Vale life aug sept 2015 web edition by Charlie Trott

Vale Life FREE MAGAZINE

Your free magazine for Aylesbury, Thame and the surrounding area

Take me home

www.vale-life.co.uk

w art w music w people w Motors w homes w gardens w theatre w food w fashion w Beauty w health w travel w

Aug/Sept 2015

Cover picture: Phil Beer is performing with Show of Hands at Towersey Festival: See inside page 68 www.towerseyfestival.com

Inside:

Oil in the blood

Family firm’s third generation

Thame Institute of Music

Passing on a passion

See our website at: www.vale-life.co.uk

Russell’s return

New team re-opens country pub

She wears it well

Boutique sports stylish new owner Free local listings for events and businesses

Plus Katy, Penny, Heather, Naomi, Polly, Amanda, Janice, Jacqui, Cathy, Charlotte, Tracy, Rob, Alan and much, much more...

w Meal for two at The Bell at Hardwick w A ninja gnome wTickets to hoys w w £1500 non surgical facelift w Tickets to MINI Plant Oxford 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 We offer a unique blend high quality dining, hosted in a relaxed Tel of 01296 712584 and comfortable environment, serving locally sourced food

www.theoldthatchedinn.co.uk Open seven

Main Street Adstock Buckinghamshire MK18 2JN

days

Open seven days Lunch from 12 noon - 2.30pm Dinner from 6pm - 9.30pm Serving all day Sunday from 12 noon - 9pm Telephone: 01296 712584 2

Vale Life : Nov/Dec 2014

www.theoldthatchedinn.co.uk

14 - 16 Kempson Close, Gatehouse Industrial Area, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, HP19 8UQ T. 01296 619 922 E. aylesbury@gs-kb.co.uk www.gs-kb.co.uk

14 - 16 Kempson Close, Gatehouse Industrial Area, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, HP19 8UQ T.Close, 01296 619 922 E. aylesbury@ gs-kb.co.uk 14 - 16 Kempson Gatehouse Industrial Area, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, HP19 8UQ T. 01296www.gs-kb.co.uk 619 922 E. aylesbury@gs-kb.co.uk www.gs-kb.co.uk

Timeless Luxury Timeless Luxury

Exquisite bathroom pieces with a unique Belle Époque appearance designed to Exquisite bathroomtoday’s pieces with a unique Belle Époque appearance designed to pieces bridge the gap between modern minimalist and yesterday’s period bridge the gap between today’s modern minimalist and yesterday’s period pieces

arcadebathrooms.com arcadebathrooms.com

Arcade is part of the Bathroom Brands group Arcade is part of the Bathroom Brands group

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2015

@ comproommedia

Handmade in Haddenham

Herald Sash Windows Custom made sash windows, hand crafted and glazed with our own unique Slenderpane units, in our Buckinghamshire workshops l

Looks like single glazing l Ideal for conservation areas l High performance l Slim timber glazing bars

CREATIVE GRAPHIC DESIGN, MARKETING & PRINT Advertising, Corporate Branding, Email Campaigns, Exhibition Displays, Web Design, Billboards, Posters, Leaflets, Stationery Press Adverts & Digital Printing

COMP ROOM ME DIA

Don’t be shy, contact us 01296 432612

thecomproom@btconnect.com www.comproommedia.com 18 Edison Road Rabans Lane Aylesbury Bucks HP19 8TE

Church View

Bespoke hand-cut, sealed, slim glass units - choose from: soft-coat low-E Planitherm; acoustic; leaded; toughened; laminated; or restoration glass

Trade and retail enquiries welcome Herald Sash Windows, Unit 5, Thame Road Industrial Estate, Thame Road, Haddenham, Bucks, HP17 8BZ Tel: 01844 291111 Email: info@heraldjoinery.co.uk Web: www.heraldsashwindows.co.uk | www.slenderpane.com

Established 1992

Funeral Directors

Tel: 01296 423233

‘When you want your flowers to be just perfect’

The Independent Family Funeral Service

Innovative, contemporary and traditional designs

46 Buckingham Street Aylesbury Buckinghamshire HP20 2LL

Telephone: 01296 398553 24 Hour Service

A tradition of dignity, respect & choice 4

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2015

w Weddings w Corporate w Special Occasions w Sympathy w w Birthday Parties w Plants w Presentation bouquets w w Plus Gifts, Chocolates, Soft Toys, Wine and Champagne w w Order online, in store or by phone w 43b Buckingham Street, Aylesbury, HP20 2NQ Tel: 01296 423233 Freephone: 0800 298 8514 Email: suesflowers2@hotmail.com

www.suesflowers.co.uk

At Buckingham Lodge we know it’s the little things that matter At Buckingham Lodge care home, you’ll find a highly skilled team that’s passionate about helping your loved one to live happily and independently, providing support and specialist dementia care, 24-hours every day. But at Anchor we know it’s the little things that can make all the difference like arranging favourite activities, making that perfect cup of tea or always finding the time for a friendly chat.

45 years’ experience. Not-for-profit. To find out more, call us free on

0808 274 5160

or visit www.buckingham-lodge.co.uk

NOW OPEN

Anchor Care Homes. Happy living.

Buckingham Lodge Care Home, Culpepper Close, Aylesbury, HP19 9DU Anchor Trust registered charity no. 1052183.

waitrose.com/thame

Community Matters Every month we give our time and money to local communities. We donate £1000 to be shared by three good causes that you choose.

Waitrose Thame Supporting the community Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2015

‘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 6

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2015

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

Clever Accessories

Flat solution to work/life balance

She wears it well

Giga-farm

Button’s wartime secret

New look for old dairy

Smells like Summer

Firms celebrate success

Twilight experience

Oil in the blood

Bunny had to go

Tea in the park

Are you ready?

The right ingredients

Win a £1500 non-surgical facelift

Russell’s return

Just give it some stick!

Walk the MS mile

Join the Silver Servers

Showtime

Savage chic

Turn it up!

40 Beautiful things on your doorstep

Inspiring through music

44 The only way is up

Join the festivities

10 11 15 19 20 22 23 24 34

Those little extras that make the outfit Wendover boutique sports stylish new owner Hidden finds at antiques centre Haddenham’s the place to sniff out a bargain Prepare for the weekend at Hartwell Spa Covering up a tacky tat’ Weight loss programme that does you good

Silhouette Soft will put a smile on your face “Come and play hockey,” says Sanda Racketball for mature types Polly’s raking up the past

Charlotte’s local homeware guide Vertical planting is taking off

It’s festival season!

guess everyone is hoping to take advantage of the fabulous summer weather we are owed, as there seems to be an awful lot going on at the moment! We’ve just had the fabulous Henley Festival, once again another amazing line-up this year. The only problem with Henley is deciding which night you are going to go on! It was brilliant, although I think a return to standing only in the stagefront section would be preferable, everyone stood to dance anyway and the chairs just got in the way! Local c’leb Tony Hadley and his

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

New units are available now

Rural business gets super-connected Firms new base shows what they can do Business awards showcase best of Bucks Family fuel firm’s third generation New start for Aston Clinton’s café with a view Chequers makes case for AA Rosettes New team re-opens country pub Local centre marks 30 years Bucks Show is ready to roll Dan’s guide to local music

TiM teachers are passing on their passion Towersey’s back and pulling no punches

on the village playing fields - an afternoon of music (Sin Fiction, Muttz Knuttz, Jonny Spruce, Transit, Working Dog and more band Spandau Ballet were superb from 2pm) followed by an evening and it was nice to see fellow 80s icon Timmy Mallett grooving in the of comedy with big name acts from 7.30pm: Richard Herring, crowd, incognito in a huge peaked Dominic Holland, Cary cap, perhaps his tribute Smallman and Marcel to the New Romantic Lucont plus local ales, movement! food stalls, retail stalls Coming up though and children’s activities. there’s The Bucks It’s on Sunday 30th County Show (page August, the afternoon is 65), The Thame & free and evening tickets Oxfordshire County Show (page 72), The Richard Herring are, £17.50-£20: www. towerseyfringe.co.uk Towersey Festival (page There’s Live In The 68) and this year, as the festival has moved out of Towersey Park on Sat, on Aug 29th in Vale Park, Aylesbury, headlined by Village, The Towersey Fringe,

weren’t so lucky - read on though for more competitions inside this edition, including the chance to win: A £1500 non-surgical facelift; A meal for two at The Bell at Hardwick; Tickets to The MINI Plant Oxford; Tickets to The Horse

of the Year Show; A signed copy of Frogley, Cockhead and Crutch; a Ninja Gnome! Last issue’s prizewinners were: Spa day for two at Whittlebury Hall: Kate Renaud, Wendover Neoglow earphones:

Toyah (see page 66), Brill Festival (Aug 29th & 30th, see www. brillbeerfestival.co.uk), and slightly further afield The Big Feastival 28th-30th August at Kingham NW of Oxford edging The Cotswolds. Thame Food Festival is on Sat, Sept 26th (see page 73), just giving Raymond Blanc time to recover before his Festival of Music at Le Manoir. This year jazz legends Courtney Pine and Madeleine Peyroux perform on Sept 30th and Oct 1st respectively (www.belmond. com/lemanoir for more details). Have fun and happy reading,

Kim Stock, Aylesbury; Chris Allen, Buckingham A pair of SOLE Flipflops: Lavinia Martins, Kingston Blount Tickets to The Family Travel Show: Claire Davis, Wheatley;

Charlie

Charlie Trott, Editor

Jackie Hicks, Berkhamsted Tickets to The Cruise Show: Carole Brennan, Wendover; Lindie Granville-Halstead, Aylesbury; Sue Fludgate, Quainton Royal Jigsaw Puzzle: Sheila Benson, Long Crendon.

Vale Life Magazine is designed and published by Vale Life Magazine, 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 2015 7

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

Clever Accessories

Lamb 1887 Joanna bag (sand snake & grey Ostrich) Gallivant, Thame £200

ccessories are the perfect way to update your wardrobe without adding to the clothes you already own and summer dressing is no exception. Designer Michael Kors believes accessories are the exclamation point of a woman’s outfit! Icon Coco Chanel conversely gave the advice ‘once you’ve dressed, and before you leave the house, look in the mirror and take at least one thing off ’. For me, they are both saying that it is worthwhile taking a moment to consider your look before heading out of the door, to make sure it really reflects you and your personality as well as what you have planned during the day (and the weather!). So what will add that touch of style to your summer look? Bag a bag Handbags are the easiest way to change an outfit. A hold-anything tote for daytime (or the beach - my favourite for comfort, space and style is the très French Longchamp). Styling for an evening look it’s got to be a clutch bag. Available in all the colours of the rainbow, the clutch is the perfect accessory to transform your daytime ensemble to evening glamour. Beach Boys On the beach (or want to be), then think about updating to a great pair of trunks complete with stylish flip flops that will look as good at

Gant flip-flops with leather trim Gallant, Thame £40 8

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2015

Hackett straw trilby Gallant, Thame £69.95

the bar as they do on the sand. Top it off with a hat - and for 2015 it HAS to be a trilby.

It’s a wrap Aside from making a style statement, scarves are endlessly useful and summer lightweight designs take up next to no space. Kate Moss reckons she can make a dress out of one, and it only takes a quick Google search to discover a myriad of ways to turn your neckwear into a makeshift handbag, beach top, drapey belt or loose evening wrap. Choose colour, and lots of it to make a summer splash. Double Up One of the unexpected emerging trends is in reversible garments. This makes sense from a fashion as well as an ecological and value perspective. Accessories and summer staples that can be used in more ways than one will mean you won’t get bored - and you get to double their wear. Result! Bejewelled Jewellery is another fail-safe for transforming an outfit. Look for colour in statement pieces, and consider layering your favourite sparklers to create a new

Fitch Leatherwork Shopper set with an additional zipper bag inside Fitch & Fellows, Thame, £85

Azuni Cleo wrap necklace White Hart Studio, Haddenham

Marc Cain - mixed print silk scarf (psychedelic 60s / macaroon & coffee cups), Gallivant, Thame, £119 look without splashing out on something new. Team a single colour with neutrals for a chic look or for less formal occasions use colour with colour to make your outfit something special and unique. Now take a look at your favourite summer outfits - what can you create with a little imagination and accessory inspiration? l Katy Dyer is an award-winning personal stylist and image consultant. Katy is skilled at helping people

Hackett Seahorse swim shorts Gallant, Thame, £75

Boho Betty beaded leather wrap bracelet White Hart Studio, Haddenham

discover the confidence to change or develop their personal or professional style and image. Katy is holding Autumn/Winter 2015 Style Events this October. To receive your personal invitation contact: katy@katydyer.com or call: 07815 923 019. For more details about Katy Dyer products and services, visit: www.katydyer.com Gift vouchers and experiences are available.

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2015

A change of signage at Curve, Wendover shows the popular ladies fashion boutique is now called Brookes. So what has new owner Melanie Duddy got in store for local fashionistas...

ith a background in fashion she has a degree in technology and design, was senior blouse buyer for Dorothy Perkins for 11 years and worked for Windsmoor Group’s, Planet label - Melanie Duddy was a keen Curve customer looking to open her own boutique, when she heard the shop might be for sale! “I’ve always loved clothes and fashion,” says Melanie. “I’ve had time away from the industry while bringing up my boys, but with a husband in retail I’ve kept abreast of fashions and developments and now the boys are older, I am really enjoying being back at work and running my own business.” Living in Little Chalfont, (Melanie and her family moved to Bucks in 1994 after a spell in America), Melanie often shopped at Curve and liked the store’s ethos and style. “I love the brands that have been established and the customer base,” she says. “I’m not planning any big changes, our Senior Buying Manager Karen Foley and all the old staff have stayed on and are doing a great job. They are extremely helpful and are all trained in how the range fits together in key looks.” To introduce the change of ownership and add a little of her own personality, Melanie has renamed the shop Brookes. “It’s my mother’s maiden name,” says Melanie. “Her father had Brookes Radio Store and her uncle ran Brookes Brothers Motors many years ago, in Brecon, Wales, so it’s nice to bring our family name back to the high street!” The boutique’s interior was refurbished in February and the exterior has just been redecorated complete with new name. It looks very stylish and makes the most of the pretty Grade II listed Tudor building in its prominent position on the roundabout where Aylesbury Road meets Wendover High Street. Melanie is expanding the supply base and introducing more dresses. New labels include Diane Von Furstenberg (DVF), a new American blouse brand, Joie - ‘wellpriced, plain and printed blouses beautifully made from silk’ and she is considering Ralph Lauren as an addition for 2016. Other names currently stocked include: Jeans by AG, MiH, Citizens of Humanity and IDA;

blouses by Velvet and Charlie; knitwear by 360 Cashmere, Cocoa Cashmere and also items by Scandanavian brand Gestuz, Hale Bob, Max & Moi, Joseph and shoes by Sam Edelman and The Jacksons. There are also Beck Sondergaard scarves and a range of jewellery to complement the clothing. “I want to provide a balance for women who have busy lifestyles,” says Melanie. “We have stylish outfits for the school run and weekend wear for the busy working woman. We cater for ladies who are into looking the part whatever side of their life that is for. I am utilising the insight my experiences in retail and as a mum and corporate wife have given me into the kind of clothes busy women need for their busy lives. “The key here is our personal service though. We are happy to run around the shop while customers are in the fitting room, picking out options to try, making suggestions and giving honest advice about what suits. We want to work with the customer to get the look they are after. We also have a tailoring service, so items can be adjusted to fit if required. “We provide a beautiful environment, where you can feel comfortable and enjoy shopping and know you will come out feeling good, rather than ordering ten dresses from the internet and then having no one to discuss how they look with! We want our customers to have a warm, welcoming and enjoyable experience. If we haven’t got what you are looking for, we may be able to suggest other shops or internet stores that can help.” “I love living in Buckinghamshire and I am really enjoying working in Wendover, it’s a pretty village and such a lovely friendly community.

Melanie Duddy

l Brookes, 2 Aylesbury Road, Wendover, Buckinghamshire, HP22 6JQ Tel: 01296 620623 Web: www.brookesclothing.co.uk Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2015

Column: Nicky Gregory‘Curious World’

Button’s wartime secret

friend came into the Antiques Centre the other day with a WWII RAF Brass uniform button, but this was a button with a difference! It was made by Firmin of London and contained an Escape Compass. These were issued to RAF pilots before they set out on an operation to help them find their way home if they were shot down over enemy territory. They had to be returned to ‘stores when the aeroplane returned after the operation was completed. The button unscrews to reveal a small military compass. When the Germans became aware these hidden compasses existed they were made with the screw reversed so attempts to find them would tighten the thread. During WW II Department 9 of the British Directorate of Military Intelligence developed secret ways of concealing tools and instruments in everyday objects that, hopefully, would not attract attention. Escape compasses, maps etc., were hidden in uniforms, belt buckles, shaving

Nicky Gregory

Curious world

This object is glass, but what was it used for?!

and hair brushes, shoes, lighters etc. There were also Bakelite buttons with magnetised metal fixings, these had dots on the back and when hung from a thread they pointed north. Escape compasses were issued to allied pilots, paratroopers, commandos, the regular army and

SOE agents as part of escape and evasion kits. July’s Mystery Object, identified correctly by many, was a sash window weight. The winners were Megan and Elaine Anderson from Aylesbury. Some of the incorrect answers were a butchers sharpening stone, a door weight and a longcase clock weight. The amethyst glass object above is the Mystery Object for August

and can be seen in the Antiques Centre. Can you guess what it is? The prize for the winner, chosen from the correct answers, is a £10 Gift Voucher for Antiques at Wendover. Email your answers along with your name, address and contact telephone number to: editor@vale-life.co.uk Winner to be drawn and notified by email by Sept 14th 2015. l Nicky Gregory is the owner of Antiques@Wendover, The Old Post Office, 25 High Street, Wendover, Bucks, HP22 6DU Tel: 01296 625335 Email: antiques@antiquesatwendover.co.uk Web: www.antiquesatwendover.co.uk

ANTIQUES AT… WENDOVER A Dateline ANTIQUES CENTRE Est. 1987 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 Courtyard 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.

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 2015

01296 482963

Victorian Copper Milk Churns £144 The Old Post Office, 25 High Street, Wendover, Bucks, HP22 6DU Tel: 01296 625335 Email: antiques@antiquesatwendover.co.uk Website: www.antiquesatwendover.co.uk

True Grace diffuser

Fashion, Jewellery, Gifts & Interiors

Ted Baker scented candle

Summer bargains!

Orla Kiely range of candles, diffusers, bath & body creams

hat is it you love about Summer? Is it the warm sunshine on your skin, the colourful summer clothes and the chance to enjoy a little more outdoor living, or those heady summer scents? Lavender, Honeysuckle, Roses, Stocks, Lillies, Sweet William, freshly cut grass... At The White Hart Studio

in Haddenham they love all these summer smells so much that Jane has stocked up with fabulous ranges of scented candles and diffusers, so you can enjoy wonderful fragrances throughout your home for the rest of the year. and beyond. “We’re bringing the outside inside,” she says. “I’ve a range of True Grace candles in glass holders which are gorgeous and

make great presents and also Ted Baker and Orla Kiely candles and diffusers in their funky packaging - all three brands have heavenly scents and not just floral ones, there’s ‘Seashore’ for instance, it’s fresh and breezy, just beautiful... Of course we all like to sniff out a bargain if possible and there are some real gems in the summer clothing sale. The Alice’s

Pig outfit Jane has on above, for example, is just one of the outfits we saw seriously marked down on our last visit - hurry though I smell a stampede coming... l White Hart Studio, 15 Churchway, Haddenham, Bucks, HP17 8AB Tel: 01844 292308 Open Tue-Sat 10am-5pm & Sun 11am-4pm Website: www.whitehartstudio.com

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2015

Column: Janice Issitt ‘Making the most of it’

Colouring outside the lines

’d like to chat a bit about colour, as it coincides with an award I’ve been nominated for. And, if I may be so bold, I would like to ask you politely to vote for me! Every year the online interiors company Amara hold awards for interior design bloggers in various categories - I have been nominated for ‘colour inspiration’. If you read my blog, you will know by now that I am all about colour and about as far away from black and white minimalism as you can get. When it comes to interiors I like connecting culture and history to create a personal space, making use of collected treasures and displaying them with pride. However, when you are a collector or maximalist, it’s sometimes quite hard to achieve a cohesive look. Two tips though are ‘grouping’ and ‘colour’, which when applied make more sense to the eye and brain. It’s the same principles as used by stylists and shop displays. Your colour choices inside the home will be guided by the use of

the room. Bearing that in mind, explore the shades and hues within that palette. You can pull your inspiration from anywhere really is there a fabric or item that really sings out to you with its colour combinations? This could be your starting point. It could even be inspired by the garden as there are amazingly vibrant tones in nature and whoever said “blue and green should never be seen” couldn’t be more wrong. Voting starts on the 10th August via a dedicated website at: www.interiorblogawards.com Please look for my name and vote in the colour inspiration category. If you have any questions regarding decorating your home and are stuck for colour choices then please feel free to drop a comment on my blog or facebook page so I can help you work out a plan.

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 Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2015

Inspiring with colours

Making the most of it

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.

The Lily Pot

Janice Issitt

Win a Ninja Gnome

hroughout the centuries, Ninjas have fought with warriors and warlords and now a new battle is about to commence - on your lawn! A covert operative and trained assassin, The Ninja Garden Gnome will patrol your shrubs armed with an integrated solar panel battery which charges during the day and allows the Ninja’s eyes to automatically illuminate when it’s dark for added menace! Cast from rugged weatherproof resin; his mighty sword and frightful stare makes this gnome a garden ornament not to be messed with! The Ninja Gnome Costs £19.99 from www.firebox.com but if you’d like to be in with a chance of

winning one of two Ninja Gnomes we have currently guarding the Vale Life office, simply email your name, address and telephone number, along with the answer to the following question, to: editor@vale-life.co.uk From which country do Ninjas originate? Winner to be drawn at random from correct entries and notified by email by Sept 14th, 2015. www.firebox.com

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 2015

Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going wireless

01296 415234 www.aylesburydentists.co.uk

45 Buckingham Road, Aylesbury, Bucks, HP19 9PT 14

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2015

l Column

Amanda Trott

Hartwell House is not just an attractive, elegant and historic, country house hotel, it also boasts a stylish spa with some inviting treatment packages...

ucked away in the sleepy hamlet of Hartwell, just outside Aylesbury, is Hartwell House Hotel & Spa. Hartwell House has a remarkable history, stretching back almost a thousand years to the reign of Edward the Confessor but these days it is a luxurious Grade 1 listed hotel with 4 AA Red Stars. This hidden gem not only offers luxury overnight stays and fine dining but also boasts a small but perfectly formed Spa that is attached to the house and can be used by residents and non residents alike. Hartwell Spa is housed in an orangery and contains not only a pool, spa bath, steam room, saunas and hot tub but also a well-equipped gym. On the Spa sun terrace is their all weather hydrotherapy Hot Tub, so rain or shine you can enjoy the peace and quiet this tranquil setting has to offer. Sit back in the lounge seats and relax, while the hydro jets massage your cares away. Four treatment rooms with experienced therapists, provide a wide range of treatments using Aromatherapy Associates and Jessica products. In the gallery overlooking the pool, is the Spa Café and Bar, an informal restaurant open to both residents and non-residents for breakfast, morning coffee, lunch and supper. It opens daily from 9am until 7pm throughout the week and until 9pm Friday and Saturday and serves a range of seasonal hot and cold food, with a menu that changes weekly, along with juices and smoothies, wines and beers, coffee and cake and even traditional afternoon teas. During the Summer months, weather permitting, the Spa Café and Bar opens out on to the terrace for al fresco dining. On a wet and gloomy July evening I whisked Mr T off for a Twilight Experience, one of the many spa packages available at Hartwell. Hartwell Spa’s Twilight Experience

Relieving muscular tensions in the shoulder as part of the Intense Muscle Release Massage is offered on Friday and Saturday evenings and comprises of one 55 minute treatment followed by a two course supper in the Spa Café, all for the very reasonable price of £70. Great value, when you consider that some of the treatments cost over £70 on their own! On arrival we started our evening with a refreshing smoothie before being led away by our therapists for our treatments. I had chosen an Aromatherapy Associates Rose Infinity Facial and before we started Findlay, my therapist, took me through the benefits of the treatment. She explained that the facial is designed to treat problems associated with ageing, so I could expect it to noticeably lift, tone and firm my skin, leaving me with a flawless, healthy and younger looking complexion. It was sounding good already and she hadn’t even started! The Rose Infinity Collection, at the heart of the facial, works to repair ageing DNA - it radically increases moisture levels and stimulates collagen production. Wrinkles and lines are plumped out for smoother, younger-looking skin and a gentle, natural enzyme peel works to re-surface and illuminate, while enabling other products to penetrate deeper. Aromatherapy Associates use a bespoke massage designed to re balance and stimulate the nervous

system, to release congestion, whilst the essential oils are absorbed into the bloodstream, enhancing cell renewal, circulation and detoxification, while their aromas enhance our mood. The facial works on repetitive movements including a scalp, décolletage and shoulder massage, designed to boost the lymphatic system and drain away aches, pains and tension. The fragrance of the essential oils, combined with the massage, had an instantly soothing and uplifting effect and at the end of my treatment my skin felt plumped and looked radiant. Findlay advised I leave the products on my skin for as long as possible, overnight if possible, to get the very best from them. Meanwhile therapist Sophie, was getting to work on Mr T’s knotted shoulders with an Intense Muscle Release Massage. This deep and restorative massage works to combat stiff, tight, aching muscles using Swedish and cross muscle fibre

Health & Beauty

Amanda Trott

Beauty Spot massage techniques, combined with Aromatherapy Associates De-Stress Muscle Gel and Oil, to instantly release pain and tension. It focuses on the back, neck, shoulders, arms and legs leaving you feeling deeply relaxed and re-charged. Carefully applied pressure stimulates the nervous system, and the massage techniques relieve muscular tension whilst lymphatic drainage helps encourage healthy circulation, so stresses and strains melt away. Before the massage Sophie applied the De-Stress Muscle Gel, which amongst other ingredients, contains ginger to help warm the muscles in preparation for the massage. She then tailored the treatment to expertly deal with the areas that were most problematic. Relaxed but refreshed and revitalised and very impressed with the standard of treatment and professionalism shown by Findlay and Sophie, we made our way to the Spa Café for a very enjoyable supper, followed by a short trip home and a very restful night’s sleep... l Hartwell House & Spa, Oxford Road, Buckinghamshire, HP17 8NR Hartwell Spa Tel: 01296 746500 Email: spa@hartwell-house.com Website: www.hartwell-house.com Hartwell House Tel: 01296 747444 l Amanda is a talented and experienced, Vidal Sassoon trained hair stylist, who at one time managed Charles Worthington’s Covent Garden salon. If you would like to have your hair cut, styled or coloured by Amanda she is available in Thame from Tuesdays to Thursdays at Eclipse Hair Design. Call 01844 260062 to book or arrange a free consultation.

The Spa Café

Providing the ultimate salon experience

What’s the news from Moody by name lovely by nature!

Chris Moody in action at The Eclipse training day.

he Eclipse Hair Design team had a fantastic training and motivational day with one of Redken’s top hair artists - training coach, Chris Moody. “Chris is an inspirational teacher and accomplished stylist and salon owner who also works for Redken NYC sharing his precision cutting skills,” says Salon Manager Vicki Krol. “Chris demonstrated cuts in the morning and then took a practical session in the afternoon which involved styling on model heads (pictured right). “He is an entertaining and inspiring teacher and we all had a brilliant day!”

Summer offer!

Amy Williams

Moroccanoil are offering a 125ml oil for the price of their 100ml bottle and a FREE beach bag too, while stocks last. Hurry they will go quickly!

Well done Amy!

Stylist wanted

The Eclipse team with Chris Moody

Eclipse Hair Design is looking for experienced full & part-time stylists who excel at cutting and colour, to become part of our friendly team and progress within the company. You must be enthusiastic, friendly and client focused with high standards. You will be rewarded with: l High commission rates l London training courses l Excellent incentives l 30 days holiday per year l In house training l Support in working towards promotion

Eclipse Hair Design would like to congratulate Amy Williams, pictured above, who is now a Graduate Designer having successfully completed three years training and many hours of hard work in the salon! She is a great addition to our cutting team. To welcome Amy to the salon floor we are offering new customers 50% off Ladies Cuts and Colours with Amy from Monday 7th Sept to Saturday 12th Sept inclusive. If you are new to Eclipse and would like to make an appointment with Amy, call to book your half price appointment now. Call Eclipse on: 01844 260062.

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

STOP PRESS... online booking service - see: www.eclipsehair-design.co.uk 16

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Column: Stacey Astley-Clark ‘Good to give’

Could you be a friend?

Stacey Astley-Clark

Good to give

just how much fun Rickie has. I would definitely consider him to be a real friend now.” So, if your social network is in need of some real-life connections, why not give us a call? old Ben Carpenter from Aylesbury, who originally contacted us offering to help an elderly person with their shopping. After chatting to Ben it turns out that his love of Playstation and movies made him the perfect match for Rickie, a young man affected by cerebral palsy.

Ben and Rickie get together every Friday evening and either head to the pub or go to cinema a simple experience with lifechanging potential. “I’m quite a shy person but the whole experience has been so positive,” says Ben. “I really enjoy my Friday nights and love seeing

l Stacey Astley-Clark works for

Community Impact Bucks, the ‘Charity Champions’ of Buckinghamshire. Through their team of Super-Hero staff & volunteers, their mission is to lead, inspire and influence Not-for-Profits to reach their full potential in improving the lives of others. More information: www.communityimpactbucks.org.uk

We are taking on new patients Special offer: 40% off initial consultation for Vale Life readers* (now £36, normally £60) *Offer available till 31st December 2015

We offer payment plans from Denplan which help you spread the cost of your private dental care. If you would like to know more, please ask us or ring us on 01296 424 037 or email info@denta-care.com denta-care, 49 Buckingham Road, Aylesbury, Bucks HP19 9PT

MSS3176 07-15

ccording to Facebook, the average person has 338 friends, which should mean our diaries are too crammed full of parties and coffee dates to ever contemplate being lonely. However, we aren’t quite the socialites our profile pages would have us believe. In fact, despite the perceived connectivity that technology brings, we are actually becoming more isolated. Around 1 million older people in the UK regularly go an entire month without speaking to someone and almost a quarter of disabled people say they often feel lonely. Not a pretty picture. Our vision at Community Impact Bucks is ‘a better life for the people of Buckinghamshire’, and that means putting an end to loneliness and the physical and mental issues it creates. But where do we even begin? It starts with people like 25 year

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Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2015

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Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2015

Column: ‘Kiss & tell’ with Tracy Kiss

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2015

Bunny just had to go M

any moons ago, as a very young lady, I had a Playboy bunny tattooed on my hip. I’ve always had a fondness for pet rabbits, I hand-reared eleven of my own and was even nicknamed ‘Bunny’ at home! Immortalising my love for these fluffy friends with a permanent men’s mag logo on my hipbone seemed like a good idea then, but with hindsight perhaps wasn’t the best decision - it was very fashionable at the time though. My proud Playboy tattoo with the name ‘Bunny’ scribbled beneath is now a little faded and embarrassingly basic. It seems tattoo art has come a long way in the past couple of decades. Rather than face the pain of tattoo removal and the risk of being left with scarring, I’ve opted for a ‘cover up’ by having another tattoo inked over the top. John Capasao of RedInk Aylesbury has already done three of my seven tattoos and I’m a big fan of his work. He’s professional,

Tracy shows her X-Pole factor

precise and his studio and equipment are clean and sterile. The Bunny is on my hip so I asked John to create a freehand feather quill pen, starting from my underwear line, up to the tip of the bunny ears. John would have to blend the feather design over my bunny in order to hide it, extending the length of the feather up along the hip and to my side, to balance the width and length to fit my torso. He completed my tattoo freehand, first planning out the width, length and curvature with

rough markings on my skin in a green felt pen. Then, when we were both happy, he used a blue fine marker to draw on the details before tattooing. Every reputable tattooist should practise good hygiene. All equipment must be disposable, sterile and the chair and wires wrapped in plastic to avoid contamination of germs and skin infections. The skin should be cleansed prior to tattooing and repeatedly throughout to remove blood and excess ink, and surgical gloves must be worn by the artist at all times. It took just over an hour and a half to complete my coverup tattoo and it didn’t feel any different to a normal tattoo despite going over scar tissue. I’m absolutely thrilled with the results - it’s a piece of body art that I will treasure forever. My love of writing first began

Tracy Kiss

Kiss & tell

when I was old enough to hold a pencil, progressed to my first typewriter, word processor, PC, laptop, ipad, smartphone and website, which has had over 3 million views! My feather quill pen tattoo not only symbolises my love for literature and self expression, but it has also rescripted my poor body modification choice from the past; lesson learnt. l Read Tracy’s blog at: www.tracykiss.com or follow her on: Twitter: @kisstracy4 Facebook: /TheTracyKiss

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Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2015

Many of us want to be fitter and healthier, to lose weight and enjoy the positive effects of living a healthy lifestyle. Where to start though?! Local fitness professional Sandra Brooks has developed DROPiT21 and is getting great results. So, are you ready to make a positive change…

very day we hear about a new fitness class or fad diet. Everybody seems to be running half marathons, cycling the Vale, going up the gym or bootcamping at the break of day, but these kind of activities don’t suit everyone and can be tricky to fit into a busy family lifestyle. Maybe you have tried the gym, dieting or fitness classes but struggled to keep it up and the pounds have crept back on. The new sports kit is now at the back of the drawer and the food you eat is about comfort or convenience, but rarely concerned with taste or nutrition. You are not alone - news stories abound that the UK is falling into an obesity epidemic crisis. You are sure there must be a better way to lead a healthier, fitter and happier life… and thankfully there is! Qualified fitness instructor Sandra Brooks, from Long Crendon, has developed DROPiT21 - a proven 21-day programme to lose weight and feel great. Launched back in November 2013, DROPiT21 is an online programme focusing on education, motivation, clean healthy eating,

Sandra Brooks exercise and wellbeing. “DROPiT21 is a structured 21-day plan,” says Sandra. “geared towards people with busy lives who want to make that change to live more healthily but would also enjoy the flexibility and convenience of being able to follow the plan at home.” When you sign up to DROPiT21 you have the option of receiving your programme via direct emails or via a private Facebook group, which many enjoy because of the support,

Annie’s story

Before 20

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2015

After

encouragement and advice from other clients in your group. You will receive a comprehensive DROPiT21 manual, packed with information on clean eating; recipe suggestions for a whole variety of nutritious and tasty meals; a suggested weekly meal planner and one-toone mentoring. If you are following the programme on Facebook, a friendly and secret Facebook group led by a member of the DROPiT21 team will give daily updates, advice, shared experiences and tons of support and motivation. Clients are also sent a link to a daily 10-minute workout video, with a choice of High or Low Intensity, depending on fitness levels, which you can follow in your own time at home, or where you like. This is not a quick fix faddy diet, there are no pills, shakes, supplements or calorie counting. DROPiT21 is about getting back to basics, avoiding sugar-and chemical-laden processed, refined and packaged foods and instead cooking and eating real foods, as close to their natural form as possible. Lean protein,

Having put on weight during pregnancy, Annie, pictured left, signed up for Sandra’s DROPiT21 programme in September 2014 and by the end of March 2015 had lost an incredible 5 stone, slimming down from a size 22 to a 12/14 in just seven months. What makes Annie’s story so amazing is that she achieved the weight loss and healthier lifestyle all on the back of one DROPiT21 programme! When the three weeks had finished Annie felt empowered and incorporated the knowledge she’d gained into her lifestyle to continue her journey by herself. “I achieved the results I wanted without starving myself, or

engaging a personal trainer,” says Annie. “There’s no specialist low calorie or low fat food, involved, just healthy, clean food and fun exercise. “I think it’s important for people to know that they can continue this on their own, once the 21 days are over, with willpower, self-motivation and determination. “I bought my first size 12 top for over 13 years the other day... I was a size 12 for about 4 months once, following some mad diet, but then I went back up the scales... This absolutely will not happen again!!” Annie completed the 2015 London Marathon in April and ‘loved it’!

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2015

Leanne’s story

“I was a baton twirler from the age of 4 until 18 - full of

confidence, performing in front of thousands of people and even competing for England at the

Before

After

good carbs, healthy fats, fresh fruit and vegetables all washed down with plenty of water. It’s healthy and tasty for you and your family and all the ingredients

needed are readily available from local supermarkets and are not expensive ‘health foods’ or supplements. “Our taste buds regenerate

make a

� � Delivered via private Facebook Group � Team motivation and inspiration � Daily Facebook posts � Online mentoring � Select speciﬁc start dates

weight started to drop off, I felt fitter and could physically see the difference. I started trying new foods, things that I would have totally avoided before. I experimented with cooking clean, healthy and nutritious meals from scratch, not just for me but for my family too. “The compliments started to flow and they still do now 18 months later. I am a size 12 now, something I used to dream of. “I follow the Maintenance Plan now and have lots of people asking me how I have kept the weight off. “I have managed to build the DROPit21 plan into a lifestyle that works for my family and me and I enjoy supporting other people in their new quest for a healthy lifestyle too.”

every 10-21 days,” says Sandra. “So if you cut out lots of sugars and processed ingredients from your diet, within three weeks the cravings for those unhealthy options will subside, hence the 21-day programme.” But be warned, there can be serious side effects! You will notice some, if not all of the below:

that sign on to the programme are doing so, not for weight loss, but to reduce the sugar in their diet,” says Sandra. “People are becoming more aware of the amount of sugar they are eating and the effects it has on them and are looking for ways to kick their sugar addiction.” The DROPiT21 programme is suitable for men and women of all ages and will often have a positive knock on effect too, for many men have lost weight and are leading healthier lives now by default, since their wife or partner has completed the programme and is making healthier food shopping and cooking decisions! “DROPiT21 gives you the chance to make a sustainable change to your lifestyle and general well-being,” says Sandra. “It will change your views relating to food, you’ll beat your cravings and simply feel great.” DROPiT 21 is currently available for only £45.

• More energy • Better complexion • Better mood • Better sleep • Improved brain function • Significant weight/inch loss • Improved self-esteem.

POSITIVE CHANGE TODAY A proven, highly successful, 21 day programme which delivers amazing results. 100% of clients would recommend this zero supplement & no fad plan.

2000 World Championships,” says Leanne. “I never really had trouble with my weight before I fell pregnant. It coincided with my husband’s job being relocated, a house move and then feeling quite lonely and isolated in a new part of the country - I put on a whopping 4 stone! I thought about losing weight but realistically I was exhausted and there was never any ‘me’ time, and no family nearby to help out. I was a size 18 and tried to live with it. “By 2013, I knew I had to do something about my weight. I started jogging and going to various exercise classes including Sandra’s Zumba class. Sandra told me about a new programme (DROPiT21) that she wanted to trial and I signed up. “In those first few weeks the

£45

PER PERSON

&GO

�

� Start immediately � Completely online � In the privacy of your home � Delivered via email � 1-2-1 Mentoring via email

� 07771 800913 � sandra@dropit21.com www.dropit21.com

The simple changes to your diet could also curb or prevent certain life-threatening conditions and diseases, such as: high blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Hundreds of clients have successfully completed Sandra’s programme to date with the average weight loss logged at around 11lbs or 11 inches lost. A ‘Way Forward’ manual is supplied at the end of the programme giving tips and advice on how to take the plan and your new healthier lifestyle forward. “Interestingly I am finding an increasing number of people

l For further details of DROPiT21 please contact Sandra. Tel: 07771 800913 Email: sandra@dropit21.com Website: www.dropit21.com

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2015

Win a £1500 Silhouette Soft non-surgical facelift

Would you like to try the innovative new non-surgical way to lift and plump ageing skin and reduce wrinkles...

geing is a natural part of life, it happens to us all and in our image obsessed age, with everyone carrying mobiles, taking snaps and posting selfies on a daily basis, it can really bring it home that those once fresh-faced looks aren’t quite as radiant as they used to be. Gravity has taken its toll perhaps, cheeks aren’t as plump as they once were and jowls are starting to sag! There’s no need to panic, we should all develop a little character as we mature, but wouldn’t it be nice to tighten up that loose and sagging skin, to smooth away the years and look your youthful best once more? Happily doctors have pioneered a new way to reduce the appearance of ageing discreetly, without anyone being aware that any treatment has been carried out. This most innovative new treatment is Silhouette Soft, which is causing quite a buzz amongst both the medical profession and people looking for a subtle way of countering the signs of ageing in your face. Known as the non-invasive face lift, Silhouette Soft is designed to redefine the face for those looking for restored volume and reduced wrinkles. The treatment is non-surgical, takes only half an hour to perform and immediately provides an extremely natural-looking result leaving the face completely mobile. What’s more exciting is that after three months the person looks even better as the treatment stimulates the body to create collagen which plumps out the sagging midface area. Dr Ayad Harb has performed over 8,000 aesthetic treatments at his Bicester Clinic. “Many of us are wishing to look younger but in a natural way,” says Dr Harb. “and as a result, discreet anti-aging treatments are experiencing a significant rise in popularity. “We have noted an increasing number of mothers of the bride (and groom) coming into our Bicester Clinic looking for discreet anti-aging treatments which will ensure they look their best for the wedding photographs. Some say they wish to avoid facial freezing because the effects can make it obvious that they have ‘had work done’. We often recommend Silhouette Soft and afterwards they are delighted with results the

2 22

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2015

Before

Above - Actress Gillian Taylforth after her Silhouette Soft treatment. Left - Gillian before, during and after the treatment. During

During

After

treatment has achieved, as are we.” Silhouette Soft is the only non-surgical option to lift the skin and defy gravity. The treatment uses pioneering suture thread technology, developed for the operating theatre, and has been adapted for use by doctors in facial aesthetic clinics. Fine threads of Polylactic acid - the principal component of Silhouette Soft - are dotted with bi-directional absorbable cones. This polymer is particularly biocompatible in humans and is completely biodegradable. Once inserted painlessly under the top layer of the skin the threads start to work in two ways: The lifting effect is immediate but discreet as it is the result of compressing and elevating the facial tissue at the time of treatment. The tension of the inserted thread lifts the sagging tissues. The regenerative effect is gradual and natural: After insertion the reabsorbable cones on the thread anchor themselves into the tissues and stimulate the body to produce its own collagen. This action, which continues over time, helps increase the volume of saggy areas and restores shapeliness to the face

gradually, to achieve a natural looking result. A typical Silhouette Soft treatment consists of four threads and costs around £1,500. Treatment is offered subject to the clinician confirming a patient’s suitability, with patients typically aged from 40-65. Bicester Clinic has built a reputation for beautiful results and exemplary customer service, winning the WhatClinic.com customer service award consecutively for the past two years (2014 & 2015). They are now ready to make an award of their own and would like to offer one Vale Life reader who is facing an important ‘likely to be photographed’ event such as being a ‘mother of the bride’ a free Silhouette Soft treatment. Please email side profile and front photographs* of yourself without makeup and a brief description of why you feel you would benefit from Silhouette Soft Treatments, plus your name, address, age and contact telephone number to: editor@valelife.co.uk. Winner to be selected subject to application and suitability and informed by email by Sept 4th 2015. *Photographs are only to be shared with the Bicester Clinic experts and are not for publication. They will enable the experts to assess your suitability for a Silhouette Soft treatment. l Bicester Clinic, 5 Causeway, Bicester, Oxfordshire, OX26 6AN Tel: 01212 335191 Email: info@bicesterclinic.com Website: www.bicesterclinic.com For more information on Silhouette Soft please visit www.silhouette-soft.com

Column: Fitness Focus with Sanda Ringsma

Health & Fitness

Just give it some stick!

Sanda Ringsma Thame Hockey Club

Thame Hockey Club in action

ockey has always been a big part of my life. My mum was a player, as was my elder sister and it was a natural choice to pick up a hockey stick myself. I started playing hockey when I turned eight - the age at which you’re allowed to play on club level at home in the Netherlands. Apart from a few short breaks when I travelled around the world, I’ve played hockey all my life and only stopped playing when I had my children. I came back to hockey when we moved from London to Chilton and I found out about a hockey club in Thame. It was the perfect opportunity to become reacquainted with an old passion, meet new

people, get fit and have fun along the way. Hockey is a very fast sport – you need agility and to be able to change direction quickly and burst into sprints. Our training sessions focus on skills and tactics, but are also designed to increase aerobic fitness, strength and flexibility - fitness in the game of hockey is just as important as passing and receiving, scoring, tackling, making saves and playing well, and importantly, helps to minimise and prevent injuries. For me hockey is a great way to maintain a healthy and active lifestyle. Having a friendly and social club is a big plus when it comes to the playing experience. Thame Hockey

Club was founded in 2008 and has since grown to a membership base of just under 300 members. It’s a lovely community club with three men’s teams - playing in division 1, 8 and 10, three ladies’ teams playing premier 2, division 3 and 6, and a thriving junior section. Thame Hockey Club is open to all – new, ex or current players of all ages. But people don’t have to actually play hockey to be part of the club as there are plenty of other opportunities to be involved in our local club community and we actively encourage and benefit from direct participation in the development and coaching programs run by England Hockey and umpire training.

We organise many events for our members throughout the year, from Club Open Days, a Christmas Party and the End of Season Ball and often do a bit of fundraising for charities. Our Juniors participate in many regional tournaments which are always very sociable and fun. The 2015/16 season starts with the next Club Open Day on Saturday 5th September when we will throw open the pitch to the local community, encourage people to get involved with the club, play some hockey and most importantly to have some fun! Do come along. l For more information about the Club Open Day or Thame Hockey Club, visit: www.pitchero.com/clubs/ thamehockeyclub. Thame Hockey Club’s home pitch is the astro turf at Thame Leisure Centre, OX9 2BB.

Hypnotherapy & Psychotherapy Has helped many people in many ways. It could be just the help you need!

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CNHC are the only regulatory body for the profession of hypnotherapy that is recognised by the Dept of Health. Tel: 07775 677796 Website: www.hypnohelp.co (just .co not uk) Email: Angie.hypnohelp@hotmail.co.uk

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Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2015

Health & Fitness

Column: Fitness Focus with Steve Hampton

Be a silver server S

itting in front of a PC, having retired from my office job, I realised that the daily walk for a newspaper, or to do the shopping, was unlikely to make me breathless and that my health was going to deteriorate quickly, if I didn’t do something about it. So, several years ago now, I investigated the great facilities at Racquets Fitness Centre in Thame and joined their gym. I began exercising regularly on their excellent range of conditioning equipment, which includes treadmills, bikes and rowing machines. However, despite the support of the Racquets’ team, I found it hard to motivate myself in gym sessions - although my grunting certainly improved. My early days in teaching PE were now a distant memory and, owing to so many years of inactivity, I clearly needed something more stimulating than gym attendance alone, to revitalise

Racketball my fitness interest. The Racquets fitness family came to my rescue when it announced an ‘introduction to racketball’ for older club members and others not members yet. This included a special invitation to local U3A members. The rules of racketball are quite similar to those of squash but the game is with a bouncier ball

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making it easier on the body and giving you more time to make your fast or slow dash to meet it. It is ideal for the older generation who need to chase after something and like to be sharing exercise with others. The first of the ‘Silver Servers’ sessions saw a dozen people, both men and women, attend the meeting. The rules were outlined and there was practice play on the four squash courts. Most of us had limited experience of racquet games but we were soon hooked and regular weekly tuition and games have continued on Tuesday mornings, with a nucleus of 4-8 players and space for more. The “Silver Servers” initiative is delivered by Roger Ridler, a squash/ racketball coach, himself aged 74. Racketball certainly saved me getting into a rut. I now play two or three times a week and always feel energised after a game, so it must be doing some good. My court skills and tactics are gradually improving

What does it cost? CV Health offers a competitively priced service at £80.

Call now 01494 412525 Monday to Friday (9 am to 5 pm) or email for an appointment: c.v.health@nhs.net 24

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2015

Silver Servers Racketball

and I’m starting to win more games but, win or lose, it doesn’t matter, played regularly, this is one of the most enjoyable ways of keeping fit. The game is energetic and sociable AND IT’S FUN. If you are retired or thinking about retirement and looking for an activity, other than gardening or walking the dog, which will help to keep you fit and will be enjoyable, give ‘Silver Servers’ at 10am on a Tuesday morning at Racquets Fitness Centre a try. Your first visit is free! So come on down and get started. You will be welcomed. l Racquets Fitness Centre, North Street, Thame, OX9 3TH Tel: 01844 261754 E: info@racquets-fitness-centre.com W: www.racquets-fitness-centre.com

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Maria Bray

EAR WAX REMOVAL If you are troubled by excessive ear wax causing discomfort or loss of hearing, CV Health Aural Care Service can offer you a very effective treatment at its Haddenham Medical Centre. Micro-suction is the most up-to-date procedure for removing obstructions in the ear and compared to syringing, it is safer, quicker, better tolerated and more effective.

Steve Hampton (far right)

Nutritional Therapy

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New Saturday morning Teen Clinic: £30 for 1 hour session Take charge of your health - I can assist you to achieve your desired health improvements with a mutually agreed and appropriate stepped programme of dietary and lifestyle changes. Diagnostic testing for: l Food intolerances / poor digestion l Vitamin D skin prick - overall health; bones, depression; skin; immunity l Homocysteine testing - heart health; brain health

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THAME LEISURE CENTRE For a full with list of available holiday In partnership partnership with In activities, speak to a member of staff or visit

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www.better.org.uk/thame Better isis aa registered registered trademark trademark of of GLL GLL (Greenwich (Greenwich Leisure Leisure Limited), Limited), aa charitable charitable social social enterprise. enterprise. Registered Registered office: office: Middlegate Middlegate House, House, The The Royal Royal Better Arsenal, London, London, SE18 SE18 6SX 6SX IPS IPS No: No: 27793, 27793, Inland Inland Revenue Revenue Charity Charity No: No: XR43398 XR43398 Arsenal,

Better is a registered trademark of GLL (Greenwich Leisure Limited), a charitable social e Arsenal, London, SE18 6SX IPS No: 27793, Inland Revenue Charity No: XR43398

Better is a registered trademark of GLL (Greenwich Leisure Limited), a charitable social enterprise. Registered office: Middlegate House, The Royal Arsenal, London, SE18 6SX IPS No: 27793, Inland Revenue Charity No: XR43398

Better is a registered GLL (Greenwich Leisure Limited), charitable social enterprise. Registered office: Middlegate House, The Royal Better istrademark a registeredoftrademark of GLL (Greenwich LeisureaLimited), a charitable social enterprise. Registered office: Middlegate House, The Royal Arsenal, London, SE18London, 6SX IPSSE18 No: 27793, Revenue Charity No:Charity XR43398 Arsenal, 6SX IPS Inland No: 27793, Inland Revenue No: XR43398

Peaceful Yoga

Children’s Rock n Roll and Disco Freestyle for Absolute Beginners, Saturday mornings in Wing Village Hall starts th Saturday 19 September

Bring peace into your life

Adult Ballroom & Latin for Absolute Beginners, Wednesday evenings in Wing Village Hall at 9:15pm till 10:15pm starts th on 16 September Line Dancing Monday morning in Longueville Hall, Newton Longville, Absolute Beginners at 10:00am- 11:30am, th Improvers at 11:30am – 1pm starts on 14 September

this autumn at The Lodge, InStarting partnership with The College Farm, Long Crendon, yoga with flowing movement and relaxation.

Classes starting weekly from 16th September, 6.30-7.45pm and 8.00-9.30pm. Better is a registered trademark of GLL (Greenwich Leisure Limited), a charitable social enterprise. Registered office: Middlegate House, The Royal

See www.peacefulyoga.co.uk or contact Sarah on sarah@peacefulyoga.co.uk or mobile 07892 401 486 Arsenal, London, SE18 6SX IPS No: 27793, Inland Revenue Charity No: XR43398

info@adrianmarshschoolofdance.com 01908 393315 079-069-88880 Adrian & Sara Marsh M.IDTA

Thai Orchid Massage and Spa www.thai-orchid-massage-and-spa.webs.com Traditional Thai Massage, Swedish Massage, Aromatherapy Body Massage, foot massage, herbal hot compress, back, head & neck massage 1 hr Aromatherapy/Swedish Full Body Massage £40 1 hr Traditional Thai Massage £45

Reflexions Health & Leisure Centre

Tel: 01296 330311 Mobile: 07587 172659 Buckingham Road, Watermead, Aylesbury, Bucks, HP19 0FY

Reflexology for adults and children Ailments which can benefit from reflexology sessions include:

Headaches and migraines l Stress & anxiety Digestive problems l Menstrual problems l Tiredness & fatigue l Aches & Pains l l

I’m an experienced Reflexologist treating all ages and a wide variety of ailments in my treatment room at Great Kimble. I also work two days a week in Special Need Schools in Buckinghamshire.

Tel: Rebecca Holmes on 07713355428 Email: rebeccaholmes7@gmail.com website:www.chilternhillstherapies.com Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2015

Win tickets to Horse of the Year Show

very October, Birmingham’s NEC is transformed into an equestrian utopia as Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) fills 50 acres of the site with thrills, excitement, and world class entertainment. Whether you are a competitive rider, horse enthusiast or simply want to enjoy an exciting day out, Horse of the Year Show has something to offer every member of the family. Cheer on your favourite riders as they take their turn in the prestigious Andrews Bowen International Arena and Caldene Arena at Birmingham’s NEC from Wednesday 7th to Sunday 11th October. Spread over five days visitors will experience thrilling competition, breath-taking displays, unbeatable retail therapy and spectacular horsemanship. Alongside the exciting competition, the Metropolitan Police Mounted Branch Activity Ride will captivate audiences with their action packed display. Inch perfect timing, total commitment and complete trust are required as horses jump through

Charlotte Flack and Ratina Kan, joint winners of last years HOYS Puissance Regular favourites, Virbac 3D Worming Pony Club Mounted Games and Osborne Refrigerators Double Harness Scurry will be getting the adrenaline pumping all week. The Show will be drawn to a spectacular close during Sunday’s Gala Evening performance when the Team GB Vaulters Supreme Horse and Supreme Pony fire, an opaque paper wall and of the Year will be crowned alongside complete fast crossovers. the Leading Show Jumper of the In addition, leaping back into the Year. spotlight are the talented Team GB And HOYS is offering Vale Life Vaulters! The World Equestrian readers the chance to win one of Games medallists will amaze the three pairs of Wednesday Gold audience once again with their Tickets for this year’s show. incredible display as they flip, tumble, If you’d like to be in with the handstand and pas de deux on chance of winning a pair of tickets horseback! to HOYS 2015, simply email your

Column: Fitness Focus with Caroline Clarke

From the horses mouth

’m an occupational therapist working with Debbie La-Haye, Dave Johnson and their team at Horses Helping People (based near Mentmore) on a project designed to help people with young-onset dementia (YOD) and their carers. Anyone who receives their diagnosis of dementia before their 65th birthday is said to have YOD, and because they are younger their needs are often very different to those of older people with dementia. Unfortunately there is a lack of service provision for people with YOD, so we decided to do something to change this. We looked at the research on activity groups for people with YOD and the results were really positive. The benefits of taking part in such a group can include increased well-being, less agitation, better sleep the night of a session, and peer-support for the people with YOD and their carers. With the evidence to back up our idea we spoke with local 26

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2015

Horses and gardening can be very therapeutic organisations which support people with dementia to find out whether there was a local need for this type of group. We were told there was, so we went ahead and applied for (and received!) our funding. Our project is jointly funded by the Bedfordshire and Luton Community Foundation’s London Luton Airport Ltd Near Neighbours

Fund as well as by Prevention Matters. The outcome is that our fully-funded activity group is entirely free for participants to attend and will continue every Tuesday morning until the end of March 2016. Our group members have a choice of activities each week, including grooming the horses, watching them graze as a herd, feeding chickens, turkeys and geese, gardening in the vegetable beds and walking up the field to see the beautiful views from the top of the hill. Debbie, Dave and myself, plus a team of trained volunteers, all work alongside the participants to support them in the activities. They are encouraged to take part, but there is no pressure at all - we’re a relaxed bunch! One man, who has YOD and

name, address and telephone number, along with the answer to the following question, to: editor@vale-life.co.uk Where is HOYS taking place? Winner to be drawn at random from correct entries and notified by email by Sept 4th, 2015. The competition is not open to Vale Life or Grandstand Group employees. Winners are responsible for their own travel arrangements to and from the show. No cash alternative is available. Tickets are non-transferable.

l Tickets are on sale now. For show information, timetable and ticket prices, visit: www.hoys.co.uk or call the box office on: 0844 581 8282 (Calls cost 7p per minute plus your phone company’s access charge)

For full terms and conditions visit www.hoys.co.uk

Health & Fitness

Caroline Clarke

Horses Helping People

attends the group, summed up the benefits, while grooming the lovely black and white horse Ellie, when he said: “I think everyone should do this every day. It just makes you feel so good.” He’s quite right, of course! I’m very lucky to be working with people like him in such a therapeutic environment as Horses Helping People. If you think this group might be just the thing for you or someone you know, please get in touch with me on: 07748 963 888 or Email: caroline.clarke@live.co.uk. l Horses Helping People, Nr Mentmore, Buckinghamshire Tel: 01525 377688

Web: www.horseshelpingpeople.co.uk

Column: Anna Webb‘Barking blonde’

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2015

Gone but not forgotten

he worst part of owning a dog is knowing they just won’t live long enough. No matter how logical you are about this fact, nothing prepares you for the final blow. It’s the day every owner dreads, when their treasured friend passes on. Dogs and cats are considered as family members. For many the constant companionship of a pet is their only friend. In a recent study over 73% employees felt they should be offered compassionate leave for the death of a pet. Another suggests 53% of dog owners grieved more for their dog, than a relative. Planning for this dreaded day is something owners’ know they should do, but just can’t face confronting. For some a sudden loss through an accident is even harder to handle. The Blue Cross offers a bereavement service to help owners, unable to share their grief, mourn with somebody who has experienced a similar loss.

Anna and Molly at Rin Tin Tin’s grave in Paris

is special and the outpouring of grief on memorials is heartwrenching. There’s a pet cemetery and crematorium in Chinnor, yet when the time came recently for me to decide what to do, I chose to bury Molly in my garden. She’s enriching the Long Crendon soil, guarded by a vintage stone dog statue, while her energy and spirit remains close. Some never get over the pain of losing their dog, and refuse to ever have a dog again. I’ve waxed lyrical on air many times that the only way I had planned forward is the ‘hair to have Molly’s of the dog’ cure, ashes buried in and to get another the world’s oldest straight away. A stone statue marks Molly’s pet cemetery in Now I realise this grave in Long Crendon Paris, called the is easier said than Cimitières des done. Apart from Chiens. It’s where Rin Tin Tin, the the fact that Miniature Bull terriers original star of the silver screen, are very rare, with a two- year and hundreds of pets, mainly dogs, waiting list, it’s the thought of being are laid to rest. able to give myself to another dog. A tranquil garden, the cemetery I know the right dog will find me

Anna Webb

Barking blonde when the time is right. For now, if dogs are like their owners, I must muster Molly’s fearlessness to move into a new chapter, living in The Vale, with Gremlin my streetcat and Molly’s mini-me, Dexter. l Combining a psychology degree with

‘Naturopathic Healthcare & Natural Nutrition’, Anna Webb offers doggy life-coaching, training, natural health and diet advice. Anna contributes expert advice on national radio and TV and cowrites a weekly blog for The Independent (Barking Blondes). Her book ‘Barking Blondes’ co-written with Joanne Good is out now (Hamlyn). www.annawebb.info www.crendoncanines.com

106xx out of the dog house a5 1pp 2 25/10/2013 10:40 Page 1

Aylesbury 01296 706403 Winslow 01296 715697 www.uniquepets.mobi Duck Farm Court, Aylesbury / High Street, Winslow

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Out of the Doghouse Dog Listening

Contact: Roselle 07989 947316 email: roselle@ outofthedoghouse.co.uk

Does your dog:

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

www.outofthedoghouse.co.uk • chase joggers, bicycles or livestock • destroy carpets or furniture when left alone • have issues with food?

Thank you from The British Heart Foundation Dog Listening uses a simple non-confrontational method, suitable for all dogs, regardless of size, age or breed, through which you can address all undesirable behaviours and build a rewarding relationship with your dog.

British Contact: Heart Foundation (BHF)947316 professionals and research in the Roselle 07989 or shops inroselle@outofdoghouse.co.uk Buckinghamshire have local area. raised £556,000 in the past year There are BHF Furniture and or visit www.outofthedoghouse.co.uk to help fund life-saving research Electrical stores in Aylesbury, and into heart disease, thanks to the High Wycombe, which sell items generosity of local residents. such as sofas, dining tables, beds, Those who have donated wardrobes, TVs and fridges. items, purchased goods or given BHF shops offer a free their time to volunteer have all collection service for donations contributed to this success. that can be booked over the phone This staggering amount has by calling 0800 915 3000, or enabled the BHF to fund life online for larger furniture and saving equipment, healthcare electrical items at bhf.org.uk/free Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2015

l Column: Catherine Stoker Learning process

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2015

What if results aren’t as expected?

while, it may be your university choices are taking a while to decide on places. 7. Look at the official Clearing vacancy list online via UCAS Clearing places search tool http://search.ucas. com/ or via The Telegraph http:// t’s distressing opening that clearing.telegraph.co.uk/ envelope on A level results day 8. Seek advice from your school or an to find you haven’t attained the education consultant. They will give you grades to confirm your place on a head-start in using Clearing effectively, Catherine Stoker the university course of your dreams. and assist you to quickly find courses If you find yourself in this position of interest. Learning process on Thursday 13th August, try not to 9. Keep an open mind. You do not despair, you might still be accepted if need to stick to your original subject. 3. If the answer is no but your your grades have only slipped a little 10. Keep an eye on the Clearing grades have only been missed by one and if not, as long as your grades are information as courses that were full or two marks, your school may be reasonable and you are prepared to be can sometimes have vacancies later. recommending a re-mark, call the proactive and flexible, you should still 11. Contact universities with courses university to explain. Be calm and polite. secure an alternative. Unless your school or adviser feels you of interest as soon as possible. Have Here are our top tips to ensure the your exam results, your UCAS personal have a strong case, it’s probably not best possible outcome. ID and Clearing number to hand. You worth the call though. 1 Be available at exam results time. will find your Clearing number will 4. If your first choice university If you’ve only just missed out on your appear automatically in Track answer is no, consider your back-up university offer grades, check your status offer carefully. Is this a course you really 12. Once you’ve found some places in Track as your place may have been which interest you via the UCAS want to study at a university you really confirmed anyway. Congratulations! website, call your chosen universities. wish to attend?! 2. If your status is unchanged, there’s They will put you in touch with the 5. If you find yourself without no need to panic yet. If not confirmed a confirmed place at either of your admissions tutor to ask questions about or rejected by mid-morning, pick up the course and tell them a bit about course options, act quickly to find an the phone to the university admissions alternative. Get involved in the Clearing yourself and why this course interests team, as they may not have made a you. Prepare a few questions in advance process as soon as possible. decision yet. Be calm and ask when you and make sure that you have practised 6. If you are eligible for Clearing, might hear and let them know you’re selling yourself over the phone. Track will say ‘you’re in Clearing’ or still really keen to study with them. 13. It might be useful to have a copy ‘Clearing has started’. If it is taking a

Independent education consultant Catherine Stoker’s tips for what to do in the event your exam grades aren’t quite as good as you had hoped they would be’...

of your personal statement to hand, just in case there are things in it that might be useful to highlight, in response to questions you are asked by the admissions tutor. 14. 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. It is a good idea to telephone the universities in your order of preference. 15. To accept an offer which has been made to you over the phone, you need to enter the course details on Track via the ‘Add a Clearing Choice’ button. If the university then formally accepts you, confirmation will appear in the ‘Choices’ of Track and UCAS will follow this up with an official confirmation letter in the post. 16. If you are not formally accepted by the university the ‘Add a Clearing Choice’ button in Track will be reactivated and you can add another course form the Clearing list. Good Luck! l Catherine Stoker is Managing Director of the Independent Education Consultants and can help with UCAS Clearing and planning for re-takes. T: 01865 522066, or E: consultants@inde pendenteducationconsultants.co.uk

The Future of Education in Buckinghamshire

University Campus Aylesbury Vale It’s not too late to apply for Higher Education and Professional Development courses at Aylesbury’s new University Campus. Degrees & Foundation Degrees

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This £16.5 million campus is a partnership between Aylesbury College, Buckinghamshire New University and Aylesbury Vale District Council, which is funding the build.

Visit ucav.ac.uk for full details.

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2015

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

Family holiday? Don’t forget The Beach Book

I Let You Go by Clare Mackintosh A tragic accident, which happened so quickly, there was nothing she could have done otherwise… or was there? In that briefest of moments, Jenna Gray’s world descends into a nightmare and she feels that her only option is to move away, start afresh, leave her fears and grief behind. The past, however, is not so easy to box up and put away, and just when Jenna has happiness in her sights that cruel November night starts to catch up with her. Clare Mackintosh spent twelve years in the police force, including

time on CID, and as a public order commander. She left the police in 2011 to work as a freelance journalist and social media consultant, and now writes full time. Her twisting, psychological thriller keeps you beguiled and guessing from start to finish, a compelling read from an author who knows how to write tense drama with characters about whom you care and who do not loosen their grip… £7.99

The Beach Book by Fiona Danks & Jo Schofield These two authors have already penned some wonderful guides about how to explore nature with children and this seasonally adjusted offering does not disappoint! Packed with ideas for exploring and enjoying every kind of beach, (lakes and rivers as well) it will ensure the whole family make the most of their time on the strand! From foraging, to building dams, sand art and wildlife-watching, via a host of games and even crafts,

this indispensable guide will keep everyone occupied for hours. Neatly packaged in a fully illustrated little paperback, you can’t afford not to keep a copy in your pocket in order to banish those boredom blues! £9.99

Love Is My Favourite Thing by Emma Chichester Clark Following on from the success of her blog and subsequent book about her dog, Emma Chichester Clark has now allowed Plum to star in her very own book for children! Plum loves it when her owners (Emma and Rupert) say “Good girl,

Children love books!

Plummie” but one day she forgets how to behave and the words change... Happily for all concerned, Plum will always be loved - even if she can’t be told so when stealing ice cream cones or swimming in ponds or tearing open cushions... Emma’s drawings of Plum will speak to all dog owners, as will Plum’s exploits. Charming. 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

ntr

Children Learning to Succeed

Maths & English Tuition Come and choose from the best children’s bookshop in the county:

THE BOOK HOUSE

in Aylesbury

Call for a FREE assessment! 07762 886 951 aylesburytown@firstclasslearning.co.uk

93 High Street, Thame, Oxon OX9 3HJ Tel: 01844 213032 Open Mondays-Saturdays 9am-5.30pm

Website: www.thebookhousethame.co.uk Email: anybook@thebookhousethame.co.uk We also sell books for grown-ups... and fantastic cards as well as gift stationery and toys. Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2015

Column: The Flo Show with Florence Grace

Growing up is scaring me

uly has rolled around again and it’s that time of year where everyone is breaking up from school and leaving education behind for six glorious weeks. Me, I’m leaving education behind for good! My life, it seems, is now one endless stretch of summer holiday... Ok, I’m not so naive as to believe that! But it’s a nicer thought than the one of me left floundering in the real world, unsure of how to become an adult. Just the other week, I was trying to assist my mum by putting the rubbish out, yet failed to identify what went in each bag and got it wrong, hindering my poor mum rather than helping. Additionally, I can’t cook and have never changed a light bulb. How on earth am I expected to pay a bill? How do I fix the electrics in my house when they trip? But what worries me most right now is the thought of falling into a dull Monday-Friday, 9-5 routine, forever being too tired to have fun

Florence Grace The Flo Show

Florence, third from right, with fellow students from the Aylesbury College Level 4 Creative Business Foundation Diploma course at their end of year trade show and losing interest in anything that I once loved. Instead being entirely focused on where the money is coming from to cover the bills. It seems this is a lifestyle that is common in England, and I dread to think that I may become a part of it. I’ve noticed, as a frequent visitor to Amsterdam and during a recent trip to Barcelona, this lifestyle is not present everywhere, and it’s made me seriously consider

relocating when I have become more of a ‘grown up’. I think being ‘a grown up’ is a daunting thought for most teenagers, I know many of my friends, like myself, are in denial that it will ever happen. I’m nearly 20, yet still feel 15! How am I expected to work full time, own a house, live alone, eventually look after a miniature human being and keep it alive, if I can barely look after myself? Is there a summer

school I can attend to learn these skills? Do they magically appear when I turn 20 and am no longer a teenager? Growing up, Life, it’s all huge, and it’s all scary. There’s one thing that’s certain though - you are in control of what happens. Don’t settle for that dull routine. Keep your passions alive, keep having fun and remember to LIVE! Life is too short to panic about bin bags and bulbs! Love from, Florence Grace. l Florence Grace is from Aylesbury and blogs at: www.lovefromfg.blogspot.co.uk She is a photographer and DJs for internet radio station BlinkFM (http://tunein.com/radio/BlinkFM-s188577/).

Pardon my English! Win copy of Frogley, A local dialect ‘Call My Bluff’ by Jacot de Boinod Can you guess the right definitions of the following words? 1) Bible-backed (Hertfordshire dialect) A) Being short but powerful B) Thin and lanky C) Round-shouldered 2) Devil’s darning needle (Buckinghamshire dialect) A) A dragon fly B) A slight, tickling cough C) A column of raindrops falling successively from one point 3) Pikked (Berkshire dialect) A) pointed

B) tired and dirty, in need of a bath C) sullenly angry; depressed in spirits 4) neckum, sinkum and swankum (Berkshire dialect) A) a game that involves knocking on a door and then rushing away as the homeowner answers it B) the three draughts into which a jug of beer is divided C) applied to the third time of calling the banns

l Adam Jacot de Boinod was a researcher for

the television series QI and is the author of The Meaning of Tingo and Other Extraordinary Words from around the World, published by Penguin Books. Having researched our rural dialect, he is setting a fun ‘Call-My-Bluff Quiz for Vale Life readers - mind your language now...

ANSWERS: 1C) round-shouldered (also used for a cow’s rounded back. 2A) a dragon fly. 3A) pointed. 4B) the three draughts into which a jug of beer is divided 30

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2015

Cockhead & Crutch!

hat do Urina Hedges, Flossie Freak and Teddy Bear all have in common? Well apart from the fact that they all have very cruel parents, they are also all past residents of Oxford. The journey from birth to birth certificate is a surprisingly hazardous one. If you have a funny surname, for example, it is important to choose accompanying names carefully. The fact that this hazard isn’t always heeded - or perhaps it is being gleefully embraced - can be witnessed by the presence of Rhoda Turtle, Annie May Kill, Tommy Rumble and a hundred others in a new book on bizarre names of Oxford residents compiled by Paul Sullivan. If you’d like to be in with the chance of winning a signed copy of ‘Frogley, Cockhead & Crutch’, simply email your name, address and telephone number, along with the answer to the following question, to: editor@vale-life.co.uk

What is Sir Tom Jones real name? Winner to be drawn at random from correct entries and notified by email by Sept 4th, 2015. l Frogley, Cockhead and Crutch by Paul Sullivan £9.99 Paperback: ISBN 9780750963008 ebook: ISBN 9780750964692

by Cathy Soughton

Coombe Hill

Monument

n the last edition I looked at the monuments in Tring Park; continuing the theme, this time I’m featuring one of the best known landmarks in Buckinghamshire, the iconic Grade II listed monument which stands on top of Coombe Hill and is a tribute to the 159 Buckinghamshire men who lost their lives during the Second Boer War. Prior to the First World War, relatively few war memorials were erected to honour those men who died whilst serving for their country and those that were, tended to be fairly small in scale and placed in public parks or churches. The Coombe Hill memorial is exceptional given its size and position. The Second Boer War was fought from 11th October, 1899, until 31st May, 1902, between Britain and the two Boer Republics, the South African Republic (Transvaal Republic) and the Orange Free State. The war ended in victory for the British with the annexation of both republics but at a cost - over 20,000 British soldiers died

Coombe Hill Monument

although more perished from disease, in particular typhoid fever, than in combat. In April 1901 at the Aylesbury Quarter Sessions court with the war still ongoing, Lord Rothschild proposed that a memorial should be erected to commemorate those soldiers from Buckinghamshire who had died in the conflict and a committee of magistrates was appointed to decide on the form it should take. It was subsequently agreed that an obelisk should be erected on the top of Coombe Hill which at the time was privately owned by the Chequers Estate. The owner agreed that the site would be made available together with a public right of way.

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2015

was rebuilt later that year. The original Funds were raised by public bronze plaque and decorations were subscriptions with Lord Rothschild stolen in 1972 and were replaced with making up the shortfall and building a marble plaque and iron flag. The company Whitehead & Sons in new plaque was also inscribed with the London was contracted to build the additional names of nine men missing monument at a cost of £1,345. from the original. In 2010 work was Standing 64 feet tall, it was built of undertaken to restore the monument Aberdeen Granite topped by a gilded as it had suffered badly from stone flaming urn and a bronze tablet at erosion and a new bronze plaque was the base recorded the names of all made to add the names of two further those Buckinghamshire men by name, soldiers from Buckinghamshire who rank and regiment who had lost their had been identified. A lives. At the time Unveiling ceremony 1904 public ceremony was held 148 men were to dedicate the new plaque. identified. Whilst a The monument can number had served easily be reached from in the Oxfordshire Coombe Hill car park and Light Infantry (in on a clear day the views 1908 renamed the over the Vale of Aylesbury Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry) or the and beyond are stunning. For those Imperial Yeomanry (Bucks Squadrons), interested in finding out more about the men who died, details are provided a large number of different regiments on the Roll of Honour website at www. were represented. roll-of-honour.com/Buckinghamshire/ The monument was completed CoombeHillBoerWar.html by the end of 1903 and an unveiling ceremony was held on 4th November l Cathy Soughton is a professional 1904. Thousands attended the genealogist and architectural historian ceremony and the Metropolitan providing family history and house Railway ran special trains for the history research across the local area. occasion. Tel: 01296 624845 The monument was almost totally Email: soughton@btopenworld.com Web: www.bucksresearch.co.uk destroyed by lightning in 1938 and

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Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2015

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Luxury Coach Holidays Theatre trips, day trips

DayTrips, Theatres and short breaks & Shows

armies of the British and French empires against the German Empire. It took place between 1st July and 18th November 1916 on either side of the River Somme in France. The battle was one of the largest of World War I, in which more than 1,000,000 men were wounded or killed, making it one of humanity’s bloodiest battles. We have a knowledgeable guide accompanying us throughout the weekend who specialises in the

Bucks & Oxfordshire regiment. Includes 3 Nights bed & breakfast at the Mercure Hotel Arras Centre. Please ring or see our website for more information.

This tour has been added to our Port Sunlight Museum programme and offers excellent value for money. We stay for 3 nights at the Best Western Lancashire Manor with breakfast & dinner included. Enjoy our included Guided Tour of Liverpool plus entry to the Port Sunlight Village Museum. We have also included an excursion to Southport one of Britain’s most elegant seaside who established a sea-bathing resorts – the ‘jewel of the north house amongst the dunes on the west’. It was founded in the late unique Sefton coastline and it has 18th century by William Sutton since developed into one of the Southport north west’s classiest towns. Browse the vast array of shops on famous Lord Street; its broad tree-lined boulevard with covered walkways and arcades inspired Prince Louis Napoleon to remodel Paris along similar lines in the midnineteenth century.

SIDMOUTH & DEVON CREAM - 4 Days, August 28th, £379 Our hotel is based on a lovely flat promenade in Sidmouth in an unrivalled position. The Royal York & Faulkner Hotel is one of our most popular hotels. The service and accommodation are excellent and the food is always delicious! On this weekend we have included a cruise and visit to Totnes. A wonderful round boat trip viewing Kingswear and Dartmouth Castles, Sir

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2015

The Royal York & Faulkner Hotel

Walter Raleigh’s Boathouse and The Estate of the late Dame Agatha Christie. The boat is undercover and heated with bar on board.

We then have free time for lunch in cosy Dartmouth, followed by a stop in Totnes for the chance of afternoon tea on our way back.

Day Breaks: August 2015 Tue 25th Canterbury or Whitstable £20 Wed 26th Adinkerke by Ferry £45 Wed 26th Warwick Castle £34 Thur 27th Clacton Air Show £20 Thur 27th Medieval Sandwich & Deal £20 Fri 28th The Shard & Borough Market £49 Sun 30th Bournemouth £20 Sun 30th Swanage £20 Pick up routes differ for each trip, please ask. Many more day trips available up to December - please request a brochure.

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

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LIVERPOOL & PORT SUNLIGHT VILLAGE SPECIAL OFFER! 4 Days, August 29th, £199

LATE AVAILABILITY! BATTLEFIELDS OF THE SOMME 4 Days, August 28th, £289

Win tickets to the Mini Plant T

he city of dreaming spires has something special to offer - a guided tour through the birthplace and heart of an iconic British car, the MINI. More than 15,000 people each year choose MINI Plant Oxford as one of the best places to visit, earning it the 2015 Certificate of Excellence by TripAdvisor - an award received by only the top 10% of hospitality businesses around the world, based on customers’ reviews. Visitors to MINI Plant Oxford enjoy a fascinating insight into the history and production of one of the world’s best-loved cars. The tour starts from the on-site museum, which houses some of the historic cars built at the plant, as well as the most famous MINIs - from Austin Power’s Union Jack hatch, to the car designed by Natasha Caine and signed by her famous dad, Michael. You will then step inside the 100,000m2 Bodyshop, where 1,000 robots apply up to 6,000 spot welds to create each and every MINI bodyshell. Your tour guide then takes you to the Assembly Hall, where a MINI

is born every 67 seconds, with nearly 1,000 rolling off the line every day. With hundreds of thousands of interior and exterior options available you are unlikely to spot two identical cars leaving the plant. Frank Bachmann, managing director of MINI Plant Oxford, says: “The BMW Group has invested £750 million in its Oxford, Swindon and Hams Hall plants for the launch of the new MINI generation, and we are proud to showcase the state-of-the-art facilities where these iconic cars are

made. The success of the MINI has been phenomenal and the 2015 Certificate of Excellence is a true testimony to it. We are dedicated to giving our guests the best behind-thescenes experience at MINI Plant Oxford.” If you’d like to be in with the chance of winning four tickets to The MINI Plant Oxford Experience, simply email your name, address and

telephone number, along with the answer to the following question, to: editor@vale-life.co.uk In which film did Michael Caine use Minis for a robbery getaway? Winner to be drawn at random from correct entries and notified by email by Sept 4th, 2015. l For more details on MIMI Plant Oxford see: www.visitmini.com or call the Tour Booking Line on: 01865 825750. Tickets prices start from £17 per person. Please note that children should be a minimum of 14 years old.

Discover the best of the Far East

For further details or to book any Far East Destination – give us a call or pop in and see us. SPEAR TRAVELS MASTER Logo

Spear Travels 5 Greyhound Walk Thame, Oxford OX9 3DY T: 01844 217228 E: thame@speartravels.net www.speartravels.net BLUE

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2015

PANTONE 287C

RED

PANTONE 485C

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2015

Step inside by Polly Gibbs

Interiors Edition: Laid back luxe

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2015

Image courtesy of Abigail Ahern www.abigailahern.com

Step inside by Polly Gibbs

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2015

Lounge comfortably in faded elegance while working laid back luxe for just the right dose of shimmer and soul...

habby has become ever so chic in the past couple of years with upcycled and salvaged pieces adorning the coolest of homes. Of course for many of our parents and grandparents, second hand and the notion of ‘mend and make do’ was a necessity rather than a style; all long before the premium price tag salvage and reclamation now command. Not to be confused with the painterly ‘shabby chic’ or harder lines of industrial design, Salvage Chic is fundamentally masculine and smart in appearance - think 1930s gentlemen’s clubs and oak panelled libraries - it’s all about comfort and glamour.

Nothing is matchy matchy or symmetrical, it has a ‘thrown together’ feel about it. Squishy sofa’s, leather club chairs, crystal decanters, antique mirrors and reclaimed oak floors all mingle in a cosy palette of muted earthy shades with pops of mustard, tan, red, racing green and regal blues. Mix different woods, antique furniture (the more beat up the furniture the better), vintage leather, sumptuous velvets, mismatch cushions and lampshades in ikat prints and floral fabrics, and layer traditional rugs for a timeless yet fashionable abode. Continued on page 36

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.

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2015

Continued from page 35 For salvage with history try Lassco’s where you’ll find pieces as prestigious as The Icon Cabinet, that housed Princess Diana’s dress collection at Kensington Palace (priced at a cool £26,500). They list stock online and have three showrooms, including the TV featured London based yard, along with one closer to home at Milton Common and managed by Tom Hart (www.lassco.co.uk | 01844 277188). You can enjoy a coffee or bite to eat at their Three Pigeons restaurant and browse

Step inside by Polly Gibbs an aladdin’s cave of doorknobs to Belfast sinks. Only a relative few have the pockets and space for such iconic pieces as the Diana cabinet, so for everyday, smaller salvage pieces try antique shops, charity shops, car boot sales and ebay. Continued on page 38

Image: www.grahamandgreen.co.uk Distressed cabinets by Graham & Green - see overleaf for details 36

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2015

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

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•Professional Fitting Opening Times: Monday to Friday 10am until 5pm Tel: 01296 337181 Mob: 07767370067 •Very Competitive Saturday 10am until 4pm. Any other time by appointment 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 23traditional 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 of 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 Flooring Providing adviceHuntington and installations Advice •Expert Advice•Free •Professional Fitting Advice to private customers, professionals•Expert and •Professional Fitting Quotes•Expert •Expert Advice •Professional Fitting •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 for Residential and Residentialwork and for Residential•Free and •Very Competitive Parking for thatched, heritage and listed buildings. Commercial work for Residentialwork and Commercial Commercial work E

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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 STAIRother RODS CARPETS • VINYLS SISAL • Any SAFETY FLOORING • WOOD • BINDING TAPES until•RODS 4pm. time•Free by appointment CARPETS • VINYLS • 10am SISAL & • STAIR SAFETY FLOORING • WOODQuotes • BINDING TAPES Stoves, Installations Servicing 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 Saturday 10am until Any other time by appointment Opening Times: Monday to Friday 10am until 5pm Opening Times: Monday to Friday 10aminfo@northmillstoves.co.uk until 5pm 4pm. Opening Times: MondayBucks to Friday until 5pm North Mill Road Bledlow HP2710am 9QP 01844 342400 www.northmillstoves.co.uk 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 the commitment of our family team.

Commercial work •Carpets Budgetsto suit all •Carpets to suit all •Carpets to suit all Budgets •Carpets to suit all Budgets Budgets •Free Quotes CARPETS • VINYLS • SISAL • STAIR RODS Budgets Oxfordshire • Buckinghamshire • •Free Quotes •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 Contact us to book your free home THE BEST INParking home •Free Parking •Free Parking survey or to visit our showroom to see •Free Parking

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the stoves in action.

Web: Web: www.charleshuntington.co.uk Web:www.charleshuntington.co.uk www.charleshuntington.co.uk 23 DUCK FARM COURT,

WAY, AYLESBURY, AYLESBURY, HP20 HP202SQ 2SQ 23 DUCK FARM COURT, STATION STATION WAY, 2323 DUCK FARM COURT, STATION WAY, AYLESBURY, HP20 2SQ 23 DUCK FARM COURT, STATION WAY, AYLESBURY, HP20 2SQ DUCK FARM COURT, STATION WAY, AYLESBURY, 2SQ WE WILL NOT BE BEATEN ON QUALITY OR SERVICE r HP20 WE WILL NOT BE BEATEN ON QUALITY OR SERVICE ou WE WILL QUALITY OR ? SERVICE WE WILLON NOT BE BEATEN ON QUALITY OR SERVICE We are now an accredited dealer WE WILLNOT NOTBE BEBEATEN BEATEN ON QUALITY SERVICE to OR n tion for Franklite - pioneers in the g i a s t design and manufacture of high dequo quality lighting since 1973 en a h r Pic: Vetross light by Franklite tc fo i k m r u o yo wro g in sho r t b ver o n do hy en W W

WE WILL NOT BE BEATEN ON QUALITY OR SERVICE

CARPETS • VINYLS • SISAL • STAIR RODS SAFETY FLOORING • WOOD • BINDING TAPES

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

Tel: 01296 337181 Mob: 07767370067 Web: www.charleshuntington.co.uk

23 DUCK FARM COURT, STATION WAY, AYLESBURY, HP20 2SQ

AMBIENCE KITCHENS

WE WILL NOT Design BE BEATEN QUALITY OR SERVICE • Consultancy •ON Installation Specialists in quality kitchen design, consultancy and supply for 30 years

For more information please contact us at our showroom: 35 High Street, Wendover, Buckinghamshire, HP22 6DN Tel: 01296 625556 or 07530 932797 Email: sales@ambiencekitchens.co.uk Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2015

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2015

Continued from page 36 And great deals can be had at Secondhand Vintage & Reclaimed (secondhand-vintage-and-reclaimed. co.uk), where you can also sell unwanted items. Don’t be put off by dust and cobwebs, ask for a damp cloth and wipe hidden gems, especially if you find it hard to see potential in salvage. Remember many pieces are one-offs, so if you spot something you love, enjoy a haggle and buy it. However, if rummaging just isn’t you, replica will work too. Graham & Green have a charming distressed black buffet cabinet (see previous page) with a fern wallpapered interior for £315 (grahamandgreen. co.uk), and TKMaxx is always worth a visit - the Oxford store had a replica Barcelona Chair recently. One of my favourite products at the moment is faded or distressed Persian rugs. If antique originals are a stretch, try Persian Empire, £225 (johnlewis.com), Silence bamboo silk rug, £800 (rockettstgeorge. co.uk), or Sentimental, £600 (heals. co.uk). Each comes with a pre-worn,

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2015

Step inside by Polly Gibbs

aged look that gives them that old weathered feel. Mix in some antique taxidermy, a domed Shell Tree from Artisani, £116 (artisani.com), vintage photos, map prints, botanical illustrations, willow pattern lamps and hammered metal bowls to pull the look together. Don’t rush; finding the right pieces may take time, but the appreciation you’ll experience will make it completely worthwhile. Check out the gurus of salvage chic, without a doubt, Soho House (sohohouse.com) and Bill’s restaurants who’ve also captured the essence with their mix of chandeliers and vintage furniture. Here are a few more of my favourite hunting grounds to whet your appetite: designvintage.co.uk (Brighton); elemental.uk.com (Shoreditch, London) burgessreclamation.co.uk (Bicester) theoldcinema.co.uk (Chiswick) willowandstone.co.uk l Polly is an award-winning designer, Decorex100 Interiors Influencer and Amara Interiors Blog Award Finalist 2014. Discover her blog at: www.coco-design.co.uk/blog.

Accessories by Artisani www.artisani.com

vale_life_advert_Layout 1 21/07/2014 15:54 Page 1

Stoneworld the stone experts

Stone for the garden: for patio, paving, walls, gravel, cobbles and pebbles, feature stone and water features.

Stone for the home: for floors, worktops, fireplaces and hearths. Stone made to measure: reproduce any item in stone, from restoring an architectural feature to intricate sculpture for home and garden.

www.stoneworld.co.uk or come and visit: Stone for the garden Great Milton OX44 7NW 01844 279274

Stone for the home Thame OX9 2DW 01844 261768

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2015

Real Living

by Charlotte Bolton

Beautiful things

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2015

Find

on your doorstep Real Living

Charlotte Bolton

From candles, cushions and the kitchen sink (literally!) the Aylesbury Vale has plenty of fabulous interiors shops to help you find those special bits and pieces for your home.. AYLESBURY Recently opened Holy Cow Home (www.holycowhome.co.uk) in the centre of town specialises in Indian/Morroccan homeware items such as throws, cushions, mirrors, lanterns, antique-style journals and items of furniture. Their beautiful ‘Kantha’ quilts made from antique sari material are worth a visit alone. 6 Cambridge Street, Aylesbury, Bucks HP20 IRS. Also in town near Morrisons in Duck Farm Court is Ginger Interiors (www.gingerinteriors. co.uk). You’ll find furniture, mirrors tableware and lighting as well as a stylish range of retro clocks and ornaments; bestsellers include the quirky ‘colour pop’ pugs and silver Indian elephants. 8 Duck Farm Court, Station Way, Aylesbury, Bucks HP20 2SQ (01296 415035).

Find these colourful pug ornaments at Ginger Interiors Just outside Aylesbury in Stone visit Khiam Interiors (www. khiaminteriors.co.uk) for a large range of french oak and painted furniture as well as home accessories and gifts. 16 Oxford Road, Stone, Bucks, HP17 8PB (01296 747222). 40

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2015

Haddenham Garden Centre (www.haddenhamgardencentre.co.uk) is also good for homeware bits and bobs such as photo frames, vases, aprons and tea towels; they also sell an impressive range of silk/faux flowers, perfect if you love flowers in your home but don’t want to buy fresh all the time. Stanbridge Road, Haddenham, Bucks HP17 8HN, (01844 290395). LONG CRENDON Essentially a florist, Velvet Brown (www.velvetbrown.co.uk) is well worth a visit for its additional range of eclectic home accessories; you’ll find things like decorative keys, mini cake stands, traditional blackboards, decorative heart holders and coloured glassware. 1a The Square, Long Crendon, Bucks, HP18 9AA, (01844 208261).

Visit Holy Cow Home Interiors for a beautiful range of Indian/ Moroccan style cushions, throws and accessories Utopia (www.utopiagifts.co.uk) in Fairford Leys is also well worth a visit for its unique range of ‘Azeti’ tableware (items include bowls, servers, dishes and candle-holders); made from recycled aluminium each piece is painted with a vibrant enamel resin finish. Browse the tableware and organic candles while sipping a caffe latte from the in-house café. 58 Wedgewood Street, Fairford Leys, Aylesbury, Bucks, HP19 7HL (01296 339000). HADDENHAM The White Hart Studio (www. whitehartstudio.com) is THE place to go for unique, one-off items of furniture at affordable prices. As stock is always changing you never know what you’re going to find recent offerings include a fabulous

Victorian pine pulpit, Victorian corner cupboard and gorgeous Rococo style chairs. Things like animal/fish print cushions and beautiful smelling candles are also for sale among other unique accessories such as vintage letter holders and magazine racks. 15 Churchway, Haddenham, Bucks, HP17 8AB, 01844 292308. See page 11.

Would this Victorian pine pulpit look good in your home? Unusual one-off pieces are to be found at The White Hart Studio

PRINCES RISBOROUGH Visit Kado Gifts, 41/45 High Street, Princes Risborough, Bucks, HP27 0AE (01844 344062); www.kadogifts. co.uk and The Elephant’s Trunk, 6 Duke St, Princes Risborough, Bucks, HP27 0AE (01844 273388) for giftware and home accessories. THAME Celebrating its 4th anniversary this autumn FROM (www. fromroundhere.com) on Thame High Street is unique in that it only features products from local artists and artisans. Accessories for the home include candles, cushions, glass and kitchenware (aprons, tea towels etc) plus photo frames, prints and one off pieces of art; perfect for creating an individual stamp on your walls! 16 Cornmarket, Thame, Oxon, OX9 2BW (01844 217998)

house pop into florist Forever Green (www.forevergreenflowers. co.uk) on Thame’s Cornmarket. The shop also sells a lovely selection of candles, gifts and homeware items. 2 Cornmarket, Thame, Oxon, OX9 3DX (01844 212812).

Nicky Sharp Interiors, Tring specialises in reclaimed furniture this chair has been lovingly re-painted, waxed and re-covered

Jack & Atticus Home Emporium on North Street, Thame is a relatively new addition to the town and stocks an eclectic mix of upcycled vintage furniture plus a great range of chalk paints, waxes, knobs and all the bits you might need to give your own furniture a revamp at home. Scott and his team are extremely helpful and full of expert advice and useful tips. They run courses too. 55 North Street, Thame, Oxon, OX9 3BH (01844 212327).

For arty accessories that won’t break the bank, Fitch & Fellows shop and gallery at the very top end of Thame’s Upper High Street, (opposite The Cross Keys) has a beautiful range of quirky and unusual ceramics and glassware. 1, East Street, Thame, Oxon, OX9 3JS, (01844 Fitch & Fellows 215099). If you’re looking for vintage style jugs, vases or pots for your

TRING Nicky Sharp Reclaimed Interiors (www.nickysharpreclaimed interiors.co.uk) is a real Aladdin’s cave; you’ll find all sorts of unusual bits and pieces including vintage mirrors, lights and eclectic knick knacks in the shop - but the mainstay of Nicky

Find vintage furniture, chalk paint and other covetable goods at Jack & Atticus and her husband’s business is selling beautiful pieces of reclaimed furniture such as chests of drawers, glass cabinets, dressers and chairs. If you need life breathing into an old piece of furniture, Nicky accepts commissions, or she will also source individual items of furniture for you. Unit 25, Old Silk Mill, Industrial Estate, Brook Street, Tring, Herts, HP23 5EF, (07748 836050). Although it’s mainly a clothes shop - Lolly & Mitch (www.facebook. com/lollyandmitch) is also a fun place to visit for hand-made lampshades, funky cushions and illuminated

wall canvases. 57 High Street, Tring, Herts, HP23 5AG (01442 827 070).

WATLINGTON For people who love their kitchen and all things in it, K is for Kitchen (www.kisforkitchen) on Watlington High Street is cuisine heaven! Set out as a working kitchen the shop boasts all sorts of interesting items, from recyclable Swedish dishcloths and bumble bee patterned glassware, to cast iron tagines from Shropshire and authentic copperware (such as casserole and saucepan sets) from France. They also sell Handmade lamp stylish kitchens; cabinetry, shades from Lolly & Continued on page 42 Mitch in Tring

Home Emporium

Vintage furniture, Accessories and other covetable goods

Helping you give new life to your home. 55 North Street, Thame, Oxon OX9 3BH • Tel: 01844 212327 71 Woodside Road, Amersham HP6 6AA • Tel: 01494 727700 www.jackandatticus.co.uk • scott@jackandatticus.co.uk

Like us on: Jack & Atticus

Emma Jayne’s in Winslow is full of fun and funky homey things

Continued from page 41 sinks and taps and appliances - from the Tomas range. 14 High Street, Watlington, Oxon, OX49 5PY (01491 598580). WENDOVER For homeware and gift items visit Number One, 1 High Street, Wendover, Aylesbury, HP22 6DU. WINSLOW Tucked away in the corner of Winslow’s market square is the fabulous and funky Emma Jayne’s (www.facebook.com/pages/Emma-

Fun animal head from Emma Jayne’s

•

S TA LL

‘Kitchenalia; silicon lids, recyclable dish cloths and vintage copperware from K is for Kitchen Jaynes/182137041955325) - a gift and homeware boutique full of bright and beautiful things! The owner, Emma, stocks a wonderful array of quirky home accessories - bestsellers include the hanging teapot light, parrot wall ornament, tablecloth chequers and funky animal heads (in the style of traditional ‘stuffed’ stag heads). Do not miss this shop if you’re looking for something unusual for your home that all your guests will want! 9b Market Square, Winslow, Bucks, MK18 3AB (07720 761830). l Contact Charlotte at: www.reallivingspaces.co.uk or email: cjb@charlottebolton.com

E•

• SE

STOV

IO IN

G • AD

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. 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 & Servicing

comforts THE BEST IN

home

North Mill Road Bledlow Bucks HP27 9QP 01844 342400 info@northmillstoves.co.uk www.northmillstoves.co.uk 42

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2015

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

Cutting edge garden machinery to help you tackle the toughest of jobs around your garden. We have the range and the experienced staff to help you make the right choice and above all we have the best deals!

Serving customers Thame Road since 1830 Haddenham

Bucks HP17 8BY Tel 01844 292000

www.tillynilly.com 01844 220035 55 North Street 1st Floor Thame OX9 3BH Also available: Motorised and child-safe blinds Hand finished curtains & romans ◦ wallpaper ◦ upholstery ◦ installation

OPEN: Ample FREE Mon to Thurs 8.00am - 5.00pm customer parking Friday 8.00am - 6.00pm Sat 8.00am - 5.00pm

www.georgebrowns.co.uk

Other branches at: Buckingham, Chesham, Daventry, Great Dunmow and Leighton Buzzard

Showroom Open Monday-Saturday: 9am to 5pm

Telephone: 01296 415038

Independent, family run firm, established 1990 - currently celebrating 25 years in business!

· We supply and install carpets, design flooring and vinyl made by the industry’s leading manufacturers · Recommended retailers of Karndean & Amtico luxury vinyl tiles · Expert advice · Competitive prices · Free estimates · Sample loan service · Measuring and quotes by arrangement · Expert fitting · Easy parking

Celebrate our 25 years in business and WIN Karndean flooring worth £350, (fitting not included), in our 25th birthday prize draw - ask in store to enter! l

New stock carpet 80% wool, 20% polypropylene - ‘Latte’ normally £22.99 per m2 - special offer price only £17.99 per m2 while stocks last! l

3 Jansel Square, Bedgrove, Aylesbury, Bucks, HP21 7ES Website: www.aylesburyflooring.co.uk Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2015

l Column ‘In the Garden’ with

Naomi MacKay

The only way is up! I

Living picture frames

E5 TANGO

Autonomous battery lawn mower • Operates in any weather • Automatic charging • Powerful lithium-ion battery

f space is at a premium in your garden, then you need to look up! That’s right, just as town planners build flats and townhouses when they run out of ground space, so can we as gardeners! Vertical gardening has so many benefits. It makes the most of what little space you do have, plus it is a great way to create an attractive privacy screen if you live in close proximity to other people. If you have ugly walls to hide, covering them in greenery helps to soften hard surfaces and sharp angles. Plants are capable of absorbing pollutants and, on a wall, they can form a natural shield from heat, noise and air pollution, and

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2015

can help to shade and cool a seating area. Living picture frames are right on trend now - sempervivums are the plants of choice for this - and it is possible to buy frames to plant and pop on a wall or fence - we found these attractive ceramic versions, (see left), at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show. Ask at your local garden centre. However, if you have the time and inclination you could also make your own. Here’s how: What you need: 1) Sempervivum plants or cuttings. These succulent plants hold lots of moisture in their thick fleshy rosettes and need little

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FAROL OFFER Come and visit our shops!

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Leading Brands

Rycote Lane Farm, Milton Common, Thame, Oxfordshire, OX9 2NZ

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Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2015

£579

Tel: 01844 278843 Prices include VAT. Subject to availability. E & OE

FarolLtd @FarolLtd FarolJohnDeere

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2015

maintenance. Use fully grown plants or cuttings - sempervivum plants create little offset plants that can be cut off easily. 2) Some wire mesh - two pieces a little bigger than your frame. 3) A box photo frame or apple box 4) Cactus potting soil 5) Moss 6) Staple gun How to do it: 1) Staple the wire mesh to the bottom of your frame. If using a box, leave out this step and use the bottom of your box as the base. 2) Layer the moss inside the wire mesh - making sure you cover the base well. 3) Layer in as much of the potting compost as you can. 4) Cover the soil with another layer of moss. 5) Staple another piece of wire mesh over the top of the frame 6) Add your plants - use a pen or stick to make holes in the moss and wiggle the plants in. 7) Lay the tray flat on the floor for a couple of weeks so that the plants get well rooted before fixing it to a wall.

Make a fence a feature We may not like fences but they are often a necessary evil. But this fence above has become a part of the border. Painted in an off-white to echo the colours in the planting, it is also home to bird and insect boxes, making it both decorative AND useful! How to look after it: Take the frame off the wall to water it about once a week. Give the plants a feed once every two months. More vertical gardening ideas: Recycle and reuse Use old drawers or layer palettes to create ‘walls’ of plants. This is not only good from a recycling point of view but it can also create a handy screen to create privacy or hide an ugly drain or similar. Growing up? Forget trying to tie bamboo poles together. Not only are they not very

sturdy but you’re quite likely to catch yourself on them as you go past. Create something altogether more solid out of reclaimed wood and it will last for ever. Runner beans are growing up this one, but you could grow Morning Glory or nasturtiums for a quick vertical display. l Naomi Mackay is a freelance journalist and publisher of a new website for parents of primary-aged boys at www.itsaboything.net. She also helps small businesses with blogs, social media and anything else that needs words! You can contact her at: naomimackay@gmail.com

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Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2015

With shared ownership options, ‘live-work’ units and town centre apartments in their portfolio, Vale of Aylesbury Housing is making much needed accommodation available in the heart of Aylesbury and showing an innovative approach to the town’s modern living requirements...

ith the regeneration of the Walton Court Centre now reaching its final stages, the difference in the building is unmistakable. Gone are the dark brick facades and dingy underpasses, the whole place is bright and light now. It’s not just the look of the building that has changed though. The regeneration included the construction of a number of new flats at the Centre, plus four innovative live-work units. If you have ever considered starting your own business, but were put off by the cost of renting both a home and separate business premises, this new type of commercial let could be the perfect answer. Or perhaps you’d simply like to reduce the amount of time spent travelling to the office from home? The Trust has just released four Live-Work units at Walton Court Centre, which allow businesses to lease a two-person, oneChartered Surveyors bedroom flat, with an attached room that will serve as a workshop, studio or office. The accommodation would suit a wide variety of small businesses. The units have a high standard of

Chartered Surveyors

Above: Walton Court flats now, and right, during constructing energy efficiency and are accessible from the Ellen Road side of Walton Court

Left: floor plan of live/work units at Walton Court (Approximate sizes)

Jaggard Baker LLP Marlborough House 45 Wycombe End Beaconsfield Bucks HP9 1LZ

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2015

t f e w

Centre, next to the car park, meaning living accommodation can remain private. With a weekly rent and service charge at £123.58 per week, the package is very competitive. The newly-refurbished Centre at Walton 01494 677755 Court 01494 672622is only a short drive from Aylesbury info@jagbak.co.uk town centre, and has a thriving parade jaggardbaker.co.uk of shops and community facilities on the doorstep, making it an ideal place to start your new business.

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Regu

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2015

Friars House

New shop units are available at Walton Court For more details, contact Stuart Rider at Jaggard Baker on 01494 689617 or email scr@ jagbak.co.uk. The last retail units on the shopping parade at Walton Court Centre are now available. Each unit will be provided with mains services and back of house amenities including accessible WC and kitchenette. Details also available from Jaggard Baker, as above. An affordable home of your own The Trustâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s shared ownership portfolio is continuing to grow and includes two new developments in the heart of Aylesbury which will soon be available on the part-buy/partrent scheme. The Trust has recently taken ownership of a number of properties at Friars House - the plot above Friars Square Shopping Centre, right in the middle of the town. There are six 1-bed and one 2-bed apartments available for shared ownership here, which will be ready to move into later this year. Goldswain End, situated in Gatehouse Way, is due for completion later this year and will offer nine 3-bed properties and three 2-bed properties for shared ownership. These spacious well designed homes will come fully equipped with modern living areas plus good sized gardens and off road parking. Interested and want to find out more? Please contact Carol Patching, Commercial & Major Works Manager at the Trust, on 01296 732600, or homeowners@vaht.co.uk.

The Goldswain End, Gatehouse Way development

l Vale of Aylesbury Housing Trust, Fairfax House, 69 Buckingham Street, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, HP20 2NJ Tel: 01296 732600 Email: info@vaht.co.uk Website: www.vaht.co.uk

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2015

Lawn Farm Business Estate might be in a rural location but they are no country bumpkins when it comes to internet access - a 1000mbps ultrafast fibre optic line is about to be connected...

cross the Vale area there are many farms that have diversified to provide industrial and office space in old converted barns or new purpose built units. Brothers Aldo and Peter Di Marcello and their family have been farming for generations and took over Lawn Farm at Grendon Underwood in 1968 having moved from Dunsmore, near Wendover. They had a dairy herd of around 130 cows then, but around 1984 the brothers diversified and were one of the first farms in Bucks to apply for planning permission to convert barns for industrial use. “It took us four years to get permission for the first conversion,” says Aldo, “but we’ve gone on from there gradually converting buildings and putting up new ones. “We have a fascinating selection of businesses here now, involved in all sorts of activities. There’s Hamilton’s Canine Hydrotherapy with their pool for exercising dogs, a record company, bespoke glazing company Klöeber (see opposite page), new tenants The Oxford Office Furniture Company, Sheer Natural Stone, Fisher Plant Hire, The SML Diet Company, The Archive Centre, Steve Fox, Feng Shui and TAG Pipes, here from Bicester as they couldn’t find a big enough unit there. Our units range from 300ft2 up to 5,000ft2 at present and we have planning permission for two more buildings. “The broadband speed here has been a concern though as when modern companies come to look at premises it is one of the first things they ask about! We heard that high-speed fibre optic broadband provider,

Lawn Farm Business Estate. On the right is the Old Dairy, now occupied by Klöeber (see article facing page).

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2015

Peter and Aldo Di Marcello

Gigaclear, was open to providing a service to the local area which would give speeds of up to 1000mbps! Gigaclear is only available to rural communities and as part of a communitywide project. They pay for the network build it’s not reliant on any state aid or contributions from residents - all that’s required is 30% of the residents and businesses in the area sign up to the Gigaclear service and then the installation of the network can commence to every property. “That has happened now, so we’ll soon be offering faster internet speeds here than many have in central London! The cable is due to be

laid in September.” Aldo and Peter occupy one of the units with their own business supplying JCBs, ATVs, Quads, small tractors and roller mowers, while Peter’s son Barry has another for his vehicle repair workshop (BM Vehicle Repairs) and Aldo’s son farms sheep on the surrounding pastureland. “It’s a lovely rural setting to work in,” says Aldo “and once we’ve got our amazing 1gbps fibre connection, life will be perfect!” l Lawn Farm Business Centre, Grendon Underwood, Buckinghamshire, HP18 0QX Tel: 01296 770204 Email: apmarcello@gmail.com

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2015

Bespoke glazing and door company, Klöeber, which has featured in both Channel 4’s Grand Designs and the BBC’s DIY SOS show has opened an impressive new showroom at Lawn Farm...

ormed in September 2006 and launched at the Grand Designs Exhibition in Birmingham, Klöeber is a bespoke glazing company with a Head Office in Cambridgeshire and showrooms in Sunbury On Thames and now at Lawn Farm, Grendon Underwood, where they have refurbished The Old Dairy and Granary to provide a stunning setting for their stylish displays of doors, windows and rooflights. The company is popular in self build circles and regularly exhibits at national shows such as Grand Designs Live, The Homebuilding and Renovating Show and Build It Live. Klöeber also appears frequently in national home interest magazines and in 2012 won Build It magazine’s ‘Best Joinery Product’ category for their FunkyFront contemporary entrance doors. The showroom at Grendon Underwood is in response to a number of enquiries from our area. With the UK’s largest self-build project underway at Graven Hill, near Bicester and a similar development in the pipeline for Aylesbury there could be a lot more soon too. “I drove around the area last year with our Technical Director, Lee Green, looking for premises,” says Sales Director Matt Higgs, “and we fell in love with the Old Dairy building at Lawn Farm. We opened here in January and it has already become our busiest showroom. We are delighted to be on the site and have enjoyed working with our new landlords, Aldo and Peter Marcello, who could not have been more helpful. Like them we

Klöeber Timber Folding Sliding Doors

Matt Higgs are now looking forward to the new superfast broadband installation!” Klöeber is an English company, with a name chosen to convey their efficiency of service and well-engineered, high quality, products, which are mostly manufactured in Germany and Sweden. A small/medium sized company with around 50 employees, Klöeber offers a consultative rather than sales based service with Matt, Lee and the management team happy to offer advice on building projects and the kind of products and materials that will best suit a client’s requirements.” Matt has a background in the construction industry: “I’ve always been involved The Old Dairy with building and managing people and projects,” he says. “I understand how important it is to have the correct materials supplied and installed at the right time. “If a home build project requires doors, windows and glazed panels, we are happy to liaise with builders and architects to make sure the specifications are correct and that everything fits and is delivered as required. We can measure, draught technical drawings and fit the products on site too, if required. “We will get involved as much or as little as the client wishes us to. We can guide clients through the process and provide lots of different options and areas for saving money.” Klöeber produces bespoke glazing products in beautiful, solid, engineered timber, low maintenance aluminium, uPVC and a

Inside the Old Dairy composite timber/aluminium combination, all offering low insulation values, high security and a wide range of finishes and glass types. Timber windows in several flexible styles are available in hardwood, softwood, or oak and factory finished in any RAL colour or in a range of stains customised to your requirements. Klöeber’s innovative entrance door systems give options to design your own door from numerous panel and frame styles and finishes, while their aluminium or timber sliding and folding doors are elegant, practical and stylish and come in bespoke or set sizes. “You’ll find examples of our range on our website,” says Matt. “We have brochures too but to get a real feel for the products, come to the showroom at Lawn Farm. We have replaced all doors and windows in the building with Klöeber products so you can see them in a working environment. “Trade or retail enquiries are welcome. We supply household names such as Travis Perkins, Jewson and Barratt Homes, so volume is not a problem. Our standard manufacture and supply time is 6-8 weeks depending on the size of the order and time of the year.” l Klöeber, The Old Dairy, Lawn Farm Business Centre, Grendon Underwood, Buckinghamshire, HP18 0QX Viewing by appointment call Head Office on 01487 740044 Email: info@kloeber.co.uk Website: www.kloeber.co.uk Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2015

l Column: Jonathan Vernon-Smith

Consumer Affairs

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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...

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t doesn’t seem to matter what product you’re buying, there’s now an extended warranty available for everything. The question people often ask me on my radio show is whether it’s a good idea to pay the extra and take one out? My answer is generally a big, fat NO! Under your statutory rights you are protected for a ‘reasonable’ amount of time if a manufacturing defect occurs with a product. Depending on the item and the initial cost, this is generally as long as an extended warranty would last anyway. Remember when the retailer says that after 12 months there’s nothing they can do, they’re fobbing you off. The extended warranty is normally a way of charging you for something you really don’t need. Sadly some consumers are so trusting of retailers that they believe the company’s advice to be sound. I went to a well known shop once and bought a radio for £15.99. The retailer tried very hard to sell me a 3 year extended warranty for £20. I explained that if the radio failed after a couple of years I would simply purchase a new one at another cost of £15.99. The shop assistant seemed amazed that I was so hostile to the idea. Sadly I would imagine many people go ahead and 50

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2015

pay an additional £20 that’s totally pointless. You should however remember that often when claiming under your statutory rights a battle will probably ensue. A battle that will require you to hold your nerve. For most things I would urge you to fight that battle (and call me if you need help), but for other essential products (stairlifts / electric wheelchairs etc) you may consider buying the extended warranty just to give you hassle free piece of mind, and you know what? I wouldn’t blame you. The rule of thumb is always think long and hard before you hand over your money for something you probably don’t need. It is also worth looking into the idea of purchasing insurance policies that cover all of your white goods for mechanical failure. For consumers looking for hassle free piece of mind at a lower cost these can be a good alternative to the ‘extended warranty. Please read the terms and conditions though beforehand and understand exactly what the policy will cover. l Listen to The JVS Show

weekday mornings from 9am on BBC Three Counties Radio: www.bbc.co.uk/threecountiesradio

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Column: Small World with Robyn Bourne

Employ a reservist!

uring the last month I was fortunate enough to be invited to three separate events in the Palace of Westminster. Whilst these events are always unique and provide an opportunity to see something different from my day to day routine, one was also inspiring and made me think. It was an event hosted by the Reserve Forces’ and Cadets Association and was to enable us to understand why reservists are so important and how we (as businesses) can take on a reservist as a member of staff. The reserve forces are essential to the nation’s security. Reservists are ordinary people in normal jobs who give up their time to work alongside our armed forces as and when they are needed. They are an important element of the nation’s total defence capacity. They are called upon as individuals for their specialist skills or as ready-formed units whenever required. Like their Regular counterparts, Reservists receive world-class training - which means they can carry out the same roles to

exacting high standards. As the armed forces are restructured to meet future challenges their numbers are growing proportionally. This means that not only are they looking for more volunteers to take on the role of a reservist but also that more employees will find a reservist applying for a job, or potentially already working for them. An FSB survey suggests one in three (30%) of small firms are failing to hire reservists from the Armed Forces. They believe a lack of support and investment is to blame and thinks SMEs need more Government backing to encourage recruitment and to give reservists the support they need. But how many employees know what hiring a reservist could entail and does it put them off employing someone who is more than capable of doing the job but might get called up for active service? In reality reservists are unlikely to be mobilised except in the event of major operations or when a disaster strikes. Amongst the benefits that a business can get by

employing a reservist is the training in transferable skills which could cost an organisation over £8,000 pa to implement. So, the more reservists take advantage of these opportunities, the greater their value to the business. Reservists are trained at every level. From communications and IT to language skills, LGV licences, first aid, catering and personnel management, and the training is directly transferable. All this at no cost to the business owner, who ultimately will benefit from highly trained staff. But how could a very small business risk hiring a reservist? Well, apart from two weeks training, that doesn’t have to be in addition to annual leave, there are financial incentives to allow a business owner to continue as usual, as much as is possible, and if really necessary you can appeal the decision. You have the right to seek an exemption if the timing could cause your business harm. In my opinion, the benefits far outweigh these. You could end up with a much valued member of

Robyn Bourne Small World

staff who is trained in valuable core skills, is able to build and work within a team environment, enhance the reputation of your business and by employing the reserve services, you are contributing to the defence and security of the UK and showing clear support for Armed Forces personnel. I took away a lot from a simple two hour visit and can but spread the word. What are you able to do? For more information visit www.sabre.mod.uk l Robyn Bourne is the Development Manager for the Thames Valley region of the Federation of Small Businesses supporting 7,500 local members and helping them lobby on issues that are of importance to small businesses. www.fsb.org.uk

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Column: Down to business with Philippa Batting

Firms celebrate success

verybody loves a celebration and nobody deserves one more than our local businesses. The Buckinghamshire Business Awards took place last month and were an opportunity to showcase great local firms who continue to outperform those in most other parts of the country on start-ups, job creation, GVA, and many other performance measures. Aylesbury Waterside Theatre was suitably packed full of amazing businesses all hoping to take home a coveted ‘Swan Trophy’. As the evening progressed and award after award was handed out amid fine dining, dodgy dancing and much laughter, what became clear was the indomitable spirit that lies within the Buckinghamshire business community. This spirit brings new businesses, business growth and new jobs, the knock-on effects of which can be felt across the whole of Buckinghamshire. On award night, the Company of the Year trophy went to CoCredo, while Danielson (UK), Excel Office

Philippa Batting Down to business

The Buckinghamshire Business Awards Winners 2015 Supplies, Hughenden Primary School, June Medical, Medical Supermarket, Milestone Creative, PACE and Stoke Park were also victorious. The winners were humble, the runners up determined, the guests inspired, the sponsors gratified, the judges satisfied and this MD very proud indeed. Thanking lots of people seems to be the done thing at award ceremonies, so I’ll join the fun and thank the many people who

Business Cards Leaflets Posters Brochures Roller Banners Stationery

contributed to such a worthwhile event. The support of our sponsors was, as always, crucial to the staging of the awards, and the hard work that our judges put in behind the scenes by traveling to see and speak with the nominees was much appreciated. To our hosts, the Waterside Theatre, to the guests who helped fill the fabulous location on the night, and our media partners who helped us spread the word about the awards, I say a huge thank you.

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I sign off with encouragement for all business owners reading this that they can be a Buckinghamshire Business Award winner next year, and with a message for everybody else to feel reassured that your local businesses are working hard to deliver the economic impacts that benefit you all. Go to www.bbf.uk.com/thebuckinghamshire-business-awards for a full recap of the awards, including photos and videos. l Philippa Batting is the Managing Director of Buckinghamshire Business First (BBF). The organisation, based in Saunderton, works to support and facilitate success within the business community and to create a dynamic environment in which local business can flourish. Membership is free - visit: www.bbf.uk.com for more details.

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Simon Lovell grew up working at his family’s oil depot in Long Crendon and although he wasn’t ready to take on the firm when his mum retired, it was only a matter of time...

ovell Fuels first began supplying fuel From left Phil, (Sales and deliveries), Suzanne (Office Manager), to the local farming community as Paul, (Head Driver and Routing Manager) and Simon (MD). H. W. Lovell and Son, back in 1972 when Henry Lovell launched the business with his wife Grace, their son Ken and his wife Lynda. The family ran a farm and diversified into supplying logs, coal and eventually oil. The local area is very rural and without a gas supply in many parts, so oil is popular for heating. The firm did well and was the biggest oil supplier in the area at one time with some 10,000 customers and 11 lorries. Ken died in 1999 and Lynda ran the business on her own for three Lee-Ann years before selling it to Total Butler, (sales/admin) who leased the family’s depot on the Bicester Road at Long Crendon. Simon Lovell, Henry’s grandson, Lovell Fuels deliver to a 30 mile radius had been in his early 20s when the of Long Crendon supplying residential and business was sold and set up his commercial customers: homes, farms and own business doing mechanical businesses. repairs and engineering at his Jim (Driver) “We supply red diesel for farmers, heating workshop, on the depot site. little tanker oil and white diesel for commercial vehicles,” In 2013, a couple of years after says Suzanne. “Also engine oils, additives and TB had left the site, Simon decided Suzanne and started doing pump lubricants (Castrol/Total/Race), oil tanks to start up the family firm again outs for people and third party deliveries over and oil tank security accessories. We can with his wife Suzanne and the two began the winter months. also pump out leaking tanks, and transfer oil building the family business back up, with “Everyone I met spoke fondly of Lovell from one location to another, or even store it Suzanne manning the office while Simon did Fuels and how they missed the fast and temporarily for you. the deliveries. personal service and quality of care. It felt “We have a baby tanker for deliveries with “It’s gone better than I could ever have right to start up the business again. I know restricted access (12 tonnes) - it’s useful for hoped,” says Simon. “We now have a staff of the industry well, I’m older and wiser and I’m tight gateways, narrow drives, overhanging six and we are pretty busy most of the time. really passionate about doing a good job and trees etc - the other tankers are 18 tonnes. “I didn’t feel ready to take the business on Orders range from 500 litres up to much when my mum sold up, but I stayed within the making it work. “We’ve had brand new, state of the art larger quantities for agricultural businesses oil industry, and eventually I bought my own equipment installed, it’s all easier and safer to and large estates. Phil preparing to fill a tanker use with remote monitoring for the oil tanks “If you have run out of oil, please call and and satellite tracking for the vehicles. We are we will do our best to help, while for general quite high tech now, but we are sticking to enquiries we are happy to supply quotes, just our philosophy of customer service - doing phone, email or pop in, or for more details on what we say we’re going to do and not letting products and services see our website.” people down. When people have run out of l Lovell Fuels Ltd, Oil Depot, Bicester Road, oil and you can help them out by making an Long Crendon, Bucks, HP18 9EE urgent delivery, they are genuinely grateful Tel: 01844 202777 and it’s very satisfying. It makes the job worth Email: sales@lovellfuels.co.uk doing and I really enjoy it.” Web: www.lovellfuels.co.uk

The Lovell Fuels depot

Vale Vale Life Life : Aug/Sept : Jun/Jul 2015

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

Educating Penny M

y Mum was a teacher. My Dad was a teacher. So, it was inevitable really that I would… become a radio presenter. I think they thought that as long as I didn’t end up in a classroom, standing in front of a bunch of kids, then I would be ok. You can imagine how the phone call played out, as I rang to tell them that, as of this September, I’d officially be teaching secondary school English. Dad’s reaction was a predictable rant about Gove and all of his glorious decisions. If I randomly pick up the phone at any point, even now, months on, I’ll bet Dad’s still on the other end, ranting away. Mum’s reaction was a little less militant. She said, “Oh, the big ones are scary”. Spoken like a true primary school teacher. There’s something about September, and the end of the summer hols, that makes everyone think about going back to school. As I was sitting in my deckchair reading ‘How to be a Brilliant English Teacher’ recently, I started thinking about some of my own teachers, and the impact they had on my

Make them think you’re a little bit crazy! life. There was Mr Mistri (maths) who used to stand on his head if we all did well in a test. There was Mrs Faraday (chemistry) who had a twitch so severe that we were certain she was downing the contents of the test tubes when we weren’t there. Then there was my Sixth Form English teacher, Mr Langley, who was the first person who really encouraged me to become an author. He told me, “Miss Harper, a writer…”

I was on the edge of my seat waiting for this little gem of information. “A writer…” he continued, stroking his funny little white beard, “A writer… writes”. Hmmm. Not sure this is the genius advice I was really hoping for. I told this story recently at a prizegiving evening at Lord Bill’s in Thame. I’d been invited to say something inspirational to the students, but I’d had a severe migraine the day before and was worried it would result in a brain meltdown of epic proportions in front of a mixed crowd. It turned out alright in the end and I think they got my point, which was of course, Mr Langley’s point: unless you put pen to paper and write your ideas down, then you’re not actually a writer. I had this nugget in my head the whole time I was writing my first series of children’s books. Sometimes, you teach a class and you can almost see all their brains lighting up in turn, as the idea sparks and then… THEY ACTUALLY GET IT! It’s a real ‘Eureka!’ moment and it’s a terrific feeling. Just think of all those future writers and journalists

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2015

Penny Harper

Small Town

Girl

who might be sat in my class come September. I can’t wait. Dad’s one bit of advice, when he’d finally calmed down, wasn’t actually half bad. “You’ve just got to make them think that you might be a little bit crazy, and could flip at any time. That keeps them on their toes; keeps them guessing”. I think I’ll take that on board. After all, he did survive decades in the trenches as a secondary school biology teacher. I’m working on my twitch.

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Vale Life : Jun/Jul 2015

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Column: Heather Jan Brunt ‘This farming life’

It’s a day out, technically...

ays out with a farmer are generally related to the farm in some shape or form. So after many long years of marriage any rare enquiry from my own farmer along the lines of, “Do you fancy a day out?” is rarely met with joyful anticipation. Without exception before he says another word I know it will mean attending a farm sale, livestock market, a visit to a neighbouring farm or estate, the abattoir, a butcher, farm shop or an agricultural show. Some of these bucolic invitations are more welcome than others, but one that I always enjoy without exception is Bucks County Show. It’s wonderful to have such a well put together show in our county, and to have a traditional event on the calendar to look forward to. I love being outside in the fresh air, wandering in-between the stalls and stands, inspecting the beautiful cattle in the livestock marquees, watching the Grand Parade at the end and checking out the home craft marquee which is always filled with very impressive cakes, flowers

Heather Jan Brunt at this year’s Livestock Event at Birmingham NEC

This farming life Heather Jan Brunt

and homemade items. Of course as well as enjoying the day I am usually working at Bucks County Show, in my role as a journalist, and so I get to speak to many people and learn in depth about their work and why they are at the show. Recently I was at another agricultural event, both as a journalist and as a farmer’s wife. The Livestock Event at Birmingham NEC sees the vast halls and grounds of the sprawling exhibition centre turned into an agricultural hotbed for two days. Farmers from across the whole of the UK, and also many from Ireland, descend on the Midlands to see the latest machinery, technology and breeding

programmes that will help them move forward in the modern world. And in addition to attracting a lot of farmers from the Vale, businesses from our area use the opportunity to promote their products. One such company is Sum-It, a software company based in Thame. Farms, like so many businesses, are obliged to keep a lot of records and Sum-It helps provide the software to keep accounts, stock control, livestock movement and health and weight performance records in neat computerised programs. Sales and marketing director Ben John was at the show and told me: “There is an awful lot of paperwork

in farming and this makes it easier.” He also told me that, contrary to popular opinion, it is often the older farmers who take to the technology with enthusiasm. He said that when a farmer’s son or daughter returns home to work on the farm the youngster usually wants to be outside getting on with the physical work, and this gives fathers the chance to do more office work and to get their head around new technology and learn how it can help them so much. l Heather Jan Brunt is a journalist

and a farmer’s wife. Follow her on Twitter @HJBjournalist. She and her husband sell their own award winning Terrick Beef on the first Friday & Saturday of the month. See: www.downonthefarm.co.uk

Join us for lunch or Dinner in the Restaurant during September and October and enjoy a glass of bubbles on us! The Pointer is a pub with a difference. We have a beautiful dining room in a converted barn, our own butchers and farm producing around 70 ingredients to use on our plates including an ever increasing herd of Long horn cattle, rare breed pigs and now our own Lambs. Our head chef Mini uses the seasons to create classic British food with a creative twist showcasing the very best produce we have to offer

27 Church Street, Brill, Buckinghamshire HP18 9RT | Tel 01844238339 | Email info@thepointerbrill.co.uk Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2015

l Column: Jacqui

Thorndyke ‘Foodie On Tour’

Time to take stock... cubes

quite like food, but then you probably all know that by now. While I thoroughly enjoy a nice meal out - where the food is cooked for me, served to me and the dirty dishes are none of my business - back at Foodie Towers the kitchen (and pile of dishes) is very much my own. Menu planning takes the last minute panic out of day-to-day mealtimes, but with a seemingly endless to-do list I’m also not averse to the odd cheat. Stock for example. Who the hell has time to make homemade stock every time they need it? If I’ve cooked a whole chicken then I pretty much always make stock and stew the next day, but other than that I keep a supply of good old stock pots at the ready in the cupboard. But when I posted a picture on Instagram a while ago with a pile of ingredients I was going to use to make a risotto, someone was a little surprised to see a stock pot feature. Me a ‘foodie’ and all that. Turned out they use ready made stock too, I bet you

Jacqui Thorndyke ‘Pimped Up Noodles’ great for using up leftovers my collection of instant noodles most households do. I’ll also hold my hands up to having a constant supply of Bisto Best in the house. Having married into a family of gravy gluggers, we go through a fair amount of it; and, let’s be honest, it’s perfectly fine. If I was making a special meal I’d make my own sauce, but not on a Tuesday night when I’m frazzled from a day of cantankerous kids, playdates and piles of washing, with 30 minutes in which to get dinner on the table. Screeeeeeew that. My latest favourite cheat is what

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

Welcome...

Andy and Emma welcome you to The Boot, modern country pub and eating house, in the heart of the picturesque Chiltern Hills. Enjoy fresh, locally produced food, local ales and fabulous wines. Our chef creates exciting dishes suitable for all tastebuds, so families can dine in style. Pop in for a pint, a delicious evening meal or a leisurely Sunday lunch, you will always be greeted with a friendly smile and attentive service. Open: Tue-Thur: 11am-3pm & 5pm-11pm, Fri/Sat: 11am-11pm, Sun 12noon-7pm Food served: Coffee & pastries from 11am Tue-Sat: 12noon-2.30pm and 6pm-10pm. 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 56

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2015

I like to call ‘Pimped Up Noodles’, which involves earlier mentioned packet noodles added to any suitable meat and veg in the fridge that needs using up, plus a sprinkle of chilli flakes, a couple of cloves of garlic and some chopped up ginger. It’s flamin’ awesome. Add a blob of peanut butter on top with some fresh chopped coriander and mint and you have yourself a real treat. Possibly blasphemy to some, but I won’t be giving myself a hard time about it. Unless you’re a professional chef charging actual money for your

food, cooking should be about fun and flavours and soul soothing… and probably nourishment, but I’ll leave that to the nutritionists. Who cares if you sneak the odd stock cube in. I won’t. So yes, I cheat in the kitchen, and you should too. Life’s too short for homemade organic veal stock and red wine jus. l 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

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Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2015

Aston Clinton Park is popular spot with walkers, joggers, cyclists and runners, it has a lovely children’s playground, a fitness trail, a skateboard park and now a new, rather fab café...

hose who live in Aston Clinton, or The Café is ideally situated with lovely travel in to use the fabulous park views, about 100m from London Road on the there, will be pleased to hear that edge of Aston Clinton Park, a popular spot the team behind The Café In The with dog walkers, joggers, cyclists, ramblers Woods at Wendover Woods have now opened and young families. Your Café In The Park at Aston Clinton and It’s a safe, clean, well-maintained are serving up a delicious selection of healthy, environment with a lovely children’s adventure homemade snacks, treats and refreshments in playground, a skateboard park, a fitness trail, a their usual friendly, relaxed and tennis club, football pitches and extremely professional manner. a bowls club. John Warbrick and his The Café was Aston Clinton wife Amy actually built Social Club at one time and then the Wendover Woods café The Hub for a while but from themselves, some nine years here on will be run by Kylie, ago and have made it a popular Nick and their team, very much destination in its own right, for the benefit of the local by offering great service and community and park users. a delicious range of excellent “We all live in the village value, fresh, wholesome, and use the park here, which homemade food and is lovely,” says Jon. “We want refreshments. to have a really positive impact Room with a view Last October they took on locally and create something that the running of The Café In The Attic adds to the experience of using the park and at Berkhamsted, which has been managed becomes a real asset for the community. Good by Kylie Lincoln and Joe Burns from The service is very important to us and we really Café In The Woods team and is more of a care about what we are doing. 10% of all sales traditional café and tea rooms, offering freshly will go towards the regeneration of the park baked homemade cakes, breads and quiches and there are plans for a new building here with gluten free and vegan options, a popular eventually. full English breakfast and Afternoon Teas too! “We serve freshly prepared food at They also run a stall at the town’s Saturday reasonable prices and wherever possible market, selling their produce. source products locally. It’s good wholesome Your Café In The Park is the latest homemade food: jacket potatoes, soups, addition to the fold, and as Jon, Amy, Kylie ploughman’s lunches, fresh sandwiches, and Kylie’s husband Nick all live in Aston paninis, toasties, freshly baked cakes, cookies, Clinton, it is a project they are keen to develop biscuits, Beechdean Icecream and hot and for the benefit of the community. cold drinks, including some rather nice, freshly handroasted, Fairtrade, organic coffee - we have our own blend made up by Smiths of Apsley. We also offer free Wifi and a loyalty card that can be used in all three cafés. “We have little children’s lunch boxes and half jacket potatoes for smaller appetites. We also have organic pouches of baby food and milk bottle heaters, high chairs and toys even! We’ve all got young children so we know what it’s like to take them out and how some places fail to impress!” Your Café In The Park has the added attraction of a spacious function room in

Gluten free brownies!

Kylie at Your Café In The Park with her delicious homemade cake selection!

which the team can cater for parties, weddings and events. It also boasts a large patio area to the rear with fabulous views across the Brie ploughman’s park and there’s a large free car park too. “We have a full commercial kitchen so can cater for weddings and parties,” says Jon. “We also offer a barbecue cheffing service for events, both here and at The Woods. We can make up sandwich platters and buffet food for corporate lunches, which can be served here or delivered to local companies.” “We already have a few parties booked in,” says Kylie, “and there’s some yoga classes and children’s ‘Cha Cha Chimps’ dance classes starting here in September, which I’m especially looking forward to!” To find out more see the café Facebook pages or pop in for a coffee, you’ll be sure to receive a warm, welcome.

l Your Café In The Park, Aston Clinton Park, London Road, Aston Clinton, Bucks, HP22 5HL Open 7 days 8.30am-6pm through Summer Tel: 07716 129534 (Jon mobile) Web: www.yourcafeinthepark.co.uk Facebook: \yourcafeinthepark Twitter: @cafeinthe Web: www.cafeinthewoods.co.uk Tel; 01296 620294 Web: www.cafeintheattic.com Tel: 01442 878713

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2015

l Column:

Farm Life by Helen Mackellar

Minx tries for turkey dinner

can’t believe it was over a month ago that we welcomed a ‘gang’ or ‘rafter’ of free range poults onto our farm, with their cute little chirping and innocent looking faces. Oh the distant memories! You would never imagine that a gang of poults could change so quickly. By changing I mean that they’ve already started to try and jump out of their pen - their free range spirit is shining through. These fryers (the name for a turkey at under 16 weeks old) are full of life, raring to go and sticking to each other like a Home Guard platoon or The Goonies - on a mission and nothing to fear. They have proved their strength and determination as Sergeants Turkey Mannering and Turkey Wilson recently fought off the local Minx, saving the lives of all but a couple of the squad. We are all looking forward to seeing more of the turkeys out and about as they grow up on the farm this year. Make sure you book your special free range Bronze Turkey for Christmas soon - so you don’t miss out come the festive season. You can always be a part of the

learn about our animals on Jim’s Farm Tour. That’s just the summer holiday and I still haven’t finished. We are so proud of our sausages that we have decided to hold our long awaited ‘Sausage and Beer Fest’ on the 12th September 2015 so we can finally share our award winning range with you. We will obviously being us put on an array of live entertainment and have activities for all of you. The

Turkey platoon - Don’t Panic! goings on at Orchard View Farm, we wouldn’t want anyone to feel left out, so we’ve arranged some exciting summer workshops at crazy prices (see our website for details, visit the café or email: events@orchardviewfarm. co.uk). Brush up and learn some Orchard View Farm skills: make a sausage or two from scratch, make a pizza in our outdoor wood fired pizza oven or even

Helen Mackeller Farm Life animals love the vibe of happiness it soothes them. It all sounds like hard work down at the farm but fear not we have the best food around in our lovely café. Everyone has been working hard to provide only the best. Nigel the butcher has also been busy making some interesting sausage flavours and marinating some succulent pieces of meat for you to put on your barbecues. l Jim and Helen Mackeller run Orchard View Farm, Farm Shop and Café at Little Meadle near Longwick. 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

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Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2015

Tribute nights Tribute nights 2015 AT THE HOLIDAY INN

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Only Fools & 3 Courses 3rd July £34.95 2Tone Night 15th May £24.95 Devil Dolls Halloween Spectacular 30th October £24.95 Only Fools & 3 Courses 3rd July £34.95 Abba One (duo) 20th November £34.95 Devil Dolls Halloween Spectacular 30th October £24.95 Michael Buble Act, Joe Gibson 27th November £34.95 Abba One (duo) 20th November £34.95 Michael Buble Act, Joe Gibson 27th November £34.95 To book guests will need

to call 01296 734038 or email meetings-aylesbury@ihg.com To book guests will need to call 01296 734038 or email meetings-aylesbury@ihg.com

l Column: Katy Brown - mix96

Fine

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

n Saturday, 11th July, I joined 570 ladies on the Midnight Walk 2015! It was my third year being involved, but my first time taking on the 13 mile route. I’m gonna be honest, I spent longer personalising my T-shirt than training, but my goodness, did that T-shirt look good! The theme this year was ‘Glo4Flo’ so what better way to ‘glo’ than with glow in the dark beads fringing my outfit! As always we took off at the stroke of midnight and unlike last year the rain stayed away (yipee!) and we went full steam ahead. This year I had an added challenge - to broadcast a live radio show while on the move, across 4 hours! The idea behind it being that those taking part could listen via our app and at various pit stops on the course and families at home, waiting up for the safe arrival of their loved ones, could listen from the comfort of their bed! Over the course of the night we shared stories of those who had used Florence Nightingale Hospice, were walking in memory of those loved and lost and we played dedications through the night to keep the morale of the walkers high! We sped round the first 6 miles stopping at The Waterside Theatre where we got to enjoy some pink ice cream courtesy of The Works. Roger who owns The Works had customised some strawberry and watermelon ice cream especially for the Midnight Walkers and it was a lovely surprise for those taking part. It seemed everywhere we went and everyone we spoke to had a connection to the hospice and the stories they shared with me across the night were incredibly moving and so special, and I felt

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Tel: 01844 690446/273412 Takeaway and free local home delivery available Reserve a table or order online at: www.radhunigroup.com/risborough The Old Library, Church Street, Princes Risborough, HP27 9AA www.facebook.com/RadhuniPR

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Katy does the Midnight Walk

really touched that so many wanted to share their memories and experiences with me and the rest of Bucks on the radio. As we cornered mile 10 I started to feel the blisters, the achey hips and tight hamstrings and it crossed my mind that in hindsight more training would have been ideal! Just as we concluded our broadcast at 4am we made it to the finish at Aylesbury College and I drank possibly the best cup of tea I’ve ever had in my life! There was lots of cheering and hugs, everyone so proud of themselves and one another for what they had achieved! And quite rightly so! From those on the registration desks to the patient marshals and to all the walkers involved £55,000 was pledged, with more money to come! I finally curled up in bed at 6am and fell into a deep sleep and was really appreciative when my neighbour started drilling at 10am! To listen to a podcast of all the stories shared on the night go to www.mix96.co.uk/gemstonemidnight-walk.php Enjoy the sunshine folks and I hope we get to bump into one another at some point across the summer. Check out what we’re up to at www.mix96.co.uk l Catch Katy on air weekdays from 6am-9am on 96.2fm www.mix96.co.uk

‘Superior dining at affordable prices’

Food served 12noon-10pm Mon-Sat Sunday lunch 12noon-6pm Dine inside or outside 225 Aylesbury Road, Wendover, HP22 6BA Tel: 01296 623884 Email: villagegate@outlook.com www.thevillagegate.co.uk Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2015

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2015

When Vale Life first wrote about The Chequers at Weston Turville, some four years ago, it was a lovely country pub serving the most fabulous food. Since then owners Dritan and Ranka have been gradually raising their game and now offer some of the finest dining in the area...

he pretty Chequers pub, tucked The Chequers at Weston Turville away on Church Lane near Weston Turville’s 12th Century church dates back to 1577 and is constructed with even older oak beams, which were originally ships timbers in the early 1500s. The pub was a brewery until about 30 years ago but now houses an elegant split level restaurant, where the dray horses were once stabled, and a cosy flagstone bar with an open fireplace. Now the family owned business of chef Dritan Lani and his wife Ranka, The Chequers has been comfortably and sympathetically furnished and recently redecorated and is stylish and welcoming. In the upper dining area contemporary carpet and prints add a sophisticated modern flourish, while in the bar colourful tartan chairs provide splashes of colour. Dritan is an accomplished and creative chef who has worked in a wide range of kitchens since his first restaurant job at the age of 18: “I love it!” he says. “I learnt how to cook in Southern Italy in Ranka and Dritan the Naples area and then moved North and worked near Parma for the Italian moved in! Chefs’ Organisation. I’ve worked for many “We can seat 65 in the restaurant and 25 in restaurants, in Italy and London, in Italian and the bar area and there is enough space to cater French restaurants and for a specialist fish for parties and weddings, which we enjoy very restaurant too. much. The courtyard is ideal for a marquee.” “I’ve gained experience in a variety of “We have had quite a few weddings here,” kitchens and felt I was ready to run my own says Ranka. “and have a few more in the book. place. When the Chequers came up in late We are used to catering for large numbers, 2009 it was everything we wanted. Weston we’ve done it a lot in the past and we are Turville is a beautiful village and we liked the happy to do more. pub straight away - within a few weeks we’d “We can also cater for smaller business

Lower dining room

2 60

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2015

Upper dining room

lunches. The dining room is split into two areas, so we can close off the top area for more privacy.” The couple have built an excellent reputation over the last few years but Dritan continues to drive standards upwards. He is aiming for AA Rossettes now and they can’t be far away. The kitchen has been totally refurbished with all the latest, state-of-the art-equipment and Dritan has gradually recruited an expert team of accomplished and creative chefs and support staff, while Ranka’s front of house team - Lucy, Charlotte and Eniko are polite, friendly, helpful and efficient and all are neatly turned out in smart new uniforms.. “We have an amazing team here, both front

The bar

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2015

of house and in the kitchen” says Dritan. “That is our strength. It took me about six months to find each of the chefs. I worked with Jamie Maserati, our Head Chef, many years ago and tracked him down recently. He is a great chef with lots of experience and shares my passion for finding the finest ingredients. Sean Norton our Sous Chef came to The Chequers from One-O-One Knightsbridge, known as London’s finest seafood restaurant, and now commutes out from London every day, demonstrating his commitment and belief in what we are doing here.

It would be traditional to cook the snails with garlic and parsley and we have those ingredients in an accompanying purée but the snails are fed rapeseed and so we have also included rapeseed oil and seeds and Parisien Potatoes, made in the escargot confit juices, so the ingredients blend and complement each other. (Escargot £7.50: Organic Aylesbury Escargot, Parisian Potatoes, Roasted Seeds, Roasted Garlic and Parsley Purée). “Fresh fish arrives daily and we create dishes depending on what is good that day,” says Dritan. “We occasionally have Pork Belly from the Chequers Estate and we use local lamb. Quality is the most important thing though. “We still do some classic English pub dishes and have a snack menu, but if you have a scotch egg it is prepared and cooked to order.

Escargot dish as above

Staff have smart new uniforms as modelled here by Lucy, Charlotte and Eniko

Order a pasta dish and the pasta will be hand-rolled to order, the aim is to make “Jeri our pastry chef came this the best restaurant in the from Waddesdon Manor, while area.” our youngest chefs Anthony Despite the high quality of and Wabile learnt their trade the food and service, prices here while doing their NVQs at at The Chequers are not Head Chef Jamie Maserati much more than you’d expect a local college. We have eight in the kitchen with me now, but we need it if we to find in most pub/restaurants and if you can are going for rosettes. We have to specialise take time out for lunch, there is an excellent as the little details are so important and the value set price menu with 2 courses for £14, ingredients have to be perfect. or 3 courses for £19 and the option of a half “We make everything in-house: bread, bottle of wine for only £5 extra! That’s superb pasta, sauces, ice cream... we have a smoke value and gives you a chance to sample the room too, where we smoke our own fish and great food and ambience while getting a really meat. Some of our dishes take five days to good deal. create, but it’s all made here, that’s the key “With all the cooking shows on television and the quality of ingredients is paramount. these days people are a lot more switched I use tried and trusted suppliers. I won’t on to recipes and ingredients,” says Jamie. compromise on quality. We are aiming to “They are interested in the provenance of produce the best food here, so we get the the ingredients and how you have created the finest ingredients and make everything dishes and we are happy to explain. ourselves. People can appreciate the difference “We source fresh ingredients and they will and very much enjoy the dining experience. often inspire our dishes. What can we create, “We try to source locally as much as we if we have a fresh wood pigeon, what would it can. Aylesbury Escargots are excellent and eat, can we incorporate that into the dish, will their supply reliable. We have an escargot dish it enhance the flavour?” developed with their produce on the menu at The Chequers boasts an impressive wine list present and it’s proving very popular. with a good choice for all tastes and pockets “The escargot dish is a good example and selections from all over the world. A taster of how we work,” says Head Chef Jaime. menu with accompanying wine options is

currently being developed. And for those who like a taste of the exotic, Eniko has created a rather tempting cocktail list. You can find more information about The Chequers and sample menus on their website at: www.thechequerswt.co.uk but here is a small selection of current dishes to whet your appetite: Starters - Crab and Mango £7: White Crab Meat, Mango Slithers, Mixed Leaves, Chia Seeds, Orange and Toasted Sesame Dressing; Ravioli £7.50/£15: Scottish Trout, Spring Onion and Parmesan, encased in pockets of Fresh Pasta, Whiskey Cream Jus; Goosnargh Duck £8: Cherry wood smoked Duck Breast, Duck Egg and Croquette, Sweet Corn Purée Main Course - Halibut £19.50: North Coast Halibut, Spiced Mango and Coconut Sauce, Lemongrass Infused Basmati Rice, Toasted Pistachios; Lamb £17.50: Pan-roasted Cannon of Lamb, Dauphinoise Potatoes, Parsnip Purée, Wholegrain Mustard Jus; Guinea Fowl Duo £17: Slow Cooked Leg and Breast of Guinea Fowl, Grilled Mediterranean Vegetables, Basil Jus; Bouillabaisse £18: La Mancha Saffron Infused Seafood Broth, Aioli, Charred Bread; Dessert - Burnt Lemon Cream with Raspberries £6: A mixture of Rich Custard, flavoured with Vanilla, Lemon and Raspberries topped with Burnt Caramel, served with Shortbread; Chequers Eton Mess £6: A classic dessert of Strawberries, Meringue, Raspberry Coulis, dried Cranberries and Whipped Cream; Sticky Toffee Pudding £6: A Rich Date Pudding served with Vanilla Ice Cream and Toffee Sauce. For those planning ahead a four course Christmas menu at £28 per head looks great value. Call for details or to book. There is something special going on at The Chequers. Why not pop in for lunch, it really is a steal! l The Chequers Inn, 35 Church Lane, Weston Turville, Buckinghamshire, HP22 5SJ. Tel: 01296 613298 Email: info@thechequerswt.co.uk Web: www.thechequerswt.co.uk

Wedding marquee on the courtyard

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2015

After a surprise closure last Christmas The Russell Arms is back, stylishly redecorated and boasting a new management team, an exciting new chef and a barful of reasons to stop by and enjoy...

he Russell Arms at Butler’s Cross, near Wendover, sits at the foot of the Chiltern escarpment, overlooked by Coombe Hill. It is only a mile or so from Chequers, the Prime Minister’s official country residence, which in the late 17th century was owned by relatives of Oliver Cromwell - the Russell family, from whom the pub takes it’s name. The Russell has been a local watering hole and coaching house since 1784 although parts of the building are even older. At one time it was utilised as servant’s quarters for those working at Chequers. Since 2012 it’s been owned by a group of local residents, The Friends of Russell Arms. James Penlington who has been responsible for transforming and reviving The Bell at Stoke Mandeville has recently taken on overseeing the management of the pub and has recruited General Manager Alice Robins and her partner Tom Allen, to look after the day to day running of the place. Alice grew up in Butler’s Cross and has six years experience in the pub industry, while Tom has worked in hospitality for Derby County Football Club and at The Woolpack at Stoke Mandeville. “It’s fantastic to have someone like Alice here,” says James. “She understands the pub and already knows a lot of the customers and has the enthusiasm to drive it forward. “I first worked at the pub when I was 15,” says Alice, “doing cleaning and I’ve worked behind the bar since I was 18. So I know the place really well and I love it here!” The Russell Arms is indeed a lovely pub with a welcoming, relaxed ambience and has now been smartly redecorated to add a light contemporary style to it’s olde worlde charms.

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2015

James, Tom and Alice Alice and Tom are friendly and enthusiastic and make a great front of house team while Head Chef Dan Scott has quickly used his experience and creativity to develop exciting menus giving plenty of options for light snacks or more hearty fare. He came recommended by Tom Kerridge, who James used to work with at The Hand & Flowers in Marlow, and has worked with Michael Caines, with esteemed French chef Guy Savoy in Qatar and at a three Michelin Star restaurant in Paris. Inspired by classic British and Continental recipes Dan aims for a perfect blend of presentation, quality, and flavour in seasonal dishes that enable his team to get the best out of the produce the Chilterns have to offer. Starter examples include: Ham Hock, Dandelion, Rocket & Herb Salad, £6.50; Potted Shrimp, Chilli, Lemon, Dill & Toast, £7.50; or Welsh Rarebit, Smoked Bacon & Corn Bread, £6.50, while Main Courses include: Braised Pork Belly, Glazed Vegetables & Garlic Mash, £15.50; Sea Trout, Chicory, Jersey Royals, Bacon & Sauce Verte, £15.50, or Madgetts Farm Duck Breast, Sweetcorn, Pak Choi & Spring Onion, £17.95 and Desserts include: Lemon Posset, Yogurt & Raspberry Crisp, £5.95; Warm Chocolate Pot with Salted Caramel Popcorn, £6.50 and Cherry ‘Bakewell’ Tart & Vanilla Ice Cream, £6.50... yum! Plus of course the option of roast dinners on a Sunday from 12-4pm. The drinks menu boasts an eclectic, everchanging range of locally produced cask ales, eight global lagers including Meantime - a craft

lager from Greenwich, and thirst quenching ciders, as well as an impressive range of 17 Old World and New World wines by the glass - including a lovely sparkling wine from Washington USA - there is something for everyone to enjoy. Outside there’s a pleasant beer garden and terrace where occasional barbecues are staged (see the Facebook page for details) and inside a working fire place and log burner are ready for the colder months. There is now a back and a front bar, which makes the restaurant more part of the pub and the buzzy atmosphere adds a pleasant background ambience for diners. “We are hoping to attract drinkers and walkers, families and cyclists and those who are looking for particularly good food,” says James. “Dan is a superb chef and we are very proud of the menu, even though it’s early days.” Added attractions include live music on the first Sunday of the month and a Pub Quiz every other Monday. Welcome back Russell and good luck to the new crew! It’s a lovely country pub, readers, and well worth popping in for a quick drink or bite to eat - you won’t be disappointed.. l The Russell Arms, 2 Chalkshire Road, Butlers Cross, Buckinghamshire, HP17 OTS Tel: 01296 624411 Email: therussell@distinctpubs.co.uk Website: www.therussellarms.co.uk Facebook: /RussellArmsButlersCross Twitter @RussellArmsBX Open Mon-Sat: 11am-11pm, Sun: 12-10.30pm

Win a Meal for Two at The Bell at Hardwick T

he Bell at Hardwick, off the Buckingham Road, a couple of miles outside Aylesbury, is a beautifully refurbished, 17th Century freehouse. Originally two lacemakers cottages, the building dates back to 1678 and still boasts the original oak beams, inglenook fireplaces and delightful cottage garden you might expect. The pretty pub had been closed for over three years and was in a very poor state when Clare and Ian Tring took it on two years ago. It took 18 months to lovingly renovate and refurbish and now offers a warm welcome, with a good selection of freshly prepared home-cooked food and a well-stocked bar. The original oak beams have been sandblasted and look fabulous, the layout has been tweaked to create a larger bar area and a smart new kitchen, a new flagstone floor has been laid in one bar and the other smartly carpeted. Outside a new courtyard patio and seating area to the rear gives al fresco dining options or space for functions, while a new

The Bell at Hardwick extension provides a sizeable function room, or additional dining space. The Bell at Hardwick draws in diners from far and wide and despite it being summer, many come for The Bell’s signature dish - Hardwick Pie. It’s pork, chicken and bacon in a port and red wine gravy topped with sage and onion stuffing and pastry, which is a recipe Clare has developed over the years and has become very popular! Clare is an excellent chef and runs the kitchen, making the pub well

worth a visit for a bite to eat. You can expect great value, high quality, traditional home-cooked pub food served in a relaxed, friendly and informal atmosphere. The menu changes seasonally with different specialities at weekends. There’s plenty of options from light snacks to a succulent half roast duck, slow roast shoulder of lamb, vegetarian and fish dishes, pub favourites such as: Beef Steak, Cheese and Bacon Burger, Chips

and Salad; Ham, Egg and Chips; Breaded Scampi, Chips, Peas and Tartare Sauce; or Ham, Roquefort amd Cheddar Ploughmans to: Lemon and Herb Coated Beast of Chicken with a Chorizo and Tarragon Sauce; Steak and Chips served with Peas, Mushroom and Tomato; or Beer Battered Haddock served with chips peas and tartare sauce, you’ll find all your favourites plus some delicious alternatives that Clare has developed. If you’d like to be in with the chance of winning a meal for two with bottle of house wine at The Bell at Hardwick, simply email your name, address and telephone number, along with the answer to the following question, to: editor@vale-life.co.uk Who runs The Bell at Hardwick? Winner to be drawn at random from correct entries and notified by email by Sept 4th, 2015. l The Bell at Hardwick, Lower Road, Hardwick, Buckinghamshire, HP22 4DZ Tel: 01296 640005 Email: claretring@thebellathardwick.co.uk Web: www.thebellathardwick.co.uk

The Bell at Hardwick is a delightful 17th century pub in the pretty village of Hardwick near Aylesbury. It has recently been lovingly restored and refurbished and is now an inviting place to enjoy a drink or choose from a wide range of freshly prepared, home-cooked food.

From delicious light snacks and meals at lunchtime, to a full, ever-changing seasonal menu in the evening, all served in a friendly, relaxing and informal pub atmosphere, or al fresco in the pleasant garden or courtyard, The Bell at Hardwick has something for everyone. A separate dining room is available for small parties and functions and a marquee over the courtyard can accommodate larger parties. l Recently awarded the Tripadvisor Certificate of Excellence The Bell at Hardwick, Lower Road, Hardwick, Buckinghamshire, HP22 4DZ | Tel: 01296 640005 | Web: www.thebellathardwick.co.uk Vale Life : Jun/Jul 2015

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2015

Chilterns MS Centre is marking its 30th anniversary. The charity relies heavily on donations to provide services and treatments for hundreds of local sufferers and is aiming to raise £30,000 as part of this year’s celebration. Could you ‘Walk the MS Mile’ and help raise vital funds...

he Chilterns MS Centre at Wendover is an independent local charity that treats more than 400 people with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) by providing services such as physiotherapy, hydrotherapy, hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) and acupuncture. MS is a degenerative condition that is the most common cause of neurological disability in young adults. In September the Centre is marking its anniversary with the Walk the MS mile fundraising initiative; 30 miles, on 30 days, to raise £30,000. One mile walks are being held in local towns and villages every day in September to raise awareness and funds to ensure the services offered by the Chilterns MS Centre can continue to flourish. Centre Trustee Linda Oatley and Sarah McCready, who both have MS, are planning to walk and wheel every mile! Could you Walk the MS mile? Could you do one or more of the one mile walks being held in different locations in September? There are 30 routes to choose from across Aylesbury Vale and beyond to represent where the Centre members live, see www. chilternsmscentre.org to find one local to you! The Centre would love you to join their merry band of walkers, pushers and wheelers and help hit the £30,000 target by securing sponsorship for your mile. As part of the anniversary the Centre has also launched a campaign called #30talkingheads which challenges the preconceptions surrounding the condition. MS affects 1 in 600 people but the Centre feels there is still a lack of awareness and understanding. They are trying to readdress this with their montage of photos of 30 Centre members showing the diversity of people affected. More women than men are diagnosed; some are young while others have a few more miles on the clock! Each person with MS is very different both in terms of themselves as individuals but also in terms of the symptoms they suffer and the course of the disease. Some of those symptoms could be subtle 64

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2015

Sarah McCready and Linda Oatley

and often hidden like fatigue, pain and problems with vision whereas some are noticeable like issues with mobility, balance and speech. The Centre helps people manage their symptoms and have greater control over their MS so that they continue to lead happy and healthy lives. Established in 1985 on the Paddocks Hospital site in Princes Risborough by people with MS, the charity relocated to a facility on the RAF Halton hospital site in 1990 and then, in September 2012, moved a few

Above: some of the #30talkingheads images

hundred metres to fantastic new purpose built premises. The range of treatments and therapies on offer for members has increased significantly over the last 30 years and so too has the number of people with MS who receive treatment. The Centre currently delivers over 16,000 treatments a year. The charity relies heavily on donations and fundraising initiatives for most of its income, only receiving a small amount of funding from the NHS towards yearly running costs of £900,000. Get in touch to help with fundraising or to find out more about this worthy local cause. l The Chilterns MS Centre, Oakwood Close, Wendover, Buckinghamshire, HP22 5LX Tel: 01296 696133 Email: Fundraising@chilternsmscentre.org Web: www.chilternsmscentre.org Facebook: /ChilternsMSCentre Twitter: @ChilternsMS

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2015

The Bucks County Show is one of the best one day agricultural shows in the country and it’s right on our doorstep at Weedon Park, Aylesbury, this year on Thursday 27th August...

eedon Park, is on the Buckingham Road just a mile or so from Aylesbury. It will be home to the 148th Bucks County Show on Thursday 27th August 2015, one of Buckinghamshire’s biggest summer attractions. There’s lots to see and do throughout the day, including the fabulous Bolddog Lings Freestyle Stunt Team who will perform twice in the Main Ring. Only recently this spectacular Motocross display team starred on ITV’s ‘Britain’s Got Talent’ and they are now coming to the showground

to delight and astound with their amazing tricks and stunt riding. Fans of military music and marching bands will be pleased to see and hear the Royal Artillery Band on their first ever visit to The Bucks Show, while the ever popular Sheep Show returns to provide humorous and educational entertainment starring the incredible ‘dancing sheep’. Of course there will be plenty of livestock on show. With some sixty cattle classes and over thirty sheep classes it’s a rare chance to see some of the best livestock in the country right up close. The Aberdeen Angus Society

BUCKS COUNTY SHOW THURSDAY 27th AUGUST 2015 Bolddog Lings Motorcycle Stunt Team The Royal Artillery Band Cookery Theatre

Over 200 Trade Stands along with the Best of British Livestock

WEEDON PARK (A413) AYLESBURY A great family day out

has nominated the Bucks County Show as one of their shows for the 2015 Aberdeen Angus Show Herd of the Year Competition and The Wiltshire Horn Sheep Society will be holding their first ‘National Show’ at the Bucks County Show this year, so there will be a highly competitive atmosphere around the livestock pens. There are also some eighty equine classes including showjumping, with qualifiers for the Horse of the Year Show and the Royal International Horse Show. The Home and Garden marquee will be filled with entries from people demonstrating their skills in cooking, wine making, photography, flower arranging, handicrafts and flower and vegetable growing - always impressive and pretty to look at. There’s also a Vintage Tractor Display, a Cookery Theatre featuring Henri Le Worm encouraging children to connect with food and nature, alongside Olivier Blanc and local school children from Haddenham St Marys who present an exciting taster of healthy and easy to make food… and over two hundred trade stands, a Shopping Marquee, a new larger Food Hall,

a Rural Craft Marquee and an entertaining Countryside Area with demonstrations by working dogs and gundogs and of skills such as stick making, hedge laying, thatching and farriery and a variety of rural crafts. The Bucks Show aims to provide a mixed agenda 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 pop along and 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 27th, 2015 Tickets and info: Tel: 01296 680400 Web: www.buckscountyshow.co.uk Facebook: \buckscountyshow

BUY TICKETS ONLINE For more information call 01296 680400 or go to www.buckscountyshow.co.uk

Bolddog Stunt Team Buy your tickets in advance and save £££s! www.buckscountyshow.co.uk

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2015

Music Column:

Turn it up! with Dan Mordente

Idyllic festival ends with a Flash

Best of Beacon Our music columnist is Dan Mordente. Dan is ‘Artist and Events Manager’ at BFS Records, and as an avid follower of the local music scene, is always keen to meet and work with enthusiastic local musicians. Contact Dan and email him local gigs and music news on: dan@vale-life.co.uk Add your gigs to our website what’s on diary at: www.vale-life.co.uk

Live Music

AUGUST 14th The Scoundrels, George & Dragon, P. Risborough 14th The Observers, The Queens Head, Aylesbury 14th Free State Revolution, Shootpool Aylebury 14th Callow Saints, The Bell, Bicester 14th Three Bar Fire, The Unicorn, Leighton Buzzard 15th James Lainey, The Rising Sun, Thame 15th The New Foundations, Rivets Sports & Social Club 15th RedRocket, Shootpool, Aylesbury 15th Red Herring, Dashwood Arms, West Wycombe 19th Black Horse Open Mic, The Black Horse Hotel, Thame 21st The Bluestormers, George & Dragon, P. Risborough 21st The Blueprint Band, Shootpool, Aylesbury 21st Doghouse, Aristocrat, Aylesbury 21st Leech, The Black Horse, Tring 22nd Dance Till Dawn, Rivets Sports & Social Club, Aylesbury 22nd Underground Vibes, Aristocrat, Aylesbury 22nd Dealey Plaza + The Brahmas The Chandos Arms, Weston Turville 22nd Reflexions, Tring & District Conservative Club, Tring 28th Tiny Tina Rock’n’Blues Band, George and Dragon, P. Risborough 28th Maxwell, Hammer & Smith, Shootpool, Aylesbury 28th Guesswork, The Broad Leys, Aylesbury 28th Seb James and Ruby Lewis, Railway Club, Aylesbury 29th Glyn Devey, The Rising Sun, Thame 29th Dealey Plaza, Brill Beer Festival, Brill 29th Pete Mcray, Rivet Sports & Social Club, Aylesbury 29th Parklife Festival, Vale Park, Aylesbury 12noon 29th Chinnor Beer Festival, Chinnor 29th Plan A, Victoria Club, Aylesbury 29th Kevin Tait, The Green Man, Aylesbury 29th The Beatin’ Hearts, The King & Queen, Wendover 30th Callow Saints + El Bronson, Shootpool, Aylesbury 30th Sinfiction, The Chandos Arms, Weston Turville

Vale Life : JAug/Sept 2015

June saw the annual return of Beacon Festival - two days of family-friendly festival amid the scenic Chiltern Hills with, a wide variety of live music across three stages. Highlights this year included Queen tribute act Flash, who closed the festival with anthemic sing-alongs on the Saturday night, young original act Atlantic Shore, whose wistful indie songs captivated the crowd and Thame-based Haze, who opened the main stage with their animated take on garage-rock. The festival’s idyllic setting and jubilant atmosphere makes it a great way to spend the summer solstice weekend, and I look forward to seeing what Beacon Fest has to offer in 2016.

Black Horse Open Mic

August 19th is the start of a new regular Open Mic event in Thame. The Black Horse Hotel on Thame’s Cornmarket will welcome local musicians on the third Wednesday of each month. With the ever-growing success of Thame’s ‘First Thursday Music Club’ (FTMC), the music scene in Thame is rapidly increasing and similarly to FTMC, The Black

Haze performing at The Beacon Festival

Horse will welcome performers of all abilities to take to the stage to showcase their craft.

Nikki Loy’s Song writing Challenge

Local singer/songwriter Nikki Loy started her 52-week songwriting challenge on the 5th of August 2014. Her challenge was to write a new song and post a video of it on Youtube every week for a whole year. On 28th of July Nikki posted the final song, 52 in all! “I was really quite surprised by how the song challenge has

changed my life!” said the tireless songwriter. “Whilst completing the challenge I have met a whole new bunch of musicians and formed a new band. “I’ve also had the opportunity to work with a great new producer and turn some of these songs into proper singles.” Nikki plans to select her favorite tracks from the 52 and release a ‘Best Of’ album later in the year. In the meantime you can catch Nikki (along with her brand new band) at Towersey Festival on 29th August 2015.

Toyah at ‘Live in The Park’!

80s pop phenomenon Toyah will be headlining Aylesbury Town Council’s Live in the Park music festival on Saturday 29th August in Vale Park. TOYAH will be performing on stage following eight and a half hours of continuous live music, featuring many local bands and musicians, including Platform Soul, the ultimate soul, disco and dance band. Rob Casey, Platform Soul lead guitarist says: “We are very excited that Toyah will be headlining Live in the Park. It’s an honour to share the large outdoor stage with such a popular

international star, as well as

a wide range of talented local artists. Live in the Park is going to be a great free concert in the centre of Aylesbury, it’ll be a gig to remember!” Not only will there be a jampacked program of live music in Vale Park, starting at 12 noon, but you will also find a selection of traditional fun fair rides plus a mega slide for the family to enjoy for free. Bars and numerous catering stalls will also be available throughout the day to buy your refreshments. For more information, visit: www.aylesburytowncouncil.gov.uk or: www.facebook.com/aylesburytc

30th James Lainey, The Rising Sun, Thame 30th Towersey Fringe Festival, Towersey september 3rd First Thursday Music Club, James Figgs Stables, Thame 4th Mike Bryant, The Green Man, Aylesbury 4th Bad Penny, Shootpool, Aylesbury

4th BFS Presents: Lucy Mair, Blackfrog Studios, Thame 4th Bustin Loose, Aristocrat, Aylesbury 4th Huggy Flares, Victoria Club, Aylesbury 5th Nevermind (Nirvana Tribute), Shootpool, Aylesbury 11th BFS Presents: Haze + support, Snooker Club, Thame

11th Skalectircs, Aristocrat, Aylesbury 12th Bledfest, Bledlow 12th Crush!! Bucks County Museum, Aylesbury 12th Skasouls, Memorial Hall Social Club, Stokenchurch 12th Incognito, Shootpool, Aylesbury 12th Dodgin Bullets, Victoria Club, Aylesbury 18th Bad Janet, Shootpool, Aylesbury

Toyah

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2015

If you would like to learn about music, to be inspired, to create, to enjoy the thrill of learning to play an instrument, or to sing, Thame Institute of Music could be the just the place for you... “

e call ourselves Thame Institute of Music (TiM) because we are more than just a music school,” says TiM founder Matt Baker. “We are a place where students of all ages and abilities can come to enhance and enrich their lives and learning through music. We have a team of professional tutors and musicians here who are living their lives through music, and who get a lot of enjoyment from it and love to pass this on. “We are experienced at teaching all ages and abilities and we aim to inspire our students to enjoy their instrument and create new experiences through music. “Everyone likes different things and we would like to be a place where you can learn anything that you want to learn within music. We can teach from a very young age, say starting with fun 15-minute piano lessons for four year olds, up through songwriting, chord progressions and jazz for older more accomplished pupils, maybe trying guitar as a second instrument. Our lessons are built around the fundamentals of musical awareness and tailored to you or your child’s goal. We teach musical theory and pupils can take grades too if they wish. “We can teach violin, clarinet, saxophone, flute, trumpet or trombone, ukulele, guitar, bass, plus singing - pop, soul, classical, musicals or opera and we offer taster lessons (£10 for 30 minutes) so if you would like to

Matt teaching piano

Matt Baker

try a certain instrument, or several, you can. “It’s not just about learning a specific instrument either, we teach Musicianship Skills such as: Listening, Rhythm, Music Technology and Understanding How Music Works. Music has four sides really: Listening, Understanding, Practical Application, and Creation and it’s good if a student has an appreciation of all four even if they prefer to specialise in one particular area.” Matt is an accomplished Jazz and Pop pianist and composer/songwriter. As a boy he initially learnt about music, singing in the Wakefield Cathedral choir. He took up the piano and then learnt to play sax, clarinet and flute. He studied Music and Technology at Edinburgh University and after a spot of travelling and working as a jobbing musician in London moved out to Aylesbury where he started teaching piano in 2011. He moved to Thame in 2013 and began developing the idea of an Institute of Music where gifted and inspiring musicians would pass on their knowledge. He also plays in a band called The Mars Patrol. Matt’s wife Alex runs the office, taking care of admin and timetabling, while Matt personally teaches Piano, Music Theory, Music Technology and Listening Skills. TiM lessons run all year, not just during term time, as it’s good to play regularly to keep improving. Most are in the afternoon or evening, but mornings and weekends are becoming popular as well.

Guitar teacher, Karl Demata with pupil A TiM pop and soul choir is starting in September, with Soul II Soul vocalist EmmaLouise Harris, (Mondays from Sept 14th: youth 6-7pm / Adults 7-8pm). Register in advance via the TiM website at: www.thameinstituteofmusic.co.uk and you can attend the first session free! “Our tagline is Inspiring through music” says Matt, “and our tutors are chosen to embody that. They all love music and are here to pass on some of their passion as well as their knowledge and skill.” If you would like to get involved with music at Thame Institute of Music please contact Matt as below. l Above Cargo, (entrance to rear, off Southern Road), 18 Cornmarket, Thame, OX9 2BL Tel: 07400 071342 Email: info@thameinstituteofmusic.co.uk Web: www.thameinstituteofmusic.co.uk Facebook: \thameinstituteofmusic Twitter: @ThameInstiMusic Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2015

“One of the most bravely adventurous festivals” The Guardian Oxfodshire’s 51 st

TOWERSEY F E S T I VA L

5 01 2 t 28-31 Augus

Friday 28 August £30 Treacherous Orchestra Spooky Men’s Chorale Kim Churchill ~ BLACKBEARD’S TEPARTY

Saturday 29 August

BELLOWHEAD

£40

“the greatest live act in Britain” Simon Mayo, BBC Radio 2

STORNOWAY

JOHN SMITH ~ PHIL BEER

FULL Weeken FROM £ d 110

DISCOUN T FO RESIDENR THAME TS

Sunday 30 August

JOAN ARMATRADING

£40

SHOW OF HANDS ~ SALLY BARKER

FROM BBC’s ‘THE VOICE’

Martin Simpson, Andy Cutting & Nancy Kerr

Monday 31 August Chris While & Julie Matthews Anxo Lorenzo £30 Keston Cobblers Club The Conservatoire Folk Ensemble, ROY BAILEY

OR...

Thame Showground, Thame, Oxon, OX9 3JL

www.towerseyfestival.com tel 01629 827 016

Coverage on

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2015

The 51st Towersey Festival returns on August Bank Holiday weekend to a new venue, Thame Showground. It’ll be the same friendly, relaxed and folky village vibe though, with an amazing line up of musical talent and lots to see, hear, eat, drink and do...

Andy Cutting, Nancy Kerr & Martin Simpson

here’ll be no shortage of entertainment on offer at Towersey Festival this Bank Holiday! While the big-name acts keep festival goers entertained at the main stages, the showground arena provides daytrippers and families with a packed day of activities, sights and tastes for just £9/£8 (adult), £4 (conc). Roy Bailey 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 will host a rolling programme of established and emerging acoustic, jazz, blues, rock and indie acts courtesy of Thame’s First Thursday Music Club, while there’s also loads of free performances and activities aimed squarely at

families, with art, craft and circus workshops, puppet shows, face painting, games, singing, dancing, storytelling and more.

John Smith

From Joan with love - and affection!

The Travelling Band l Towersey Festival: Friday 28th August to Monday 31st August 2015 at The Thame Showground, Kingsey Rd, Thame, Oxfordshire OX9 3JL Tickets - Weekend Adult £135; Conc £110; Youth £95; Child £55; U5 free. Day Tickets from £30 (Adult); £21 (Youth); £14 (Child); U5 free. No booking fees. Generous discounts for Thame and Towersey residents - call for details. Festival Taster Experience Tickets (showground) only £9 (on the gate) or £8 (advance from Thame Town Hall) & £4 (Conc, Child, Students) per day. Car Parking: Free. Bookings: 01629 827016. Web: www.towerseyfestival.com

Salthouse Kelston Cobblers’ Club

Towersey Festival features some great headline The multi-award winning artist is already acts, including Treacherous Orchestra (28 Aug), planning her next record. Bellowhead and Stornoway “There will be a new album, but (29 Aug), While & Matthrews once I finish touring. I don’t write and Keston Cobblers’ Club (31 on tour as touring takes up the Aug), and Joan Amratrading, whole of my concentration. Sure, Show Of Hands and Sally I write down ideas, but I don’t Barker (30 Aug). tend to write on the road. (I Love Joan’s headlining Towersey It When You) Call Me Names, the Festival appearance is part of opening track from 1983’s The her first, and last, solo world Key, is the only song that I’ve tour. But while there’ll be no written completely on the road. As more lengthy global treks for soon as the tour’s over though, I’ll Joan Armatrading the iconic songwriter, she’s quick be itching to write!” to quash retirement rumours. With a back catalogue that “After this tour, I’ll be 65, includes such enduring hits as and I don’t want to be not working, but these Love And Affection, Drop The Pilot, All The non-stop tours… they can be pretty intense,” Way To America, Willow and Down To Zero, she says. “I still enjoy playing. Touring can be Joan promises her Towersey setlist will span her gruelling, moving about all the time, but if I career, mixing hits with popular album cuts. didn’t enjoy performing, I wouldn’t do it. The “There will be songs from as many different performing makes it.” albums as I can include,” she says. Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2015

Vale Life : Jun/Jul 2015

Aylesbury Waterside’s Autumn brochure is out - and wow are we in for a treat! The programme is packed with corking shows from here to Christmas and there’s something to suit all tastes too ...

rom the best in flamboyant costumes with Jason Donovan heading up Priscilla Queen of the Desert - a show that is pure bonza, rip-roaring fun - to the ultimate tribute to the King of Pop himself, Michael Jackson and the electrifying Thriller Live tribute show, you’ll be spoilt for choice at Aylesbury Waterside Theatre this Autumn. Add some stunning classical performances

Priscilla Queen of The Desert Mon 26thSat 31st Oct

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2015

Jersey Boys Tue 22nd Sept-Sat 3rd Oct

courtesy of Ellen Kent Opera and St Petersburg Classic Ballet, not to mention an impressive line-up of live Pop, Rock and Reggae music from famous names such as UB40, King Crimson, Bullet For My Valentine and Nils Lofgren, and it’s fair to say the Vale will not be going short of live entertainment for a while! Who’s kick-starting the Autumn offering? A heady concoction of comedy, dance and West End must-sees. Olivier Award-winning Best Comedy, Jeeves and Wooster brings a laughout-loud night out in early September, before Strictly favourites Flavia and Vincent make their farewell tour World Première at the Waterside - your last chance to see the nation’s best-loved Argentine Tango Champions doing what they do best in a passionate and explosive performance. The show everyone’s talking about also makes its appearance for 2 weeks this September, that’s right the legendary Jersey Boys are coming to town! The acclaimed West End phenomenon isn’t short of accolades having received 57 major awards (and counting!) worldwide. Vale Life has uncovered • Three some interesting facts Thriller Live wardrobe staff, 13 about the production, so Mon 19th-Sat 24th Oct wardrobe trundles prepare to have your eyes full of costumes, opened to the backstage three washing machines, four tumble dryers, world of the true-life story of Frankie Valli two high power steam irons, two steamers and & The Four Seasons: a hot box ensure the cast sparkle every night. • It takes ten stage staff, four lighting and • Over eight hours of laundry will be done four sound staff, from the venue, three days every day. That’s 100 shirts per show and 500 to get the show ready for curtain up. coat hangers. • A total of eight trailers will transport the • One female cast member has 17 pairs of set, props and costumes to the theatre shoes per show. • There will be 18 backstage staff working • One male cast member has nine different away at every performance ties in Act One alone. • Three wig staff will make sure 80 · There are 45.5 sq metres of high hair pieces look their very best at each resolution video wall in the show. performance.

Vale Life : Jun/Jul 2015

Vincent & Flavia’s The Last Tango Thur 17th-Sat 19th Sept

· There are 10 musicians, 58 moving lights, 890 lighting and video cues, 57 flying cues and 50 automation cues, which mean audiences get the most technically spectacular production. You know the facts now you need to see the show! Tickets are selling fast for the boys from the wrong side of the tracks, book now by visiting the Box Office, calling: 0844 871 7607 ( calls 7p per min, plus your phone company’s access charge), or visiting: www.atgtickets.com/ aylesbury (booking fee). l Aylesbury Waterside Theatre, Exchange Street, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, HP20 1UG Telephone Booking: 0844 871 7607 Website: www.atgtickets.com/aylesbury

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

Jeeves & Wooster Mon 7th-Wed 9th Sept Bullet For My Valentine Mon 5th Oct

The Basil Brush Show

Thu 13th Aug

Aylesbury Waterside Theatre Youth Musical Theatre Project

Fri 21st & Sat 22nd Aug

Friars Music Club presents: King Crimson

Mon 31st Aug & Tue 1st Sept

Jeeves & Wooster Perfect Nonsense

Mon 7th to Wed 9th Sept

Vincent & Flavia’s The Last Tango

Thu 17th to Sat 19th Sept

Jersey Boys

Tue 22nd Sept to Sat 3rd Oct

Hello Kitty Live

Tue 6th Oct

The Dreamboys

Thu 8th Oct

Ellen Kent’s Opera - Tosca

Sat 17th Oct

Thriller Live

Mon 19th to Sat 24th Oct

Priscilla Queen of the Desert

Mon 26th to Sat 31st Oct Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2015

Thame Show Oxfordshire’s County Show

Thursday 17th September 2015 at day for all the family… TICKET SALES 14 Attractions Include: 8.30am - 6.00pm

Thame Showground Thame Showground Thursday 18th September OX9 3JL

Thame Show 2 Oxfordshire’s Co

Ticket Description Price On-The-Day Price Following the success of last year’s event TheAdvance 2015 Thame and Oxfordshire County Show is The Traditional Bakery again onShow its traditional 3rd Thursday, 17th). There is a huge amount on this year for Adult(September £12.00 £15.00 The Sheep Show everyone to see and do, so pop along to Thame Showgound and enjoy a fabulous day out... Senior Citizen £8.00 £10.00 Fun Dog Show

me & Garden Marquee (Formerly Domestic)

Junior 5-15 years

Food Hall

FREE

Junior 5-15 years

£4.00

£5.00

Under 5’s

FREE

(when accompanied by a paying adult)

Shopping & Craft Marquee Many Traders Food Theatre

8.30am - 6.00pm

Food Courts Livestock Classes Sheep / Cattle

Aylesbury Tourist Information Centre

Showjumping

Princes Risborough Information Centre

Showing Classes

Wendover Tourist Information Centre

Alpaca Display

C.H. Brown & Son - Oxford Covered Market The Kennel Shop - Stokenchurch

Bird Display

Tickets Anywhere - Thame

Rabbit Display

Thame Information Centre

Vintage Machinery, Lorries & Tractors

Marlow Information Centre

Traditional Steam Fair

High Wycombe Tourist Information

Classic Cars Morris Dancers Thame Concert Band

Witney Visitor Information Centre

Fantastic fun for all the family

Band Stand Local• Radio The Devils Horseman

Oxford Visitor Information Centre

Advance Tickets for the 2014 Show will be available • Livestock Classes • Army Roadshow through the website or at the above outlets from (Sheep/Cattle) • Oxfordshire Fire & Tuesday 1st July 2014

• Companion Dog Show • Showjumping • The Traditional Bakery Show displays Rescue Demonstration of, birds and alpacas. Little Nippers DIRECTIONS Terrier Racing Team: his year the main ring hosts The Oxfordshire County & Thame Show There are also Companion and Fun Dog fast action fun as the Little Nippers • Morris Dancers a number of spectacular attractions Fantastic, • Showing Classes • The Sheep Show offover the A4129 to Princess Road. shows which anyone can enter on the day. race hurdlesThame and obstacles, sprintRisborough flat including top class show jumping is held Alpaca Display • Glass Blowing Display • Thame Concert Band full address Food & Drink: This year will feature a competitions with the Oxfordshire outThe for• the straight is: raceThe andThame zoom Showground, around a Kingsey Road, Oxfordshire OX9 3JL Food Theatre with different demonstrations Area Other features include: continuous loop ofThame, the arena. • Bird Display • Trial. Leather Work Display • Performances By Local Gamegoer Gundogs: This display covers place throughout the day, and the Scurry Driving - one of the world’s most For more information • Vintage Machinery, • Woodturning Display taking School Children Traditional Bakery Show will offer working dog’s training. exciting action packed equestrian sports. Gasp every facet of aTHAME SHOW Lorries & Tractors Home & Garden Marquee • opportunities Local Radio Working breeds include: Spaniels, Retrievers, for everyone to ‘have a go’. and• cheer as pairs of ponies pulling strippedSuite 3, 55 North Street, Thame, Oxon OX9 3BH The Public Bar is again being run by down carriages weave their way through a Pointers and Setters in a fast moving and • Classic Cars • Food Hall Tel: 01844 212737 Fax: 01844 218481Chinnor Rugby Football Club with a fine series of obstacles at break-neck speed! captivating display. • Touch & Tag Rugby • Shopping & Craft Marquee Sheep Show: Educating and entertaining selection of ales, wines and spirits. The Devil’s Horsemen Email: info@thameshow.co.uk shearing demonstration that tells of each Chariot Racing - Probably the fastest most Demonstration by There will also be two food courts with a Fant • Many Traders www.thameshow.co.uk great selection of mouthwatering hot and cold breeds attributes and how wool from the thrilling display of horsemanship ever. Chinnor Rugby Football • Food Theatre Registered Charity Number: for a sheep’s back becomes a jumper to 1084349 wear. delicacies together with soft drinks, coffee etc. Cossack Trick Riding - physical fitness, Club minis & juniors • Food Courts Registered Charity Number 1084349 and the ever popular food hall will be selling gymnastic ability and a taste for danger are on The Lamb National Sheep Race: The

hardy Herdwick sheep are a breed known for local and home produce throughout the day. display as the horses tear at full gallop with See bottom of page for other attractions. the rider hanging at impossible angles from it’s their agility and need to be able to jump to Aylesbury Tourist Information Centre, Princes Risborough Information Centre, C.H. Brown & Son - Oxford Covered Market, negotiate natural hazards. Watch the sheep, in back, vaulting, or even standing on the saddle! The Kennel Shop - Stokenchurch, Thame Information Centre, Marlow Information Centre, High Wycombe Tourist Information, l The Thame & Oxfordshire County Show, their individual colours, jumping over fences The Countryside Arena Witney Visitor Information Centre, Oxford Visitor Information Centre, Spear Travels - Thame The Thame Showground, Kingsey Road, Bob Hogg Sheepdog Display: Bob and to complete the race. Thame, Oxfordshire OX9 3JL his amazing sheepdogs in a highly entertaining And So Much More... Around the Advance Tickets for the 2015 Show will be available through the website or at the above outlets from Wednesday 1st July 2015 Show Office Tel: 01844 215444 showground are the usual competitions for display during which the dogs work sheep, Email: info@thameshow.co.uk cattle, sheep, horses and donkeys along with geese and ducks. Tickets & Info: www.thameshow.co.uk

W: www.thameshow.co.uk

T: 01844 215444

Tickets: adv / on gate - Adults: £12 / £15 Under 5s: Free 5-15s: Free with paying adult 5-15 on own £4 / £5 Seniors: £10 / £12

Glass Blowing Display, Leather Work Display, Woodturning Display, Home & Garden Marquee, Shopping & Craft Marquee, Trade Stalls, Food Courts, Bird Display, Vintage Machinery, Lorries & Tractors, Classic Cars, Touch & Tag Rugby Demonstration, Army Roadshow, Oxfordshire Fire & Rescue Demonstration, Morris Dancers, Thame Concert Band, Band Stand, Performances by local School Children Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2015

TWELFTH NIGHT 5—9 August 2015

HENRY V 12—16 August 2015

Hannah Willow & Friends Friday 21 August to Sunday 13 September 2015

BOOK ONLINE www.pendleyshakespearefestival.co.uk

Free Entry. All Work is For Sale. Open Daily.

BOX OFFICE 01442 820060 (from 6 July 2015) PRODUCING AMATEUR THEATRE SINCE 1949

19454 PSF Pendley Vale Life Quarter Page Ad.indd 1

Tel: 01296 612150

www.obsidianart.co.uk 19/06/2015 14:45

Sculpture

in the garden Saturday 8 August - Sunday 16 August 11am - 6pm daily admission free

Turn End Townside Haddenham Nr. Aylesbury HP17 8BG a Turn End Charitable Trust fundraising event in association with Lendon Scantlebury turnendtrustevents@gmail.com www.turnend.wordpress.com

Obsidian Art, Layby Farm (The Bucks Goat Centre), Old Risborough Road, Stoke Mandeville, Bucks, HP22 5XJ.

Food fest reveals appetising line-up The eighth annual Thame Food Festival takes place on Saturday 26th September 2015, bringing a stellar line-up of celebrity chefs and a wealth of good food and drink to one of Oxfordshire’s prettiest historic market towns. Cooking live this year in the cookery theatre sponsored by AGA will be Raymond Blanc OBE, who makes the short journey every year from Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons to support the festival and delight visitors with his passion for cooking with fresh, seasonal produce. He will be joined by Sophie Grigson who has recently opened Sophie’s Kitchen at the Story Museum in Pembroke Street, Oxford and Breton baker Richard Bertinet who is sharing the secrets of bread making. The festival’s first ever cookery demo devised especially for children will be with BBC One’s MasterChef 2013 winner Natalie Coleman, while celebrities from the baking world be helping to judge the first ever baking competition the Big Thame Bake

and rustling up their own treats in the cookery theatre. Great British Bake Off Winner 2013 Frances Quinn will present the prizes to the winning bakers at 12 noon before taking her place alongside other GBBO contestants including Luis Troyano, Miranda Gore Browne and Howard Middleton, for a group interview session with Lotte Duncan. Food writer Jane Hornby will be making sure the Big Thame Bake rises to perfection, with QVC cookery presenter Simon Brown keeping the cookery theatre running smoothly. Visitors can meet the celebrity chefs in the pop-up book shop and enjoy local food and drink, inspirational talks and cookery demos, authentic street food and live music – all the ingredients for a brilliant day out! Thame Food Festival: 9am5pm, Sat 26th Sept in Thame town centre. For more info, to book any of the special festival events and to sign up for the Big Thame Bake, please go to: www.thamefoodfestival.co.uk Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2015

l Column: Alan Candy’s Altomobiles

Ever improving Hyundai i20

yundai’s meteoric rise in the UK has been impressive, to say the least. Since 1988 the South Korean brand has risen from 21st to one of the top 10 manufacturers over here, with a record 77,500 vehicles sold last year. But even more amazing is the progress Hyundai has made in that time in terms of refinement. It seems every successive car I road test makes giant strides over its predecessor. Take the Hyundai i20 that I have been testing this week as an example. This is a sharply styled, practical, smartly finished fivedoor hatch to compete with the likes of the Ford Fiesta and Skoda Fabia. Not only does it beat them both comprehensively on luggage space, the i20, I believe, offers a comprehensively superior drive.

Hyundai i20

Alan Candy’s

AltomobilES The new generation i20 is bigger all round this time - up 24mm more legroom, 33mm for headroom, 6mm hip room and 15mm shoulder space. The increased legroom has been boosted by a longer wheelbase, the bonnet is longer and luggage space is a class-leading 326 litres. The car’s new look - which features a low slung version of the hexagonal grille and gloss black C pillars, creating the impression of a semi-floating roof - has already won it a prestigious iF

design award and increased sound deadening throughout the cabin is so impressive that a friend asked me if the petrol engine was actually running, as he couldn’t hear it ticking over. The 1.4 Premium version I have been driving isn’t that quick off the mark (0-62mph in 11.6 seconds) but its what happens after that which impresses. It’s soon clear that this is an exceptionally pleasant car to drive - its handling sparkles. Steering is so well weighted light yet offering the driver plenty of feedback and involvement; body movement is slick and fluid; and the car hangs on in there through the bends, with plenty of control and tenacity.

A peachy six-speed gearbox is about as good as you’ll get in this class of car and makes you want to swap cogs just for the fun of it while ride quality is consistently good. I’m also impressed by how practical and well thought out the cabin is. Dashboard and doors (said to be the first surfaces the driver touches after the steering wheel) are high quality, pliable and tactile and ergonomics spot on. A quick look around instantly familiarises the driver with controls and there are no mysteries to worry over. The centre stack, built around a central digital clock, features Continued on page 76

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l Bosch Car Service Centre l MOTs including Class VII (3.5 tonnes) l Servicing, repairs, tyres, exhausts and air

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long wheelbase vans, campers and trucks

Motologic Autocentre Unit 7, The Point, Gatehouse Way Aylesbury, Bucks, HP19 8DB Tel: 01296 422226 www.moto-logic.co.uk Tyres l Brakes l Batteries l Servicing l Exhausts l MOTs

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Hyundai i20

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Servicing & repairs l 4 wheel laser alignment Servicing andequipment repairs l Courtesy car available Engine diagnost Latest diagnostic l 24Hr recovery & vehicle movements 4 wheel laser alignment Diesel tuning an l Diesel tuning and ECU remaps MOTs arranged Tyre's, Brakes, C l Fast and friendly service l Full workshop facilities l l

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We service and repair all makes and models

www.autotorque.net 76

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2015

Continued from page 74 a small main info screen, tuner and CD player (for which I gave thanks), with heat-vent control at knee height. Icy air-con proved its worth during an uncomfortable heatwave and an optional full-length panoramic electric sunroof was an added attraction; in winter, the heated steering wheel and seats will be another big bonus. A class-leading sized boot provides plenty of versatile space and rear seats can be rapidly converted straight down, although the resultant load floor is slightly on two levels, rather than completely flat. For me, this was the surprise package of the year so far. The i20 is a consistent all rounder in everything that it does and such an excellent drive. The future looks scarily good for this fast-growing marquee. Factfile: Hyundai i20 Premium 1.4 100PS, £13,325 (i20 prices from £10,695-£16,725). Powered by 1,368cc petrol engine, 0-62mph in 11.6 secs Combined Fuel: 51.4mpg CO2 emissions: 127g/km

In 2000 John Dennis opened his own establishment to service & repair Land Rovers, including all makes of 4x4s.

Save up to 50% on labour rateS without affecting your warranty

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t: 01296 640750 m: 07768 173131 www.johndennis4x4.co.uk www.4x4vehiclehire.co.uk

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77 Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2015 09:32 03/11/2012

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2015

John Dennis Land Rover and 4x4 specialists are well known for their expertise in servicing, maintaining and repairing 4x4s. The company is constantly developing though and now also caters for 4x4 sales and boasts a national 4x4 hire business with franchises available...

ppings Farm, opposite the Bucks John Dennis (second from right) with the workshop team Showground site, a few minutes along the Buckingham Road (A413) from Aylesbury, is a pleasant rural setting and just the sort of place a Land Rover or Range Rover would feel at home - the ideal location for a 4x4 specialist in fact! John Dennis, a Landrover specialist with some 29 years experience, set up his workshop there 15 years ago, servicing and repairing Land Rovers and 4x4s. Word spread about the excellent quality of service and attention to detail being offered by the small, friendly, family run company and business has grown. John’s wife Kirsty came on board to help and the two have developed the company building a reliable team apprenticeship with the firm and is now of hardworking staff and fully qualified. A new apprentice has just introducing 4x4 Vehicle Sales been taken on and hopes to follow in Ryan’s and 4x4 Vehicle Hire into footsteps. the fold. On site there is plenty of parking, a All makes of vehicle are serviced in the workshop The workshop now spacious workshop, a large, comfortable services and MOTs most reception area, complete with F1 memorabilia specialist expertise and reasonable labour makes and models of vehicle. The bulk of and motorsport souvenirs, where you will be rates. John is still hands on in the workshop, customers are Land Rover or Range Rover greeted by Office Manager Judy Nelson, and but is now assisted by Senior Technician owners, who appreciate the company’s a pleasant back office where Kirsty and her Richard and Technician Ryan, who did his team (Business Development Manager Nikola Judy Nelson in reception and Hire Executive Tracey McGuiness) run their international 4x4 Vehicle Hire company, and the John Dennis 4x4 Sales business. “We’ve built things up gradually and have invested back in the business,” says John, who is originally from Wingrave, as is Kirsty. “We have Autologic, which is the main diagnostic system for Land Rovers and we keep up to date with new models and technology - our technicians go on courses two or three times a year to keep abreast with developments. “We can deal with any vehicle but we are specialists in Land Rovers - we’ve worked on so many we’ve generally come across any problems before, which helps us diagnose faults more quickly. “We pride ourselves on giving a good, honest, personal service. Whatever the customer wants we aim to do it. We’ll always be truthful about the work we’ve done and

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2015

Hire Executive Tracey McGuiness

Discovery Sport

Business Development Manager Nikola Goodwin if we think we’ve fixed a fault and it plays up Most Land Rover and Range Rover models Discovery again, there’s no argument, we’ll get straight are available for hire including the Discovery back on it and put it right. I personally make 4 and the Freelander 2 plus the Range Rover sure every job is done well. Vogue, Sport and the new Evoque. See the “We value every one of our website at: www.4x4vehiclehire.co.uk customers and work hard to offer and click on the vehicle icons to find the service they want. We offer out more. courtesy 4x4s, usually a Freelander, “The Defender is really popular,” which you wouldn’t get at most says Business Development garages and we can collect and Manager Nikola Goodwin, “but deliver vehicles if required.” we can generally supply most The company is a member of models. They are often hired by the Good Garage scheme and businessmen or wealthy tourists the Which Trusted Trader site, so from abroad who fly in and want Director Kirsty Dennis a prestige vehicle ready at the customers can look at feedback Vogue clients have left and see the kind of service airport for their stay. We also hire by the day 4x4 Vehicle Hire App they can expect. or weekend for weddings, holidays, proms, Scan QR Code below “Clients get a form to fill out with their days out or to tow things - the seven-seater or search App Store comments,” says Office Manager Judy. “which Discoverys are most popular. We can arrange they then send directly to the scheme, so we delivery and collection and even a chauffeur have no influence over what is said. if you wish. It’s a bespoke service, so we are “Our 4x4 Vehicle Hire and Vehicle Sales flexible and tailor the hire package to suit the businesses dovetail nicely with the workshop client’s requirements. side as often sale vehicles will have been “We have an online estimating system on serviced by us and we know they have been our website, so you can get an instant idea well looked after and we are also able to of cost and on our new App: ‘4x4 Vehicle service our hire vehicles in-house, which is Hire HeadOffice’. The App also has a reward more convenient and keeps our costs down.” system and useful information for our clients.” John Dennis has a new user-friendly website: If you would like your vehicle serviced or www.johndennis4x4.co.uk with information on to hire a 4x4, or are interested in 4x4 Vehicle the workshop and services offered, plus links Hire franchise opportunities, please contact the to the car sales and car hire businesses. company as below. Under Kirsty’s guidance 4x4 Vehicle Hire l John Dennis 4x4, Uppings Farm, Buckingham has grown into one of the UK’s leading 4x4 Road, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, HP22 4DR rental companies, offering a nationwide 4×4 Tel: 01296 640750 Mobile: 07768 173131 hire service with a network of local franchises Email: service@johndennis4x4.co.uk including branches in Edinburgh, Dublin, Web: www.johndennis4x4.co.uk Web: www.4x4vehiclehire.co.uk (Tel: 01296 640637) Belfast and soon possibly even Marbella! Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2015

l Column: On

The Road

Viva la VIVA! Vauxhall VIVA

n true Blue Peter style, Vauxhall could have been saying ‘here’s one we made earlier’ when the wraps came off the all new VIVA . For alongside it was the 1960s HA Viva, a car with the same value for money mindset that got many of us on the road all those years ago. Thankfully the quality has improved immeasurably, and the revival of the name means Vauxhall now has a trio of offerings in the small car sector, the VIVA lining up alongside the Corsa and Adam. In Ricky Martin’s adapted words it was ‘Livin’ la VIVA local’, as the British motoring press got their hands on the new car in Luton, where the original HA Viva first saw the light of day in 1963, before production switched to

Vauxhall VIVA

Rob Auchterlonie

ON The Road Ellesmere Port. Small, but with five doors and easy to park, the new car has been specifically tuned in the chassis department to deal with UK roads, and it’s fair to say it did a decent job of coping with the route on the UK launch last week. VIVA is only available in two trim levels - SE and SL - with the former starting at £7,995 and the SL weighing in at £9,495 for what

is a pretty well equipped small car.

And a stylish one too. The bonnet has a distinctive shape, and there are stand out sharp crease lines down the flanks that followed the door handles. Noise from the 1.0 litre three cylinder ECOTEC engine was very well subdued. It’s made from light aluminium and has better running characteristics and noise emission than some four-cylinder units.

Minibus & people carrier hirehire 3B Hire & Servicing, Townsend Garage, Thame Road, Haddenham, Bucks HP17 8BY Tel: 01844 291430 w car, van, mpv & minibus hire w vehicle servicing - all makes & models w car valeting w tyres, exhausts, batteries

www.3bhire.co.uk 80

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2015

Vauxhall VIVA, then and now. Annoying vibrations that can be the trademark of some three-pots have been pretty well damped down, which makes the VIVA a more enjoyable and less grating

car to drive than some of its competitors. Sales will be heavily weighted towards private buyers and that means there will be some

competitive PCP plans available to customers. Interestingly it’s things that aren’t included at the moment - but which will be early in the new year - that will help make the VIVA a little different from its competitors. Like its stablemates ADAM and Corsa, VIVA will be fully connected thanks to the next generation IntelliLink infotainment system. Available from early 2016, IntelliLink allows seamless integration of Apple iOS and Android devices, including full compatibility with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Also available from January 2016, as standard on SL trim and as an option on SE, will be the personal connectivity and service assistant OnStar. Customers will be able to use a wide gammut of services provided by Vauxhall OnStar such as emergency services, roadside recovery and smartphone remote control. In addition, when equipped with OnStar, VIVA will become a Wi-Fi hotspot, enabling up to seven devices to be connected to the car network. OnStar is also there in case of an emergency - whether you can ask for it yourself or not. For example,

if an airbag deploys, OnStar will be alerted automatically. An advisor will then contact the subscriber to determine whether help is required. If there is no response, emergency responders will immediately be sent to the exact location of the vehicle. OnStar Advisors located at the high-tech Contact Centre in Luton will be available 24/7 and 365 days a year. At a push of the SOS button, OnStar users can request assistance whenever they deem it necessary, for example if they witness an accident. Via the Smartphone App, subscribers will be able to call OnStar from anywhere, access important vehicle data such as oil life and tyre pressure, remotely lock or unlock the car and (if their car has been stolen) locate it with Stolen Vehicle Assistance which can also remotely block the ignition. FASTFACTS: Vauxhall VIVA 5 door SL; £9495; 999cc three cylinder ECOTEC, 75ps, 95Nm; Five speed manual gearbox; top speed 106mph, 0-60mph 13.1secs; Fuel - urban 50.4, extra urban 72.4, combined 62.8; CO2 104g/km; Will it fit the garage? Quite easily!

K.M. Commercials

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K Collins Roofing Ltd

Thame Re-Pointing

& Plastering Services All types of Re-Pointing undertaken All aspects of Plastering undertaken Specialists in Lime Re-pointing Specialising in Period and Historic Buildings Very high standard of work Full public liability insurance

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Flat, felt and rubber roofing We also do slate and tiling repairs, PVC fascia boarding and chimney repointing

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Website: www.thamerepointing.co.uk Ad 1

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Joinery

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Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2015

are endless...

Andrews of Thame Vale Life : Mar/Apr 2014

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

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Carpet cleaning Large lounge from £40 Small lounge/dining room from £25 Hall, stairs & landing from £35 Bedroom single/double from £15/£20 Whole house (1 Bed) from £75 Whole house (2 Bed) from £90 Whole house (3 Bed) from £100

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www.swalephotography.carbonmade.com Ask about PhotoFUN A studio style Photobooth

Vale Life : Aug/Sept 2015

Watermark Ltd Worminghall Road Oakley Buckinghamshire HP18 9UL

Timeless Luxury

Finalist

Exquisite bathroom pieces with a unique Belle Époque appearance designed to bridge the gap between today’s modern minimalist and yesterday’s period pieces.

www.watermark.gb.com

01844 338137