Vine Magazine | September 2012 by Vine Publishing Ltd

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What’s inside? September 2012

Welcome to Vine

24 EVERY MONTH 08 Headlines 12 Monthly musts 48 family and kids 74 What’s on? 76 SEVENOAKS SHOWCASE 78 mumblings

HOME & GARDEN 64 INTERIOR TRENDS This month, we take a look at three very different vacuum cleaners. Will you go for style or for substance? 66 GREAT VALUE GADGETS Are you a bit of gadget geek? Vine uncovers some of the best value tech available, including a look at the new Google Android tablet, the Nexus 7, and some cheap but trendy headphones

FEATURE 20 CULTURE capital John Morrison uncovers Sevenoaks poet, John Donne, whilst Nick Chowdrey discusses the acting techniques of Daniel Day-Lewis and catches up with a local theatre company 32 16-PAGE EDUCATION SPECIAL Vine gives you a roundup of the best local independent schools 60 THROUGH THE KEYHOLE A sneaky peek at the beautiful house of Rencraft’s John Stephens

PROFESSIONAL 17 legal matters This month, Michael McNally of Warners Solicitors offers expert advice on how to buy a horse

VINE DINING 26 FOOD FOR THOUGHT Our resident foodie, Benjamin James of the George & Dragon in Chipstead, explores the flavours of the new season

WELLNESS 52 ALTERNATIVE FITNESS For those that want to get fit this September, but just hate going to the gym 56 VINE STYLE Glam up your hands with Vine’s hints and tips on how to get gorgeous nails without the expense of a professional manicure

Hello and welcome to this bumper 80-page edition of Vine. We hope you all had a fantastic August and managed to get away somewhere relaxing for a couple of weeks, because it’s come round to that time of year once again – back to school. To celebrate, we’re featuring an incredible 16-page education special, keeping you up to date with all the latest developments at the best independent schools in the south east. Plus our team offers some personal advice on how to make the best out of university. In an attempt to balance out all that talk of academia, Culture Capital offers a discussion on famous Sennockian John Donne; an exploration of the unusual acting techniques of the incredible Daniel Day-Lewis; and a look at the theatrical escapades of some local Sevenoaks students. We’ve also brought back our popular Through The Keyhole feature, which this month explores a beautifully renovated 1920s country house, showing off the best in contemporary wood furnishings and finishes. Our regular features this month include a Vine Style guide on how to get gorgeous looking nails on a budget, and Your Vine introduces episode one of Vinnie The Tree, our very own Sevenoaks-inspired comic. Finally, we’ve gone gadget-mad in the Home & Garden section, with detailed guides on all the latest tech, as well as a rundown of the best vacuum cleaners. Have a splendid September!

Cover shot: 'Geometric Op Art' by Robin Hunnam. www.grasshoppermind. wordpress.com

vinedigital.co.uk September 2012 vine 7

HEADLINES

Ten Brave Men and True A new book entitled Ten Brave Men and True written by Pembury resident Richard Snow, will be released on 10 September. The book tells the life stories of ten Victoria Cross holders from the borough of Tonbridge and Malling, each of whom are remembered in the Victoria Cross Grove in Dunorlan Park, Tunbridge Wells. The author – who is the son of a British Army Officer and grandson of a First World War General – has a deep personal interest in military history. This is his second piece of non-fiction, previously documenting the story of Captain John Brunt V.C., M.C in a book entitled All for Valour. Each story is unique and highly charged; not only poignant and shocking, but equally funny and astounding. The book also contains over 200 photos, including original documentation of each man’s monuments, memorials and tributes, along with shots from the fields of war themselves. The book is bound to enthral all those interested in local bravery and history and is available online and from the Sevenoaks Bookshop, priced £19.99. All profits are being donated to the ‘Help for Heroes’ campaign.

Paralympics hit Brands Hatch Sevenoaks District will proudly host the London 2012 Paralympic Games Road Cycling events this month, from Wednesday 5 to Saturday 8 September. The race will take place using roughly half of the former F1 race course, with the remainder of the races taking place on local roads, free to watch for local residents. Two hundred athletes from across the globe will take part in 32 separate events, the contenders possessing a range of disabilities from visual impairments to cerebral palsy. Local residents should make themselves aware of road closures in the Gorse Hill, Scratchers Lane and Fawkham Road areas between 4.30am on Monday 3 September and 12 midnight on Saturday 8 September. As parking will be restricted and limited to ticketholders, a free shuttle bus will operate between Sevenoaks Railway Station and Brands Hatch for the duration of the event. Tickets for the Brands Hatch events are £10 for adults and £5 for under-16s and over-60s. n To book tickets, visit www.tickets.london2012.com

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Fort Halstead freed up Plans to redevelop the former Ministry of Defence site on the outskirts of Sevenoaks have been revealed. With 11 hectares of available land, early research reveals plans for homes, offices, hotels and attractions, with the possibility of creating approximately 925 new jobs for the local area. The MoD is due to relocate its operations from Fort Halstead by 2017. For more information, visit www. forthalstead.com

Waste away

Race of his life

The green belt sites of Sevenoaks District have been saved from becoming mineral and waste sites as the local authority forced plans to be abandoned. Kent County Council had plans to develop sites in Shoreham, Sundridge and Westerham but, after local campaigners raised strong objections, Sevenoaks District Council managed to lobby the KCC to scrap their plans. Cllr Jill Davison said she was “delighted that Kent County Council took these objections seriously”.

Local personal trainer Sam Winkworth has proved himself a fitness king by completing a 50mile Ultra Marathon. The gruelling race saw Sam trek across the North Downs from Farnham all the way to the outskirts of Greater London. Sam raised over £800 for Cancer Research UK and is keeping his Just Giving page open until the end of September. To donate retrospectively to his cause, visit www. justgiving.com/ samwinkworth

Owen Hunnam owen@vinedigital.co.uk t: 01732 764509 CHIEF EXECUTIVE

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Siobhan Orr siobhan@vinedigital.co.uk t: 01732 760823 Find us on Facebook and Twitter Vine is published monthly in the UK by Vine Publishing Ltd. (Company reg no: 7195338) with a total circulation of 15,000. 8,500 land on the doormats of selected Sevenoaks households. An additional 6,500 are available through our extensive distribution network of over 150 pick-up points across the district. Printed in the UK. Please recycle Vine. © 2012. All rights reserved.

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HEADLINES

A night to remember A splendid evening of Dinner and Dance is to be held at The High Rocks in Tunbridge Wells in support of Variety, a children’s charity dedicated to increasing positive experiences for children and young people throughout the UK who are sick, disabled or disadvantaged. The original pledge was made by Phillip Goillau, who originally planned to raise money for the charity by running 12 half-marathons in as many months. Sadly, with just a couple of miles left in his first race, Phillip collapsed and later passed away. This event has been organised by his cousin, Katie Lain, who will dedicate any money raised on the night to the charity in Phillip’s honour. The event will take place on Friday 19 October from 7pm to 2am. Tickets cost £40 per person and include a three-course meal, disco, silent auction, fun casino and raffle.

Cut-price comedy Inbetweeners and Mock the Week star Greg Davies (right) presents a work-in-progress show at the Stag Theatre’s Outside The Box Comedy Club. Tickets are for 6 and 7 September at 8pm and are available at the cut-price cost of just £15. Catch Greg early on the tour before he moves on to the Hammersmith Apollo at over twice the price! n For tickets and info visit www.stagsevenoaks.co.uk

Third heritage award for Knole Knole House has won the Sanford Award for Heritage Education for the third time. This represents a 100 per cent success rate since 2002, as each National Trust house may apply for the award every five years. A well-deserved win; around 3,000 school children visit the property each year, leaving with a wealth of knowledge in Tudor customs, costumes and culture.

n Contact Katie on 01731 462042 for tickets and info

Do the Sevenoaks shimmy The first ever Sevenoaks prom will be held at the Stag Theatre’s Plaza Suite on Saturday the 22nd of September. Organised by new company, Cosmosity Proms, this very grown-up event is for over 25s only and will be set to a 50s theme. Entertainment will include a fantastic live band and various themed events. Worried that your shimmy and swinging might not be up to scratch? Have no fear, the professional dancers from Cosmosity proms will be on hand to give you a few pointers. n For more information and to get your name on the exclusive guest list, visit www.cosmosityproms.com

Police Commissioner to be elected In two months’ time, residents of Kent will vote for their first-ever Police and Crime Commissioner. The successful candidate will have many powers, including the ability to hire and fire the chief constable and set the police budget. The candidates will be revealed on October 23, with the deadline to register on October 31 and results announced on November 16.

KCC speed campaign Kent County Council has launched a new campaign, urging drivers to take greater care on country roads. They warn that the narrow routes and sudden dips of the winding byways of Kent provide a heightened risk of accidents. Drivers should keep well below the national speed limit, which KCC feels is often inappropriately high for country roads. For more information, visit www. kentroadsafety.info

10 vine September 2012 vinedigital.co.uk

Annual exhibition

n For more information, visit www.nationaltrust.org.uk/knole

The Kent Painters Group will be holding their annual exhibition at Sevenoaks School on the weekend of September 24-25, with proceeds going to various charities. The weekend starts with a private view, to be opened by Ann Widdecombe on the Saturday from 6.30 - 9pm, which includes wine and canapés. Sunday will be an ‘open for all’ day from 10-4pm. n For more information, visit www.kentpaintersgroup.co.uk

Bust a move A local Sevenoaks policeman has gained internet fame after a video was posted on YouTube of him dancing in front of a crowd of locals at the Olympic Torch Relay in July. PC Matt Townsend dismounted his policeissued motorbike and performed an impromptu routine of dance moves, including ‘The Robot’ and a Michael Jacksonesque crotch thrust. The video has received over 222,000 views and was mentioned on BBC news.

Concerned commuters Sevenoaks commuters have branded projected increases in the price of season tickets to London as “disgusting”. Residents already pay at least £2,980 per annum, with the government predicting fare hikes of 6.2 per cent, based on the July Retail Price Index, which measures inflation. The result is that fares may increase by around £300, making it more and more difficult for less economically stable residents to afford to get into work.

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September 2012

MONTHLY

MUSTS

A round-up of trends, what’s new and must-have buys from your local area

MUST-VISIT For an educational day out that’s fun for all the family, why not visit the Brogdale Cider festival, taking place at Brogdale Farm, Faversham between 10am and 5pm on 22 and 23 September. For adults there are tastings of the best local Kentish cider, as well as cooking demonstrations and live entertainment. For the little ones, there will be an interactive kite crafting and flying workshop and the chance to pet some friendly alpacas. n Visit www.brogdalecollections.co.uk for tickets.

MUST-HAVE

MUST-SEE

Any self-respecting wine connoisseur knows that it’s best not to drink your favourite tipple straight from the bottle. You’re meant to decant it and allow it to breathe for one hour, ensuring the best possible flavour. But who has the time to wait for that? ‘Decantus’ is a handy gadget that solves all your problems by achieving an hour’s worth of aeration in just a few seconds. Simply pour from the bottle, through Decants, straight into your glass, and enjoy!

Described as “what may well be the world’s most beautiful female voice”, Irish folk singer Cara Dillon will be appearing at The Stag theatre for one night only on 29 September. Singing of lonely nights and broken hearts, her voice is haunting and beautiful in equal measure; the passion of her sweet soprano tones cut through the air like a whistling wind through the lonely Irish valleys Tickets are £20.

n Available at www.geniegadgets.com

n Visit www.stagsevenoaks.co.uk to book

MUST-LISTEN Green Day return on the 25th with ‘¡Uno!’, the first in a series of three new albums to be released in the coming months. Moving away from their recent ‘punk opera’ style, this new release has been described as “punchier, more power pop – somewhere between AC/ DC and the early Beatles”. There’s even talk of a straight-up dance tune. The first single ‘Oh Love’, a mid-tempo rocker, is available now. Also look out for ‘¡Dos!’ and ‘¡Tré!’ later on this year.

MUST-READ MUST-TASTE Talented Thai chef Brett Cowie shares the secrets of his family recipes at Priory Farm, Redhill on 12 September at 10:30am. Entitled ‘Seriously Thai’, this cooking demonstration will teach you how to prepare such Asian wonders as Roast Duck Red Curry, Old School Thai Mackerel and Rustic-Style Grilled Beef Salad. As a special bonus, each audience member will leave with a gift of Brett’s Old School Thai fresh curry paste. Tickets cost £17, which includes tea, coffee, cake and tastings. n Please book in advance by ringing Susan on 01737 822603

12 vine September 2012 vinedigital.co.uk

If you haven’t heard of this epic fantasy series yet, you must have only just emerged from hibernation. Recently adapted for TV by HBO, George R. R. Martin’s A Game of Thrones is an enchanting and addictive read that should appeal to just about anyone. The first book of seven, the series is set in a meticulously fashioned fictional world where deceit and intrigue preside over kings and kingdoms alike. The reader experiences these turbulent times from the points of view of different characters. n Available from www.sevenoaksbookshop.co.uk

n Call Compact Disc on 01732 740889

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vinedigital.co.uk September 2012 vine 13

PROFESSIONAL

Over 60 local business owners joined us in August for Sevenoaks’ most talked about, upand-coming networking event at the beautiful Darenth Valley Golf Course. Everyone enjoyed a relaxed and informative sun-kissed evening at the sophisticated clubhouse, with plenty of casual chatter accompanied by delicious drinks and canapés

This month’s Grapevine will be held at: Chartwell on Thursday 27 September at 6pm. Visit vinedigital.co.uk/grapevine to register for your free invite

Thank you to Paul @CoolingsGC & Owen @VineMagazine for organising a great event lots of interesting people and a good time had #grapevine Botanical Florist@BotanicalFloral Another great #grapevine event - thanks to @VineMagazine & @Darenthvalley, super people to talk to, great food and lovely views #bizikent Debbie Cooper @econokituk

MT @darenthvalley: Thankyou @ VineMagazine for the great #grapevine event this evening @darenthvalley. Good to meet some (very) new bizs – Amanda Sokell @amandasokell

Had a great eve with #grapevine networking this week. Many new contacts and excellent follows @VineMagazine Paul Barron @PaulBarron2

Great #Grapevine networking/food/wine last night at @darenthvalley with @VineMagazine. A big turnout despite competition from #London2012! Russell Harper @harperphoto

Thankyou @VineMagazine for the great #networking event this evening @ darenthvalley. We enjoyed hosting & hope all who attended enjoyed it Darenth Valley GC @darenthvalley

Yet again the team @ VineMagazine pulled off another great networking event at the beautiful @ darenthvalley. Good 2 c familiar faces and new. Kirsteen Allen @ ten2teoKentK

To see all the photos from this event visit our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/vinemagazine and for more information on forthcoming Grapevine events, or to watch the video, visit www.vinedigital.co.uk/grapevine

RELAX IN STYLE

WITH YOUR FAMILY

AND FRIENDS Tucked away behind Knole Park, Sevenoaks, you will find our friendly family club, perfect for dining, socialising and relaxing. St Julians is in a beautiful setting with outdoor swimming, tennis courts, 70 acres of gardens, woodland and play areas to explore. 01732 458261 • INFO@STJULIANS.CO.UK

WWW.STJULIANS.CO.UK

Your Last Excuse Just Went Back To School!

The Search is ON to find Sevenoaks’ Biggest Loser

orget slimming clubs, boring gym workouts and tedious diets – the southeast’s leading fat-loss expert, Sam Winkworth, brings you The Sevenoaks Biggest Loser Programme! Sam, who runs a fitness and weight-loss boot camp with locations in Sevenoaks and Tonbridge, is giving five lucky Vine readers a chance to get trim for FREE after the holiday season. Not only that, but one of you will win a WHOLE YEAR'S Evolution Boot Camp membership, £200 cash and a UK weekend break! Sam Says: “If you REALLY want to make a big change and transform your body then the first

thing you need to do is ditch the excuses and take 100 per cent responsibility for your own actions. Now that the kids have gone back to school, parents won’t be able to use being too busy with childcare as an excuse not to regain their health and drop a boat load of body fat.” Sam is a passionate and experienced

Before

personal trainer, having worked in gyms and health clubs across the country, from Bannatyne's Fitness to Virgin Active. With over 13 years in the business, he knows what works and what doesn’t, having helped hundreds of different people to achieve their individual weightloss goals.

After

If you REALLY want to make a lifestyle change all you need to do is email admin@ evolutionfitnessandnutrition. com and tell Sam your story and why you think you should be selected for this great opportunity to get in shape. Just five lucky readers will grab a place on Sevenoaks' Biggest Loser Programme lasting nine weeks from Monday 17 September 2012. n Visit www. evolutionbootcamp.com for more information. Interviews are available by contacting Sam Winkworth of Evolution Boot Camp on 07817 403 398

vinedigital.co.uk September 2012 vine 15

TUESDAY 25TH SEPTEMBER

LEGAL MATTERS The team at Warners Solicitors offer regular expert advice on topics relevant to our everyday lives. This month, Michael McNally advises on how to buy a horse

here are very few transactions where you spend thousands of pounds simply on the basis of a verbal agreement. Nonetheless, this is still how the purchase of most horses is carried out. This is fine – until something goes wrong. It is all too common for the purchaser to complain that the horse has gone lame or is impossible to handle. So what rights does a purchaser have? If you have a written agreement, you should be protected by the terms in it. Otherwise, the terms of the contract can be derived from the advert, other documents and what the parties said. If the seller breaches those terms, you can sue him for breach of contract or misrepresentation and ask for compensation and/or rescission of the contract and your legal costs. It will help your case if, before purchase, you told the seller what you wanted the horse for and were assured that the horse would be suitable for that purpose. Where a horse is sold by a dealer, sale of goods legislation requires that it must match any description and must be of satisfactory quality and fit for purpose; where the sale is private, it comes down to “let the buyer beware”. Where the parties

disagree as to why the horse is unsatisfactory, consider obtaining a report from an expert in equine behaviour. One of the best safeguards is to have a five-stage vetting carried out on the horse before you buy it and make sure that you check all the horse’s documentation. Finally, be rational – it’s easy to fall in love with a horse, but you will quickly fall out of love if he isn’t as advertised! There are plenty of horses out there – you will soon find the perfect match. Our expertise We have extensive experience in helping clients in the equine sector. We are involved with DEFRA’s latest consultation over possible amendments to Section 2(2) of the Animals Act 1971 and we are members of the British Equestrian Trade Association. We can help clients with a range of issues including pursuing professional negligence claims against their vets and breach of contract/misrepresentation claims relating to the sale and purchase of horses. n For advice on all aspects of equestrian law contact Michael McNally on 01732 770660 or email m.mcnally@warnerssolicitors.co.uk. Follow Warners on Twitter @KentSolicitors

Michael McNally Partner Tel: 01732 375396 Email: m.mcnally@warners-solicitors.co.uk Areas of Expertise • Employment law • Personal injury • Litigation and dispute resolution • Property dispute resolution Professional Memberships • Employment Lawyers Association • Tunbridge Wells, Tonbridge and District Law Society • Country Land and Business Association • Agricultural Law Association • British Horse Society Likes: Golf, gym, running, trout and salmon fishing, sports cars, cooking Dislikes: Golf when I don’t play well

vinedigital.co.uk September 2012 vine 17

VINNIE THE TREE EPISODE 1

It’s getting pretty windy, Sven.

The page that’s all about you

Top tweets

Calm down, Vinnie. Michael Fish assured us there won’t be a hurricane.

Follow Vine on Twitter @VineMagazine

Our pick of the best local tweets this month

If you’re not local to Sevenoaks, it’s a funny town with a really narrow high street and residents that just step out in front of cars

Sevenoaks station to denmark hill, 16 stops in 51 minutes. Like a narcoleptic on a pogo stick

@UnoLovelyDebi

@pentrapment

2 break-ins in our road over the weekend. Off to get a large dog with sharp teeth & a bad attitude towards burglars #sevenoaks

@BishopsgateCopy

Oct 15 1987 6:04pm

That’s the last time I trust a fish with the weather forecast.

Oct 16 1987 9:48am

Readers’ Pets

NEWS from

Pet name: Buddy

with Michael Fallon MP

Likes and dislikes: He loves singing along to ‘I Found Lovin’ by the Fatback Band. He hates having a bath.

the MP

Well done Team GB! I’ve been enormously impressed by the achievements of our Olympic competitors and I wish the Paralympic team similar success. The Games have also been a great success outside the stadiums. I, along with many others, enjoyed watching the opening and closing ceremonies. The transport system in London coped, and thousands of volunteers gave up their time to help run Olympic events. Britain delivered a successful Olympics and – for a nation usually predisposed to modesty – a little triumphalism is, I believe, entirely justified. Building on this, we must now use the inspiration of the Games to get children playing competitive sport more regularly. Competitive sport is important for young people. Sports like rugby, football and hockey keep children fit and busy. More profoundly, I know that

competitive sport teaches children about the lessons of life. The “all must have prizes” approach to school sport – which was characterised under Labour – bears no relation to reality. The Government is right to be changing the national curriculum so that primary schools are obliged to provide competitive sport. Sport can also determine a nation’s culture. The Victorians, for example, believed that the competitive sports played at public schools helped them to build an empire. The Olympics gives an opportunity to do something similar. I believe that if we embrace competitive sport we will be better placed to meet the economic and social challenges of the coming decades. n Have a question for the MP? Please send to editor@vinedigital.co.uk

18 vine September 2012 vinedigital.co.uk

Owners: Hazel Lawrente

Favourite Treat: Prawn crackers! A word from the owner: Buddy is a rescue dog who we found as a puppy covered in diesel. We took him to the vet, fixed him up and after that just had to keep him. n If you think you’ve got a print-worthy pet then email us at editor@vinedigital.co.uk

We’d love to know what you thought of this month’s Vine

YOUR FAVOURITE SEVENOAK S

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Send your 250-word review to: editor@vinedigital.co.uk Visit www.vinedigital.co.uk or follow us on Facebook and Twitter 1 6 - pAG e e d u c At i o n s p e c i Al

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COMMUNITY STARs

Created by Nick Chowdrey Illustrated by James Mantell

Claire Hudson is a paediatric nurse from Nursery Place, Chipstead Claire has recently returned to the UK after nine months volunteering with humanitarian NGO, ‘Médecins Sans Frontières’ (MSF) on aid projects in northern Nigeria. MSF’s core work is providing medical aid in crisis situations – war, epidemics, famines and natural disasters like floods and earthquakes. As such, during her time in Africa, Claire found herself enduring numerous security threats. Despite the ever-present danger, Claire worked extremely hard, providing extensive care for mothers and their children. Claire described the area around the MSF centre as “just dust”, saying that she “found it to be a challenge living and working in such basic conditions – but that just showed how much MSF’s work is needed”. Unfortunately, Claire witnessed many cases of preventable disease, sometimes seeing children die because their guardians brought them to the centre too late. But she was there to make a difference and worked with MSF to send mobile feeding clinics to reach malnourished children in more remote areas and to identify children who are particularly at risk. As a result, MSF set up a therapeutic feeding centre for malnourished children closer to the area of operation. n For more information visit www.msf.org.uk

Oct 15 1987 11:58pm

Fin.

Oct 16 1987 9:49am

second interview

Tell us a bit about the café It’s a safe, fun and supervised space for young people between the ages of 11 and 18 to come to after school, at weekends and out of term time. Where is it and when is it open? We’re in the basement of The Stag Theatre, open from 4:30-9:30pm on school nights and 2:30-9:30pm on weekends and holidays. What facilities are available? We have a café serving hot food, snacks and non-alcoholic drinks at rock bottom prices. Plus free use of a pool table, a flat screen TV equipped with DVD player and Wii, three internet-ready PCs, two iPads and plenty of tables and comfy seating. How did the project come about?

Every month we interview a notable member of your community

Adam Wedd

We catch up with the manager of the brand new youth café, HOUSE in the Basement

There’s been talk of developing a youth destination in Sevenoaks for over 20 years. This all came to a head four years ago when Linda Larter, managing director of The Stag Theatre, came across the Ibstock Cory Environmental Trust. She got together a team of young people, who pitched the idea to the company themselves, securing a £150,000 grant. How’s it going so far? Fantastically. We’ve had around 30-40 young

people come through the café every day since we opened and the numbers keep going up. Come and sign up with us today for a 10 per cent discount off food and drink. What’s in the pipeline? We’re hoping to run a number of programmes to help young people show off their talents and learn new skills. For example, we’re planning to run an open mic night and cookery lessons in the near future.

METHOD in th Nick Chowdrey discusses the punishingly dedicated acting techniques of Oscarwinning actor and former Sevenoaks School pupil, Daniel Day-Lewis

Day-Lewis in his most recent role as Abraham Lincoln

ctors are curious beings. They dedicate their lives to becoming people other than themselves, flaunting their chameleonic talents before audiences poised to pounce on the slightest imperfection in their performance. Some actors have an innate ability to create completely convincing characters. Others spend years honing their talents in a hope to improve. The real greats are the ones who do both. Daniel Day-Lewis is one of those few. With two Academy awards for best actor, among a host of equally impressive accolades, he is arguably one of the finest British actors that ever lived. Indeed, in December he will star in one of the most hotly anticipated films of 2012, when he appears in Lincoln as the eponymous president himself. Expected to be a ground-breaking performance, Day-Lewis is already touted to receive his third Oscar for the role. But who is this man and what makes him so good? Starting from the beginning, he certainly had a mixed and often troubled upbringing. Although born into an illustrious family – his mother an actress and his father an internationally recognised poet – he was wild and struggled to fit in as a posh, Jewish, white boy in the

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rough-and-tumble melting pot of south-east London. Frequently bullied for his accent and mannerisms, his only solution was to observe and copy his tormentors, leading to what he described in a 1994 interview with Time magazine as his “first convincing performance”. It was this idea of becoming a character in real life that spurned him on to become the actor that he is today. He first applied this talent to the stage whilst attending Sevenoaks School, in a production of Cry, The Beloved Country, in which he played a little African boy. Although it is well documented that he did not enjoy his time at the school – only spending two years there before being moved to the more progressive Bedales School in Hampshire – it must be said that he widely credits Sevenoaks for developing his interest in acting. Moving forwards, his career path solidified in 1975 when, after leaving Bedales, he enrolled in the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. Here he received classical training in the traditional presentational style of acting; however, rebel that he was, he decided to go against this, taking much more interest in the methods of the renowned Russian dramatist, Constantin Stanislavski. The two styles are almost polar opposites. The classical approach acknowledges that the actors are

GETTING INTO CHARACTER THE UNBEARABLE LIGHTNESS OF BEING Day-Lewis insisted on staying in character, on and off-set, for the whole eight months of filming. The erotic nature of the film led to rumours of an affair with co-star Juliette Binoche, ending a decade-long relationship with his ‘high school sweetheart’, Sarah Campbell.

MY LEFT FOOT His character was fully paralysed, but for his left foot. During filming Day-Lewis remained in a wheelchair at all times, forcing the crew to wheel him around, carry him over cables and even feed him with a spoon. He broke two of his ribs from hunching over in his chair for so long.

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playing fictional characters and that the audience is there to watch them perform and be entertained. An example would be any modern stand-up comedy show where, not only is the situation of the performance acknowledged, but members of the audience might even take part in the show itself. This was the standard mode of any theatrical performance for centuries; for example, many of Shakespeare’s plays are written with the presentational style in mind: with chorus parts introducing and concluding the play and, especially in his comedies, characters making asides to the audience during dialogue. On the other hand, Day-Lewis’s preferred style is representational acting, where the characters in the performance are presented as real people, not actors. Additionally, the audience are treated for all intents and purposes as voyeurs – peeping Toms observing real life events, rather than theatre-goers expecting to see a show. An example of this would be most films, where a great deal of effort is put in to immerse the audience into the fictional world as much as possible. Stanislavski spent his life developing a technique, known as his ‘system’, in order to help actors achieve the most believable performances possible. This relies on the performer ‘becoming’ his character whilst onstage, totally separating himself from himself. In order to achieve this, the actor must not only carefully consider their character’s psychological motives, but also identify with their feelings to such an extent that they genuinely feel these emotions onstage. This technique has been widely criticised in the acting world for its potential to cause genuine psychological damage to the actor. A chilling example would be Heath Ledger’s tragic death which led many people to lay blame on the ferocious way in which he threw himself into playing the role of The Joker in Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight.

THERE WILL BE BLOOD Day-Lewis as ruthless oil prospector, Daniel Plainview, in There Will Be Blood (2008)

For the part of a mineral prospector Day-Lewis refused to speak to his co-stars off the set and insisted on living in a tent on a deserted Texas oilfield for the duration of the filming. He spooked one costar so badly that he quit the production and reportedly threw actual bowling balls at fellow actor Paul Dano.

The man himself, out of character

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CULTURE CAPITAL

Ledger admitted during the filming that he was struggling to get more than two hours sleep a night; the reality of becoming a self-described “psychopathic, massmurdering, schizophrenic clown with zero empathy” clearly playing on his mind. What Daniel Day-Lewis and Heath Ledger have in common is their devotion to taking Stanislavski’s idea of ‘becoming’ the character to the extreme. Known as ‘method’ acting, both men have been known to take radical approaches to transform themselves into the role in real life. Ledger reportedly befriended a heroin addict as character research for the 2007 film Candy, and for The Dark Knight he spent a month locked away in a hotel room, experimenting with The Joker’s mannerisms and scribbling manic writings. If anything, Day-Lewis goes a step further, sometimes staying in character throughout whole periods of filming, on and off set, and undertaking drastic measures that have, on occasion, seriously affected his health. Sometimes creepy, sometimes strange, sometimes outright reckless, here are just a few examples of how hard this man is willing to push for his art. v

THE LAST OF THE MOHICANS For the part of Hawkeye – an 18th century British militia fighting on the American Frontier – he lived in the wild for six months, hunting with homemade weapons. He also added 20 pounds of muscle to his physique by implementing a strict training regime and a diet of 5000 calories a day.

THE BOXER For the part of Danny Flynn – an ex-convict, underground boxer – he crudely tattooed his own hands and trained with boxing champion Barry McGuigan for a full 18 months, who later commented that he could have easily entered professional competitions by the end of it.

LINCOLN Hollywood murmurings suggest that he was speaking solely in Lincoln’s well-documented, high-pitched lilt since as early as March 2011. Other sources suggest that his real name didn’t even appear on the call sheet. In November, Twitter user @UVAMichael posted a picture of Day-Lewis at a local Virginia restaurant looking the spitting image of the distinguished president – albeit wearing modern jeans and trainers.

Day-Lewis as blood-crazed Bill the Butcher in the 2002 smash, Gangs of New York

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GANGS OF NEW YORK Playing Bill The Butcher, he took up an actual butcher’s apprenticeship and constantly sharpened his knives in between takes. He refused to wear a modern coat, catching pneumonia during the shoot. He would also walk around Rome – where the film was shot – getting into fights with random Italians.

A CLASH

CULTURES

Nick Chowdrey catches up with the Sackville Theatre Company – a newly formed group comprising 2012 leavers from Sevenoaks School – to chat about their production of ‘Tokyo Trilogy’, which featured last month at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival

as the hustle and bustle of modern life detached us from our links with nature? Are countries across the world slowly losing touch with their heritage and traditional values, as the pursuit for wealth forces us all into a grey, conglomerate sub-culture, to the detriment of our health and happiness? ‘Tokyo Trilogy’ attempts to explore these pertinent questions through a cunning combination of the comic and the sinister. An adaptation of An Elephant Vanishes – a collection of short stories by the extremely popular Japanese author, Haruki Murakami – the show was first previewed at The Space in Sevenoaks on 10 August and then went on for a two-week run at C Eca Micro Studios, Edinburgh, where it was commended by numerous reviewers for its ambitious staging and excellent use of absurdism. The play was created, co-directed and performed by five young dramatists, each graduating this year from Sevenoaks School. Aisha Bennett, Freddie Best, Ed Broadhead, Phoebe Dunn and Adam Gristock, who all studied Murakami’s work as part of their International Baccalaureate studies in English Literate Performance, were so intrigued by the famous Japanese author’s interpretation of modern society that they decided to give life to his stories on the stage. When asked what inspired them to create the piece, Aisha commented that “our teacher, Mr Henry, has been talking about developing a piece to take to the Fringe for ages. We did a short adaptation of another Murakami story as part of his course and received such great feedback that we decided to adapt a whole show.” Set in a fictional city, the play explores the encroachment of Western values on traditional Eastern culture, using a combination of music, comedy, movement and lighting. “We find Murakami’s use of magical realism to be especially interesting,” commented Ed, “his use of fantastical elements is very subtle but highly effective, adding an extra layer of meaning to his stories, without overwhelming the audience. We wanted

Sackville Theatre Company, from left to right: Adam Gristock, Aisha Bennett, Freddie Best, Phoebe Dunn and Ed Broadhead

to capture this in a live performance.” Vine attended the preview show and witnessed the results of this vision first hand. The five actors were constantly on stage – either as a character in the scene, or effectively becoming the props and the set – with narrative flitting cleverly between various storylines. This, coupled with an imaginative use of lighting and sound, created a visually intoxicating piece, designed to entertain and bewilder in equal measure. The sheer variety of the performance, although delivering an action-packed 45 minutes of theatre, did make the individual stories sometimes hard to follow. This being said, one wonders whether this effect was the company’s intention all along, as a means to increase the dysphoria of the piece. After a thrilling month up in Scotland, this year’s members of Sackville Theatre Company are safely back in the south-east and will now go their separate ways, as each enters a well-deserved gap year before entering university in 2013. They each hope that setting up the Company will inspire more Sevenoaks pupils to get involved in the performing arts. “We want the scale of this performance to inspire our successors to attempt even more exciting projects,” said Adam. “We’ve all had such a fantastic time working on ‘Tokyo Trilogy’ – the experience has been invaluable and truly unforgettable.”

Haruki Murakami: the inspiration for the play

The play explores the encroachment of Western values on traditional Eastern culture

Stylised scene at the Sevenoaks School preview show

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Priest , POLITICIAN,

oet

John Morrison explores the great 17th-century poet John Donne, who will be at the centre of this monthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Sevenoaks Literary Celebration

CULTURE CAPITAL

"No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main; if a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less, as well as if a promontory were, as well as if a manor of thy friends or of thine own were; any man’s death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind; and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee."

ast April, a capacity audience packed out St Paul’s Cathedral to celebrate an Elizabethan poet. But it wasn’t Shakespeare; the words that echoed under the famous dome belonged to one of his contemporaries who was voted the nation’s second favourite poet in a BBC poll in 2009. John Donne, Dean of St Paul’s, was born a Londoner in 1572, but one of the lesser-known pages of his biography links him to Sevenoaks, where he was rector of St Nicholas’s church from June 1616 until his death in March 1631. The disappointment was a sinecure, with a vicar paid to actually do the work while Donne delivered his sermons in London at St Paul’s and Lincoln’s Inn. This being said, according to the The Sevenoaks Book,* Lady Ann Clifford of Knole noted in her diary that Donne preached at St Nicholas on July 20 1617. Despite the fact that he probably paid several visits to his patrons, the Earl and Countess of Dorset, at Knole, it would be stretching a point to claim Donne as a local Sevenoaks poet. But while the St Paul’s where Donne preached has vanished, destroyed in the Great Fire and rebuilt by Wren, St Nicholas is today the original parish church that Donne knew. And it will be the venue for a special event celebrating his poetry on Monday September 24 during the annual Sevenoaks Literary Celebration. The town book festival, now a decade old, is breaking new ground with An Evening with John Donne, bringing together readings from his poetry with early 17th-century music by Dowland and other composers performed by the Milton Consort. Actor Peter Hamilton Dyer, a veteran of many roles at Shakespeare’s Globe, will read some of Donne’s best known poems and his religious prose, while Globe musicians Keith McGowan and Arngeir Hauksson will perform period music on authentic instruments. “Our two souls therefore, which are one, Though I must go, endure not yet A breach, but an expansion, Like gold to airy thinness beat” Compared to Shakespeare, Donne’s life story is remarkably well documented. Born and brought up as a Catholic at a time when loyalty to Rome could easily mean a short route to being disembowelled on the scaffold, he lost his father very young and later his brother Henry, who died in prison while being investigated for harbouring a Catholic priest. Donne turned his back on Catholicism and stayed loyal to Elizabeth I and James I; but after a promising start as a secretary to Sir Thomas Egerton, one of the queen’s top officials, his career foundered spectacularly in 1601, when at the age of 29 he secretly married Ann More, the 16-year-old ward of his boss’s wife. Dismissed in disgrace, he spent more than a decade in

genteel poverty, trying unsuccessfully to rebuild a career at court before opting to take holy orders as a middleaged widower. His erudition and talent, and the king’s favour, brought him rapid promotion and, as Dean of St Paul’s, he was a renowned preacher and a favourite of James I and Charles I. “O my America, my new found land My kingdom, safeliest when with one man manned” Critics of his poetry have sometimes struggled to reconcile ‘Jack Donne’, the author of some of the frankest erotic poems in the English language, with ‘Dr Donne’, the respected Anglican cleric he later became. In part it was Donne himself who insisted on the contrast between the two. But poems such as 'To his mistress going to bed', which today earn their place in the Faber Book of Blue Verse, are the product of the same imagination which created his Meditations and Devotions in later life. In the words of Professor John Carey, he changed his opinions but the core of his creative work as a poet remained the same: "There weren’t two people. The more we read the poems and sermons the more we can see them as fabrics of the same mind, controlled by similar imaginative needs."

His poetry manages to be sacred and secular, religious and antireligious in the same breath

“Go, and catch a falling star, Get with child a mandrake root” Essentially, Donne wrote poems about himself, whether the ostensible subject was his love life or his religion. "Though he forsook the Roman church he never, in a sense, escaped its grasp," Carey argues. Infidelity, whether between man and woman or in the sphere of religion, is one of his most common themes. His other great theme is death. His poetry manages to be sacred and secular, religious and anti-religious in the same breath. The furious struggle he conducts with God is not so different from his combative, possessive relationship with women. “Batter my heart, three-personed God; for you As yet but knock, breathe, shine and seek to mend” While his early poetry is intensely private, written for a close circle of friends, his later sermons are public documents. But the core of his self-obsessed personality remains the same. In Carey’s words, he was not just a young libertine and apostate, but a disgraced courtier, a husband and father harassed by debts, a genteel beggar and an unwilling genius, belittling the poems which would later on make him immortal. Donne’s reputation as a poet was very high in his own day, then sank into obscurity until the 20th century rescued it. Some critics have found it hard to reconcile the gap between his erotic love poems and his devout sermons, but the divided, contradictory man who emerges from his writing carries a strong message for modern readers. *Edited by David Killingray and Elizabeth Purves, the book will be published in November 2012 by the Sevenoaks Historical Society

(Far left )The Donne statue in the shadow of St Paul’s; (Above left ) John Donne portrait; (Bottom right) John Donne Statue

VINE DINING

food for thought with Benjamin James

Our resident foodie Benjamin James of the George & Dragon in Chipstead reveals what’s been keeping the pub busy this month and shares his favourite recipes

For the latest news, visit our new website at www.georgeanddragonchipstead.com and follow us @GeorgeChipstead on Twitter

Cocktail of the month: Apple & Blackberry Daiquiri As I have mentioned before, September is the month we say goodbye to the berry fruit. And what a great berry to end on, the blackberry. For so many of us a walk along most hedgerows or a glance at the back of the local playing field will reward us with this splendid, rambling, thorny bramble. Enjoyed fresh on their own, whisked into a cheesecake, stewed into jam… the possibilities are endless. At the George & Dragon, Chipstead this September we are celebrating the blackberry with an apple and blackberry daiquiri cocktail: 50ml Gold Rum 25ml apple liqueur 1 lime (cut into wedges) 5 blackberries 1/2tsp soft brown sugar Place the lime wedges, brown sugar and blackberries into a cocktail shaker and muddle together. (To muddle means to squash and press, extracting valuable oils and juices, the end of a small rolling pin or similar works well). Next pour over the rum and liqueur, add a generous hand full of ice, place the lid of the shaker on top and shake vigorously. Strain the finished drink through a fine tea strainer into a martini-style glass.

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September means different things to different people. To parents it’s the welcome return of a school routine after a long summer break; for rush hour commuters it's that extra 15 minutes now the schools are back in session; for fruit farmers it is the end of the berry season and the start of the tree fruits; and for the outdoor type it’s the time to enjoy the long awaited Indian summer. In order to draw out every last possible moment of outdoor enjoyment, this year I invested in some tall, elegant storm lanterns to light the tables in the herb garden of the George & Dragon, Chipstead. Admittedly, other than the fabulous two weeks of sun during the Olympics, they have not seen many outings yet, but I am still optimistic that September will provide some glorious late summer evenings. For many, September signifies the lead up to Christmas. Like in previous years we have at least a dozen names on our Christmas enquiry list, all eagerly awaiting the release of the Christmas season menus on September 6th. Earlier this year we launched our new website (www. georgeanddragonchipstead.com) and I am pleased to announce that for those that want it, Christmas at the George & Dragon, Chipstead has a strong online presence. With the arrival of autumn our menus will still be filled with local ingredients but with the addition of exciting items that begin to fill the fields, hedgerows and woodlands of our great countryside. For many foodies this signifies the arrival of game. September is the official launch of game season, venison from Chart Farm, pheasant for Chevening Estate, wild rabbit, pigeon and partridge will all have pride of place on our autumnal menus. If game is a dish you have never really tried before or worse still a dish that you haven’t enjoyed before, then I urge you to come and join me and my team at the George & Dragon, Chipstead this September to taste game as it should be served. I pride myself in knowing the origin and husbandry of all of our meat including our game and I am equally proud of the way we choose to present it. I’m sure that’s also why many of our customers are ‘game’ to try them.

n Visit the pub at 39 High Street, Chipstead, TN13 2RW and for more information or to book, call 01732 779019 or visit www.georgeanddragonchipstead.com

Haxted Mill Restaurant FRESH FISH & SEAFOOD

www.haxtedmill.co.uk Tel: 01732 862914

Delicious Occasions NEW SEASON VENISON AVAILABLE NOW. Come in and try our prime cuts of beef, local free range sausages and our home-reared venison

Based in the Sevenoaks area and covering the whole of Kent and other parts of the South East, Delicious Occasions is a hand made cake company that prides itself on a personal service, creating a cake for you to your own bespoke design or ideas.

HAND MADE BESPOKE CAKES

Fresh venison & beef mince available daily

Open Tues, Wed & Fri 9am - 4pm HOP & Sat 9am -S3pm.

5 mins from Sevenoaks town/just off A25 Selling Our Own Home-Reared Ve Now Open Thursdays and Other Locally 9am - 4pmSourced, Fine M

TELEPHONE 07912 370576 EMAIL: ENQUIRIES@DELICIOUSOCCASIONS.CO.UK www.DELICIOUSOCCASIONS.CO.UK

Chart Farm Shop

LANE

TS STYANS

BOX

BOTT

PILLAR

OM ROAD

A25

SEVENOAKS

SE CHURCH RD

VEN

BOROUGH GREEN

Free Farmyard Parking Open Tue, Wed & Fri 9am - 4pm & Sat 9am - 3pm Chart Farm, Seal 5 mins Sevenoaks town/ju Chart,from Sevenoaks, Kent TN15Seal 0ES Chart, Chart Farm, t: 01732 761672 Sevenoaks, Kent TN15 0ES m: 07976 726 469 T: 01732 761672 / 07976 726 4 www.chartfarm.com www.chartfarm.com

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HEVER CASTLE GOLF CLUB Just 20 minutes from Sevenoaks and Tunbridge Wells, Hever Castle Golf Club offers one of the best clubhouse restaurants in the south-east

01732 700771 www.hever.co.uk

xtensive refurbishments Emmental Cheese and wrapped in Bacon, have recently been made complemented perfectly by Creamy Lyonnaise at the clubhouse, creating the Potatoes, French Beans, Carrots and a zingy Astor Lounge & Restaurant, Grain Mustard sauce. Finally, for dessert, the ‘19th’ bar, as well as a indulge yourself with the White Chocolate stunning terrace. These new and Strawberry Roulade, accompanied by hospitality facilities offer members and decadent Double Cream. visitors alike incredible, panoramic views of The ambience is second to none, with the course and countryside from a warm, the greatest care taken to ensure that you welcoming and sophisticated setting. experience a relaxed and enjoyable lunch. The This autumn, the restaurant will launch friendly and helpful staff are there to attend to a brand new menu, featuring an array of your every need and the quality of service is mouth-watering seasonal offerings truly unsurpassed. At just £15.50 sourced from only the highest for two courses and £19.50 for quality local producers, with the three courses, it really is great kitchen team led by Head Chef, value for money. The dining Stuart Driver. With an eclectic Indeed, the reputation of the background of experience at experience at the restaurant is so prestigious that restaurants, hotels and gastro are already being taken Astor Lounge is bookings pubs across the country, Stuart for Christmas lunch. The menu second to none will feature a choice of four specialises in putting a modern twist on classical English dishes. sumptuous, seasonal starters, as “I was born and trained in well as the traditional Turkey Somerset, where I did most of my training,” commented Stuart. “From there, I’ve worked my way up to AA rosette and Michelin-star level, experimenting with all different kinds of ingredients and dishes from around the world.” Regularly enjoyed by club members, the restaurant is also open to visitors. Reader offer Choices from the new Sunday Lunch The expansive clubhouse autumn Sunday lunch menu include a delicious starter of Ham Hock and Capers Terrine served Quote Vine when you book with Celeriac Remoulade At least four people must order at least two courses and toasted Brioche. Or, for Offer ends 30/11/2012 the vegetarians among you, the scrumptious Grilled Goat's Cheese Crostini with tangy Red Onion Marmalade is served with a fantastically fresh, mixed leaf salad. For main course, why not try the succulent Delicious dessert Chicken Breast, stuffed with Creamy

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Deliciously light Parma ham starter Roast with all the trimmings. Not only this, but a selection of more contemporary alternatives will also be available, such as a delicious Duck Confit, or Wild Mushroom and Spinach Tagliatelle. Naturally, Christmas dinner wouldn’t be complete without the traditional Christmas Pudding; but for those who are feeling a bit more adventurous, alternatives will include a rich Lemon Tart served with Vanilla Mascarpone and Raspberry compote. These dishes feature on both lunch and evening menus, along with Christmas Party Night menus, which include a disco until midnight, so you can dine and dance the night away with friends, family or colleagues! Bookings for Sunday lunch can be made at www.hever.co.uk/lunches or by ringing the Club Bar on: 01732 701010. For more information on Christmas bookings, please call: 01732 701017 or email: functions@hever.co.uk

The bar features classy interior design

stay in style The Bull in Wrotham, already known for its AA Rosette culinary excellence, has undergone a major refurbishment, bringing the hotel’s standard up to four AA stars

rom the outside, this beautifully refurbished country retreat looks exactly as it would have when The Bull was first opened for business back in 1395. Step through the door and you’re welcomed by 14th-century oak beams, a warm inviting decor and an Inglenook fireplace. The 11 en-suite rooms are individually styled, giving each one its own unique character – from boutique country chic, to traditional beamed rural retreat. The en-suite bath and shower rooms take on a sleek, modern feel, whilst the cosy bedrooms have flat screen TVs with Freeview. Each room is decorated with a perfect balance of heritage paint and lavish Laura Ashley furnishings. If you’re on business, perhaps choose one of the rooms with a sophisticated alcove bureau; or if you’re on a family trip, choose rooms with convenient adjoining corridors. While the accommodation is sure to

impress, the restaurant continues to uphold its remarkable reputation. The owner, Martin Deadman, is deeply committed to sourcing high quality, regional and seasonal ingredients. The menus not only offer traditional ‘pub-grub’ – fish and chips, omelettes and burgers all featuring on the bar menu – but also an à la carte selection, featuring such culinary delights as cuminscented Barbary duck breast, fillet of sea bream with red pepper cream and 30-day-aged fillet of beef. The prices won’t break the bank either. A gourmet break – which includes an overnight stay, a three-course dinner and full English breakfast – starts from just £99 for two.

The Bull Hotel Bull Lane, Wrotham, TN15 7RF 01732 789 800 www.thebullhotel.com

“The food was super, as we knew it would be, at both the dinner and the lunch. Also, I discovered a wine worth seeking out and had the best cappuccino ever!” Peter Russell: Manger, Evaluation International

SIMPLY THE ZEST

Vine takes a look at Rajdhabar, a highly established Indian takeaway that’s been serving the local community for years

n this modern, multicultural Britain we’re often spoilt for choice when it comes to ordering food for takeaway. Unfortunately, quantity does not always mean quality and it’s fair to say that we’ve all had our fair share of dodgy curries. That’s exactly why when we do find a good place to eat we’re often inclined to stick with it. Perhaps this explains why people from all over the District keep coming back to Rajdharbar. Established since 1999, this family-run local business has built up a devoted base of loyal customers that couldn’t imagine getting their chilli fix from anywhere else. Owner, Raj Miah, is well known throughout the community and is proud to offer the best quality, delicious, homemade Bangladeshi and Indian cuisine, with prices that beat any place around. But don’t take just his word for it – the food has won awards from the Cobra Good Curry Guide. As you’d expect, the menu features all the classic dishes, but also a few extra special offerings available exclusively at Rajdharbar. The delicious Lamb Tikka

Tava is a fairly hot, authentic Indian dish, cooked with fresh spices, bay leaves and cardamoms in a fragrant tomato and coriander sauce. Or, if you prefer something a bit spicier, the Garlic Chilli Chicken is a zingy stir fry of green chillies, garlic and succulent chicken tikka. Rajdhabar offers free delivery on orders over £12 out across Sevenoaks District, from Kemsing and Otford to Ightham and Borough Green. 10% discount is offered on collected orders. Opening times are from Monday to Saturday, between 5pm and 12pm.

People from all over the district keep coming back to Rajdharbar

n 3 The Parade, Dynes Road, Kemsing, Sevenoaks, Kent, TN15 6RE or for more information call 01959 526880

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Here at Vine we’re holding on to summer for dear life. After all, what with the temperamental weather this year, it’s important to seize the opportunities you get and to make the most of the sun while you can. Ensure your event’s an al fresco success with these great tips for making your own burgers and our top recommended grilling tools

GRILLED THRILLS The Vine Burger Homemade burgers are the best, but there are a lot of myths out there on how to get the blighters to bind together. Flour and eggs do work… but this method tends to ruin the flavour and texture of the patties. Here are a few quick tips for tasty, tender burgers that are guaranteed to earn you maximum barbekudos.

strands of mince are aligned, making for a more tender burger. Remember to remove the clingfilm! • Make sure your patties have reached room temperature before putting them on the grill, otherwise the muscle fibres will tense up, making the burgers tough and chewy.

• Buy high quality meat. Sirloin steak mince from the butchers is best. Or, if you can, grind your own.

• Get the grill as hot as you can, oil the patties, and cook them for 3-5 minutes, flipping every 15-30 seconds.

• Don’t fill the patty mix with all sorts of herbs and binding agents. All you need is 1g of salt for every 150g of mince, mixed together in a bowl. Then, using clingfilm, roll the mix into a log and refrigerate for at least six hours. This draws moisture out of the meat, naturally binding it.

With this simple base, you can get as creative as you want with building the rest of the burger, adding seasonings, cheese, bacon, veggies and sauces as you see fit. Why not try adding pineapple rings and harissa paste for a sweet and spicy combo that’s sure to raise a few eyebrows!

• Once out of the fridge, use a sharp knife to cut vertical slices out of the log, creating patties. This ensures that the CONTRAST & RELATED MARKS/ 

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Family run inn with fantastic food and service 30 vine September 2012 vinedigital.co.uk

Is Your Baby Sleeping Properly? Expert sleep sense consultant, Judy Clark, knows first hand how painful it is to go through sleepless nights with a child – she went through it herself with her first daughter, Jannah

he baby Jannah would wake up crying every hour, demanding to be fed. Judy tried everything she thought would help: rocking her, giving her a dummy, lying beside her, walking her in the pram – but nothing seemed to work. She read all the standard books, to no avail. At last, whilst researching on the internet, she found world renowned sleep expert Dana Obleman. With her help and guidance Jannah now sleeps from 7pm to 7am without waking once. Judy trained with Dana to become the UK’s first expert sleep sense consultant and now runs Babywinkz, her own sleep consultancy. She now wants to share with you the five biggest tips to getting your baby to sleep well. Babies need to learn to fall asleep on their own without any external props Props include actions and objects: dummies, feeding, patting, rocking and many more. Just let them be! Be consistent Whatever is happening at one sleep situation needs to be happening at all sleep situations to send a clear message about what is expected, even during night wakes. Early bedtime This is vital to ensure that children do not become overtired. When a baby is overtired, they become more difficult to settle down

and fall asleep. Try to pick a bedtime somewhere between 6 and 8pm, based on your baby’s age. Routine A bedtime routine is something you can start at a very early age and is an excellent cue to the body and mind that it is time to settle down and get ready for sleep. Routines should last from 20 – 30 minutes. Your routine might include a bath, putting on pyjamas, a feed and maybe a song or book.

Poorly sleeping babies can disturb family life Judy with her two daughters

Keep baby awake whilst feeding If you are feeding your infant in the night, try not to let them fall asleep at the breast or bottle. Keep feedings low key and quiet. The latest research shows that 84 per cent of children who are experiencing sleep problems will continue to have them for up to five years. This is a very long time for a family to function on a reduction of sleep and a long time to fight bedtime battles. It is never too late to start changing your child’s sleep situation. It can be hard but in the long run making changes will have everyone feeling well rested and a whole lot happier! If you need support on your journey to great sleep then Babywinkz can help you develop a customised sleep plan for solving your child’s sleep problems and help you step by step whilst you implement it.

BABYWINKS

n If you have any questions about what you’ve just read, or for more information, please go to www.babywinkz.com, or you can always call Judy directly on 01732 222 000 for a personal discussion Sound asleep – just how it should be

vinedigital.co.uk September 2012 vine 31

King’s Rochester

Grounded, rounded and forward-thinking

King’s Senior Choir performs regularly in Rochester Cathedral

Jeremy Walker joins King’s Rochester this year as the new Principal with a view to building on the school’s academic success and unique, nurturing atmosphere. Nick Chowdrey visits the school to meet him, tour the grounds and find out more...

eatly nestled in one corner of the historic town, King’s Rochester is an independent, co-educational day and boarding school that blends in seamlessly with its beautiful surroundings. Educating pupils between the ages of 3 and 18, King’s is one of the only independent schools in Kent to mix boys and girls throughout the four key stages, focusing on the development of strong family and community values. Ushered into the main office at Satis House – which was bustling with people, despite it being outside term time – I had the pleasure of spending the morning with

the school’s new Principal, Jeremy Walker. Oxfordeducated and former Headmaster of the prestigious Berkhamsted School Sixth form, Jeremy has been preparing to assume this role for 14 months. We sat down for a chat and a chance to get a better idea about how he plans to improve this already highly successful school.

WHAT DREW YOU IN TO A CAREER IN EDUCATION?

No two days are the same and you can expect new challenges around every corner

Put simply, I love school. I am immensely lucky to have had an incredible education and place an extremely high value on school years. It’s wonderfully varied – no two days are the same and you can expect new challenges around every corner. What I enjoy most is seeing the development of pupils. Having the chance to impact positively on so many young lives is a great privilege.

WHAT ATTRACTED YOU SPECIFICALLY TO KING’S ROCHESTER? Initially, it was the reputation of the school but it wasn’t until I visited that I really fell in love with the place. I’ve never seen a school where the pupils are so happy and the sense of community so tangible. New Principal, Jeremy Walker, with Rochester Castle and Cathedral in the background

WHAT EXCITES YOU MOST ABOUT YOUR APPOINTMENT? Not only will I have the pleasure of working with all these brilliant, confident and demanding young minds, Outgoing Senior Prefects

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but I also have a chance to develop the school as a whole. This stretches beyond the children alone and onwards to the staff, the parents and the reputation of King’s itself.

DO YOU HAVE ANY IMMEDIATE PLANS FOR THE SCHOOL? In the immediate future we have several very exciting projects underway. From this September we no longer have Saturday lessons. We have re-shaped the working week and year to increase the amount of teaching time whilst fitting into a fiveday week which is more appropriate to modern family life. Within that we are maintaining our sporting programme on Saturdays and increasing activities for boarders. We are also in the process of establishing a web-based Careers Network for current and former pupils. This is still at an early stage but has huge potential to help our pupils stand out to potential employers. The most striking development is the acquisition of the Stirling Sports Centre from Medway Council. A huge refurbishment will be starting later this year and will give us some of the best school sporting facilities in the southeast. We will have nine new outdoor tennis and netball courts, indoor hockey/ badminton/cricket nets, changing rooms, a fitness suite, bar and viewing area and aim to include a physio suite. We will also be opening the centre to the public so it can be enjoyed by the wider community. We also have access to the adjoining Holcombe Hockey Club with their Olympic standard Astroturfs and playing fields. Sport at King’s has always been very important and this will take it to a new level.

Science lessons are fun

WHAT MAKES KING’S DIFFERENT FROM OTHER SCHOOLS AND WHY CHOOSE INDEPENDENT OVER STATE? In five of the last seven years our Prep School has been top of the local league tables. Results at GCSE and A Level are impressive; we are often ahead of local grammar schools even though we admit a broader range of pupils. It just goes to show how much value is added to each individual and that, of course, has huge knock-ons to university entrance and career potential. Having said that, exam results get you job interviews but it’s the person who walks through the door that gets the job. This sounds a bit quirky, but I like to say that we’re in the business of producing 23 year olds, not 18 year olds. Our pupils are in small classes so we are not in the sausage-factory mould of education. Each of the three schools is small enough for each pupil to matter, while being part of the wider foundation means access to bigger and better facilities. The sense of 1400 years of history and our daily use of the beautiful Rochester Cathedral is a great privilege which supports our outstanding music department. Being co-educational throughout, as well as our position on the edge of the town

centre, enables our pupils to have a blend of safety and preparation for adult life. Finally, while being predominantly a day school, 10 per cent of our pupils are boarders and we have a boarding school ethos. From 3-18 we offer wrap-around care before and after the school day and also encourage strong contacts with home.

MORE ABOUT YOU - WHAT DO YOU GET UP TO IN YOUR SPARE TIME? My children are nine and six so spending time together as a family is very important. I enjoy most sports, especially running and golf, and love to travel. Beyond that, thanks to my children, I like to think I am quite good at Mario Kart on the Wii!

WHERE DO YOU SEE THE SCHOOL IN FIVE YEARS’ TIME? Before joining I went around the school asking the pupils what I should and shouldn’t change. The one thing they kept saying was “don’t change the atmosphere!” Taking that into consideration, I want to make sure we stay at the forefront of education. My ambition is for King’s to be the best independent co-educational school in Kent. n Jeremy Walker is looking forward to meeting future King’s parents at the school’s next Open Morning on Saturday October 6. He will speak at 9:45 am. Call 01634 888590, email admissions@ kings-rochester.co.uk or visit kingsrochester.co.uk for more information

A co-educational school from 3-18

vinedigital.co.uk September 2012 vine 33

EDUCATION SPECIAL

A year at the top at walthamstow hall Recognised by The Sunday Times as one of the UK’s top 100 Independent Schools, Walthamstow Hall in Sevenoaks has had another action-packed academic year! Here are just some of the highlights from the last 12 months…

september 2011 Students started term celebrating the school’s best ever exam results with 81% of A levels, 89% of Pre-U and 98% of GCSE and IGCSEs all passed at grades A*-B.

october 2011 Sixth Formers studied their subjects in the field...with trips to Rome, Haworth (home of the Brontës) and down a mine in Derbyshire!

november 2011 1000 people came to watch the spectacular five-run performance of the school production – the RSC’s ‘Nicholas Nickleby’ at The Ship Theatre. Our U16 netballers also won all of their 11 matches to reach the final of the Kent School’s Tournament out of a field of 52 schools, and our team of Upper Sixth economists finished second in the regional rounds of the Bank of England Target 2.0 Competition.

december 2011 The annual Christmas Concert in our Ship Theatre and Christmas carol service at Tonbridge School Chapel were both magical highlights of the musical school year.

january 2012 Year 11 Angharad Ward represented Great Britain at the inaugural Winter Youth Olympics in Austria, while our Year 7 and 8 swimmers returned from the Kent Secondary School championships with a clutch of medals and personal bests. The Daily Telegraph also ranked us as the 19th highest performing independent school in the country and the highest in Kent at GCSE and IGCSE level.

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february 2012 Walthamstow Hall and Eastchester High School in New York State completed the first Cambridge Pre-U exchange after spending a week together conducting debates via Skype. Our Judo team were crowned champions at the Independent Girls’ School National Congress; Lower Sixth Lucy Reid won the Kent Young Enterprise Public Speaking Finals and Lower School students gave warm and sensitive performances of ‘Whistle Down the Wind’.

march 2012 The Senior and U15 lacrosse teams played at the National Schools Tournament and secured a ranking of 25th in the country, while students also undertook their Duke of Edinburgh Bronze and Silver Award expedition training and practices in March and April.

april 2012 In April we opened The Hub – our new student entrance, meeting and exhibition space. The curling team beat Judd in the final to win the Kent School’s Curling Championships and our Young Enterprise team won the West Kent Finals.

may 2012 Science Week rounded off with our team being interviewed by the BBC upon reaching the grand finals of Glaxo SmithKline’s ‘Science in Sport’ competition held at the Science Museum. Lower Sixth Drama students gave also mature and professional performances of ‘Twelfth Night’.

june 2012 Maths got noisy as pupils from 14 local primary and prep schools took part in Walthamstow Hall’s very speedy Great Maths Race. Year 10 girls took their production of 'A Midsummer Night’s Dream' out on the road, performing to children at Chevening Primary School; we also welcomed our new Year 7s into school for their induction day and over 100 alumnae came back to school for the annual Walthamstow Hall Old Girls’ Association Summer reunion.

august 2012 We ended the academic year as we started it, celebrating our students’ successes in their public examinations! 96% of GCSE and IGCSE, 77% of A levels and 91% of Pre-U passed at grades A*-B. We wish our leavers the very best as they embark on their studies at universities including Warwick, St Andrews, Bath and Cambridge.

Science Week rounded off with our team being interviewed by the BBC

july 2012 Year 8 built their own shelters, cooked on open fires, swam in an ice cold lake and learnt survival and first aid on their residential ‘bushcraft’ trip. We also applauded student successes and said farewell to our Upper Sixth Leavers at Prize-Giving, before applauding again at ‘Strictly Wally’, our charity dance event where both students and staff put on their dancing shoes! n Prospective families, especially those interested in 11+, 13+ and Sixth Form entry are warmly invited to see Walthamstow Hall in action at Open Morning between 10.00am and 12.15pm on Saturday 22 September 2012. The Headmistress and students will speak at 11.00 and 11.45am.

Gold medallist Stephanie Cook with Headmistress Jane Scott and Head Girl and Deputy Head Girl

Amazing escapades at

The Granville School The Granville girls have achieved yet another year of outstanding 11+ results with all-time record entries into both the independent and state secondaries and a 100 per cent pass rate. However, The Granville School is not only about academic achievement

o achieve a truly comprehensive education, learning must stretch far beyond academic success. The Granville School dedicates a significant amount of time and resources to organise and develop educational school trips. This year, pupils have visited exciting locations, both locally and further afield. This enables them to strengthen, broaden and deepen their knowledge and understanding of the world around them. Here are just a few examples of the exciting places they visited:

A pupil gets mummified!

EARLY YEARS The youngest children have enjoyed stimulating woodland walks and mini-beast hunts; a visit to Coolings â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a local garden centre â&#x20AC;&#x201C; to learn about plants and eco systems; a trip to a pizza restaurant to build on their knowledge of other countries and cultures; and a revealing trip to the British Wildlife Centre in Lingfield, where the Reception class learnt to understand about wildlife behaviour and habitats.

Pupils have visited exciting locations, both locally and further afield

KEY STAGE 1 Year 1 spent a day at Eagle Heights in Lullingstone observing many different species of birds, reptiles and animals. The birds of prey and the reptile displays were particularly thrilling and stroking a yellow bull snake was awesome! Meanwhile, Year 2 had a great day at Chiddingstone Castle learning about ancient Egyptians. The highlight of the day had to be the fun of wrapping their teachers in bandages, Egyptian-mummy style!

KEY STAGE 2 Year 3 stepped back in time with a visit to Dover Museum to discover more about the ancient Romans.

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A beautiful new baby barn owl

EDUCATION SPECIAL

The girls loved dressing up in Roman costume and having their hair styled and faces made up as ancient Romans. To Battle once more for Year 4! They stayed in a hotel for two nights in Battle, East Sussex – visiting the Science Observatory, where the girls had great fun experimenting with the amazing interactive activities. On day two they paid a visit to Battle Abbey to learn more about the famous conflict and then to Bedgebury Pinetum for an enquiring nature trail. Year 5 enjoyed a residential educational visit to the south coast. On the first day they went to the top of the Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth. This was followed by a day at the Weald and Downland Museum, where they discovered how the Tudors lived. Dressing in traditional Tudor costume was a great way to enhance learning! Finally, Pagham Harbour Nature Reserve involved a fascinating study of the salt marshes, as well as pond dipping and sifting for water creatures. Year 6 spent two days away in Stratford-upon-Avon to further their knowledge of Shakespeare’s life and achievements. They also visited Warwick Castle and explored its history. The very topical Year 6 visit with a tour guide to the Olympic Site taught them about the regeneration of this area of London. Year 6 also spent an exhilarating two days in France. It was an action-packed couple of days, with the girls enjoying visits to a model village; interactive demos in crêpe and bread making; a trip to the site of the Battle of Agincourt and a visit to a chocolate factory. All this hands-on fun really enabled them to develop French listening and speaking skills.

OLYMPIC GOLD FOR THE GRANVILLE! To round up The Granville year, and with the excitement of the 2012 Olympic Games just around the corner, it was highly appropriate and an enormous honour to have Olympic legend, Dr Stephanie Cook, as guest speaker at the school’s annual awards ceremony. Dr Cook, Olympic Gold Medal winner in the Sydney Olympic Games, gave an inspirational speech before handing out prizes and certificates to girls for their hard work over the past year.

YEARS 6 LEAVERS SAY:

“The Granville is a fab school.” “We are so sad to be leaving.” “We have all been very happy here and we will always remember our time at The Granville.” The Granville have available places in Year 5 when the class splits into two smaller classes. Applications are welcome. They have occasional available places around the school and enquiries are most welcome. n For more information or to arrange a tour with the Headmistress Tel: 01732 453039. Email: registrar@granvilleschoolo.org. Website: www.granvilleschool.org

What The PUPILS Say KEY STAGES 1 AND 2 'We all really like coming to school.’ ‘We learn to write and do maths and French’ ‘I love art and making things in DT.’ ‘We do lots of sport and perform plays and concerts for our parents to watch.’ ‘Our teachers are the best and they help us with all our work.'

PAST PUPILS 'We love opportunities to return to Granville, especially on the summer fete day when we can meet many of our old friends and the teachers.’ ‘We have very happy memories of our years at The Granville. It prepared us for our future in every way possible.'

CHILDREN FROM THE EARLY YEARS 'The Granville School is the best. We learn so much in so many fun and exciting ways.'

(Above 1) In Roman dress at Dover Museum; (Above 2) Some of the older girls on a trip to Stratford-upon-Avon; (Above 3) Buon giorno! The pre-school learn about everything Italian; (Below left) Some of the Year 4 girls on a field trip

Kent College A wealth of opportunities Kent College Pembury is a leading independent day and boarding school for girls aged 3-18. Known as the ‘hidden gem’ in Kent, it is situated amongst beautiful 75-acre rural parkland that offers a safe haven for girls to grow and excel

upils consistently surpass their expectations with excellent academic results and achieve their first choice university destinations in a supportive, Kent College is nurturing environment. In 2012 we have well known for been delighted with the A Level results our pupils have achieved, with a 93 per cent pass rate at its extensive and A*-C and with pupils gaining places at their first choice diverse programme university. At Kent College, pupils develop leadership of over 100 skills and the confidence to make themselves employable as well as highly qualified and we pride ourselves on extra curricular producing young women ready for the future in activities every way. As well as achieving academically, it is also important for pupils to enhance their studies with extracurricular activities and enrichment opportunities. Kent College is well known for its extensive A dance class at the new theatre space and diverse programme of over 100 extracurricular activities, some of which include film-making, horse riding, cricket and technical theatre. These, as well as the school’s ambitious drama and music productions, give pupils the opportunity to develop a new skill, or to further an existing talent. Since 2009, Kent College has established further enrichment opportunities through successful Academies in Gymnastics and Swimming. In September 2012 the school will launch a Theatre Academy, which will offer Saturday workshops in drama, dance and singing. All three Academies are

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accessible to both Kent College students, as well as girls and boys from other schools in the area. Each Academy celebrates excellence in its field and enhances talent through professional, experienced coaching in purposebuilt facilities on the Kent College site.

KENT COLLEGE THEATRE ACADEMY The Drama and Music Departments at Kent College have a strong reputation for delivering first-class school productions. With very high expectations, pupils at Kent College continuously surpass themselves, taking advantage of the outstanding teaching and facilities available to them and producing many acclaimed performances. Using these resources, the Kent College Theatre Academy will encourage students from Years 1 to 13 to perform at their best in friendly and fun Junior and Senior workshops. In order to create an optimum teaching environment, The Theatre Academy workshops are designed to cater for small groups of no more than 18. Furthermore, staff with specialist knowledge will be able to offer support and advice for students who would like to pursue a career in the Performing Arts. To register for a place and for further information, please email theatreacademy@kentcollege.kent.sch.uk

KENT COLLEGE GYM ACADEMY The Kent College Gym Academy trains pupils at the school’s on-site Sports Hall. The fun and safe classes allow pupils to experience a variety of gym apparatus and to learn from experienced coaches in a safe, enthusiastic and cheerful environment.

EDUCATION SPECIAL

THEATRE ACADEMY MANAGER Q& A: WHY IS KENT COLLEGE LAUNCHING A THEATRE ACADEMY? Firstly, to deliver teaching of Drama, Dance and Singing to a professional standard. Secondly, to offer workshops from disciplines in the Arts, as well as those outside drama, dance and singing. Finally, to encourage, support and advise students looking to pursue careers in the Arts.

WHAT MAKES THE KENT COLLEGE THEATRE ACADEMY DIFFERENT TO OTHERS IN THE AREA?

Kent College girl takes the spotlight The academy has access to high quality costumes and props

The school grounds set in incredible Kent countryside

Students will be taught in purpose-built facilities at Kent College – the Theatre, Drama Studio, Dance Studio & Music Centre and therefore will have an all-round performance experience.

WHAT ARE YOU MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO ABOUT STARTING THE ACADEMY? I am most looking forward to seeing students of all ages receiving top class tuition in all aspects of performance and having the opportunity to put their new found skills to good use in our fantastic Theatre.

All gym coaches are trained and qualified through the British Gymnast Association and every year the Academy enters and gains fantastic results at local and national competitions. In March 2012, and again in 2013, the school will host the Girls’ Independent Schools Gymnastics Association’ competition – a high profile gym tournament that gives gymnasts the opportunity to perform at the very top. For further information, please email gymacademy@kentcollege.kent.sch.uk

KENT COLLEGE SWIMMING ACADEMY The Swimming Academy holds classes throughout the year for beginners through to advanced swimmers on weekdays and Saturdays. Held in the onsite 20m heated indoor swimming pool, the Academy provides pupils with the opportunity to excel at all levels in this important sport and leisure activity. For further information, please email swimmingacademy@kentcollege. kent.sch.uk

n To find out more about the academic and enrichment opportunities at Kent College, please either visit our website www.kent-college. co.uk or visit us at one of our forthcoming Open Mornings on Saturday 13 and Tuesday 16 October 2012, 9.30am – 1.00pm. Please contact Admissions on 01892 820218 to book your place

2012 leavers celebrating their A Level results

EDUCATION SPECIAL

Challenge, community, creativity

AT SEVENOAKS PREP

Vine catches up with Clare Harrison, who is Assistant Headteacher in charge of Years 7 and 8 and Director of Admissions What makes the school unique? Here at Sevenoaks Prep we have a direct and established interest in helping our pupils to develop not just academically, but as well-rounded individuals. Our school ethos – our ‘Way of Life” – provides positive guidance to the whole school on how to achieve this. This process is helped along by our dedicated and talented team of staff, who are passionate about their profession and simply love to teach. In terms of Years Seven and Eight, our staff have a great deal of experience in the secondary sector teaching GCSE and A Level, which helps pupils to achieve beyond expectations for their age group.

How are parents kept up to date with their child’s progress? Along with parent consultation evenings and school reports, we have an open door policy for our parents, who are welcome to come and discuss all aspects of their child’s education at any time.

How is technology used to aid learning at the school? As well as looking at the practical, everyday uses of ICT, we recognise that technology is always changing and, as such, our approach to the subject is extremely contemporary. We focus heavily on the creative side of things, with pupils taught anything from film editing to website design.

How are the pupils tested and how often? We don’t believe in testing for the sake of it, especially at early ages. Testing just doesn’t give a clear picture of the child’s development and overly frequent exams can often jeopardise their enjoyment of learning and progress. We introduce examinations and assessments as the pupils get older in order to prepare them for external examinations, such as Common Entrance, to their destination schools.

Plenty of space to play

WhAt benefits are there for pupils joining the school in Year Seven? Years 7 and 8 are our sixth form. They wear different coloured blazers to distinguish them from the rest of the school and are given many more responsibilities. We have a broad prefect system, which encourages the development of leadership skills. With positions available in drama, music, art, sports and media, pupils can devote their time to what they’re passionate about and as staff we really listen to their ideas and opinions about their school. For example, we have a food group which discusses menus in our restaurant. To complement our Way of Life, next term we will be introducing The Oak Award, which inspires development in the areas of community, creativity and challenge. We wanted a formalised way of recognising the special contribution our older pupils make to our community, their academic progress and their wonderful achievements in art, drama and music, as well as encouraging them to try new things.

What sort of schools do pupils go on to after leaving Sevenoaks Prep? Our headmaster spends a lot of personal time with our families matching pupils to the right senior school. Our pupils have recently gained many sought-after scholarships in academic subjects, music, drama, art and sports scholarships to schools such as Tonbridge, Sevenoaks, Kent College (Pembury), King’s Canterbury, Bethany, Sackville and Lingfield Notre Dame.

Years Seven and Eight are treated like a mini sixth form

Dedicated sports programme

Excellent outdoor facilities

TAILOR-MADE TUTORING Local teacher opens Kip McGrath Sevenoaks – a brand new, progressive education centre

f you suspect that your child might need additional tuition in maths or English, Kip McGrath’s fully qualified teachers can offer you all the advice you need. Offering expert tuition to both primary and secondary school-aged students in multiple areas of their school studies, including preparation for their SATs and GCSE tests, it’s a

Come and visit us on our Open Day on Saturday 6 of October at 2pm, with guest of honour, Michael Fallon MP

great way to ensure your child’s academic success. The new centre, which opened on August 1, offers maths and English tutoring services to students from across the Sevenoaks area. The centre is run by Zoe Trodd – an exceptionally well-qualified, fully CRB checked, local teacher with over 15 years’ experience teaching in both primary and secondary schools. Housed in a brand new building with air-conditioning and computers linked up to high-speed fibre-optic broadband, the centre offers tailor-made individual tuition programmes for 6-16 year olds in maths, English, reading, writing, spelling and comprehension. Exam preparation for 11+ and GCSEs is also offered. The bespoke tuition programmes are devised using

exclusive and proven Kip McGrath learning resources. For example: INSIGHT is a brand new and highly acclaimed programme that focuses on delivering fun, stimulating and challenging tasks, whilst enabling even closer tracking of pupil progress. The tutoring centre and education programmes are designed to enable your child to make progress fast, utilising a positive, warm and friendly learning environment to ensure previously unrealised success.

DID YOU KNOW? AT KIP McGRATH WE: Have been helping children for over 30 years across the world Believe that all children can succeed, if given the right support Have over 600 Centres providing maths and English tutoring to school-aged students Help your children in a way that builds confidence and self-esteem

n Contact Zoe on 01732 453657 to arrange your free assessment, or visit the website for more details: www.kipmcgrath. co.uk/sevenoaks

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International success at SEVENOAKS SCHOOL Vine catches up with Arabella Stuart, Director of Admissions, and John Sprague, Director of IB, to uncover the reasons behind the school’s incredible achievements

Students stroll through leafy grounds

ander to the south end of Sevenoaks High Street and you can’t fail to notice Sevenoaks School. The Good Schools Guide described it as a "Trail-blazing co- ed day and boarding school... best known for pioneering the International Baccalaureate (IB). Students studying for this qualification routinely receive the best grades not just in the UK, but in the entire world." But what can students expect from this alternative qualification and what are the potential benefits?

WHAT MAKES THE IB SO DIFFERENT? The UK tends to treat 16+ education very differently to the US and continental Europe – a general limitation to four subjects on the A Level course creates a false divide between the arts and sciences and effectively encourages UK students not to study either their native language or maths beyond the age of 16. This is a shame, first because sciences and languages should be seen as complementary, not contradictory areas of study. Second, because young people’s brains are particularly elastic and capable of pursuing a range of subjects, this limitation can hinder pupils from reaching their full potential. The IB offers a different approach – breadth of study but without compromising depth. Of course, it is realised that students must play to their strengths, so the IB allows them to choose three subjects at Higher Level which will prepare them in depth for their university course, and three subjects at Standard Level, providing range of interest. The IB encourages pupils to explore their academic passions with rigour. A good example of this is the Extended Essay: a mandatory, 4000 word, academically researched piece on a chosen topic of interest. This fosters independent learning and is not only really satisfying for pupils but also a superb

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preparation for undergraduate study. In addition, pupils’ critical thinking skills and emotional intelligence are developed through the Theory of Knowledge course and through the Creativity, Action and Service programme. IB graduates are outwardlooking and characterised by an intellectual confidence and an ability to apply their knowledge creatively to new situations. Needless to say, they are genuinely wellrounded people.

AS A PARENT, WHAT STANDS OUT TO YOU ABOUT THE IB? Apart from being members of staff here we both have children and very much relate to this question. The choices we make at 11+ can have a very significant impact upon the trajectory of our children’s lives. Sevenoaks School was one of the first UK schools to adopt the IB over 30 years ago. Teaching here, we are privileged to have easy access to the statistics about the

The IB offers a different approach – breadth of study but without compromising depth

SOME TYPICAL IB PROFILES: Prospective medic: HL Biology, Chemistry, Psychology SL English, Maths, German Prospective law student: HL English, Philosophy, History SL Maths, French, Biology Prospective Economics student: HL Maths, Economics, Physics SL English, Chemistry, Mandarin HL = Higher Level SL = Standard Level

IB and they really are very compelling. The Higher Education Statistics Agency reported last year that IB students secure more first class honours degrees, are twice as likely to study medicine, are more likely to be employed in graduate level jobs and enjoy higher salaries than those taking the A Level route. For us, and many colleagues, that has been the most influential evidence underpinning our decisions for our children.

WHAT SORT OF SUBJECT COMBINATIONS ARE POSSIBLE OR ENCOURAGED? The permutations are almost limitless. One of the defining features of an IB graduate is their ability to lead or contribute across a broad canvas. We’re not talking about generalists with a shallow overall appreciation, but polymaths with strength in depth.

IS THE IB SUBJECT TO GRADE INFLATION? Michael Gove has certainly put this topic under the spotlight. The IB doesn’t suffer from grade inflation. One of the reasons that Sevenoaks adopted the IB in 1978 – completely phasing out A levels by 2006 – was because we wanted to adopt a ‘gold standard’ qualification that was totally insulated from accusations of political or other interference and which was unflinchingly respected by the most demanding university admissions tutors and employers alike.

were received, including 46 from Oxford and Cambridge and 18 from medical schools. Around 60 of the 229 candidates received offers from all five of the universities they applied to and 141 received at least three offers.

WHY STUDY THE IB AT SEVENOAKS IN PARTICULAR? Sevenoaks is one of the leading IB schools in the world. Of course, we would say that, but we have the data to back it up. About 220 Sevenoaks students take the IB each year, making us the largest IB school in the UK. The IB works on a points scale up to 45. The world average IB score in 2011 was 29.9, while the Sevenoaks average was 39.9, and more than half our Upper Sixth achieved 40 points or more, putting them among the top 6 per cent of IB graduates. Of all 53,000 students across the globe taking the IB Diploma, only 125 achieved the maximum points score of 45. Sixteen of them came from our school! With decades of experience in teaching the IB – along with bright, motivated, aspirational students and an outstandingly good teaching staff – Sevenoaks is the school of choice for anyone who wants an IB education in the UK.

The arts are not neglected

WHAT DO UNIVERSITIES THINK? The feedback is tremendously positive. Admissions tutors trust the qualification and understand that IB graduates tend to outperform their university peers. This enables them to make offers with greater confidence. For example, a leading admissions tutor at Cambridge acknowledged that, given a choice between two candidates, they would rather take a student who has studied the IB. The data reinforces that anecdotal evidence: 91 per cent of our 2011 leavers earned a place at their first choice university. In 2012 a total of 784 offers

SOME RECENT EXTENDED ESSAY TITLES How can the portrayal of a bed be seen as a device to understand the role of women in society, as demonstrated as the subject matter of Gentileschi, Mary Cassatt and Tracey Emin? (Art) Are Halichores Bivittatus and Haemulidae dependant on the mangroves in the Coral View, Honduras? (Biology) How did Marcus Tullius Cicero’s changing use of rhetorical ethos reflect his own standing in Rome and the political climate? (Classics)

Die diskussion um patientenverfugungen. (German) To what extent and for what reasons did the Muslims of Delhi support the Indian Partition Plan in 1947? (History) Deal or No Deal – A mathematical analysis of how to be the banker. (Mathematics) Does utilitarianism provide a sufficient ethical justification for the use of a scapegoat? (Philosophy)

IB Students make progress through group study

vinedigital.co.uk September 2012 vine 43

EDUCATION SPECIAL

LINGFIELD NOTRE DAME A love of learning Lingfield Notre Dame School is a Christian-based school and welcomes staff and students from all faiths

cent of grade A*-B. ounded in 1940, this is the only local The main intake independent day school which provides in the senior school education for boys and girls from nursery is at 11+, 13+ and to sixth form, with over 840 students on sixth form. Academic the roll. Located in the village of Lingfield, scholarships and just 25 miles (and 40 minutes by train) from awards are available London, the grounds cover over 40 acres of beautiful at 11+, 13+ and sixth Interactive learning with small class sizes countryside, with 16 acres dedicated to sport. form and means tested The school boasts a wide catchment area, with pupils bursaries are available for coming from as far afield as Sevenoaks, Crowborough, scholars following the entrance Woldingham, Westerham and Horsham. Lingfield train examinations at 11+ station is approximately 10 minutes away and 13+. Art, drama, music on foot and coach travel is available from and sporting scholarships and Copthorne, Horley, Brasted, Edenbridge, awards are also available for Otford, Sevenoaks, Forest Row and students gifted in these areas. East Grinstead. In recent years Enthusiasm and love of In recent years the school has been learning are encouraged the school has undergoing a comprehensive development a broadly based programme. This has included science been undergoing through curriculum, with music and laboratories, music & drama, IT, art & a comprehensive drama productions a regular technology facilities. Sporting facilities have feature of school life. Sports development also been vastly enhanced. Numerous include football, athletics, computer suites are in use on both sites programme cricket, swimming, rugby, hockey, with the sixth formers having access to netball, tennis, basketball, squash, WiFi. The Junior School has a new dining badminton, volleyball and golf. room, four new classrooms, and both Furthermore, a whole range of Foundation Stage pupils and Sixth Formers other extracurricular activities enjoy their own areas. are on offer, including the Duke All pupils enjoy Extended Day Care of Edinburgh Award scheme and the World facilities, giving parents greater flexibility for drop-off Pupil takes notes on Challenge expeditions. and pick-up times. Early Years Free Entitlement is also an engaging class available for 3 and 4 year olds. The school is highly successful and oversubscribed and has a fine reputation for academic achievement and pastoral care. A Level and GCSE results are consistently excellent, enabling students to gain their first choice of university. In 2012, students achieved 100 per cent pass rates at A Level with 75 per cent of all entries being an A*-B grade and nearly half being A*/A. The GCSE pass rate in 2012 was again 100 per cent, with 85 per

Happy pupils ready to start a new day

n Parents are welcome to contact the school and make an appointment to meet the Headmaster, Mr Bool, and have a tour of the school Tel: 01342 838153 Email: admissions@lingfieldnd.co.uk

The school's picturesque country surroundings

RUSSELL HOUSE: where the remarkable happens Craig McCarthy, the new Head at Russell House, pledges to further enhance the school’s academic success, its musical and sporting excellence and its unique family atmosphere

A unique school with an exciting future

s one of the few independent schools in the Sevenoaks area which prepares both boys and girls for grammar and independent secondary school exams at the age of 11, Russell House is in huge demand. The choice between state and independent education is not available to children at age 13, so parents undecided on which route they want their child to take greatly appreciate the choice that Russell House has to offer. Naturally, therefore, the school has a clear academic focus. Its success was resoundingly demonstrated last year with a 100 per cent pass rate for those who took the 11+ exam. Furthermore, 10 of the Year 6 children will join the prestigious Sevenoaks School this term, two having achieved academic scholarships. By any measure, this is an impressive achievement for a school which is

non-selective and does not stream pupils. It was these high educational standards at Russell House, alongside myriad opportunities to engage in extracurricular activities, which attracted the new Head, Craig McCarthy, to the school. “Russell House combines real breadth of opportunity while maintaining a tradition of academic excellence,” he said. “It is an appealing combination, allowing us to ensure that children have the chance to develop their strengths across many fields according to their gifts.” It will come as no surprise that Craig is dedicated to upholding and advancing the school’s standards of excellence; not only in academic pursuits, but also in its reputation for sport and music. “Music is a key strength and maintaining the standard is high on my list of priorities. Sports, too, have developed a great deal over recent years and I wish to continue that,” he said. “What is also special about Russell House is its size and sense of family. As a pupil put it when describing the biggest game of ‘It’ one break time: 'The whole school took part. It was so much fun. It didn’t matter what age you were or if you were a boy or a girl. Everyone just joined in. It was really special. I will always remember it.' “Russell House provides a safe, happy and welcoming environment where everyone knows each other and where staff genuinely know the children as individuals,” Craig added. Russell House is a unique school with an exciting future. Its core strengths and values will be nurtured and developed under Craig McCarthy, while he brings his own experience and enthusiasm to the school “where the remarkable happens”.

n Visit the Open Morning at Russell House on Friday 28 September from 10am to 11.30am. No need to book, come along to see the school at work and meet Craig McCarthy. Russell House, Station Road, Otford TN14 5QU. Tel: 01959 522352 www.russellhouseschool.co.uk

vinedigital.co.uk September 2012 vine 45

Sixth form success at Sackville School

The Sixth Form at Sackville School has become so popular in recent years that it has had to be relocated into a larger part of the school. Vine discovers the reasons behind this increased popularity

et in and around the picturesque surroundings of Foxbush House in Hildenborough, Sackville School is a mixed ability, co-educational, independent school that prides itself on delivering highly individualised learning to its pupils. The school’s brand of education focuses on instilling traditional values and genuine life skills through teaching excellence and an emphasis on providing a positive and friendly learning atmosphere. These values are given concentrated focus in the Sixth Form, which has seen not only a recent boost in popularity, but also some of the most exceptional 2012 exam results in the south-east. From the 15 pupils who graduated this year, there was a 100 per “The Sixth Form at Sackville School is a strong community that looks out for each other. Although we are a small Sixth Form we show determination in all that we do and the strong sense of community helps us to become great friends. This spirit means we work hard at school and have fun socialising together at weekends” Headmaster, Peter Lane

cent pass rate and all students were accepted into their first choice university, with one pupil accepting a place to read Material Science at St Catherine’s College, Oxford. This is especially impressive considering the school’s extremely broad intake. This academic year, the Sixth Form will benefit from a brand new, specially designed and refurbished area in the school’s current ‘board room’ in the main building. The students themselves are involved in the design, which will include a quiet study area, separate relaxing common room and refreshment areas. This move has been made in response to the growing numbers of students wishing to enter the Sixth Form. What makes Sixth Form different at Sackville? The size of the classes is one of the most notable features; the average class size is five, with some pupils actually getting one-on-one tuition in some subjects. Despite this, there is still an incredible range of subjects to choose from, as listed below. Students are also encouraged to take an active role in both the school and local community, with opportunities to participate in the Young Enterprise Scheme and the Duke of Edinburgh Award.

46 vine September 2012 vinedigital.co.uk

AVAILABLE SUBJECTS AT A LEVEL Art; Biology; Business Studies; Chemistry; Design Technology - Product Design and Food Technology; Drama and Theatre Studies; Dance; Economics; English Literature; French; Geography; History; ICT; Law; Leisure Studies; Mathematics; Media Studies; Music and Music Technology; Philosophy and Ethics; Photography: Physical Education: Physics; Psychology; Sociology. In addition to their educational programme, students also have the opportunity to participate in the Enrichment Programme which includes: • Leadership Training • Survival Cooking • Basic Car Maintenance • First Aid Qualification • Personal Finance and Banking • CSLA • Signing • Personal Fitness • Current Affairs • Coaching Qualifications Additionally, all students receive complimentary driving lessons and full gym membership at a local health club.

n For more information, visit www. sackvilleschool.co.uk Email christina.cox@ sackvilleschool.com Telephone 01732 836401

A co-educational day A co-educational day and boarding school and boarding school

BI A RY B I C C E N T E NY 1N E 8T E N A R 1

01 181 11 2 1 2011

˜˜

CATERHAM CATERHAM SCHOOL SCHOOL

A N E D U C AT I O N F O R L I F E A N E D U C AT I O N F O R L I F E to provide an excellent all-round education so that every WeWe aimaim to provide an excellent all-round education so that every pupilpupil achieve or her potential academically socially. We provide cancan achieve his his or her full full potential academically andand socially. We provide a caring stimulating environment in which we strive to develop a caring andand stimulating environment in which we strive to develop the the pupil a whole person thereby helping to prepare them for their life at pupil as aaswhole person thereby helping to prepare them for their life at university beyond. university andand beyond. Excellent A-level results enable all pupils to progress to university Excellent A-level results enable all pupils to progress to university withwith over 80% going to one of the UK’s over 80% going to one of the UK’s top top tier.tier. Entrance is selective at ages. all ages. closing for receipt of applications Entrance is selective at all TheThe closing datedate for receipt of applications 2013 entrants aged 9 November 2012. Examinations for for 2013 entrants aged 11+11+ andand 13+13+ is 9isNovember 2012. Examinations are are in January. Sixth Form applications welcome.Scholarships in January. Sixth Form applications are are alsoalso welcome.Scholarships are are available to registered candidates based on assessment. Families available to registered candidates andand are are based on assessment. Families who may eligible financial assistance through a Caterham Bursary who may be be eligible for for financial assistance through a Caterham Bursary should contact Registrar for application an application form. Regular Forces should contact thethe Registrar for an form. Regular Forces Bursaries available. Bursaries areare alsoalso available.

Thetop topindependent independent The 11-18co-educational co-educational 11-18 schoolininEngland England school (Financial Times, (Financial Times, 2011 A Level results) 2011 A Level results)

Situated onbeautiful a beautiful 80-acre ca mpus is hard to believe the school Situated on a 80-acre ca mpus it is ithard to believe thatthat the school is is edge of London 5 minutes 20 minutes on on thethe edge of London justjust 5 minutes fromfrom the the M25M25 (J6) (J6) andand 20 minutes fromfrom Gatwick airport. School coach services operate Sevenoaks, Grinstead, Gatwick airport. School coach services operate fromfrom Sevenoaks, EastEast Grinstead, Crawley Down, Edenbridge, Limpsfield, Oxted, Leatherhead Purley. Crawley Down, Edenbridge, Limpsfield, Oxted, Leatherhead and and Purley.

OPENMORNING MORNINGSaturday Saturday September 9.30 12.00 pm. The Headmaster’s at 10.30 OPEN 2222 September 9.30 amam to to 12.00 pm. The Headmaster’s talktalk willwill be be at 10.30 Read 2010 inspection report www.caterhamschool.co.uk/about/isi Read ourour ISIISI 2010 inspection report onon www.caterhamschool.co.uk/about/isi request further details arrange a visit please contact Registrar, Miss Rosemary Fisher. ToTo request further details or or to to arrange a visit please contact thethe Registrar, Miss Rosemary Fisher. Tel: 01883 335058 Email: admissions@caterhamschool.co.uk Tel: 01883 335058 Email: admissions@caterhamschool.co.uk Caterham School, Harestone Valley Road, Caterham Surrey CR3 www.caterhamschool.co.uk Caterham School, Harestone Valley Road, Caterham Surrey CR3 6YA6YA www.caterhamschool.co.uk

A FRESH START First year at university is near the top of the list of life’s benchmarks with our first steps, first day at school, first love and first job

hether you’re leaving home for the first time or you’ve decided to stick around and commute, the prospect of starting is thrilling, uncertain, wonderful and frightening, all rolled into one. For most people, it’s the best time of their lives – a chance to grow as a person and consolidate one's future. For others, it might be a bit tougher. Things might not go 100 per cent according to plan and it might be that it

wasn’t the right choice after all. Either way, it’s important to throw yourself into the experience, otherwise you’ll never know what you could be missing out on. Here at Vine we have a young team of graduates who studied various subjects, at very different universities, all across the world. We asked each of them to give their best piece of advice on university life in just one sentence. Here’s what they came up with:

Nick – University of Exeter – Law Don’t be content with letting studying and going out form your whole university career – join a society, audition for a play, start a band – you’ll never get a better opportunity.

Céline – INALCO (Paris) – Natural Language Processing If you’re not enjoying your course, don’t give up and leave, speak to one of your tutors about the possibility of transferring.

Yuri – Accademia delle Arti e Nuove Tecnologie (Rome) – Graphic Design If you get stuck or just don’t get something, don’t be scared to ask for as much help as you need from your tutors – after all, they’re there to help.

Real music, real education, real fun

Musical Bumps runs music classes, led by friendly, experienced musicians and teachers, for babies and children, ages 0-5 The award-winning Sevenoaks classes are run by Ruth Gordon and carefully tailored to each stage of your child’s development, encouraging parents to share and enjoy music-making with their children. Baby classes (from newborn) are calm and relaxed, and encourage parents to bond with their babies and offer new activities to use at home. Once on the move, toddler sessi ons are livelier and structured to include finger rhymes and games, perc ussion, marching and action songs. Sessions for pre-schoolers provide furth er musical learning as well as supporting early literacy, numeracy, spee ch and language development. In addition to weekly sessions, Mus ical Bumps run monthly mixed-age Saturday sessions. These are particula rly popular with dads and wor king parents! Learning through play and having fun underpins ever ything. Musical Bumps classes include puppets, props and percussio n for ever yone, and involve and engage child ren in a fun learning experience, singing trad itional children’s songs from around the wor ld. It’s rewarding and enjoyable for parents too! n New families are invited to attend a free trial session. Call 07799 061258 to boo k your session or visit www.musicalbumps.co m for more information.

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+ Streetdance course 4-day crash course vember 29th October-1st No ucted at a range Our classes are cond quipped pools ll-e of modern Private we Locations are: nk School ol Otford, Combe Ba ho Sc el’s ha St Mic bham, Co e lud ations inc Sevenoaks, other loc rd rtfo Da d an d Gravesen

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Kumon’s maths and English study programmes are tailored to your child’s individual needs, nurturing their independence and enthusiasm for learning. To unlock your child’s potential, con tact your local Instructor for a Free Assessmen t: Sevenoaks Study Centre Mandy Yarnold 01342 851221 kumon.co.uk

All The Right Ingredients For Cookery Fun! Monthly Cookery Clubs 5-10yrs Underriver, Sevenoaks for Tonbridge for 11-16yrs Fun Birthday Parties Holiday Workshops School Curriculum and Activity Workshops

Also new adult cookery courses in conjunction with KCC

Call Maxine on 07749 927 783 or email info@cookieskitchen.co.uk

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Visit our Tunbridge Wells store: 208 Royal Victoria Place, TN1 2SS. Tel: 01892 533 347 Visit our Sevenoaks store: 6 Bligh’s Court, Bligh’s Meadow, TN13 1DD. Tel: 01732 455 360

read our blog for all our news and views

Vine Magazine Jul.indd 1

17:01 49 vinedigital.co.uk September 12/07/2012 2012 vine

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50 vine September 2012 vinedigital.co.uk

In this column I discuss topical issues around social care. Whether you are wrestling with a family dilemma, looking for support for a loved one, or just interested in the debate, I hope you will find something of interest Richard Gould is managing director at TerraBlu Homecare

How does my elderly relative pay for the care they need? Contrary to the media reports we see, care support is free in England to those with limited or no assets. However, there is a limited pot of public money available to pay for care support for older people. The question is: should this be spread thinly but equally over everyone or targeted at those who are least able to pay? Successive governments have taken the latter approach, but what does this all mean in practice? Homecare services If your relative needs assistance in their own home with activities such as getting up, washing, medication and meal preparation, then you could receive a community care financial assessment from your local authority. If you have savings of less than £14,250 then you will not have to pay towards the cost of your homecare service. If you have savings of greater than £23,250 then you have to pay for the service yourself. If you have savings that are somewhere in between, you will receive some financial assistance towards the cost of your care. This support can be paid to the provider of the service, or direct to you to spend. The value of your home, if you own it, is not taken into account. Residential or Nursing homes If your relative needs or wishes to go into a residential or nursing home, following a care needs assessment to confirm the need, the financial criteria are examined. If you have capital below the threshold of £23,250

then your income will be assessed and, if it is less than the cost of care home fees, then you will receive some help towards the cost subject to an upper limit. If the care home charges fees above this upper limit then you or your family are expected to top up any Local Authority support to meet the total charge. The value of your home, if you own it, is taken into account in calculating your capital. Be advised that non-meanstested funding is available from the NHS for patients with ongoing or terminal medical need. A few words on Dilnot This commission was tasked with evaluating the present care funding regime. Its recommendations are still being considered but, broadly, the conclusion was that the threshold above which people have to pay for their own care should be increased from £23,250 to £100,000. It also recommends a cap on the total amount that anyone spends on their care at approximately £35,000; therefore, once someone has spent this amount, their care should be free regardless of income or assets. These proposals are forecast to be some £1.7bn more expensive per year than the current system. n If you need help or advice on any of these issues, feel free to email me for advice at richard.gould@terrablu.co.uk www.terrablu.co.uk Managing homecare for you and yours.

September The Exercise Professionals Our 12 graduate and post graduate exercise specialists are here to look after you

Award winning personal training from Better Body Shop I have been told for several years by my son to try BBS, my husband finally made a call to Jason. was so nervous on my first visit, but Jason and the team put me at ease. I soon realised that BBS is like no other gym I had ever been too. Now through a combination of Personal training and classes and following the truth eating plan, I have changed from someone who was out breath walking up a small hill to a real fan of exercise.

I think I have received training with every trainer and they are all so professional and understanding. I can honestly say I have never been fitter and felt healthier in my life and If I can do it from my starting position and age then anyone can. Hilary Nash ★★★★★

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C O M M I T T E D T O I M P R O V I N G H E A L T H & P H Y S I C A L vinedigital.co.uk F U N C T I O N ASeptember C R O S S 2012 T H E vine U K 51

ALTERNATIVE FITNESS

Fun first, fitness second For most ‘fitness-phobes’ joining a gym is nothing but grim and going for a run is just no fun. Vine comes to the rescue this month with a couple of great ideas for getting in shape and having a laugh in the process

Outdoor gyms A £55,000 Adizone outdoor gym will soon be built on Gamecock Meado, West Kingsdown. Featuring ski, rowing, bike and resilience machines, as well as dance area and basketball hoops, the gym will give Sevenoaks residents relatively good access to this revolutionary way to exercise. You might be thinking, “wait a second… this combines my two least favourite things about exercise. Not only am I at a gym, but I’m out in the open, exposed for everyone to laugh at how little I can lift and how slowly I can row.” But think about it a little harder and you’ll see that’s not necessarily the case. Most people dislike gyms because they hate the idea of being stuck inside, or they feel intimidated by the atmosphere. An outdoor gym obviously solves the first of those problems – and let’s face it – no serious muscle buffs will be heading down the local park to pump amongst the poppies. The gyms have equipment especially for kids, making it easier for getting fit to become a family activity. Sure, you might not get the same amount of exercise that you would from a big workout session or a long run, but remember, it’s all about getting outdoors and having some fun. And that’s miles better than being stuck inside on the sofa!

52 vine September 2012 vinedigital.co.uk

POLE DANCING Before you get carried away, we’re not talking about anything dodgy here. Although renowned for playing its part in adult clubs across the UK, pole dancing is treated as a professional sport and it provides an incredible amount of exercise, whilst also being rewardingly entertaining. Pole dancing is a unique dance form that combines strength, coordination, cardiovascular exercise, elegance, posture and flexibility in a dynamic and fun way. In most fitness classes you’ll engage in pointless, repetitive actions with no end goal other than fitness. With pole dancing there is a real element of creativity involved and, however you look at it, you gain a new skill in the process. This method of exercise is of special benefit to women, because it helps improves fitness in areas that they most care about. For a start, the rotating and inverting movements associated with the dance help to greatly strengthen your core, which not only tightens your rump and abdomen, but also helps to prevent back problems during pregnancy. It’s also a very sociable event. If you like, you can share tips and teach moves to your classmates and maybe even organise a performance to show off your skills to friends and family. All it takes is a leap of faith – at the very least, you’ll improve your fitness and gain an impressive party trick in the meantime.

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We have a friendly and dedicated team of graduate and postgraduate qualified exercise specialists and physiotherapists to cover your every requirement.

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Q: I am currently trying to lose a bit of weight after the (very long!) summer holidays and I read that kettlebell training is great for this. Can you please advise me on whether kettlebells are suitable for me? Sarah P, Sevenoaks

Tel: 07563 633069 flowingfitness@hotmail.co.uk

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Kettlebell training for fat loss and fitness has actually been experiencing a wave of popularity in the last few years. Many celebs and athletes are known to use kettlebells, including Kim Basinger, Kelly Holmes and Gerard Butler, who used kettlebells to prepare for his role in the film epic, 300. Despite the recent craze, these cannonball-shaped orbs with handles, which are lifted in a swinging motion, actually date back to 1700s Russia, where they were developed as a means to quickly build strength, flexibility and endurance. They bring cardio and strength training together in one quick exercise. So instead of spending an hour on the treadmill you can get everything done with kettlebells in 20 minutes. The way to achieve these physical attributes is by progressing through the basic kettlebell exercises such as the ‘Get Up’, which strengthens your core, to the more advanced calorie burning ‘Swing’ and the ‘Snatch’. However, a word of warning: these exercises are far more complex and difficult to master than one would imagine, so much so that undergoing a

kettlebell session with incorrect form may actually do you more harm than good. For that reason, it’s of great importance to work with an experienced, professionally certified kettlebell instructor. They can assess your levels of flexibility and strength, which enables them to guide you through the progressions appropriately, assuring that you safely achieve your health and fitness goals. No matter what your chosen discipline is – be it yoga, boxing, kettlebells or all three – make sure your instructor has a degree in the sport and exercise science field. It’s the only way to guarantee that you'll get an instructor who is educated and genuinely knows his stuff. This practice should also apply to kettlebell training. We would recommend you choose a trainer certified by the Russian Kettlebell Challenge (RKC) organisation. Also, as with any fitness professional, ask for some kind of proof of previous results. In conclusion, I would definitely recommend the use of kettlebells as a weight-loss tool. When used appropriately these uniquely shaped weights can help you rapidly strip fat away. Written by Christo Koukoullis, BSC (Hons), FMS, RKC.

n For more information about the benefits of kettlebells or finding a qualified instructor, call us on 01732 451 979 or drop today Vine 90 x 40mm base strip Ad:Layout by 1 14/05/2012 14:08 Page 2

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Come and join us for our annual champagne open day on October 11th from 1pm-9pm - Live treatment demos - Free skin consultations - Free makeovers with makeup artist - Goodie bags/bonus loyalty points

For more information about our open day or to book a makeover/ consultation slot contact Celeste at enquiries@ theskinclinic.org.uk

2 The Square, Riverhead, Sevenoaks, TN13 2AA

The Skin Clinic Sevenoaks has been shortlisted for the “Best New Clinic” award. To vote for us go to www.cosmeticnewsuk.com

Should You Go GLUTEN-FREE?

Vine asks whether we should be worried by the amount of gluten in our diets

izza, chocolate, chips, sweets. There are some foods that we just know are bad for us in excess and that we should only eat in moderation. Plenty of mainstream food awareness campaigns have warned us of the dangers associated with foods containing very high levels of sugar or saturated fat, but what about gluten? Gluten is a protein composite found naturally in grains such as wheat, rye, barley and oats. It’s what gives

54 vine September 2012 vinedigital.co.uk

grain-rich foods their chewy texture and adds to the elasticity of dough. Its greatest quantities are present in highly processed grain-based foods such as white bread and pasta, cookies and some cakes. You may have heard of coeliac disease: a hereditary intolerance to gluten that causes swelling of the bowels, resulting in fatigue and upset stomach whenever gluten is consumed. About one in every hundred people in the UK suffers from this disease – which can only be treated by adhering to a strict, 100 per cent gluten-free diet. It is estimated that 99 per cent of people who have gluten intolerance of some kind leave the disease untreated. This is either because they have grown to live with the symptoms and see them as ‘normal’, or are misdiagnosed with a less serious disease such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). A recent study revealed that 55 diseases or ailments can be caused by untreated gluten sensitivity. These include anaemia, cancer, fatigue, canker sores and almost all autoimmune diseases, as well as many psychiatric and neurological diseases, including anxiety, depression, schizophrenia, dementia and migraines. If you are suffering from any of these undiagnosed symptoms, try removing and then reintroducing gluten into your diet and seeing if you notice a difference to your health. If you do, you should seek medical advice.

vinedigital.co.uk September 2012 vine 55

FIVE OF THE BEST... ON A BUDGET

SEVENOAKS

AESTHETICS

Sevenoaks Aesthetics offers a wide range of cosmetic skin rejuvenation treatments to reduce the appearance of lines and wrinkles, improve complexion and add volume and contour, without the need for invasive and costly surgical procedures. Dr Richard Warwick, a member of The British Association of Cosmetic Doctors, and his team are based in Sevenoaks and hold regular practices at locations across West Kent and Sussex.

MIX IT UP Clean and file nails. Push down and shape cuticles with these bargain be05 Cuticle Sticks from Superdrug for just £0.99 for a pack of ten. Place a single clear base coat of Sally Hansen Hard as Nails Clear for £4.75 from Boots to encourage nail strength, faster growth, and to make your polish last longer. Place two coats of Barry M Nail Paint for £2.00 from barrym.com on nails. Use alternate colours to mix things up – like Blue Moon, Baby Pink, and Berry Ice Cream. Better still, you can use these products time and again until they run out!

For more information and to book your free, personalised, no-obligation consultation, please contact the team on:

01732 644 744 • 07504 401 014 sevenoaksaesthetics@gmail.com

www.sevenoaksaesthetics.com

IT’S A WRAP Katy Perry, Jessie J and Amy Childs all love RebelNailsInc. Simply push cuticles down with a cuticle stick, make sure the nail is completely clean and dry, with no hand/nail lotion rubbed in. Peel off the adhesive backing of the nail wrap and stick on to the nail, folding any excess onto the finger to keep it taut. Then simply file off the excess and you’re good to go. Forget paying huge amounts for that French manicure – these wraps last up to 14 days and they’re only £7.99 a set! Available from www.rebelnails.co.uk

STICK ‘EM ON

If you have a little patience and a steady hand, glue-on nails are the perfect substitutes for acrylics – and they’re much cheaper too! Kiss Everlasting French Nails for £8.20 from Boots uses new, patented technology to give you rich, white French manicure nails with hardwearing tips for between seven and fourteen days. Simply clean and file nails until they are very short, squeeze on some glue, place the nails on top and press firmly. Or, if you prefer precoloured nails, try these Cosmopolitan Real Touch False Nails in Pink Glitter for £6.59 from Superdrug.

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Visit our website for the perfect gifts and relaxing treatments. The Reef Hideaway also offers spa days with afternoon tea – enjoy a girly day together!

10% off your first visit! Gift vouchers available - valid for 12 months. Luxury gift vouchers are presented in . a glass bottle with rose petals and a chocolate treat www.thereefspa.com 7a London Road, Sevenoaks 01732 450200

An established practice for over 18 years

Achieve a beautiful smile in a matter of weeks. Chris Ibbott joins our Dental Elegance team and welcomes you to their newly refurbished practice Chris enjoys providing his patients with a full range of treatments and services and has a particular interest in smile enhancement and improvement using the most gentle and minimal techniques. Chris has participated in several extended training programmes in aesthetic and restorative dentistry since qualifying from Sheffield University in 1997 and is a member of the British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry and the British Society of Occlusal Studies. Outside of dentistry Chris is a keen musician and enjoys spending time with his family and two young daughters.

CASE STUDY This patient (right) was unhappy with her protruding front teeth. An upper standard Inman aligner was used to bring the teeth back into position in 11 weeks. The patient was getting married shortly and had always been unhappy with appearance of her teeth in photos. An Inman aligner for 9 weeks was followed with tooth whitening and some bonding. Total treatment time 12 weeks. Smile on wedding day…priceless!

Alignment with an inman aligner followed by tooth whitening total time 11 weeks

Minimal bonding with one brace – no veneers and includes whitening

Total cost: £1,875

Total cost: £2,000

It is an interest in gentle aesthetic dentistry which led Chris to discover the Inman Aligner and the incredible benefits which it can offer patients. A relatively simple removable brace which can straighten the front teeth in, on average, 2 to 4 months was unthinkable five years ago. The Inman is now one of the most exciting services Chris can provide for his patients and , when combined with tooth whitening and bonding, this can provide some life changing results!

• Fast – most cases take just 6–16 weeks • Simple – only one Inman Aligner is needed • No extractions required • Removable – Only needs to be worn 16–20 hours a day • Great value – aligner treatment costs just £1,600

Call us today to arrange your FREE consultation...

0208 8508820

Interest free options available (subject to status)

www.dentalelegance.co.uk www.inmanaligner.com

Dental Elegance, 178 Blackfen Road, Sidcup Kent DA15 8PT

FEATURE

Quintessentially

KENTish

Nick Chowdrey unveils the history behind the traditional pub game Bat & Trap and catches up with the people who still play it competitively today

hen most people think of pub sports the first things that come to mind are darts and pool. But if someone approached you at the bar and said “fancy coming outside for a bit of Bat & Trap?” there’s a good chance you’d get the wrong idea. We wouldn’t blame you, either. Thought to have been first played as long ago as the 14th century, the game was once enjoyed in beer gardens throughout the south of England. Alas, Bat & Trap is now just one of many traditional pub games that have faded into obscurity and today it is only played in a few select areas of Kent and East Sussex.

So what is this mysterious, old-fashioned sport? In brief, it is an outdoor bat and ball sport where teams compete to score runs by using a levered ‘shoe’ and solid wood bat to propel a ball through a goal. The batsman is out if he fails to hit the ball between the goal, or is caught out by the opposing fielders, who stand between the goal posts. After each batting, the fielding team elect one bowler, who attempts to knock down a target – the ‘trap’ – on the front of the shoe. If successful, this also gets the batter out. The batter scores a run for every time he or she hits the ball between the posts without being caught or bowled out, the winning team being the one that scores the most runs after three innings. The organisers of the Sevenoaks and District Bat & Trap League are keeping this traditional sport alive and well in 2012. The league boasts around 120 active players – consisting of two divisions of 17 teams from throughout the local area – and mainly uses pub beer gardens to stage their matches.

But what makes the game so appealing?

Than ks to t entre he Kent His tory and Library C

The league’s chairman, Kieran Murray, who has been playing the game for around six years, commented that, “Because the rules are straightforward, the game can be played by both genders and all ages. It’s a great way to spend time with the family and make new friends at the same time. “The game is also steeped in local history and played at a number of picturesque inns across our beautiful county of Kent.” Regrettably, as a result of these hard economic times, many local pubs are closing down, leaving Bat & Trap teams without a venue. But the lovers of the game will not go down easily. Links have recently been forged with the Canterbury League, which has been running since 1922 and sports over twice as many players as its Sennockian counterpart. The first inter-league match was held this year, with the Chequers 4th of the Chequers Inn in Heaverham taking the trophy. As for the future: “We want to extend the hand of friendship to other leagues in Kent,” commented Kieran, “The ultimate goal is to create a tournament that brings the champions of each league into competitive battle for the one trophy at the start of each season.” For more information on the league, visit www.batandtrap.org.uk

(Top right) Late 18th-century engraving; (Above left 1) A popular game in 20s Canterbury; (Above left 2) One-day event in Sevenoaks; (Left) Champions at the Chequers

The game is steeped in local history and played at a number of picturesque inns across our beautiful county of Kent

BMW Service

COOPER SEVENOAKS BMW, FOR ALL YOUR SERVICING REQUIREMENTS. Our BMW Trained Technicians are here to ensure that your car is in the best possible condition for the road and we only use Genuine BMW Parts, Accessories, and paint and repair methods. It doesn’t cost the earth and leaves your warranty intact.

“Absolutely amazing service.” “Exceptional service received.” “The usual excellent high standard of work and customer care.”

For more information or to book an appointment please call us on 0845 322 6182 or visit our website www.coopersevenoaksbmw.co.uk/service

Cooper Sevenoaks

The Vestry Estate, Otford Road, Sevenoaks, Kent TN14 5EL 0845 322 6182 www.coopersevenoaksbmw.co.uk

GET OUT MORE. GET MORE IN.

Four doors make it easy to get into the new MINI Countryman.

Five seats, oodles of space, new gadgets and gizmos and go-kart handling all make it hard to get out.

MINI COUNTRYMAN. GETAWAY. Get in touch to book a test drive*.

COOPER SEVENOAKS

The Vestry Estate, Otford Road, Sevenoaks, Kent TN14 5EL 0845 322 6181 www.coopersevenoaksmini.co.uk Official fuel economy figures for the MINI Countryman Range: Urban 27.4-60.1 mpg (10.3-4.7 l/100km). Extra Urban 45.6-67.3 mpg (6.2-4.2 l/100km). Combined 36.7-64.2 mpg (7.7-4.4 l/100km). CO2 Emissions 180-115 g/km. The MINI Countryman starts from £16,505 on the road. On the road price is based on manufacturer’s retail price and includes 3 year MINI Dealer Warranty, MINI Emergency Service, 12 months road fund licence, vehicle first registration fee, delivery, number plates and VAT. Prices are correct at time of going to print (September 2012) and are subject to change2012 without vine notice. *Test vinedigital.co.uk September 59 drive subject to applicant status and availability.

THROUGH THE KEYHOLE

through the With a keen eye for detail, John Stephens took this ageing 1920s country house and transformed it into a magnificent modern home, showcasing some of his best work

ne would probably expect a man who owns a company renowned for its beautifully crafted kitchens and fine, handmade wooden furniture to live in a house that reflects his passion for the craft. This could be no closer to the truth than with John Stephens, who lives with his wife and three daughters in this refined and stylish property, situated in the winding wooded suburbs of south Sevenoaks. Moving to Kent in the 1980s, John started work as a spray finisher at Chart Farm for a company called Rencraft. Some 26 years on and John co-owns

the firm with the original founder Nick Pile, which has now created outstanding kitchens and furniture for hundreds of homes throughout west Kent and beyond, and has showrooms both in Sevenoaks and Tunbridge Wells. In 2005 there came a chance for John to apply his expertise to his own family home. He purchased the original 1920s house which, although coming with beautiful original features and a generous plot, had also been somewhat tainted by poorly conceived 1970s extensions. After two-and-a-half years of careful consideration, the timing was now right for John to start remodelling and restoring this beautiful property.

THROUGH THE KEYHOLE

The house has been fully rejuvenated inside and out; contemporary extensions complement the original 20s exterior and the interior has been completely reworked with bespoke Rencraft designs. John designed most of the home himself with valued help from his architect Barry Best. The building work, undertaken by Neil Truman of Sennocke construction, allowed John to keep an eye on the detail and focus on the parts he enjoyed: “I wanted to create something that worked as a family home while helping to show off what Rencraft are best at,” he said. “As you’d expect, both oiled and painted, handmade oak furniture and fittings feature heavily throughout the property, with splashes of walnut here and there for extra special accents.” With an impressive kitchen/breakfast/ family area as the centrepiece of the home – exquisitely crafted and featuring all the latest kitchen gadgets – John has certainly accomplished this goal. This being said, the house is, of course, primarily a home for his young family.

“I designed the place with the mind that we’d live here for the next 20 years,” John was eager to point out. “Not only is there room for the kids to spread out as they grow older, but there are loads of little touches that help pull the house together as one.” One example of this is a piece of interestingly mottled driftwood that the family discovered on a remote beach in Cornwall and which is now poised carefully over the patio doors in the orangery. Other delightful features include a display of old joiner’s tools on a bookcase in the dining room and a handmade, wooden rocking horse in the kids’ playroom. Not only this, but the expansive garden – which John had completely relandscaped – is perfect for his daughters to run about and enjoy the great outdoors, whilst never straying too far from the nest. Needless to say, this family home is worth the envy of any father and we wish John, Britt and the kids many happy years enjoying it.

HOME & GARDEN

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This month, Vine looks at the various time-saving ways to keep your house clean, tidy and dust-free. What will you choose, style or substance?

ROBO Who wants to waste time vacuuming their house when they could get a robot to do it for them? This may sound like science fiction, but the boffins over at Massachusetts-based iRobot have made this fantasy a reality. The Roomba is a robotic vacuum cleaner that autonomously navigates and cleans any floor space using an intelligent, on board CPU and infrared sensors. At one touch of a button, it has the ability to clean an entire floor, avoiding obstacles, paying extra attention to the dirtiest areas and returning itself to charge when it’s done. RETRO Everyone recognises this iconic vacuum cleaner. The standard Henry is for dry use only and has a powerful, no-frills 1200W motor with two speeds and a 10m cable with rewind system. But did you know that its manufacturers, Numatic of Somerset, produce a Hetty, a Harry, a George, a James and even a Charles, each with their own specialities? For example, Harry is designed specifically for those with pets and James is an eco-friendly version with 50 per cent energy saving, 30 per cent improved air quality and 20 per cent lower noise level.

64 vine September 2012 vinedigital.co.uk

There’s not really any way to avoid it – Dysons look cool. But it’s not just their enigmatic, hi-tech style that makes them a good buy. Dyson invented the bagless ‘Root Cyclone™’ technology that most modern vacuums use today, which utilises centrifugal force to separate dust from the air flowing through the vacuum. This DC35 Animal is ideal for easy-access vacuuming, coming with multiple detachable tools and allowing for 15 minutes of constant, cordless suction. It also looks like some sort of futuristic ray gun – which for us is a definite bonus!

• • • • •

vinedigital.co.uk September 2012 vine 65

GREAT VALUE

Nexus 7 This 7” tablet was released in late July and hit the market by storm. Running Jelly Bean – the latest version of the Android operating system – this is Google’s flagship tablet. And they certainly haven’t disappointed. Featuring a combined 16 cores of processing power and a beautiful, high res HD touch screen, there isn’t an app on the market that this tablet can’t handle. Google Play is also fully integrated and the standard, in-built apps like YouTube and Maps have been optimised for the device. PROS: Lightweight, powerful, excellent value for money CONS: Relatively small screen, no HDMI support, poor camera RECOMMENDED FOR: Media/web addicts and gamers

HTC DESIRE C Following on from the success of the Wildfire series, Taiwan phone giant HTC have recently launched this new, pocketfriendly, budget Android device. Featuring the landmark Ice Cream Sandwich operating system and Beats Audio by Dr Dre, this small smartphone packs quite a punch. At just over 10cm tall and weighing in at 98g, it’s barely noticeable in your pocket and can fit easily into larger wallets and any size handbag. The processor is designed with battery life in mind, so although this does limit use of some high-end apps, you’ll have the benefit of being able to run the phone for days at a time before recharging. PROS: Ultra-portable, great camera, Beats audio CONS: Fairly small screen, low performance specs

approx.

£200

RECOMMENDED FOR: Socialites needing connectivity on the go approx.

£150 SAMSUNG ST200F SMART With an effective resolution of 16.1 megapixels, 10x optical zoom and HD video capability, this compact digital camera is a worthy addition to any budding photographer’s arsenal. The camera is pocket-sized, lightweight, and the 3” intelligent LCD allows you to easily navigate the camera’s functions, making it incredibly easy to use. Even better, the camera has inbuilt Wi Fi capability, allowing you to upload your snaps straight to Facebook, Picasa or Photobucket whist on the move. This isn’t only great for sharing, but also an easy way to free up some room on your SD card, without deleting any photos. PROS: Great value, generous zoom, Wi Fi functions CONS: Poor audio recording on videos, slow continuous shooting RECOMMENDED FOR: Budding photographers on a budget

approx.

£105

Koss Porta Pro At first glance, these portable, foldable headphones look like they’ve come straight from the 80s. Well… they have, and that’s because the design is so good that the manufacturers haven’t needed to change them for almost 30 years. You might think that the age of the design might approx. compromise performance. You’d be wrong. The headphones output sound using ‘neodymium iron boron rare earth magnet structures’ which, to you and me, just means they sound fantastic. Their retro chic design is bound to get you noticed and, best of all, they’re actually pretty cheap!

£20

PROS: Excellent sound, carry bag included, lifetime warranty CONS: Zero sound isolation, retro design that might not be for some RECOMMENDED FOR: Audiophiles who love retro style

66 vine September 2012 vinedigital.co.uk

CIF_Sevenoaks_130x90_Vine_September_CIF_130x90_Vine_September 21/08

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HOME & GARDEN

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K CAREFULLY FOR THE ACCURACY OF SPELLING, TELEPHONE NUMBERS, PLEASE CHECK CAREFULLY FOR THE ached. Please approve for press by return.

EMAIL DETAILS AND ALL OTHER ELEMENTS OF YOUR ADVERTTELEPHONE AS WE ou with amendments ACCURACY OF SPELLING,

NOT ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR ERRORS BEYOND THIS STAGE. NUMBERS, ADDRESSES, EMAIL DETAILS www.oncallcarpets.co.uk

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ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITYFree FOR ERRORS Entry with this advert! For one adult. To qualify please complete and hand in on entry to the show. BEYOND THIS STAGE. Not to be used in conjunction with any other offer. (Ref: Vine Magazine 12)

email: chris@onlinevine.co.uk call: ANDY to arrange a no obligation quotation

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at a time to suit you - day or evening

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Kemsing Motor Co. Tel: 01732 761372 Fax: 01732 761336

• • • • • • • • • • •

MOT Tests (Cars & Diesels) Servicing & Repairs to all makes of Car Full Diagnostics Air Conditioning servicing Servicing & Repairs to motorcycles Free Collection & Delivery within a 10 mile radius Courtesy Car available by arrangement Friendly Helpful Staff Parts & Labour Guarantee Member of RMIF Quality Control Program Citroen & Peugeot Diagnostics

9 West End, Kemsing, Sevenoaks, Kent

www.kemsingmotorco.co.uk

DO YOU OWN A RENAULT?

IF SO, YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT US

Independent Renault technical experts who specialise in Renault

ALL MAKES AND MODELS CATERED FOR Does not invalidate any Renault warranties General/major servicing Repairs and MOT work Local collection and delivery service Courtesy vehicles available (subject to status & availability)

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Air Conditioning Service to all makes and models

£49.99 + VAT

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VOTED ONE OF THE TOP 5 GARAGES FOR 2011

vinedigital.co.uk September 2012 vine 67

HOME & GARDEN

Sofas handmade in England RAFT half page 210x148.5mm.indd 1

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Accurately replicate your traditional style windows Available in over 200 RAL colours Installed by our own craftsmen Full consultation service

Uniquely designed to fit into existing timber frames or direct to brick or stone

68 vine September 2012 vinedigital.co.uk

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CHIMNEY SWEEPS

T&J White and Sons Est 1953

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CHIMNEY SWEEPS CORGI Registered and HETAS Approved

We inspect: CCTV inspections and reports We install: Multi-fuel stoves • Traditional fireplaces • Hole in the wall gas fires Ceramic lining in-situ • Woodburners Bird Guards • Pots • Cowls • Liners

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Fine Affordable Furnishings

Alon Interiors deliver bespoke, German-engineered kitchen, bedroom and bathroom furniture at prices that won’t break the bank

aving already developed a steadfast reputation for delivering the highest quality, affordable kitchens in west Kent, Alon Interiors have recently expanded their expertise to also include bedrooms and bathrooms. Sarah Reeve-Daly, owner of the company, is an incredibly skilled interior designer with many years of experience in the industry. She’s passionate about bringing the personal touch that only tailor-made furnishings can offer, but without the bespoke price tag. In its third successful year of trading, Alon Interiors has an intimate showroom in Larkfield, Aylesford, showcasing the very best of the company’s vast range. On special appointment, prospective customers also have the opportunity to have direct access to the specific manufacturers to oversee the build process. Not only this, but Sarah believes in offering as personal an approach as possible, remaining your singular point of contact throughout the process. She offers free home consultations and, if required, will personally project-manage the entire process, ensuring an entirely stress-free experience. Sarah recommends this approach because, in her own words, “individual taste, unique functions, practical solutions and creativity can’t always be catered for 'off the shelf'. While flat-pack solutions have their benefits, many customers are finding that mainstream design

trends are simply not the right choice for their home.” From sleek modern granite to handcrafted wood, Alon Interiors’ vast catalogue features such a diverse range that you’re guaranteed to find what’s right for you.

Testimonial “The quality of the units and installation are second to none; all schedules were as promised and everything arrived in perfect condition…Your success is a testament to your dedication and commitment.” Petts Wood, client n For more information, visit www.aloninteriors.co.uk or call Sarah on 01732 843900

vinedigital.co.uk September 2012 vine 69

HOME & GARDEN

VISIT OUR LARGE SHOWROOM EXTENSIVE RANGE OF WALL AND FLOOR TILES

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A quality product installed and certified by qualified ry kitchen. Each of our Mereway craftsmen, from start to finish Kensington Scott will kitchens a tenonyear guarantee carefully project manage the has installati of your new luxmerge the traditional ury kitchen. Each ofand ourthey Mereway kitchens has a ten and year modern with a style for today. We guarantee and they merge the traditional and modern with a style for today. We willandeliver an excepti onal will deliver exceptional quality quality of service with an eyewith for detail, which can be of service an eye for detail, verified by any of our previous installati ons. which can be verified by any of our

previous installations. tel: 01732 369129 web: www.kensingtonscott.co.uk email: info@kensingtonscott.co.uk Y T I Lopen: AUQ S I9.00 M O–R5.30 PM O C4N U • KRoad, A OTonbridge D I L O STN•9 1DRFE –T N I AP DWaitrose N A H •carEpark) KOPSEB , Unit , Tannery (opposite Showroom MonD–ESat

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70KensingtonScottWT127.indd vine September 2012 vinedigital.co.uk 1

21/08/2012 18:20

01732 848444 www.potts.ltd.uk

Kiln Barn Road, East Malling, Maidstone, Kent, ME19 6BQ Potts are open Tuesday to Saturday, 9am to 5pm (Closed Monday)

GNOME SWEET GNOME Vine uncovers the history behind the garden gnome. What are they, how did the tradition come about and why do people have them?

he garden gnome is one of those figments of culture that everyone recognises but never questions. If you think about it, the practice of plonking small figurines of bearded creatures wearing pointy red hats into one’s garden is a little bit strange. How exactly did this peculiar practice come about? The word ‘gnome’ is thought to derive from the Latin word, genomos, literally meaning ‘earth-dweller’. As such, the word has transformed over various languages – ‘Gnom’ in German and ‘Gnome’ in French – to describe the stout, horticultural guardians we know and love today. In ancient European folklore, gnomes are earth elementals, similar to pygmies or fairies. C.S. Lewis – who studied their use in Renaissance literature and featured them himself in his The Chronicles of Narnia series – described them as being two spans

(about 50cm) high, very shy and with the ability to move through the ground with the same ease as humans move through air. The use of figurine gnomes as ornaments has its origins in19thcentury Germany, where crafter Philip Griebel began fashioning the creatures, based on local myths, out of terracotta. This was done partly for ornamental and partly superstitious reasons – the gnomes were thought to ward off intruders and even animate at night to help out with garden chores. The trend obviously caught on and soon garden gnomes were being mass produced throughout Western Europe. Today, they have become the focus of a prank known as ‘gnoming’. Spoof organisations, such as the French Front de libération des nains de jardin, kidnap gnomes from suburban gardens and “return them to the wild”, posting pictures online. In 2008, a man was arrested in Brittany on suspicion of stealing upwards of 170 garden gnomes.

vinedigital.co.uk September 2012 vine 71

HOME & GARDEN 2012-DD-A5-Ad-Red-bg-P-OPEN.pdf

Thursday09/000002/2012

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The INDEX magazine May 2012

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Garden Management and Design

WEALDEN Country Landcraft For all your design, construction and maintenance requirements, contact: Adam Sutton BSc (Hons) Environmental Science | Tim Playfoot BA (Hons) Garden Design Tel:01892 722699 | Adam:07979 362241 | Tim:07990 751353 | www.wealdencountrylandcraft.co.uk

72 vine September 2012 vinedigital.co.uk

AUTUMN SHOWCASE

Coolings garden centre offers a host of unique garden products. This Autumn, they will showcase their Japanese range

AUTUMN SHOWCASE PROMOTIONS STARTING ON 15 SEPTEMBER Give your garden a taste of the Orient with some classic Japanese plants. Tempting special offers will be running on selected plants for the duration of the Showcase: Japanese Pagoda Bush Enkianthus campanulatus in 4L pot. Normally £15.99 each Special Offer £10.00 each Japanese Painted Fern Athyrium niponicum pictum in 3L pot. Something different for the “Plantaholic”! Beautiful pendant flowers and lovely autumn colour. Normally £7.99 each Special Offer Buy 2 for £12.00 Dwarf Japanese Butterfly Cherry Prunus ‘Kojo-no-mai’ in 2L pot. Beautiful little spring flowering cherry, ideal in pots. The name means “flight of the butterfly”. Normally £9.99 each Special Offer £5.99 each. Japanese Fatsia Fatsia japonica 7.5L. Lovely palm-shaped foliage, ideal for adding exotic evergreen structure in the garden. Normally £32.99 Special Offer £9.99 each

NEW INTRODUCTIONS Coolings are pleased to offer for the first time four lovely new Japanese Acer varieties in 3L pots: Acer palmatum ‘Kogane-Nishiki’ Acer palmatum ‘Marlo’ Acer palmatum ‘Red Wine’ Acer palmatum ‘Shojo-nomura’ Normally £22.99 each Special Offer Buy any 2 of the 4 varieties for just £30 Save £15.98!

oolings’ chairman, Paul Cooling, visited Japan in October 2010 with the International Garden Centre Association Congress. Inspired by the beautiful gardens, he brought back a range of exciting images and ideas. Since then, their team have been working hard to bring some of these ideas to fruition, culminating in what promises to be a spectacular Autumn Showcase this year. From ancient times, Japan had a design tradition using stones and water. The history of surviving Japanese gardens has been well documented and records show how the introduction of Taoist ideas from China in 7AD had a major impact on Japanese garden design. These new ideas were adapted to incorporate Japanese spirituality and beliefs, in particular the ancient Shinto religion, with various elements and features of the garden having great symbolic significance. An estimated 80 per cent of Japan’s historic gardens are in Kyoto, located in central Japan, and Coolings’ garden includes a beautiful open frame building, reminiscent of the many merchant houses found in the Kyoto prefecture (area).

Using gravel, rocks, water and of course traditional planting combinations, Coolings’ glasshouse will be transformed into an oasis of calm serenity. They have been very fortunate to have the garden designer Howard Healey involved with the showcase project. His years of experience in creating Japanese gardens have proved invaluable and his expert advice has ensured their design captures the essence of a traditional Japanese garden. In addition, the Japanese Garden Society will be on hand most days to answer any questions you may have, and will have their own exhibition portraying all aspects of their work as an active and thriving society. Coolings’ ‘Land of the Rising Sun’ Autumn Showcase will be open from Saturday 15 September until Sunday 28 October.

n Visit us at Coolings, The Gardener's Garden Centre, Rushmore Hill, Knockholt, TN14 7NN or call 01959 532269

Reader offer

vinedigital.co.uk September 2012 vine 73

WHAT’S ON? THE UNRIVALLED SEVENOAKS LISTINGS GUIDE. ARCHITECTURE & HERITAGE n 06-09 Sep. Heritage Open Days. Various venues n 12 Sep. Talk on Sir Thomas Jackson. 20:00. Town Council Offices, Bradbourne Vale Road, Sevenoaks. Sevenoaks Society. 01732 458898 www.sevenoakssociety.org.uk

ART n Ongoing. 1st Tue of month. Sevenoaks Visual Arts Forum. 19:00-21:00. Stag Community Arts Centre, London Rd, Sevenoaks. 01732 450175 www.stagsevenoaks.co.uk

n 05-09 Sep. Dog Days & Blackberry Picking for families. 10:30-17:00. Riverhill Himalayan Gardens. 01732 459777 www.riverhillgardens.co.uk n 06 Oct. Story Playtime for Under-5s. 12:00, 14:00. Free. 01732 452055 www. sevenoaksliterarycelebration.com

COMMUNITY n Ongoing. 1st & 3rd Wed of month. Lunch Club. 11:25-13:30. Social Club, Dunton Green. Age UK 01959 523157 n 12 Sep. Social Circle meeting. 14:30. United Reformed Church hall, St Johns Rd, Sevenoaks

n 08-15 Sep. Florum Art Exhibition. 10:00-17:00. Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve, Bradbourne Vale Rd, Sevenoaks. Free. 01732 456407 www.florum.co.uk

n 15 Sep. Otford twinning visit. www.otford.info

n 20 Sep. Talk on Inessential Necessities - snuff boxes, fans etc. 13:45-15:00. Community Centre, Cramptons Rd, Bat & Ball. Knole Decorative & Fine Arts Society 01732 457852

n 6 Oct Otford evening WI boot sale Saturday 9.30am 12.30pm. Otford village hall. Tables £8. Contact Chris - 01959 522485 refreshments available entrance 50p children free

BLOOD DONATION

CRAFTS

n 07 Sep. Blood Donation Session. 13:30-16:30, 17:3019:30. Tesco car park, London Rd, Riverhead. 0300 123 2323 www.blood.co.uk

n 01 Sep. Quilting Guild. 10:0016:30. Village Memorial Hall, Otford

n 13 Sep. Blood Donation Session. 14:00-16:30, 17:3020:00. WI Hall, Station Rd, Edenbridge. 0300 123 2323 www.blood.co.uk n 18 Sep. Blood Donation Session. 14:00-16:30, 17:3020:00. United Reformed Church hall, St Johns Rd, Sevenoaks. 0300 123 2323 www.blood.co.uk n 20 Sep. Blood Donation Session. 13:30-16:30, 17:3020:00. Angel Centre, Tonbridge. 0300 123 2323 www.blood.co.uk n 04 Oct. Blood Donation Session. 13:30-16:30, 17:3020:00. Angel Centre, Tonbridge. 0300 123 2323 www.blood.co.uk

CHILDREN & FAMILIES n 01-02 Sep. Summer Holiday Activity Trail. 10:00-15:00. Lullingstone Country Park near Eynsford. £2.50. 01322 865995 n 01-02 Sep. Holiday House Trails. 12:00-15:00. Knole, Sevenoaks. Free. 01732 462100 www.nationaltrust.org.uk n 01-02 Sep. Miniature Bookmaking for families. 10:30-13:00. Riverhill Himalayan Gardens. 01732 459777 www.riverhillgardens.co.uk n 03 Sep. Holiday Club. 10:0015:00. St Georges Church Hall, Weald. 01732 463291

n 18 Sep. Christian Free School meeting. 11:00-12:30. Undercroft, St Nicholas Church, High St, Sevenoaks

n 07-09 Sep. Weald of Kent Craft Show. Penshurst Place. ICHF 01425 272711, 277988 www.ichf.co.uk

CYCLING n 02 Sep. Cycling Satisfaction bike ride around Sevenoaks. Free. Sevenoaks District Council. 01732 227131 www.goskyride.com n 02 Sep. Edenbridge to Hever bike ride. Free. Sevenoaks District Council. 01732 227131 www.goskyride.com n 05-08 Sep. Paralympic Cycling Events. Brands Hatch Motor Racing Circuit near West Kingsdown. Adults £10, children/ OAPs £5. 0844 847 2012 www. tickets.london2012.com n 08 Sep. Sponsored Ride & Stride. 10:00-18:00. Friends of Kent Churches n 09 Sep. Circuit of Kent 80 & 130km Cyclo Sportive challenge ride. 09:00. Sevenoaks Prep School, Godden Green. Sevenoaks Amherst Rotary Club in aid of Hospice in the Weald & Macmillan Cancer Support. www. kentcyclosportive.co.uk www. hospiceintheweald.org.uk n 07 Oct. Kent Foundation Heritage Bike Ride. Penshurst Place & Gardens, Penshurst near Tonbridge. 01892 870307 www. penshurstplace.com 01622 694341 www.kentfoundation.org

EXHIBITIONS

dresses exhibition. Orangery, Knole, Sevenoaks. Free. 01732 462100 www.nationaltrust.org.uk n 01 Sep-01 Oct. Rocking the Mote sculpture exhibition. 11:00-17:00. Closed Tue & Wed. Ightham Mote near Ivy Hatch. Free. 01732 810378 www. nationaltrust.org.uk/ighthammote n 15 Sep. Photography Exhibition. 11:00-16:00. Village Hall, Farningham. Free. 01322 866293under-8 year-olds. 11:0015:00. Manor Park Country Park, West Malling. £5. 01474 823800

FAIRS, GALAS & SHOWS n 02 Sep. Heavy Horse Show. Shoreham n 08-09 Sep. Medieval Fair. Tonbridge Castle n 08-09 Sep. Gala Weekend including fair, model boats, historical re-enactments & scarecrow trail. 11:00-17:00. Quebec House & Squerryes Court, Westerham. www.visitwesterham.org.uk

FARMERS MARKETS’ n Ongoing. Fris. Eynsford Country Market. 14:00-15:00. Village Hall, Eynsford. 01322 865098 n Ongoing. 1st Sat of month. Penshurst Farmers’ Market. 09:30-12:00. Penshurst Place car park, Penshurst. 01892 870666 www.edenvalleykent.org www.kentfarmersmarkets.org.uk n Ongoing. Tues. Hildenborough Farmers’ Market. 09:00-11:00. St Johns Church Centre, Hildenborough. www. hildenboroughfarmersmarket. co.uk & www. kentfarmersmarkets.org.uk n Ongoing. 1st Thu of month. Stansted Farmers’ Market. Village Hall, Stansted. www.kentfarmersmarkets.org.uk

HISTORY n 11 Sep. Talk on The Monstrous Regiment of Women in Tudor & Stuart Kent. 20:00. Memorial Hall, Plaxtol. Plaxtol Local History Group 01732 810553 www.plaxtolhistory.org.uk n 27 Sep. Talk on Social Reform & Octavia Hill. 18:30. Rickards Hall, Eden Valley Museum, Church House, 72 High St, Edenbridge. £8 including refreshments & Arts & Crafts exhibition. www.evmt.org.uk

LITERATURE n 21 Sep. Talk by Kate Williams & Katy Darby on Sex, Murder & Crinolines – writing neo-Victorian fiction. 19:30. Tickets £8 from Sevenoaks Bookshop, High St, Sevenoaks. 01732 452055 www. sevenoaksliterarycelebration.com n 22 Sep. Talk by David Crystal on Spelling Out the Story of English. 14:30. Tickets £8 from Sevenoaks Bookshop, High St, Sevenoaks. 01732 452055 www. sevenoaksliterarycelebration.com n 26 Sep. Talk by Frances Osborne on Park Lane, the First World War & suffragettes. 19:30. Tickets £8 from Sevenoaks Bookshop, High St, Sevenoaks. 01732 452055 www. sevenoaksliterarycelebration.com

LOCAL HISTORY n 03 Oct. Talk on Knole restoration & AGM. 19:15. Town Council Offices, Bradbourne Vale Road, Sevenoaks. Sevenoaks Society. 01732 458898 www.sevenoakssociety.org.uk n 04 Oct. Talk by Matthew Hollis on Edward Thomas, poet – from the Weald to the First World War. 19:30.

Tickets £8 from Sevenoaks Bookshop, High St, Sevenoaks. 01732 452055 www. sevenoaksliterarycelebration.com

MUSIC – GENERAL n 01 Sep. Music Festival. 13:00-24:00. Gates open 12:00. Furlongs Farm near Eynsford. Adults £30, children £5 in aid of Village Hall. www.eynsfordmusicfestival.co.uk n 03 Sep. Big Sing. 19:00. Royal London School for the Blind, Dorton House, Wildernesse Avenue, Seal. £10 in aid of Hospice in the Weald. 01732 592657, 459220 www.hospiceintheweald.org.uk n 08 Sep. Bollywood Brass Band Fundraising Concert. 19:30. Pamoja Hall, Space Performing Arts Centre, Sevenoaks School, Tonbridge Rd, Sevenoaks. £12. 01732 467765 www.bollywoodbrassband.co.uk n 29 Sep. Cara Dillon gig. Stag Community Arts Centre, London Rd, Sevenoaks. £18. Brandywine Music 01732 440470 www. brandywinemusic.co.uk 01732 450175 www.stagsevenoaks. co.uk

MUSIC – CLASSICAL n 02 Sep. Zum3 violin, cello & accordion concert. 19:30. Great Comp Garden, Comp Lane, St Marys Platt. £25. 01732 453240 www.greatcompmusic.org n 15 Sep. Handel, Bach & Vivaldi concert by Ensemble Marsyas. 19:30. Great Comp Garden, Comp Lane, St Marys Platt. £25. 01732 453240 www. greatcompmusic.org

MUSIC – JAZZ & BLUES n 15 Sep. Guy Tortura Band Blues. Plaza Suite, Stag Community Arts Centre, London Rd, Sevenoaks. £12. 01732

n Ongoing. 1st & 3rd Sun of month. Westerham Farmers’ Market. 09:30-12:30. Westerham. www.kentfarmersmarkets.org.uk

GARDENING n Ongoing. 1st Sun of month. Plant Doctor Service. 11:0015:00. Broadview Gardens, Hadlow College, Hadlow. 01732 850551, 853211 www.hadlow.ac.uk n 12 Sep. Talk on Nature’s Treasures. 13:45. Cornwall Hall, Methodist Church, The Drive, Sevenoaks. Sevenoaks Flower Club 01732 353125 n 15 Sep. Autumn Show. 14:30. Kemsing School hall. Kemsing Gardeners Society 01959 524376

n 01-02 Sep. Edges of Antiquity

74 vine September 2012 vinedigital.co.uk

Medieval Fair

SEPT/OCT EVENTS AT THE ASSEMBLY HALL THEATRE 450175 Blues with Bottle Club www.blueswithbottleclub.co.uk k n 21 Sep. Something Blue blues gig. Rock Plaza, Stag Community Arts Centre, London Rd, Sevenoaks. £9. Brandywine Music 01732 440470 www. brandywinemusic.co.uk 01732 450175 www.stagsevenoaks.co.uk

MUSIC – TRIBUTE BANDS n 15 Sep. Sergeant Pepper’s Only Dart Board Band tribute gig. Soundhouse, Otford. £11. Brandywine Music 01732 440470 www.brandywinemusic.co.uk n 28 Sep. George Michael tribute night. Banana Leaf Indian restaurant, 47 Bethel Rd, Sevenoaks. 01732 465846 www. bananaleafcuisine.com

SOCIAL EVENTS n 22 Sep. 1950s Sevenoaks Prom. 20:00-24:00. Stag Community Arts Centre, London Rd, Sevenoaks. Cosmosity Proms 020 7193 3728 www.sevenoaksprom.com 01732 450175 www.stagsevenoaks.co.uk n Ongoing. 1st Wed of month. Business Networking Event. 10:30-12:00. Plaza Suite, Stag Community Arts Centre, London Rd, Sevenoaks. Free. Chamber of Commerce 01732 455188

SPORT & FITNESS n 02 Sep. St George’s 2k & 10k Fun Run. Weald www.weald10k.co.uk n 04 Sep. Hatha Yoga. 19:3021:00. Kikodo Centre, St Johns Hill car park, Bat & Ball. £10. 07790 168863 www.kikodo.co.uk

THEATRE & COMEDY n 14 Sep. Stand-Up Comedy. 20:30. Sevenoaks Town Golf Club, Seal Hollow Rd, Sevenoaks. £15. Out of Bounds Comedy Club 07976 637804 www.outofboundscomedy.co.uk

TRAVEL n 29 Sep-09 Oct. Ottoman Turkey study tour. Sevenoaks Decorative & Fine Arts Society 01883 625877, 01732 463859 www.nadfaskentarea.org.uk n 06 Oct Coach trip to Boulogne. www.otford.info

WALKS n Ongoing till 31 Oct. Check dates. Deer Park walks. Meet 12:00 Knole for 1-hour walk. Free. 01732 462100 www.nationaltrust.org.uk

Assembly Hall Theatre • Crescent Road • Tunbridge Wells • Kent TN1 2LU Ticket office: 01892 530613/532072 www.assemblyhalltheatre.co.uk MURDER ON THE NILE

MARTY WILDE’S ROCK ‘N’ ROLL PARTY

Following on from the hugely successful Witness for The Prosecution, And Then There Were None, The Unexpected Guest, The Hollow, Verdict and Spider’s Wed, the latest instalment from the Agatha Christie Theatre Company features a host of colourful characters, and all the twists and turns of a classic Christie to keep you guessing to the final shattering climax.

Original ‘dreamboats’ Marty Wilde, John Leyton and Eden Kane, with the Wildcats join forces in Marty Wilde’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Party. Performing their own hits and collaborating live on stage, teen idols of their day, Marty, John and Eden show us how rock n’ roll with its fusion of sound and rhythm shaped the style of music that we listened to then and still do today.

60s GOLD

NATIONAL YOUTH JAZZ ORCHESTRA

Gerry & The Pacemakers, The Animals, PJ Proby and Chip Hawkes. A show featuring all the hits of the 60s from the original stars of the 60s! From the famous singles to the timeless album tracks, this show will create the ultimate feel-good factor as audiences are transported back to the Swinging Sixties.

‘Forget the word Youth, this is one of the best bands you will ever hear.’ Sir John Dankworth. The National Youth Jazz Orchestra is one of Britain’s longest running and most successful ensembles for young people, playing big band jazz and offering a unique learning experience for musicians under 25. Alumni include Guy Barker, Dennis Rollins, Julian Arguelles, Amy Winehouse and Chris Dagley.

Mon 17 – Sat 22 Sept 2.30pm & 7.30pm £22.50 - £27.50

Sun 30 Sept 7.30pm £27.50

SHAKATAK

Fri 5 Oct 7.30pm £18.50

Shakatak have enjoyed a level of success and career longevity rarely paralleled in contemporary music, but then Shakatak is a particularly unusual group. The band, who are known primarily as serious jazz/funk musicians, enjoy both high cult status and instant recognition as a household name due to their numerous hit recordings.

HAZEL O’CONNOR Greatest Hits / Breaking Glass Live Tour Fri 12 Oct 7.30pm £18.50

'It's all there, that voice, soaring sax, layered drums and textured guitar riffs...timeless...' Glastonbury Festival Having just celebrated 30 years of Breaking Glass, Hazel O'Connor embarks upon her first ever Greatest Hits tour. Melding Hazel's superb vocals with soaring sax, guitar, piano, bass and drums, this is the full band sound.

10CC

Sun 14 Oct 7.30pm £27

Catch up with 10cc as they perform their Greatest Hits and more including: Rubber Bullets, I’m Not In Love, Dreadlock Holiday, Donna, Art For Art’s Sake, Good Morning Judge, The Things We Do For Love, I’m Mandy Fly Me, Life Is A Minestrone, The Dean And I, The Wall Street Shuffle.

RICHARD STREET

Lead Singer – The Temptations ’71 – ‘93 Tue 16 Oct 7.30pm £22.50

Now, with all but one of the original members of the original Temptations having passed on, Richard presents the music of The Temptations in its original 5-man-group format with a line-up consisting of Lawrence Jones, Eddie Watkins, Larry Johnson and Bob Henley III (formerly with Smokey Robinson). Presenting all of The Temptations’ best-loved hits, Richard Street and his group are a 'must see' musical journey in time… the way it used to be!

Thu 18 Oct 7.30pm £24.50

Sun 21 Oct 7.30pm £18

THE EMPEROR OF ATLANTIS English Touring Opera Mon 29 Oct 7.30pm £25.50

The Emperor of Atlantis – Viktor Ullmann (sung in English translation) Christ lag in Todes Banden (BWV4) – J.S. Bach (sung in German) The Emperor of Atlantis (Der Kaiser von Atlantis) was written when Viktor Ullmann (composer) and Peter Kien (writer) were prisoners at the Terezin concentration camp during World War II, and has since been acclaimed as an extraordinary testament of wit and humanity in the face of barbarity.

ALBERT HERRING

English Touring Opera Tue 30 Oct 7.30pm £25.50

Albert Herring – Benjamin Britten Sung in English Albert Herring is a classical depiction of English village life set in a Suffolk village. Directed by Chris Rolls (nominated for a 2011 Olivier Award) and conducted by Michael Rosewell, with Mark Wilde in the title role and Jennifer Rhys Davies a formidable Lady Billowse.

JULIAN CLARY Sat 6 Oct 8pm £20

Master of camp Julian Clary is scouring the land in search of love. He’s promised to leave no straight unturned. ‘Because I’m still considered to be quite a catch and because your town is noted for its heterosexuals on the cusp, there’s bound to be stiff competition’, says Julian.

n 01 Sep. 8-mile walk. Meet 10:30 Knole for walk to Ightham Mote and back. Free. 01732 462100 www.nationaltrust.org.uk If you would like to include your event in these free listings please email basic details to Bob Carpenter at bobcarpenterhome@yahoo.co.uk

vinedigital.co.uk September 2012 vine 75

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78 vine September 2012 vinedigital.co.uk

on’t mind me, I’m just and wrote heartfelt notes to my friends having a mid-life crisis. and family, urging them to try to carry Actually, it’s not really on in my shadow. mid-life (I hope that At one stage around 1989 I was proves to be the case actually pretty certain that I had died anyway...) it’s more of a and was a ghost and no-one had the third-way-through freak out. heart to tell me. I’ve just made an appointment to I’ve been aware of my own have my naval pierced at the weekend. mortality as long as I’ve been aware of Admittedly I had this done many years my own name. ago when my middle looked more like So why the freak out now? The a washboard than a washing machine. clue could be that my youngest, my I then made the mistake baby, is going to school of leaving the piercing in a few days’ time. I’ll in to the later stages tell you now, I’m not What next, of pregnancy until coping well. It is NOT tattoos of my belly looked like a the freeing experience grenade with a pin in people urge me that it is. anchors it. I pulled the pin out It is NOT the start of a either side when it got ridiculous glorious new chapter. It and have been left with is NOT in anyone’s best of my face a hideous explosion interests – him being to hide the scar. So actually, curled up in my lap rather than a midlife forever is in everyone’s crow’s feet? crisis, what I’m doing best interests. It is right now is using a crushing my heart and ginormous belly ring to destroying my ability to hide the scars of the muck-ups I made be rational (see previous comment when mid-life was still a lifetime away. re. lap). This could be my best idea yet! What So soon I won’t have him with me next, tattoos of anchors either side of during the day, pottering around the my face to hide the crow’s feet? Give house and playing with the cat. He’ll it time... be like my other two children, brilliant, Simultaneously, my best friend bright, brave and elsewhere. And yes, and I have been discussing our mutual I went through this with them too. But desire to dye our hair bright red. there’s something bitter sweet about According to my long nights of your youngest reaching this branch of extensive research in psychology text life away from the home and nursery books (Wikipedia), crises occur in midand into his own daily routine, his own life because that’s the point at which independent life. And he’ll ace school, many adults realise their own mortality of course, because he’s wonderful and and how much time may be left in I adore him. But right now, I can’t see their life. Okay, fine, but at eight-yearsthat, because my eyes are too full of old I was scratched by a rusty nail tears and henna. and became convinced I was going to die of Tetanus (weren’t we all scared of Tetanus in the 80s?). I duly said Catch Holly on twitter @hollyseddon goodbye to each of my pets in turn

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vinedigital.co.uk September 2012 vine 79

80 vine September 2012 vinedigital.co.uk