Vale Life Magazine Mar-Apr 2017 Web Edition by Charlie Trott

Vale Life FREE MAGAZINE

Your free magazine for Aylesbury, Thame and the surrounding area

Inside:

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

Mar/Apr 2017

Cover image: Saffron Jump Suit & Poet’s Corner Scarf by White Stuff. See our SS2017 style feature - page 8.

All about you

Katy’s guide to Spring fashion

On yer bike

Time to take a Tour de Vale

Eggcellent idea

Rumsey’s to make it a cracking Easter

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

Plus our columnists: Katy, Heather, Naomi, Polly, Amanda, Janice, Cathy, Paul, Peter, Tracy, Sandra, Shaun, Nigel, Rob, Alan and much, much more...

Free local listings for events and businesses

w A Meal for two at The fat fox Inn, Watlington w VR Headset w cook book w w Tickets for grand designs live w Escape game for four w Rumsey’s chocs w

A Ridgeway Kitchen comes with one important extra feature — peace of mind

Bespoke, fitted or just supplied, our stunning range of German and English kitchens come with total peace of mind. Ridgeway will work with you throughout your project — whether small or large. It’s all done from surveying, designing, delivering and fitting your dream kitchen and using our own in house teams of experts. All you need to do is relax and enjoy the end result. Add to that free survey and design, it all adds up to a very attractive deal indeed. For more information on our range of over 500 kitchen options, you will be very welcome to drop into our showroom off the M40 near Thame in Oxfordshire. Or visit our website (www.ridgewaykitchens.co.uk) or call us on 01844 279900

Vale Life : Mar/Apr 2017

O ng EE C ooki st FR SEC ed b ber 1 O irm em PR nf ov

co e N ith or W bef

Eat, Drink & Dine

INVITES YOU TO CHRISTMAS AT THE CROWN Telephone: 01296 670216 E-mail: info@thecrowngranborough.co.uk

Winslow Rd, Granborough, Buckinghamshire, MK18 3NJ Web: www.thecrowngranborough.co.uk

The Crown, Winslow Road, Granborough, Buckinghamshire, MK18 3NP A mile south of Winslow, within 15 minutes of Aylesbury & Buckingham Within 30 minutes of Bicester, Leighton Buzzard and Milton Keynes

A charming village pub, attractively and sympathetically restored and now under new management, offering high quality dining in relaxed and comfortable surroundings, as found at our sister pub The Old Thatched Inn at Adstock

Pub open seven days - Monday: 5pm-10pm, Tuesday-Friday: 12-3pm & 5-11pm, Saturday: 12-11pm, Sunday: 12-8pm Food served: Tuesday-Saturday: 12-2.30pm & 6-9pm, Sunday: 12-5pm

Tel: 01296 670216 Web: www.thecrowngranborough.co.uk Vale Life : Mar/Apr 2017

Warm Tenerife sun Fantastic Saga value

SAVE TOUP £250 PER PERSON WHEN YOU BOOK BY MARCH 17, 2017

HOTEL AGUAMARINA 7 NIGHTS ALL INCLUSIVE FROM £599^ Including optional travel insur ance provided by Cigna Insurance Services (Europe) Limited, or a reduction of £30 if not requi red

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FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL ADAMS TRAVEL 11 MARKET SQUARE, AYL ESBURY CALL 01296 873017 ^Price is per person based on two people sharing Dec 12, 2017 departure with the scheduled services of Thomas Cook Airlines from Gatwick to Tenerife and includes offer discount. Book by Mar 17, 2017: SAVE up to £250 on selected departures and durations between Oct 1, 2017 - Apr 10, 2018. Holiday Code: TFG01. Saga’s holidays are for anyone aged 50+. A travelling companion may be 40+. Saga Holidays is a trading name of ST&H Ltd (registration no. 2174052), which is a subsidiary of ST&H Group Ltd (registration no. 0720588). Both companies are registered in England and Wales. Registered Office: Enbrook Park, Sandgate, Folkestone, Kent CT20 3SE. With respect to general insurance products sold in the UK, ST&H Ltd is an appointed representative of Saga Services Limited, registered in England and Wales (company no. 732602), which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. NHA-GH6041. Published March 2017.

01296 622975 07711750917 4

Vale Life : Mar/Apr 2017

F u n e r a l D i r e c to r s 21 -23 High Street, Wendover HP22 6DU

bradleyandjones.co.uk time@bradleyandjones.co.uk

Vale Life : Mar/Apr 2017

R LI for ing 01 DA you n 29 Y B r ow 6 RO 20 33 C 17 66 H 66 UR E

www.crusader-holidays.co.uk

BRITA IN & EUR OPE

BY CO ACH 20 17 exciting holidays across 15 coun tries

Discover 120

Crusad erHolid ays

Spring is here - brighten your year with a Bank Holiday break or bulbfield cruise!

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Fri 31st March 2017 MAY BANK HOLIDAY SPECIALS Beautiful Bournemouth Fawlty Towers at the Andre Rieu Live In France If you have not booked your early break £385 4-Star Orchard Hotel 4 Days The of Waltz Returns! Andréfantastic selection yetKing take a look at our

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2 Days Single room supp.£15 Rieu is back in5France a brand Single supplement extra of British day with tours! Lets take a trip back in time - we Insurance £23 new show! André Rieu will give you all loved Fawlty Towers! Come Date: May 1st, 2017 – 5 days. what you’ve come to expect from his and join in the fun as John Cleese performances: maestro Breakfast conducting & All breaks the include: impersonator, Edmond Wells, his 60-piece Johann Strauss Orchestra Evening Meal & 2 Full Day Excursions. the only 6’ 7’’ Basil Fawlty look and playing his world-famous and sound alike, walks the walk Stradivarius to create a colourful Torbay’sviolin Jewel in the Crown from £325 and talks the talk! Typically the concert full of Bournemouth surprises. The repertoire Beautiful from £325 Fawlty Towers theme night will ranges from romantic, emotional start with meeting and greeting Durham & The Beamish Museum from £429 ballads to the most gorgeous and thedetails guests at Basil where you can Find more onreception. our website, Ilfracombe from £335 celebrated waltzes. will announce dinner as also request a FREE brochure.Manuel Experience the&magic André Rieufrom at Liverpool PortofSunlight £399. leads guests to dinner in time a festive and memorable evening and honoured fashion. Sybil is her come see why André Rieu is one of the usual self, Manuel will feature Master Growers showpiece and rightly draws visitors from most popular live acts in the world! as a the waste of space, whilst Basil all around world to marvel at this spectacular sight. willExcursion: be giving the sort ofSchaans service Optional Zaanse one would expect from a top An impressive open air conservation area with an DUTCH BULBFIELDS CRUISE – 2018 class Torquay hotelier, all without unrivalled collection of windmills and historic wooden the various war! Room, April 8th - 5 Days - ONLY £599 houses mentioning brought from parts of the country and February 10, 2017 – 4 days dinner & breakfast plus live The perfect way to see the best of Holland is from the now reconstructed as an 18th / 19th century Dutch The Feast of Saint Valentine evolved into an occasion in which lovers used entertainment from ‘the staff’. picturesque Dutch waterways. Enjoy all the comforts of to express their affection for each other by presenting flowers, offeringvillage. (NB additional admission for museum and the attractive 3* river cruise ship, MV Esmeralda, as you This 2 day tour is from restricted joining points in windmill) confectionery and sending greeting cards. These days it is also the perfect Bucks, Beds, Oxon and some Hertfordshire points. admire the ever changing scenery floating by. Visiting opportunity to take your loved one away for a short romantic break. Price Includes: the dazzling rainbow displays of tulips in the Spring has To ensure an unforgettable and enjoyable Valentine’s, we’ve come up with MV Esmeralda Cruise for 4 nights full board always firmyou favourite ofweekend. Crusader butweekend why notincludes try (NB ideas that been shouldahelp plan your Your a no lunch on Day 4) this very special Bulbfields and take to the water! Afternoon tea & biscuits daily special gift for the ladies so lookholiday for the Valentine. Included Excursion: Bulbfields & Keukenhof Gardens Onboard midnight snacks at 23.00 Captain’s Farewell Dinner Tour the glorious Bulbfields of Holland and enjoy an new style IncludedLook tourat toour Bulbfields & Entrance to Keukenhof Gardens included visit to Keukenhof Gardens. This is the Dutch 2017 brochure – out in Welcome drink on embarkation OnboardSeptember. entertainment for 2 nights. Porterage. Please note: All cabins located on the outside (no inner) and have Some of our are holidays Romantic Wokefield Park, Berkshire with Snowdrop Walk (HB) £275 two singleare beds (no bunks). already on our Warner – Gunton Hall, Suffolk - Top Tribute Party: Take That & Bruno Mars (HB) £259 When available single room/cabin supplements will apply. Travel website and don’t Mill Rythe - Hayling Island – Moonlight & Roses (HB) £219 Insurance on request. forget the early Many more luxury coaching breaks can be found on our website. Amsterdam (BB) £279 booking discount Romantic Paris (BB) £279 offer!TRIP BROCHURE is due out soon. A new DAY

NEW RELEASE EARLY BOOKING ADVISED Valentine Weekends - Love is in the air!

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Please ring to register for your copy.

Visit www.crusader-holidays.co.uk to book now

For more information contact our reservations department on 01296 336666 Holidays: www.crusader-holidays.co.uk

Vale Life : Mar/Apr 2017

Day Trips: www.mottsholidays.co.uk

4 Buckingham Street, Aylesbury, HP20 2LD Crusader Holiday Shop, 4 Buckingham Street, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, HP20 1BH Crusader Holidays, 13 Crusader Business Park, Stephenson Road West, www.facebook.com/mottstravel Clacton, Essex, CO15 4HP Please see our current brochure for booking conditions and trading charter.

Vale Life : Mar/Apr 2017

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

All about you

What’s in a name?

Golden years

Collate, curate, create

Hi ho silver shining

Rock solid

Defying the years

Home improvers

Sound the retreat

Crafted from wood

Under the skin

Trends in your home

Scents are scent-sational

Step inside

The subtle difference

Over the fence

On yer bikes

Spring into action

Time to bounce back

Turn it up

Stepping up

Feeling spiritual

Eggcellent idea

More than meat

16 18 20 21 22 22 24 26 29

Katy’s guide to Spr/Sum fashions Local firm’s 125th anniversary Janice discovers metal clay Amanda’s impressed by Elemis Emma’s relaxing yoga weekend Dental firm offers facial aesthetics Kirsten works with essential oils

Tracy’s talking cosmetic procedures Time to take a Tour de Vale Can you build resilience?

Smart new look for podiatry clinic

30 Benefits of apprentices 32

Government grants make trainees cheap

Switch on to Nintendo

Meet Andrew, our Tech spec guru

2D or not 2D that is the question Polly’s talking interiors

A busy year at the rock face Omega team has lots to offer Mark’s creating quite a portfolio Charlotte’s pick of the homeware pops Doors are opening for Urban Front Naomi’s got a problem with wind Garden centre is a one-stop-shop More news from the music scene Ghost The Musical is on its way Win some gorgeous Rumsey’s chocolates Butcher’s shop is foodie heaven

It’s a winning combination!

hame seems to be attracting more than its fair share of accolades at the moment. First the town was pipped at the post for top spot in the Great British High Street awards, then the local Atalay kebab van won Best Kebab Van at the British Kebab Awards and now Thame has won four prizes at the Revive & Thrive Local Legends Conference. The conference was attended by Sonja Francis and Helen Johns, steering group members of 21st Century Thame, who were nominated to attend as

ongratulations to the following Feb/Mar edition competition winners! Hopefully your prizes will have arrived by now, please let us know

‘Local Legends’ for their work on Thame projects. Local Legends are individuals or groups of passionate people, businesses, councils, or town teams who, with imagination, energy and motivation have made their place remarkable. The four prizes, funded by sponsors of the Local Legends Conference, are all aimed at improving the town centre and building Thame’s profile, so that it continues to develop as a vibrant and flourishing market town. Global Treasure Apps, developers of an award-winning app that

if not. Commiserations to those who weren’t so lucky - read on though for more competitions inside this edition, including the chance to win: A meal for two at The

finally Revive & Thrive, originators of the Local Legends awards and publishers of Place magazine, will automatically updates with location- produce a special issue of Place that promotes every aspect of Thame based content, will arrange a free to national audiences, showing off treasure trail guide to Thame’s all that is best about the town - not visitor attractions, with 12 months’ a bad haul! The Local Legends marketing support. Noggin, the campaign includes four elements data specialists, will provide a halfdedicated to successful place day workshop to help Thame use management: Inspire, Do, Deliver data more effectively and support growth in the local area. Real Towns, and Achieve, a winning combination providers of solutions that empower if ever I heard one, no matter what you are doing, what a great idea. towns, putting them in charge of Happy reading y’all! their digital futures, will arrange a free digital health check and award a bronze, silver or gold badge that positions Thame in the Real Towns’ Editor, Vale Life Magazine UK digital status league table; and

Fat Fox Inn, Watlington; Tickets to Grand Designs Live; A Pop360 VR Headset; an Escape Game for four at City Mazes Oxford; a copy of the Oxfordshire Cook Book; a

Charlie

box of Rumsey’s chocolates and a pair of hotter pumps. Last issue’s prizewinners were: A meal for two at the Crown Inn, Sydenham: Mrs Cei Starr, Princes Risborough

Tickets to the National Wedding Show: Daisy Lawrence, Wendover; Emma Westerling, Aylesbury; Keira Rush, Tring

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 : Mar/Apr 2017

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

It’s all about you!

f you’re a regular reader of the style column, then you’ll already know that new season - be it Autumn/ Winter or Spring/Summer are my most favourite times of the year. I love the fresh, new feeling each new season brings - along with all the new collections of course! Spring is definitely here - and whilst this always means more colour in fashion it is simply a reflection of lighter, brighter days and spring growth with new colour and fresh starts. So what is going to be in the shops for the new season - what might you want to invest in and what might you want to store away or perhaps replace? For Spring/Summer 2017, the big news all seem to be S’s. Stripes, shoulders and sleeves. So what for you?

River Island Cold Shoulder Denim

White Stuff, Thame

Getting the cold shoulder Around for a second season, the cold shoulder look may feel exactly that right now - a little chilly but oh-so flattering 8

Vale Life : Mar/Apr 2017

on the arms and shoulders. There are styles in dresses for everyday and special occasions plus girly, flirty floral blouses that are truly versatile yet scene stealing.

Accessorize Stabstich Blanket Scarf

Majestic Filatures T-Shirt Brookes, Wendover Earn your stripes Stripes are once again a key theme this Spring & Summer. So easy to wear, and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not just Bretons. Fabulous jackets, skirts and even striped accessories that cleverly confuse creating illusions of shape and movement. Try mixed diagonals, colour and make the colourway bold to make a statement too.

River Island Pink Shimmer

Meet the Sleeves Sleeves are all over the place â&#x20AC;&#x201C; literally! From bell-shaped to flouncy to larger than life lampshade styles. Whilst pretty and feminine, they are not exactly the most practical! But the true fashionista will no doubt embrace their frivolity and wear them well.

Brookes, Wendover

Pretty in Pink Pink is always a winner in Spring. From fuchsia to bubblegum to baby, there are pinks to suit everyone. Continued on page 10

Mint Velvet Pink Side Zip Knit

Take a trip to Haddenham and visit White Hart Studio, where you will find beautiful jewellery and gifts, imaginative cards, unique and interesting furniture, eyecatching homeware, stylish clothing and more... White Hart Studio, 15 Churchway, Haddenham, Buckinghamshire, H P17 8AB Tel: 01844 292308 Open Tue-Sat: 10am-5pm & Sun: 11am-4pm www.whitehartstudio.com Vale Life : Mar/Apr 2017

Column: Katy Dyer‘Style File’

M&S Collection Yellow Drawstrig Bag Office Shoes - Harmony Pink Heel Sandals

Mint Velvet Cutout shoulder layered top

Mint Velvet Stripe Playsuit

M&S Black Tie Top, Stripe Skirt, Red Handbag Continued from page 9 Tops, accessories and even shoes will add that feminine touch to any outfit. And keeping it tactile in soft knits and modern plant-based fabrics, such as bamboo, viscose and Tencel. Shoes and sandals in nude shades of ballet shoe pink and natural are still a hit, but will now be found encrusted with beautiful details of sequins, glitter and sheen and even a touch of fur! Mellow Yellow Yellow is most definitely seeing a real resurgence this spring. But as a notoriously difficult colour to wear it is perhaps not for everyone. 10

Vale Life : Mar/Apr 2017

Office Shoes - Flat Glitter Sandals

Accessories are a simple, flattering way to add seasonal colour to your wardrobe without breaking the bank or compromising the colours that work best for you. There are yellow handbags, shoes, bracelets and bangles that will add a real splash of sunshine with no impact on your complexion! Time Zone The 80s are still with us dungarees to retro sneakers, it is the relaxed style statements of this decade that have been thrown directly in 2017. Wear it your way rolled up jeans with fashion trainers or sky high heels, that slogan tee

combined with a tube skirt or classic 501s – remember, it’s not going back to the 80s but a more subtle nod to a time of relaxed excess. Gorgeous in Grey Soft and light greys have taken the place of those wintry navies and midnight shades. If you have warmer colouring you will find that shades of stone and grey green will be more suited to you and that teamed with a bright shade of coral or daffodil, grey takes on a whole new look. If you have more contrast in your look or cooler colouring, grey will be perfect teamed with brighter

shades of turquoise, scarlet and electric blue. More muted? Those greys teamed with soft purple or jade will be a fabulous seasonal combination. Genderless One of the most exciting developments in fashion and style I’ve seen for a while is genderless. With designers keen to get all of the attention on their art (rather than the model) it’s all about getting the look noticed. So I think we will be seeing much more genderless clothing, with pieces suited to both Continued on page 12

Best destination destination for denim outside London. Best for denim outside London.

Brookesprovides provides a relaxed and intelligent approach to styling. Brookes a relaxed and intelligent approach to styling. Wehave haveaa superb superbrange rangeofofBranded Branded Denim, Spring coats We Denim, Spring coats andand jackets; cashmere knits, silk shirts and blouses, with carefully jackets; cashmere knits, silk shirts and blouses, with carefully selected such as as boots, scarves andand jewellery. selectedaccessories accessories such boots, scarves jewellery.

Tel: 01296 620623

Brookes, 2 Aylesbury Road, Wendover, HP22 6JQ e: | www.brookesclothing.co.uk | www.brookesclothing.co.uk e:info@brookesclothing.co.uk info@brookesclothing.co.uk Vale Life : Mar/Apr 2017

Column: Katy Dyer‘Style File’ M&S Stripe Dress & Silver Handbag

Brookes, Wendover Continued from page 10 sexes to further bolster equality, in this case in the fashion world. Remember, this season it’s all about your style - so don’t follow the crowd, make a statement with outfits that feel right for you - and add your own simple (or stunning) twist.

New York Kimono White Hart Studio, Haddenham 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 call: 01844 872 025 or email: katy@katydyer.com.

Sew Claire Dancewear & Accessories l Wide range of Ballet, Tap, Dance, Cheer & Gymnastic Clothing, Bags & Accessories l All types of Dance Shoes l Approved Pointe Shoe Specialist l We can also Personalise your Dancewear & Accessories for that perfect unique Christmas present

Sew Claire

Find us on Facebook or pop in to: 25 Duck Farm Court, Station Way, Aylesbury, HP20 2SQ Tel: 01296 706418 Email: sewclaire@hotmail.co.uk Web: www.sewclaire.co.uk

Helen Grace Beautifully hand crafted stylish hats

Image Style Colour Corporate

Wardrobe Review Personal Shopping Group Consultations & Workshops

01844 872 025 katy@katydyer.com www.katydyer.com 12

Vale Life : Mar/Apr 2017

and fascinators for all occasions To buy or hire Come and try on our wonderful hats and fascinators in the privacy of our studio in Shabbington Simply call for an appointment on 01844 201017

www.helengracehats.co.uk

Win a pair of Hotter new season shoes!

his season Hotter are bringing pretty prints and bold bright colours to your accessories wardrobe with their summer collections of stylish shoes and chic bags. Hotter have a shoe fit for any occasion, from comfortable pumps perfect for a weekend city break, to stylish heels for dancing the night away at a wedding. Each style contains a secret ingredient, which make every shoe effortlessly comfortable and timelessly stylish – a winning combination. And excitingly Vale Life Magazine has teamed up with Hotter to give one lucky reader the opportunity to win a brand new pair of Hotter Tara shoes. Slip into style with these beautiful printed plimsoll pumps and add a finishing touch to your outfit for those long summer days ahead. Tara pumps are a great alternative to classic trainers, providing a supportive and comfortable footwear option that doesn’t compromise on style. You’ll feel the spring back in your step once you’ve slipped your

feet into these super soft canvas uppers with feather-light soles and they will carry you anywhere. Made of premium canvas construction with airy breathable footbed and an ultra-lightweight polyurethane sole, Tara pumps are available in Beige Floral, Leopard Print, Denim Flock or Lilac Floral. They also feature a removable insole and padded collar. If you’d like to be in with a chance of winning a pair of hotter Tara shoes, simply email your name, address and telephone number along with the colour and size of shoe you would like from the Tara range and your answer to the following question, to: editor@vale-life.co.uk How many colours does the Tara pump range come in? Winner to be drawn at random from correct entries and notified by email by April 21st, 2017. l For more information on hotter

products for men and women, including footwear, bags and accessories, visit: www.hotter.com

RelayForLife-2017_Advert-HP-Bleed_265x170-AW_CRUK 21/12/2016 14:45 Page 1

AYLESBURY 1 - 2 July 2017 Nuffield Pavilion, Chestnut Avenue, Halton, HP18 9FY

Press Advert Half Page 265x170.indd 1

22/12/2016 09:58

Vale Life : Mar/Apr 2017

Column: Nicky Gregory‘Curious World’

Furniture with secrets

Nicky Gregory

Curious world

guess what this one, below, is? The prize for the winner chosen from correct answers is a £10 Gift Voucher for Antiques at Wendover.

Secret drawers see if you can feel indentations which if pushed may give you a surprise. Always be gentle, these fascinating compartments are clever, being heavy handed will not find them. There are many items of furniture with secret, hidden compartments which have not been found for many years – do you have such a piece of furniture? Have a look and if you find anything email

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.

19thC Mahogany Writing Table £450 The Old Post Office, 25 High Street, Wendover, Bucks, HP22 6DU Tel: 01296 625335 Email: antiques@antiquesatwendover.co.uk Website: www.antiquesatwendover.co.uk 14

Vale Life : Mar/Apr 2017

Vale Life and let us know. Follow these links for two pieces of furniture full of surprises – https://m.youtube.com/ watch?v=aqX6ZlODIPc https://www.reddit.com/r/ videos/.../this_antique_desk_is_ over_200_years_old_watch/ Our Feb/Mar mystery object was a pair of grape scissors! Can you

Mystery object Email your answers along with your name, address and contact telephone number to: editor@vale-life.co.uk Winner to be notified by email. 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

Pardon my English! A local dialect ‘Call My Bluff’ by Jacot de Boinod Can you guess the right definitions of the following words? 1) Plum bobs

(Hertfordshire dialect) A) raisins tied in a piece of linen, given to a baby as a pacifier B) downy particles which accumulate under furniture from the negligence of housemaids C) wax drips from a candle

2) Flasher

(Berkshire dialect)

A) a pimple B) a brush to remove cobwebs C) a handsome person

3) Lissom

(Berkshire dialect) A) smooth B) active (said of a child) C) attractive (said of a girl)

4) Drumble

(Hertfordshire dialect) A) a clean apron over a dirty dress B) sluggish C) to shoot a marble in an irregular way by jerking the fist forward instead of hitting it off by the force of the thumb only

l Adam Jacot de Boinod was a researcher for the

television series QI and is the author of The Meaning of Tingo and Other Extraordinary Words from around the World, published by Penguin Books. Having researched our rural dialect, he is setting a fun ‘Call-My-Bluff Quiz for Vale Life readers - mind your language now... ANSWERS: 1: A) raisins tied in a piece of linen, given to a baby as a pacifier. 2: C) a handsome person. 3: B) active (said of a child). 4: B) sluggish.

owadays most of us keep our money in bank accounts and our valuables in safety deposit boxes, but these only came into existence at the turn of the nineteenth century. Until then people had to make do with hiding their important documents, money, valuables and sentimental items in their homes. Furniture became the obvious place of concealment and cabinet makers excelled themselves by providing the cleverest of hidden compartments. Chests of drawers, bureaus, writing slopes and tables were the main items adapted to conceal hidden drawers, false bottoms and hollow legs. Look for drawers which are shorter than they should be, there may be something behind. An area showing more wear than expected, gently push, pull or squeeze and see if a hidden spring opens anything. The pillars each side of a small central door in a bureau are often hollow and can be pulled forward. Run your fingers over surfaces to

Vale Life : Mar/Apr 2017

Not many of us get to celebrate a 125th birthday but three generations of the same family will be doing just that at Aylesbury jewellers Hester Clarke this year...

he Victorian style clock on Cambridge Street, under which Hester Clarke trades, was commissioned by the jewellers in 2000 to commemorate the millennium. It is also a reminder of the Aylesbury firm’s longevity for the company was first set up in Victorian times and this year will be its 125th in business. The Clarkes running the firm are the third, fourth and fifth generations to be involved in the family business which came to Aylesbury some 48 years ago, from London, taking over the local Hester and Sons jewellery firm. Christopher Clarke and wife Ann have overseen operations for many

years, but now daughters Julia and Nicola have taken up the reins, although Christopher, who is now 84, still works most mornings. He grew up in London and joined his grandfather’s West End business in 1955. In 1969 he moved out to Buckinghamshire and started the new Hester Clarke company with his father, trading from a store on Temple Street - a bustling retail centre in those days, full of privately owned shops. They moved to the current premises in the early 80s. Hester Clarke’s success is due not just to hard work but to their expertise, professionalism and excellent personal service. Their staff are trained, qualified and

CELEBRATING

YEARS

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

Above: Julia and Nicola Right: Christopher Clarke knowledgeable and can be trusted to help and advise on the trickier aspects of buying jewellery such as the quality of the gemstones and precious metals involved. Christopher’s daughters Julia and Nicola have been involved with the family business for many years having started as youngsters making tea and sorting the post and now Julia’s son Michael is helping out too, with IT and marketing. “Things have changed over the years,” says Julia. “We don’t close for lunch any more and we have embraced online shopping - you can purchase items from our website at: www.hesterclarke.co.uk now. Jewellery is so tactile though, people still like to come in and see items, to touch them and feel the weight and to see how they sparkle. A lot of our pieces are bespoke and unusual and more readily appreciated up close. “We try to make shopping here an enjoyable experience. It’s a relaxed environment and we are friendly and helpful and will always gift wrap purchases.” Hester Clarke have an impressive

product range - there’s clocks, barometers and silverware, plus contemporary and traditional jewellery (something for all tastes and budgets from around £25 upwards). You can choose from classic pieces which are very wearable and don’t date, to unique and unusual modern designs, while bespoke pieces can be designed and made to a client’s individual specifications. They can also adapt or remake an existing piece of jewellery, perhaps a sentimental piece which is precious to the owner but needs updating to be wearable The company is also good for the repair and cleaning of jewellery, silver, watches, clocks and barometers; pearl restringing; watch batteries and straps; engraving and replating. l Hester Clarke, 10-14 Cambridge Street, Aylesbury, Bucks, HP20 1RS Telephone: 01296 482963. Website: www.hesterclarke.co.uk Vale Life : Mar/Apr 2017

Column: Janice Issitt ‘Making the most of it’

Hi ho silver shining

’m a bit late to the party on this one but I’ve just discovered Metal Clay. I learnt silversmithing many years ago and probably at that time Metal Clay was in its infancy, so this magical product totally escaped me during the years I was making silver jewellery in the traditional way. I recently attended a weekend workshop in Cambridge which covered the use of this material plus some other crafts like willow weaving (I’m currently trying to track down more classes for that in this area), but it was hunting down classes nearer to home that I discovered the WI retreat mansion house in Marcham Oxfordshire. The Georgian mansion house set in seventeen acres of grounds is called The WI Denman and offers a huge range of

residential courses in cookery, craft and lifestyle. So, Metal Clay then - well, its really interesting, the Japanese were ahead of the game in terms of recycling and in the 1990s discovered they could remove pure silver from components (like printed circuit boards) and then turn the precious metal into a

powder, held together with an organic binder and water, thus inventing metal clay. You can work the clay like any other art clay - quickly though, as it starts to harden when exposed to the air - and after drying and heating your item will turn to pure silver, actually a higher grade than 925 silver which is the standard for most jewellery. On my course, we made moulds with a rubber like compound first, but you can buy ready made moulds from suppliers. By pressing objects into the silicone before it hardens, you can imprint images of small objects such as a shell or acorn. When the mould hardens you press the metal clay into it and then follow a short series of steps to turn

Janice Issitt

Making the most of it the clay into a solid silver piece. You can find out more about this at the Metal Clay Academy on line, and also at Metal Clay Ltd, the UK site. Here you will see information about using and making with this and courses too. There are also many different courses at the WI Denman for later this year. They are very popular and book up quickly but staying at the mansion, which also has excellent cuisine, looks like a real treat, and I’m definitely going to try to advance my level in using metal clay and willow weaving with them. 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: Sandra Smith ‘Our Creative Vale’

Not like pulling teeth

ental technology and jewellery making are not dissimilar. Although techniques differ, both are metal work and some tools I used for prosthetics are helpful in creating jewellery.” Now firmly established as a designer, the lure of financial security determined Liz Dee’s initial choice of career in orthodontics rather than jewellery. When job satisfaction eventually waned she swapped her native South Africa for a stint travelling around the UK before signing up for an Art and Design Foundation Course. At this point jewellery retained its ongoing appeal. Prohibited from further training by foreign student fees, however, she opted for the care industry until, in 2015, when she launched a career embracing her first love. Inside a purpose built workshop in the garden of her Haddenham home Liz animatedly recalls the

“

Vale Life : Mar/Apr 2016

Liz Dee past two years. “After signing up for Bucks Open Studios I spent six months making jewellery. I hadn’t done any fairs so it was quite foolhardy really,” she laughs. “But it was brilliant! Now I do commissions and open by appointment.” Personable and fun, the 45 year old confesses that many of her designs are forged by trial and error. She loves the challenge of

commissions (“They make me do things I hadn’t thought of doing”) and enjoys the process of learning. Chuckling at her lack of sketching skills, she produces “primitive” ideas in pencil prior to crafting a template on tracing paper. “To create a ring I draw the length on flat metal, saw it then round off the edges. The silver is bent into a rough circle using pliers before soldering. The whole piece must be heated at this point though metal doesn’t need to be hot for pliability. I use a hand held butane flame for delicate work and hotter propane for thicker metal. A rough brush or hammering provides stippled finishes while sandpaper creates a satin texture.” Her range of beautifully delicate jewellery includes Stic-Kidz. Through this engaging concept, children’s drawings are converted into pendants, each bespoke design bearing a tag stating the name and age of the artist. It’s a tangible

Creative Vale

Sandra Smith opportunity to store and wear memories. To see examples of Stic-Kidz and Liz’s other creations head for any of the following shows where she will be exhibiting this summer: Art on the Hill (18th-19th March), Bradmoor Farm (29th-30th April), Thame Town Hall (20th May) or Bucks Open Studios (10th-25th June). www.thesilverworkshop.org.uk l Find out more about Sandra

Smith’s work as a freelance writer by following her on Twitter: @TheCurrentMrsS or visiting her website: www.TheCurrentMrsSmith.co.uk

Artists and Makers Fairs 2017 An excellent opportunity to view and buy original gifts and accessories for you and your home, directly from our collection of amazing, creative and imaginative local artists

THAME Town Hall, 0X9 3DP 22nd April, 20th May, 21st October, 18th November & 2nd December HADDENHAM Bradmoor Farm, Stanbridge Road, HP17 8JX 29/30th April & 9/10th December Princes Risborough Community Centre, Wades Park, Stratton Road, HP27 9AX - 11th November FREE ENTRY - Open 10AM to 4PM Contact Sally Evans E: sllyevan@aol.com T: 01844 273069 W: www.sallyevansevents.co.uk Vale Life : Mar/Apr 2017

Amanda Trott

l Column

Beauty therapist Laura Gilbey is a big fan of Elemis, ‘because it works,’ she says and with £10 off Elemis facials at her salon, now could be the time to try one....

Cleansing and toning the skin

Hot mitts - a pleasant way to cleanse

lthough I have enjoyed Elemis products over the years, I have never tried one of their Pro Collagen facials, so when Laura Gilbey, owner of Hidden Beauty in Stoke Mandeville, offered me the chance to try one, I jumped at it! Come the end of Winter I generally feel my skin lacks radiance and glow, so a hydrating facial is just what the doctor ordered, and with ageing being my main concern, Laura suggested I try the hour long, Pro Collagen Age Defy facial, which incorporates not only a face, neck and shoulder but also a scalp, hand and arm massage. The Elemis Pro Collagen Age Defy is clinically proven to reduce wrinkles by up to 97% and improves skin firmness by up to 93% after only one treatment. Specialised lifting massage, combined with proven marine extract, Padina Pavonica, helps re-energise cell communication and rejuvenate skin. Elemis base their products on natural ingredients and they contain no parabens or minerals. Before Laura started she carried out a consultation to see what I wanted from my facial and to check my medical history. She began by cleansing and toning my skin with Pro Collagen Cleansing Balm and the deliciously fragranced Soothing Apricot Toner, before using the rose Skin Bliss Capsules to give a relaxing face, neck and shoulder massage.

Vale Life : Mar/Apr 2017

Amanda Trott

Beauty Spot

Relaxing face, neck & shoulder massage Silk eye pads and face mask

Laura and Amanda after the facial. Inset: Amanda feeling calm as her face absorbs the Marine Cream Gentle Rose Exfoliator was then applied over the oil so as not to create any drag, which can damage the fragile skin on the face. Laura then used hot mitts to remove the exfoliator before she applied silk eye pads soaked in Pro Collagen Eye Booster and a peel off face mask. This was left to set for a few minutes whilst I enjoyed a stress busting scalp massage. Cleverly once the mask has set, it can easily be removed in one piece, leaving the skin ready for the second mask, this time a Pro Collagen Quartz Lift Mask, which helps to instantly uplift and hydrate tired skin. Cue massage number two - this time a truly indulgent hand and arm massage, guaranteed to send you into a deep sleep!

Finally, Laura once again used the hot mitts to remove every trace of the mask before applying a generous layer of Elemis’s famous Marine Cream. I was left with a wonderful sense of calm and wellbeing at the end, with skin that looked luminous and hydrated. Laura has been a Beauty Therapist for over 18 years and opened Hidden Beauty in September 2015 after previously owning a salon in Aylesbury. She has been a fan of Elemis throughout her entire career and has worked with and used it on herself for many years, hence her own wonderfully youthful and radiant complexion. Situated next to Bucks Goat Centre, Laura’s petite, vintage style salon is beautifully decorated, welcoming and comfortable and her many years within the industry are evident in the way she carries out her treatments. Normally Laura charges £68 for the Elemis Anti Aging facials, but during April she is offering £10 off, so book in quickly, the early bird catches the worm. Or should I say, bags herself a fantastic facial bargain! l Hidden Beauty, Unit 5, Layby Farm,

Stoke Mandeville, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, HP22 5XJ To Book Call / Text: 07771 330366

l To contact Amanda with regard to Beauty Spot

features please email: editor@vale-life.co.uk

Column: Fitness Focus with Kerrie Brindle

Are you FIT for business?

Health & Fitness

t’s 3.30pm and if you have any chance of getting through the rest of your working day you need a sugar fix, and you need it NOW!! Sound familiar? Whether you are sat at a desk all day or climbing up and down ladders, keeping yourself fit and healthy will help keep you focused, motivated and on top form at work. Kerrie Brindle is a Health & Wellbeing Consultant and Personal Trainer based in Aylesbury. Her company, beneFIT Health & wellbeing, delivers employee health and wellbeing interventions to organisations. Here are her 5 top tips for how to get yourself FIT for business: Stay Hydrated – Water has many more benefits than just quenching your thirst - it can help increase focus and concentration, improve sleep and increase energy. Make sure you are drinking at least 2 litres of water every day by keeping a bottle at your desk or in the car. Aim to replace sugary drinks and caffeine intake with water

Sit Less, move more - Physical activity programmes at work can reduce absenteeism by up to 20%. Just taking a short walk outside at lunchtime will mean you return refocused and energised for a productive afternoon. Aim for 150 minutes of exercise each week and split it into bite-sized chunks so you can fit it in around work and family! Make it easier by getting colleagues and family involved! Pack your Protein – Protein takes longer for the body to process so will keep you fuller for longer. Eating a protein packed lunch such as a chicken salad or tuna sandwich will balance your blood sugar levels so you can avoid the mid-afternoon slump. Try and avoid sugary snacks. Fuel your body – Don’t miss

meals, it can leave you fatigued, drained and lacking concentration. Andy working with a client at Elite A good breakfast will set you up for the day. Work life balance – In the UK we work longer hours than anywhere else in Europe. Get the balance right by setting a time to switch off work emails in the evenings and at weekends; use your annual leave; and take regular breaks during your working day. Through her beneFIT Health and Wellbeing services Kerrie helps create healthier, happier and more productive employees. Her wellbeing workshops and events are fun and interactive and designed to inspire and inform employees to become

Kerrie Brindle Corporate fitness

healthier and happier at work from understanding the effect of nutritional habits and behaviours, managing stress and sleep to becoming an Office Olympian, there is something for everyone. Health Checks offer employees an opportunity to ‘know their numbers’ from body fat to blood pressure and receive confidential lifestyle advice. Business bootcamps are fitness classes delivered before work, at lunchtime or at the end of the day. They are suitable for all ages and abilities and improve health, focus and motivation l Kerrie is a Corporate Wellbeing Consultant and Personal Trainer. See: www.benefithealth.co.uk or call: 07747 863743

ANTONIA BARNES MCFHP MAFHP FOOT HEALTH PRACTITIONER

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

£10 Elemis Facials & £5 off Shellac/OPI Luxury Manicures during March & April* 07771 330366 laura.gilbey@hiddenbeautyaylesbury.co.uk Unit 5, Layby Farm, Stoke Mandeville, Bucks. HP22 5XJ

www.hiddenbeautyaylesbury.co.uk

REGISTERED MEMBER OF THE BRITISH ASSOCIATION OF FOOT HEALTH PRACTITIONERS

*T & Cs apply, see website for more details

Charlotte Mobile Hairdresser Professional Hairdressing for

Everyone All in the comfort of your own home

Over 12 years of salon experience

A salon with over 10 years experience, specialising in re-styles, colour work, hair and makeup for weddings and parties.

Tel: 07479 939461 www.mobilehairdesign.com charlotte@mobilehairdesign.com • modern cutting techniques • colours (all types) • • colour correction • blow dry • curls & waves • • perms • sets • hair extensions • special occasions •

To book an appointment call or pop in

01296 338 344

Duck Farm Court, Station Way, Aylesbury, HP20 2SQ

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info@saffronhair.uk Vale Life : Mar/Apr 2017

Health & Fitness

Column: Fitness Focus with Emma Barker

Sound the Retreat! I

n my endeavour to live a balanced lifestyle and impart holistic fitness and wellness knowledge to my clients, I decided to try a ‘Yoga Detox Retreat’ run by Rach Cox of Wild Human Holistics, (www. WildHumanHolistics.com). Wild Human is the company behind the Oxford’s Om & Bass Yoga Festival and the ‘Om & Bass’ nights. Being a ‘Retreat Virgin’ I didn’t know what to expect and was nervous at the thought of being parted from my phone - the retreat has a strict ‘digital detox’ policy - no calls, social media, late night googling or shopping... eek! The Retreat was held in a beautiful house in Wheatley, just a short walk from the High Street. An eco-conscious house in every way, you’d think Grand Designs and Neal’s Yard designed it together! Food is vitally important on a Retreat, I had visions of eating only dust and drinking water, so I was pleasantly surprised when the food was delicious, with the choice of either a ‘fast detox’,

consuming only liquids in the form of smoothies and herbal teas, or a slightly easier version which let me eat soups and salads in addition. Being a provider of detoxes myself, I was impressed with the meal plan, it was well thought out and food was fresh, organic and locally sourced. There was an itinerary so you knew where you were and what to do at all times - vitally important on Detox as you tend to fixate on food, or is that just me! The day began with a detox tea followed by a 2-hour gentle yoga session, then, just when my tummy was starting to grumble for food and I was aching, in a good way, from the yoga flows, breakfast!

Throughout the day there was more yoga, meditation and other activities - from the ‘healing salts’ hot tub, to a holistic treatment, or simply chilling out. The yoga and meditations throughout the weekend were amazing, different styles, different teachers all designed to help mind and body detox. We observed silence in certain areas and at certain times, which was tough for a chatterbox like myself, but once my inner voice kicked in I found my inner dialogue quite amusing and enjoyed being in the present moment with me, myself and I. So why Yoga? With the busy pace of life that many of us keep, the

Emma Barker Spinning and wellness

yoga mat is a place we can stop for a while, unravel your busy mind, stretch and tone muscles and so much more! It’s a misconception that you need to be flexible or strong, yoga will make you both of these but you don’t need them to start. Here are some wonderful, local teachers to consider: www.everythingyogauk.com facebook.com/BeeYogaClasses www.emmamorganyoga.com l For more information on the

above or for help with your Fitness and Wellness habits, please get in touch with Emma via: barker_emma@hotmail.com or www.Facebook.com/Spininthame

katie banfield BSc (Hons) Ost. Med. ND ‘Movement for every body’ Welcoming, modern studio offering small group yoga & pilates classes, for all ages & abilities, in friendly, relaxing, professional environment Cross Keys House, New Road, Princes Risborough, Bucks, HP27 0LF Tel: 07793 387272 Email: enquiry@evolvepilatesphysio.co.uk Website: www.evolvehealthwellbeing.co.uk

Registered Osteopath Winslow: 01296 714504 Stoke Mandeville: 01296 612361 Enquiries: 07770 917388 www.katiebanfieldosteo.co.uk

Return to Equilibrium 20% discount on presentation of this advert Reflexology for all ages (One discount per patient treatment only)

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Vale Life : Mar/Apr 2017

Many businesses diversify to offer their customers a little extra these days and dentists are no exception. In Winslow, for example, the White House Dental Studio not only offers top quality dental care, but a selection of anti-ageing and beauty treatments in their Skin Studio, too....

hite House Dental Studio, previously the White House Dental Practice, has been serving patients in the Winslow and surrounding area for some 15 years. It is located in a pretty white cottage on the High Street near a large, free public car park and smartly decorated in a professional but relaxing style, with a comfortable reception area and two modern treatment rooms. The studio is owned and run by dental surgeon Dr Shakir Mughal and his wife Nafisa Mughal, a hygienist and facial aesthetician, with help from dentist Tracy Johnson, (who previously owned the practice and sold it to the Mughals in 2014), plus a small, friendly team including Rachel (practice Manager and Dental Nurse) Nazareene (Dental Nurse) and Receptionist Rajinder. The practice provides high quality dental care to adults and children - general dentistry, cosmetic dentistry, invisible braces and more recently - introduced and overseen by Nafisa Facial Aesthetic Treatments at Skin Studio. “I’ve been doing Facial Aesthetics for about five years,” says Nafisa. “and I really enjoy it. It makes for a varied day having clients in for Botox or Dermal Fillers between Dental Hygiene appointments. I think the Facial Aesthetics clients enjoy seeing me much more too, as no one looks forward to a visit to the dentist!” Nafisa trained in Harley Street and is qualified, licenced and insured to offer a variety of treatments from AntiWrinkle Injections (Botox) to reduce fine lines and wrinkles such as crow’s feet, frown lines and wrinkly foreheads, to Dermal Fillers for plumping up thin lips and areas that have lost their natural fullness over time and to fill out and smooth away deep wrinkles and lines. Nafisa also offers Skin Peels to renew, rejuvenate, improve and smooth the skin’s texture for a healthier more even complexion. Skin peels are available in varying strengths dependant upon the individual’s needs and can be good for treating skin conditions

Nafisa with patient

Nafisa and Shakir such as acne, age spots, sun damage and mild scarring. Nafisa also offers Skin Needling, or Collagen Induction Therapy which rejuvenates the skin by stimulating its own self-repair mechanism triggering new collagen production. Results can be similar to laser resurfacing or chemical peels but at a fraction of the cost and with minimum downtime. There is also the option of Semi-Permanent Make Up - a carefully applied colour pigment applied to the skin in a similar manner to a

tattoo, but not as deep. It’s ideal for shaping and defining eyebrows and White House Dental Studio lips and for semi-permanent eyeliner. A consultation to assess your individual requirements, treatment plan and costs is usual and in many cases can take place prior to the first treatment. “I think having a dental background adds to my aesthetics training,” says Nafisa, “as I have a good understanding of facial anatomy

and where all the muscles and nerves are and I also know about pain management, so I can numb the lips with an injection or dental block before doing Lip Fillers if the client would prefer. “The facial treatments we offer are great for a freshen up. Often a patient will come in not sure exactly what to go for but feeling they are not looking as good as they could. I offer a free consultation and am happy to chat over the options and advise on the different treatments, what they can achieve and the best choice for the outcome the patient is seeking. Often I can fit in a treatment after the consultation if the patient has made a decision.” Nafisa’s Skin Studio has a useful website (www.skin-studio.co.uk) with information on the treatments available and in the White House Dental Studio reception there are leaflets you can take away. Nafisa is kindly offering Vale Life readers 10% off any Facial Aesthetics treatment booked in April or May. Just mention Vale Life Magazine Special Offer when you call to book a consultation. l Skin Studio, White House Dental Studio, 34A High Street, Winslow, Buckinghamshire, MK18 3HB T: 01296 712264 E: info@whitehousedentalstudio.co.uk W: www.skin-studio.co.uk Facebook.com/SkinStudioWinslow Vale Life : Mar/Apr 2017

Column: Fitness Focus with Kirsten Jane

Scents are sensational H

ippocrates, the ‘father of medicine’ said: “The way to health is to have an aromatic bath and scented massage every day!” The use of essential oils to promote healing has been practised among cultures around the globe for more than 5,000 years. It has stood the test of time and become increasingly popular in recent decades, until today the healing art of aromatherapy needs little introduction. At the heart of an aromatherapy treatment lies the use of essential oils, chosen and blended specifically to the needs of an individual, and traditionally administered through the healing art of massage. Essential oils are the naturally occurring aromatic compounds found in plants which give them their unique aromas. If you’ve ever enjoyed the scent of a rose, or inhaled the alluring fragrance of a lavender bush in full bloom, then you’ve experienced the aromatic qualities of these oils. As well as being beautifully fragrant, these powerful yet subtle

Kirsten massages with unique blends of aromatherapy oils tailored to each clients specific needs instruments of healing boast an incredible range of therapeutic values and can be used for an array of physical, emotional and spiritual wellness applications. Many oils possess antiviral, antifungal and antibacterial

properties, some have a powerful sedative and relaxing action, whilst others are uplifting and stimulating. The list goes on. Individually, the extensive healing properties of these oils are awe-inspiring, but it is when the art of blending is put into practice that the magic of aromatherapy can really be unleashed. During an aromatherapy treatment essential oils work in many different ways to promote healing. The most notable being inhalation and topical application. Our olfactory system, the system responsible for our sense of smell, is directly connected to structures in our brain that play an important role in memory, recognition, social interaction and emotional responses. It is through this connection that inhaling the beautiful scents of essential oils offers so many healing benefits. When administered through massage, essential oils penetrate the skin, and once within the body, circulate around the bloodstream encouraging healing in the different

Health & Fitness

Kirsten Jane Natural Wellbeing Therapies body systems. Massage by itself is a healing therapy with a wide array of benefits, and teamed with the fragrant pharmacy of essential oils, aromatherapy treatments offer a truly holistic approach to enhancing and maintaining the health and wellbeing of the recipient. l Kirsten Jane is a fully qualified and insured aromatherapist, massage therapist and reflexologist based in Aylesbury. For a treatment or further information on aromatherapy and how it could benefit you, contact Kirsten Jane Natural Wellbeing Therapies on: 07526 596 033, or via: www.facebook.com/ Naturalwellbeingtherapies

Comfort and Quality from People who Care Independent Living Risborough If you are choosing a new sofa, suite, Made in Britain bed or chair, it is important to ensure your purchase is not only stylish but comfortable, provides the right support, is well-designed and constructed and offers value for money. ILC is a local, family-run business with many years experience supplying bespoke and offthe-shelf beds and chairs. Contact one of our Buckinghamshire showrooms for friendly, professional help and advice. ILC, Woodway, Loosley Row, Princes Risborough, Buckinghamshire, HP27 0NN Tel: 01844 273 050 Email: risborough@independentliv.co.uk Website: www.independentlivingconsultants.co.uk

Vale Life : Mar/Apr 2017

Five Year Warranties and Finance available

Vale Life : Mar/Apr 2017

Column: ‘Kiss & tell’ with Tracy Kiss

The subtle difference

ost people are shocked when they find out that I’ve had over £35,000 worth of private cosmetic and surgical procedures before the age of thirty; but as a beauty journalist I find it vitally important to share my experiences with the world in order to inform and educate others about the correct way for procedures to be performed and to ensure health and safety guidelines are always met. You can never be too careful with your health! Via my blog and medical TV shows I’ve appeared on, the public can see first hand what to expect, warts and all, and are therefore better able to make an informed decision about whether it’s right for them. They can ask me questions, receive help and advice prior to treatment from the practitioners and surgeons that I personally recommend and compare my before

nership with

Tracy enjoys a cup of herbal tea while awaiting her next aesthetic procedure and after results as well as seeing what’s involved in the healing and aftercare. Nowadays Social Influencers are taking the media by storm because the public has tired of photoshopped models in magazines, false advertising, misleading small print and cold calling; it’s refreshing to have a real person

share true thoughts and feelings in an unbiased way and that’s why I’m so prominent in the industry with my social following of 2.2million. Yet despite my many beauty procedures I remain a very normal looking, busy working single mother and the stereotypical girl next door, because the sign of a good surgeon is no sign of their work at all. To date I have had three breast surgeries, two laser eye surgeries, a labiaplasty, teeth straightening and whitening, mole removal, laser hair removal, laser stretch mark removal, cosmetic tattooing to my eyebrows eyeliner and lips, botox to my forehead and lip fillers and I’m hoping to have a bunion removed and rhinoplasty later on this year, after I’ve completed my first bodybuilding bikini contest in the summer. Aside from my PIP breast implants collapsing, which was a medical scandal across the UK,

Tracy Kiss

Kiss & tell

I’ve thankfully never had any other problem with the needles and knives that I’ve encountered over the past ten years, because I’m extremely thorough with my research before undergoing any treatment and always seek out world-renowned experts. I would never want to look fake or twenty years younger than I actually am; I appreciate my own family being able to recognise me as I grow old gracefully but a little tweak here and there certainly makes a subtle difference. l Read Tracy’s blog at: www.tracykiss.com or follow her on: Twitter: @misstracykiss or Facebook: /TheTracyKiss

THAME LEISURE CENTRE

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Walk, run, swim, or cycle yourself Walk, healthy run, swim, or cycle yourself healthy speak to aand member ofuntil with no contractactivities, and no joining with fee nountil contract no joining fee st st 31 January. staff or visit 31 January.

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Walk, run, swim, or cycle yourself healthy with no contract and no joining fee until

nditions apply, visit www.better.org.uk/terms for details. Better is a Terms registered and trademark conditions and apply, trading visit www.better.org.uk/terms name of GLL (Greenwichfor Leisure details. Limited), Better isa acharitable registeredsocial trademark enterprise and and trading registered name of society GLL (Greenwich under the Co-operative Leisure Limited), & Community a charitable Benefit social&enterprise Societies and Act 2014 registered registration society no. under 27793R. the Co-operative Registered office: & Community Benefit & Societies Act 2014 registration no. 27793R. Re Better is a registered trademark of GLLSE18 (Greenwich a charitable social enterprise. Registered office: Middlegate House, The Royal House, The Royal Arsenal, London, SE18 6SX. Inland Revenue Charity Middlegate no: XR43398 House, The Royal Arsenal, London, 6SX. InlandLeisure Revenue Limited), Charity no: XR43398

Arsenal, London, SE18 6SX IPS No: 27793, Inland Revenue Charity No: XR43398

Better is a registered trademark of GLL (Greenwich Leisure Limited), a charitable social enterprise. Registered office: Middlegate House, The Royal bals_2016_Jan_ThameLeisure_190x125mm_FV.indd 1 08/12/2015 Vale 10:02 Arsenal, London,GLL_Globals_2016_Jan_ThameLeisure_190x125mm_FV.indd SE18 6SX IPS1No: 27793, Inland Revenue Charity No: XR43398 Life : Mar/Apr 2017 23

08/12/2

nclose a cheq ue/postal orde r (payable to Please debi WheelPower) t my Masterca rd/Visa/Swit ........................ ch number: ........................ ........................ Start Date ........ ........................ ........................ ....................... ........ Security No Expiry Date ........................ ........................ .............. .............. Issue Cardholder’s No ................ Name ................ ........................ ........................ ... Signed ........ ........................ ........................ ...................... ........................ Date ................ ........................ ........................ ........................ ............ .. Ent

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Vale Life : Mar/Apr 2016

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The mix96 Tour de Vale Bike Ride is back - a fun, family event that raises vital funds for WheelPower, The Stoke Mandeville based charity transforming disabled lives through sport... Charity

Registratio

n No. 26549

oin our biggest and best bike ride this June, cruising one of three glorious routes that start and finish at Stoke Mandeville Stadium. There’s the 25km Fun Ride (15 miles), 60km Challenge Ride (35 miles) or 100km Advanced Ride, each equipped with water stops, marshals, first aid and support vehicles for your safety, so you’ll have a fabulous time touring our scenic countryside while raising vital funds for a very deserving cause. Hurry and register though as the 2,000 places are expected to sell out I enclose a cheque/postal order (payable to WheelPower) quickly and there’s only, 500 capacity on the Please debit my Mastercard/Visa/Switch number: 6 Tick here if you are a UK tax payer and Fun Ride! ....................................................................................................................... wish WheelPower to reclaim the tax on your donation (at no cost to you) Organised by locally based charity Start Date ........................................ Security No ...................................... WheelPower, the mix96Expiry Tour de Vale bike Date ...................................... Issue No ........................................... ride has raised funds to transform the lives Cardholder’s Name ...................................................................................... of thousands of disabled children and newly Signed .......................................................................................................... injured adults over the last 14 years. Date .................................................... Pre-order your WheelPower needs this support with every Entry Fee: Tour de Vale cycle jersey pound raised enabling them to continue their Adults £15, Under 16 FREE. Entry Fee on the day £30 Each vital work helping disabled people at Stoke Men: S, M, L, XL, I enclose payment for Entry fee. Mandeville Stadium and beyond - last year Adult £15.00 (£30 on day) £ .......................................... XXL XXXL, XXXXL Tour de Vale cyclists gathered an awesome Cycle Jersey (Adults £29, Childs £25) (circle size required) I enclose a cheque/postal order I(payable WheelPower) Ladies: S, M, L, XL, enclose atocheque/postal order (payable to WheelPower) £62,000! Closing date to pre order cycle jersey – 18th May Please debit my Mastercard/Visa/Switch number:

Tour de

debitXXXXL my Mastercard/Visa/Switch number: - S, Tour M, L, XL, XXXL, So don’t just enter the Mens mix96 deXXL,Please XXL XXXL 6 Tick here if you are a UK tax payer and here if you are a UK tax payer and 6 Tick ....................................................................................................................... wish WheelPower to reclaim the tax wish WheelPower to reclaim the tax Ladies - S, M, L, XL, XXL,....................................................................................................................... XXXL on your donation (at no cost to you) Vale Bike Ride - support WheelPower by on your donation (at no cost to you) Children: S, M, L Start Date ........................................ Security No ...................................... Start Date ........................................ Security No ...................................... Childs - S, M, L .......................................... raising as much sponsorship asDate you can for ExpiryIssueDateNo£...................................... Expiry ...................................... ........................................... No ........................................... Donation £ .......................................... £29 adultIssue/ £25 child the charity and help beat Additional 2016’s fantastic Cardholder’s Name ...................................................................................... Cardholder’s Name ...................................................................................... Total £ .......................................... effort. Ask family, friendsCarand colleagues Signedwork .......................................................................................................... Signed .......................................................................................................... Parking Date .................................................... one out, fill it in and post it 6 For (many companies will match their Plus rider who takes part inTickthe health and employees’ safety reasons parking at the stadium will be every restricted for the exclusive use of disabled participants. if disabled Date .................................................... parking is required. to WheelPower. Entry Fee: fundraising), your local shop, gym or anyone mix96 Tour de Vale will have a chance Entry Fee: Conditions that the Mix96 de Vale BikeFee Rideon is the a sponsored charity ride and I pledge to raise as much sponsorship as possible. Adults £15, Under 16Tour FREE. Entry dayFREE. £30 Each Call: 01296 395995 or Adults £15,to Under 16 Entry Fee on the day £30 Each awards that else you can think of. ITheacknowledge win one of WheelPower’s ride is not a race and all riders must obey the highway code and the wearing of a suitable cycling helmet is compulsory. I enclose payment for EntryI enclose fee. payment Entry condition fee. I understand that if I am in doubt about my health or have for a medical that could be affected by exercise, I should obtain my email: You can also raise funds securely online recognise exceptional achievement, these Adult £15.00 (£30 on day)at: £ .......................................... doctor’s approval before participating in the Mix96 Tour de Vale Bike Ride. Adult £15.00 (£30 on day) £ .......................................... Cycling can be dangerous and £29, I accept that the organisers cannot be held responsible for personal injury, accident, loss or damage caused info@tourdevale.com and www.wheelpower-raisemoney.org.uk are: Cycle Jersey (Adults Childs £25) (circle size£29, required) Cycle Jersey (Adults Childs £25) required) for participating safely in this or sustained as a result of my participation. I agree that I will abide by the rules set(circle out bysize WheelPower Closing order cycle jerseydate – 18th Mayorder Closing pre jersey – 18th May(500 25K) on a first come first served basis. event. Riders date underto 16pre must be accompanied by antoadult. Entriescycle limited to 2,000 places a form can be posted to Individual Fundraiser: The rider who Mens that - S, WheelPower M, L, XL, may XXL,take XXXL, I understand photographs in thisXXXXL event and permit them to use the images for promotional Mens - XXXXL S, M, ofL,me XL,taking XXL,part XXXL, purposes. you. sponsorship th Ladies - S, M, L, XL, XXL,Ladies XXXL - S, raises M, L, XL,the XXL, most XXXL By registering theL Mix96 TourChilds de Vale WheelPower your details, agree to WheelPower Childs - S,forM, £- .......................................... Pre-registration costs S,Bike M,Ride L and giving £ .......................................... Junior Fundraiser: Theyourider (aged storing your personal information on their database. You also agree to WheelPower sharing your information with Additional Donation £ .......................................... Additional Donation £ .......................................... £15 per adult (25km and 16 or under) who raises the bymost RideTotal partners and to occasionally receive information about WheelPower’s work, including email and SMS. You can Total £ ..........................................£ .......................................... unsubscribe at any time by emailing data@wheelpower.org.uk 60km) and£20 for the 100km ride. Children sponsorshipor by calling us on 01296 395995 t 01296 395995 e info@tourdevale.com or tick here to opt out of ALL future mailings (including future bike rides). under 16 go FREE but must be accompanied Top Fundraising Team: Are you riding We will NEVER sell your information to third party organisations. by an adult. Handcyclistswww.tourdevale.com are FREE too. with a group? (e.g. cycling club, company, RETURN WITH YOUR REGISTRATION FEE TO: On day entry costs £30/£40 for each rider. scouts). Please state the name of WheelPower, Stoke Mandeville Stadium,school Guttmann or Road, Stoke Mandeville, Buckinghamshire, HP21 9PP or enter online at www.tourdevale.com Supported by this group and your fundraising total will be Images courtesy of Ollie Moore & Keith Worger added to the rest of your group and entered l WheelPower, Stoke Mandeville Stadium, Charity Registration No. 265498 th Guttmann Road, Stoke Mandeville, for the Top Fundraising Team award. Sunday 26Sunday June 2016 26th June 20 By registering for the Mix96 Tour de Vale Bike Ride and giving WheelPower your details, you agree to WheelPower

Vale

Bike Ride

Tour Tour de de

Vale Vale

Sunday 26 June 20 Stoke Mandeville Sta

Car Parking Car Parking 6 For health and safety reasons parking at health the stadium will be restricted for the exclusive usewill of disabled participants. Tick if disabled 6 For and safety reasons parking at the stadium be restricted for the exclusive use of disabled participants. Tick if disabled parking is required. parking is required.

Bike Ride Bike Ride

Conditions

Conditions I acknowledge that the Mix96 Tour deI acknowledge Vale Bike Ridethat is athe sponsored charity ride and pledge raise as much sponsorship possible. Mix96 Tour de Vale BikeI Ride is atosponsored charity ride and I as pledge to raise as much sponsorship as possible.

The ride is not a race and all riders The must obey theahighway and the wearing of ahighway suitablecode cycling is compulsory. ride is not race andcode all riders must obey the andhelmet the wearing of a suitable cycling helmet is compulsory. I understand that if I am in doubt about my healththat or have a medical could affected by exercise, I should obtain I understand if I am in doubtcondition about mythat health orbe have a medical condition that could be my affected by exercise, I should obtain my doctor’s approval before participatingdoctor’s in the Mix96 Tourbefore de Vale Bike Ride. in the Mix96 Tour de Vale Bike Ride. approval participating Cycling can be dangerous and I acceptCycling that the cannot beI accept held responsible for personal injury, loss or damage caused canorganisers be dangerous and that the organisers cannot beaccident, held responsible for personal injury, accident, loss or damage caused or sustained as a result of my participation. I agreeasthat I willofabide by the rules set out by WheelPower this or sustained a result my participation. I agree that I will abidefor by participating the rules set safely out byinWheelPower for participating safely in this event. Riders under 16 must be accompanied by anunder adult.16Entries to 2,000 places (500 25K) on limited a first come first places served(500 basis.25K) on a first come first served basis. event. Riders must limited be accompanied by an adult. Entries to 2,000 I understand that WheelPower may take photographs me taking part thisphotographs event and permit use in the images I understand thatof WheelPower mayintake of methem takingtopart this eventfor andpromotional permit them to use the images for promotional purposes. purposes.

By registering for the Mix96 Tour de Vale Bike Ride and giving WheelPower your details, you agree to WheelPowerBucks, HP21 9PP storing your personal informationstoring on their also agree WheelPower information with sharing your information with yourdatabase. personal You information ontotheir database. sharing You alsoyour agree to WheelPower Tel: 01296 395995 Ride partners and to occasionallyRide receive information about WheelPower’s work, including email and SMS. Youincluding can partners and to occasionally receive information aboutbyWheelPower’s work, by email and SMS. You can unsubscribe at any time by emailing data@wheelpower.org.uk or by calling us on 01296 395995or by calling us on 01296 395995 unsubscribe at any time by emailing data@wheelpower.org.uk Email: info@wheelpower.org.uk t 01296 395995 et info@tourdevale.com #Tourdevale 01296 395995 e info@tourdevale.com or tick here to opt out of ALL or future mailingsto(including bike rides). tick here opt out offuture ALL future mailings (including future bike rides). Website: www.tourdevale.com We will NEVER sell your information to third party We will NEVER sellorganisations. your information to third party organisations.

How do I enter? It’s easy to enter - either fill out an online entry form at: www.tourdevale.com or print RETURN WITH YOUR REGISTRATION FEEWITH TO: YOUR REGISTRATION FEE TO: RETURN WheelPower, Stoke Mandeville Stadium, Guttmann Road, Stoke Mandeville, WheelPower, Stoke Mandeville Stadium, Guttmann Road, Stoke Mandeville, Buckinghamshire, HP21 9PP or enter online at www.tourdevale.com Buckinghamshire, HP21 9PP or enter online at www.tourdevale.com

2 24

Vale Life : Mar/Apr 2016

Images courtesy of Ollie Moore & Keith Worger Images courtesy of Ollie Moore & Keith Worger

Stoke Mandeville Stadium Stad Stoke Mandeville

www.tourdevale.com www.tourdevale.com Charity No. 265498

Supported by

Supported by Charity Registration No. 265498

Charity Registration No. 265498

It takes a special person toâ&#x20AC;Ś â&#x20AC;Śwalk all night for the Hospice

Midnight Walk 2017 Saturday 24 June 6 or 13 mile walk for women starting and finishing at Aylesbury College fnhospice.org.uk/midnight-walk

Registered Charity: 1119499 Vale Life : Mar/Apr 2016

Column: ‘Good Health’ with Sandra Smith

Time to bounce back T

he ability to bounce back and recover from adverse experiences not only ensures our mental health stays on track, but keeps us in good physical shape, too. Daily challenges and life altering events are often testing. Building inner strength, and adopting strategies to develop resilience, however, make us stronger and more likely to cope with setbacks. Therapeutic Counsellor, Julie Edwards, explains ways in which low resilience can manifest itself. “Feeling as though nothing is going right can trigger anxiety and depression or affect our sleep. Our bodies aren’t designed to live with stress all the time so physical effects could include increased blood pressure, strokes or even heart attacks.” Whilst resilience levels may fluctuate, for instance when multiple problems arise with little time between to recover,

Resilience

combating catastrophising predicting negativity then assuming an unfavourable outcome inevitably ends in catastrophe - is the key to unhelpful thinking styles. “Two people can go through an identical experience; one may come out stronger, the other will be crushed. You have to notice what’s happening in your mind and challenge those thoughts.” As a Counsellor, Julie offers strategies to promote calmness, encourage clear judgement and counter negative thought processes. Change, she advises, isn’t always for the worst. Indeed

If you are feeling sad, confused, worried, depressed, anxious, lonely, or just overwhelmed, I can help. Whatever issue is troubling you why not get in touch and we can find a solution together. I am a qualified Psychotherapist offering a flexible therapeutic service tailored to your needs and requirements

Jaqui Supple Counselling

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new experiences, even uninvited ones, encourage a build of up resilience. She explains how Cognitive Behavioural Therapy works. “It isn’t events themselves but the meaning we attach to them which influences the way we feel. For example, one person might view redundancy as a disaster, feeling sure they will never be able to find another job, and will then lose their home and end up living on the street. But what some see as a disaster, for others the same situation represents a catalyst to start a new career, company or lifestyle. Therapy helps generate alternative scenarios to doom and gloom, looking at all possibilities and gauging which are most likely. People can learn to think of themselves in a positive way, and take small, bite-sized steps when overwhelmed.” Similarly, speaking about a problem rather than allowing it to

Good Health

Sandra Smith inwardly fester optimistically affects our perception. Offloading to a trusted friend who has an encouraging outlook prevents thoughts going round in negative circles. Avoiding stress is, of course, impossible. But that isn’t the end of the world! Adopting a constructive approach results in a hearty level of resilience which, in turn, benefits both our mental and physical wellbeing. www.counsellingaylesbury.co.uk l Find out more about Sandra

Smith’s work as a freelance writer by following her on Twitter: @TheCurrentMrsS or visiting her website: www.TheCurrentMrsSmith.co.uk

Maria Bray

Nutritional Therapy

The Science of Health and Vitality l

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

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Tel: Maria on 0771 5414719 / 01296 581561

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Hypnotherapy weight loss & Gastric Band hypnosis Caring, empathetic & confidential help is available. Hypnotherapy can & has helped many many people with this. See web site for more info FREE initial consultation

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Back pain? Sport injury? Muscle/Joint pain? Posture related problems? Inflexibility? Stress related neck/shoulder tightness... We can free you from the discomfort caused by these and many other painful conditions. Come to Massage Matters specialist clinic in Thame for an assessment and see how we can help you.

that is recognised by the Dept of Health)

www.hypnohelp.co (just co no uk) 077756 77796

Angie.hypnohelp@hotmail.co.uk 2 26

Vale Life : Mar/Apr 2016

@angieelbourn

Massage Matters, North Street, Thame, Oxon, OX9 3TH T: 01844 212022 E: hello@massagematters.clinic W: www.massagematters.clinic

Kate Walker

Mobile Chiropodist BSc (Hons) Hcpc Registered

General Foot Care Verruca Treatment l Ingrowing Nails l Biomechanics l l

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Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire

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WIN a Virtual Reality headset!

ritish brand, VR Insane™, have developed an amazing new virtual reality (VR) headset. The POP360 VR is comfortable, lightweight and highly portable. Made from a soft silicon rubber, it collapses down to only 40mm, enabling compact storage inside the included hard-shell travel case. VR Insane™ also offer 2 free apps with the POP360. Available for iOS (Apple) and Android devices, POP360 owners can download the VR Insane™ app and VR Insane™ Kids app by scanning the QR code supplied with the headset. The VR Insane™ app contains a wide variety of content in a multitude of genres, whilst the recently launched VR Insane™ Kids app contains only childfriendly content. Both apps have content updated daily and feature 100s of the latest VR videos available on the web. It’s an easy, family-friendly introduction to the world of VR. Suitable for smartphones with a 4.5”-6” screen size, the POP360 has a top-mounted touchscreen button (Google Cardboard II

compatible) for interacting with your content. This means you have control (play/pause etc) over your videos and interactivity (shoot/ move) with your games, without the need to take off your headset. Suitable for use with glasses, the POP360 is available now from a variety of global retailers and www.vrinsane.com for £19.99. If you’d like to be in with a chance of winning a POP360 VR, email your name, address and telephone number, along with the answer to the following question, to: editor@vale-life.co.uk What does VR stand for? Winner to be drawn at random from correct entries and notified by email by April 21st, 2017. l vrinsane.com

Vale Life : Mar/Apr 2016

Column: Nick Phillips ‘Good to give’

Help combat loneliness

don’t know about you, but I feel incredibly lucky that I live near my family. I can pop in and see my mum once a week, have a chat and cup of tea. But I’m one of the lucky few; families and society have changed enormously over the years. Gone are the days when we’d have multiple generations of the same family living under the one roof, young and old looking out for each other. So often these days our communities just don’t have the same neighbourliness and sense of looking out for each other that we’d have found twenty-plus years ago. I’ve heard so many reasons for this - use of cars, out of town shopping centres the list is endless. The impacts of this disjointed community can be devastating. Loneliness is on the increase, whether that’s because we miss the companionship of one particular person or because we lack a wider circle of friends. I recently read that lacking social connections can be as damaging to our health as smoking

15 cigarettes a day! Rural areas and older people can suffer from loneliness more than other groups; rural areas because of the lack of services such as shops and transport which keep us in touch with each other, the older population because they are more likely to suffer deteriorating health or the death of a loved one. According to Age UK, 1.2m older people are chronically lonely. Figures from the Campaign to End Loneliness show that 17% of older people are in contact with friends, family and neighbours less than once a week and 11% less than once a month with two-fifths of older people saying that TV is their main form of company. These are not good statistics. In the next ten years in Bucks we’ll have 11,500 people over the age of 65 and 1,500 over the age of 85 so the problem of loneliness and isolation isn’t going to go away. In fact, it’s something we need to address.

I’m privileged to work with volunteers and community groups who are already doing something to make it better. Take lunch clubs for example. All run by volunteers, they typically attract around twenty-five people meeting for an inexpensive lunch once a month. Llew Monger, the lunch club co-ordinator who is currently working to set up a new club in Aylesbury Old Town, told me recently that 70% of people who go to a club say they’ve met someone in their own community who they’ve never spoken to before and that the members often meet up outside of the lunch clubs as well. A really simple solution that has a profound and lasting effect. Community transport schemes have a huge impact. The Risborough Area Community Bus now carries more than 400 passengers every week giving older and isolated people the opportunity to get out and about. And they’re not alone; Bucks has over 30 community

Nick Phillips

Good to give transport scheme such as Winslow’s bus service or Wendover’s car service. Bucks is a rural county with a larger than average elderly population. The issues of loneliness and ageing are not just a local issue but, need a very local solution to make lives better. Age UK offers great support and great opportunities to volunteer - at any age! If there is a need to set up a lunch club or transport scheme in your community contact Community Impact Bucks on 0300 111 1250 or email: info@communityimpactbucks. org.uk to find out what help and support may be available. l Nick Phillips is CEO of

Community Impact Bucks: Tel: 0300 1111 250 www.communityimpactbucks.org.uk

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 28

Vale Life : Mar/Apr 2017

Following a complete refurbishment Feet First Podiatry Clinic now offers extremely stylish surroundings in which to have your foot problems treated and a brand new shoe shop too...

eet First Podiatry Clinic was Jenney attends to a client in the new treatment room established on Thame High Street in 2004. Jenney Klose BSc (Hons) Pod MChS, joined the business a year later and in 2007 bought out the original owner with the aim of creating a centre of excellence for all foot care needs. Business has steadily built, Jenney has taken on more staff and now a complete refurbishment has updated and refreshed the building and provided an additional first floor treatment room and shoe shop. It all looks very smart too. Feet First is staffed by Jenney and four other qualified podiatrists: Sue Beynon, Elizabeth Carrington, Iwona Dorn and Fitting shoes in the new shoe shop Sara Edwardes plus receptionists Caroline and Nicola. Sue and Elizabeth have been with Feet First for some time while Iwona and Sara were more recently recruited. “It’s a great team,” says Jenney, “I call them my clinic family as we all get on so well. Due to the high demand for our services, we’ve expanded to offer more availability for our podiatry treatments. We now have an additional treatment room on the first floor and also a small shoe shop selling DB easy b Wider Fit Shoes - a range of footwear for men and women who need wider or deeper fitting footwear.” shoes and have been giving out shoe Originally from Zimbabwe, Jenney came to catalogues,” says Jenney. “So it seemed the UK in 2000 and qualified as a podiatrist sensible to start stocking some of the in 2004 with a degree from the University of shoes that could help and have a shoe Northampton. Afterwards she worked for the shop here where people could be properly NHS gaining valuable experience in treating measured by trained and qualified shoe fitters the “At Risk” foot, before moving into Private and try on a selection of styles. Practice. “I’d been interested in podiatry for “Our shoes can be worn by anyone but are some time,” says Jenney, “as my children had particularly good for wider feet and for those all visited podiatrists and been treated with who need deeper fittings to help with claw orthotics for foot problems. I was amazed toes, bunions or hyper-extended toes. The at the scope and breadth of podiatry when shoes come in standard width fittings too, and I started studying - it’s a very wide discipline there’s some very modern styles, so I think that covers a big range of conditions in they will appeal to a lot of people.” practice. I then took up a position in Thame If you have any kind of foot problem, at Feet First and really loved the town, so podiatrists are the experts and can deal with a when the chance came to buy the business wide range of conditions from sports injuries, and move down this way I jumped at it. fungal infections, dry skin and foot pain to “I’m often asked by clients with foot biomechanics, soft tissue mobilisation and problems about finding more comfortable manipulation, sprains, orthotics (inserts to

support your feet if you are flatfooted or to ease the pressure away from certain points), to hi tech solutions such as Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy for help with achilles tendinopathy or plantar fasciitis. So where better to go than Thame’s smart High Street podiatry clinic and shoe shop, which offers a highly professional service for, men, women and children in a modern state of the art facility, just off the main car park in the centre of town. l Feet First Podiatry Clinic, 13a Upper High Street, Thame, Oxfordshire, OX9 3ER Tel: 01844 261023 Email: enquiries@feet-first.org Web: www.feet-first.org Open Mon-Sat, see website or call for hours. Vale Life : Mar/Apr 2017

Column: Down to business with Philippa Batting

Benefits of apprentices

he time has come to invest in the future of your workforce What business does not intend to invest in its workforce? Are we helping our workers fulfil their potential? Are businesses aware of the benefits that apprenticeships can bring? These questions and more are on my mind as I contemplate how businesses will interact with the apprenticeship funding reforms that come into effect soon. The government’s drive to increase the quality and quantity of apprenticeship placements has introduced a wave of new measures, meaning opportunity knocks for businesses that want to invest in their workforce and future growth. The vast majority of businesses will have 90-100% of the cost of training an apprentice paid for by the government. Only businesses with a payroll of £3million and above need

to worry about paying the new apprenticeship levy of 0.5% on total payroll that helps pay for their particular apprentice training requirements. An apprenticeship training programme can be for new recruits or existing staff. I cannot state more clearly and pointedly that an apprentice does not have to be a ‘young’ person, they can be any age and can be a current member of staff. This is no demotion, it is up-skilling. In order to deliver the skills our economy needs, new employer designed standards are being

created that detail the skills employers need their employees to have competency in. New degree apprenticeships are particularly exciting for Buckinghamshire given that 50% of our young people go to university. A degree apprenticeship is a new education route which brings together the best of higher and vocational training. This new option enables university study and the invaluable on-the-job training typical of an apprenticeship, without having to cover the cost of tuition. Apprenticeships are available in 1,500 job roles covering more than 170 industries. Nearly 9 in 10 apprentice employers say that apprenticeships deliver and three quarters say they helped their business improve the quality of their product or service. Three quarters of apprentices stay with the same employer after completion.

Philippa Batting Down to business

Nearly all apprentices feel that they acquire or improve their skills as a direct result of their apprenticeship, three quarters are very satisfied with their experience while 9 in 10 feel that their apprenticeship had a positive impact on their career. There has never been a better time to embrace apprenticeships and Buckinghamshire Business First can help local employers wanting to embark on an apprenticeship program - get in touch with our business support team at BusinessSupport@bbf. uk.com or call: 01494 568941. l Philippa Batting is MD of Buckinghamshire Business First (BBF), working to support and facilitate success within the business community. Membership is free - visit: www.bbf.uk.com

fieldstead insolvency Debt problems? Cash flow problems? Creditors demanding payment? Demands from HM Revenue & Customs? Pressure on the overdraft? Call us on 01296 433303 for a FREE initial consultation www.fieldstead.co.uk LEADING INDEPENDENT INSOLVENCY PRACTICE

Vale Life : Mar/Apr 2017

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Change of use - light Industrial to residential PreSS reLeASe

new permitted development right has been introduced to allow the change of use of a building and any land within its curtilage from Class B1(c) (light industrial) to Class C3 (dwellinghouses). These rights will be for a temporary period of three years, starting from 1st October, 2017, to enable local authorities

to potentially withdraw these rights, by using Article 4 directions. The change of use itself will be permanent. The change of use will be subject to a process of prior approval from the relevant local authority, with conditions and limitations, including that the gross floorspace of the existing building cannot exceed 500sqm.

The prior approval process includes considerations of highways, contamination and flooding impacts, together with the sustainability of the provision of industrial services. Further details from Alan Chandler: ac@chandlergarvey.com / 01296 398383.

CHANDLer GArVey MArkeT NeW COMMerCIAL Buy TO LeT For AyLeSBury sale For saleOPPOrTuNITy / C6 Brunel Gate, Aylesbury IN Space Business Centre, to let

6,696 sq ft

Aylesbury - 43 units from 367-908 sq ft

Alan Chandler, Director of Chandler Garvey has been instructed by Kingston Space Ltd to Modern market high bay the Space Business Centre, a development 43 units, all units currently of 27 located in one back to back warehouse in income producing, terrace and 16 units in the other. The units are of modern construction, having been built in easily accessible for sale individually 2009. ft. andofare distribution area.The sizes range from 367 sq. ft. up to 908orsq. in blocks unitsfitted with a mezzanine floor. Spec includes 7m accommodation on the estate is 19,541tosq. investors / owner The total ft. The site benefits from tax and stamp eaves, secure site, occupiers. duty savings, cheaper than renting, commercial investment yields will be higher than yields on roller shutter doors, Office, workshop, residential exempt (small fully fitted first floor buy to lets, all units are business rates project, storage units business rate relief), and offices, reception benefitting from a there is a dedicated unit and visitor parking.

area and kitchen. mezzanine to each with an amenity block and visitor EPC D78. togetherand withKingston parking. EPCLtd D85.are the long The freehold is owned by Aylesbury Vale Districtunit Council Space

leaseholders, with over 130 years remaining. units are available from £64,000 plus VAT.

To Let

5/6 Chiltern Court, Chesham

To Let

Blue Leanie, Aylesbury

All units are let on monthly licences andsq are 5,146 ft now producing a gross annual income 3,133 in– excess 35,972 sq ft of £300,000. Further details from Alan Chandler – ac@chandlergarvey.com / 01296 398383.

Chiltern Court is an established business park close to Chesham town centre. Modern two storey offices which could be split (from 2,573 sq ft). Amenities include perimeter trunking, private office, boardroom partitions, two

To Let

kitchen areas and parking.

Westcott Venture Park, Westcott - 1.5 acres

A level and surfaced 1.5 Acre Plot of Open Storage Land available on the Western Development Area at Westcott Venture Park. The site benefits from the following amenities: Secure Site with 24/7 Electricity. On-Site Security, CCTV Joint agents Brown & Lee and and Perimeter Fence, Fuel Lambert Smith Hampton. Interceptor, Water and

Iconic headquarters building to let in part from 3,133 sq ft to 35,972 sq ft. Amenities include car parking (ratio 1:308 sq ft), VAV air conditioning, full access raised floors, 2 passenger lifts and excellent natural light. EPC E107.

to let

The Gatehouse, Aylesbury 3,106 sq ft & 4,912 sq ft

Newly refurbished offices, located on the ground floor of ‘The Gatehouse’. Accommodation provides high quality air conditioned offices, full access raised floors throughout, excellent on-site parking and pleasant landscaped gardens. Joint Agents Bray Fox Smith.

A new perspective on property

www.chandlergarvey.com

Vale Life : Mar/Apr 2017

Column: Tech spec with Andrew Marshall

Switch on to Nintendo

he Nintendo Switch is the latest console from the company considered by some to be the creator of home computer gaming. In 2006 Wii with its innovative motion controllers and wacky fun games, was the console to have for use by the whole family. The Wii U was next but not such a hit with customers, so Nintendo is hoping that the Switch will reverse their fortunes. The Switch box contains two controllers, or ‘Joy-Cons’ as Nintendo calls them, the Switch, a power supply, a docking station, a Joy-Con grip and a couple of lanyards for the Joy-Cons. The console has a 6.2in screen with a 1280x720 resolution, which is more than adequate for the size of the screen itself and also output Full HD of 1920 x 1080 when connected to a suitable TV. There is a Micro SD slot hidden behind the kick stand at the back

and a headphone jack, but no bluetooth headphones sadly. The Switch comes in just one version with 32GB storage, so you will need the SD slot to add more memory if you intend to use the e-store to download games. Something to note is that game save data is only stored in this internal memory - there is no option to move it to the SD card. This seems a big mistake and one which Nintendo will probably change at a later software update. The Joy-Cons slot into either side of the screen with a satisfying click but when slotted into the docking station the console was so unstable and wobbley, I had to check I had

done it correctly - I had! The Joy-Cons can be used individually and Nintendo recommends attaching the lanyards around your wrist as with the original Wiis. These are very stiff and difficult to remove without a lot of force, which made me worry I might damage the controller. The Switch is simple and fun to use, recapturing the feel of the original Wii. Playing multiplayer games with a single Joy-Con is a bit of a fiddle, because of the size, but you get used to it. You can buy accessories, such as the Joy-Con Grip kit, which make it easier perhaps they could be included rather than the lanyards Nintendo?! The price is £280 - a tad high maybe as the original Wii launched at £179 and predictably the console is currently out of stock everywhere, so if you didn’t pre order you will have a bit of a wait. Accessories include the Pro Controller (£60), the

Andrew Marshall Tech spec

aforementioned Grip Kit (£15), a charging Grip (£25) and additional Joy-Cons (£43 each or £70 for two - you can have up to eight Joy-Cons connected to a single Switch). There are currently 14 games available, Zelda being the most notable and expensive at £50. Games from the Wii or Wii U are not compatible. Is it worth it? Yes! It’s not for die hard gamers, but for family use it’s great. And later in the year there will most likely be bundles and offers available and more games, so wait and you’ll get a better deal. l Software and technology expert Andrew Marshall is Founder of Digitwell Solutions Ltd, a mobile application development company. He can be contacted on: enquiries@digitwell.co.uk or via twitter: @DigitwellApps

WIN an Escape Game for four at City Mazes

scape rooms are popping up across the country. It’s the fun new leisure activity for anyone aged over 6 years and great to play with a group of friends or family. At City Mazes Oxford, there are four Escape Rooms: Star Breaker; Operation Spaced X; Control Room 54; and pandora’s Escape. Each game room has a different theme and skills required to escape, and can hold up to 10 players. The players are locked in a complex and have to use their wits to find clues, solve puzzles and crack codes to open doors and escape within 60 minutes! “The games are designed to encourage people to work together as a team,” says City Mazes exec Claire Goscomb, “so this is great for families, friends or work colleagues. It’s brilliant fun and really challenges the brain! We are a CPD accredited organisation and are able to give specific feedback 32

Vale Life : Mar/Apr 2017

A single game experience lasts around 80 minutes, which includes a maximum of 60 in the game plus a briefing session. You can elect for a multi-game experience where a team can play consecutive games. A double game experience would last around 2.5 hours. If you’d like to be in with a chance of winning an escape Game session for four at City Mazes Oxford, email your name, address and telephone number, plus answer to the following question, to: editor@vale-life.co.uk Who had a hit with Escape (The Pina Colada Song) in 1979? Winner to be drawn at random from correct entries and notified by email by April 21st, 2017. on our contestants communication and team skills. “There’s nothing physical to complete within the games, they are open to all ages and strengths its just your thinking cap that you’ll

need to bring along! “Under 14s require an adult with them for supervision, and we advise that the games are suitable for 6/7 year olds up, as they can start to help work out the puzzles.”

l CITY MAZES – Oxford Unit 5, Ozone Leisure Park, Grenoble Road, Oxford, OX4 4XP Tel: 01865 920900 www.citymazes.com/oxford

Vale Life : Mar/Apr 2017

The signage may have changed at Aylesbury’s popular Parton Road print shop but fear not, it’s a case of ‘new name - team same’...

ome 12 years ago Martin and Sarah Dyckhoff took over their popular franchise at Parton Road, Aylesbury, refilling ink and laser cartridges and supplying businesses, organisations and the general public with all we might need printwise, from ink to printers, paper, cartridges and toner plus very reasonable printer repairs. They have developed and diversified their services over the years and now having left the original franchise have created their own new, two-pronged business which continues, at the same address, to service all local printing needs as 2D Print World and 3D Print World. It’s the same friendly, helpful and knowledgeable team but with smart new branding, some impressive new deals on printers and consumables, including Hewlett Packard products, and some clever innovation as to how your print needs can be catered for with a simple monthly plan. The Infinity subscription service for home users provides a printer and unlimited ink from as little as £9.99 per month and when your printer cartridges are empty, you can simply take them back and they replace them - as many times as you need - amazing! 2D Print World looks after the maintenance of the printer too. Any printer problems are put right as part of the service - you’ll never need to buy another printer again! 2D Print World also provides a flexible range of printing solutions to meet the needs of local businesses and organisations and reduce printing costs. A ‘Print Audit’ identifies how much your business prints on a monthly basis and how much it costs you. Following the review a cost-effective fixed monthly fee is calculated for facilitating your

3D printing a brain

2D / 3D Print World team with the printmobile

printing, reducing your printing costs and making budgeting easier. 2D Print World will optimise your print infrastructure, ensuring your business has the right size and mix of printers and then monitor and manage all your printers (including the ongoing maintenance and repair of the printers), taking away all the worry and hassle and ensuring your printing is as cost effective and efficient as possible. They can also do a similar job with your photocopier requirements. For those who just need help with an occasional print job, 2D Print World offers in-store printing - you can email a file or take in your phone, memory stick or CD of your artwork and they will print it for you. Of course 3D printing has taken the world by storm over the last couple of years and Martin, Sarah and team have been at the forefront of the revolution locally with their 3D Print World arm, offering affordable 3D printing, whether you wish to buy your own machine or have the store print out your

3D prints of buildings

Martin 3D printing brains for Brain Diaries event at Oxford University Museum of Natural History www.oum.ox.ac.uk/ braindiaries/

design. It is quite amazing to see the shapes and detail a 3D printer can model, from busts of the shop staff to parts for model cars and aeroplanes, frogs and dragons, replacement bits for domestic appliances, building designs, prototype modelling for engineering parts and even brains! They are all printed or modelled in 3D using layers of filament rather than ink. The filament comes in numerous colours and textures from lurid fluorescent greens and yellows to silver, pink, black, glow in the dark, metal and wood finishes and can be bought on spools or by the metre The cost of printing out is minimal, from a few pounds per item depending on size and complexity and a 3D printer, like the impressive BQ Hephestos, can be bought for under £500. Why not pop into 2D / 3D Print World and see the 3D printers in action. The knowledgeable staff will be happy to explain how it all works and what the options are for buying your own 3D printer, or having them do 3D printing for you. l 2D and 3D Print World - Aylesbury, 32 Parton Road, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, HP20 1NG Tel:01296 434666 E: 2dpw@2dprintworld.co.uk W: www.2dprintworld.co.uk E: enquiries@3dprint-world.co.uk W: www.3dprintworld-aylesbury.co.uk Open: Mon-Sat: 9am-5.30pm

Vale Life : Mar/Apr 2017

Collate Curate Create

Vale Life : Mar/Apr 2017

Step inside by Polly Gibbs

Shellac Col 124 nail polish over Anthology Wallpaper Collection

Unleash the hunter gatherer within to create a personal style narrative for your home...

xcited and ready to decorate with swatches galore and ideas in abundance to create the home of your dreams? All you have to do now is settle on your final choices and bring it to fruition. Suddenly you’re not so sure about that cinnamon swirl fabric or latte mochalottadoodah loose cover sofa. Maybe

it will date, perhaps it’s not really you? You’re confidence and enthusiasm wane in equal measure, so it’s back to the swatches and you’re as confused as a kid in a candy shop. You’re not alone. Planning my garden has been tricky as it’s not my area of expertise, even though the design principles of layout, texture, spacial awareness, light, shade,

Restaurant Image - Unsplash

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. contrasts, focal points etc still apply. I’m also back in the saddle advising a friend who didn’t know where to start when overhauling an entire house. “How brilliant would that be” I hear some say, to be able to start from scratch when most interiors evolve over time, room by room, as they ‘need’ a makeover, or as budget permits. But designing a whole 34

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Step inside by Polly Gibbs house in one go is incredibly daunting. The sheer amount of choice, the infinite style possibilities, the pressure of not wanting to make a mistake and deciding which direction to take can overwhelm, taking the fun out of your project before you’ve really started. This got me thinking about how to simplify the process. Good design outcomes take flair, considered decisions and time. 60 Minute Makeover type shows make it look quick and easy but they don’t show the full process and how complex combining materials, colours and styles really is. If you want a result that won’t disappoint you’re going to need to commit some serious time to research and making decisions - lots of them. My ‘Collate, Curate, Create’ guide is designed to help, but if you really don’t have the time, interest or patience, then it is worth hiring a good interior designer who will inspire, save time and likely help save you money by avoiding costly mistakes.

Cereal Magazine - image Unsplash

1. Collate. Inspiration is everywhere so get a cuppa, get comfy and get hunting for the right style for you. Pinterest,

Houzz, Instagram, Rightmove, show homes, design awards, magazines, design blogs, travel, nature, hip hotels, restaurants, fashion, music,

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art, architecture, all serve as design influences. Perhaps you’ve seen the Hockney exhibition at the Tate. Did it make you feel uplifted, inspired, invigorated? Could it be the colour palette for you? Perhaps you enjoy a coffee and papers in an indie cafe - why do you feel comfortable, is it the colour, the furniture, lighting, the music? More than likely it’s the combination. If you’re really stuck could the architectural style influence the interior? Is it Georgian, 20s, a 50s semi, or a converted barn? Reflecting the surrounding area can work brilliantly too. Think old factory buildings becoming industrial cool or a home near woods with natural materials as the main feature. Really focus on and distil these elements to unlock and then replicate those that work for you. 2. Curate. As humans we are multifaceted so it’s perfectly natural to find numerous styles attractive Continued on page 36

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Continued from page 35 simultaneously. This is where curating comes in. Editing can be a toughy but it is essential if you really want to get the most from your home. Here’s the thing, you probably have more ideas than rooms making it unlikely that everything you’ve collected will make the final cut. Start sorting your ideas per room, then into specific styles (e.g. rustic, spa, industrial, colonial, townhouse, Scandi, Moroccan, New England etc). Some clear strands should be starting to emerge so keep reducing your ideas to your ultimate favourites. Set the remainder aside for another time or future home. If no clear styles emerged you’re eclectic or maximalist, so just decorate! Commit the final edit to a moodboard, or scrapbook which is easier to transport when shopping for finishes. This is your design blueprint - keep referring to it and you’ll avoid design wobbles and stay on track until completion. 3. Create. Essential for a coherent, harmonious feel are flow and base.

Mood board - Coco Design 36

Vale Life : Mar/Apr 2017

Step inside by Polly Gibbs

The simplest way is with a neutral base colour for the walls (wallpaper and/or paint), using lighter and darker variations of this colour per room, remembering to use warmer tones in north facing spaces. This repetition will create an echo, linking each space with subtle individuality and make working with accent colours and patterns a doddle. There are some great surface options out there from modern murals to amazing wallpapers and metallic finishes that function as works of art, so don’t contain your creativity, let it loose and don’t be afraid to try dark colours. Build upon your foundation with fixtures and fittings in complementary colour(s); two, three or five will be enough to add depth and sophistication. An online colourwheel will show colours guaranteed to work together, or stick with those neutral tints and shades already used to create that flow. Include dark versus light contrasts to lift the whole scheme and patterns via soft furnishings and accessories like cushions and rugs. Practical aspects will influence choices - common sense stuff like using easy clean or darker fabrics and non-slip surfaces for areas with

Garden Cafe - Unsplash

young kids or pets. Combine freestanding photos, pictures, vases, books, baskets, art and other accessories, huddled in odd numbers and varying heights to create interest and texture. Choose artwork that has meaning or expresses your personality. Steer clear of stereotyped, generic, showhome type art and accessories that will render your home soulless. Seek out quirky or personal items items for an interesting and creatively cool home. Finally, always include two to three layers of lighting (functional, task, ambient) to create drama

and atmosphere at the flick of a switch. Your home should now be a narrative of your style. Next time I’ll be decoding some crazy out-there interiors, plus my new look blog is coming out of hibernation soon with lots more inspo and tips to get your ideas flowing in between magazines. Got a design dilemma? Message me and it could feature in a future article. l Polly Gibbs is an award-winning designer, Decorex100 Interiors Influencer and Amara Interiors Blog Award Finalist. Her website is currently undergoing a revamp. Email: polly@coco-design.co.uk

Vale Life : Mar/Apr 2017

At tillynilly we are committed to offering our clients the best service, listening to your needs product and fabric. and assisting with making Visit our homes and informed choices about interiors boutique or first-

floor studio and workroom, above the shop, to browse the selection of fabrics and wallpapers and discuss your design requirements.

Bespoke Curtains & Soft Furnishings - Free measuring and quotation; Assistance with choosing appropriate products; Installation available.

Interior Design services - Tailored to your needs - either from plan to completed design or just help with finishing off your look.

Homes & Interiors boutique - Our shop in Thame offers lights, decorative

pieces and soft furnishing, both off the shelf or made to your requirements.

Made to Measure Blinds - Wood; Venetian; Motor; Roller; Blackout; Roman.

For more information or to book an appointment please call: 01844 220035

Shop open: Mon-Fri 10am-5pm & Sat 9am-4pm | Studio open: Mon-Fri 9am-4pm tillynilly, 55 North Street, Thame, Oxfordshire, OX9 3BH www.tillynilly.com | info@tillynilly.com 38

Vale Life : Mar/Apr 2017

Last year Hard Rock Flooring opened a smart new showroom at Grendon Underwood, a lovely setting in which to show off their beautiful selection of internal and external natural stone and ceramic flooring. Celebrations are now in order for a very successful first year and a 30th birthday...

ard Rock Flooring is celebrating its 30th year this year. The company, which recently moved its base to a new showroom in Grendon Underwood, just off the A41 between Aylesbury and Bicester, specialises in supplying high quality, traditional, natural stone such as limestone, sandstone, slate and travertine, as well as some of the most advanced porcelain tiles available. Just as there is a contrast between the firm’s traditional stone, which has been used in the same way for hundreds of years and their more contemporary products such as the current trend for strong, thin and digitally printed Italian porcelain, Hard Rock Flooring is run by the double act of ‘the farmer’ Iain (who has one boot buried deep in tradition and the other blithely in step with modern gadgetry) and ex-construction manager Will (who has a passion for the latest in design and the greatest in technology). Tempering the two is Alex, who has worked with Iain and Will for more than three years and specialises in maintaining and cleaning natural stone flooring. Hard Rock has expanded from purely selling stone to maintaining it too, so Alex has become increasingly busy and is sometimes booked up for weeks at a time. With over thirty years experience in the stone industry Hard Rock are experts in all aspects of stone supply, from quarrying to selecting, installing, maintaining and admiring stone and they pride themselves on their ability to provide the absolute best in service and the latest technical advancements, to ensure your requirements are catered for. Tell them which wall or floor you’d like to cover and they can advise which materials would best suit and the options available. “Over Hard Rock’s 30 years there have been many changes,” says Iain, “in fashion, availability, and technology. Natural stone quarried from the ground is not an infinite resource - many times we have seen quarries become exhausted, or too expensive to keep running and some of the quarries we’ve taken

The Hard Rock showroom at Lawn Farm, Grendon Underwood stone from have now become landfill sites - so there might Will and Iain while be more of the same underneath, we can’t get to it anymore! “For indoor use, porcelain now looks as good as (and some think better) than natural stone and with the latest developments bringing ever-stronger tiles, that are easier to keep clean and also now contain the active anti-bacterial ingredient Microban, porcelain can offer benefits that stone never could. “With wood effect porcelain boards (we can’t even call them tiles - they are a foot wide and five foot long!), digitally printed without repeating patterns, you can have porcelain on your kitchen or bathroom walls and floor which looks exactly like real wood, and with the addition of textures and raised profiles, actually feels like real wood too.” Over the years, many customers, both private and commercial, have chosen to return to Hard Rock Flooring in the safe knowledge that they will be afforded the same complete treatment that only true enthusiasts and passionate professionals can provide. Hard Rock are not just experts in using natural stone, but also in sourcing it. “We don’t just sell it, we practically live it,” says Will. “Iain doesn’t just go on business trips to stone suppliers, he plans his family holidays around visiting quarries! “We are one of only a couple of companies

selling some of the latest Italian porcelain; the factories that make it are impressive places but they only market themselves and their products locally and in Italian. I was fortunate enough to live in Italy for several years and speak Italian, which has allowed me to develop excellent relationships with Italian suppliers that most British flooring firms are unable to communicate with. “Come and visit our showroom in Grendon Underwood and see for yourself the hundreds of different samples of natural stone and porcelain tiles that we can offer. We’ve got it on the floor, on units, up the walls... all conveniently displayed and waiting for you to touch and feel so you can better picture it laying in your own home. “We have had the pleasure of collaborating with a variety of local and national architects, designers and building firms over the last year completing a very successful first year in our new premises. Places you can see our stone: • Evenley Hall, Brackley • Wheatfield House, Thame • The Windmill, Blackthorn • Cradle Dene, Cadsden l Units 1-3, Lawn Farm Business Centre, Grendon Underwood, Nr Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, HP18 0QX Tel: 01296 770859 Email: showroom@hardrockflooring.co.uk Website: www.hardrockflooring.co.uk Open Mon-Fri: 8am-5pm or by appointment Vale Life : Mar/Apr 2017

‘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 40

Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2017

Vale Life : Mar/Apr 2017

In just 10 years Andy Lucas has built his business from a one man operation into one of the area’s busiest and most respected home improvement contractors. If only he had time to celebrate...

ndy Lucas set up Omega Homestyle in 2007. With more than thirty years experience in the double-glazing industry, there’s not much he doesn’t know about windows, doors and conservatories and he was confident he could offer a better standard of service than the large firms he had worked for previously. He started working from home and a year later, opened his first showroom in a small unit at Woodway Farm Industrial Estate, near Long Kelly Crendon. The business, supplying and fitting windows, doors and conservatories for retail, trade and commercial customers flourished and eventually moved across the yard to the current, larger unit, in 2012. “We try to offer the kind of service I appreciate myself,” says Andy. “We’re still a small Andy family firm, so it’s a friendly, personal service. Jennifer Evans and myself deal with enquiries, quotes and installations, while Kelly Lacey is our office and admin manager.” “Either myself or Jennifer will see each of our customers and I do their quote personally. Replacement oversized bespoke sliding sash windows We’ll survey, measure up, design and order the job, then make sure it is fitted to our client’s Jennifer, “but if you do, we can talk through satisfaction by one of our skilled installation the different options and styles and show you teams. It maintains continuity for a better samples.” understanding of the customer’s needs and On display in the showroom is a cross ensures the job is completed as requested.” section of the products that Omega Jennifer has been with Homestyle supplies and fits Omega for four years so - there’s solid timber-framed, knows the products inside leaded windows, PVC-U stable out. She has a background doors, sturdy Solidor front doors, in customer service and in bi-fold patio doors, French window construction too, so windows, sliding patio doors, understands the industry and aluminium framed windows and is happy to roll up her sleeves even a couple of conservatories. and get stuck in if necessary. Brands such as Residence 9 - a The Omega Homestyle top quality double or triple glazed showroom has a smart, UPVC window system that looks modern layout with a central just like wood and is designed to workstation where you can Residence 9 replacement window replicate old 19th Century timber access the Omega Homestyle sash and casement windows, or website and online doorbuilder. “You don’t Kommerlings’ slimline sash windows - one of have to come in to use the doorbuilder,” says the slimmest profile UPVC windows you can

get, and Solidor doors - the only composite door with a solid hardwood core - tough and secure and available in a choice of 21 colours. “All our installations come with a 10 year guarantee,” says Jennifer. “When we fit your new window or door, as a FENSA member we check it is compliant with current energy standards so you don’t have to get a separate assessment done by the local authority. You will also receive a FENSA certificate on completion of the installation. “We also offer a full range of glazing services, from replacing Jennifer a broken pane, or broken unit, to coloured glass splashbacks for kitchens and bathrooms, or a complete conservatory extension; from foundations, to walls and glazing.” “And if you are considering a conservatory we can help you develop your ideas into a plan,” says Jennifer. “We can draw up a design and organise any relevant planning permissions.” Omega have fitted quite a few Ultraframe ‘LivinRoom’ conservatories, which are lovely and feel more like an actual room extension than a glazed conservatory. You can have a lantern roof, a lean to, a Victorian, Georgian, Gable End or even a Guardian tiled roof. There’s Orangeries and Loggias too, all very impressive and very much part of the home. “It’s not just about the specification and insulation,” says Andy. “We want to make your home look nice as well, so it’s important to choose a frame, door or conservatory that suits the style of your building. We’ll help you find the right one in the right design to suit your home - there’s no one size fits all here.” For more information on Omega Homestyle and their products and services call as below, see the company’s website at: www.omegahomestyle.co.uk or visit the Long Crendon showroom. l Omega Homestyle, Woodway Farm Industrial Estate Bicester Rd, Long Crendon, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire HP18 9EP Tel: 01844 201888. Email: info@omegahomestyle.co.uk Website: www.omegahomestyle.co.uk Vale Life : Mar/Apr 2017

Vale Life : Mar/Apr 2017

Last year Vale Life featured award-winning cabinet maker Mark Williamson, who crafts bespoke furniture from wood at his workshop in Ford. Business has been brisk since then and Mark and his team have created such an impressive body of work, it seems only fair to share it with you...

Fergus

ark Williamson started his bespoke furniture business in 2012, as a one man enterprise. A highly skilled and talented cabinetmaker and furniture designer, Mark has a BTEC National Diploma in Design (Crafts) and a BA (Hons) in Furniture Design and Craftmanship; and was winner of The Woodworker magazine’s ‘Young Furniture Maker of the Year’ award. With his knowledge and experience and a creative eye for making the best use of tricky spaces, it wasn’t long before business had increased enough to warrant a workshop of his own and some additional staff. Mark moved into premises at Kemps Farm, Ford in 2014 where he is assisted by another Mark (Mark II) and Fergus and has recently taken on a trainee/apprentice cabinetmaker in the workshop. Mark’s wife Rachel helps with admin but as the couple now have a young son, they are looking to recruit an experienced office manager, to deal with office admin and communications (which will be five days a week but could be a school hours appointment). “We are a small firm,” says Mark, “but very capable and aim to offer a more personal and attentive service than you might get at a larger company, “says Mark. “It’s a totally bespoke service - we can work from an architect’s or designer’s drawings or a 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 42

Vale Life : Mar/Apr 2017

Mark II at work the best out of that space for them. “Our furniture is designed specifically for the client and built to last a generation, unlike mass produced pieces. 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, while being a delight to see and use.” The company has been involved in a large ongoing project for an impressive Arts and Crafts house in Gerrards Cross, which has involved matching new wardrobes and cupboards to existing joinery with big mouldings, wide cornices and similar door designs. Now installed and painted, the new installations fit perfectly and look like they have been part of the house since it was built. Mark and team are now starting the next phase - refitting the kitchen, boot room, laundry and utility room. “Over the last year we’ve done a few nice kitchens,” says Mark. “One in Stoke Hammond, (pictured right), which had a big oak-topped island that looks fabulous and a long, rather awkward kitchen, in a very old house in Nettlebed, which we had to replaster, replumb, rewire and refit in just two weeks while the owners were away! We managed in the time and it looked really nice in the end. “We had a particularly interesting job over Henley way. Our client had a couple of large cherry trees which had been felled, sawn into planks and air dried. We selected some planks and further prepared them in the workshop for ten months and then made bookcases for their home. It was for naturalist Richard

Mark Williamson in his workshop at Ford Fortey whose latest book Wood for the Trees is based on observations of the cherry trees and his small patch of woodland in the Chiltern Hills - the book is now in print, perhaps there is a copy on those shelves!. For one job we hid some very large glasspanelled sliding doors, (pictured far right), inside a partition wall, so they slid right away out of sight. Each was about 4.5ft wide and weighed 90kg). It was challenging to find the

track and running gear which enabled such heavy doors to slide effortlessly but they worked really well in the end and look very stylish in a trendy Scandanavian way.” 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. “There’s certainly plenty of variety in our work,” says Mark. “Going forward we’re making some under-stairs storage for an old cottage and a secret bookcase door to hide it behind! “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 and that the client is really pleased.” If you would like Mark’s help or advice with a project, 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 look at samples and discuss materials, finishes and budget. You may even be able to visit the workshop and see your project under construction. Have a look at his website or contact him as below. l Mark Williamson Furniture, Unit 23 Kemps Farm, Chapel Road, Ford, Bucks, HP17 8XG Tel: 01296 658660 / Mob: 07754 409203 Email: mark@markwilliamsonfurniture.com Web: www.markwilliamsonfurniture.com Facebook: /markwilliamsonfurniture Twitter: @MarkWFurniture

Trina and Shamus Custom made bedroom wardrobes in painted ash, barn conversion, Henton Sliding doors

Kitchen unit detail Wardrobe handle detail

Kitchen, Stoke Hammond. It’s a large, light kitchen and the bold colours work really well Kitchen plate rack detail Bespoke kitchen

Bespoke wall cabinet for jewellery

Vale Life : Mar/Apr 2017

Trending in your home Real Living

Vale Life : Mar/Apr 2017

by Charlotte Bolton

Real Living

Want an instant injection of spring style?! Browse these popular picks from this season’s trends...

Charlotte Bolton

his issue I’m concentrating on three key looks that are big this season: Lush Jungle Fever, Luxe Living and Cute Country Charm.

LUSH JUNGLE FEVER Go on safari with tropical-inspired buys and leafy prints 1. Leopard wall vase, £29.95, MiaFleur. 2. Paint colour ideas 3. Stacked resin animal ornament, £20, Matalan. 4. Elephant applique print cushion, £35, Debenhams. 5. Tropical bedding set, from £20, similar from ebay. 6. Antelope heads, £99 each, Amber chair in Nyanga Tan, £599, zebra cushion, £25; all Marks & Spencer.

5 6

LUXE LIVING For all out glamour try soft velvets and Art Deco-inspired furniture 1. Barclays drinks trolley, £299, Luxe range, Marks & Spencer. 2. Flow doormat, £16, Oliver Bonas. 3. Gold base candle, £9, The Contemporary Home 4. Small gold frame, £6.99, H&M 5. Hepburn chair in grey velvet, £329, The Contemporary Home 6. Paint chart image 7. Natural velvet cushion, £18, Next

3 7

Continued on page 46

2 44

Vale Life : Mar/Apr 2017

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Vale Life : Mar/Apr 2017

Real Living

Vale Life : Mar/Apr 2017

by Charlotte Bolton

Continued from page 44

CUTE COUNTRY CHARM Create rustic appeal with pastel colours and cute animal motifs 1. Duck patterned crockery set, from £6 for a tea cup, George at Asda. 2. Duck tea cosy, £22, George at Asda. 3. Vintage green enamel jug, £25, Etsy. 4. Rabbit lamp, £70, White Rabbit England 5. Cottage votive holder, £6, Dunelm. 6. Wooden squirrel clock, £16, JoJo Maman Bebe 7. Village Green woollen throw, £69, Tolly McRae 8. Paint colour ideas for Cute Country Charm look

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Vale Life : Mar/Apr 2017

At the Sky House Design Centre youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll find some of the most exciting and innovative home and garden design brands. From flooring to fires, worktops to windows - a collection of top quality products, services and suppliers, ideas and inspiration...

rban Front are a local, Buckinghamshire company making high quality natural hardwood steel-reinforced contemporary doors, designed and handfinished in Britain, for clients all over the world. Their doors are made using steel reinforcement to help reduce warping, which is a natural occurrence with hardwood doors. The doors also have a ventilation system which allows air to rotate within the door to reduce the build-up of moisture, which can also create warping etc. Urban Front doors have recently passed vigorous security testing achieving LPS1175 Grade 2 for their E80S doorset and all glazed doors come with AntiBandit glass as standard. A wide choice of front, internal and garage doors is available offering high performance, functional style and individual design. They are used for schools, hospitals and apartment building entrances, for dental surgeries, hair salons and restaurants but mostly for private residences and homes. Urban Front is flexible and often works closely with architects and designers on bespoke details such as flush doorsets, oversized doors (up to 1.5m wide x 3m high), fully glazed doorsets and doors suitable for large and small developments.

Doors can be constructed to work with home automation, or fitted into glass curtain walling and can be finished in a variety of hardwoods, RAL colours or metal finishes like Bronze. All Urban Front designs are unique and design registered in the UK and Europe. Front Doors - are available as E80 hinged, E80 pivot, E80S and E98 Passiv with Uvalues as low as 0.89UV and steel reinforcement for stability, 5-point locking is standard for security and double weather

sealing for weathering . Garage Doors - come in various systems including: Side Hung, Counter balance, Up and Over and 2 by 2 Folding with automation, and match the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s front door range. Garage doors are available in sizes up to 2.4m x 7m wide, depending on the application. Internal Doors - are available hinged, pivoted, sliding or bifold and can match all of the other doors offered, plus come in a variety of finishes in addition to FD30 and FD60 and in oversized sizes up to 1.5m wide x 3.2m tall. Urban Front offers RIBA certified CPD in addition to workshop tours. For design advice or further information on Urban Front please contact the team at the Sky House Design Centre in Amersham, as below. l Urban Front, Sky House Design Centre, Raans Road, Amersham, Buckinghamshire, HP6 6JQ T: 01494 778 787 E: info@urbanfront.co.uk W: www.urbanfront.co.uk Make an appointment to visit the Sky House Design Centre - Tel: 01494 722880 Web: www.skyhousedesigncentre.com Mon-Fri, 9am to 5:30pm; Sat, 9am to 3pm Vale Life : Mar/Apr 2017

Win tickets to Grand Designs Live

most of your space. Grand Gardens, sponsored by Hydropool, will focus on all aspects that will help you make your garden an active part of your home. GRAND TECHNOLOGY With all the latest gadgets, Grand Technology brings together the top names in the industry to help you keep up to date with the latest trends and developments from the home entertainment systems to conceptual lighting and much more. If you’d like to be in with a chance of winning a pair of tickets to Grand Designs Live at London’s ExCeL simply email your name, address and telephone number along with the answer to the following question, to: editor@vale-life.co.uk Who presents C4’s Grand Designs programme? Winner to be drawn at random from correct entries and notified by email by April 10th, 2017.

tel. 07712816 LEASE CHECK THIS PROOF CAREFULLY, tel. 075000482 ARTICULARLY PHONE NUMBERS AND rand Designs Live, proudly sponsored by Anglian Home web. www.chilternd OUR EMAIL ADDRESS Improvements, returns to

London’s ExCeL from the 29th April to 7th May 2017. Running for 9 days, the show offers visitors a unique opportunity to see all the latest trends for the home as well as many products never seen before. Based on the Channel 4 TV series, and presented by design guru Kevin McCloud, the event is packed with over 500 exhibitors, across seven different sections offering ideas and inspiration for your very own Grand Design, however big or small. GRAND BUILD Whether you’re starting from scratch with a new-build, renovating a period property or extending your current home, the Grand Build Hall is packed to the brim with amazing products to help your project run without a hitch with the biggest selection of self-build supplier’s all under one roof. You’ll find the latest

developments in sustainability and eco-technology as well as some great ideas to maximise the space you have to make the most of light, storage and design. GRAND INTERIORS It’s not just about bricks and mortar - the way you furnish your home is fundamental to its atmosphere and comfort. With this in mind, the Grand Interiors hall can help transform your home. GRAND BATHROOMS It might be the smallest room in the house, but the bathroom is also one of the most important spaces in your home. Sleek lines, sumptuous curves, clean whites or striking

colours, there’s bathrooms to suit all tastes here. GRAND KITCHENS See some of the coolest kitchens on the market from a host of top manufacturers. Step into a world where the sleekest kitchen designs meet state-of-the-art technology. From fitted to free standing, design to storage - you’ll find all the solutions to help you get the most out of your kitchen space. Plus try out the latest appliances and take home plenty of tips for creating your own culinary delights. Sponsored by Miele GRAND GARDENS The best homes link indoors and outdoors so that you can make the

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Vale Life : Mar/Apr 2017

Column: Safe as houses with Nigel Grace

Avoiding builder problems

n my last article I wrote about finding a builder for your project. Once you have picked your builder, have planning permission and your design is finalised it is time to move on to what I call the fun bit – the build! What I find fun some people understandably find stressful. So how can you avoid problems that means you too can enjoy the build? 1. Choose your builder carefully - as I mentioned in my previous article talk to previous clients, visit his sites and make sure that you are happy to work with him. Don’t just choose them because they are the only ones available or because they are the cheapest 2. Be the boss - always remember that you are the boss and without being dominant always make sure that the builder knows he is working for you. Be confident and make decisions in good time and decisively 3. Build a relationship with

All builders love working for clients that pay them on time and without the need for chasing. Don’t underestimate the difference that this will make

your builder - the better your relationship the less likely that problems are likely to occur and if they do they can normally be resolved quickly. 4. Get a fixed price - provide a detailed specification and drawings and get a fixed price for your build. Make sure that you know what you are getting and your builder knows what you want - so that there are no differences in expectations - that is when problems occur 5. Pay Promptly and regularly if you are happy to pay your builder then do so promptly. Agree stage payments but never pay in advance.

6. Use a Contract - this reduces your risk immeasurably. Unless you are confident in completing one, employ a professional quantity surveyor to help you. There are now standard contracts that are simply written specifically for domestic projects. 7. Don’t let problems mount deal with each one as soon as they arise, don’t wait until the end of your build and have a long list of complaints. 8. Keep Records - whenever you are on site or talk to someone on the phone, keep a record of what was said and what was happening. 9. Get Expert Advice - If you are not comfortable with dealing with your builder over technical matters then get advice from a professional.

Nigel Grace

Safe as houses

10. Enjoy It - Make your site a happy one where people enjoy working. Tea, biscuits and doughnuts cost very little but will go a long way to making your build enjoyable for all. It is very unlikely that you will go through your entire project without a problem but if you follow these tips then hopefully any problems you do find will be minor and quickly resolved. l Nigel Grace is a chartered quantity surveyor experienced in all forms of residential projects who has built and redeveloped many houses himself. If you are thinking about starting a building project or need help and advice, he can be contacted on: nigel@nigelgracelimited.co.uk

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Vale Life : Mar/Apr 2017

l Column ‘In the Garden’ with

Naomi MacKay

Over the fence with Doris D

oris has a lot to answer for - Storm Doris that is. Having braved the motorways to drive to the offices of a well-known gardening magazine, I called home at lunchtime to see how our garden was faring. ‘It’s fine,’ the other half replied. Then he looked out the window - ‘Oh no, there goes the fence.’ One minute it was there, the next minute it had gone. Last time it had been our greenhouse - when panes of Perspex ‘glass’ had taken a short flight, landing four houses down next to a climbing frame. Mr M decided to screw bits of wood across all the joints - and while it may not be so aesthetically pleasing, it did survive the wrath of Doris. The fence had already had one mishap over Christmas, which resulted in a Heath Robinson fix

with some rope and a pickaxe wedged into the lawn. But that was only one panel - this time we’d lost the whole lot, except for the pane hidden behind the now-secured greenhouse and shed. The panels are 6ft high, and there are fields behind us, so the wind just rushes through with little to stop it but a hazel tree and a football goal. Like many of you no doubt, we have been thinking about tactics to stop it being so battered every time there’s a bad gust of wind. We could opt for shorter panels, but we have dogs on either side, so the high fence is preferable. The problem of course is that the usual fence larchlap panels leave nowhere for the wind to go and act like sails, pulling everything along with them. We could opt for shorter panels with a trellis panel fixed on top - this

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Vale Life : Mar/Apr 2017

Bamboo can make an interesting fencing material Image courtesy of Mo Riza www.flickr.com/photosmodomatic would give the barrier we need, but with less surface area to be battered by wind. Other solutions include putting in vertical poles and then fixing heavy-duty rails across. On the other side of the fence, the rails

are fitted in the gaps, so they still afford privacy. For a less solid barrier, a picket fence would look pretty, especially with honeysuckle, clematis and roses clambering through it, or we could opt for the more decorative

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A short fence with a taller hedge growing behind makes an attractive and more weather-proof option (but more expensive) panels that combine a trellis and solid fence in one design. Fencing is not cheap, and if you opt for concrete posts or metal fences, the costs will rise although they will of course last

far longer. If you can’t afford to replace your whole fence, you could think about planting a hedge in front of the fence (and on both sides if your neighbours agree), which Continued on page 52

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Vale Life : Feb/Mar 2017

l Column ‘In the Garden’ with

Naomi MacKay

Continued from page 51 will help to act as a buffer against the ravages of the weather. This is also a good idea if you opt for a trellis fence, as it will in time gain you more privacy. Leylandii hedges have a bad reputation, but they grow quickly and if kept in check are not a problem. Laurel also grows quickly – about 1.5ft - 2ft a year. National Gardening Week If you want to get away from your own garden and its wobbly fence, National Gardening Week runs from 10th to 16th April this year, and will be full of events and other gardens to visit - you might even get inspiration on how to sort out your fence or hedge problem! On April 15th, there will be propagation workshops for visitors to Woburn Abbey Gardens, where you can also explore the recently created bog garden or the more historical Doric Temple and Wyatville Seat. For more Blackberry_Pie events head to: http:// Hydrangea nationalgardeningweek.org.uk

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Vale Life : Mar/Apr 2017

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Column: Heather Jan Brunt ‘This farming life’

Lights, camera, action!

etting up close to cows and sheep is not something Bucks TV managing director Richard Carr has to do often in his line of work, but for Bucks County Show he makes an exception. Richard covers the annual agricultural event every year for his internet television channel, parking his caravan on site for a full day of work and socialising. “We always do a broadcast of the day,” says Richard, “and this year we’ll probably do something extra special as it’s the 150th show. “We have a good day, because we see so many people from other areas of our job and they’re all together in one field!” Richard knows how to have fun in his work and says he doesn’t mind making a fool of himself. He’s created fun videos of himself spoofing the Dreamboys, The Full Monty and Dirty Dancing for Bucks TV reports. “It’s a bit of a giggle,” he says, “and makes people laugh.”

Richard Carr of Bucks TV

His studio is based in Saunderton at the Clare Foundation, and he has all the top-quality equipment and high definition cameras required for broadcast quality. Bucks TV has two functions. The first (www.buckstv.co.uk) is to present filmed coverage of local events involving schools, the councils, sports clubs and special occasions like the Tour of Britain cycle race, the Paralympic torch relay, and the Kop Hill Climb in Princes Risborough. Richard’s love of theatre is also

expressed on the channel with regular interviews with the stars visiting our local theatres, and a monthly theatre round up. The second function is to provide video production facilities for business clients who want footage for their own websites, with the use of the Bucks TV studio, or location work on their own premises, supplying presenters and/ or interviewers where necessary (www.buckstv.info). Richard was born and brought up in Wendover, and before creating Bucks TV he worked for our local radio station Mix 96 for 10 years in various roles including breakfast presenter and roving reporter. He said: “It was a lot of fun. One day I could be sitting in the theatre interviewing Joan Collins and the next I’m jumping off the high ropes at RAF Halton live on air. That probably wouldn’t be allowed now due to health and safety.” After leaving the radio station Richard briefly took part in a local

This farming life Heather Jan Brunt

television project in Milton Keynes and it was that experience that led to him setting up his own Bucks TV. In his spare time, Richard is currently involved in rehearsals for Tring Festival Company’s production of The Hot Mikado at The Court Theatre in Pendley in May. “I will be revisiting a role I first played 20 years ago,” he says. “I’ll be singing, tap dancing and acting. I’m older now though - hopefully I won’t need oxygen in the wings!” To book tickets for The Hot Mikado go to: www.courttheatre. co.uk l Heather Jan Brunt is a journalist

and a farmer’s wife. You can follow her on Twitter @HJBjournalist

Vale Life : Mar/Apr 2017

Chiltern View Nurseries Plant and Landscape Centre is open once more with a huge display of plants, pots, gardening accessories and landscaping goodies. It can mean just one thing - Spring is in the air...

t’s been relatively mild this year and already crocuses and daffodils are poking their heads up, buds budding and little green shoots appearing. So why not add a bit more colour and start getting the garden in shape for warmer times? Warren Iqbal, pictured right, runs Chiltern View Nursery on Wendover Road near Weston Turville, an undertaking he is thoroughly enjoying. Last year he added to the great selection of top quality plants at amazing value prices, by creating a whole new landscaping section, to make the centre more of a one-stop shop for garden supplies and this year he has embarked upon a serious expansion of the facilities and range of products on offer. The Chiltern View philosophy has long been to sell everything as reasonably as possible for a speedy turnover, so stock is constantly changing and there’s always something new for customers to see. Warren has no plans to change this. You’ll find everything from bedding plants, shrubs, seeds and bulbs to vegetables, fruit trees, climbers, exotic trees and ornamental grasses. Some is from local growers, some from further afield and abroad. There’s Spear & Jackson tools, Hozelock hoses, nozzles and sprinklers, compost, fertiliser, lawn feed, weedkiller, all the essentials you could need to perk up the

Vale Life : Mar/Apr 2017

Warren at Chiltern View Nurseries garden really. “I’ve improved the signage,” says Warren, “and increased the range, both of plants and accessories and of the landscaping section outside. We have lots of pots and containers - all shapes and sizes - which are particularly good value at the moment as we have a ‘50% off pots’ sale running and we have thousands of bulbs in stock from just £2 a pack. “Outside we’re putting in place the largest display of Bradstone paving in the UK, giving customers the chance to see and touch

their products rather than ordering from a catalogue. We’ve got areas of their blocks down too, to show how the different colours look when laid as a drive. “We’re going to be open 8am to 5pm, seven days a week, all year round now and I’m hoping to introduce some entertainment on Bank Holidays and special events. We’ve got an owl display by Heathrow Owl Rescue at the moment which is really popular customers are loving having their pictures taken with Daisy the European Eagle Owl and

Vale Life : Mar/Apr 2017

we’re starting a Sunday Farmers Market with stalls for fresh produce such as eggs, cheese, olives, cakes, jams, chutneys and bread. “I’m very much enjoying running the centre here. There’s a real buzz to the place and it’s fascinating learning about the different varieties of plants that are available and how to look after them. I’ve visited a few new suppliers both here and abroad and I’m really excited about further broadening our range.” When Warren joined Chiltern View last year he introduced Chiltern View Supplies to the site, offering a complete range of landscaping materials, paving, sheds and fencing and he has been building on this. Outside there’s now an impressive display of natural stone and concrete paving slabs, block paving, porcelain

paving (some textured to impersonate wood or stone), bags of Deco-pak decorative bagged aggregates, gravels, slate and pebbles, edging strips, Zest 4 Leisure garden furniture, fencing, trellis and outdoor living products pagodas, arbours and arches; stepping stones, decking, railway sleepers, turf, rocks and stones, statues, ornaments and lots more. “We have a yard at the back for trade supplies and can deliver in bulk if required,” says Warren. “And a selection of local landscaping companies are constructing show gardens at the front to demonstrate what they can do with our products and promote their skills and services. It’ll be like a mini Chelsea Flower Show when they’re finished! “I’m really pleased with the way things

are going - a lot of my staff worked here last year, which is great as they are a friendly, approachable hard-working team and help me offer a high quality personal service as well as excellent value.” Warren is happy to advise and quote for supply of landscaping products for larger projects and for plants and accessories just pop in and take your pick. Hurry while the sun is shining! l Chiltern View Nurseries Plant and Landscape Centre, Wendover Road, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, HP22 5GX Tel; 01296 613 823 Email: info@chilternviewnursery.co.uk Web: www.chilternviewnursery.co.uk Facebook.com/chilternviewnursery

Vale Life : Mar/Apr 2017

Uncover the secrets of the dodo

iscover the dodo’s story and how the view of them as fat, clumsy, and rather stupid is being overturned. These new findings are revealed in the new exhibition, Dodos: Old bird, new tricks which is now running at The Natural History Museum Tring. This free, family exhibition explores how scientists searched for the truth behind the legend, and how a single marsh on a tropical island became the key to our understanding of this mysterious bird. “It’s been so much fun creating this exhibition,” says exhibition curator Alice Adams, “The rare and historic specimens are incredible but I’m just as excited about the games - I can’t wait to see families digging for dodo bones, trying out their skull identification skills and exploring the very latest development in dodo science with the 3D digital dodo.” Highlights of the exhibition: • One of the very few composite (made by assembling bones from different dodos) dodo skeletons in existence. • A 400-year old book with the first published illustration of the

Julian Hume Painting dodo - an account of Jacob Van Neck’s second Dutch expedition to Indonesia. • A selection of some of the best preserved dodo bones in the world – on loan from Hampshire Cultural Trust. Explorers discovered the dodos’ home, Mauritius, in the late 1500s. In just 90 years dodos were extinct. They died out so quickly that hardly any evidence has been left behind: we may never know what they really looked like or how they lived.

“Amazingly, we know more about the population, nesting behaviour, eggs and young of dinosaurs, than about a bird that disappeared in very recent historical times due to human interference,” explains Museum avian palaeontologist and artist Julian Pender Hume. “When people first went looking for more dodos and couldn’t find any, there was consternation. No-one had thought before that a whole species could cease to exist.” A handful of brief eyewitness

accounts, illustrations of variable accuracy and head and foot fragments of museum specimens were all that remained. Then in 1885, George Clark, a schoolmaster in Mauritius, discovered a source of hundreds of dodo bones - preserved in the bottom of a marsh. Natural History Museum founder Richard Owen used these bones to scientifically describe the bird and construct a whole dodo skeleton. They were slimmer and more agile than thought and probably just as intelligent as related birds, such as pigeons. New discoveries are being made at the original excavation site in Mauritius and by re-examining specimens in collections around the world. For more on the lost world of the dodo, visit: www.nhm.ac.uk/ discover/the-lost-world-of-the-dodo. html l Natural History Museum,

The Walter Rothschild Building, Akeman Street, Tring, Hertfordshire, HP23 6AP Open Mon-Sat 10am-5pm, Sunday 2-5pm www.nhm.ac.uk

Music in the Park Line-up 2017

et your picnic hampers and dancing shoes ready! For Music in the Park returns to Elms Park, Thame on Sunday 30th April. This year the popular fundraising festival features more than 30 performers across three stages, for a fascinating and entertaining mix of music and dance across a wide range of genres. Topping the bill on the main stage are the popular Skasouls UK, band who will get you partying along to all those brilliant Ska favourites from bands such as Madness, Specials, Bad Manners, Selecter and more, while also appearing on the day are: Kathmandu, Thame Concert band, Prog Floyd, Working Dog, Transit, As If, 2 Strokes and Memphis Rattesnakes, plus on the Acoustic Stage: Claire Nicola, Ben Corby, Andrea Yates, Mia Wilson, Cosmosis, Thame Music Academy 56

Vale Life : Mar/Apr 2017

Music in the Park Pic: Nick White A little Bit Country, Beth Wackett, Bright Shadows and Tay O’Lay. There will also be performances from Haddenham Ukelele Group, Thame Music Academy Choir, Thame Youth Theatre, Thame Children’s Choir, Sing, Stagecoach, John Skasouls UK Hampden School Choir and more. Tickets are on sale from Singers, Paul and Martin, Billy Watman, Lewis and Emma Branch, the beginning of April online and at a range of outlets in Thame: The Quakes, Eclectic Folk Band,

Vintage & Modern Guitars, Wally’s Toy Shop, Thame Town Hall, Fore Golf, The Falcon, the Florence Nightingale Shop and the Cross Keys pub. Prices remain unchanged from last year: Advance tickets cost: Adults - £9; (concessions - students, under 18s, senior citizens - £5); family ticket (2 adults and up to 3 concessions) - £23. On-thedoor prices are £12, £6 and £28 respectively. Under 5s go free. With a wide variety of music and dance on offer, there’s sure to be something to please everyone and a great party atmosphere on the day. Party in the Park will feature two stages with live music and dance, and a dedicated acoustic stage. Of course, there will also be all the usual goodies you’d expect at a festival, including tasty real ales, a wide variety of delicious foods, fun activities for children and adults, and a range of trade stalls. Have fun dancing the day away or chill out with a leisurely picnic. For the full line-up, see the website: www.musicinthepark.org.uk or Facebook page: www.facebook. com/MusicInTheParkThame

Column: Lucy Ellis ‘Animal Magic’

Vale Life : Mar/Apr 2017

Just how fit is your dog?

e all know the importance of staying healthy through diet and exercise and many of us have invested in devices or apps on our smartphones to monitor how many calories we consume or steps we take in a day. But how do we know we’re doing right by our dogs? Enter the PitPat… PitPat is an easy way of monitoring your dog’s daily exercise even when you’re not there. It is a small lightweight device which fits neatly on your dog’s collar and measures her activity levels so you know how much play and rest she’s had, as well as whether or not she’s had enough walking and running time. All the data is then quickly downloaded to a free app on your smartphone via a bluetooth connection. There are numerous reasons you might want to monitor your dog’s activity levels: • If you rely on a dog walker, neighbour or relative to walk your

dog while you’re at work, you can check that the agreed walks are happening. • If your dog is in kennels, it’s fun to see a report of his playtimes when you get back.

• Many dogs in the UK are overweight and this little gadget can be invaluable to ensure that your dog is getting the required exercise for her breed and age. • Conversely, some dogs struggle to keep weight on, which could be down to too much exercise or not settling while the owners are out,

the PitPat will see if your dog is resting when he should. • PitPat can also be used to help understand your dog’s behaviour throughout the day and see any patterns which emerge, or to monitor any changes in activity during stressful times, such as when owners are on holiday or a bitch is in season. PitPat makes a note of the time your dog spends playing, walking, running and resting, showing you the times of each activity. It also estimates the number of calories your dog has burnt during the day, which will help you adjust how much you feed your dog accordingly. PitPat sets a daily target for your dog’s exercise and tracks progress as to whether or not the goal is being reached. The gadget simply attaches to your dog’s collar with a strong velcro strap and monitors your dog’s movement throughout the day and night. The data is stored in the device for up to a week, ready to be transferred via a bluetooth

Lucy Ellis

Animal Magic connection. All the information is then quickly and easily downloaded into an app on your phone so that you can keep a record of your dog’s activity and chart his progress. Unique Pets is a PitPat stockist, you can buy one for £39.99 or, if you would like to rent one to monitor your dog’s current activity levels intermittently, we hire them out for just £15 for a fortnight. At the end of the rental, you can either return it or if you’ve enjoyed it, you can buy it for the balance of £24.99. l Lucy Ellis is a writer and blogger who with Jenna Tomlins runs Unique Pets, a local, independent pet shop offering individual advice for pets, two grooming salons, dog training and a pet photography studio. www.uniquepets.co.uk

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

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

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

www.outofthedoghouse.co.uk • chase joggers, bicycles or livestock • destroy carpets or furniture when left alone • have issues with food? Dog Listening uses a simple non-confrontational method, suitable for all dogs, regardless of size, age or breed, through which you can address all undesirable behaviours and build a rewarding relationship with your dog. Contact: Roselle 07989 947316 or roselle@outofdoghouse.co.uk or visit www.outofthedoghouse.co.uk

T: 07745 779989 E: woof@uptownpets.co.uk www.uptownpets.co.uk

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Vale Life : Mar/Apr 2017

Music Column:

Turn it up! with Paul Adams

Return of secret crush

Our music columnist is Paul Adams - musician and performer, who can be seen in venues across our area both solo and with A Little Bit Country. Contact Paul with local gigs and music news at: paul@mrpauladams.co.uk Add your gigs to our website what’s on diary for free at: www.vale-life.co.uk

Live Music

March 16th Tortora Band (Blues) Tring Park Cricket Club, Tring 17th 2-Tone All Skas Shootpool, Aylesbury 17th U2Baby: Jericho Tavern Oxford 17th A Little Bit Country The Aristocrat, Aylesbury 18th Muso Green Man, Aylesbury 19th Simon Markland: Birdcage, Thame - Music and beer festival 24th Juan More (Covers 5 piece Victoria Club, Aylesbury 25th Inlak’esh & The White Tips, Limelight Theatre, Aylesbury 30th Rachel Redman Dukes Winebar, Princes Risborough 31st A Little Bit Country The Horse & Jockey, Aylesbury April 1st The Bluerays (Rock’n’Roll) Red Lion, Leighton Buzzard 2nd Rick Chase Victoria Club, Aylesbury 3rd Big Band Swing - George & Dragon, Princes Risborough Holy Holy (Bowie collaborators) Aylesbury Waterside Theatre 6th Son Maxwell’s Shufflepack (Blues, Boogie, Rock) at Tring Park Cricket Club, Tring 7th Mouth On A Stick The Unicorn, Leighton Buzzard 8th Mr Paul Adams The Aristocrat Aylesbury 14th El Bronson ( Shoot Pool, Aylesbury 15th Skamungas (Ska and Reggae) Hazlemere Community Centre 15th Mr Paul Adams, The Green Man, Aylesbury 16th Smooth Operator Anglers Retreat, Marsworth 16th Callow Saints (originals), The White Swan, Aylesbury 22nd Soulcem (acoustic duo) Tetsworth Social Club, Tetsworth 30th Music In The Park Festival Elms Park, Thame

Vale Life : Mar/Apr 2017

hen I was a young boy (don’t ask how long ago or in which galaxy that was) I used to sit down with my family at the weekend to watch the TV. The Generation Game was a particular favourite but while everyone else was watching the conveyor belt and trying to recall passing items like a kettle, fondue set and of course the cuddly toy - I watched for another reason. I had a secret crush on one of the presenters - no not Larry Grayson! Isla St Clair - one of a few of my celebrity crushes actually, alongside Suzi Quatro (Now you’re talking - Ed), Toyah Wilcox and Daphne Blake from Scooby Doo! Isla was no mere TV gameshow

host though, Isla was and is one of Britain’s foremost traditional singers, noted for the depth of feeling she

brings to her country’s music. At twelve she recorded the first of many traditional ballads for the School of Scottish Studies, which are still used as reference works. In her teens Isla was among the top rank of British folksingers, winning several awards including `Best Female Folk Singer’, and touring the world. Isla continues to work in TV, radio, stage and music and is coming to Aylesbury in March, when she will be joined by local guitarist Danny Prendergast, who also plays with The Dung Beatles and Oktober the pair have been working together since 1987. Catch them both at The Limelight Theatre on 24th March. Tickets: www.qpc.org.

nlak’esh are a four piece instrumental, acoustic band from Milton Keynes, who create ‘ear-pleasing hard-hitting grooves, distinctive and intricate Spanish/ Arabian influenced melodies and shock and awe with punctuated pauses and timely grabs!’

It’s a multi-cultural melting pot of sound and if you go to their website and sign up to their mailing list you’ll receive a free download of their track Non-Disclosure. I did and found it to be beautiful, moving music, which you can experience live at Gig Night At The

Limelight, at The Limelight Theatre, Aylesbury on Friday 25th March, when they are supported by brand new local band, The White Tips. For tickets visit www.qpc.org

Isla St Clair

No need for words I

Inlak’esh

Ska band shows its roots

ecently I received some distressing news - local keys man Martin Kent was leaving Aylesbury based SkaSouls UK! However, sad news doesn’t always equal bad news - Martin has formed a brand new band called Skamungas, pulling in some very talented musicians from around the local area, to perform the most popular ska and reggae numbers - all with a slightly different slant.

Other news

ust returned from a series of shows in San Francisco - Andy Robbins has released his Into The Night EP (www.bfsrecords. co.uk). It’s available now for download. For more info see: facebook.com/andyrobbinsmusic/ • Newly revamped Aylesbury pubs The Aristocrat (1 Wendover Road, 01296 415366) and The Green Man (Market Square, 01296 415064) are bringing back live music every Friday and Saturday Night - woohoo!

Not only do Skamungas want to entertain, they also want to educate, taking you on a musical trip through ska and reggae history from 60s legends Desmond Decker and Toots, through to 70s Dave and Ansell Collins, 80s The Selector and Madness, 90s Reel Big Fish and more recently Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra and Paolo Nutini!

If that wasn’t enough they are adding their ska and reggae magic to other genres too! Catch them on 15th April at the Hazlemere Community Centre and check out their Facebook page facebook.com/skamungas. Fans of SkaSouls Uk have no fear, as the band are currently planning more shows for 2017.

Column: Showtime! with Shaun Nolan

Vale Life : Mar/Apr 2017

Curtain closes on 1st year Joanne Clifton in Thoroughly Modern Millie

are not best pleased, but there’s a party to go to... a fantastic play and not to be missed in a production full of energy and passion. Hard on the heels of Road, MASH Productions present their revival of the classic The Wizard of Oz at the Court Theatre (5th – 8th April). I have friends in the show including Kim, who is playing Dorothy and I can’t wait to see the magic that they’ve been working on in the rehearsal room. Speaking of friends, I also have some in the Risborough Youth Theatre production of My Fair Lady (Princes Risborough School, April 8th & 9th) so if you’re in the area be sure to see their revival of this

Playing the Blues L

iving Blues legend Mick Pini plays Aylesbury’s Limelight Theatre on Friday, April 21st. Mick has toured the world for more than 40 year and it is said he lives, breathes, plays and sings the blues with such genuine passion that his 1954 Fender Stratocaster smokes! Touring Europe with B.B. King and supporting such blues greats as Buddy Guy, Freddie King and Jimmy Rogers, Mick Pini has earned himself a strong following, particularly in Europe. Eric Clapton described him in 1996 as “The legitimate successor to Peter Green.” He is indeed the genuine article, possessing an outstanding and authentic voice for the Blues and the ability to play exceptional guitar work personifying the blues in an inimitable way. In 1998 Mick and his band won the prestigious ‘Blues Band of the Month’ award at ‘Talkin Blues’ in Cologne and in January 1999 the band recorded their definitive album Blues Gonna Be My Way which saw the welcome return of Mike Vernon as producer. Mike produced Mick’s Wildman

Mick Pini album in 1989 which featured A.B. Burns, Chris Youlden and Paul Jones, and sold over 20,000 copies. Mick has recently recorded an album with Jimmy Carl Black and Roy Estrada (ex Little Feat and Mothers of Invention and Captain Beefheart). Catch Mick at the intimate Limelight Theatre on Friday 21st April from 8pm and you will enjoy a very special evening of Blues. Tickets price £10 advance / £12 on the door are available from The QPC Box Office as below. l Limelight Theatre, Queens Park Arts Centre, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, HP21 7RT T: 01296 424332 E: info@qpc.org W: www.qpc.org

classic musical as well. That same weekend Unbound - the in-house theatre company at the Limelight Theatre at Queen’s Park Arts Centre – mount their revival of Shakespeare’s Macbeth (April 7th – 9th) and I hear that the cast for this production are fantastic - exciting for all local fans of Shakespeare. Meanwhile around the corner, the Aylesbury Waterside is getting a visit from one of my favourite musicals of the 21st century Thoroughly Modern Millie (27th March - 1st April) starring the Strictly Come Dancing star Joanne Clifton. The musical opened on Broadway back in 2001 starring one of my favourite actresses Sutton Foster before transferring to the West End with Amanda Holden in the title role, earning her an Olivier Award nomination. The show is a spectacular combination of story, dance and music and well worth a visit. In London this month you can catch: David Tennant in Don Juan in Soho at Wyndham’s Theatre

Shaun Nolan Showtime!

(from 17th March); 42nd Street opening at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane (from 20th March); and The Life at the Southwark Playhouse (from 25th March), which is making its London debut following a Broadway production in the 1990s. Wherever you’re seeing shows this month, have a good time and thank you for reading this past year and supporting local and regional theatre. It means the world. l Shaun Nolan is a London theatre blogger who writes for a variety of publications including LondonTheatreDirect. Find him at @shaunycat on Twitter and if you want your show mentioned in this column, tweet him & let him know!

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his column marks my first anniversary of writing for Vale Life Magazine – yay! I can’t quite believe it’s been a whole year, but I hope this column keeps you inspired by the theatre in our local area and encourages you to take part. I’ve had many people say they recognise me as the face of this column, so I’m glad it’s being read and hopefully having a positive effect. It’s important to support theatre no matter where you’re seeing it, so thank you for doing just that. There are several exciting shows arriving in the Vale over the coming few weeks. At the Court Theatre in Tring, Berkhamsted Theatre Company are putting on a production of one of my favourite plays Road by Jim Cartwright (29th March – 1st April). The play is being produced a lot this year and is even receiving a revival at its home venue The Royal Court Theatre this Summer. It is 1987 and following the reelection of an unpopular leader, the inhabitants of a Lancashire street

Find out more today: AYLESBURY 01525 790 795 aylesbury@stagecoach.co.uk stagecoach.co.uk/aylesbury THAME 01865 763767 thame@stagecoach.co.uk stagecoach.co.uk/thame

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Creative Courage For Life

Vale Life : Mar/Apr 2017

Oh My Love, My Darling… I’ve Hungered for this Show... We all love the film and now the stage version looks like being a big hit too. Andy Moss stars as Sam in Ghost the Musical - soon to be appearing at Aylesbury Waterside Theatre, so we’ve asked him just what it’s like to be playing Patrick’s role...

ased on one of cinema’s biggest all-time hits starring the late Patrick Swayze, Ghost has now been adapted for the stage. We’ve spoken to Andy Moss who has the task of playing the lead role of Sam and will be performing when Ghost The Musical appears at Aylesbury Waterside Theatre from Tuesday 18th to Saturday 22nd April. How does it feel to be playing Swayze’s role in Ghost - The Musical? I’m so excited but it’s also a bit nervewracking - not the idea of performing in front of an audience but because it’s such an iconic role. Patrick Swayze’s shoes are big shoes to fill, for sure, and my mate Richard Fleeshman did Sam in the original West End production and he was amazing too, so there’s a bit of pressure, but we’ve not gone for a carbon copy of either the West End or Broadway versions. What was it about this particular show that made you say yes to the part? Number one, I’m a massive fan of the movie. Number two, I’ve been dying to get back on stage for a while now. I love TV and stuff but there’s nothing so gratifying as doing a live show. Obviously you can see reactions on Twitter, but to go out there and perform in front of a live audience for immediate feedback is the most exciting part of the job. Then number three, there’s the music. It’s by Dave Stewart from the Eurythmics and Glen Ballard who has produced loads of albums that I love as well. When I heard the songs I could hear all their influences in it so the whole package of having those guys on board, this iconic movie and the fact it’s a nice threemonth tour, sold it to me straight away! 60

Vale Life : Mar/Apr 2017

Andy Moss

Andy Moss & Carolyn Maitland as Sam and Molly in Ghost - The Musical: Tue 18th to Sat 22nd April You’ve done TV but what challenges does a stage show present? The main challenge for me is to make sure my voice can cope with the run of daily performances. There are some big numbers to perform - I’ve been in bands over

the years so I can sing, but doing it every night across eight shows a week is a tough prospect. You have to know when to belt it out and when to save your voice. Also everything has to be cued to a sound cue or a music cue or somebody else’s line or a lighting cue. I’m not used to that in TV. If we move the lines around a little bit because it seems more

Vale Life : Mar/Apr 2017

Thoroughly Modern Millie: Tue 28th March to Sat 1st April

Jacqui Dubois as Oda Mae Brown in Ghost - The Musical: Tue 18th to Sat 22nd April

Jane Eyre: Mon 24th to Sat 29th April Omid Djalili: Thur 13th April truthful they’ll usually buy it, but with this you have to be word-perfect.

when Whoopi Goldberg was at her peak as were Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore. It had such a stellar cast, which combined with the fact everyone can relate to the story, made it resonate really strongly.

What’s your take on Sam? He’s deeply in love with his girlfriend Molly [Carolyn Maitland] but like any guy at that age he’s scared of commitment and stuff. He’s a lovely guy and he loves her, then when he dies his thing is about connecting back to Molly and seeking vengeance on his best mate who ultimately killed him. It’s an emotional rollercoaster, but then there are all the comedy scenes with Oda Mae Brown [Jacqui Dubois] as well, so I have to thread through the journey of him being a lovable character at the beginning, then it goes dark after he dies. He’s seeking vengeance and trying to tell Molly he loves her whilst having a bit of fun with Oda Mae as well, so it’s a tricky character to embrace, especially playing him dead.

What are you most looking forward to about the tour? I’m looking forward to visiting towns and cities I’ve never been to - that’s going to be great. Also it’s got me excited about acting again and that it doesn’t just have to be on TV or in a film, I can go on tour and even go do it in another country. Hopefully this will be the gateway to other things. It’s a great show and a great part, I hope I manage to do it justice.

Why do you think this particular story means so much to so many people? It’s an everlasting love story - everyone knows someone who has passed on and has that longing to see them again. Also it was

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

Book now by visiting Aylesbury Waterside Theatre Box Office, call 0844 871 7607 (bkg fee. Calls 7p per min plus your phone company’s access charge) or visit: www.atgtickets.com/aylesbury (bkg fee).

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

Sun 26th March

Thoroughly Modern Millie

Tue 28th March to Sat 1st April

Psychic Sally

Thu 6th April

An Evening with Pam Ayres Omid Djalili

Sun 9th April

A Vision of Elvis

Fri 14th April

Ghost

Tue 18th to Sat 22nd April

Jane Eyre

Mon 24th to Sat 29th April

Twelfth Night Encore Screening (Second Space)

Thu 27th April

Thu 13th April

Vale Life : Mar/Apr 2017

by Cathy Soughton

Vale Life : Mar/Apr 2017

The Red Lion

Wendover

he Red Lion Hotel in Wendover is an old coaching inn with a history extending back some 400 years. It is rumoured that Oliver Cromwell stayed there for a night during the English Civil War and addressed his troops from one of the upstairs windows. A timber framed building with brick and painted plaster infill, it has a deceptive mock-Tudor appearance but a tablet inserted in the south end gable bears the date 1669 and the building probably dates back to the early 1600s. An old map of Wendover produced in 1620 shows a large building on the same site whilst a Chancery Court case in 1651 involved a dispute concerning ownership of the Red Lion Inn. For many years the Red Lion served as a coaching inn with stage coaches and carriers stopping there on route to London. Regular auctions, coroner’s inquests and meetings were also held there

including one in 1867 to consider the best means of promoting the proposed railway from Rickmansworth to Aylesbury. The line was eventually opened in 1892 and many festivities were held in Wendover including a celebratory dinner at the Red Lion. It is unlikely that the opening of HS2 will be celebrated in the same way! In addition to Oliver Cromwell’s alleged visit, one known visitor in the autumn of 1875 was the writer Robert Louis Stevenson. Whilst he was not that complimentary about Wendover calling it a “straggling, purposeless sort of place” he called the Red Lion “a pleasant old house, with bay-windows, and three peaked gables, and many swallows’ nests plastered about the eaves”. Of the wainscoted (wooden panelled) parlour where he spent the evening he wrote: “how pleasant it looked, all flushed and flickered over by the light of a brisk companionable fire”. In the later 1800s and early 1900s the pub was run by the Holland family. As well as being the licensee, Joseph Senior Holland was a local builder, miller and brewer and his family later established the local

Above: The Red Lion Hotel, Wendover Right: Dolly with Pierce Brosnan (pic: Geoff Robinson)

drinks company Dayla. By 1914 the Red Lion was being advertised in the Bucks Herald as “the Old Red Lion Hotel A.D. 1620, the House of Comfort, Old English Fare & Cooking”. Facilities included a bowling green, garden, garage and stabling. Over time the hotel has seen many alterations and renovations. Most recently a major internal refurbishment took place in 2008. As a Grade II Listed Building, the

changes had to be sympathetic to the building’s age and character and whilst the hotel was modernised, its historic features including the 17th century fireplace and exposed beams were retained. In recent years the Red Lion is probably best known for its barmaid Dolly Saville who was the world’s oldest barmaid. She started at the hotel in 1940 and was still working there when she celebrated her 100th birthday in 2014. During her time at the hotel she served many famous visitors including football legend Sir Stanley Matthews, actors Peter Cushing and Pierce Brosnan and ballerina Dame Margot Fonteyn. Sadly Dolly has since died but ‘Dolly’s Bar’ lives on in her memory. Now a popular Fuller’s hotel, more details about the Red Lion Hotel can be found at: www.redlionhotelwendover.co.uk l Cathy Soughton is a professional genealogist and architectural historian providing family history and house history research in the local area. W: www.bucksresearch.co.uk, E: soughton@btopenworld.com, T: 01296 624845

waitrose.com/thame

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

Waitrose Thame Supporting the community 62

Vale Life : Mar/Apr 2017

Column: Bookworm with Ben Churchill

Non Fiction Book of the Month: The Path by Michael Puett & Christine Gross-Loh

The first book of its kind, The Path draws on the work of the great but largely unknown Chinese philosophers to offer a profound guide to living well. By explaining what these teachings reveal about subjects from decision-making to relationships, it challenges some of our deepest held assumptions, forcing us to “unlearn” many ideas that inform modern society. The way we think we’re living our lives isn’t the way we live them. A one-ofa-kind book from Harvard’s most popular professor.

Thriller of the Month: Black Water Lilies by Michel Bussi

From the author of the best-selling After the Crash comes the story of thirteen days that begin with one murder and end with another. Jérôme Morval, a man whose passion for art was matched only by his passion for women, has been found dead in the stream that runs through the gardens. In his pocket is a postcard of Monet’s Water Lilies with the words: ‘Eleven years old. Happy Birthday’. Entangled in the

mystery are three women: a young painting prodigy, the seductive village schoolteacher and an old widow who watches over the village from a mill by the stream. All three of them share a secret. But what do they know about the discovery of Jérôme Morval’s corpse? And what is the connection to the mysterious, rumoured painting of Black Water Lilies?

Children’s Book of the Month: The Huntress: Sea

by Sarah Driver In the sky, the fire spirits dance and ripple. Grandma says they showed our Tribe that I’d be a captain, before I was even born. Ever since

Ma died, Mouse has looked after her little brother, Sparrow, dreaming of her destiny as captain of the Huntress. But now Da’s missing, Sparrow is in danger, and a deathly cold is creeping across Trianukka... A sea-churning, beast-chattering, dream-dancing, whale-riding, terrodyl-flying, world-saving adventure of a novel.

Fiction Book of the Month: My Name is Lucy Barton by

Elizabeth Strout Lucy Barton has been in hospital for three weeks with an undiagnosed illness after having her appendix removed. She sits and stares through the window at the Chrysler building

Book reviews “with its geometric brilliance of lights.” Unexpectedly, as she begins to desperately miss her husband and children, Barton’s mother arrives to ‘comfort’ her - igniting childhood memories of poverty and abuse. In vast contrast to her now successful career, we visit Lucy’s past (and present) life through the reminiscing conversations with her mother. This short, sparse yet remarkable novel packs a punch - blurring the lines of falsehood and reality as we step into the mind of Lucy Barton and will catalyse much conversation.

Ben’s Pick: The North Water by Ian McGuire

Long-listed for the Man Booker prize last year (a list which I read yearly), The North Water is a brutal, yet beautiful musing on the state of Man and our relationships both with nature and with one-another. It’s a genre-defying combination of the Revenant and Moby Dick, with the writing quality of Donna Tartt or Hilary Mantel - I cannot recommend this book more highly! l Reviews by Ben Churchill, Senior Bookseller at Waterstones, Aylesbury Tel: 01296 423153 Web: www.waterstones.com

WIN a copy of The Oxfordshire Cook Book Farm Shop open every Thursday from 11am to 6.30pm Fresh organic veg, slow-reared free-range meat & more... Events throughout the year & ‘pop-up’ Seasonal Suppers Visit: www.sandylanefarm.net for more information Find us in Tiddington (between Thame & Wheatley) OX9 2LA

elebrate spring and the arrival of new born lambs on April 1st & 2nd from 10am-3pm when Sandy Lane Farm at Tiddington hold their annual Lambing Weekend and Farm Shop with entry just £1 a car. The farm shop and pop-up café will be open with delicious, freshly roasted coffees provided by Emily at the Horsebox Coffee Co. The BBQ will be fired up too, serving gourmet hot dogs and more. DIY childrens’ activities will be available for a small donation. Sandy Lane is supporting The George Oliver Foundation. Sandy Lane Farm is a small,

traditional mixed organic working farm; the farmyard may be muddy, the farm dog will be roaming free and staff are friends and family, so be patient and enjoy a taste of what life is really like on a farm. At Sandy Lane they grow organic vegetables, rear free-range traditional breed pigs and lambs, host ‘pop-up’ seasonal suppers, and run a produce market in the barn (see above panel for details). l Sandy Lane Farm, Sandy Lane, Tiddington, Oxfordshire, OX9 2LA T: 01844 279 269 E: enquiries@sandylanefarm.net W: www.sandylanefarm.net Twitter: @sandylanefarm

he Oxfordshire Cook Book is a stunning celebration of the region’s vibrant food and drink scene, featuring fabulous recipes and stories from some of Oxfordshire’s finest restaurants, cafés, delicatessens, pubs, producers and suppliers. Mike North, the owner of Michelin starred village pub The Nut Tree has written the foreword for the book and contributed his rather delicious ginger panna cotta with rhubarb recipe. “Oxford’s gastronomy has so much to offer from nationally acclaimed artisan bakers and delicatessens to a plethora of amazing farm shops and local butchers. “The local food heroes of Oxfordshire are too many to mention, but in short I am sure you will find in this guide a place to suit you for every occasion and every budget.” he says. Numerous award-winning, fine dining restaurants and traditional

country pubs are featured and the book also highlights local producers and suppliers in areas such as Watlington where our Vale Life editor spotted a copy at Tutu Delicious, the artisan chocolate shop, which appears on the book’s cover. If you’d like to be in with a chance of winning a copy of The Oxfordshire Cook Book, email your name, address and telephone number, along with the answer to the following question, to: editor@ vale-life.co.uk In which town is Tutu Delicious? Winner to be drawn at random from correct entries and notified by email by April 21st, 2017. l The Oxfordshire Cook Book is

published by Meze Publishing and available from www.amazon.com www.mezepublishing.co.uk Vale Life : Mar/Apr 2017

Column: Nick Coffer ‘In the kitchen’

Gluten-free brownies

ome of the most popular recipes on my Weekend Kitchen programme are those which are gluten-

free. Making great food - cakes and bakes in particular - without the need for gluten needn’t be difficult. Take these wonderful brownies for example. They are muddy, fudgey, soft and moreish. Cakes made with gluten-free flour can be a little dry but in such a ‘wet’ mix as this, the finished brownies are as moist as can be. The recipe comes from a real baking expert, and a lovely regular on my show - Paul Barker, who runs the Cinnamon Square Bakery in Rickmansworth, and he shares this recipe and others in his baking bible, ‘Cinnamon Square - A Measured Approach’.. Ingredients (to serve 4) 210g unsalted butter 210g dark Belgian chocolate 285g caster sugar 170g beaten egg at room temperature (about 4 eggs) 125g gluten-free plain flour

Vale Life : Mar/Apr 2017

In the kitchen Nick Coffer

Gluten-free brownies Method: Place the butter and chocolate in a plastic bowl and gently melt them in the microwave or over a hot water bath. You want the mix to get quite warm. This will help keep the batter fluid when adding the eggs. In a separate bowl combine the sugar and eggs together, and then pour (whilst stirring) into the butter/chocolate mixture. Finally, add the gluten-free flour

and stir until thoroughly combined. Pour the mixture into a 23cm square baking pan, lined with greaseproof baking paper. If the batter is still warm, it will make its own level. However, if the batter has thickened, you will need to spread it level across the baking pan. Place the pan into your oven and bake at 170°C / Gas Mark4 for 25-30 minutes. It is better to slightly under bake these brownies

as they will continue to cook once out off the oven. You actually want the centre to still be slightly soft when baked. Once the brownies have cooled, you can dust with a little icing sugar, top with some store-bought chocolate fudge, or a simple chocolate ganache (made by melting together equal weight of dark chocolate and cream). This recipe makes nine large square brownies or 18 smaller rectangles. l Hear wonderful recipes on Nick Coffer’s Weekend Kitchen every Sunday morning on BBC Three Counties radio at 11am. You can also join Nick weekday afternoons at midday for music plus local guests with great stories.

Win meal for two at Fat Fox Inn

he Fat Fox Inn is located near the centre of the small market town of Watlington on the edge of the Chiltern Hills. The 17thcentury building has been part pub, butchers, bakery and shop in its day but is now a popular inn with an attractive bar complete with warming inglenook fireplace and wood burning stove. The new dining room is decked out in elegantly eclectic style, while to the rear of the property there is a converted coaching barn which houses seven of nine ensuite bedrooms. The Fat Fox is an attractive, comfortable welcoming place to drink, eat and stay the night. At the bar you’ll find well-kept cask ales, interesting wines and delicious, elegant, freshly prepared food, served by friendly professional staff. The menu is classically British with influences from our European and Commonwealth food allies. Food is simple, yet elegantly presented using layers of flavours and textures. All of the meat,

Guide listings. Best of all Head Chef Stewart Lennox has worked in many notable country house hotels as a pastry chef and has created a very indulgent pudding menu, full of classics such as sticky toffee pudding and specialities such as flourless Chocolate St.Emilion on a crushed hazelnut base. We’ve teamed up with The Fat Fox Inn to offer Vale Life readers the chance to win a meal for two with a bottle of house wine at the pub. If you’d like to be in with a chance, simply email your name, address and telephone number, along with the answer to the following question to: editor@vale-life.co.uk Who is head chef at the Fat Fox? Winner to be drawn at random and notified by email by April 21st.

game, fruit and veg in season are purchased from local suppliers. The Fat Fox runs an evolving, seasonal menu allowing the kitchens to prepare dishes to exploit whatever opportunities their

Stay Warm This Winter! Dry Logs

Prompt Delivery

suppliers have to offer. The dishes on the menu aspire to satisfy those who like traditional pub dishes done well, while also including ‘fine dining’ dishes worthy of the AA rosette and Michelin

l The Fat Fox Inn, 13 Shirburn Street, Watlington, Oxfordshire, OX49 5BU T: 01491 613040 E: info@thefatfoxinn.co.uk W: www.thefatfoxinn.co.uk

Experience the authentic taste of India

Pick Up Only

Pre-Packed Coal

For Open Fires & Multifuel Stoves

Visit Us For:

- Large Selection Of Fruit & Vegetables - Extensive Freezer Selection- Home Produced Lamb & Beef - Top Brand Pet Foods & Animal Feeds - Chiltern Cold Pressed Rapeseed Oil -

F in e I ndian D ining

High quality dining in our historic 550-year-old ‘Old Library’ building - now recently refurbished.

01844 690446/273412 Takeaway and free local home delivery available Reservations / order online: www.radhunihp27.co.uk The Old Library, Church Street, Princes Risborough, HP27 9AA facebook.com/RadhuniPR

@RadhuniPR

P E Mead & Sons Farm Shop Wilstone, Nr Tring, HP23 4NT 01442 828478 www.pemeadandsons.co.uk Vale Life : Mar/Apr 2017

Vale Life : Mar/Apr 2017

Win a box of Rumsey’s handmade chocolates!

Master chocolatier Nigel Rumsey has been creating his exquisite range of award-winning handmade chocolates since 1991. This April his talents can be appreciated in a delicious range of Easter goodies including some gorgeous, very special, Single Origin Easter Eggs, ideal for chocolate connoisseurs...

nspired by the film Chocolat, Nigel and Mary Rumsey opened their first Chocolaterie in Wendover on Valentine’s Day, 2004. They had transformed a former bank in the centre of town into a relaxed setting in which to eat lunch, drink coffee and choose from a wonderful selection of handmade chocolates, sandwiches, daily specials, snacks, cakes and patisserie. It was a sweet success and led to a second chocolaterie opening in Thame. Both chocolateries have visible ‘theatres of chocolate’ where chocolate is made, creating interest for customers and lovely aromas, while Nigel and his team produce delicious award-winning artisan chocolate, ice cream and patisserie and run courses, demonstrations and children’s parties. Although the chocolatier’s skills are key in producing an exceptional product, ingredients Rumsey’s handmade Single Origin Easter Egg are very important too. Dark and supporting the livelihood of Chocolate is made using cocoa the farmers, so they source from liquor, cocoa butter and sugar. Milk selected small holder farms. Chocolate is made using cocoa Nigel has developed Rumsey’s liquor, cocoa butter, sugar and also own unique blend of cocoa beans, milk powder and White Chocolate a combination from Madagascar, is made with just cocoa butter, Cuba and Tanzania, to create the sugar and milk powder, but no perfect mix - Rumsey’s signature cocoa liquor. blend known as Or Noir which is Cocoa trees grow in the tropical used to make their dark chocolate. forests of the equatorial belt. There Similarly cocoa beans from Ivory are three different species of cocoa Coast and Ghana are blended with tree, each with its own unique an additional 41.3% milk to create characteristics. Cocoa beans from the base for Rumsey’s Or Noir Milk different regions have different Chocolate. aromas, and these are often blended It’s a winning combination which together to produce a wider variety has seen Rumsey’s achieve several of flavours. Nigel and Mary visited Gold Stars in the highly respected a cocoa plantation in Grenade last Guild of Fine Food National Great year to see the cocoa beans being Taste Awards. grown, harvested and processed. You can experience the awardThey are passionate about the winning chocolate in their range sustainability of their cocoa supply of special handmade Easter 66

Vale Life : Mar/Apr 2017

Chocolatiers Nigel Rumsey, right, and Pawel Szymanski with the Rumsey’s Single Origin Easter Eggs

Rumsey’s handmade chocolates products including Or Noir Easter Eggs (Dark or Milk) filled with matching mini eggs. There will also be organic dark and organic milk chocolate eggs, plus this year, keen to give customers a chance to experience the subtle differences between cocoa beans from different regions, Nigel has produced a fabulous range of four Origins Single Origin Easter Eggs, made with cocoa from a single region and containing mini bars of chocolate from all four regions, to enjoy and compare. There’s Java Milk (32%) from

Indonesia, Arriba Milk (39%) from Ecuador, Madagascar Dark (66%) from East Africa and Grenade Dark Chocolate (60%) from the Caribbean, all delightfully packaged with information about the chocolate’s origin on the back. Of course Rumsey’s will also have their standard eggs, chocolate chicks, lambs, mini eggs and lots of other Easter goodies, including their amazing handmade chocolates, which can be selected individually and bought in boxes of 8, 12 or 20. With centres of Orange Seville, Praline, Ginger, Mexican Vanilla, Black Cherry Cointreau, Champagne, Baileys and Salted Caramel among others they are just exquisite. Rumsey’s are kindly offering Vale Life readers the chance to win a large Rumsey’s Ballotin Box containing 20 chocolates! Simply email your name, address and telephone number plus a list of the centres you would like in your box (see www.rumseys.co.uk for details) to: editor@ vale-life.co.uk Winner to be drawn at random and notified by email by April 21st. Easter eggs are available for purchase at Rumsey’s in Thame and at Wendover. l Rumsey’s of Wendover, The Old Bank, 26 High Street, Wendover, Buckinghamshire, HP22 6EA Tel: 01296 625060 Open: Mon-Sat: 8.30am-6pm, Sun: 10am-6pm l Rumsey’s of Thame, 8 Upper High Street, Thame, Oxfordshire, OX9 3ER Tel: 01844 260303 Open: Mon-Sat: 9am-6pm, Sun: 10am-5.30pm l Website: www.rumseys.co.uk Twitter: @rumseyschoc Facebook.com\RumseysChocolaterie

Welcome to Coco Tamarind Fine Indian restaurant & takeaway at Askett, Princes Risborough Relax, unwind and enjoy our friendly attentive service and most delicious Indian cuisine

Mother’s Day - we are offering all mums a complimentary drink on arrival and a yummy, free dessert! Go on, give her a treat - book now! Easter weekend - we are open as usual all through Easter. Why not take a break from chocolate and enjoy a fabulous family curry? 10% discount on collected takeaways 20% discount if ordered online via our website & collected (min order £20)! l Free home delivery within 5 mile radius (min order £15) l Be a Coco Tamarind Member for discounts and special offers l Please book ahead - we are busy all week! l

Coco Tamarind serves the finest modern and traditional Indian cuisine, in stylish, comfortable surroundings. The relaxed ambience and efficient service, plus our well stocked bar, will ensure your time with us is a most enjoyable experience, whatever the occasion.

Order your takeaway or reserve a table online at www.cocotamarindHP27.co.uk or call: 01844 343111 / 01844 346100 Coco Tamarind, Aylesbury Road, Askett, Princes Risborough, Buckinghamshire, HP27 9LY

PACKAGELS L TO SUIT A

S ET DG BU Y INN A ID L O H E H T AT

Funeral Wakes, Christenings, Birthday Parties, Baby Showers, Proms, Reunions, Family Celebrations… In fact, any event that requires a venue.

COMMODATION! AC & K IN R D , D O FO

Phone 01296 734030 Email: events@hinnaylesbury.com Vale Life : Mar/Apr 2017

Vale Life : Mar/Apr 2017

A beef olive is a thin steak wrapped around a filling of sausage meat or stuffing as the basis of a hearty braised dish, popular since the 1600s. It’s also the name of a new Aylesbury butcher and delicatessan focusing on tradition, service and food quality as its key ingredients...

here has been a butchers at 27 Parton Road, Aylesbury, for decades. Previously known as Parminters and more recently Cobbs, the business changed hands last year and following a refurbishment and rebrand, is now Beef Olive, high quality traditional butcher and artisan delicatessen. New owner Tim Harwood from Wendover and his friendly team are service focused and offer quality cuts of meat from UK (mainly local), suppliers, with high standards of husbandry and welfare, plus artisan breads, cheeses, charcuterie, pickles and preserves and carefully selected seasonal produce. They also do local deliveries. Tim has a degree in hospitality and a background in food and catering. He has run delicatessens and managed food concessions in some of London’s top department stores, (including Harrods) managed pub/restaurants and worked in the butchery industry. Working along side Tim is talented butcher and caterer Neil Parsons who has 27 years experience in the food trade, both locally and in London. They are assisted by apprentice butcher Harry Scutchings. “Taking on and developing the butchers here really appealed to me,” says Tim.

Cashel Blue Cheese 68

Vale Life : Mar/Apr 2017

Darlington Jams and Chiltern Coldpressed Mayonnaise selection

Harry, Tim and Neil

“The shop had a good customer base when we took over and we are already expanding on that. I grew up in Bedgrove and used to come here as a boy with my grandparents. It’s going really well and I’m very much enjoying being back in the local community here and seeing old faces I grew up with. It’s coming home

for me, as I’ve been living and working in different areas for quite some time now. “People today like to buy their meat from someone who can tell them where it is from and answer any questions they have about quality or provenance. We have free range chicken from Potash Farm near Tring, sides of beef from Thame and free range Oxfordshire pork. We are developing relationships with the farms and source meat directly from one in Staffordshire at the moment. It’s all fresh meat, not vacuum packed and mostly comes in as carcasses which we butcher here. We know where it comes from and that the quality is good, the animal welfare is good it’s matured and will taste great. We aim to supply a high quality product at competitive prices. You can buy meat more cheaply but it won’t be the same quality or have the provenance that many people are looking for nowadays.” The meat counters at Beef Olive certainly look fabulous, full of lean, fresh cuts and some fine sausages - their superb Aylesbury Royale I can personally vouch for - delicious,

Vale Life : Mar/Apr 2017

Chicken Kievs, stir frys and marinades in the window

Plenty of parking at front of shop

Chiltern Charcuterie

Neil with side of local beef Harry serves up some Scotch eggs

chunky and rustic! Neil tells me Beef Olive sausages get their lovely, rugged texture from the natural breadcrumbs used in place of the ‘rusk’ many sausages incorporate in their mix and that the flavour is enhanced with a secret blend of herbs and spices. Also on the menu are chicken and roast vegetable sausages, spicy goat sausages, and country herb pork sausages among others. At around £3.50 for 6 they are not only very tasty but great value too. On the deli there is a delicious selection of cooked meats, pies, tarts, olives, cheese and prepared food. Beef Olive prides itself on preparing and cooking most of its produce fresh daily at the shop, this includes boiling their hams, roasting their joints, baking their pasties and crafting their famous Beef Olive Scotch Eggs. Beef Olive also stocks cheeses such as Sussex Crumble, Smoked Applewood, creamy Cashel Blue, Cornish Yarg, Wookey Hole

Air dried lamb from Chiltern Charcuterie

Cheddar and Black Bomber, Fennel Salami, Scottish Black Pudding, Pancetta, Onion Bhajis and Samosas, Billtong, a range of Tracklements sauces, jellies and chutneys, Thorncroft cordials such as elderflower and rosehip, Chiltern Coldpressed Rapeseed Oils and Mayonnaise, Parslow’s local honey, olives, Craigellachie Smoked Salmon, eggs, Chiltern Charcuterie, Shropshire Spice stuffing mixes, Darlington’s Jams and a handy selection of

fresh vegetables... “It’s been very rewarding,” says Neil. “We are extremely busy and work from around 6.30am to 5pm but it’s been great to get such good feedback and see trade increasing so quickly. We rebranded in August and since then we’ve had 58 five-star reviews on our facebook page, which is amazing!” Beef Olive is easy to get to from Aston Clinton, Weston Turville and Wendover and there is a free car park right outside. The shop is open from 7am to 5pm Monday to Friday and 7am to 4pm on Saturdays. Pop in for a friendly welcome, or checkout their website or facebook page for more info. l Beef Olive, 27 Parton Road, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, HP20 1NG T: 01296 482 035 E: thebutcher@beefolive.com W: www.beefolive.com Facebook.com - search for Beef Olive Twitter: @beefolive

Vale Life : Mar/Apr 2017

Marathon run to say thanks for saving Mum

onnie Chandler, from Sydenham near Chinnor, is running this year’s London Marathon to raise funds for Thames Valley Air Ambulance, because they saved her Mum’s life. “On 28th January 2015 I got a phone call to say that my Mum had been involved in an accident and that she was being airlifted to hospital. “I rallied my family and we set off for the hospital. Once at the John Radcliffe we were put into a family room and waited for details of what was happening. “After what seemed like hours we were informed that Mum had sustained a severe head injury, a broken collar bone and several broken ribs. “It was decided that she was to be placed in a medically induced coma to allow the pressure on her brain to reduce. “I can’t begin to explain what my Mum looked like when we first saw her that afternoon. She was lifeless, with what looked like dozens of tubes going in and out of her.

Connie Chandler and her mum “She was taken to the intensive care unit, where she stayed for about a week until a bed on the Neuro Intensive Care ward was available. This ward is the most amazing, high tech place I have ever seen. “When the time came to bring her out of the coma it was evident that her brain injury was much worse than first thought. “We all thought at this point that she wasn’t going to make it, but thankfully, Mum being Mum, she was strong, she fought back and she never gave up. “Recovery was a slow process.

Even once she became more alert she was still very confused, but after many weeks in the rehab unit she learnt to walk again and began to try and take care of her own personal needs with much help and support from the staff and from all the family. “There were many times when she was frustrated at not being able to do everyday things and she had good days and bad days, but eventually, after some five months in hospital, she came home in June 2015. “With ongoing help and support from family and a variety of support groups Mum is well on her way to adapting to her new life. “I have always been an avid supporter of Thames Valley Air Ambulance, but like most people I never expected that anyone in my immediate family would have to call upon it in an emergency. “My mum did though and it is safe to say that without the help of the air ambulance she wouldn’t be here today. “My family and I can’t thank the Air Ambulance staff, the

paramedics and all the wonderful people at the John Radcliffe Hospital enough. “Words are not enough to convey our gratitude, so i am asking for everyone to please help me to raise as much money as possible for this amazing charity. You never know when you or someone you love might need it. I will be running the Virgin London Marathon 2017, on April 23rd and would appreciate any sponsorship no matter how small to help fund this vital service. Thank you for your time and generosity. “Donations can be easily made through the Just Giving website. It’s simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe - Just Giving will never sell them on or send you unwanted emails. Once you donate they will send your money direct to Thames Valley Air Ambulance, so it is the most efficient way to donate – saving time and cutting costs for the charity. Go to: www.justgiving.com/ fundraising/Connie-Chandler1 l www.tvairambulance.org.uk

Charity run is chance to Paralympic Heritage will play doctors and nurses be saved by Studies Centre

cannappeal, a charity dedicated to providing state of the art medical equipment, has launched the Scrub Run at the Cardiology Department of Wycombe Hospital. This family fun run for local charity is to take place on Sunday 21st May and organisers hope to see all manner of doctor’s coats, nurse’s uniforms and scrubs take on the challenge. Participants can choose a 5k or 1k route, both of which start and finish at Amersham Cricket Club and will take in the beautiful Great Missenden Way and Shardeloes. Those taking part are welcome to run, jog or walk, and to don their favourite doctors and nurses’ outfit in homage to the incredible work our doctors and nurses do. The day will kick off with a warm up provided by local company, Wild Training, who are kindly supporting the event. With the runners decked out in their ‘doctors and nurses’ gear it is sure to bring a smile to everyone’s face! All are welcome and by taking part you will be 70

Vale Life : Mar/Apr 2017

The launch of Scrub Run supporting Scannappeal’s All Heart Appeal, raising funds to buy two latest generation 3D scanners to diagnose and evaluate heart disease. Equipment purchased by Scannappeal is used every 10 minutes in local hospitals and by 1 in 4 residents of Buckinghamshire. Registration for the Scrub Run closes on Wednesday 17th May at midday. Adult entry is £10, 5-16 year olds £5, and under 5s run free, with every participant receiving an exclusive Scrub Run medal on completion. Early bird entry fees will be available until Monday, 3rd April 2017. For more information and to sign up for the Scrub Run go to: http://www.scannappeal.org.uk/ event/scrub-run/

istoric archives and artefacts dating back to the very origins of the Paralympic movement will be catalogued and conserved by the Centre for Buckinghamshire Studies. The archives department of Buckinghamshire County Council, in partnership with the National Paralympic Heritage Trust (NPHT), has been awarded a major grant of £175,566 by the Welcome Trust for cataloguing and conservation work on the vital records which track the origins of the Paralympic movement. These will include patient records dating back to 1944, when Dr Ludwig Guttmann first set up the spinal injuries unit at Stoke Mandeville Hospital.

In addition to those patient files, the archives of the International Wheelchair and Amputee Sports Federation and WheelPower will come into the scope of this exciting ‘Spinal to Sport’ project. The award will fund three new members of staff to help complete the work, which will take two years. County Archivist Laura Cotton who was instrumental in obtaining the funding said: “It is really exciting to be widening access to these records by cataloguing them and making them available to the public. The Paralympic Games and the work done by Sir Ludwig Guttmann is extremely important to Buckinghamshire and we are immensely proud of the recognition this gets internationally. “These records are extremely important not only to the heritage of Buckinghamshire but for the potential they have to be used internationally in academic and medical research into spinal injuries and Paralympic sport in general.”

l Column: Peter

Purvis ‘Not that Peter Purvis’

Name of the game

he title of this column may be lost on some readers. At one time I could mention my name and get an automatic “Blue Peter!” response. The BBC Children’s series had its heyday in the 60s and 70s with Valerie Singleton, John (“get down Shep!”) Noakes… and Peter Pervis. The latter joined Blue Peter in 1967 having previously acted in Dr Who. From that day, I became that slightly risible thing, the owner of a name of someone famous. Still, it could have been worse, my Dad wanted to call me Dwight, after the American wartime leader, Dwight Eisenhower. Throughout my life when I’ve been introduced to people, I’ve had references to Blue Peter made, although it happens far less these days as Peter Pervis fades from the collective memory. In fact, so few and far between have the references become that I now wonder why I bothered to adopt the nom de comedy of ‘Fred Ferenczi’. I did so partly to ‘hide’ behind a

persona, but mainly to avoid the same-name phenomena. I suppose I should have had more courage and ‘owned’ my name. After all, there are several stand-up comics with real ‘second-hand’ names, including the brilliant Paul Foot (from Amersham). If you’re famous enough in your own right you can ‘own’ a pre-loved name. Another problem is that occasionally you get confused with the famous version. Ten years ago I had a heart attack, or rather a massive panic attack masquerading as a heart attack. After a few days in Stoke Mandeville Hospital, I couldn’t help noticing that the nursing staff exuded a slight air of disappointment - and it wasn’t just that I’d bothered them with a pretend coronary. The porter told me that the nurses had been expecting the Peter Pervis and that the ward sister had been particularly disappointed as she had once won a Blue Peter badge. Still, after a week, the palpable sense of let-down was eased by the

appearance of Chris Akabusi. The famous athlete was visiting his dad, a real-life Nigerian tribal chief. When Chris wasn’t around to chat up the nursing staff, the charismatic Akabusi senior regaled them with tales of how he got the scars on his torso from spear fights as a young man. Peter Purvis or Peter Pervis or whoever I was, was yesterday’s news. Hearing of Chuck Berry’s recent death took me back to my youth and the first time I was banned from The Woolpack in Stoke Mandeville. Back then, The Woolpack was a traditional old fashioned pub. It had low ceilings and pipe-smoking locals. The only food you could get was a packet of ready salted crisps and a pickled egg. It was run by Chas and Molly. Molly was teetotal and rather straight-laced. On a Saturday evening, there was a sing-song with Anne Looker playing the piano. Mrs Looker - who also happened to be my O level English teacher at The Grange school - was jolly, Welsh and had eyes that swam

Vale Life : Mar/Apr 2017

Peter Purvis like sticklebacks viewed from the bottom of a jam-jar. That Saturday night, my two mates and I were quietly drinking when Mrs Looker struck up Chuck Berry’s “My Ding A Ling”. The three of us decided to sing the words but half-way through “once I was climbing the garden wall…” a disgusted Molly strode over, stopped Mrs Looker’s playing, and threw us three lads us out of the pub! I’ll raise a glass tonight to Chuck (and Molly and Mrs Looker)! l Peter is from Aylesbury and performs as stand-up comedian Fred Ferenczi

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l Column: Alan Candy’s Altomobiles

Pick of the bunch SsangYong Musso pick-up EX auto

usiness is booming in the pick-up segment as more and more buyers recognise the versatility of these supreme workhorses. And as they become increasingly sophisticated, you no longer have to be a builder to own one. If you regularly need to haul some serious stuff around but also need an all-round family vehicle, today’s pick-ups really can deliver the goods. Just one look at the players involved makes you realise how important to overall market sales these Trojans are – Mitsubishi, Toyota, Nissan, Isuzu, Volkswagen, Great Wall, Ford – and Renault and Mercedes-Benz also want a slice of the cake and have new models lined up for this year. But hang on, let’s not forget one of the best value and bestlooking pick-ups of the lot – the SsangYong Musso. Here we have an ultra-smart vehicle that actually drives like a saloon car, is man enough for those tough jobs, is a huge load carrier and is actually quite fun to drive. But there’s another string to

SsangYong Musso pick-up EX auto 72

Vale Life : Mar/Apr 2017

Alan Candy’s

AltomobilES its bow, too; the Musso can seat five in comfort as well, pack in a load of contemporary gear and safety systems and provide dynamic family transport for next week’s adventure. No wonder my neighbours have been looking on rather enviously at my test vehicle SsangYong Musso pick-up EX auto, which features stylish 18inch alloys, smart LEDs around the fog lights, roof rails, auto folding mirrors, rear parking sensors and even a rear parking camera, all for less than £19k. From the outside, the Musso pick-up looks the part. A relatively short clamshell-like bonnet tops a front end notable for its meaty cheesegrater grille and the vehicle’s thrusting

SsangYong Musso pick-up EX auto posture makes it look tough and streamlined at the same time. It’s a looker. Musso is also pretty interesting underneath. For here we find multi-link rear suspension with coil springs – just like a car – rather than a rudimentary leaf-sprung job used by most pick-ups. That’s one reason the Musso drives so well and features such a comfortable ride.

Apart from its incredibly useful and durable chunk of space at the back (all lined with strong and easy-clean liner), Musso is a pretty smart dude inside, too. Deep windows give the cabin a light and airy feel while dark upholstery and LED-lit instruments keep things cool and contemporary. Musso ergonomics can teach the rest a thing or two, with simply grouped, easily accessible instruments that are highly user friendly. The EX model I drove has a dash-mounted seven-inch touchscreen that’s easy to operate and it doubles as a reversing camera that really comes into its own when parking and manoeuvring a vehicle this long. Stepping up to EX also brings you leather heated seats and power adjustment on the driver’s side, auto climate control, rain-sensing wipers and auto headlights. Musso pick-up’s six-speed auto gearbox is from Japanese manufacturer Aisin and its seamless shifts orchestrate Continued on page 74

Vale Life : Mar/Apr 2017

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l Column: Alan Candy’s Altomobiles

Vale Life : Mar/Apr 2017

Continued from page 72 all the power provided by the smooth, quiet 2.2-litre turbodiesel engine that boasts plenty of bottom end grunt. The icing on the cake is selectable 4x4 with low range that keeps you firmly in control, whatever the conditions. No wonder more drivers are picking up a pick-up. Factfile Model tested: SsangYong Musso pick-up EX auto.

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Vale Life : Mar/Apr 2017

l Column: On

The Road with Rob Auchterlonie

Fully loaded SEAT Ateca 2.0TDI Xcellence

HERE’S one thing I really, really like about the new SEAT Ateca – and that is it’s just like the SEAT Leon. Not quite externally, obviously, but slip behind the wheel and you’ll be hard pushed to tell the difference. In fact you can’t. The seats locate you a bit higher, but the quality feel and look that made the Leon such a success is very much in evidence here. You could almost be in the same car. And that, to me, is a masterstroke by the Spanish manufacturer, because it’s an instant tap in for current owners looking to join the current compact SUV revolution and size up from their hatchbacks. Everyone’s doing it and SEAT have been relatively late in joining

Vale Life : Mar/Apr 2017

Rob Auchterlonie

ON The Road the trend that was headed by the Nissan Qashqai and contains some tough competitors like the Renault Kadjar, Kia Sportage and Hyundai’s Tucson. But the Spanish bided their time, did their sums, saw what was good and what wasn’t - and effectively came up with a Leon on steroids. Ateca borrows much from the popular hatchback but it is, in the final analysis, most definitely a model in its own right. There are five frugal but

SEAT Ateca 2.0TDI Xcellence responsive engines available and five trim levels, starting with S at £17990 – a price that undercuts the class leading Qashqai by quite

a few quid. SE will probably prove the most popular with its £19,590 start tag. If top of the range is your thing

Vale Life : Mar/Apr 2017

SEAT Ateca 2.0TDI Xcellence

then you’ll be looking at the XCELLENCE 4Drive variant at around the £30,000 mark, which in the case of this week’s test mule, was specced up to over £35k with a few extra toys from the catalogue. Not that it doesn’t come fully loaded anyway. From the ideally located drivers seat and its generous helping of head, leg and shoulder room you have command over a cabin with an impressive list of standard kit, much of it controlled from the eight inch touchscreen. The ‘standard-on-SE-andabove’ SEAT Drive profile gives you a number of options to set Ateca up to mirror your own preference – for example, Sport will add a bit more weight to the

steering, which has a light feel to it in normal mode, and switch the gearing to Sport so ratios are held a bit longer. Other options are Eco and Individual, all via the dial in the centre console. That area is neat and tidy with an electric handbrake switch, another for the hold function and a couple of cup/ bottle holders. And in the 4Drive version, you also get Snow and Off-Road profiles, as well as Hill Descent Control. As a basic premise, the handling is light and precise with a distinct sporty feel, and it makes it an easy car to pilot. And it certainly plays up to the Utility tag in the SUV acronym, because there is a lot of room inside which allows it to fit the bill

for a multitude of uses. There’s a double floor in the boot to help keep things organised and out of sight. Ateca also majors on the safety front, with every version getting Front Assist with City Emergency Braking and Pedestrian Protection, Tiredness Recognition and ESC. Push button start, an electric tailgate, Park Assist 3 and the unique puddle light that shines an image of the Ateca on the ground are all features that help put the U in user friendly.

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