducks for sale at reception.

Emma Ward

Country Girl What people don’t often realise is that the New Forest is only 2 hours away from central Buckinghamshire (1 ½ hours if you leave early in the morning!) and so makes a really easy but wonderful weekend getaway. If water’s not your thing there are plenty of activities for landlubbers too! We loved it so much we may see if we can fool the weatherman again soon and take another weekend trip... keep your fingers crossed for us! To follow in our footsteps checkout these websites: Indulgence Yacht Charters: www.indulgencecharter.co.uk The Mill at Gordleton: www.themillatgordleton.co.uk

Telephone: 01844 208401 Mobile: 07732 329118 Email: info@landmarkgardendesign.com Website: www.landmarkgardendesign.com

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Vacancies for hard landscaper and skilled labourers - contact Rodney on: 07732 329118 Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2014

Column: Janice Issitt ‘Making the most of it’

Join the Sloan rangers!

eptember will be a very exciting time for me as it sees the culmination of three months work and the launch of a new project with the paint maker Annie Sloan. The project is called ‘Painters in Residence’ and I have been chosen by Annie as the first and only UK ‘Painter’ alongside two others, one French and one Australian. The ‘Painters in Residence’ have been given three months to produce a selection of work which will showcase on the Annie Sloan website (www.anniesloan.co.uk) I first started to use the Chalk Paint (tm) by Annie Sloan a few years ago on clients projects and styling in my home and photos. Chalk Paint is a decorative artistic paint that can be used on a variety of surfaces from wood to fabric. I was happy to endorse it mainly because Annie Sloan is local, coming from Oxford, an independent and an innovator. With this paint there is no preparation work required, yes you read that correctly, no sanding,

priming or undercoating. Stencilling You can paint directly onto the surface and combined with waxes and lacquers can finish the piece in many different ways. Primarily this paint is designed to transform furniture and in the current climate of make do and mend, the popularity of this paint has soared, now being stocked all around the world. It’s easy to use and to Adding colour to spare room mix your own colours but if you are unsure then a course at a stockist will enlighten you to the multitude of options use it. possible. The images I produce It is a for the website will run for massive honour three months and then the to have been next set of Painters will chosen to do take over. this with Annie, At the moment I’m her objective being to let creative crazy for using stencils and have types play with the paint and come been cutting my own, so these will up with their own take on how to feature on most of my projects.

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2014

Janice Issitt

Making the most of it However, I have also been supplied with gilding and lacquer effects by Annie and am loving them, so will be running a tutorial on my blog from September on how I achieved the effects. If you want to have a go at transforming a tired piece of furniture please do try this miraculous paint, once used you will be hooked. l Read Janice’s blog at: http:// janiceissittlifestyle.blogspot.co.uk where she posts photo tutorials about things to make and lovely pictures of life in The Vale.

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Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2014

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Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2014

Column: Anna Webb‘Barking blonde’

Lost and found

ast edition I enthused about blissful walks in the local countryside. Being a bit of a townie, I had no idea that a stroll around a wheatfield could prove traumatic though, until Molly, my 12-year-old Miniature Bull Terrier, went missing in one - for 10 hours! One minute Molly was happily snuffling around at my feet, the next she had completely disappeared and realising the usual recalls were not getting any response - the adrenalin began to kick in and panic struck! Where had she gone? Had she been stolen from a seemingly deserted field, was she stuck in a ditch, or down a badger hole, or had she just collapsed? In a desperate state I called in all available hands to help search and eventually, with the assistance of working springer, Monty, we found her in the thick of the wheat dehydrated, stressed and hungry, but alive! It turned out she hadn’t strayed far, but had merrily followed a track into the wheat until she became

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2014

For city dog Molly, the countryside can be a confusing place

Anna Webb

Barking blonde

totally hidden from view and was then unable to find her way back out again. Plenty of TLC later, combined with homeopathic remedies: Nux Vomica and Silicea to balance any health risks from pesticides, she’s OK. Subsequently, we’ve heard countless similar tales and now eagerly await the harvest! It’s been a lovely hot Summer so far but despite all the campaigns warning people not to leave dogs in cars when it’s this hot, shockingly some still do and hundreds of dogs

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cook to death every summer. Keeping your pet cool in soaring temperatures can be tricky. Molly recommends wearing a wet T-shirt from Equafleece. Through evaporation it keeps her body cool as a cucumber. She also loves to lie on a cool mat from Animat while travelling in the car. I’ve always got a flask of iced water at the ready too and we never walk in the heat of the day. Tis’ the season for grass seeds, ticks and fleas. I favour using natural repellents such as Lavender oil and sprays and diligently check for grass seeds in Molly’s paws, ears and eyes. We’ve got a tick remover at hand too, just in case! Molly enjoys regular grooms with Natalie Tate of The Pooch Mobile

Dog Wash, which keep any pests at bay, whilst leaving her looking like the ‘top dog’ she is. l Combining a psychology degree

with ‘Naturopathic Healthcare & Natural Nutrition’ at the College of Integrated Veterinary Therapies, Anna Webb offers doggy lifecoaching, training, natural health and diet advice. Anna regular contributes expert opinion and advice on national radio and television programmes and co-writes a weekly blog for The Independent (Barking Blondes). Her book ‘Barking Blondes’ cowritten with Joanne Good is out now (published by Hamlyn). www.annawebb.info www.crendoncanines.com

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Do you to give your puppy or rescue dog • jump upwant • pull on the lead• bark excessively the best possible start in your home? • display nervous, obsessive or aggressive behaviour Does your dog: bicycles or livestock • have issues with food • chase joggers, • jump up • destroy carpets or furniture when left alone? • pull on the lead

Dog Listening is a simple non-confrontational method, for all bark excessively dogs,• through which you can address undesirable behaviours • display nervous, obsessive or aggressive and build a rewarding relationship with your dog. behaviour

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66 •Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2014 have issues with food?

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Win a Ninja! W

ouldn’t you just love a Pocket Sized Ninja especially one trained in a myriad of ancient arts (such as bottle-opening)?! This Wallet Ninja 18-in-1 Multi-Tool is here to help you tackle life’s everyday battles. Made from 4x heat-treated steel, it’s a worthy instrument, ready to be wielded by the ultimate Shinobi warrior. The well-chosen tools included are hex wrenches, a can opener/ fruit peeler, bottle opener, ruler, letter opener, box opener, phone stand and a screw driver. A sleek and agile master of stealth. You’ll hardly know it’s there lurking silently in the shadows of your wallet, waiting to emerge when you need it most. OK it does not double up as deadly throwing star, a ‘hex wrench’ doesn’t actually possess any voodoo powers and this offer doesn’t include the brown leather wallet pictured but this credit card sized Pocket Ninja includes a can opener/fruit peeler, bottle opener, hex wrenches, ruler, letter opener, box opener, phone stand and screw driver!

It will fit happily into any regular wallet its dimensions are approximately 8.5cm(W) x 5.5cm(H) x 0.2cm(D). If you would like to win one of these handy multi-tools, simply email your name, address and telephone number, along with the answer to the following question to: editor@vale-life.co.uk What country were the original Ninja from? Winner to be drawn at random from correct answers and notified by email by Sept 14th, 2014. l The Ninja Wallet costs 8.99 and is available from www.Firebox.com

Horsewyse CIC www.horsewyse.org.uk

Summer Holiday Pony Activity Days Tuesdays & Thursdays throughout August 5-12 years, 10.30am–3pm, £40 per child

Come & join the fun - nature walks, hacking, gymkhana games, obstacle courses, riding lessons in our paddocks or indoor school. Target shooting, jumping & opportunity to earn scout/brownie badges.

Adult pub and two hour hacks during the summer holidays Polocrosse Chukkas

6pm Tuesday & 4pm Sunday

Like Horsewyse on Facebook to keep up to date with our events Horsewyse CIC is a not-for-profit company providing equine facilitated learning for children and young people with learning and behavioural difficulties.

Call or email to book: Email: Horsewyse@btinternet.com Tel: 01844 202966

l Column: Katy Brown - mix96

Mix96 Breakfast DJ Katy Brown shares a little of her life in local radio...

Warming up: pic by Derek Pelling Photography

efore leaving home I took a quick look at my mobile to check the weather, yup, 30% chance of rain at 23:00, yup, 70% chance of rain at midnight…. Nah, I thought, positive thinking (ignoring common sense), of course it won’t rain, it’s boiling and headed out the door, scantily clad in the tiniest pink tutu you’ll have ever seen. This is the second year I was to host the Gemstone Midnight Walk in aid of Florence Nightingale Hospice and after waiting to hand out medals at the finish line last year I thought, why don’t I take part myself ? So this year, I did. When I got to Aylesbury College, around 21:30, there was already a buzz in the air and although the sun had just set, the place was alive with colour, mostly bouncing off those pink bunny ears you’ll no doubt be familiar with. Over 600 ladies were to take part and 25 nominated men, including Mix96 MD, Max Hailey, as part of this year’s FNH 25th Anniversary celebrations. As I waited to start our stage entertainment I indulged in some florescent face paint and got chatting to some of those very special people taking part in the walk, who together had pledged to raise £45,000 that night. Many who take part each year, have a personal connection with Florence Nightingale, perhaps knowing someone who has been cared for by them here in Aylesbury and hosting such an event is really quite poignant. It is a wonderful

opportunity to get people together for a great local cause but it is also a little bittersweet as so many are walking for family and friends who have been loved and lost. It’s an emotional time - old memories are awakened and then shared along the route as walkers get talking and smiling and reminiscing with other ‘pink bunnies’ about the happy times. Warm up over we got into position ready to start our six or for some, 13-mile journey and felt a familiar sensation... intermittent raindrops. It’ll pass, I thought, but within seconds we were amidst a torrential downpour, which was to go on and on, and then some! And so, the Midnight Walk became the 5-to-Midnight Walk and off we set with fierce determination. For someone used to early morning runs and even earlier alarm calls, to be starting a walk hours before my usual wake up time was quite surreal. Despite the horrendous conditions there was a real sense of camaraderie though after all, come rain or shine, day or night, care at the hospice doesn’t stop, so why should we? And so, nearly two hours later, with squelching trainers, achy legs, and a belly filled with jelly babies, we reached the finish, a dishevelled mess but complete with a feeling of pride. Here’s to 13 (hopefully Sahara Desert dry) miles next year, when The Midnight Walk 2015 takes place on Saturday 11th July.

l Catch Katy on air weekdays from 6am-9am on 96.2fm www.mix96.co.uk Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2014

Neil Smith with Patrick

Photograph by Pete Griffith, July 2014

Face of the Vale

eil Smith, pictured, with his amazing voice-controlled horse Patrick, runs Horsewyse, a riding school with a difference based at Long Crendon. The community interest company provides horse riding lessons, hacks and polocrosse for all abilities of rider from beginner to advanced and specialises in groundbased and riding activities for children, young people and adults with learning, behavioural and physical difficulties, such as autistic spectrum disorders, emotional, social and behavioural difficulties, low confidence, selective mutism, attachment disorders, Down’s syndrome, epilepsy and more. Horsewyse also runs activity days/children’s clubs, polocrosse horse hire and racehorse retraining and offers livery. Neil grew up on a farm near Durban, South Africa where horses were a part of life and has since worked in stables and yards and in the saddle, trying his hand at: team chasing, polo, polocrosse, dressage and show jumping. “As a boy I rode to school and to my friends’ houses,” says Neil, “I’ve always been around horses and I understand them. They are herd animals, they are sociable and respond to people instinctively.”

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2014

A Vale Life Magazine series with photographer Peter Griffith of All People Photography, Waddesdon. www.allpeoplephotography.com Send your suggestion for a Face of the Vale portrait to: editor@vale-life.co.uk

Neil came to Britain in 1988, for a holiday, got himself a job at a showjumping yard in Barnet and spent the next few years learning different aspects of horsemanship. “While I was working at a yard in Chessington,” says Neil. “a guy asked if he could bring some children down from his local children’s home. He said they had ‘behavioural problems’ - at the time I had no idea what he meant. It had never occurred to me that, for whatever reasons, youngsters might be so badly behaved that no school would take them, or that kids suffer the abuse that some of these children had. I came from a very small community in South Africa and it just didn’t come up there. “I treated them normally though and we seemed to get along fine. The owner of the home said he thought I had a way with the children and asked if I’d like to come and work at the home with him. I said no at first, but ended up doing it and went on to work at several other homes too.” Neil took an NVQ in Childcare Management and eventually ended up managing a private care home for children whose only alternative would be custody. Although popular with the youngsters and good at his job, Neil found the increasing

bureaucracy and restrictive regulations were making it impossible for him to give his charges the kind of upbringing and care he wanted and he reluctantly left the service. Having worked within the private children’s home care system and noticed how positively youngsters in his care would respond to visiting his horses the idea of Horsewyse came up, developed around Neil’s unique talents and practical skills with children and horses. At Horsewyse Neil is combining his special rapport with young people and the natural behaviour of horses to help children learn about themselves and the world around them, changing their lives for the better. “For me riding is secondary now to watching these children develop,” he says. “It’s about giving them the opportunity to do something for themselves, with support, something of interest. I am hard on them I’ll tell them if I feel they are putting themselves in danger or not looking after the animals properly. “Some of the children we cater for here have had so much abuse it takes over their life and everything is very negative. I try to break it down for them. Often they don’t want to talk about how they feel but we can set up scenarios with the horses whereby they can see

Return to Tiggy’s

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2014

a horse being left out of a group, or bullying other horses and they can relate it to it and how they think the horse might be feeling is actually how they feel themselves. “We’ve had elective mutes, children that won’t speak at all, start talking to the horses. We build their self confidence too. I’ll take them out of their comfort zone and they’ll be proud of what they have done. “People often ask what I am going to achieve,” says Neil, “but I am not trying to achieve anything! I want the child to have fun and be safe, anything else is a bonus. I don’t have specific qualifications, but I have a lot of experience and I will not tolerate a child misbehaving - they seem to pick up on that. “Difficult children may be difficult out there but when they come into the arena with a live horse running around they want to be my friend and stand next to me because they feel safe. From that ‘false’ relationship we’ll move on to other things, build trust and be able to talk about things. “I don’t like to analyse it though. I’m not sure why it works, I just know that it does. I like to do it and give the kids some time away from their lives, which aren’t as happy as they ought to be.” Some of the children Horsewyse helps have very complex disabilities and may not even see or acknowledge the horse at first. They’ll just be sitting on the floor looking at the sand. But by the end of the sixth week most of them will be interacting with the horse to some degree. Neil works full-time aided by an amazing team of volunteers and Claire, a qualified riding instructor, who helps out part-time in the office and around the yard. She brings experience as a social worker in children’s services too. “There’s a lot going on at Horsewyse,” says Neil, “So if you are interested in horses come on down, or get in touch. “If you are a beginner or someone who used to ride but hasn’t for ages, we can get you up in the saddle. We play Polocrosse and have weekend hacks and pub hacks which are great fun. We can host birthday parties with Patrick the voice controlled horse and there’s lots of fun holiday activities too: activity days and campouts. Have a look at our website to see what is coming up.” To see Neil and his horses at work with the children is quite inspirational and the results are clearly visible: “The horses do most of the real work though,” says Neil. “We just set up an environment where our clients can grow and build their confidence.”

ollowing our June-July edition Face of The Vale featuring Les Stocker, pictured below, founder of Tiggywinkle’s Wildlife Trust and Wildlife Hospital, we have had lots of you asking for more of those beautiful animal photographs featured. Several of the images were taken by Les himself at the Wildlife Hospital and Visitor Centre in Haddenham and you can see some of them if you visit.

The Visitor Centre is open 7 days a week until the end of September, see: www.tiggywinkles. com for details. In the meantime here is a shot we didn’t have room for last edition, taken by Pete Griffith, a lovely photograph of Les checking on a young deer they are currently looking after. Completely wild it’s amazing she will go this close to a human, but she obviously feels she can trust Les.

Les Stocker MBE HonAssocRCVS

with an injured deer at Tiggywinkles Wildlife Hospital, Haddenham Photograph by Pete Griffith, June 2014

l Horsewyse CIC, Westfield Farm, Westfield Road, Long Crendon, Aylesbury, Bucks, HP18 9EW Tel: 01844 299299 Email: horsewyse@btinternet.com Website: www.horsewyse.org.uk Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2014

l Column: Alan Candy’s Altomobiles

40 Years Young Volkswagen Golf GTD 2.0 turbodiesel

orty years ago, a car came along that rocked the world. It was the Volkswagen Golf - a model that rewrote hatchback design and driving sophistication for the masses after first models rolled off the production line in Wolfsburg on March 29, 1974. They boasted a transversely mounted front engine and frontwheel drive and the world lapped them up - by October 1976, a million had been sold. Landmark models soon followed - the Golf D naturally aspirated diesel and the iconic GTI both in 1976; the Golf Cabriolet in 1979; the fast and economical GTD turbodiesel three years later. As a bit of a personal celebration of 34 years road testing cars, I have been catching up with one of today’s top Golfs the GTD, which has become just as famous as its illustrious GTI stablemate. I drove some of the early

Alan Candy’s

AltomobilES Golf GTIs from about 1980 and VW have cleverly incorporated some early features into today’s awesome offerings. Items such as the tartan fabric seats and ‘golf ball’ gearknob are a welcome nod towards tradition. But VW didn’t get where they are today with minds rooted in the past. It’s because they have somehow managed an incredible juggling act of keeping the Golf recognisable while constantly refining and improving it, that they have remained at the top of the pile. The Golf is still considered

VW Golf GTD by most to be the benchmark hatchback by which all others are judged. And the seventh generation Golf GTD 2.0 184hp version I have been driving is certainly that - no other turbo diesel rival quite has the character, solidity and safe feel of a car that provides so much driving pleasure. First impressions count and today’s GTD is right out there in terms of looks alone. Smoked five double-spoked alloys with ultra low profile tyres, darkened rear privacy windows, twin tailpipes, a subtle roof spoiler and ‘piano

black’ on the B pillars look the business. Inside, VW have wisely chosen classic black on seats, doors and dash. A flat-bottomed steering wheel ticks another box for sporty touches and there are some discreet uses of piano black and tooled metal effect. Ergonomics are so good that you never have to search around or battle to understand the layout and the same applies to the touch screen info. The sheer brutality of the GTD engine comes as a shock from first turn of the key. Though it

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Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2014

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l Column: Jonathan Vernon-Smith

Consumer Affairs

VW Golf GTD runs smoothly and quietly when cruising, it boasts a low, ominous jungle growl at high revs that provides a thrilling soundtrack. VW provides the driver with four different driving modes from which to choose (normal, sport, econ and individual) and cruising is rock steady even at top speeds. That 0-62mph dash is achieved in a rapid 7.5 seconds and it’s easy to think that’s a petrol engine doing the work, such are the subdued noise levels. Superbly involving steering, sweet, fast gearchanges from the six-speed manual boxand

surefooted traction are other stand-out features. It’s hard to think of a rival that sits so solidly and safely at speed yet feels so nimble when fast manoeuvres are undertaken, and sports seats are fabulously supportive. The GTD continues a great tradition. Happy birthday, Golf – 40 years young. Factfile: Volkswagen Golf GTD 2.0 turbodiesel, 184PS. From £25,285. 0-62mph 7.5secs Top speed 142mph. CO2: 119g/km Combined 67.3mpg

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Award-winning BBC Three Counties presenter Jonathan Vernon-Smith extends his Consumer Hour to report for Vale Life Magazine on consumer issues that could effect you...

t is a sad reality that most of us are in debt these days. With the high cost of housing, it’s perhaps not surprising that people are having to borrow more money than they really should. For many, this debt is perfectly manageable. However, it only takes a problem like losing your job, or ill health to suddenly turn manageable debt into an utter nightmare. If you are having financial difficulty and realise that you are unable to meet your debt responsibilities, the most important thing to do is to face up to the reality. As tempting as it may be to bury your head in the sand and ignore the demand letters, it is simply going to make the problem much much worse When you have accepted the situation, you need to sit down and look openly and honestly at the money you have coming in, and the money going out. Even if the prospect is thoroughly depressing, you need to understand exactly what the numbers are before you go any further. At this point, I would advise contacting the companies you owe money to and explaining the situation. They may be able to give you a ‘payment holiday’ until you get yourself back on your feet again. They are also much more likely to be helpful if you’ve been open and honest with them rather than ignoring them and hoping they will simply go away. Remember, they want their money, so it’s in their interest to work with you as opposed to against you. When you’ve worked out how much money you can put towards your debts, you then need to prioritise them. The most important debts are: mortgage or rent arrears, gas and electricity arrears, council tax arrears, court fines, income tax or VAT arrears and TV licence arrears. If you fail to pay these, you

could lose your home, and in the most extreme circumstances, could end up in prison. The less urgent debts include: benefits overpayments, credit cards and loans, water and sewerage bills (you can’t be cut off for water debts), student loans, loans from family and friends and parking penalties from local authorities. That’s not to say that you shouldn’t bother trying to pay them, but these should be at the bottom of the list. Hopefully, with careful budgeting, balancing and communication, you’ll be able to manage your debts until you get back on your feet. However, if you simply cannot pay what you owe, then there are some options for you. However, be aware they do not come without costs. Solutions such as debt consolidation, or even bankruptcy can be the only way out for some people but please look at the pros and cons before committing. I would always advise that you contact your local citizens advice bureau or the debt charity ‘Step Change’ on 0800 138 1111 before making any further decisions about the management of your debt. l Listen to The JVS Show weekday mornings from 9am on BBC Three Counties Radio: www.bbc.co.uk/ threecountiesradio

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2014

Three years ago Keven Mortimer set up as KM Commercials, repairing and maintaining trucks and vans in a shared Aylesbury workshop. With hard work and a desire to offer good value and a friendly, personal service, the company has flourished and is taking on stylish new premises...

n 2011 Keven Mortimer set up as KM Commercials in the corner of a shared garage/workshop on Aylesbury’s Smeaton Road. An experienced Mercedes Benz trained mechanic Kev initially specialised in repairing and servicing Mercedes trucks and vans, but the business quickly grew to become a fully-fledged car and commercial vehicle repair service, with MOT facility, covering all makes and models. With business booming and a team of five working most days KM Commercials was fast outgrowing its first home. New vehicle maintenance contracts with national companies meant the business needed to shift up a gear and Kev has now invested in a larger unit just around the corner at Brunel Gate, off Telford Close. His smart new facility is nearly 6,000ft2 of primarily workshop space with a reception area and offices above. It’s a big step up from KMC’s previous home and shows how far the company has come in a relatively short time. “We needed more space and better access,” says Kev “and we’ve got it here. It gives us the room to cope with our expanding workload in a cleaner, tidier more professional setting. “It looks and feels like a main dealer set up here and we have the equipment and

Keven Mortimer in the new KM Commercials workshop KM Commercials new premises at Brunel Gate, near Rabans Lane/Fairford Leys, Aylesbury

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2014

KMC caters for any vehicles cars, vans, lorries, buses...

Kev in his new office technology but we cost a lot less. At £40 per hour for labour we’re way below what many garages in the area charge. I think we have been successful because our hourly rate is sensible. “We had three great years at Smeaton Road and I wouldn’t be here today without the opportunity I had to get things up and running over there. I am very grateful. “We’ve recently secured some new contracts for the ongoing servicing and maintenance of vehicles for some very exciting clients. Arla, who opened the world’s largest fresh milk facility (one billion litres), near Aston Clinton this year, being one. We’re starting with 12 trailers for them but there is the potential to do a lot more. There are actually several transport firms supplying vehicles to the dairy and we hope to be working with them all at some point. “Arla is a co-operative owned by 12,600 dairy farmers, 2,800 of whom are British and the new one billion litre dairy is to be the first zero carbon site of its kind. It’s quite a place and they are really nice people to deal with. Arla have been a bit of a scapegoat for some of Aylesbury’s traffic problems but it’s really the road system and the new traffic lights on Tring Road that are causing the problems. Their dairy has put Aylesbury on the map and created hundreds of local jobs, not just at the dairy, but in local firms. They are helping us to expand and employ more people and there’s other businesses in the area which are getting a similar boost.

The ever growing KM Commercials team, from left: Ryan, Alan, Mark, Jock, Richard, Keven and John “We have someone up at the dairy most days now. By law all commercial vans and lorries have regular PMI (Preventive Maintenance Inspection) - it could be every six eight or twelve weeks depending on mileage. Sometimes they need bringing in, if the brakes need testing on the brake rollers, otherwise we can do the inspections on site. “We have about ninety vehicles on the books for PMIs at the moment and we’ll generally be doing any servicing required to keep the vehicle roadworthy and in good shape, so there’s a constant stream of work.” Not surprisingly the KMC crew has grown and there are six mechanics most days now plus two girls in the office keeping the paperwork in order: “The team here is great,” says Kev, “I’m very grateful for their hard work and support. “We are particularly busy on Saturdays as most commercial vehicles are in use during the week. We start about 6am and don’t stop until 6pm that night. “There’s a strict system in place which monitors whether we are checking the vehicles thoroughly and whether any maintenance required is being done but if you keep on top of everything, when the annual MOT comes round there shouldn’t be any unexpected problems. There’s a fair bit of organisation involved though as truck MOTs need booking about two months in advance now. We prepare the vehicles for their MOTs though so they should sail through!

“We cater for all vehicles here - cars, lorries, buses, coaches trailers, it’s a large unit and we’ve got plenty of headroom. Although Mercedes are a speciality, we service all makes and models, from transits to Fiats, Citroens, Peugeots, Scanias, Volvos, Mercs, Ivecos etc... we have the diagnostic equipment for most makes. We do a lot of on site repairs and we can do free collection and delivery. We have our own tractor unit, so we can bring trailers in for inspection and we have several courtesy vans, eight in total, a break down van and use of a tow truck. “We are getting bigger but not so much that we can’t still offer a personal service. I’m still available to talk to customers and discuss their requirements personally. I think of our regular customers as friends really, we generally have a chat and a joke and they know I will make sure the job is done properly and they are getting value for money. “We haven’t just moved, we’ve moved to a different level but we are still the same company offering good value and great service. If there are people with vehicles that need servicing and they’d like to come down, see the new premises and have a chat about the service we can provide they may be pleasantly surprised. Hopefully we can offer something better than they are already getting.” l KM Commercials, Unit 8, Brunel Gate, Telford Close, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, HP19 8AR. Tel: 01296 488898 / Mobile: 07720 706918 Email: kmcommercials@hotmail.co.uk

An Arla milk tanker gets some attention

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2014

l Column: On

The Road

Kia we go ! Kia pro-cee’d GT

here’s nothing quite like an assault on the nostrils from a hot engine - unless it’s accompanied by a bit of even hotter clutch action. That’s one of the perils of trying to get out of a field that is over-populated with cars and which has just one exit - which has been abandoned by the car park stewards. Black mark to the Goodwood Festival of Speed there then for the ensuing free-for-all, where human temperatures were also going off the gauge… Thankfully, Kia’s smart pro-cee’d GT proved adept at skipping over the grass and up the slope to make it onto the tarmac, and begin its journey home. This is no ordinary Kia so if you get the chance to experience what they’ve achieved by slotting a 201bhp 1.6 litre turbo engine into one of the sharpest three door

Rob Auchterlonie

ON The Road hatchback bodies around, grab it. With both hands. The pro_cee’d GT hints at a car that might just offer a bit of scintillating performance. Actually it doesn’t just hint - it goes all shouty and in your face without even moving. It’s the most eagerly anticipated new model in Kia’s history, their first real high performance offering. And its day job is putting the hot back into the hot hatchback tag, Continued on page 76

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Kia pro_cee’d 1.6 T-GDI GT

Continued from page 75 something it does it rather well - high performance for a modest £20,000. The already sporty lines of the pro_cee’d have been embellished with performance-car additions like the ‘ice cube’ daytime running lights which help give the GT a unique look all of its own. The high-quality interior has great body hugging Recaro sports seats (a first for Kia) and that trademark Kia steering wheel with more buttons than a big girl’s blouse. Powered by a turbocharged version of the ‘Gamma’ 1.6-litre direct-injection petrol engine, the pro_cee’d GT can warp factor its way to 60mph in 7.4 seconds and has a top speed of a more than adequate 143mph. The GT button on the steering wheel changes the configuration of the main dial ahead of you from the normal speedometer to show torque and turbo usage with your speed digitally highlighted in the centre - it kind of hammers home the potency of the package. And you’ll love the sporty sound the exhaust spits out when you work

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it hard. Its re-tuned suspension ensures the pro_cee’d GT is more than capable of handling its impressive power and torque outputs and the package is set off by a set of stylish 18-inch alloy wheels. The brownie point here is that it’s still a comfortable and well behaved car to drive in everyday use. And the interesting point is that now Kia are firmly established as a creditable manufacturer, more performance models like this could be on the way. Interesting times….. FASTFACTS: Kia pro_cee’d 1.6 T-GDI GT TECH; £22,495 OTR; 1591cc 4 cylinder 16v turbocharged, 201bhp, 265Nm torque; six speed manual gearbox; Fuel - urban 29.1, Extra urban 46.3, Combined 38.2; Top speed 143mph, 0-60mph 7.4 secs; CO2 171g/km; Will it fit the garage? 4310/1780/1430 (l/w/h); Seven year Kia warranty.

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Your local, friendly, dependable builder. Fully trained and qualified, skilled workforce.

CALL RICARDO on 07861 642801 or 01296 485533 EXPERIENCED ANDhomebuyer FRIENDLY Landlord cert, boiler servicing, checks, boilerRELIABLE, repairs, powerflushing, system upgrades, TIDY SERVICE boiler installations, unvented cylinders, bygeneral your local female plumbing, free plumber quotes

For your free quotation please call Lee on: 07773 690349

Joinery

Specialists in hardwood and softwood windows

HEATING SERVICES

Bathrooms small jobs - taps, ballcocks, showers AND FRIENDLY Cylinder and EXPERIENCED tank replacements RELIABLE,TIDY SERVICE Outside taps by your local female plumber Sinks, basins, toilet changes Bathrooms; Leaks; Cylinder and Leaks Tank Replacements; Unvented Cylinder Small Servicing Jobs: Taps, Ballcocks,

Showers; Outside Taps; Sinks, EXPERIENCED AND FRIENDLY Basins, Toilet Changes; guaranteed, cost RELIABLE, TIDY SERVICE Simple, Unvented Cylinder Servicing effective devices for saving fuel by your local female plumber

Tel: 07736 941539 Email: info@gdsconstruction.co.uk www.gdsconstruction.co.uk Ad 1

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(5-20%) and treating Call Gemma on: Simple, guaranteed, costlimescale effective Bathrooms once forfuel all. (5-20%) Free survey devices forand saving and jobs -425969 taps, ballcocks, showers t:small 01296 treating limescale, and onceinstallation. and for all. Cylinder and tank replacements Free survey and installation. or: 07769Outside 330983 taps Sinks, basins, toilet changes www.pinkplumbers.com Leaks Unvented Cylinder Servicing

R.W. PEARCE & SON LTD RO O F I N G C O N T R AC T O R S Established 1958 Specialists in re-roofing Period Properties, Country Cottages, Farm Houses and Barns, using traditional materials. Slating and tiling repairs undertaken.

01844 345859

Simple, guaranteed, cost effective devices for saving fuel (5-20%) and treating limescale once and for all. Free survey and installation.

K Collins Felt & Flat Roofing Specialist

t: 01296 425969 or: 07769 Local 330983 business, Roofmaster approved www.pinkplumbers.comEstablished 1969

We also do slate and tiling repairs, PVC fascia boarding and chimney repointing

Call today for a free estimate 01296 655526 / 07831 465501 www.kcollinsfeltroofing.co.uk Email: kenny.collins@btinternet.com

email:rwpearce@btconnect.com

Andrews of Thame Vale Life : Mar/Apr 2014

Painting & Decorating Property Maintenance Domestic & Commercial Call now for free estimates

Tel: 01844 260337 Mobile: 07590 573419 78

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2014

Windmill Services Property Maintenance & general building work

Telephone: 01844 279519 Freephone: 0800 7837194 Email: windmill2@btinternet.com Website: www.windmill-services.co.uk

Cleaning Services Window Cleaning Deodorising

Carpet Cleaning Upholstery

Window cleaning from £10 Conservatory roof clean from £25 Gutters and Soffits clean from £35 Thermal Fogging Deodoriser: Small house/large room or car from £25

AJ’s Domestic Appliance Repairs Cookers w Tumble Dryers w Washing Machines w Dishwashers w etc

Engineer with 15 years experience Parts sourced for most competitive prices l Fixed prices on ALL repairs l NO call out charge or hidden costs l Miele Trained Engineer

Carpet cleaning £15-£40 per room 3 Bed House from £100 Upholstery: Armchair £25 Mattress/car from £20 3 Seater Sofa £35

l l

Call: 07917 276965 / 07739 806637 Email: darnell631@live.co.uk

For free quotations, or to book call: 01296 350205 / 07739 047413

AA Window Repairs

N AD EW VE RT

We don’t cut corners, we clean them!

FOR ALL YOUR DOUBLE GLAZING REPAIRS

ticed? Do you need tognge, taffonordable Stunning desi nt customer prices and excelle with us… service. Stick

spread the word…

01296 423769

julie@jamtasticdesign.co.uk

Misty windows~Draughty windows~Window hinges Dropped doors~Guttering problems~Window handles Door handles~Gasket replacements~and much more

FREE QUOTES & OAP DISCOUNTS Call our repairs manager direct for an appointment.

07432679405 ANYTIME

www.aawindowrepairs.co.uk

FAMILY BUSINESS BUILT ON REPUTATION

For all Occasions ~ weddings ~ portraits ~ modelling ~ family & babies ~ parties ~ Contact ~ Steve 07825005305 spcook@globalnet.co.uk

All aspects of sign making and design undertaken Banners

A-boards

Shop signage

Vehicle signage

www.swalephotography.carbonmade.com

All aspects of sign making www.tring-signs.co.uk 01442 826846 & design undertaken Our professional team have the imagination and Vehicles technology to create almost Fascia signs any sign you could imagine. Safety & traﬃc From cut vinyl lettering & Vehicle Signage Exhibition graphics digitally printed graphics for company vehicles to acrylicGreat Prices... Banners we guarantee it signs & light boxes & window Anti Vandal graphics for shops, whatever Engraving your business or personal Expert Advice... est.1994 requirements, Vinyl labels we can take an idea and turn it into effective Great Products... Business printing marketing reality! A-Boards guaranteed quality Branded garments

You want...

& much more...

Ask about PhotoFUN A studio style Photobooth

Computer problems? Shop Signage

All this...

fast

Banners

www.impactsignsolutions.co.uk 01296 488902

www.tring-signs.co.uk

22-23 Rabans Close, Rabans Lane Industrial Park, AYLESBURY, Bucks HP19 8RS

01442 826 846 01442

Call

The Windows Cleaners

A LOCAL home service for all your computer needs system upgrades, virus removal, performance improvements, networking, internet solutions For a speedy, jargon free appointment

call: 07947 700746 / 01296 748980 john@thewindowscleaners.co.uk Established 12 years

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2014

bespoke kitchens on

FREE:

DISPLAY

NEFF S51T69X3 dishwasher with all bespoke kitchens

RRP ÂŁ600

We are a family run business that has designed, supplied and installed kitchens and bathrooms for over 25 years. Our extensive showrooms are open to the public six days a week, so please pop in and see us. Watermark Worminghall Road Oakley HP18 9UL t: 01844 338137 www.watermark.gb.com

www.watermark.gb.com Bring along your measurements for a FREE kitchen or bathroom design.

Monday to Friday 9am-5pm Saturday 10am-4pm Sunday-Closed