AGENDA

MORE SHOWS announced AT ASSEMBLY FESTIVAL GARDEN

The programme at Assembly Festival Garden for Coventry City of Culture grows bigger and better, as more shows are announced for the Queen of Flanders and Piccolo spiegeltents in July.

The pioneers of pop music parody, Frisky & Mannish, burst into the Queen of Flanders spiegeltent on the 30 and 31 July with their smash-hit show PopLab whilst stomping into the Festival Garden, just in time for the school summer holiday (from 15 July) will be Dinosaur World Live. Over in the Piccolo there is a magical time to be had by everyone, with a programme bursting with tricks and treats for all ages.

Midlands-based magician Jester Styles brings a little bit of mystery to the Festival Garden 27 – 31 July (not Fri 30), with a family-friendly show that will leave both children and adults alike asking how did he do it! Card Ninja will show off his journey from mild-mannered card player to silent assassin with his award-winning display of card stunts (27 and 28 July). delight the whole spectrum of fans (27 and 28 July); and Captain Breadbeard will make everyone ‘loaf-out-loud’ with his shamelessly pun-tastic show (31 July and 1 Aug).

There’s more comedy in store with a double bill from the globally acclaimed trio Police Cops (16 and 17 July), and fabulous new talent on stage at Coventry’s first ever Triple Threat Comedy Night (18 July). Birmingham theatre company Paperback Theatre present a new romantic comedy with a twist, in a new play by Lucy Bird, Me and My Doll (29 – 31 July); and three Welsh stand-ups discuss the moral quandaries of the day in the live version of hit podcast Here to Judge, with hosts Leila Navabi, Robin Morgan, and Priya Hall (18 July). Plus, there’s a fantastic line-up of stand-up on offer including, Elliot Steel (24 July), Christopher Macarthur-Boyd (30 July), and more.

DRINK LESS & BETTER

WIth many of us more mindful of our alcohol comsumption after being left alone with the remains of our recycling bin for all of lockdown, LUXLO has launched 4 new glorious spirits with a focus on drinking less and drinking better having all the flavour you would expect from your favourite spirit but with lower calories and a lower alcohol content.

The range is low alcohol thanks to an ABV of 20% , low calorie, at just 28 calories per 25ml measure, sugar-free, gluten-free and vegan friendly.

What’s more they come presented in these beautiful botanical bottles with rose gold finished accents so they’re sure to look smart on any home bar. The range is available in four flavours; Ginnythe original flavour for those who love the juniper tastes of some spirits, Blood Orange for citrus lovers, Passion Fruit if you are looking for something exotic or Pomegranate & Raspberry for that popular taste of pink berries.

A full 70cl bottle of each flavour is available, priced at £30.00 and is also available in a miniature gift pack, priced at £16. You can get it at any good off licence or online at www.luxlospirits.com

Centenary CELEBRATIONS FOR COVENTRY Rotary Club

The Club, which today has 38 members of a total 75 across Coventry was first established in 1921 by Sir Edward Iliffe and in its 100-year history, has encouraged educational exchanges; set up youth speaking competitions; supported outward-bound residential courses and respite for carers.

Support following both World Wars included Rotarians helping children whose fathers had not returned from the front with the children guided through school and into employment. And the Club instituted a Get You Home service for soldiers arriving at Coventry Station during and after the Second World War. This involved 30 club members and friends transporting 4,500 servicemen 22,000 miles. Members also helped to distribute parcels to families distressed by the bombing of the city.

Other events arranged and supported over the years have included parties for disadvantaged and disabled children, shoes provided for children in need, garden parties, theatre trips, picnics, shopping trips, day trips and concerts for the elderly, trips and breaks at the seaside for underprivileged children, food parcels and donating goods throughout the year including Christmas and Easter.

Today a children’s automata (moving carousel) still stands in the City Retail Market and funds raised from this are shared between the Lord Mayor’s charities and the Rotary Club charities and each Christmas Santa’s Sleigh can be seen by families around the city, which is a major fundraiser for all of the Coventry Clubs who work together on this annual event.

Chairman of the Centenary Committee for the Rotary Club of Coventry, Robert Villette, said: “The centenary is a remarkable achievement for the Club, I feel extremely proud to be part of something which has helped so many people across the world over the past 100 years and continues to do so today.”

[agenda] Businesses taste success at INAUGURAL Foodie Awards

AN evening of celebration shone a light on some of the region’s best hospitality businesses in the finals of the first ever Coventry & Warwickshire Foodie Awards last week.

In partnership with Warwickshire County Council, Coventry BID and Visit Coventry, the first live local awards event since lockdown brought together more than 40 businesses vying for success across 15 food and drink categories.

The finalists had previously come under the scrutiny of a judging panel, including celebrity chef Glynn Purnell. And earlier in the month the ‘Yummy Brummie’ was joined by his former boss Andreas Antona, owner of The Cross in Kenilworth to preside over a cook-off to find the Chef of the Year. Two of the headline winners of the night were The Barn Kitchen, formerly of Binley Woods, which was named Foodie Champion, and Dhillon’s Brewery in Coventry which enjoyed triple awards success with: Artisan Drink Producer of the Year; Pub/Bar of the Year and The Godiva Award.

Reacting to a successful night for Dhillon’s Brewery, Trish Willetts, Director of Coventry BID and award sponsor, said: “The Coventry Brewery have their brewing facility by the CBS Arena, and took their first city centre unit during lockdown restrictions in early 2021. They opened in the Christchurch Spire, one of Coventry’s three iconic Spires, and have gone from strength to strength.

“During the same time the team turned their brewery into a hand sanitising manufacturing unit to help with the battle of the virus supplying city centre businesses. Now they are embarking on their second bar which will be the Coventry City Tavern, a sports bar due to open on the outskirts of the city centre in August, with sponsorship from Coventry’s very own football team. They hit adversity in the eyes and kept on, keeping on!”

Images: Dhillon’s Brewery Team, Coventry BID’s Trish Willetts Trish Willetts presents the charity proceeds from the night to The Trussell Trust. Images by David Fawbert Photography.

YOUR WEDDING LIVE: COVENTRY

With many of us unable to plan our dream weddings over the last 18 months, the chance to be immersed in the hottest wedding event at the Coventry Building Society Arena this October 23rd and 24th will be a dream come true!

Whether you’re in the early stages of planning your wedding, looking to fuel inspiration for a friend or add those final finishing touches, Your Wedding Live will have everything you need to create your dream day.

Organisers promise celebrity guests, hands-on advice from much-loved industry experts, show-stopping features, luxury, affordable shopping, eye-catching live shows, inspirational masterclasses, demonstrations and catwalk presentations.

HMV AND EMPIRE JOIN FORCES

Coventry music venue, The Empire, has announced details of a partnership with leading entertainment brand, HMV and will be known as the HMV Empire when it relocates to the city centre this summer.

HMV Empire, Coventry will open on Hertford Street this year following a £500,000 re-development of a former retail site and cinema.

Patrizia Leighton, Marketing and Commercial Director, HMV, said: “As Coventry celebrates being the City of Culture for 2021, and as we celebrate our 100th anniversary, HMV’s sponsorship of this incredible new venue will help cement live music’s place at the heart of Coventry’s cultural scene and introduce music fans to new bands and artists. Together with the HMV Empire team, we’re looking forward to offering amazing live experiences as the country comes out of lockdown.”

Once upon a window… Once upon a window…

As we begin to come back to Coventry city centre As we begin to come back to Coventry city centre after a year away, Coventry BID is excited to after a year away, Coventry BID is excited to present The Show Windows, a part of Coventry present The Show Windows, a part of Coventry City of Culture 2021 celebrations. City of Culture 2021 celebrations.

The Show Windows a 12-month programme of bespoke The Show Windows a 12-month programme of bespoke artworks in shop windows that aims to inspire hope, artworks in shop windows that aims to inspire hope, adventure and imagination. They will invite us to rediscover adventure and imagination. They will invite us to rediscover Coventry’s ever evolving city centre that is home to Coventry’s ever evolving city centre that is home to diverse and creative communities and businesses, and diverse and creative communities and businesses, and its people, newly. its people, newly. Discover more by visiting Coventry city centre this year or Discover more by visiting Coventry city centre this year or by visiting Smartify where you will find out more about the by visiting Smartify where you will find out more about the windows, artists, delivery team and other cultural activity windows, artists, delivery team and other cultural activity being produced in Coventry by Coventry BID. being produced in Coventry by Coventry BID.

The Show Windows is co-produced in partnership by Coventry City of The Show Windows is co-produced in partnership by Coventry City of Culture Trust, Coventry Business Improvement District and RIBA. Culture Trust, Coventry Business Improvement District and RIBA. The Show Windows is funded by Arts Council England. The Show Windows is funded by Arts Council England.

[location] GET QUIRKY IN COV @ FARGO

Having nothing whatsoever to do with the addictively entertaining American black comedy crime drama television series or the Cohen brothers movie from which it originated, FarGo Village does share their quirky vibe and sensibility. An artistically re-purposed industrial space in Coventry City Centre, FarGo is actually a reference to its location on Far Gosford Street and has been designed exclusively for creative, independent businesses to begin, develop and to thrive.

Visitors can expect an eclectic mix of over 40 independent businesses on site including a craft brewery, artisan food producers, vintage interior, fashion and record stores as well as artists, designers and makers that offer visitors the opportunity to take home something truly unique home with them. You can even get your haircut, get a tattoo, take a CrossFit class and visit a Sgt Bilko museum here – told you it was quirky!

The flexible outdoor spaces also lends itself well to markets and festivals with a Summer Makers Festival featuring 30 local makers offering everything from ceramics to jewellery, plants to prints, clothing to candles, on the weekend of the 31st July. Caffeine connoisseurs can even get involved in September’s Coventry Festival that takes place on the 18th and 19th focusing on local, artisan roasters, independent food and drink retail and home-grown baristas.

HERE ARE SOME OF OUR FAVOURITE PICKS FROM FARGO VILLAGE

SHOP:

Auntie Olive’s Attic Specialising in 1950’s, 60’s and 70’s fashion, furniture and home-ware, everything at Auntie Olive's Attic is, handpicked, cleaned and lovingly restored to ensure the best quality. Buddha Boutique A holistic hippy shop run by Yoga instructor Yogamasti, Buddha Boutique is a peaceful haven where you would want to come, share, read, converse and leave with a content, inspiring feeling. They sell everything from Incense & Mantras, to Chakras & Mandalas.

Commonground Multipurpose art space in Coventry. Drink coffee, eat-in, view curated exhibitions, learn a new skill or improve an old one. Buy something for you, or another, in the print shop and design store.

Container No 8 A totally unique shopping experience specialising in a range of locally produced preserves homemade using homegrown (as much as possible) produce. Also on offer is a wide variety of other locally produced foodstuffs, specialty drinks, artwork and all manner of interesting gifts.

Fantayzia Designs Unique, handcrafted jewellery and artwork, through the creative use of unplayable vinyl records. The shop also stocks new and pre-loved vinyl as part of Fantayzia Records with classic albums to new releases from some of the hottest independent records labels.

Just Dropped In Independent Record Shop selling new and used vinyl, Indie, Psych, Rock, Dub and Electronic- you can lose many happy hours in here flipping through boxes and boxes of vinyl.

Olivia Thomas Handmade Handmade bath products and scented soya wax candles that are cruelty free, kind to sensitive skin, vegan friendly and long lasting.

Oshin Arts Beautiful handmade Kanzashi flowers and dolls inspired by Japanese culture and traditional arts made with respect to the original technique, but with designs adapted to a westernstyle. Project Number 5 A sustainable fashion skate shop stocking vintage handpicked clothes from the 90s onwards, for women and men, for all seasons. Alongside the vintage section they stock skateboard hardware.

Ronnie’s Stuff A little treasure trove of curiosities, antiques and quirkiness. Browse through a selection of wall art, jewellery, home wares, cultural arts and the house specialty cameras: working 35mm SLR for budding photographers and lots of vintage and retro items looking for a loving home.

Sgt Bilko’s Vintage Emporium Specialising in vintage and modern film and television memorabilia and with a strong emphasis on everything ‘cult’ the store caters for a wide range of tastes, offering a varied selection of collectables.

Stacey’s Shabby Shack Husband and wife duo find old and unloved furniture to paint and reupholster as well as create unique home furnishings from this, that and anything they can find...pop into the shop if you have an idea and let them make it a reality.

The Big Comfy Bookshop Run by Michael, surrounded by thousands of books of all genres, and topped off with locally made cakes. And then there's the Bar! Tea, Coffee, Beer and Wine. The bookshop is about getting the local community together to discuss, learn, play and create.

The Green Unicorn Vegan Store Stocking a wide variety of vegan goods from groceries and whole foods, snacks and sweets, chilled and frozen foods right through to vegan-themed handcrafted gifts as well as a Zero Waste vegan pick n mix counter, the only one in Coventry.

[location]

EAT:

BIB Noodle Bar Freshly-made Chinese food, from hand-pulled noodles to dumplings, from fermented vegetable to chilli powers/sauces. Come take a ride with them around the wonderful culinary culture of China.

Bubble Boba Friendly Bubble Tea & Milkshake Bar where there's never a shortage of fun to be had thanks to Old School games and Classic Console games to keep you and your friends entertained. Their Bobaristas are on hand to help you find your perfect Bubble Tea & Milkshake.

Choc N Roll Selling a range of chocolate products, macarons and pastries, a selection of homemade hot chocolates and award winning coffee as well as offering workshops. Dirty Kitch 100% vegan. Expect to find a menu bursting with cravable and satisfying vegan soul food inspired by the dirty south, including crispy fried "chick'n" and meaty burnt ends in a caramelized bbq glaze. 100% vegan. Zero compromises on flavour.

Gourmet Food Kitchen A small, independent restaurant serving artisan fresh food made on the premises every day by chef Tony Davies.

Leave it to Esmie captures the vibrancy of West Indian cuisine. Let them take your tastebuds on an unforgettable journey through West Indian cuisine. Menu highlights include: Salt fish fritters, Jerk Chicken Burrito, Curry Mutton and Callaloo Bake.

The Brownie Box Over the top, filthy brownie and cookie flavours with a constantly evolving menu of the very dirtiest desserts. Twisted Barrel Ale Their working brewery at FarGo Village opens its doors to the public each week to bring you the freshest, most local beer in Coventry including 12 of their own brews.

GROOM:

Dashing Blades A retro style Barbers Shop offering traditional and contemporary hair cuts to Gents, beard styling & trimming and Hot towel cut throat shaves.

The Rock'n'Roller Parlour A freespirited and relaxing environment with services ranging from simple trims to complete colour makeovers in the glamorous salon or in the privacy of Ruby, a lovingly converted Freedom caravan that was the beginnings of the original Parlour.

The

Drawing Room A custom contemporary tattoo studio currently specialising in abstract black work and super bright watercolour tattoos. All tattoo work is custom drawn to suit each client’s individual ideas and preferences.

Wildcard Strength And Conditioning Why just look strong, when you can be strong? That’s what Wildcard reckon; a gym dedicated to optimising human performance and specialising in CrossFit, Olympic Weightlifting and Powerlifting.

[agenda] INSPIRATIONAL WOMEN IN BUSINESS CELEBRATED

Successful entrepreneurs from Coventry are among the inspirational stories that form a new book set to raise funds for a national charity close to their hearts.

Inspirational Women, Inspirational Lives, celebrates female achievers from across the country, many with tales of overcoming adversity and even tragedy.

Compiled over nine months by Tracey McAtamney, from Balsall Common, the book features the 58 finalists in the 2020 /21 Ladies First Network Awards

“Compiling this book has been both very humbling and uplifting. I thought it was important to get it out there. At the moment there are more women than ever who need support and inspiration. “It’s also based on a year on hold. It’s about what happened to these people over the past year and what impact the pandemic has had on their lives – positive and negative. It looks at how so many women have had to reinvent themselves on the kitchen table. It’s all about celebrating being positive.

“I hope that what people take away from this book is a belief in themselves, that they will see that, no matter how bad things become in your life, you can come out of it the other side.” says Tracey.

Coventrian contributors include Marie Rowe, Inspirational speaker and former Hollywood film producer, Christine Cooper, who launched the NoW Network, Corrine Seabourne, of Alsters Kelley Solicitors, Donna Vaughan, who runs Millie’s Paws Hydrotherapy Centre & Grooming Studio, Maria Holmes-Keeling, marketeer, Suneta Bagri, wellbeing and consultant coach, Trish Willetts, Coventry BID Director, Sharon Luca-Chatha launched The Luca Foundation in 2018, six years after her son, Luca, was stillborn, Phaedra Elson, from Exhall, is an illustrator, pet portrait artist and online retailer, trading as Pipistrelle Art, Lorraine Checklin, founder of Flourish Health and Wellbeing Ltd and Karen Ramsey-Smith, advanced transformational coach, mentor and mindfulness teacher.

Available on Amazon.

1000 JOBS AT FAIR

More than 1,000 jobs will be showcased to jobseekers when national, regional and local organisations showcase employment opportunities at the Coventry Jobs Fair, held at Coventry Building Society Arena on Wednesday 15 September from 10am to 1pm.

Vacancies available range from traineeships and apprenticeships through to entry-level and up to mid-level management – with an importance placed on supporting individuals to find work who have found themselves unemployed as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

OUR FUTURE MOVES

Coventry and Warwickshire’s world-leading transport innovation will be showcased during a year of celebration and activities, starting this July. Our Future Moves, which will run from July 2021 through to the summer of 2022, will launch with the major exhibition Our Future Moves at Coventry Transport Museum, which runs until 31 October and which will feature a diverse range of exhibits that highlight the region’s pioneering work in transport innovation – from autonomous vehicles to one person submarines.

The interactive exhibition will tell the stories of the objects on display by envisioning how future cities may look and exploring how pioneering developments in transport and technology could affect the environment and the way we live.

Turn to page 38 to find out more about the part that Coventry is playing in taking transport forward.

To find out more about the exhibition and to get involved visit www.transport-museum.com

ON YOUR BIKE!

Why is gym equipment always so ugly? Especially as many of us are still choosing to workout at home rather than visit the gym. If you’re sick of ugly cardio equipment cluttering up your sitting room then may we introduce the Domyos Woodbike; designed to improve your surroundings as well as your wellbeing.

The beech wood frame blends seamlessly into the home whilst still providing similar durability and stability to that of a metal bike. Designed for high performance and regular use, the 6kg flywheel gives smooth and silent pedalling, whilst the gel saddle gives comfort to users, allowing them to jump on and work out when they want to. It’s sustainable too with trees planted for each tree used during the Domyos Woodbike manufacturing process. in two separate parts for simple construction, part A comes with the wooden frame at £199.99 and part B comes equipped with flywheel, bottle holder, handlebars, phone/tablet holder, seat post, saddle and travel wheels at £149.99.

[agenda] AGELESS BEAUTY

Silver-locked models are asserting their presence on the catwalk; makeup artists are enhancing rather than masking mature complexions; and more and more people understand that looking good as you get older doesn’t mean you have to look younger. Because beautiful skin is key to looking fabulous whatever your age, here’s our skincare must-haves for women or men in their 40s and 50s. 1

SKINCARE IN YOUR FORTIES

If you’ve not included a serum in your daily skincare routine then now’s the time to start. Most contain effective antiageing ingredients that aren’t necessarily found in cleansers or moisturisers; retinol, for example, helps to promote cell turnover, prevent the breakdown of collagen and leave you skin feeling smoother and supple. Team with a hydrating toner and anti-ageing products that packed with retinoids, vitamin C or alphahydroxy acids to help soften fine lines.

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SKINCARE IN YOUR FIFTIES:

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It’s essential to keep up a good, antiageing daily regime with the addition of a heavier moisturiser that will add hydration to drying skin. Look for products containing hyaluronic acid and glycerine as these help skin hold moisture in without making you look greasy. Get into the habit of twice-weekly exfoliation 6 to keep dead skin cells at bay, while enzyme peels gently exfoliate without stripping or scratching. 1: Lancôme Visionnaire Serum Plus, £60. 2: NARS multi-action hydrating toner, £25. 3: Emma Hardie Vitamin C Intense daily serum, £49. 4: Pestle & Mortar pure hyaluronic serum, £37. 5: Elemis papaya enzyme peel, £35. 6: Estee Lauder Revitalizing Supreme + Global anti-ageing balm, £45. 16 dluxe-magazine.co.uk

MOTOFEST RETURNS TO CITY

MotoFest is coming back to Coventry this summer with four themed weekends to enjoy, so whether you are a two wheeled or a four wheeled fan, there will be something for everyone to enjoy!

This free family event in the UK’s Motor City will offer visitors some thrilling motorsport, heritage displays, global street food, live music and more.

Kicking off with a weekend celebrating the city’s amazing transports innovations on the 17th and 18th July, the fun continues with a Classic and Custom Motorcycle show as part of weekend two’s Motorcycle weekend.

Prestige and Classic car fans will line up to enjoy the spectacle that is the Coventry Concours event on the 24th to 25th July and weekend three will be all about celebrating Motorsport in and around the Skydome.

The month-long celebration will come to a close with the Motofest Car Weekend on the 31st July / 1st August when hundreds of vehicles will descend on the City, showing the best original, classic vehicles in the heart of Coventry, right the way through to the modern and modified cars displaying around Skydome.

Find out more at www.coventrymotofest.com

FIVE WAYS TO LIVE LONGER

Small changes to your lifestyle could make you happier, and see you living a longer, healthier life. There’s no magical cure, but Nuffield Health’s Head of Clinical Research, Dr Ben Kelly, shares with DLUXE, five top tips to help you keep your mind and body firing on all cylinders well into retirement.

1. KEEP YOUR FRIENDS CLOSE

2. WARD OFF ILLNESS BY KEEPING FIT

3. BOOST YOUR BRAIN POWER THROUGH EXERCISE

4. GET MEDICAL CONCERNS CHECKED OUT

IN PAINT IN PAINT WE TRUST WE TRUST

THROUGHOUT THE YEAR OF CITY OF CULTURE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR OF CITY OF CULTURE COVENTRY WILL OPEN ITS WALLS TO A SELECTION OF COVENTRY WILL OPEN ITS WALLS TO A SELECTION OF LOCAL, REGIONAL AND NATIONAL STREET ARTISTS LOCAL, REGIONAL AND NATIONAL STREET ARTISTS

‘In Paint We Trust’ will see new artworks appearing in ‘In Paint We Trust’ will see new artworks appearing in unique spaces across the city. Artists will be given unique spaces across the city. Artists will be given opportunities to animate along pathways and walls opportunities to animate along pathways and walls giving audiences a chance to explore. giving audiences a chance to explore. Delivered in partnership with the Coventry City of Delivered in partnership with the Coventry City of Culture Trust and Coventry Business Improvement Culture Trust and Coventry Business Improvement District, led by Street Art Strategy, renowned street District, led by Street Art Strategy, renowned street artists will bring Coventry to life with colourful, artists will bring Coventry to life with colourful, imaginative and bespoke pieces which will appear in imaginative and bespoke pieces which will appear in unexpected places throughout the city centre, unexpected places throughout the city centre, encouraging people to explore. Local community work encouraging people to explore. Local community work will also bring art to the neighbourhoods of Coventry. will also bring art to the neighbourhoods of Coventry.