Vale Life Magazine Feb Mar 2016 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

Feb/Mar 2016

Cover picture: Just Married at St Mary’s, Thame Photograph by Pete Griffith www.allpeoplephotography.com

Inside:

Buon Appetito

Father & son have recipe for success See our website at: www.vale-life.co.uk

If the time is now

Therapists are here to help

Up to speed

ATG course will boost your bike skills 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 Tickets to the national wedding show w A citrus zinger w w A Ladies Spa day for two at Champneys tring w Signed copy of ‘out of time’ w

Exciting news! Chalfont Lodge Care Centre has a stylish new look! Following signiﬁcant investment, Chalfont Lodge Care Centre has a brand new look which we’d love to show you! The appearance of our care centre has been carefully designed with the people we care for in mind. Our bright lobby is the perfect spot for socialising or taking part in one of our many daily activities, and our bedrooms are comfortable and tastefully decorated.

Our friendly care team is always on-hand to give tours and answer any questions about the wide range of services including:

Nursing care • Dementia care • Respite breaks Please contact me at Chalfont Lodge on:

01753 465 480 Emerson Kupfuwa General Manager Denham Lane, Chalfont St. Peter, Buckinghamshire, SL9 0QQ 2

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2016

www.barchester.com

WEBSITE DESIGN & PRINT Whether you want a new brand & website, or need to update your current one. We take care of it all.

Wordpress websites

Branding & print design

WWW.SHAREDCREATIVE.CO.UK HELLO@SHAREDCREATIVE.CO.UK t: 01296 346 346

Email campaigns

Advert design

WE CREATE: WORDPRESS WEBSITES / LOGO DESIGN / EMAIL MARKETING / BROCHURES / PRESS ADVERTS / POSTERS LEAFLETS / EXHIBITION STANDS / BUSINESS CARDS STATIONERY / SIGNAGE / VEHICLE WRAP DESIGN INFOGRAPHICS / SOCIAL MEDIA PAGE DESIGN

SHARED creative, Verna House, 9 Bicester Road, Aylesbury, Bucks, HP19 9AG.

Ruth’s garden was her life. Dahlias. Peonies. Fuscias. Sweet peas. Friends said her garden was a rainbow. So we helped her family to decorate the church with flowers from Ruth’s own garden. The church looked particularly colourful that day. And afterwards, everyone took a flower home.

Inc. Heritage & Sons

Because every life is unique Winslow 01296 713 341 • Amersham 01494 434 484 Aylesbury 01296 428 638 • Bletchley 01908 372 700 Buckingham 01280 813 188 • Wendover 01296 620 777 www.cpjfield.co.uk

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2016

‘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 4

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2016

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 : Feb/Mar 2016

www.crusader-holidays.co.uk

2016 Brochure OUT NOW!

Britain & Europe - 120 exciting holidays across more than 20 countries Free local Joining Points l Top of the range Setra Grand Touring Coaches

Ring 01296 336666 now for your copy!

The Bucks Battalion at Fromelles ‘Centenary Special’

Cheltenham Gold Cup

Poperinge & Talbot House

Join us for the unforgettable spectacle, atmosphere and excitement of the Cheltenham Festival, the UK’s landmark National Hunt race meeting, and enjoy all the thrill of the chase! Revel in the anticipation and drama that makes Cheltenham one of the most prestigious and popular racing fixtures in the world, featuring the best and bravest horses and jockeys, nervous and excited trainers and owners, and a crowd determined to have the time of their lives! Friday, March 18th: £55 (Best Mate Enclosure) £69 (Tattersalls Grandstand) Route AEGHO.

Friday, April 22, 2016 - 3 Days: £209

July 12th, 2016 - 3 Days: £225

12 So join 0+ F uth ing RE East po E lo & H ints in cal om e C the ou nti es.

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Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2016

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SPECIAL OFFER! Cotswolds & Highclere Castle

the area of the 61st Division attack on 19/7/16 which included the 2/1st Bucks Battalion on return to hotel free time in Lille Day 3: After breakfast we make our way back the ferry port via Ploegsteert Wood cemetery within which are buried members of 1st Bucks Battalion from 1915. We expect to arrive home mid evening. Single Room supplement £35 Travel Insurance £31

12 0 poin + FR EE ts & H in th local om e So join in eC u ou th Ea g nti es. st

Fully Guided by local Bucks Guide The 2nd Bucks Battalion was raised in Aylesbury and fought in the attack toward the village of Fromelles in July 1916. Many in the ranks were local to the area. Arriving in France in May 1916 the battle of Fromelles was it’s first major operation. We will explore the battlefield which claimed so many casualties, also the museum/visitor centre and cemeteries and memorials nearby. Day 1: From the local area we travel to Dover for the mid day ferry. En route to our hotel we visit Poperinge and the location of Talbot House. Throughout 1914-1918 Poperinge or ‘Pops’ as the British soldiers called it, was a gateway to the battlefields of the northern Ypres Salient. The permanent exhibition on life behind the lines should fulfil your expectations of a routine museum visit. We check in at the Novotel in Lille late afternoon. 2 nights with buffet breakfast. Evening at leisure. Day 2: A full day visit to the Fromelles battlefield and visitor centre. We explore

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Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2016

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

Such a perfect day!

Recipe for attitude

The wedding team

Out of the woods

Choosing your rings

Wonderful wallpapers

The honeymoon

Fuschia berry superfood!

Win a girls’ spa day for two

BBF open Aylesbury hub

Pressing engagement

Home from home

Planning ahead

Times are a changin’

In need of a tonic?

New art on the block

If the time is now

Mightier than swords!

Time to go private?

Up to speed

Trendy foods for 2016

Win a Citrus Zinger

Buon Appetito

Happy Mother’s Day

Alternative Aylesbury

15 19 20 25 26 27 28

Your 10 page guide to getting hitched Ladies have all the bases covered Professional advice from the county jewellers Handy tips to make the most of your trip Henning it up at Champneys

Juicy way to a healthy cleanse Katy’s tips make fashion sense Sophie’s team will dance you fit Therapists offer caring solutions

30 Got any free time? 31 33 35

Try sports for free at TLC Course offers cycle maintenance skills Give your water a citrus zing! ‘Aren’t mums great’ says Tracy

I hate websites...

ew year plus new website equals new customers, said the Shared Creative advertisement. Hopefully I’ll soon be able to confirm that as Stuart and Ian at Shared Creative have been working on the Vale Life website and we are hoping to relaunch it fairly soon. My limited experience of having a website over the last six years since Vale Life started has been rather frustrating. We’ve had two sites built by two different companies and although both started out almost doing what they were supposed to neither was

ongratulations to the following Dec/Jan edition competition winners! Hopefully your prizes will have arrived by now, please let us know if not. Commiserations to those

ever quite completed, so everything worked exactly as specified and once up and running they seemed to constantly need tweaking, as bits were always failing or losing their links, or one bit would be updated so then it couldn’t work with another bit until that was updated and so on. Owning a website seems to me a bit like having an old car which needs regular visits to the garage as things keep wearing out and need replacing. You expect it with an old car though but not with a website, which hasn’t actually got any moving parts, just bits of code,

who weren’t so lucky - read on though for more competitions inside this edition, including the chance to win: A Citrus Zinger water bottle; A signed copy of ‘Out of Time’; A ladies spa day for two at Champneys

A glimpse into Polly’s private world Furniture firm works wonder with wood Charlotte’s guide to papering over the cracks Sweet taste of success for berry programme All welcome at Porter’s Lodge

Excecutive lets offer short term solutions Move with the times or get left behind says Robyn Pirjo’s printing pictures on wood Antique pens are a collectors delight ‘Consider your options’ says Catherine Jacquie’s knows what’s cookin’ Delightful Italian has recipe for success Music fans looking for something different

ones and zeroes I believe. OK so it is a marvel how those ones and zeroes do all the things they do. Trying to get my head around that is almost as dizzying as thinking about the universe and the planets and then what’s beyond the universe and space etc etc... all a bit much to grasp. Is a computer’s workings like a kind of inner space, or have I been watching too much Matrix and Tron type movies!? If it is just ones and zeroes though why does it go wrong? If I add one and one in the real world it makes two. I can do this all day, all year even and each time one and one will still equal two. It doesn’t suddenly break down and go ah, no it’s not two this time,

Tring; Tickets to The National Wedding Show (NEC); Tickets to The National Photography Show; A free badminton session at Thame Leisure Centre. Last issue’s prizewinners

we’ve got a problem it’s only one and a half, you’ll have to take your sum back to the mathematician you got it from and have it recalibrated! Anyway, I have high hopes that the new Vale Life website will be fab. It won’t look drastically different to the current one but will offer an updated business directory for local companies and organisations and a less clunky What’s On Diary that all are welcome to add their events to. We get quite a lot of views despite the odd glitch at the moment so get listing, and if it won’t do what you want it to, just check your maths.

were: A meal for two at The Pointer: Michael Nuns, Thame A Rachael Clegg Calendar: David Butley, Aylesbury A Spa Day for two at Whittlebury Hall:

Charlie

Zoe Findlater, Chinnor JB Fitness & Photo package: Sue Jones, Aylesbury Hidden Beauty Elemis Facial: Mary Frew, 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 : Feb/Mar 2016

Wedding feature

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2016

“Embrace the countryside,” says Samantha Stonehouse of What a fab party! Indeed, what better backdrop for your special day than our green and pleasant land...

T Photograph by Caz Wales

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2016

he New Year is a busy time for many wedding suppliers as newly engaged couples start to plan their big day and want to find out how they can transform their ideas into reality. As a wedding supplier, this is when I begin to identify the latest emerging trends. But what actually constitutes a wedding trend? A passing fashion picked up by a celebrity and featured throughout glossy magazines and blogs, or a short-lived fad that has come over from another country or a wedding

related buzzword that the press have picked up and keep repeating in their articles!? Wedding suppliers see a wide range of creative and diverse themes for the following season’s weddings, from Pinterest boards to pages of magazine cut outs. Nowadays, regardless of a theme, a wedding is all about the couple and making their reception as personal to them as possible. There is no such thing as a traditional wedding anymore. In our surrounding area, we are blessed to have the beautiful

Wedding feature

Paloma Blanca . Charlotte Balbier . Amanda Wyatt Ellis . Jim Hjelm . White Rose . Ebony Rose . AW Bridesmaids

Tablescaping - photograph by David Bostock Chiltern Countryside on our doorstep. Sweeping views across the Aylesbury Vale, majestic beech woodlands and rolling Oxfordshire farmlands with Red Kites soaring above us. Take advantage of your gorgeous surroundings; line a barn on a farm or transform your back garden, even village halls make the most fabulous event spaces with a little imagination. They all offer outside and affordable space for you to create your own countryside wedding. I asked a few local wedding suppliers what they think is strong for 2016 given this countryside theme. Matthew Taylor, Director of Fabulous Flowers - Oxford and Abingdon: “We have found that the rustic look is still very strong, this has evolved into tablescaping - creating an interesting textured table runner of various vases, jam jars, candles sticks, vegetables, fruit and potted plants (see image above). We also create lots of arrangements in items found near barns and farm venues, such as milk churns, wheelbarrows and old barrels.” www.fabulousflowers.biz Continued on page 11

We offer an inhouse alteration service to ensure your perfect ﬁt

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

87 High Street Tring HP23 4AB 01442 828653 www.confettibridalwear.co.uk

Innovative, contemporary and traditional designs Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2016

Wedding feature

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2016

nna McDonald Curve Couture is a leading plus size wedding dress shop offering a personal, by appointment only, service for brides in the picturesque market town of Thame. Clients are welcome to browse the showroom freely, without other customers present, and receive

Dress by Sonsie

personal attention and expert advice from Anna and her bridal consultants, whilst during the bride’s fitting a seamstress will be on hand to discuss any design changes, adjustments and bespoke accessories Anna opened her first bridal boutique in July 2008, having identified a local need for a high quality wedding gallery specialising in leading designers at affordable prices. She’d had previous experience of the purchasing process herself and felt that brides deserved a higher quality of service throughout the entire buying process, from initial contact through the website, to consultation, purchase and final fitting. In 2014 Anna launched a second boutique, Anna McDonald Curve Couture, dedicated to the curvier bride and displaying a gorgeous collection of wedding dresses in sizes from UK20 to UK30 by award

Anna McDonald Curve Couture boutique in the comfort of this beautifully designed bridal boutique. Anna has received multiple awards for her business and her creative store design with its bespoke handcrafted cabinets and display units. Her core principles of personalised and excellent customer service result in many new customers coming via referrals from her growing list of delighted brides. Evening appointments are available on request.

Images above and left are of Curve Couture’s first bride wearing a dress by Sonsie winning designers such as Callista Bridal and Sonsie. Wedding dresses range from £800 to £1800 and you can be assured you will find one to suit your taste

l Anna McDonald Curve Couture, 24 Upper High Street, Thame, Oxfordshire, OX9 3EX Tel: 01844 269078 / 07787 574206 Email: anna@anna-mcdonald.com Web: www.anna-mcdonald.com

With romantic scenery and magical resorts, the picturesque island of Saint Lucia is a favourite amongst honeymooners. From rustic rainforest retreats and boutique beach hotels to the most luxurious of resorts in the Caribbean, Caribtours offers a truly unique and unforgettable experience.

The perfect choice for couples looking for a relaxing romantic break with all the watersports and facilities you could desire. Offering dinner on the beach, a beautiful infinity pool and pool bar, Rendezvous is considered Saint Lucia’s most romantic couples resort.

Perched high on Morne Chasanet with magnificent panoramic views, this is one of Saint Lucia’s most exclusive retreats. Individual bridges lead to the superb suites, each with private infinity pool. Enjoy spa treatments in the privacy of your own suite or lounge on the celestial terrace.

Based on a premium Garden View room on all inclusive, return scheduled flights from Gatwick and complimentary private airport transfers.

Based on 2 adults sharing a Sky Jacuzzi Suite on all inclusive, return scheduled flights from Gatwick and complimentary private airport transfers.

To book, or for more information, visit Spear Travels - the award winning independent travel agent.

T:01844 217228 E:thame@speartravels.net www.speartravels.net 5 Greyhound Walk Thame OX9 3DY

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2016

Wedding feature Notley Farm, Chearsley Road, Long Crendon, Buckinghamshire HP18 9ER T: 01844 201226 F: 01844 201226 E: weddings@notleyfarm.co.uk www.notleyfarm.co.uk

Vintage bike by Ruby & Grace Continued from page 9 Hannah Bignell, Creative Director of Ruby & Grace, Pangbourne: “Sometimes the finishing touches make all the difference in creating an informal feel for a countryside wedding. Our vintage bike is a really popular addition to a wedding - always providing a pretty focal point and a great photo opportunity. We usually plant this bike up with a wild display or lots of Hydrangea in the basket. It’s perfect for pointing guests in the right direction along with an aisle lined with naturally styled jam jar posies”. www.rubyandgrace.co.uk Jo Rasenberg, Director of Hibiscus Event Catering, Beaconsfield: “Going into the 2016 wedding season we are finding that our couples are embracing the food sharing concept. A more relaxed approach to their wedding breakfast is the order of the day, taking longer over their meal, sharing delicious dishes and enjoying a more relaxed atmosphere. Food is such an important part of any wedding and sharing an incredible meal brings your family and friends together in a fun and slightly more informal way”. www.hibiscusfood.co.uk Continued on page 13

To stage a great event today, go back to the 12th century

Notley Tythe Barn is a beautiful, fully restored 12th-century barn set in picturesque gardens within 500 acres of pasture land at the foot of the Chiltern Hills. It is also an elegant and unique venue for weddings, receptions, parties, functions, special events. Notley Farm, celebrations Chearsley Road,and Longother Crendon,

Less formal wedding banquets with sharing platters are becoming popular

Buckinghamshire HP18 9ER T: 01844 201226 F: 01844 201226 Notley Farm, Chearsley Road, E: weddings@notleyfarm.co.uk Long Crendon, Buckinghamshire, www.notleyfarm.co.uk HP18 9ER T: 01844 201226 F: 01844 201226 E: weddings@notleyfarm.co.uk Notley Farm, Chearsley Road, Long Crendon, www.notleyfarm.co.uk Buckinghamshire HP18 9ER T: 01844 201226 F: 01844 201226 E: weddings@notleyfarm.co.uk www.notleyfarm.co.uk Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2016

Wedding feature

A recent bridal shoot at Thame wedding venue Meadowbrook Farm really shows off the talents of the team of local suppliers involved. Here wedding planner and blogger Kaleigh focuses on those involved and how they can collectively or individually help make your big day dreams come true...

e all hope the sun will shine gloriously on our big day and happily it did when our team of expert wedding suppliers came together, at a dreamy location in Oxfordshire, to create this swoon-worthy wedding inspiration at our Enchanting Waterside Wedding Photo Shoot. Meadowbrook Farm was the stunning venue. Its delightful waterside setting, in the village of Moreton, near Thame, makes a beautifully rustic wedding location and a perfect spot for erecting a marquee. The lakeside ‘log cabin’ is ideal for an evening barbecue, a wedding snug or a post-wedding brunch, there is self-catering accommodation in converted barns, space for camping and bell tent hire, just ask Meadowbrook’s helpful events organiser, Becky. The beautiful blooms in our shoot were designed by artisan florist, Bev Quarterman of Scent With Love and were styled ‘country chic’. The diverse range of flowers utilised and the innovative ways in which Bev’s arrangements are put together create magnificent wedding flowers to leave a wonderful impression on your guests and result in truly spectacular wedding photos. Our beautiful model, Jade, was tended by a dream team of wedding professionals. Her beautiful bronzed glow and perfectly manicured nails were by Bev, who is a trained beauty therapist as well as a florist and at Scent With Love offers an array of luxury beauty treatments for the whole bridal party. The breathtaking, rustic hairstyles were styled by the amazing Mandy at Wedding Hair Boutique, Towersey, who has been creating stunning bridal styles for some ten years now. Mandy combines imagination, experience, skill and a great passion for weddings with intricately detailed work, to create hair that brides and bridesmaids just adore. Jade’s stunning looks were enhanced for the shoot by the incredibly talented Abbie Martin, professional makeup artist and beauty therapist. Having trained at the DFMA Makeup Academy, her work in films and vast experience of bridal beauty has resulted in a rather splendid portfolio. Abbie works with brides to help them look and feel naturally beautiful on their special day. Abbie’s skill has created a glowing and radiant Jade.

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2016

For more photographs from the shoot see Caz’s Blog and News page at: www.cazwalesphotography.com

The stunning images from this shoot were taken by the very talented Caz Wales. Based in Thame, Caz specialises in creating truly beautiful photographs. Her flair for natural shots also shows in her day to day work photographing newborn babies and families and her relaxed, informal style is perfect for engagement shoots and weddings. Her images are memories to treasure.

This shoot is featured in full on Sparkle Pearls and Lace wedding blog, compiled by me - Kaleigh! I am a creative wedding/event planner, with over ten years of experience in organising everything from hen weekends to children’s birthdays parties and promise that with my help your special event will be a fabulous success which you and your guests will talk about for long after.

l Meadowbrook Farm, Moreton, Oxfordshire - Contact Becky Connelly: Tel: 07817379952 | Email: meadowbrookfarm1@outlook.com | www.facebook.com/meadowbrookfarm1 l Scent With Love Florist & Beauty Therapist, Tiddington - Contact Bev Quarterman: Tel: 07841 136359 | Facebook: /scentwithloveflowersandbeauty l Mandy’s Hair and Wedding Hair Boutique, Towersey | Tel: 07729 203415 | Email: mangle84.mj@googlemail.com | Facebook: /Wedding Hair Boutique l Abbie Martin Makeup and Beauty, Aylesbury | Tel: 07799 128542 | Facebook: /abbiemartin Email: Abbie.martin89@gmail.com | Web: www.abbiemartinmakeupandbeauty.co.uk | l Caz Wales Photography, Thame | Tel: 07990 747194 | Email: cazwalesphotography@gmail.com | Web: www.cazwalesphotography.com | Facebook: /cazwalesphotography | Twitter: @CazWalesPhoto l Sparkles Pearls and Lace Wedding / Event Planner & Blogger - Contact Kaleigh: Tel: 01844 239367 | Email: info@sparklespearlsandlace.com | Web: www.sparklespearlsandlace.com

Wedding feature

Elite Hire Tractor Bar Table Continued from page 11 Nikki Weeks-Pearson, Director of Elite Hire: “We are located on a farm ourselves and took inspiration from our picturesque setting and what was around us, we designed a range

appropriately named, ‘The Vintage Collection’. A selection of furniture that is truly unique and works so well for weddings and parties in the countryside. Our tractor bar table, apple crate backbar and farmhouse tables are proving very popular already”.

Elite Hire Apple Crate Backbar www.elitehire.co.uk/products

Different grain patterns in the wood mean that the recipient Sue Britton, is receiving a totally individual Partner - CamGraphic: invitation. “A wedding invitation like no These invitations are some of the other... opening up a wooden most memorable and unique on the wedding invitation is a one-of-a-kind market today and offer your guest experience! Continued on page 14

A small collection of rustic and characterful venues that are guaranteed to give you a fabulous backdrop for your party. From woodlands, country farms to a stately Georgian house, each venue in the collection has on site accommodation from self-catering farm cottages, lodges with hot-tubs to hotel rooms under canvas. Say goodbye to one day celebrations as we plan and deliver memorable parties that last several days.

www.farmandcountryvenues.co.uk 01844 281746 @CountryVenues

hello@farmandcountryvenues.co.uk

www.facebook.com/farmandcountryvenues Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2016

Wedding feature www.snapdragonphotography.co.uk

Continued from page 13 a glimpse of the stylish wedding ahead. Whether the wording is engraved or printed, you have a wonderfully tactile invitation. An engraved wood invitation simply begs for fingers to be run across it. Printed wood looks fantastic and cost wise, can be a pleasant surprise! There is also the option of having your guest names printed or engraved on the wood, giving the recipient a genuine moment of wonder as they see their names on the invitation. This is definitely not an invitation that will be stuffed into the back of the kitchen drawer and forgotten. www.woodcard.co.uk www.woodeninvitations.co.uk Finally, I will leave you with my top wedding tip “Don’t compare

your day to anyone else’s wedding – it is your day and therefore unique to you”. If you are looking for inspiration and wedding planning, for further information please contact Samantha Stonehosue of What a fab party! l Samantha Stonehouse, What a fab party! T. 01844 281746 E. info@whatafabparty.com Web: www.whatafabparty.com Twitter: @whatafabparty

Weddings at Holiday Inn Aylesbury

Wedding packages tailored to your dreams l Licensed for civil ceremonies l Wedding breakfast for up to 150 guests l Evening reception l Special accommodation rates for guests

To arrange a viewing or for more information please call: 01296 734030 or email: events@hinnaylesbury.com 14

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2016

Wedding feature

Choosing your rings Hester Clarke independent family jewellers of Cambridge Street, Aylesbury are now in their fifth generation and have been supplying wedding and engagement rings since 1892. They are experts in the field and stock many exciting examples whilst offering a bespoke design service. Here are their tips for finding your perfect rings: When choosing an Engagement Ring, it is important to also think about the Wedding Ring you may want in the future. They can be plain bands, set with precious stones or even a bi or tri set. Looking at Wedding Rings at the same time as Engagement Rings gives you the opportunity to see how they will sit next to each other on your finger, and a chance to see what styles are available and how much you might be spending in the run-up to the big day. People used to have a gold band but now there’s white gold, titanium, platinum, palladium... and they may be shaped to fit with an engagement ring or set with stones. Don’t leave choosing Wedding

Rings too late as you may find that you need more time than you thought, especially if you are having bespoke rings made for you, or even that you had forgotten to include them in your budget! Remember, your Wedding Rings should last forever, so it’s worth looking for quality. It may also be worth doing some research, so you know a little about diamonds before setting out to buy a stone. Certificates: When buying a Diamond, many people are now looking for a Certificate to go with the stone. This means that the Diamond has been through a Gem testing Laboratory, and has been assessed for the 4 C’s: Cut, Colour, Clarity and Carat. We recommend a GIA Certificate, from the Gemological Institute of America, which are generally regarded as the most trustworthy, accurate and unbiased Certificates available. Just because a stone has a certificate does not always mean it is a good Diamond - it is important you understand what the certificate is telling you. And just because a

Diamond is uncertified, doesn’t necessarily mean it is poor quality. A reputable Jeweller will walk you through the certificate and explain the exact quality of the stone you are buying. You can buy a Diamond on the internet of course but we always recommend you see the Diamond in person before buying. A stone may look perfect on paper, but you will never know just how much fire and sparkle it has until you look at it with your own eyes. Diamonds - the four Cs Cut: Cut is a grading of how well a Diamond has been cut. A well cut Diamond reflects light back into the eye of the viewer, giving that famous sparkling brilliance. Cut too deep or too shallow and your Diamond will lose much of its potential sparkle.

Colour: Colour is graded from D to Z. Colour absorbs light as it passes through the stone, reducing brilliance, so the less colour the better. D is the complete absence of colour - a perfectly white Diamond. Clarity: Diamonds take billions of years to form naturally, so it’s no surprise that they can come with a few imperfections. These can affect the passage of light through the stone. Clarity is determined by the number, visibility and size of these inclusions or imperfections. Carat: Carat is the unit of weight for Diamonds. 5 Carat is equal to 1 Gram. Larger Diamonds are very rare, which affects the price of a Diamond. A 2 Carat Diamond will not cost twice as much as a 1 Carat Diamond, it will likely be several times the price due to the scarcity of larger stones. The weight of a stone is sometimes described as ‘Points’, with 100 Points being equal to 1.00ct.

When it comes to choosing Engagement & Wedding Rings, we understand that choice & knowledge are key. That’s why we offer a wide range of different styles, from the classics to something a little bit different. Our expert staff are always on hand to help guide you through the process. With a wealth of knowledge about Diamonds, Gemstones & Precious Metals, we are confident we can find you the perfect ring. All of our Wedding Rings are handmade to order, and we even offer a bespoke service where you can have a ring designed to your exact specifications. To have a look at what we can offer you, visit us in-store or online.

Hester Clarke Fine Jewellers

Independent Family Jewellers since 1892 Goldsmiths House 10-14 Cambridge Street Aylesbury Bucks HP20 1RS www.hesterclarke.co.uk 01296 482963 Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2016

Wedding feature

Win tickets to National Wedding Show

he UK’s biggest wedding show is back! From discovering your perfect venue and trying on the dress of your dreams to sampling delectable delights, eyeing up fabulous floral creations and seeking out your idyllic honeymoon hideaway, all the elements for your dream day are here. The National Wedding Show is the ultimate one-stop-shop to discover the wedding experts in every field. Endless inspiration and countless shopping opportunities to try, buy, book and hire everything you can imagine for your big day, all under one roof. There are actually two shows within easy reach of the Vale: London Olympia from 26th-28th February and Birmingham NEC from 4th-6th March. At both you can kickstart the day by taking a seat at the renowned Catwalk Show to see the latest trends for all the bridal party brought to life on the runway. A showcase of the hottest collections of the season from the nation’s finest designers, boutiques and retailers. Get up close and personal with the all-important wedding dresses by hitting the designated Bridal Boutique

and Designer Boutique to browse and try on an unrivalled selection of dresses under one roof. Head to the Wedding Theatre to discover all you need to know about big day beauty, hair and style. The National Wedding Show’s glam squad will share their Top 10 Tips for achieving your perfect wedding day look. Hear first-hand from plus size model and TV Presenter Nina Blakemore, who will return to The National Wedding Show this season

with her popular body confidence workshops. Transform your wedding destination into a spectacular backdrop for your dream day by seeking inspiration from The National Wedding Show’s host of wedding planners and stylists and see floral fantasies become a reality at the Designer Flower Market. Round off the day by registering for your gift list and perhaps even booking the honeymoon of your dreams. Your high-street favourites will be on hand to help.

If you appreciate the finer things in life then get ahead of the crowds and enjoy the show in style with VIP tickets. The exclusive package includes fast track entrance to the show, reserved seating at the Catwalk Show, unlimited access to the VIP Lounge, a complimentary glass of fizz and a goody box containing beauty products to pamper yourself in the build up to your big day. If you’d like to be in with a chance of winning a pair of tickets to The National Wedding Show at Birmingham NEC simply email your name, address and telephone number along with the answer to the following question, to: editor@vale-life.co.uk When is this year’s National Wedding Show at Birmingham NEC being held? Winner to be drawn at random from correct entries and notified by email by March 4th, 2016. l For more information

or to book tickets, visit: www.nationalweddingshow.co.uk

or call ticket hotline: 0844 874 0486

Facebook – www.facebook.com/ nationalweddingshow Twitter: @nationalwedding #TNWS Instagram: thenationalweddingshow

Mobile Disco Services

Let us entertain you! Established in 2002, we supply mobile discos for weddings, celebrations, kids discos and corporate events. Our DJs are award-winning professionals and the equipment we supply is of the highest quality. Call now for a quotation, and give your party the quality entertainment it deserves.

www.flamingsilkphotography.co.uk 07980 895552 16

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2016

· Reliable Service · Experienced Professional DJs · Modern Sound & Lighting Equipment · Huge Catalogue of Tracks from 1950 to the Present Day · Fully Insured · Competitive Rates

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an extraordinary and

unique wedding venue Let us share your perfect day in our fully licensed venue

The Oxfordshire Golf Hotel and Spa Rycote Lane, Milton Common, Oxfordshire OX9 2PU t. 01844 278300 f. 01844 278003 e. weddings@theoxfordshire.com w. theoxfordshire.com Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2016

Wedding feature

GETTING MARRIED?

NOTLEY ABBEY, NR. THAME Once the dream home of Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh, now your dream home for your dream day

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Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2016

YOURDAY@BI J O U W E D D I N G S . C O. U K

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Wedding feature

The honeymoon

There’s a lot of decisions to be made during the wedding process and one of the toughest choices couples face is where to take that much-anticipated honeymoon. Being a once-in-a-lifetime trip, it’s a decision not to be taken lightly. With a little bit of work and some compromising, you can easily narrow down the options to find your perfect destination. Follow these seven tips to ensure you have no regrets and enjoy the honeymoon trip you’ve always dreamed about. 1) Set a Budget 2) Determine Trip Length: if budget or work schedules mean a big trip is impossible, a mini-moon or short break will still be valuable and memorable time together. 3) Choose a Theme: beach, mountains, history, adventure, road trip, ecotourism, city break... if you have different tastes mix and match until you are both happy with what you have planned. 4) Think Atmosphere: do you like big and vibrant or small and stylish, relaxing and private or party

central?! 5) Consider the Season: crowds, prices, local customs and possible weather disruptions will vary depending on the time of year. That Caribbean holiday may look a great deal in September but it’s prime hurricane season! 6) Assess the Situation: check there is no political crisis or natural disasters impacting your destination. 7) Check Amenities: are there must have services you don’t want to be without - spa facilities, WiFi, onDON’T assume you have to ‘fly adventure or if you’d prefer a stay site swimming pool, free parking... closer to home, we will be happy to and flop’ A honeymoon is more than just organise the perfect occasion just To such book your A professional travel agent anyBeachcomber old holiday, it’s wedding a trip you’llor honeymoon, for you. contact Adams Travel as Adams Travel in Aylesbury can always remember, so 01296 don’t try873 and 017 More couples than ever are help you make the right decisions book it allaylesbury.adamstravel@gmail.com by yourself. This special looking for an alternative to the - here they suggest some do’s and time needs careful attention and traditional gift list and we have a fun don’ts to help you organise the solution which allows guests to pay creativity and some profesional ultimate honeymoon. advice can help proceedings. into your Honeymoon fund right DO consider your honeymoon up until the wedding date, helping At Adams Travel, we want goals make your dream holiday more of your honeymoon to be the best DO choose the destination experience of your life, to make it as a reality. together Remember a honeymoon doesn’t memorable as possible. DON’T leave your honeymoon to last forever though, and that’s a Whether a romantic beach the last minute good thing because back home again resort is what you are looking DO consider a ‘mini-moon’ is where your story begins... for, a destination with a bit more

MAURITIUS WEDDINGS & HONEYMOONS

floral

vintage crockery hire

There’s nothing lovelier than an English summer afternoon, the retro charm of a village fete, the friendly allure of a traditional country fair, or the simple pleasure of a lavish picnic on the village green. Hire our collection of Vintage Floral Crockery, for a taste of freshly brewed nostalgia at any time of year. Whether you wish to add a touch of timeless romance at a wedding, hold a vintage-style high tea for a special someone, or create a quirky business meeting that gets the conversation flowing, let us help bring some old-fashioned magic to your event. We’ve lovingly hunted down pretty china and tablecloths from far and wide. Plus we’ve created unique handmade bunting and napkins in pretty floral fabrics.

www.FloralVintageCrockery.co.uk Tel: 07875 552132 floralvintagecrockery Email: sally@floralvintagecrockery.co.uk

Leafield, Lee Road, Saunderton Lee, Princes Risborough, Bucks, HP27 9NU Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2016

Wedding feature

Win a Girls’ Spa Day for 2 at Champneys

rganising a wedding is hard work, so taking time out to relax with friends, either on a Champneys Pre-Wedding Chill Out, a Champneys Girls’ Day Out or even a Champneys One Night Girls’ Night In, could be a lifesaver! Champneys Tring, the luxurious spa at Wigginton offers sumptuous accommodation in elegant surroundings, delicious cuisine, treatments, and therapists focusing on both inner health and outer beauty, not to mention the latest fitness trends. It’s an ideal place for hens to chill before a big night out! You can catch up, relax and be pampered in style - whether it’s a birthday, a special celebration, a pre-wedding hen celebration or just a girly get together, Champneys has the perfect pampering package for you. And if you have 10 or more guests in your party you get a 10% discount too! We’ve teamed up with Champneys to give you the chance of winning a Champneys Day package for two. Imagine what you can achieve in just one day - time to take a break, relax and rejuvenate mind and body. On the Champneys Day, arrive

at 9am to enjoy a seasonal refreshing and rehydrating welcome drink* before relaxing into your Champneys robe and flip-flops and allowing the experts to take care of you. You will enjoy a specialist spa treatment*** from the original spa pioneers to help restore your equilibrium (25 minutes long) and relax in the luxurious spa facilities such as the swimming pool, the steam room or the whirlpool. Lunch is an exceptionally delicious and healthy, beautifully presented three course buffet. If you feel active there are over twenty exercise classes** for you to choose from as well as a fully equipped gym. Champneys’ Wellbeing Director recommends a country hike, indoor cycling and a core fusion class or perhaps you’d like to try an aqua, Zumba, or FitSteps class to name just a few of those available. If you’d like to be in with a chance

of winning the Champneys Day for two described, simply email your name, address and telephone number along with the answer to the following question, to: editor@vale-life.co.uk Which county is Champneys Tring in? Winner to be drawn at random from correct entries and notified by

email by March 4th, 2016. l Champneys Tring, Wigginton, Hertfordshire, HP23 6HY Tel: 0843 316 2222 Web: www.champneys.com Terms and conditions apply. *Includes a selection of refreshments including yoghurt, granola, mixed berry compote pots, mixed fruit platter, mini muffins, fruit juice, tea and coffee is served with the seasonal welcome drink. **£3 charge applies for advanced class bookings only. ***Treatment allocated will be the seasonal treatments applicable to the time of booking and cannot be altered. Valid Monday to Thursday at Tring. Prize valid until 30th June 2016, subject to availability. Guests must be 16 years or over, non-refundable and non-transferable.

Don’t miss special wedding ring event There’s a particular buzz in the air at Biagio the Jeweller stores in Bicester and Thame when one of the biannual Wedding Rings Events is approaching. It’s a time of excitement as the event diary fills up with bookings and the ‘Mystery Value Tickets’, offering couples a genuine discount of between 10% and 50% off their chosen rings, are hidden inside Biagio’s hand-made bomboniere favours! So why not make choosing your wedding rings - the token of your love for each other - a more exhilarating event as one of Biagio’s special guests and sip a glass of champagne as you savour the experience? Biagio himself feels passionately that the time spent choosing wedding rings should not be rushed or treated as just another step in the wedding preparations. 20

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2016

The rings are a powerful symbol of the bride and groom’s new life together and need to provide a lifetime of enjoyment. “You have chosen each other and your wedding is your chance to throw light on this new bond which is yours and yours alone,” says Biagio. “ We feel honoured to be able to create a symbol of this bond that you will carry with you day after day.” Book a champagne wedding rings viewing online or in the Thame or Bicester Biagio the Jeweller store. Every couple ordering their rings during the Weddings Rings Event, from 11th to 21st March, will receive a beautifully crafted Italian favour containing a gift from Biagio of up to 50% off the cost of their rings. www.biagiothejewellers.com Tel: 0800 316 8698

Wedding feature

THE WEDDING RINGS EVENT 11th - 21st March 2016

Helen and Pete Hastings exchanged their Biagio rings at their beach wedding in 2015

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Open a beautiful handmade favour at my Wedding Rings Event to reveal a gift from me towards your big day: a token giving you from 10% up to 50% off the wedding rings you have chosen, which will be personally made for you in our workshop.â&#x20AC;?

Book your champagne wedding rings viewing online at

www.biagiothejewellers.com

or call 01869 252323 (Bicester store) or 01844 217001 (Thame store).

RARE AND BESPOKE JEWELLERY Pioneer Square, Bicester I Greyhound Walk, Thame

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2016

WHITE FILLINGS

CLEAR BRACES

HYGIENE APPOINTMENTS WeMERCURY can help you smile FREE FILLINGS

WHITE HEALTHCLEAR DENTAL PLANS special F I L L I N Gon S your B R A C E S day

TEETH WHITENING HYGIENE APPOINTMENTS WHITE CLEAR F L E X I B L E D E N T and U R E brighter S WHITE CLEAR Go whiter, lighter F I L L I N G S B R A C E S MERCURY F I L L I N G FREE S B R FILLINGS ACES HYGIENE APPOINTMENTS ANTI WRINKLE HYGIENE APPOINTMENTS DENTAL HEALTH PLANS MERCURY FREE FILLINGS MERCURY FREE FILLINGS

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Don’t let discoloured, stained, chipped or crooked teeth spoil your smile on your wedding day. F L E X I B L E D E N T U R E S We all want those perfect F L E X I B L E D E N T U R E S wedding pictures, but weFoften L E X I B L E D E N T U R E S underestimate the importance of a perfect smile. B R I D G E S At Aylesbury Dental Health D E NIMPLANTS TAL IMPLANTS Centre we can work with you to D E N TA IMPLANTS W H LI T E SEDATION achieve what’s right forSMILE youCROWNS in a SEDATION budget that suits you. AllC treatments FILLLCROWNS E A R INVISIBLE VENEERS B RVENEERS ACES INVISIBLE INGS are available - from whitening to BRIDGES BRACE S RIDGE BIMPLANTS RACES straightening, veneers, whiteBBOTOX fillings - S IMPLANTS R I DBOTOX Gclean ES sometimes even just B a cosmetic WHITE SMILE W T -E F IH LI L C L and stain removal will brighten upE A R SMILE IMPLANTS R AEC E INGS F I L L CB L ASR your pearly whites! BRACES INGS WHITE SMILE We understand weddings are stressful, so we can FILLC L E A R work to your time constraints B R A Cand, E S as mentioned above, we can tailor the treatment to your budget.

IMPLANTS CROWNS VENEERS

BOTOX

DENTAL SEDATION INVISIBLE BRACES

Evening and Weekend Appointments INGS FREEand WHITENING CONSULTATION Evening Weekend Appointments Evening and Weekend Appointments Half Price New Patient Check-Ups and £100 discount on Enlighten whitenin Half Price New Patient Check-Ups Half Price New Patient Check-Ups Evening and Weekend Appointments At the Aylesbury Dental Health centre we use the best 01296 415234 01296 415234 01296 415234 www.aylesburydentists.co.uk and mostPrice predictable whitening system available to give you a saf Half New Patient Check-Ups www.aylesburydentists.co.uk www.aylesburydentists.co.uk

45 Buckingham Road, Aylesbury, Bucks, HP19 9PT

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

"sparkling" experience. We can give you your perfect smile, whe 22

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2016

Win tickets To The Photography Show

he Photography Show returns to the NEC Birmingham from 19th to 22nd March 2016 and whether you are just starting out or you’re a seasoned pro, this event offers something for everybody interested in the world of image-making - learn the latest techniques, spark your imagination, hear from the experts, find fantastic deals and get hands-on with the latest kit from over 200 exhibitors. The Photography Show is the ultimate event to inspire creativity through imagery. Visitors will be able to try and buy the latest kit and accessories from the likes of Canon, Nikon, Panasonic, Sony, Olympus, Fujifilm, Leica, Manfrotto, Blackmagic and Ricoh Imaging, to name but a few. The much-loved Super Stage will return for 2016 featuring international heroes of photography, inspiring the audience with case studies from their work and advice that they have picked up throughout their mesmerising careers. Expect to find plenty of hands-on workshops and live demonstrations at The Photography Show on the Live Stage, Photo Editing Theatre, Mobile Photography and Filmmaker Stages,

Laura Gilbey

focusing on everything from capturing challenging shots in different lighting and environments, right through to dark room coaching, photo-editing and learning what your mobile device can really capture. In addition, new features are planned, including The Wedding & Portrait Stage, where experts will provide tips and tricks for taking high quality shots in a range of settings, the Turning Pro Conference, a halfday programme for those practicing a high level of photography and thinking about taking the leap from enthusiast or student, to pro; and the Product Demo Theatre, which does what it says on the tin

Michael Freeman, photojournalist and street photographer will talk at the Beginner’s Masterclass, providing insights into the Ten Guiding Rules, including the secrets of good composition, making a subject stand out and creating pictures with visual impact. The Pro Conference programme offers crucial business know-how to professional photographers, from copyright and commissions to agents and insurance. New for 2016 is the Turning Pro

Conference, aimed at photographers looking to make the jump from enthusiast to pro. Tickets to the show are on sale NOW and visitors will have the option to add a Masterclass session to their package, priced at £10 per session. If you’d like to be in with a chance of winning a pair of tickets to the show, simply email your name, address and telephone number along with the answer to the following question, to: editor@vale-life.co.uk Where is the 2016 Photography Show being held? Winner to be drawn at random from correct entries and notified by email by March 4th, 2016. l For more information, please visit: www.photographyshow.com

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2016

56 High Street, Whitchurch, Nr Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, HP22 4JS T. 01296 640644 E. reception@4-beauty.com W. www.4-beauty.com

Award Winning Beauty Salon

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2016

‘A little bit of Mayfair in Bucks’

l Column

Health & Beauty

Amanda Trott

Having fresh and healthy, organic juices delivered to my door each morning sounded a great way to kick start my new year, new me regime! A three day juice cleanse to aid toxin elimination and rest my digestive system, mmm, pass the straw please...

Beauty Spot

my best friend joked about how much I must have been desperate to eat a chocolate biscuit but oddly I felt no desire whatsoever! During my detox I slept well and noticed that I didn’t suffer from any bloating, something that often happens with me being a sufferer of IBS. I felt really good and ready to embark on a long term healthy diet, especially after stepping on the scales after 3 days to find I had lost an amazing 4lbs! I must admit I did find the plan quite difficult, not because I felt hungry, but because the juices had all began to taste rather similar with a strong edge of cucumber which I was rapidly

hey say beauty comes from within, so it stands to reason that having a healthy diet can make all the difference to how we look, whether it’s through clearer, more radiant skin, bright eyes or glossy hair. Many of us feel the need for a detox of sorts after the excesses of Christmas and the New Year but finding a plan and putting it into practice can sometimes mean spending hours at the grocery store and even more hours in the kitchen. We all tend to lead very busy lives, whether it be raising family or working, so the need for something tasty, simple and most importantly, nutritious, is paramount. Rosie Dickinson, founder of The Healthy Juice Company, believes that cold pressed juicing is the answer. Not only can we benefit from a brighter complexion, a reduction in under eye shadows and clear sparkling eyes, it can improve our digestion, strengthen our immune system, eliminate sugar and caffeine cravings, improve our sleep patterns and alleviate bloating. Rosie invited me to try a 3 day detox and suggested I spent a few days beforehand preparing myself, by

Amanda Trott

cutting out caffeine, alcohol and any junk food before undertaking the juicing plan. Juicing with The Healthy Juice Company couldn’t be any easier. Your juices are delivered daily to your doorstep at 6am in an insulated box that contains individually packaged paper straws and elegant glass bottles containing 4 colourful, delicious looking juices, 1 nut milk and a daily cleanse elixir which is stirred into hot water and drunk on rising. The packaging is carefully chosen for its natural material, recycled content and reusable and recyclable abilities and along with the empty bottles, is left on your doorstep for collection at the end of the day to be replaced by the following day’s selection of juices. Being a novice at juice

cleansing, I opted for the Beginner menu, which contained: a Cleanse Elixir; 2 light green juices, which were filled with a variety of green vegetables such as cucumber, broccoli, celery, romaine, kale and aloe vera; 1 vegetable based juice with a fruity addition such as Spiced Pear or Carrot or Capsicum Cooler; a nut milk containing milk thistle; and a colourful root vegetable juice such as Classic Roots, which was made up of carrot, fennel, beetroot, cucumber, apple and lemon. Each day’s juices and nut milks differed a little so as to give some variety, although I did feel by the second day that almost everything had an overwhelming taste of cucumber which I was beginning to dread each time I opened a new bottle! The nut milks were particularly delicious though and honestly filled me up. Much to my surprise, I really didn’t feel hungry and had no desire to snack between “meals”. By the end of the third day I began to feel the need to eat solids again, I was really beginning to miss the crunch of food and the variety of textures. That afternoon, during a dog walk,

going off! There’s no doubt that this product is well researched and produced, carefully made, beautifully packaged and efficiently delivered but the cost of £255 for a three day detox, although understandable, won’t suit everyone’s pocket. l The Healthy Juice Company, 7 Grange Mews, Launton, Oxfordshire, OX26 5EG Tel: 01869 324328 Email: info@thehealthyjuicecompany.co.uk Web: www.thehealthyjuicecompany.co.uk 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 Mondays to Thursdays at Eclipse Hair Design. Call 01844 260062 to book or arrange a free consultation. Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2016

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

Planning ahead

pring and Summer may seem a long way off, yet a little simple planning in the wardrobe department, early in the season, can pay real dividends - you’ll have that perfect ensemble ready to wear to that special occasion when all that is left in the shops come July is mis-matched pieces in not quite the size or colour you were after! So how to choose for those long-off special dates when you’re still tucked up in your winter woolies? Talk Trends What’s hot and what’s not? Research in magazines - your favourite brand’s lookbooks and spring style guides will give you the lowdown on what’s going to be out there. Of course lighter, brighter shades reemerge for the Spring season but if you prefer or suit darker shades you are well advised to make your purchases early in the season when you will find deeper

shades ahead of the late Spring/ early Summer stock drops.

Colour Block Which shades to choose for your outfit? Colours for Spring/Summer are naturally lighter and brighter and for 2016 the shades are certainly bolder with bright blues and greens along with pastel pinks and sharp corals. Not to be ignored are the silver greys alongside yellows from daffodil to vanilla. Grey is certainly coming into play as the new “nude” - perfect for accessories, especially shoes in metallic or soft sparkle. The Perfect Skirt One of the most frequent questions I get asked by women - “what’s the best skirt length for me?” The answer is simple - a skirt should ideally end at a narrow point of your leg, for most that’s just below the knee or just below the calf. A style that has emerged into the very early Spring trends is the midi. Full skirt (perhaps with pattern or hem detail) teamed with a neat, simple top - reminiscent of Audrey Hepburn. The key here is to team with elegant heels (rather than chunky designs) to really set off the look. Not for you? Try a wrap style in a plain, fluid fabric teamed with a strong design blouse or structured shirt.

Dune London Milano Sandal £85

SportMax Code Stripe dress with yellow pleated side £160 Therapy Floral frame bag £39 House of Fraser Polo Ralph Lauren Yellow silk cami dress £215 Lulu Guinness Animal print clutch £325 House of Fraser 26

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2016

M&S Per Una Dress £79 Hat £15, Rings £12.50 It’s all about shoe If the past couple of seasons have been all about the bag, 2016 is going to be shoe heaven. With no particular style at the forefront, designers are having a ball working on shape from Louis XV curved heel to 50s winklepickers - as well as designs stylishly combining the two. There will be no shortage of shoe styles to work with your chosen outfit, in colour or the neutral grey, silver or pewter - the perfect occasion staple. Male Prerogative For the men - don’t simply go for that same combination you wore to the last special occasion (and the one before that…). Again, take time to find out what works well for you. For the new season, trousers are getting just a little baggier. Grey is beginning to replace the blues and navies that have filled the rails for the past few seasons. Fashionwise, green is the trend shade to go for. Don’t forget to add your own personality to your outfit so it’s not just a look - but really reflects you. Or as royal fashion designer Hardy Amies put it “A man should look as if he has bought his clothes with intelligence, put them on with care and then forgotten all about them.” Always the bridesmaid? Fashion for bridesmaids dresses have turned over the past couple of years, with more neutral shades being top choices, with an accent

M&S Limited Edition Jumper £29.50 Per Una Skirt £49.50 Hat £15, Shoes £29.50 Left: Next Glitter Mary Janes £35 colour in flowers and groom’s outfit - ties and waistcoats. The new favourites are navy, cornflower blue, pewter and silver grey. The benefit of these shades is that the go with everything - less to worry about when considering complementary shades for mothers and others in the bridal party. Also, the advent of wrap and twist neckline dresses, started by designer Two Birds, which can be tied to suit each bridesmaid means that one dress will work many ways, without complicated (and timeconsuming) alterations. And the best thing? Once your outfits sorted you can forget about it and look forward to that special day. l Katy Dyer is a style coach and corporate image consultant and works with people of all ages, stages and backgrounds to help them present themselves at their very best. Because when you look good, you feel good. Find out more at www.katydyer.com or simply call 01844 872025.

Column: Fitness Focus with Sophie Garland

Health & Fitness

In need of a tonic?

aso Studios provide local Dance and Fitness classes for adults and children. Their offerings including BuggyFit, Zumba, Ballet and Tap for Adults, but so far their KaSoTonic (KST) programme of exercise to music classes, has proved most popular. With four KaSoTonics to choose from and low, middle and high levels within each, classes are accessible to a wide range of ages and abilities. It’s easy to follow, classic aerobics delivered with personal training care - no experience needed. The classes are fun and have many benefits: • Improves the cardiovascular system; • Weight loss by metabolism boost • Muscular endurance exercises • Toning the major muscle groups • Sculpting the body • Strengthening joints Every class starts with a fun warm up and pre-stretch to ensure clients are safe and can

get the most out of their workout. They finish with a thorough and relaxing stretch helping to improve flexibility, which is fundamental to wellbeing. The content of each class, and levels within each, are carefully constructed with particular people in mind: KaSoTonic™ The most popular and demanding class in the programme, ideal for those in good health wanting to maintain fitness or improve it. KaSoTonic™ Light For the mature adult, those starting out or returning to fitness, KST Light is all about preventing common ailments associated with aging like arthritis, COPD, osteoporosis and joint replacements. KaSoTonic™ Gold This is the most gentle, ideal for those with wonky backs, poorly hips, funny knees and hearts of gold. Improving agility, balance and coordination and taking care of the bones and joints of the older adult.

Sophie Garland Kaso Studios

KaSoTonic™ Gent Men only! The same format as KaSoTonic™ with stripped back choreography and the physiology and psychology of men at its core. With classes delivered by trained and caring professionals, you’ll have fun doing your own workout in a supportive and encouraging environment. Many clients have come to KaSoTonic™ once, progressed through the levels and now come to 3 classes a week weaving their KaSoTonic workout

into their lifestyle, achieving weight loss, maintaining healthy lifestyles and meeting like-minded people in the process. The class content changes approximately every 6 to 8 weeks to stay fresh and motivational. It’s all set to music that is right for the class demographic which is a great motivator too! With passes and PAYG options available, KaSoTonic™ is an affordable exercise option. l To find your nearest class or for more information see: www.kasostudios.co.uk Email: enquiries@kasostudios.co.uk or call the friendly team for a chat: Sophie: 07989 205498 Gavin: 07914 353843 Kate: 07985 048880

ANTONIA BARNES MCFHP MAFHP FOOT HEALTH PRACTITIONER

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Discounts on facials and products, perfect for Valentine’s and Mother’s Day 07771 330366 laura.gilbey@hiddenbeautyaylesbury.co.uk Unit 5, Layby Farm, Stoke Mandeville, Bucks. HP22 5XJ

See www.hiddenbeautyaylesbury.co.uk for more details

Thame Therapy Clinic Complementary Health Therapies from Experienced Practitioners 23 Upper High Street, Thame, OX9 3EX Tel: 01844 215555

www.thametherapyclinic.co.uk

II CAN CAN TREAT TREATCorns, Corns,calluses, calluses,cracked crackedheels, heels, nail problems, thickened nails and can treat nail problems, thickened nails and can treat people who have diabetes. people who have diabetes. II CAN CAN OFFER OFFERVisits Visitsininthe thecomfort comfort of of your your own home, a warm attitude, generalroom, foot care own home or atcaring my Thame treatment including regular nail cutting and filing and a a warm caring attitude, general foot care foot massage at the of your including regular nailend cutting and treatment. filing and a foot massage at the end of your treatment. TO ARRANGE A VISIT OR FOR MORE TO ARRANGE A VISIT OR FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT ANTONIA BARNES INFORMATION CONTACT ANTONIA BARNES 01844 261766 or 07795 01844 261766 or 07795 692464 692464 www.feetforlifethame.com www.feetforlifethame.com

Helping to keep your feet in a healthy condition Based in Thame, I am also a fully qualified massage therapist offering holistic massage and reflexology REGISTERED MEMBER OF THE BRITISH ASSOCIATION OF FOOT HEALTH PRACTITIONERS

Maria Bray

Nutritional Therapy

The Science of Health and Vitality l

Eat Well l Live Well l Feel Well

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

Call for free half hour consultation

Tel: Maria on 0771 5414719 / 01296 581561

www.mariabraynutritionaltherapy.com

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2016

If you, or someone you know, struggles with relationship, addiction or emotional problems, personality disorders or behavioural issues, but prefers not to see their GP, there is a discreet, professional service in Aylesbury that is ready and waiting to help and guarantees an appointment within 24 hours...

ome Counties Therapeutic Consultancy is a unique, discreet, bespoke, professional therapeutic service for all your psychological and developmental needs. Founded by Addiction Psychologist and Therapist Lorna Wykes, the consultancy has been based in Aylesbury for two years now working from spacious, comfortable and relaxed consulting rooms on Temple Square in the heart of Aylesbury’s old town. Lorna has a Diploma in Psychology, BSc Criminology & Psychology and MSc in Addiction Psychology & Counselling. She Home Counties Therapeutic Practice directors Ashleigh, Bill and Lorna and Junior Therapist Kelly. has worked extensively in therapeutic settings over the last eighteen years, including being “There is statutory health care available,” in helping others through coaching, seminars on the Board of Directors for a well-known says Lorna, “but what we offer is unique. You and discussions, group and intervention work. organisation in Wiltshire, fostering young can contact us and be offered an appointment “We have a core team,” says Ashleigh, people with addiction based issues and as and when you need it. We don’t have “of myself, Lorna, our third director Bill, serious family breakdown. She also chaired waiting lists, as many of the issues that our who specialises in Art Therapy, and Kelly, an organisation to incorporate services for clients need help with are changing on a daily our Junior Therapist, plus a network of children in the looked-after system. basis and need addressing there and then. We professionals that step in as and when needed Much of her work over the years has been guarantee an appointment within 24 hours of - a number of part-time therapists, outreach on a mobile, freelance basis but Lorna felt contact and we offer 24-hour phone support, workers and providers of equestrian therapy that it would benefit both her clients and which is important, as if a client is having a “Clients come in for an initial consultation her practice if she had a base where she crisis at 11 o’clock one night, they need our and assessment, we discuss their issues and could bring together treatment options and support then, a week later is too late. what the client wants to achieve and then practitioners and offer “We also have 24 agree a treatment plan, which could be for a more comprehensive hour access to an a few weeks or many months depending on service able to treat in-patient drug and what the issues are. each client as an alcohol rehabilitation “We can teach them the skills to cope. We individual. clinic nearby in might use Dialectical Behaviour Therapy to “We want people Bedfordshire. So treat a Borderline Personality Disorder or the to come in and feel if we are asked to concept of Mindfulness and living in the here comfortable,” says do an intervention and now, or interpersonal skills to help with Lorna, “to feel welcome and they want to get life in social and family groups. and that they are somebody into rehab “It’s a very rewarding job as you are making The Temple Square consulting rooms important to us. They there and then, we a difference to people’s lives and you can are all individuals and are treated as such. can help. It’s a treatment centre I have worked often see them progress week by week. “It could be someone who has an alcohol with and am confident of their ability and “If you have an issue you would like to or drug problem but doesn’t want to discuss it facilities.” discuss, look at our website for information with their doctor, or a family who are having Lorna’s co-director Ashleigh is trained and then call us for a free phone consultation. problems getting on and need help so they in Dialectical Behaviour Therapy and We offer complete confidence and discretion.” can function as a family.” Motivational Coaching. She is an entrepreneur The practice splits operations into four in her own right and has a wealth of l Agriculture House, Temple Square, main areas: experience in the consultancy industry. Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire HP20 2QH • Drug and alcohol treatment services She has worked with businesses, groups T: 01296 749013 / 07921 223714 • Child and Adolescents Service and individuals and has excellent business E: lornawykes@homecountiesconsultancy.co.uk • Adult Therapeutic Service coaching skills. She puts her talents to work ashleighwykes@homecountiesconsultancy.co.uk W: www.homecountiesconsultancy.co.uk • Home Counties Coaching Service not only in running the consultancy but also 28

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2016

Column: Fitness Focus with Helen Franklin

Health & Fitness

Not the first to volunteer!

olunteering - have you ever considered doing it? You are not alone. 42% of people questioned in a recent survey by the Institute for Volunteering Research had volunteered at least once in the previous year in England, with 27% saying they took part at least once every month. And, it seems, they come from all walks of life; the retired, the young trying to gain valuable experience for their CVs, those thinking about changing career, or simply wishing to meet likeminded folk and do something meaningful with their time along the way. The benefits of volunteering can be enormous, to you and those around you. Finding something that sparks your interest and inspires you can help you to find friends, reach out to the community, learn new skills, and even advance your career. Volunteering can also help protect your mental and physical health. And you can volunteer in many different ways, with whatever

Helen Franklin Volunteering

Join the Waddesdon Manor volunteers spare time you have available. An example of somewhere locally that values its volunteers highly and is always on the lookout for more to join their team is Waddesdon Manor, a National Trust property once the country home of the Rothschilds. This Renaissance style château houses one of the finest collections of French 18th century decorative arts in the world, and the Victorian garden has a parterre, aviary and many

beautiful walks and scenic views. As one of the most visited National Trust properties, the scope for volunteering is seemingly endless, and there is currently a team of over 300 volunteers across the house, collection, gardens and aviary to prove it. Feeling inspired? Helen Franklin, Volunteering Manager at Waddesdon Manor, would love to hear from you. She joined the team at Waddesdon at the

end of last year having worked in various visitor-facing roles at, amongst others, Buckingham Palace, Sunderland Museum and the Beamish Open Air Museum. “Waddesdon has a wealth of opportunities to volunteer, so if you have a little free time and would like to get involved do get in contact - I look forward to hearing from you and finding the perfect role for you within our friendly team of volunteers.” l For more information about volunteering opportunities at Waddesdon Manor see ww.waddesdon.org.uk or contact Helen directly, email her at: helen.franklin@waddesdon.org.uk or call: 01296 653394.

‘Movement for every body’ Our experienced team of health professionals and instructors offer a variety of therapies and classes for all ages and abilities. Whether you aim to improve your sporting performance, alleviate back pain, get fitter, rehabilitate following injury, ease arthritis or simply feel happier in your body; we believe that working together we can help you achieve your goals.

Physiotherapy Massage l Acupuncture l Pilates

Yoga Barre l Tai Chi l Older Adult Fitness

Cross Keys House, New Road, Princes Risborough, Bucks HP27 0LF Tel: 07793 387272 | Email: enquiry@evolvepilatesphysio.co.uk | Website: www.evolvehealthwellbeing.co.uk Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2016

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2016

Try a new sport or activity for free!? Well, you may wish to make a small donation to Sport Relief afterwards but that’s a win-win really... Sport Relief 2016 takes place on March Customers at Thame Leisure Centre can now enjoy a new state-of-the-art playing surface in the centre’s main sports hall. The existing floor, in place since the centre opened in 1981, has been ripped up and replaced with brand new hi-tech flooring. The hall is used for many activities, including Netball, Indoor Football, Basketball, Badminton, Trampolining, Gymnastics and Roller Skating. The new surface took some five weeks to lay, over the Christmas period and is finished Sports Hall with new floor in the latest Herculan sports flooring - smooth, correct answers and notified by email by non toxic, springy and easy to clean. March 4th 2016. A damp-proof membrane was put over “Hopefully the new playing surface will the existing concrete base and two layers of encourage people try out some new activities plywood laid before the Herculan recycled this year,” says Richard. “There’s lots of granular rubber base mat went down and a opportunities to get involved here as our seal coat was then topped with a seamless company, Better.org is partnering Sport Relief high performance, non-toxic, water-based this year and we have a variety of fundraising self-levelling polyurethane surface and then a events organised - just see right. You can water-based urethane top coat applied. Lines have now been painted on to mark the various try out a range of sports for free and any donations you make go to Sport Relief. playing areas and the whole thing looks and “We are promoting Table Tennis with a feels rather fabulous. free introductory taster session. It’s all about “It should last for at least twenty years,” having fun and socialising, says TLC manager Richard so don’t be worried if you Boulton. “It’s a great haven’t played before or even investment for the people of moved for a while! If you Thame - jointly funded by are interested in becoming Lord Williams’s School and more active and improving Oxfordshire County Council. your health and wellbeing this I’m hoping people will be could be the event for you. keen to try it out. In fact “Come along on Monday if there are any badminton Try a free table tennis taster 29th February from 10:15amplayers out there, or people 12:15pm if you would like to who would like to give the take part. sport a go we are offering five lucky winners “Why not continue the challenge and take the chance of a free family badminton part in our Better Club Games, a social sports session!” competition taking place in May. You’ll find If you’d like to be in with a chance of information at the leisure centre on weekly winning a free badminton session just email sessions and competitions youholiday can your name address and telephone number For social a full list of available attend regularly throughout year. along with the answer to the following activities, speak tothe a member of “If youstaff would question to: editor@vale-life.co.uk or like visitto get started earlier, Table Tennis runs every Monday from What do you play badminton with? www.better.org.uk/thame 10:15am to 12:15pm and on Fridays from a) Tennis Ball, b) Shuttlecock, c) Marble 11am to 1pm for just £2.60 Non-Members Winners to be drawn at random from £1.85 Members. All equipment is provided, just wear loose clothing and trainers. “The Swim-a-thon on March 19th can be entered individually or as a team and friends and family can help count laps if they are not swimming but would like to be involved.”

THAME LEISURE CENTRE

In partnership with

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2016

l Thame Leisure Centre, Oxford Road, Thame Oxfordshire, OX9 2BB Tel: 01844 215607 Email: Thame@gll.org Website: www.better.org.uk

55+ Table Tennis takes place on Mondays and Fridays

18th-20th. It’s a two yearly event for which the great British public get active and have fun to help change lives Of all the money raised by the public through Sport Relief, 50% is used to make a difference, right here at home, in the UK. The other 50% goes towards transforming lives in the world’s poorest communities. You can get more information and set up a justgiving page via Sport Relief’s website at www.sportrelief.com Better, which runs Thame Leisure Centre is the official health and fitness partner for Sport Relief 2016 and aims to raise at least £500,000 for Sport Relief this year with your help! Here are some of the events you can join at Thame Leisuer Centre and raise valuable sponsorship for Sports Relief Inflatable Fundraiser Saturday 20th February: 4-5pm 8-14 years and can swim 25metres? How many times can you complete the inflatable course without falling off? Get friends and family to sponsor you! Pop in or email: thame@gll.org to book.

Over 55s Open Day Monday 29th Feb: 10am-12noon An invitation for over 55s to try a new activity at Thame Leisure centre for free - any donations made to Sport Relief on the day gratefully accepted though! All equipment needed is provided. Table tennis session at 10.15, see left. Pop in or email: thame@gll.org to book. Mass participation Circuits Class Thursday 3rd March, 9.25-10.25am A full body workout to music. Pop in or email: thame@gll.org to book. Spin-a-thon Saturday 12th March 8am-8pm All welcome - please come and help our aim is to keep the bikes spinning continuously for 12 hours. Get yourself sponsored and come and join us! Pop in or email: thame@gll.org to book. Swim-a-thon Saturday 19th March Come and help raise funds for Sports relief by getting sponsored for swimming lengths. 1.5k, 2.5k and 5k challenges. Do it one your own or with a team. Pop in or email: thame@gll.org to register or see www.swimathon.org.

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2016

Many of us enjoy cycling as a fun and healthy leisure activity but understand little of the servicing and maintenance required to keep our hi-tech machines riding safely and smoothly. A local course is offering the chance to learn from the professionals - is it time to bring your skills up to speed...

ith Spring just around the corner the first cycle ride since the winter wind and rain arrived is a real prospect. You may be contemplating a scenic cruise through Aylesbury Vale with your family; planning to ride your bike as part of a fitness programme to get ready for the Summer; or even considering a charity challenge ride to help Rennie Grove Hospice Care in March, or Wheel Power with their annual Tour De Vale in June. Whatever your motivation, it may be some time since you serviced your bike to prepare it for the road or trail, or had to deal with a ‘mechanical’ as the Professional riders call them, while out on a ride, miles from home. Without a supporting team car full of trained mechanics in tow, your own skills in this area might be called into question, so how can you ensure you are up to the challenge? ATG Training at Fairford Leys in Aylesbury is where professional bicycle mechanics go to learn their skills and gain professional accreditation and this facility is now available to you too. On a training programme in the fully equipped workshop you can learn the art of maintaining your bike from the people who train the UK’s professional cycle mechanics. ATG’s Cytech Home Mechanic Cycle

Adjusting the gears can be a tricky business

DAY NE S* E O PAS FRE UEST G

A BETTER WAY TO GET ACTIVE

The Home Mechanic Course is packed with skills and training Maintenance Course is an accredited short course designed to give bike enthusiasts a good level of mechanical ability across a comprehensive range of cycle maintenance areas. It’s a two day course, led by an experienced instructor who will guide you through a varied mix of demonstrations and practical exercises. The Home Mechanic course is packed with skills coaching and as the largest provider of cycle maintenance training in the country, ATG have the expertise to make it fun and effective, while their professionally-equipped workshops provide an ideal environment in which to learn how to maintain your own pride and joy! Completing this course will give you the confidence to carry out repairs and servicing that would otherwise be handled by a local bike shop. Trained by the best in the business you gain skills you will use for life, covering areas of bicycle repair and maintenance that can be completed outside of a bicycle workshop, either at home or when riding, using basic tooling. It is a great starting block if you are unfamiliar with cycle repair and will enable

you to tackle basic jobs and know which jobs would be better performed by a qualified technician. The course provides you with an understanding of the terminology, trouble shooting, set-up and adjustment of a bicycle, what parts are most likely to need regular replacement and how to care for the bicycle for optimal performance and reliable cycling. Cytech accredited Home Mechanic training courses cost £299 and are available all year round, including some weekends. To find out more visit: www.atg-training.co.uk/ homemechanic email: info@atg-training.co.uk or call: 01296 737800. Book a place on ATG Training’s Cytech Home Mechanic course now and you could win a Park Tools Home Mechanic Starter kit worth £99.99 (see website for details). Gift vouchers are available for the cyclist in your life - just call the knowledgeable and friendly team at ATG Training. l ATG Training, Future Centre, Smeaton Close, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, HP19 8SZ Tel: 01296 737800 / 0845 873 8440 Email: info@atg-training.co.uk Web: www.atg-training.co.uk/homemechanic

THAME LEISURE CENTRE Everyone can benefit from exercise, whatever your age, whatever your ability.

For more information and to claim your guest pass, visit www.better.org.uk/thame

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2016

Column: Nick Phillips ‘Good to give’

Not an easy life!

olunteering isn’t for you if you want an easy life, that’s my advice! From the Chief Executive of a charity promoting volunteering that seems counterintuitive - but it is the only way I can sum up both my experiences and those that I hear every day. Volunteering ain’t easy! Not if you really want to make a difference, test yourself, step outside your comfort zone and get involved. We specialise in two main areas at Community Impact Bucks. Helping make volunteering easy and helping charities to be the best they possibly can be. So that means we spend time working with charities advising them on how to attract more volunteers. We have just run a radio campaign to encourage people to think about volunteering… for their own benefit if not for anyone else. I was explaining what we do to someone the other day and he said “make volunteering easy? That’s a challenge - this is hardest I ever work!” He did say that with

a smile. Possibly because he was doing what he enjoys - helping young people with learning difficulties have a few days sporting activity - and getting pleasure from it. We held an event the other day for trustees, and business leaders who want to be trustees of charities - ‘Board directors’ in the commercial world. Andrew Howard, MD of Beechdean Dairy, spoke about how being a trustee had really benefitted him and his business. He is a hardnosed businessman, but puts a lot of energy and passion into volunteering for the board of Wycombe Wanderers Sports Club. So why do people do it? No pay, hard work (sometimes personal risk) and always a level of responsibility. It seems clear that most volunteers don’t want to be thought of as ‘do gooders’ so it must be something else. It could be boosting personal experience, using skills that you didn’t know you had or the sense of teamwork that comes with volunteers.

Kate Walker

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Tel: 078875 51591

Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire

A survey of volunteers using the online volunteer matching service ‘Do It’ (linked via www. volunteeringbucks.org.uk) found: ‘Volunteering makes you feel happy, does wonders for your CV and you might even find love!’ according to 4,000+ volunteers who took part in our survey to celebrate Volunteers’ Week 2015. TimeBank also asked people why they volunteer. They surveyed 700 volunteers across the UK in October 2009 - here are some of their key findings: • Over two thirds of those aged 16-24 see volunteering as a way of enhancing their career prospects • 75% wanted to see the difference it made to people’s lives • 65% of young people wanted to develop their skills, 48% because it made them feel good, 41% because it is fun and 46% to make new friends. • Over half of all respondents over the age of 60 rated making new friends as the reason why they choose to volunteer • Half of those surveyed claim that their volunteering experience helped them secure a job • A quarter of people aged between 35 and 44 said they

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2016

volunteer to improve their health. Reading these outcomes reinforced for me that volunteers don’t seem to want an easy life they do seem to want others to have a better life and they also want to expand their own horizons. If anyone wants to volunteer please have a look at our website: www.volunteeringbucks.org.uk l Nick Phillips is CEO of

Community Impact Bucks, a charity dedicated to creating a better life for the people of Buckinghamshire and relied upon by some 900 local voluntary groups for funding, volunteers & crisis support. Tel: 0300 1111 250 www.communityimpactbucks.org.uk

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Win a Citrus Zinger Sport bottle

hether you love limes, crave clementines or only enjoy oranges, Citrus Zinger Sport is the water bottle for you. Featuring a built-in juicer; it spells the end for boring water and gives your hydration ritual a well-overdue kick. First, take a large slice of your favourite citrus fruit, load it into the base (size permitting) and screw it tight to get the juices flowing. Then simply fill the top with water

and you’ll be enjoying citrus-flavoured water all day long. When life gives you lemons… squeeze them into your water bottle. NB: Fruits are not included! Product Features include: Handy, portable water-bottle; Built-in juicer to add citrusy flavour to your drinks; Directly infuse your water without sugars or additives; Sturdy and hard-wearing plastic construction; Screw-tight seals; Carry-loop Dimensions: Approximately

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

8cm(D) x 25cm(H); Holds approximately 795ml The Citrus Zinger Sport costs £16.99 from Firebox but if you’d like to be in with a chance of winning one, simply email your name, address and telephone number along with the answer to the following question, to: editor@vale-life.co.uk Which of these is a citrus fruit? a) Plum, b) Raspberry, c) Lime Winner to be drawn at random from correct entries and notified by

email by March 4th, 2016. l For more information, or to purchase a Citrus Zinger Sport please visit: www.firebox.com

Experts in Mobility and Healthcare Supplies Come and visit our new showroom at Watermead, Aylesbury or, if you can’t get to us - give us a call and we’ll visit you! Specialists in ‘tilt in space’ riser recline chairs Lightweight wheelchairs Wide range of mobility scooters Extensive range of three/four wheeled walkers Bath and shower solutions Aids for daily living Profiling beds and stairlifts Discreet professional advice on continence management Advice and guidance on all aspects of mobility and personal care Equipment Hire Excellent after sales service and customer care 35 Lakeside, Watermead, Aylesbury, HP19 OFX | Tel: 01296 435607 | Web: www.theeasyliving.company Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2016

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Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2016

Column: ‘Kiss & tell’ with Tracy Kiss

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2016

Happy Mother’s Day!

o you know what my 8-year-old daughter Millisent said to my friend the other day? “My Mummy is always so busy working she doesn’t have time for me!” And it crushed me inside. I’ve been a single parent to my two children for almost three years now and yes it’s tough, I constantly bounce from pillar to post, get caught up in the routine of school runs, meal times, housework and trying to better our lives so that I can give my babies everything I never had at their age. But I do it all for them, I go without so that they can have whatever their hearts desire and I often lose sleep at night with stress and worry so that they can dream soundly. Why? Because childhood is priceless, it’s the only time in our life when the world is truly filled with magic, amazement, hope and unconditional love, before we’re hit with responsibilities, bills and

Toddler Tracy with her lovely mum children of our own. At the age of nineteen I’d only ever known lazy afternoons in bed, handbag shopping and coming and going from my parents house as and when I’d pleased; until I had my daughter of course and my entire world changed because she made

me grow up overnight, see the world from a different perspective and gave me such drive and passion for life. Thinking back to my childhood I too always thought that my mother never stopped, she was always cooking, cleaning and working long hours and I hardly saw her. But she was working to put my favourite homemade dinner on the table so that I could wear my new shiny shoes to school and go to the indoor play with my friends for my birthday. She scrubbed the floors to keep our home clean, ironed our socks and shirts so that we’d look nice and never once complained when I’d throw another tantrum in the supermarket, sneeze all over her without saying sorry or keep her up all night because I didn’t feel like going to bed. She did it all for just a hug and a kiss and I love her unconditionally because of it. My mother is still my best friend,

Tracy Kiss

Kiss & tell superhero Nanny and angel on earth and I wouldn’t be half the woman I am today without her; I love you to the moon and back Mum and I’d like to wish all you mothers out there a very Happy Mother’s Day x l Read Tracy’s blog at: www.tracykiss.com or follow her on: Twitter: @kisstracy4 Facebook: /TheTracyKiss

Win a copy of Out of Time

oretta Livingstone has lived in the Chilterns and Aylesbury Vale area for sixteen years with her husband, Iain, and a large black cat called Buster. She has been writing fiction since 2013 - short story collections and a novelette up to now. Out of Time is not just her debut novel but her first piece of historical fiction, so she is very excited that it has been short listed for the 2016 Historical Novel Society Indie Award! Out of Time shifts from 1191 to 2006 and back, in an engaging, pacy tale of medieval and contemporary fiction: Marion is visiting a ruined abbey when she is thrown backwards to 1191 when the abbey was a thriving community. Taking refuge with the nuns, she discovers Abbess Hildegarde has secrets of her own and then, in an effort to help an injured man brought to the abbey, Marion draws the attention of one of the most dangerous men of the era. Will she escape the avaricious

clutches of Prince John and return to her own time? “I loved this book. It has clever dialogue, the history is brought to life and the timeslip element is exciting, intriguing and perhaps even more important - very believable.” - Helen Hollick, Author and Managing Editor of Historical Novel Society Indie Reviews If you’d like to be in with a chance of winning a signed copy of Out of Time, simply email your name, address and telephone number along with the answer to the following question, to: editor@vale-life.co.uk What is the name of Loretta’s main character in Out of Time? Winner to be drawn at random from correct entries and notified by email by March 4th, 2016. l Find Loretta’s books on: www.amazon.co.uk Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2016

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2016

Step inside by Polly Gibbs

The Look: Walls - Urban City emulsion by Crown; Kentia Palms - Ikea; Cylindrical Bout Lamp - French Connection; Deep Bronze mirrors - NotOnTheHighStreet.com; Sheepskin - try The Fabulous Fleece Company; Shoreditch Console Table (nest of 3) - Dunelm; White Oiled Oak floor - Prime Floors; Handknit throw & cushions - try Design Vintage; Art - private commission by the late Ray Ferrer, artist, urbanwallart.wordpress.com Styled by Polly Gibbs

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2016

Step inside by Polly Gibbs

Mix a dash of darkness, a pinch of gold and dollops of personality for a space that’s authentically you...

henever I design it is ultimately about creating spaces that feel great to be in so you’re completely comfortable. Forever my favourite colour has been white for it’s serene simplicity and calming effect on

my busy creative mind. White space helps me relax and this is still the case for my bedroom where I like to keep distractions to a minimum. But moving to a new build house a couple of months ago has me shifting towards the dark side.

Cushions - try Design Vintage; Art - private commission by the late Ray Ferrer, artist, urbanwallart.wordpress.com

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2016

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. The challenge for new builds is the lack of character and individuality that only age can bring when planting matures and the newness fades. So, how to give character without it looking twee or like a pastiche from a Next catalogue? It’s about creating attitude, not age. Naturally I work with moodboards, but sometimes the look may not suit the room you intended it for. Not many designers will admit this, yet for me this is when the magic really begins. When things don’t work and more work is required, more thinking, more experimenting, bigger ideas, expanded thought processes, seeking out ‘new’ or reverting to old for inspiration. The creative process is not always straightforward or easy - I’m sharing this to spur you on to get the look that makes you smile when you walk into your home. Don’t stop too soon. Responding to a space, rather than forcing a look is also important, so I’m applying my ‘live and let live’ approach, which is about patience. Take time to let the look evolve by living in the space, interacting within it, looking at it from different positions, in different lights, at different times of day. Some initial ideas may remain, others may be tweaked; a mirrored wall may have been perfect until you’re dazzled by the midday sun. Great ideas don’t always pan out the way you expect. This experimenting has resulted in a living room that’s casual by day, turning regal and mysterious by night making it fabulous to relax and entertain in. Choosing intense steely blue/grey walls and flashes of warm metals creates a sophisticated yet playful vibe. This colourway conjures up notions of glamour, deep colours teamed with Continued on page 38

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2016

Step inside by Polly Gibbs

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2016

Continued from page 37 gold and deco inspired patterns. The deep mirrors with gold inner frames and green Kentia palms tap into my hankering for roaring twenties party glamour, while the Deep Bronze mirrors - NotOnTheHighStreet.com white oak floor, chunky Cylindrical Bout Lamp - French Connection; knit and sheepskin are Kentia Palms - Ikea; •Expert Advice a nod to a grounded •Professional Fitting Scandi style. I’ve yet to switch the lampshade for something more edgy survived the cull. •Very Competitive and the sofa is tired, but super comfy so it •Expert Advice Dark colours give definition to decorative objects and far from making for Residential and Fitting the room feel smaller, the contrast with the•Professional ceiling emphasises the length Commercial work of the walls, even in a tiny cloakroom. •Very Competitive keepResidential the window and •Carpets to suit all A little trick when painting walls dark is tofor and exterior door reveals white, this makes windows feel bigger and creates Budgets Commercial work balance. I also really like a crisp contrast with white woodwork, but you •Free Quotes to suit all could paint these in the same colour as the •Carpets wall. Budgets Go for punchy contrasts, allow fluidity in your thinking and add layers •No Obligation of personality through art, books and objects. Hanging out •Free Quotesat home will •Free Parking become your new going out.

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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 Parking Contact us to book your free home THE BEST IN home •Free Parking •Free Parking survey or to visit our showroom to see •Free Parking the stoves in action.

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2016

comforts

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2016

Award-winning cabinet maker Mark Williamson has been quietly crafting bespoke furniture at his workshop in Ford for some 18 months now and is producing some stunning work. A quick trawl of his website will soon have you marvelling at just what is possible with a bit of wood...

ark Williamson, pictured right, started his bespoke, fitted and freestanding furniture business in 2012, as a one man enterprise, working from a rented bench in someone else’s workshop. Being a highly skilled and talented cabinetmaker and furniture designer, with a creative eye for making best use of the trickiest spaces, it wasn’t long before word of Mark’s craftsmanship spread, business increased and he found himself needing a workshop of his own and some additional staff. “We moved into our current premises at Kemps Farm in the summer of 2014,” says Mark. “My wife Rachel now helps with admin, while in the workshop I have been joined by another Mark and Fergus.” Originally from Milton Keynes Mark has always been interested in making things: “I used to have a shed/workshop at my parents’ home and I’ve always made bits and pieces for people,” says Mark, “since my early teens.” By the age of 13 he had a Saturday job in a local furniture workshop and then went straight from school to Rycotewood College Furniture Centre at Thame for two years, attaining a BTEC National Diploma in Design (Crafts) and then on to gain a BA (Hons) in Furniture Design and Craftmanship at Bucks and Chilterns University College in High Wycombe, a three year degree course. He picked up a couple of awards for cabinet making while at Rycotewood and then

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2016

Mark Williamson in his workshop at Ford at Wycombe started entering the national SkillBuild cabinet-making competitions run by the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) which has regional heats and a national final. He duly won all four regionals entered and of the four nationals, won three and was runner up in the fourth. Mark also won The Woodworker magazine’s ‘Young Furniture Maker of the Year’ award! Jobs with respected local furniture companies followed, including Bates and Lambourne and Richard Williams Furniture, where he got to work on some really high end pieces for international clients. “We’d spend several months working on items such as a fabulous, unique, bespoke

Bespoke fitted oak cabinet

table for a millionaire’s yacht at a cost of around £70,000,” says Mark. “It was very interesting, there was exceptional craftsmanship involved and the end results were very impressive. “The colleges gave me a good grounding in furniture design and making, spacial design and computer aided design (CAD) techniques and also business studies which has been useful in running my own firm. After leaving I continued to develop my cabinet making skills while also learning about project management, working with design companies and architects and co-ordinating installations. By the time I reached my late twenties I was ready to set up on my own.” Mark is now 30 and can seemingly make anything from wood, from a fitted or free standing wardrobe, shelf unit, desk or table, to a complete kitchen, or bespoke home entertainment centre complete with wide screen TV, speakers, lights and glass display units. He is happy to design, construct and install all manner of bespoke furniture and especially enjoys making kitchens. “We can cater for the high end but we’re happy to work on mainstream projects too,” says Mark. “We are a small firm but very capable and aim to offer a more personal and attentive service than you might get at a larger company. It’s a totally bespoke service

“We can work from an architect’s or designer’s drawings or detailed brief, or a client may come to me and say they’ve got a space and want to fit certain things in it and I’ll work up an appropriate design that complements the style of their home and gets the best out of that space for them. We’ve recently completed the understairs storage shelves, pictured right, for instance, which roll out for easy access - much better than an under-stairs cupboard with a small door! “Our furniture is designed specifically for you and built to last a generation, rather than the few years you may get from a mass produced piece. Our products will often cost more than items you can buy from the big furniture stores but you get a high quality bespoke piece that once installed will add value to your home, as well as being a delight to see and use. “We’ve recently been involved in a large project for an impressive Arts and Crafts house, which has involved matching new wardrobes and cupboards to existing joinery with big mouldings, wide cornices and similar door designs. Now installed and painted it fits in perfectly and looks like it has been part of the house since it was built.” It’s amazing to see the range of styles and finishes Mark’s workshop can produce, from kitchens with curved doors in high gloss laminates, to gorgeous, natural wood desks, tables and chairs, to painted cupboards incorporating lights, fabrics, glass and combinations of different finishes in unique eyecatching designs. “With kitchens we can work from an architect’s or interior designer’s drawing,” says Mark, “or I can create a design based on the client’s requirements and tastes, whether that’s a completely new kitchen, or the modernisation of an existing one. “I find kitchens particularly rewarding as there’s a lot going on and when it’s all finished there’s a real satisfaction in standing back and seeing it looks fantastic, works well for the client and that they are really pleased.” If you would like Mark’s help or advice with a project, have a look at his website, and get in touch. He’s happy to meet at your home and have a look at the space you want transformed, the style of your house and any existing furniture and fittings, to see what will work best. You can discuss materials and finishes, look at samples and discuss budget. He may even invite you to the workshop to see your project under construction, it’s all part of the Mark Williamson service.

Trina and Shamus Mark Williamson bespoke fitted kitchen Bespoke oak and walnut half-eliptical table

Bespoke understairs storage solution

Bespoke curved door kitchen larder cupboard with lighting and curved spice racks

Bespoke bedside cabinet

l Mark Williamson Furniture, Unit 23 Kemps Farm, Chapel Road, Ford, Buckinghamshire, HP17 8XG Tel: 01296 658660 / Mob: 07754 409203 Email: mark@markwilliamsonfurniture.com Web: www.markwilliamsonfurniture.com Facebook: /markwilliamsonfurniture Twitter: @MarkWFurniture Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2016

Real Living

Wonderful

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2016

by Charlotte Bolton

Wallpapers New year - New walls!

Real Living

Charlotte Bolton

Fancy an early spring HOME revamp that won’t take hours or cost the earth? Covering just one wall with a patterned wallpaper transforms a whole room, adding INSTANT IMPACT and WOW FACTOR! Take a look at these wallpaper trends for 2016… and get ready for a spot of decorating! Florals Florals may still conjure up horrible swirly patterns from your grandma’s house but they can be ultra modern with bold graphical patterns or finer delicate prints. They don’t have to be too feminine either if you choose leaf prints or patterns that are abstract or neutral in colour. Vintage blooms are still hugely popular and retro designs from the 50s and 60s are big at the moment too. Reflect your surroundings – Nature, Sky, Birds... It’s great to use wallpaper as a reflection of your location. So if you’re looking out of your windows at nature, use a wallpaper that picks up the feeling of your garden, the sky, woods or a park etc. There are some gorgeous wallpapers out there featuring clouds, flowers, trees, birds. This sort of look will bring instant calm to any room too! Geometrics Great for repeat patterns and giving a clean, simple and ordered look to any room. Try a monochrome pattern (perhaps with a combination of grey and white or black and white shades) for an ‘uber chic’ and sophisticated look in a bedroom or similar shades with a splash of bold colour - such as mustard/colbalt to give high impact in a sitting room. Leather Leather has always been popular for its opulent look and sensual feel. When it comes to walls it looks

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2016

Floral

Geometric Floral

Quirky

Nature

Leather

Interactive

especially luxurious when padded or overlaid onto tiles for feature walls – a great look for hallways, bedrooms, dining rooms and home offices. This option may be too costly for many of us, so a leather look wallpaper is a great alternative, there are many stylish designs out there to choose from. Pair with minimalistic style cushions/throws and elegant accessories. Quirky Your home reflects a lot about you as an individual and using a ‘WOW’ wallpaper can really show off your personality. From the

bright and bold - such as this iconic Fresco London wallpaper from Wayfair to fun quirky papers – such as this Chalkboard Message paper from Homebase, (great for a kitchen feature wall?) a unique wallpaper design can really set you apart. Imitating natural materials There’s also a big trend at the moment for reproducing the look of natural materials in wallpaper and tile form - e.g. wood, polished concrete, marble and brick/stone patterns. A lot cheaper than the real thing! There are also wallpapers that mimic bookcases, wine cellars

and windows for those that want to create a particular mood with a clever illusion. Interactive Wallpapers are becoming more and more interactive and customisable - letting people add their own touch and releasing their ‘inner artist’ with new products like blackboard wallpapers, magnetic papers and even ones you can colour in and draw on. Hanging this type of wallpaper in your home not only provides great visual interest but can also become a real talking point. Friends and family can join in - whether it’s just to

Coastal

Imitating

Leather

Quirky

wallpaper, from Debenhams.

Imitating touch or doodle or colour in!

Perfect for a feature wall or alcove, let flocks of geese wing their way across a wide blue sky on this charming paper from Colefax & Fowler. Or conjure up a classic English coastal scene with the multi-coloured Beside the Seaside

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Coastal A timeless look that never goes out of date - bring a touch of the seaside to your home and dream of warm sunny days by the water.

Coastal

windowsills or radiators. If you’re not confident doing it STYLE SECRETS: Pick the yourself, call in a decorator. On a roll perfect paper with these handy hints: Test run Before buying your wallpaper, Get hold of a sample of your carefully calculate how many rolls you will need to cover the area. chosen wallpaper. Cut a large piece of the design and test it out on the Don’t forget to take doors and window areas into account and make wall you want to decorate to make sure you’re happy with the colour sure you have a little extra in case of mistakes. B&Q’s wallpaper calculator AND scale of the pattern. Look at it at different times of the day as the at www.diy.com is a great tool for colour can vary depending on the this. light in the room. l To find out how your home could be featured in a UK homes Smart choices magazine visit my website: If you plan on creating a feature www.reallivingspaces.co.uk. wall, make sure you think about Share your home interior ideas the best surface to decorate. Steer with others in a magazine! clear of awkward things such as It’s fun, and free!

G • GU

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, Installatio ns & Servicing

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North Mill Road Bledlow Bucks HP27 9QP 01844 342400 info@northmillstoves.co.uk www.northmillstoves.co.uk Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2016

l Column ‘In the Garden’ with

Naomi MacKay

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2016

Fuschia berries new superfood?

ast time I was writing this column we’d barely seen any real wintry weather, but as I sit over the keyboard today, I’ve already been out this morning in temperatures of -6 scraping the ice off the windscreen, and at the weekend we spent a happy couple of hours outside in the snow, making snowmen and having snowball fights! But despite this sudden rush of chilly weather, it won’t be long until spring is on its way, so I’m going to look ahead to the next growing season and some of the trends and new arrivals you can look forward to. Fuschias aren’t to everyone’s taste but they are very popular, and a new variety will certainly catch the eye - because not only can you enjoy the flowers – you can eat the berries too! Seed and plant specialist Thompson & Morgan reckons its newly developed Fuschia Berry is going to be the next big thing in health foods. Its own breeding

The new Fuschia berries can be eaten fresh or made into jam

Thompson & Morgan have developed a sweet tasting edible fuschia berry team were given the task of making fuschia berries taste better - as most so far have been bitter to taste and this is what they came up with. For those with small gardens, the fact that this plant looks ornamental AND produces fruit has got be a winner - you can look forward to about 300 berries over the summer. They are frosttender, so will need to go into the greenhouse before the cold weather starts.

The berries have a taste somewhere between a fig and a kiwi, can be eaten fresh or made into jam. Thompson & Morgan new product development manager Michael Perry said: We’re a nation of bakers as well as gardeners so we’re looking forward to seeing how creative our customers get when it comes to using the fruits at the end of the season. Eaten fresh we’re sitting on the next big health food trend. Added to cakes and pastries, we’ve also got an unusual,

tasty treat for anyone with a sweet tooth.’ Thompson & Morgan is also behind a new grafted variety of vegetable - called Egg & Chips®. No it’s not April Fool’s Day yet! This is a grafted aubergine (or eggplant) and potato plant, enabling you to grow the two vegetables in the same spot - again perfect for those with small plots. Not only that but because the aubergine plant is supported by the more hardy potato plant, you will get

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better production. You don’t even need a greenhouse - just a sunny spot in the garden. Head to www. thompson-morgan.com Outdoor rooms When it comes to landscaping, more and more people are trying to bring their inside outside. The outside room began to be a phenomena back in the 90s with the likes of TV’s Ground Force, but things have really moved on. People really want a proper room outside – firepit areas are becoming big news in the US, and I’m sure they will catch on over here – after all we have real need of them! And seating areas are starting to look more and more as they would inside. Take a look at this fantastic porcelain paving from SACW Paving. You can get all kinds of styles, from stone-effect to woodeffect and it’s virtually maintenance free as it is resistant to stains from leaves, moss, algae - even barbecue fat! Plus they are frost and chemical resistant, so can be used year-round. www. sacwpaving.co.uk Light fantastic Solar lights are also big news now - no longer are we content

Porcelain paving from SACW with Christmas lights - gardens will be illuminated all-year-round. Nor will we be content with the odd string of fairy lights - no, proper garden lighting schemes are what people are asking for. Take a look at your garden and think about where you could accentuate your outside area with lights - don’t forget that as well as strings of lights you can use markers to highlight paths, floating lights for ponds and water features, and uplighters to make features out of statement shrubs and trees. When it comes to flowers, poppies were big news last year thanks to the WW1 anniversary and

the amazing and touching display at the Tower of London. This year, sunflowers are big business. The RHS held a trial of more than 140 sunflowers last year and they are going to be popular in floral arrangements and particularly wedding flowers this year. Cosmos are also rumoured to be making a comeback - Cosmos bipinnatus Double Click Bicolore, with its purple and white flowers, has been given an award by Fleruoselect (the international organisation for the ornamental plants industry), as has the soft yellow Cosmos bipinnatus Xanthos, which won a gold medal.

Finally, if you’re looking for some garden inspiration but it’s too cold to go outside, head to Central Milton Keynes’ Middleton Hall from February 12-14, where the MK Garden Show will take place. On show will be sheds, mowers, fencing, shredders, plants, bulbs, pots, garden furniture, ornaments, artificial grass, paving and patios, driveways, conservatories, water features, driveway cleaning, gazebos, umbrellas, lawn treatments, garden design, garden accessories, spas, and lighting. Entry is free. l Naomi Mackay is a freelance journalist and publisher of a 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

Cosmos Bipinnatus

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We recycle over 95% of waste Call: 01296 651678 Licensed by The Environment Agency EPR/BB3634RA Licensed Waste Carrier CB/YE5439CV Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2016

Column: Down to business with Philippa Batting

New Aylesbury hub open

uckinghamshire Business First has recently moved into the heart of Aylesbury and I couldn’t be happier, because thanks to our new business hub we are providing a home for five local businesses and a base to work from for many more. While we retain a base in Saunderton, we can now call Aylesbury home just like we do Chesham where we also have a business hub. These hubs are places for ‘one-man-bands’, sole traders, managers, directors or anyone within a business to come and work or take meetings in professional surroundings. I know that the hubs will be particularly valuable for those without an office, who may otherwise work from home or on the move. Taking meetings in coffee shops and living rooms can become tiresome and when trying to make a good impression on a potential client can also be detrimental to the cause. That’s why I’m delighted that businesses in Aylesbury and

Philippa Batting Down to business

Tomas Pukalski, right, of Framework Digital is delighted to be among the first tenants at Porter’s Lodge the surrounding areas can take advantage of the free meeting rooms, work spaces and Wi-Fi amid the professional setting we have put together. Hopefully it will have one of those ‘knock-on effects’ that everyone who supports business growth likes to talk about. The fact that we are keeping more businesses (and people) close to Aylesbury town centre is great news for any business close by,

whether they be pubs, restaurants, cafés or shops. Lunch breaks and ‘drinks after work’ are big economic drivers after all! There is a serious point underpinning why we have opened hubs across the county, namely the lack of commercial property space available for businesses at low rents and with ‘easy in, easy out’ terms. The Aylesbury hub not only comes with workspaces and meeting rooms, but also five business units

available to rent. This is really important as for many businesses access to low-cost suitable premises is the main factor in them kickstarting their growth. If you are in need of a place to work or hold meetings in the Aylesbury area, pop in to Porters Lodge and use the facilities there for free. Visit bbf.uk.com/i-wantinformation/aylesbury-hub-yourother-office-in-aylesbury for the full address. l Philippa Batting is MD of Buckinghamshire Business First (BBF). Based in Saunderton, BBF 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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Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2016

Firms looking to accommodate employees on a short-term basis will be interested to hear about The Byres - a unique development of serviced lets offering a homely alternative for visiting workers...

otels can be great for short stays and holidays but if you are spending several weeks working on location you can soon tire of restaurant food and begin to miss having your own space. At Haddenham there is a small development of executive lettings - serviced self-catering cottages - which are ideal for those seeking their own place while working away from home for a few weeks. Originally part of Fort End Farm the cowbarns or ‘byres’ are some 200 years old and were converted into cottages 32 years ago by local businessman, Richard Clarke. They were derelict at the time but are now cosy, full of character and comfortable with modern kitchens, homely lounges and some impressive oak beams, all set within an attractive courtyard with secure off street parking. Richard was an international businessman whose company often had to accommodate American colleagues on visits. He had seen how popular serviced apartments were in the States and got permission to save the old barns from demolition and create The Byres. He knew local businesses were in need of temporary accommodation for employees on training courses or short-term assignments, or who were in the process of relocating to the area, and wanted to create a high standard, home-from-home environment with additional housekeeping services, for visiting executives seeking their own space. Executive Lettings at The Byres has been a successful family business ever since. Richard sadly passed away in 2013 but his

Barn conversion: now three one-bedroom cottages

Left: One of the barns before being converted

David Aston wife Sarah, daughter Jessica (pictured top right) and brother Bruce are all still involved. Housekeepers Amanda and Pam keep the cottages spick and span while handyman David Aston, (pictured above) takes care of building maintenance. “People like it here because they can cater for themselves,” says Jessica. “We offer a good standard of accommodation, you have your own lounge to relax in, outside space and WiFi as well. It’s cost effective too as our weekly rates compare favourably with three or four nights in a hotel and cooking at home saves on restaurant bills. Prices start from £250 (+VAT) per week all inclusive for the smallest one bedroom cottage - that’s around £36 a night! “Our housekeepers come in Monday to Friday to make the beds and clean - we provide towels and bed linen, loo rolls, soap,

Jessica Clarke in one of her Executive Lettings one-bedroom cottages etc, so it is a bit like staying at a hotel in that respect, but you have your own facilities and more space. “We have three two-bedroom cottages, three one-bedroom cottages and a studio cottage available as serviced lets, plus a cottage that’s on more of a typical tenancy, whereby the tenants are responsible for their own gas and electricity bills. “Our minimum let is only a week but most tend to be for six months to a year. We have some tenants who have returned several times over the last couple of years, which is nice. and in addition to our business clients we often accommodate private clients who are between homes or need a place to stay while they have building work done.” The Byres is in a quiet location near the centre of Haddenham and in easy reach of several pubs, restaurants and cafés. Family members live on site, so are generally available to help residents feel at home, or answer questions about the local area. See the website below for more images and information about your temporary home from home! l Executive Lettings at The Byres, Dollicott, Haddenham, Buckinghamshire, HP17 8HX Tel: 01844 291351 Email: jessica@executive-lettings.co.uk Web: www.executive-lettings.co.uk

Vale Life : Dec/Jan 2015-16

l Column: Jonathan Vernon-Smith

Consumer Affairs

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...

hankfully most consumer disputes can be settled through effective and firm dialogue. If not, there are programmes such as mine that offer additional assistance for people who are finding it difficult to resolve their consumer complaint. However, some cases just cannot be resolved, no matter how hard one or both parties try. It is for these cases that the small claims court can be very helpful. This month, I will outline how to use the small claims court system to obtain the best results. Firstly, DO NOT RUSH TO COURT. In my experience, judges often look unfavourably at customers who are seen to take a company to court too quickly. It makes the consumer look unreasonable which never bodes well. Therefore always try as hard as you can to resolve the complaint between yourselves first. Consider the small claims court your last resort and it is essential that you have kept a record of your conversations and correspondence. When you reach the conclusion that (within 6 years of the dispute and for amounts up to £10,000) the company or tradesman is not prepared to resolve the problem, you must write a letter of intention. Make it clear in the letter that you have tried hard to offer them opportunities to resolve the problem and that you would like to offer them one final opportunity. Allow them one month from receipt of the letter to respond, and make it clear that if you do not hear from them, you will lodge papers with the small claims court. Send the letter recorded delivery and ensure they have received it and signed for it. If they still show no interest in resolving the dispute, then you have an important decision to make. Will you go through with your threat of court action or not? If you decide on the former, you must go into it 48

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2016

with your eyes open. You can always lose as well as win, however it may not cost you as much as you may think. The fee is dependent on how much you are suing for, but this will be outlined when you proceed with the action. If you are successful, the defendant will have to pay your costs as well as the amount you are claiming for. It is also worth noting that you do not need a lawyer to take someone to the small claims court. It’s relatively straight forward, and as long as you’ve been reasonable and sensible in your dealings with the company or tradesman, you stand a good chance of getting a favourable judgement. In many cases, mediation is offered as a way of agreeing a course of action. The result of this is not legally binding, and most often I would advise you to proceed with this where offered. It doesn’t prevent you progressing a case to a judge if unsuccessful. However, turning it down can made you look unreasonable. If things go your way, the judge will award in your favour and will request that the defendant pays you a sum of money (either the whole of the amount you’re seeking, or a proportion of it). They will be given instructions as to how to pay it, and if they fail to do so, you can instruct county court bailiffs to recover the money. You can also escalate the case to the high court for a further fee and instruct the high court enforcement officers to chase your money. Taking a company to court can be a daunting prospect, and I would always suggest obtaining advice from your local citizen’s advice bureau who will give you tailor-made advice on your specific case. l Listen to The JVS Show

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Column: Small World with Robyn Bourne

Times are a changin’

itting here on a January morning looking at daffodils in my garden has made me realise just how much everything changes. And that the only constant we can rely on is change. If you ever think about getting into business for yourself, there is one thing you are going to need to get comfortable with - change. Smart businesses know that change is where it’s at. It’s where the opportunities lie. If you can’t change, or you can’t adapt to rapidly changing circumstances, you are going to be left behind and so is your business. 2016 is going to be a year of decisions, debate and change. Small business owners are flexible, and ready to adapt. Even in the face of disasters like the floods in Cumbria, small business can be relied on to step up, and take adversity in their stride. Some people see change as something to be resisted at all costs. But this is not an idea that I support. Whether it’s better ways to manage your business banking,

or finding completely new products and services not even conceived a decade ago - small businesses are always found at the forefront of innovation – often leaving big business scrambling to catch up. Last year we saw a change to the UK Government, and the first majority Government elected since 2005. 2016 may even see the scheduling of a referendum on the UK’s membership of the European Union. This year will see the introduction of new policies like the National Living Wage, the small business rollout of the workplace

pension, changes to dividend taxation, and the introduction of the Apprenticeship Levy. Each of these changes will bring their own challenges and require all businesses to adapt - but they also present opportunities. It’s right for businesses to share the fruits of success with their staff, help them save for retirement and invest in training the next generation of employees. But some businesses, particularly in retail, health and social care will struggle to make the changes needed to meet this challenge. However the change will also force innovation to improve productivity and find new ways to do business. The truth is the business environment will always change, and good businesses are well used to dealing with whatever is thrown at them - No change or challenge is insurmountable. Indeed in 2015 small businesses continued to show consistently high levels of confidence about the future - both in terms of future business growth and in their plans to hire new

Robyn Bourne Small World

people. Whatever change 2016 brings, the UK’s smaller businesses are well set to meet the challenge. I’m sure 2016 will involve both new challenges and opportunities - and I’m personally hoping that one of them isn’t dealing with snow in June. l Robyn Bourne is Development Manager for the Thames Valley region of the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) supporting 7,500 local members. The FSB offers members a wide range of vital business services including advice, financial expertise, support and a powerful voice in government and aims to help smaller businesses achieve their ambitions. www.fsb.org.uk

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Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2016

Column: Sandra Smith ‘Our Creative Vale’

New art on the block Y

ou would be forgiven for questioning the assertion that printers and tissue paper are natural bedfellows. Similarly, Finland and Suffolk rarely meet in the same sentence. And the concept of a symbiosis between railway sleepers, PVA glue and three dimensional art seems both improbable and absurd. For Pirjo Keene, however, such connections are not only routine but pivotal to her art. Pirjo’s Stoke Mandeville home is testament to her creativity and, whilst I’m initially sidetracked by intriguing photography and colourful hand knitted throws, it is her wooden blocks I am here to discuss. “I love things that are tactile,” says Pirjo. “My dad was a watchmaker so I always played with a lot of different materials.” Having left her native Finland in 1974 to embark upon a gap year, she fell in love with Buckinghamshire which quickly became her home. But it was a holiday in Suffolk that prompted the

Pirjo Keene transformation of discarded wood into ornamental houses. “I saw some lovely beach huts and was looking for ways of transferring photographs so thought I could try wood. I didn’t want my blocks to look like dolls houses so I put different images on each side.” The process begins with sanding

recycled wood. Having initially printed images onto art paper, Pirjo (rhymes with cheerio) was disappointed when the paper remained visible once glued. The answer lay in inventing her own method. Now, using a special printer her own photographic images are printed onto off-white acid free tissue paper before being pasted onto wooden blocks. “You only get one chance,” she shares, “as the paper soon disintegrates. But I can do all sorts of things to age the image. Occasionally I sandpaper some of it off or put acrylics on top then seal with several coats of acrylic medium.” Examination of several blocks in Pirjo’s studio - overlooking her back garden and recreation area beyond - reveals no visible trace of paper. Indeed, without prior knowledge, I would believe each image to be hand painted such is the delicacy of reproduction whilst the wood’s texture highlights a physical dimension, complementing

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2016

Creative Vale

Sandra Smith the delicate scenes which melt into the grain. Such fusion celebrates Pirjo’s individuality and artistic vision. More importantly, perhaps, it reflects this artist’s self confessed love of abstraction. “My art provokes questions but I like to keep it in the realms of being beautiful,” says Pirjo. “I want people to look more than once and wonder.” Website: www.pirjokeene.com l Sandra Smith is a freelance

writer. Follow her on Twitter: @TheCurrentMrsS or visit: www.TheCurrentMrsSmith.co.uk

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2016

Column: Nicky Gregory‘Curious World’

Mightier than swords!

uills and reed pens were used as writing tools from the 6th to the 19th century until the invention of the dip or ‘nib’ pen in 1803. A quill pen is made from a moulted flight feather, the best were from geese, swans, and later turkeys. Quill pens were used to write the vast majority of medieval manuscripts including the Magna Carta and later the American Declaration of Independence. Quills are still used today mainly by professional scribes and calligraphers. The popularity of the dip pen began in 1822 when John Mitchell set up a factory in Birmingham to manufacture steel nibs. Dip pen handles were made from many different materials, wood, metal, bone, ivory, and agate and the nibs from various types of metal. Fountain pens began to take over from the dip pen in 1875. First produced in England in the 19th century the most unusual dip pens were made of glass. They were hand-made in England, France,

Nicky Gregory

Curious world

Above: Quill and Reed pens. Left: Steel nibs. Right: glass dip pen. Mystery object

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

America, Italy and Japan and are still made today. They are often brightly coloured with air twists and ribbons of different colours. Our February mystery object is pictured right and can be seen in

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.

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 notified by email.

Pardon my English! A local dialect ‘Call My Bluff’ by Jacot de Boinod Can you guess the right definitions of the following words? 1) Snottygobbles (Hertfordshire dialect) A) yew berries B) freckles C) the inside of a cow’s lips 2) Dillon (Oxfordshire dialect) A) the runt of the litter B) a cylindrical or ‘sausage’ curl on a wig C) purplish tint, heathercoloured; of flesh: blue or discoloured

3) Hurlocky (Hertfordshire dialect) A) interrogatory, always asking questions or inquiring B) stony chalk C) unsettled weather 4) Bist (Oxfordshire dialect) A) anything badly formed or out of shape B) the second swarm of bees in the same season C) the second person singular for ‘you are’

l Adam Jacot de Boinod was a researcher for

The Old Post Office, 25 High Street, Wendover, Bucks, HP22 6DU Tel: 01296 625335 Email: antiques@antiquesatwendover.co.uk Website: www.antiquesatwendover.co.uk 52

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2016

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: 1A) yew berries. 2A) the runt of the litter. 3B) stony chalk. 4B) the second person singular for ‘you are’.

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l Column: Catherine Stoker Learning process

Time to go private? Independent education consultant Catherine Stoker looks at private versus state schooling ...

he cost of private education is now at such a level that many parents, particularly those with more than one child, are beginning to consider how and when it is best to invest and when it might make sense to consider state school options instead. Combining private and state education at different ages is becoming more common place and often makes good financial sense. There is no one answer fits all to the question of whether private education is for you. State and independent provision can vary significantly depending on where you live and the personalities, strengths and weaknesses of individual children mean that each one needs careful consideration as to what might be the best option for them personally. Here are 10 tips in how to evaluate if private or state education suits you. 1. Speaking to other parents about local schools will help, but remember their views, although passionate and enthusiastic, are not independent and a variety of opinions around the dinner party table can often confuse. Speak to an independent education consultant, read independent reviews in publications

Catherine Stoker Learning process such as The Good Schools Guide and read the schools’ latest Ofsted or ISI report. 2. Ask yourself how involved you want to be in supporting and supplementing your child’s education. Choosing a state school will sometimes mean devoting significant time to your child’s learning or extra-curricular activities outside school, helping with homework, perhaps even employing a tutor for some extra tuition in Maths or English. You might want them to learn extra subjects such as French or Latin. This support is usually an inclusive part of the academic provision at a private school, where smaller class sizes and more specialist subject teachers make more individual attention and a wider curriculum possible. 3. Consider whether you have the time to organise and provide transport for a busy programme of extra-curricular

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2016

activities, such as attending coaching sessions at local sports clubs, piano or ballet lessons outside school. Invariably, the majority of the above will be provided within a private school’s holistic approach to education. 4. Do both parents work? State school working days tend to be shorter than those at a private school meaning more childcare may be needed. 5. Do you want to get up early on Saturday mornings for the school run? Many private schools have Saturday morning lessons, particularly those which offer boarding. There will also be a busy programme of school matches on Saturday afternoons which you will need to commit to. 6. It is not always necessary for siblings to follow the same path through education. A shy child may need to build their confidence through the small, nurturing environment of a private school, while a sibling may be out-going and confident, so attending the right state school may suit them just as well. 7. Do you suspect that your child might have a particular weakness or struggles with their learning in some way? Investing in a private school may mean that issues such as dyslexia may be identified earlier than in a state school, where class sizes are larger. Consequently the correct support with their learning can be provided at an earlier stage, to ensure they progress alongside their peers. 8. Good state schools are often competitive in terms of entry criteria and

the academic educational programme they deliver. Will such a competitive environment, which focuses mainly on academic achievement, suit your child? If your child is self-motivated, confident and bright, the answer is probably yes. If they lack confidence, they may struggle to settle. 9. If your child just scrapes into an academically selective state school, by being tutored to pass the 11+ and consequently makes set 7 or 8 for Maths and English, what will this do for their confidence and how will you monitor and address this? Consider if it might be better to be at the top of a less academic state or private school and hence gain confidence as a high achiever? 10. Some parents move from state education to private education or vice versa when their child reaches 16+. There are opportunities to gain scholarships for entry to a private school at sixth form, especially if your child has done well at grammar/state school for the preceding 5 years. On the flip side, some believe that moving from private into state education for sixth from may make gaining a place at university easier, although this theory is to date unproven. Care must be taken to ensure that your teenager will cope with such a transition into a learning environment with different teaching styles, as they need to hit the ground running with only 2 years to gain top grades at this stage of education. l Contact Catherine Stoker via: www.inpendenteducationconsultants.co.uk

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Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2016

Column: Anna Webb‘Barking blonde’

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2016

It’s not hard to bag & bin!

he days are getting longer, and there’s light at the end of the tunnel for dog owners at this time of year. It’s so much easier to take the dog for a walk when its not pitch black outside. It’s also easier to see any offending dog mess on the pavements. Having moved from London only two years ago, the dark does put me off an evening stroll. There are advantages to a bit of light pollution, including swerving doggy ‘doo-doo’. Surprisingly I’ve seen a lot of dog mess in and around the village. Not to mention the number of ‘bagged’ decorations hanging in the hedgerows. This becomes a ‘litter’ problem as well as an eye-sore. I had wrongly assumed that on moving out of London, I’d see and experience less ‘poop’, but I’d say its no better than in the ‘smoke’. I guess it’s a case of the minority spoiling things for the majority

This way Prudence! wherever you go. Perhaps in London the situation is slightly better in that many boroughs run campaigns and schemes to name and shame dog owners that don’t pick up. The

latest one being trialled is where the doggy DNA in poop helps to trace the offending owner. In an age where the word ‘responsible’ dog ownership rules, it’s a given that owners must pick up. Needless to say it’s a messy problem, and an impossible task to police, which means irresponsible owners get away with it. Perhaps I’m noticing it all the more out walking with my puppy Prudence. She lacks spatial awareness and hasn’t grasped the concept of swerving. Like a bull in a china shop, she’s steamed through a couple of large deposits, much to my annoyance. Her paws covered in another dogs waste, really isn’t a good look! Little Dexter on the other hand takes his time trotting along, and wouldn’t dream of stepping in someone else’s defecation. I urge all owners to not let their dog’s fouling add to the two millions tonnes of the stuff cleaned

Anna Webb

Barking blonde from public highways nationwide everyday. All you need is a bio-degradable poo bag and the patience to deposit it hygienically in a bin. There’s no excuse! 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

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by Cathy Soughton

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2016

The Met Line Aylesbury

Aylesbury would similarly grow but despite luxury Pullman cars being added to trains running from Verney Junction to Baker Street this didn’t happen. In 1933 the Metropolitan Railway became the Metropolitan Line any people will have under the new London Passenger Aylesbury train pulling into caught the train to Transport Board. Traffic north of Winslow Road Station in the early 1900s London from Aylesbury Aylesbury had always been quiet and but how many are provided a slow connection to London first train left Aylesbury at 07.15 for the line to Verney Junction closed to aware that for many years this London on the 1st September with via High Wycombe and Maidenhead passengers in 1936. In the 1960s when would have been a journey made on most of the passengers alighting at where the Great Western Line could the line was electrified to Amersham, the Metropolitan Railway or later be taken to Paddington. A single track Stoke Mandeville or Wendover. A steam locomotives were replaced and the Metropolitan Line of London direct line to London should have line was subsequently built in 1868 by the Underground service as far as Underground? the Aylesbury and Buckingham Railway been welcome but it had a very mixed Aylesbury was withdrawn and all trains Aylesbury has been linked by rail reception. There had been considerable ran to Marylebone. Company from Aylesbury station via to London since 1839 when the Waddesdon and Quainton Road to the local opposition to the line and the In the 1980s Marylebone Station Aylesbury to Cheddington Line opened isolated terminus at Verney Junction Metropolitan Railway offered a reward came under serious threat of closure which enabled passengers to change to anyone informing on the names of between the Claydons and Winslow and it was rumoured that the at Cheddington onto a main line train those removing the stakes put in by where there was a connection with a Metropolitan service would once again to Euston. The Aylesbury terminus surveyors marking the route whilst it line from Oxford to Bletchley. be extended to Aylesbury. This was stood by the High Street on what is was being built. HS2 is not the first It was only with the arrival of shelved and for the last 20 years the now Vale Park with a goods station on the Metropolitan Line that a direct railway to be unwelcome in the Vale! line has been run by Chiltern Railways. what is now the Upper Hundreds Car The line soon grew in popularity rail link was established between A new station at Aylesbury Vale Park. The line was popular throughout Aylesbury and Baker Street in London. and the concept of ‘MetroLand’ was Parkway on the original line north of the 19th Century and was used to created, promoting the dream of a The Metropolitan Railway aimed to Aylesbury was recently opened and transport the famous Aylesbury modern home in beautiful countryside further developments are possible. expand from a London underground ducks to the London markets. It was with a fast railway service to central commuter line to a longer distance l Cathy Soughton is a professional eventually closed to passengers in 1953 railway serving the area north-west of London. In 1899 passengers were and architectural historian and freight in 1963. given a choice when the Great Central genealogist London. It took over the Aylesbury providing family history and house The current station at Aylesbury opened the line to Marylebone and Buckingham Railway and built a history research: www.bucksresearch. opened in 1863 when the line to sharing the track to south of Harrow. new line from Harrow to Aylesbury co.uk, email soughton@btopenworld. Princes Risborough was built and com, Tel 01296624845. It was hoped that the line north of which was completed in 1892; the

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Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2016

l Column: Jacqui

Thorndyke ‘Foodie On Tour’

Trendy foods for 2016

he start of a new year sparks the usual speculation about upcoming food trends. You get the natural, organic progressions, while others seem more faddy. This year though, well, it all sounds rather sensible. Tacos - which have been brought to the forefront by the likes of Mexican restaurant group Wahaca - are set to be hot topic, and with the Olympics heading to Rio we can certainly expect to see much more Brazilian food and drink appearing on menus – I’ll have a caipirinha over here please! In 2016 we can expect Sri Lankan and Brazilian foods to come to the forefront according to The Telegraph Fast food is set to become more grown up, with Macdonalds, Burger King and KFC creating more ‘sophisticated’ offerings like table service, premium or build your own burgers and in some cases alcohol. The lines between fast food and fine dining become blurred, with an increasing number of tie ins between fast food top chefs, while mainstream becomes increasingly more casual. This could mark the end of fine dining, at least in the

cauliflower rice. Allegedly this could cause a significant drop in pasta sales, or prompt the appearance of more vegetables in pasta. Not all carbs are our enemy though, with ancient grains continuing to grow - quinoa was EVERYWHERE in 2015, but keep an eye out for teff, millet, amaranth, spelt, kamut, kaniwa, freekeh and faro this year. Even more on the health tip - bowls. Quinoa bowls, Breakfast bowl of Quinoa protein bowls, with fruit, nuts and seeds, yum! Or perhaps some smoothie bowls, avocado on toast? you name it you can serve it in a short term anyway. bowl. Seen as one pot meals, bowls On the opposite side of the combine vegetables, grains and BMI scales health benefits of food protein to serve up a healthy but continue to be in focus, increasingly substantial and well-rounded meal. so as ‘diet by DNA’ becomes an Perfect for lunch or even breakfast emerging trend, with consumers - you’ll see plenty of avocado too, looking to understand their which leads me on to another individual diet needs and physiology. ongoing trend… healthy fats. Protein continues to be our While the consumer relationship BFF, as do vegetables, replacing with fats has already begun startchy carbs in many cases - think evolving, expect to see yet more courgette noodles, spiralisers and interest in healthy unsaturated

Jacqui Thorndyke

fats - like olive oil, salmon, olives, nuts and seeds - instead of reduced fat. Avocado has been a big winner here, and I’m more than a little partial to mashed avocado on toast with sriracha sauce (add a lick of Bovril or marmite underneath for a pleasingly umami hit). So, grab a great big bowl and stuff it full of ancient grains, nuts, vegetables, with a taco and caipirinha on the side, and boom, you’re bang on trend! l For local food and restaurant reviews and recommendations, visit www.foodieontour.co.uk, or follow Jacqui on Twitter @FoodieOnTour. Email: foodieontour@yahoo.co.uk

4 Pound Street, Wendover, Buckinghamshire, HP22 6EJ Tel: 01296 622092 katrina@trescorazones.co.uk

Open: Tuesday: 6pm-11pm Wednesday-Saturday: 11.30am-3pm & 5.30pm-11pm Sunday: 11.30am-5pm

Now open in Wendover: Tapas Bar & Restaurant · Wine Bar · Par ties · Functions · Meetings

WHAT’S HAPPENING AT TRES CORAZONES Sundown Time Tuesday – Friday 5.30pm until 7pm, 2 for 1 on selected Gin & Bottled Beer s, Estrella Galicia £3.95 a pint, Enjoy with a few tapas at the end of a long day.

Menu Del Dia 3 Tapas for £9.95 Wednesday – Saturday 11.30am-3pm. Paella Sunday Choose from a selection of Paellas freshly prepared ever y Sunday, as well as our full menu. 11:30am–5pm (last order s 4pm).

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www.trescorazones.co.uk | www.facebook.com/TresCorazonesLimited 56

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2016

Canaletto is famous worldwide for his beautiful paintings of Venice. More locally his name lives on at a rather lovely Italian pub/restaurant on the A41 at Kingswood, half way between Aylesbury and Bicester, where the Old Master would no doubt have enjoyed the authentic Italian fare on offer...

here don’t seem to be many traditional Italian restaurants about these days. Sure the cheap and cheerful pizza and pasta brigade give a nod to their Mediterranean roots, but you can’t beat a top quality Italian such as Canaletto at Kingswood for a proper night out, satisfying the soul with a warming mix of friendly service, welcoming ambience and classic Italian dishes such as King Prawns in Garlic Butter (Gamberoni); Baked Gnocchi with Spinach and Gorgonzola; Tagliatelle with Bolognese Ragù; Fillet of Beef with Wild Mushrooms in a rich Port and Brandy Reduction (Filetto Canaletto); Baked Seabass with Vine Tomatoes, Fresh Herbs and Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Branzino); followed, of course, by a mouthwatering Italian dessert such as Tiramisu or Panna Cotta. Canaletto Italian Restaurant and Public House is owned by father and son Javier and James Varela and was extensively refurbished when they took on the premises in 2013. It has a cosy bar area with oak beams, flagstones and an open fire where you can enjoy a pint or a snack. Beyond is the impressive restaurant with fabulous beamed and vaulted ceiling and feature stone fireplace. It is comfortably furnished with an airy, contemporary feel and bright floral prints on the chairs, which contrast pleasantly with the stone, oak beams and grey wood half panelling - it’s very smart but feels relaxed and welcoming. Parts of the building date back several hundred years and from the late 1800s to recent times it was run as The Plough and Anchor pub, owned at

Javier Varela and son James (right) one time by The Aylesbury Brewery Company. “We started here two and a half years ago,” says Javier. “Previously I ran Rossini in Wendover for 13 years. We called our new venture Canaletto because we wanted an Italian name that was easy to remember. In Wendover The Bar ‘Rossini’ worked well, so this time we went for a painter rather than a composer! “Our food is all made on the premises using fresh produce which is sustainable, high welfare and responsibly sourced. We use only the finest ingredients, seasonal and local where possible, to create freshly prepared authentic Italian dishes, often from recipes handed down through the generations. It’s good old fashioned, home-cooked Italian food. “We have an experienced and passionate team - one of the chefs worked with me at Rossini for ten years and I am here to oversee all is going smoothly. “We can seat around 100 guests and are happy to cater for weddings and functions. Our customers come from far and wide, from

The Restaurant

Berkhamsted, Bicester and Buckingham as well as Aylesbury, Thame and more locally. “We vary our menu seasonally - a new menu is to launch soon - and offer constantly changing specials, so there is always something new for regular customers. We don’t do pizza but we always have a good selection of pasta dishes, meat, fish and vegetarian dishes too. Something for all tastes and very high quality. There is also a bar snack menu in case you just want a drink Slow roasted Lamb Shank and something light to go with it.” At the bar there’s Doom Bar and Brill Gold from the local Vale Brewery plus Carlsberg, Peroni, Guinness and cider on draught and an extensive list of more than 70 wines, carefully selected to provide something for all tastes. Canaletto’s house wine selection contains excellent and affordable wines available by the glass or in 500ml carafes. “I love what I do,” says Javier. “I love the restaurant business, I love meeting different people, talking to people, it’s a very social job. We are not stuffy here, we want people to feel at ease, to feel welcome, to have a chat and relax and enjoy some great food.” The restaurant is open from 12-2.30pm and 6.30-9.30pm Tuesday to Saturday and then on Sundays for lunch from 12-2.30pm when there is a Sunday Lunch Menu as well as the À La Carte Menu to choose from. l Canaletto, Bicester Road, Kingswood, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, HP18 0RB Tel: 01296 770251 Email: enquiries@canalettorestaurant.com Web: www.canalettorestaurant.com Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2016

Column: Heather Jan Brunt ‘This farming life’

Busy time down on the farm

t this time of year calves start to arrive in the yards as we enter one of the busiest times in the working calendar down on the farm. When all goes well the cows and young heifers manage to give birth naturally without any intervention. But of course not every birth goes as smoothly as we might wish and sometimes different levels of assistance are required, depending on the problem presenting. But preparations begin long before we ever get to the birth. These days many farmers choose to get their cows pregnancy tested. In the past farmers relied on their stockmanship, and they would observe if a cow who had been running with the bull was still showing signs of ovulating and therefore hadn’t got in calf. Nowadays there are several ways of pregnancy testing the herd, but they all involve the expense of a vet, so unless the farmer is going to use the information wisely to make management and business decisions

This farming life Heather Jan Brunt

Cattle on Heather’s farm at Terrick then it is not worth doing. Cows can be tested from quite early in their pregnancy, but in a whole herd it is unlikely they will all ovulate and get caught at the same time, and so when the vet comes out the cows are likely to be at different stages in their pregnancy, so different methods will be used to test them. Rectal palpation is the cheapest and most convenient method, and is pretty correct when done in later pregnancy. Vets feel for the calf’s head, a pulse in the artery supplying blood to the uterus, and the shape of the cow’s uterus. In early pregnancy it isn’t always easy to determine so the vet will also have a portable ultrasonic

scanner handy to detect pregnancy six to eight weeks after conception. Doppler scanners have an external probe containing both transmitting and receiving elements, which project a beam of low-energy sound waves. The beam is reflected by the uterine artery, umbilical vessel or foetal heart, and undergoes a change in frequency which is converted to sound or a light display which allows the operator to determine pregnancy status. A more accurate but more expensive alternative is a scanner with a probe which is inserted into the rectum, as close to the uterus as possible. Reflected sound waves are transmitted to a light display, to

interpret pregnancy status. Following testing the farmer can then make decisions on what to do with cows that are not pregnant. Depending on the age, quality and history of the cow he may decide to keep her on for another year or sell her immediately. Most farmers prefer to keep the calving period to a few months, and following scanning, decisions can be made to sort the cows into groups for early and late calvers. This helps with the management of the herd. 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

The Bell is a delightful 17th century pub in the pretty village of Hardwick near Aylesbury. Lovingly restored and refurbished it is now an inviting place to enjoy a drink or choose from a wide range of freshly prepared, home-cooked food. The ever-changing seasonal menu offers delicious light snacks and meals at lunchtime, to a full menu in the evening, all served in a friendly, relaxing and informal pub atmosphere. Our chefs are adding options which are gluten, dairy and sugar free along with vegan specials so all can eat with confidence. A separate dining room and heated marquee in the courtyard are available for parties and functions. Our new Michelin level chefs now also offer external catering, with ‘free-from’ cuisine a speciality. l

Also now open for food on Wednesday evenings

Call for details of our Special Events Thur, Feb 25th: Quiz Night, 7.30pm Sun Mar 6th: Mothers Day lunch Fri, Feb 26th: French Night with 12-3.30pm (booking essential) special menu and entertainment Thur, Mar 17th: St Patrick’s Day!

Fri, Mar 25th: Special Good Friday Fish Supper Sun, Mar 27th: Easter Sunday lunch

The Bell at Hardwick, Lower Road, Hardwick, Buckinghamshire, HP22 4DZ | Tel: 01296 640005 | Web: www.thebellathardwick.co.uk 58

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2016

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

So Mum’s the word...

y friend came around the other night and as we sat chatting on the sofa he picked up my fat, puma of a cat and said, “Is Mummy feeding you too much?” I was instantly repulsed. Don’t get me wrong, I’m quite fond of Fatso, the world’s biggest cat, but I am NOT; repeat NOT his ‘mummy’. I know I’m not his mummy because I didn’t pop him out, along with eight of his siblings, in a cardboard box under the stairs. I know I’m not his mummy because I have never once felt compelled to carry him around in my mouth by the scruff of his neck. And I know I’m not his mummy because I don’t tend to sit there in the evenings licking his paws clean. If I were to play along with this (twisted) anthropomorphic train of thought then at the very best, Fatso would be an annoying younger brother who bites my head when I have just got settled on the couch, drops dead mice into my lap to try and freak me out, and spends most of his time spark out. We have a somewhat dysfunctional relationship whereby he’s not in most of the time and then rocks up demanding

Vale Life : Dec/Jan 2015-16

Penny Harper

Just a snack!

Small Town

my attention and food. The most frequently felt emotion towards me is, I am quite certain, indifference. Intrigued by the thought that I should have more of a mothering instinct towards Fatso, I spent the weekend with my brother and his family to see how they interacted with other animals. They have two cats: Biggy and Littley (we are really creative with names in our family) and a dog called ‘Henry’. They also have two children. Over time I have observed the raising of their children and as far as I have seen, so far my brother and his

wife have refrained from leaving the children behind for a weekend to fend for themselves, with an overflowing bowl of dried food and several dishes of water on the kitchen floor. Although I have seen my two year old niece shove an awful lot of useful items (phones, wallets and keys) out through the catflap, so I am guessing it’s only a matter of time before she tries to squeeze through there. That way she’d be perfectly capable of taking herself for a sniff around the garden. I asked my sister in law what she thought and she told me of a friend

Girl

of theirs who refers to her Chihuahua as ‘my baby’. The thing does spend an awful lot of the time nuzzled against her bosom, but that’s mostly just in case Henry (the Pointer) eats it. “That dingo’s got your baby” resounds in my head. It really is a little bit weird. So, I am heading home to see if Fatso is gracing me with his presence this evening, or whether my ‘baby’ has decided to stay out into the wee small hours, leaving me worrying that he’s out partying and hoping he’s not seeing girls. I’m definitely not ready to be a grandma.

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2016

Stick ‘em up punk, it’s the Fun Lovin’ Criminals!

t’s hard to believe it’s been 20 years since Huey Morgan and his Fun Lovin’ Criminals released their classic album ‘Come Find Yourself’ - a sleazy, grooving unforgettable cocktail of sound with a nod to hip hop, rock, blues, jazz, funk and soul. Many will fondly remember the big hit single Scooby Snacks but if you don’t know the album there’s a whole world of musical fun just waiting to greet you. Even better Fun Lovin’ Criminals are out on the road again and planning to perform the whole album in concert. I saw them at Aylesbury Civic

Centre a few years ago and they were excellent - solid grooves topped with Huey’s stylish guitar licks and mellow vocals, most excellent live performers. This tour they’ll be playing locally at The Oxford O2 Academy on Thursday 11th February to resurrect one of the most important albums not just of 1996 but possibly of the last 20 years. “After 20 years, ‘Come Find Yourself’ will be played live in its entirety for the first time,” says Huey. “Our debut album burned a path for crossing genres that we now take for granted. The music is now part of our collective lexicon and we are very proud to be able to play it live and

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. Saturday 14th May: Family Day 12-6pm Live Music & Disco 7pm-1am New Special three course lunch menu available Tuesday-Friday only £20. 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 60

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2016

share our love of diversity which we have always, as a band, championed.” Certainly the album sounds as fresh and vibrant now as it did back in ‘96 when it spent almost 12 months in the UK chart, becoming a soundtrack for the summer and peaking at No. 7. Their sound was not tied to a particular artist or era, but combined their eclectic influences and backgrounds into a musical mix that sounded like no one but Fun Lovin’ Criminals. They remain the worlds’ finest and only purveyors of this sound. The UK’s best-loved ‘cousins from New York’, whip-smart story-tellers in smarter

Saville Row suits who, through comically tall tales of living large in the neon metropolis via music, drugs, crime and existential ennui, brought a nearly perfect album to kick-start their career; a record that still resonates and charms two decades on. Don’t miss the chance to see the boys play this live. Tickets are available from the O2 Academy. O2 Academy Oxford, 190 Cowley Road, Oxford, OX4 1UE l www.academymusicgroup.com/ o2academyoxford Facebook: /funlovincriminals Twitter: @funlovincrims

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Music Column:

Turn it up! with Dan Mordente

Alternative Aylesbury

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

February 6th The Brahmas, Victoria Club, Aylesbury 6th Hustler, Shootpool, Aylesbury 6th Nickita, Aristocrat, Aylesbury 12th Trackbax, Victoria Club, Aylesbury 12th Georgie Bird Single Launch, Shootpool, Aylesbury 13th The Reggulaters, Victoria Club, Aylesbury 13th The Brahmas, Shootpool, Aylesbury 13th 2Tone, Rivet Sports & Social Club, Aylesbury 13th Chris Baker, Tring & District Conservative Club, Tring 13th Acoustic Mice, The Cow Roast Inn, Tring 13th Carnaby Street, The Clay Pipe, Leighton Buzzard 18th Red Dirt Skinners, Tring Park Cricket Club, Tring 19th Bustin’ Loose, Aristocrat, Aylesbury 20th The Best of Buble, The Lambert Arms, Aston Rowant 20th Mazwell Hammer & Smith, Shootpool, Aylebury 20th El Bronson, LJ’s, Aylesbury 20th The Berries, Rivet Sports & Social Club, Aylesbury 21st Best Of Buble, Victoria Club, Aylesbury 26th Bad Penny, Shootpool, Aylesbury 26th Guesswork, The Broad Leys, Aylesbury 26th Juke, The Black Horse, Tring 27th Continuum Cover Band, Victoria Club, Aylesbury 27th Nikki King, Rivet Sports & Social Club, Aylesbury 27th Best of Buble, The Chandos Arms, Weston Turville March 4th Maxwell Hammer & Smith, Victoria Club, Aylesbury 4th Replica Rockaholics, Shootpool, Aylesbury 4th Best of Buble, Aristocrat, Aylesbury 5th Bruiser, Shootpool, Aylesbury 5th R.D.G. The Band, Rivet Sports & Social Club, Aylesbury 5th The Mighty Hoo Haas, The Black Horse, Tring 11th Juan More, Victoria Club, Aylesbury 11th Leech, Shootpool. Aylesbury 11th Guesswork, The Swan, Great Kimble

Georgie Bird

Georgie

to launch New Single

n Friday 5th February, ‘Aylesbury Alternative Music Society’ will present their inaugural live music event. Black Ju-Ju, one of the most riveting local punk bands, will headline with support from Honour Amongst Thieves and newcomers Casual Vandal. It all takes place at The White Swan in Aylesbury with live music kicking off at 8pm. A.A.M.S formed in October 2015 as a collective voice in support of the local Alternative music scene. The society feels that there is a lack of opportunities for original Alternative music in Aylesbury and that local venues are unwilling to take ‘creative risks’, instead booking cover and tribute acts. The society hope to revitalise the local Alternative scene through hosting their own events; 5th February will be the first event hosted by the society. Society Chairman, Mat

Small, said: “The [local music] community is missing the most crucial thing: communication. No one talks to each other and so, everyone remains unaware of the presence of likeminded individuals. A.A.M.S. seeks to bring the people together”. Join Aylesbury Alternative Music Society at The White Swan on Friday 5th of February and support local alternative music. Music from 8pm / Free entry / 18+.

n February 12th Shoot Pool Aylesbury is to host a single launch party to celebrate the release of ‘Walls’ - the latest single from local singer/songwriter, Georgie Bird. Georgie has been making waves on the local scene for some time now, with highlights from 2015 including support slots with the likes of Wretch 32, The Feeling, Toploader and Toyah Wilcox, as well as numerous appearances on BBC Introducing Bucks, Beds and Herts, and a triumphant set at Towersey Festival. In 2015 Georgie began working with the esteemed Paul Stanborough (Kelis, Kylie Minogue, Tinie Tempah, The Wanted), and she cant wait to share the result of their collaborative work on 12th February. The event promises to be a special occasion with support coming from some of the best local acts: Kristian James, Tony Goff, Little Wing, Sinfiction and Callow Saints. Come along to get your free download of Georgie’s new single ‘Walls’ before anyone else! 12/02/16 / Shootpool Aylesbury /, Free entry, 9pm

Proclaimers at Waterside

unday 29th May sees Scottish Pop duo, The Proclaimers visit Aylesbury Waterside Theatre as part of their mammoth UK tour. The Strikingly individual, twin brothers Craig and Charlie Reid have over the years enjoyed huge successes across the globe and in April last year released their 10th album on the Cooking Vinyl label. They have carved a niche for themselves where pop, folk, new wave and punk collide as the emotional honesty, political fire, wit and sing-along raucousness of their songs and their extensive touring has enlightened and entertained fans new and old. In the process they have enjoyed

Gold and Platinum singles and albums in UK, USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Expect to hear the classics Sunshine on Leith, (I’m Gonna Be) 500 Miles, Letter From America, I’m on My Way, Life With You, Let’s Get Married and more. Tickets are on sale now at: www.atgtickets.com

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2016

From Private Lives to a hard knock life… March is a mad hat full of must-see theatre at Aylesbury Waterside, so jump deeper into this leap year of music, drama and dance and enjoy... Lesley Joseph in Annie Mon 14th - Sat 19th March

f you think you’ve been having a ‘hard knock life’, head along to Aylesbury Waterside Theatre for some light relief with the world’s favourite family musical, Annie, starring Birds of a Feather’s Lesley Joseph as the cruel Miss Hannigan from Monday 14th to Saturday 19th March. This new production features the stunning score of hits including Easy Street and Tomorrow and promises a story that will stay in the heart of all who see it.

Fancy a witty night with a Noël Coward masterpiece? Be sure to catch Private Lives Monday 7th to Saturday 12th March - and indulge in a show that bubbles with elegance and glamour - it’s an unforgettable classic. Star of the show Tom

Private Lives - Tom Chambers & Laura Rogers Mon 7th - Sat 12th March 62

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2016

Chambers confesses his love of Coward’s writing: “I’ve been a huge fan for many years… When I got the script it read like a piece of music. The way it depicts the intricacies of love, marriage and relationships just made me smile all the way through reading it and I couldn’t wait to get started.” “It’s so current as well, which might surprise those who have never seen or read it before.” The former Strictly Come Dancing winner continues: “Having been married now for several years, when I first read the script I thought it could be any boyfriend, girlfriend, whatever. It feels like it’s dialogue I could have said last week.” Starring alongside Chambers as his new wife, Sybil, is Call The Midwife and Fresh Meat star Charlotte Ritchie. “It’s fun playing awful, horrible people,” confesses Charlotte. “I did start by playing Sybil as just a pain. She does become a bit of a pain, actually, but possibly for the very good reason of being left on her wedding night. I was heading straight down the road of seeing how ridiculous I could make her,

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2016

Tap Factory Wed 30th March Private Lives - Charlotte Ritchie & Tom Chambers Mon 7th - Sat 12th March

Reach Out: The Magic of Motown Tue 29th March

Coming up at The Waterside but this production is more clever than that. Tom Attenborough (director) has put a big emphasis on playing the characters as if you actually believe they could be well-functioning couples before Elyot and Amanda meet each other again.” Charlotte is looking forward to visiting Aylesbury and explains why she loves touring: “It’s a rare opportunity to see the UK and the place you live, I think it’s a special thing to go on tour. It was one of my biggest hopes that I could do a play on tour. I’ve always wanted to. It feels like a rite of passage, something really fun to do.”

Your at-a-glance guide to what’s on...

Anton & Erin - Just Gotta Dance! Sun, Feb 7th 2016

Tickets are selling fast. Book now by visiting the Aylesbury Waterside Theatre Box Office, call 0844 871 7607 (bkg fee) or visit www.atgtickets.com/aylesbury (bkg fee) l Aylesbury Waterside Theatre, Exchange Street, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, HP20 1UG Telephone Booking: 0844 871 7607 Website: www.atgtickets.com/aylesbury

Rambert

Thur 11th to Sat 13th Feb

Big Country in concert

Sat 20th Feb

Rehearsal For Murder

Mon 22nd to Sat 27th Feb

End of the Rainbow

Tue 1st to Sat 5th Mar

The Magic Flute Live Screening (Second Space)

Wed 9th Mar

Private Lives

Mon 7th to Sat 12th Mar

Annie starring Lesley Joseph as Mrs Hannigan

Mon 14th to Sat 19th Mar

The Dire Straits Experience

Fri 25th Mar

Superslam Wrestling

Sat 26th Mar

The Magic of Motown

Tue 29th Mar

Tap Factory

Wed 30th Mar

Tell Me On A Sunday

Thur 31st Mar

The Rocky Horror Show

Mon 18th to Sat 23rd Apr

Tell Me on a Sunday Thur 31st March Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2016

Column: Janice Issitt ‘Making the most of it’

Off for an Indian Summer

idden away in Amersham is a treasure of a business for those interested in all elements of textile art. Colouricious was created by Jamie Malden with the aim of inspiring and teaching people to create their own hand embellished fabrics, and it is now the UK’s leading source for learning, tools and supplies particularly for block printing. Starting with basic fabric printing kits and a video tutorial, you can develop your skills to a highly competent level and even join with the holidays to India and Vietnam to visit the origins of the crafts you are learning. This really takes your hand made items to a new level, first by printing the fabric with your own design and then either quilting or embroidering it, all techniques are covered on the courses organized by them, dates and details can be found on their website and newsletters. If textiles are your thing then you will love the group holidays organised by Jamie for like minded fans of fabric and art. The

Janice Issitt

Making the most of it

holidays go to all areas of India, from Kashmir to the South and on these you can visit expert printers and embroiderers in their cottage industries. These holidays sound like a dream to me, so grab a friend and indulge yourself in the richness of talent on show around the Indian continent. Later this year they will also be travelling around Vietnam, combining a sight seeing holiday with trips to places of interest for textile artisans. Here the dyeing of fabric with Indigo is covered along with travel through stunning scenery. A good his and hers trip this one, and really very interesting if you have a taste for the unusual.

If Asia is a bit beyond your budget then perhaps a trip to one of the quilt shows in Exeter, Edinburgh or Lincolnshire would suit. Colouricious will have stands at these shows where they demonstrate block printing, alternatively you can invite Jamie to teach your own group of friends, contact details are on their website: www.colouricious.com Personally I’m watching out for any Shibori dyeing courses using natural Indigo, this is one of the earliest known types of cloth dyeing, originating in Japan in the 8th Century and has become one of the hottest trends for craft lovers. Shibori fabric was big on the cat

walks and in interiors last year, it looks like an advanced version of what we used to call Tie Dye, but Shibori is always blue indigo and much more delicate in patterns. Last year I visited an expert in Japanese fabrics (Shibori and Boro) and this has become one of my most popular blog posts. Fingers crossed that Colouricious will be adding this course again later this year, perhaps I will see you there. Colouricious is based at 11 Copperkins Lane, Amersham, Bucks, HP6 5QB www.colouricious.com 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.

Column: The Flo Show with Florence Grace

Don’t let me hear you say...

he start of 2016 has been particularly gloomy, with a huge amount of popular celebrities passing away. One of these, David Bowie, is something of a local legend as he played at Aylesbury’s Friars Club three times in the early 70s and did his first ever Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars gig here. A rather touching tribute was paid in Aylesbury’s market square to remember the singer and the light sprinkling of stardust he bestowed on the town. It’s sad but true that many of us take our lives for granted, not really appreciating how fragile life is until we lose someone we love and it shocks our system. The number of celebrity deaths already in 2016 really made me think about my own life. Am I really living it to the full? Taking advantage of being well, healthy and able? No, is the answer to that. Whilst I do an awful lot of exciting things with my time that do make my life very worthwhile, I

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2016

Locals gathering under the arches by Market Square to pay tribute to David Bowie. Picture by Sue Stopps

Florence Grace The Flo Show

Bowie at Friars 1972 Pic Peter Randall also spend a lot of time doing very negative things - complaining about my looks, sleeping for an extra hour and missing breakfast (and sometimes even lunch!), eating too many carbs and not enough fruit, sitting glued to a laptop and whining about life too much. If I knew I was going to die tomorrow, would I have any regrets about my life? Certainly - I didn’t explore the world around me enough, I lived too much through

my phone and not with enough experiences, I didn’t treat my body like the temple it is (after all, it only keeps me alive...). So my New Year resolution is to have more positive outlook. I want to start living better, being better, being healthier and happier. I’m going to go out more, without my phone (can you believe it!) and actually take in and enjoy what’s going on around me! I want to travel more and learn

about different cultures across the world and I want to make sure I sleep enough, drink enough water and eat a balanced diet! I don’t want to have any regrets and when I hopefully reach a healthy old age I want to be able to look back on life and feel that I did all that I wanted to and that, above all else, I was happy. Life really is fragile. It can be taken from us in a second. We only get one shot at it, so it’s so important that we do it well the first time around! Love from, Florence Grace. l Florence Grace is a freelance journalist, social media manager and blogger from Aylesbury. You can read her blog at: www.lovefromflorencegrace.co.uk

l Column: Alan Candy’s Altomobiles

Bit of a star O Vauxhall Astra Elite Nav

ne of Vauxhall’s most familiar models has reinvented itself as the safest and most technically advanced Astra ever produced. The more sharply designed family five-door hatch I tested is notable not just for its improved styling, smooth handling and comfortable travel but for the cutting edge technology that puts safety first and foremost – computers working hand in hand with motorists, if you like. The new Astra Elite Nav 1.6CDTI 136PS S/S I have been enjoying has the highest comfort and tech levels I have ever seen in a Vauxhall in more than 35 years of testing cars, yet integrates its dazzling operation so seamlessly that it seems naturally to fit your normal pattern of driving. The star attraction - if you’ll excuse the pun - is Vauxhall’s

Alan Candy’s

Vauxhall Astra Elite Nav

AltomobilES unique OnStar, which has three functions displayed in a panel near the rear view mirror. The first, which will probably be the one most gleefully seized upon by all the family, turns the car into a mobile 4G WiFi hotspot which can be used by seven devices at the same time. The second takes you through to an advisor at any time to request information on the move such as where the nearest petrol station is and roadside assistance if you have a flat tyre or run out of fuel, plus

potential lifesaver is that OnStar also features automatic crash response and will contact your vehicle to check if you are OK. If they receive no response, they will immediately send emergency services to your location. There’s also a MyVauxhall app for Apple and android to contact OnStar from anywhere and activate a number of car functions remotely, such as locking or unlocking the car. The test car also featured two rear USB charging points; a Navi Continued on page 67

The OnStar display panel vehicle diagnostics such as tyre pressures and oil life. The third is an SOS button used in an emergency with a hotline to an advisor. They can send 999 teams to you. Another

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Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2016 65 03/11/2012 09:32

Factfile: Model tested: Vauxhall Astra Elite Nav 1.6CDTi 136PS. Price: ÂŁ22,200. Performance: 0-62mph in 9 secs; top speed 127mph. CO2 emissions: 103g/km. Economy: Combined 72.4mpg (I averaged 49.8mpg). Emergency and info: OnStar service.

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Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2016

Continued from page 65 900 IntelliLink system; multi functional trip computer and tyre pressure monitoring system, plus auto lighting control with tunnel detection, space saving electric parking brake and daytime LED running lights. Phew. My favourites? Undoubtedly the heated seats front and back AND heated steering wheel – the ultimate cold weather luxury. Which brings me to actually driving the car – a highly enjoyable experience. Ride quality is among the best you’ll get for the money in this

class of car, the turbodiesel engine features brisk acceleration and quiet cruising, while involving steering and a peachy six-speed manual gear change add to the pleasure. Minus marks? The main dials for speedo and rev counter are small and hard to see accurately on the move, there were no parking sensors on the test car and the load floor is only two tier when rear seats are converted, rather than completely flat. But overall this new age Astra is right in the mix in an age of auto technology.

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l Column: On

The Road

C’est sleek DS5 Prestige BlueHDi

955 - a memorable year that saw my first birthday, the resignation of Winston Churchill as PM due to ill health, the legendary Dam Busters film was released, Clarence Birdseye began selling fish fingers in the UK, and across the channel in Paris a car called the DS made its debut at their motor show. Which was the most notable occasion can be argued in pubs the length of the M25, but with the sad exception of Sir Winston, we’re all still around. The DS, though, has been the subject of a renaissance in recent times. It’s been an iconic tag over the years since its birth, with fans of a classy chassis and sleek styling appreciating offerings like the big Bertone styled DS Safari, an estate car in the truest sense of the word. The DS was the first mass produced car with disc brakes and self-levelling suspension. On that debut day in 1955, 12,000 DS 19s were sold as motorists bought into its avantgarde styling and engineering innovation. That’s kind of evident today with the latest DS5. You can argue that the styling maybe doesn’t quite cut the haute couture cloth but it is a refreshing look in a sea of

DS5 Prestige BlueHDi

Rob Auchterlonie

ON The Road

DS5 Prestige BlueHDi You’ll notice a large cowl atop of the main panel in front of you, and that keeps any reflection from the instruments onto the big screen above to zero. As I said, it gets high marks for style, as its forefather did 60 years ago, with a noticeable use of chrome highlights on the exterior and the usual collection of toys inside - a 7 inch touch drive interface, front and rear park sensors, a reversing camera, three part glass roof with electric sunblinds, noise reducing front windows (a sensible addition here), blind spot monitoring and a stylish retro look analogue clock that harks back to the 50s. Interior space for all is good

DS5 Prestige BlueHDi hatchbacks – and what other mainstream car gives you a real cockpit feel with a large overhead console dissecting the panoramic roof so that driver and passenger have their own individual glass area. In front of you there’s a windscreen that sweeps away and necessitates the need for a biggish quarterlight glass area that is classic Jekyll and Hyde. On a clear day it gives you a great view of the inside edge of a roundabout. But fail to clear it on a damp misty morning and I guarantee you won’t see through it at all and that has a big effect on your outward vision.

and those without the wheel to hold onto need it to be able to put their fingers in their ears when the start/stop button is pressed. The common rail turbocharged diesel under the bonnet here sounds a bit agricultural on start up - you can hear all the parts jostling for position under the bonnet, though thankfully it all smooths out as the speed builds up. The BlueHDi unit is the name given to the latest Euro 6 diesel engines. I won’t go into too much detail here but they say it’s the most efficient diesel emission control system currently available but for all its worthy ‘saving the planet’ attributes you can’t help feeling the overall package would be enhanced and at its absolute best ambling round with a smooth petrol engine providing the propulsion. That’s not an attempt to put the diesel down - merely an observation thrown in for consideration…. FASTFACTS: DS5 Prestige BlueHDi 150; £29,560; four cylinder 1997cc turbocharged diesel, 150hp, 370Nm; six speed manual; top speed 127mph, 0-062mph 10.9secs; fuel - urban 64.2, extra urban 74.3, combined 68.9; CO2 105g/km; will it fit the garage? 4530/2128 (l/w); three year/60,000 mile warranty.

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2016

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