YLM August 2014 | #50

YOUR LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE for norfolk & suffolk

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ISSUE 50 HOMES & GARDENS | ARTS | MOTORING | HEALTH | FOOD & DRINK

AUGUST 2014

YLM

AUGUST 2014

Welcome 5 STORY Basil, model citizen 6 The story of Barry Leith. The animator of The Wombles and Paddington Bear Book Club Q&A BOLDOG FMX TEAM Bolddog are the UKs number one freestyle motorcross team. Any Britain’s Got Talent fans out there will remember them from the live television semi-final!

FOCUS E is for Education Spotlight on Independent Schools

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food review 23 We visit The Beaconsfield Arms in Occold and experience delicious local food.

Super Summer Salads 25 Summer is the season when the humble salad comes to the fore LEASE OF LIFE New beginnings at The Trowel and Hammer, Cotton

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Featured Property 29 Your invitation to view the wonderful Gables Farm Top tips for top marks Finding the perfect study space

MY first car 39 Everybody remembers their first car, whether it was shiny and new or a wreck brought back to life RUNNING YOUR OWN BUSINESS 41 How to plan to survive FUTURE PROOF Saffron’s New Apprenticeship Programme

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Diss On View 2014 Free Mocktail Voucher

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BOLDOG FMX TEAM p11

Finance matters 49 Elizabeth Leslie - Smith DipFA MIFS from PLS Financial Services answers some of your financial queries OUT & ABOUT Sarah goes Clay Pigeon Shooting at High Lodge

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BASIL, MODEL CITIZEN

find yourself again 53 Discover Dream On Makeover Days Erasing the signs of AGING Time to come out of the cupboard

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COMPETITION TIME

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UPDATES & EVENTS

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WHAT’S ON

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DIRECTORY

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p6

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HOT STUFF 33 What’s Happening in Gabriel’s Garden?

WEATHER THE STORM 35 Find out what happens to a tree when it’s struck by lightening

operty Featured Pr

capture 37 Life on Wash Farm

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Capture p37

FOCUS ON EDUCATION p17

TO BE WON INSIDE: CREAM TEA FOR TWO | BURY THEATRE ROYAL TICKETS | 10% OFF AT THE BEACONSFIELD ARMS | A £50 VOUCHER FOR GM AUTOTECH

YLM

AUGUST 2014

Welcome

“The perfect summer day is when The sun is shining The breeze is blowing The birds are singing and The lawn mower is broken.”

— James Dent

ENQUIRIES T 01379 642 044 E info@ylm.co.uk YLM, 3 Hales Yard, Diss, Norfolk IP22 4AF

THE YLM FAMILY

Matt Bignell DESIGNER

Wendy Aiken

matt@ylm.co.uk

PUBLISHER & PHOTOGRAPER

Ben Aiken

wendy@ylm.co.uk

DESIGNER

Sarah Feaver

ben@ylm.co.uk

EDITOR

Janet Fairweather

sarah@ylm.co.uk

ACCOUNTS

Bill Prendergast

Waking up to blue skies and sunshine, and listening to the birds singing makes me feel so happy, I love it. ‘August is like the Sunday of Summer’, so true.

School holidays are here, I adore the freedom of no school runs and days when you can stay in your bed clothes and just potter about. Days out here there and everywhere, with my munchkins, heaven! Also I need to get organised ready for children going back to school.

As usual I leave it all to the last minute and will have to Facebook my friends to find out the actual date when they go back!

We have had three high school students here for two weeks in July, we loved having them and they got to come and photograph the Out & About and the Q&A, even modelled for our front cover. What a Q&A it was, I loved getting to go and take photos of The Bolddog FMX team, it was an amazing experience and very exciting for our work experience guys to come and photograph. I still can’t stop smiling when I think about watching the guys doing their amazing stunts, it blew me away! Thank you so much for letting us come and watch you practice, you guys are awesome!

Latitude was HOT HOT HOT & a little wet on a couple of occasions.

Sadly I was unwell and didn’t get to see any headlining acts. I did get to see Daisy Victoria, nothing was going to stop this, and WOW I was not disappointed. Her performance on the Lake Stage was amazing and judging by the crowd’s reaction I was not the only one to think so!

We also saw These Ghosts, another local group, who performed to a packed audience, I really love their style of music. We are a talented region.

Already we are looking forward to September, and, with this in mind, Leighten is asking you to write in with stories of your first car. The best ones will be printed in the September issue. Leighten and I are looking forward to reading them all. A new feature this month is a question and answer section with Liz Lesley Smith of PLS Financial Services. Liz will do her best to answer any of your financial queries with sound advice.

Oh yes!, Don’t forget to come and meet the YLM team at Diss on View, 19th September at The Park Hotel. There will be an opportunity to meet lots of local business people who will have time to chat and answer your questions. See pages 45 and 46 in this issue and read all about connecting local business.

It’s going to be a great event, I hope to see you there.

So - Enjoy a lovely fun filled August, drink plenty of water, get your suncream out and above all keep safe!

Happy summer holidays

Wen dy

Janet@ylm.co.uk

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER

Dayburst Couriers

bill@ylm.co.uk

DISTRIBUTION

07810 852 089 dayburst@diss.co.uk

@ylmuk

@ylmuk

JULY COMPETITION WINNERS: Wordsearch: S. Maskell, Diss | Sudoku: H. Kimber, Roydon | Bury Theatre Royal: C. Faiweather, Scole

YLM is Published by Circuit Media (P&L) Ltd. Disclaimer: The views expressed by the contributors are not necessarily those of the publisher. Every effort is taken to ensure that the contents of the magazine are accurate but the publisher can not assume responsibility for errors or omissions. Whilst reasonable care is taken when accepting advertisements the publisher will not accept any resulting unsatisfactory transactions. They will, however, immediately investigate any written complaints. © Circuit Media (P&L) Ltd, 2014.

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YLM

Basil, model citizen

Words by Geir Madland

My childhood would have been very different without Basil aka Barry Leith, as would yours, if you’re of a similar vintage. Now, we all appreciate the value of books and how they can inspire the young in particular, but the alchemic magic of recycling, under and over a South London common, and the gastronomic appreciation of marmalade sandwiches, warmed under a bear’s hat, could only ever have been conjured via the medium of television.

Working at FilmFair with Ivor Wood and Graham Clutterbuck, Barry Leith was the animator of The Wombles and Paddington Bear, children’s television series that were hugely popular throughout the 1970s. There can’t be many of us of a certain age who didn’t have a stuffed toy version of our own either. The original Great Uncle Bulgaria still lives with Barry in Norfolk, where Barry teaches animation at Norwich School of Art and Design.

“I did graphic design at Hornsey College, North London. There was one student there, a little rich boy, and through him I met a couple of other people, like Derek Birdsall, who was one of the big names in graphics in the late 60s. He was famous, with the photographer Bob Freeman, for doing the Pirelli calendar. So I was knocking around with people like that at the weekend and I thought I was going to be the bee’s knees of graphics. Unfortunately,

when I left college and tried to get a job in graphic design, I suddenly realised I was no bloody good at it. I was really struggling. What you do at college is one thing but when you’re out in the real world... Where you had three months to do your project at college, you’ve got three days, and you’re going ‘no, I have to think about it, to conceive it, to ponder it’ and they’re saying ‘you can ponder all you like, mate, but we want the layouts by 4 o’clock’!

“My first wife was working for this really terrible film company that made the most awful documentary-cum- travelogues, the sort of thing that used to be shown at the cinema: ‘Here we are in sparkling Scunthorpe’. They were branching out into some form of animation. The one thing I used to be really good at was airbrush and they wanted an airbrush artist and didn’t want to pay for anybody wellknown but they were quite willing

Pictured this page top left to right; The Wombles, Barry and Paddington Bear

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to pay me a pittance and I was good at it. But I was fired for being too cynical.

“My whole career has been coincidental, right place at the right time, not by design. The next job I got was with another cartoon company.

Somebody gave me a magazine that was four months out of date with an advert, saying ‘that was the perfect job in there for you’, and I rang them up and they still hadn’t found anybody. So I got the job but two days later they had to technically fire me because you had to be in the union, the ACTT, and I wasn’t.

So they had to re-advertise the job via the ACTT and anyone who turned up, they’d say ‘no, no, not quite right’ and then they came back and said ‘oh, we’ve found this guy’!”

So you didn’t have to join the union?

“Oh, in the end, yes. In those days the unions had a real stranglehold on the film industry. I remem-

ber once I tripped over a plug in the studio, it came out the wall and a light went down. I just picked the plug up and put it back in the wall, and this electrician came along, screaming and shouting, and had everybody off the set because a non-electrical person had put a plug back in the wall. So then that was my real beginning, working with a Frenchman called Jacques Forgeot.

I think he was originally Disneytrained, a brilliant draughtsman, brilliant cartoonist and animator. He had come out of companies in Paris like La Comète and Cinéastes Asssociés, which were the real names of the day.

“Sadly the company went bellyup after a couple of years. Purely by chance I’d made a couple of models, just scratch models, one of them was a car. Ivor Wood and Graham Clutterbuck came round from FilmFair to see if there was any kit they could buy on the cheap and Ivor

saw these two models sitting on the windowsill and said ‘who made those?’. ‘I did.’ ‘We’ve got a commercial to make for Glow Worm, can you make a small back boiler about 7 inches high?’ ‘Yeah, I can do that,’ so I went from one job straight into another one and suddenly realised that I really liked model-making, and that was the opening into the 3D world. Ivor had been on the Magic Roundabout. They were finishing off Parsley and The Herbs.

They’d had the first Womble books sent in. The illustrations looked like third-rate teddy bears. While I was making the back boiler, Ivor made a model and the BBC were vaguely in-

The 9 day schedule that I had for the first series was 20 days in my case because I was learning by error but, after that serious initiation, I realised that I could animate.

“I was then animating and doing basic repair work as we went, as now and then a joint in a puppet would break. Because you’d actually made them, you knew how the internals worked. You’d peg it all down and hope that it wouldn’t move too much. What we used to do was have them suddenly develop hiccups. Bernard Cribbins would pick up on it. He’d be doing Uncle Bulgaria’s voice and he’d go ‘hic, have you got a copy of the Times?’”

STORIES

wrote the theme music) said, ‘I’ll just take a really small fee but I’ll keep the mechanicals’, meaning mechanical copyrights. And we knew there was something up when he turned up in a pale blue car, a Roller, I think, and Graham looked out the window and said ‘yeeees, I have to find out more about those mechanicals’.

“Towards the end of the first Paddington series, I started to take that over. Again, the BBC commissioned another series and I did that. Ivor was being courted by the BBC, which was slow to catch on to merchandising, and what they had tucked away was Postman Pat, which Ivor then set up on his own

Would I remember any of them?

“A lot of them were done at FilmFair. There was the Chewits Muncher. He ate the Empire State Building, the Leaning Tower of Pisa and Barrow-in-Furness bus shelter. I had to go and take photographs and then recreate them.”

You got to go out on location?

“To Barrow-in-Furness, yes. They already had photos of the Empire State Building.”

Barry and his second wife Jane bought their house in Norfolk as a weekend retreat in the 80s but they moved up full-time when they discovered Ditchingham Day Nursery, where they sent their two daugh-

“We built two sets for the Wombles pilot, with Liz Beresford’s story. The BBC had asked for drawings but that sort of stuff you can’t draw – tunnels and burrows – so I just built them.

We made four puppets to start with and it disappeared into the BBC for a couple of weeks while they hum-ed and hah-ed, and then they came back and said yes. terested. Then there was a second model and they began to get the snout, and hands instead of paws.

The Wombles as we know them are the Mark 3s, one hundred per cent Ivor’s creation.

“We built two sets for the pilot, with Liz Beresford’s story. The BBC had asked for drawings but that sort of stuff you can’t draw – tunnels and burrows – so I just built them.

We made four puppets to start with and it disappeared into the BBC for a couple of weeks while they hummed and hawed, and then they came back and said yes. Ivor was doing the puppets and I was making the set models. For every episode there would be incidental models like a pram, a gramophone, so, as the series went on, the sets got more and more dressed. We then had 30 five minute films to make, one every 9 days.

After the first 30, Ivor was looking at Paddington Bear. Michael Bond (the author) was a good friend of Graham Clutterbuck, our boss. Then the BBC commissioned a second series of The Wombles, which put a great big spanner in the works.

So Ivor turned to me and said, ‘you’ve done some drawn animation, haven’t you?’ and I said, ‘yeah, I did loads of it, with Jacques,’ and he said, ‘well, right, there’s a script, there’s the puppets, get on with it.’

Was he the voice from the start?

“Yes. We saw lots of people: Bernard Breslaw, Deryck Guyler. I fancied the idea of Leslie Phillips because he had that sort of hesitation in his voice, very like Denholm Elliott. But Bernard Cribbins, he’s popping up all the time, I think he’s still as busy as he wants to be. He’s been in some great plays on the radio as well as Doctor Who. What Bernard would do, he’d follow the script but he’d change a lot of it, he’d say, ‘well, Bulgaria doesn’t do that’; and he’d fill in for you with little incidentals and dum-deedums.

“And it was a lot to ask of a writer.

We’d be thinking of what models we’d like to make next, say a broken trombone, and we’d say, ‘Liz, here’s a list of objects, see if you can write a story around one of these’.

Even with that, it was still difficult, it’s a lot of ideas and you’ve got to do them all within three or four months. Everything’s always overlapping, nine days might sound a lot for four or five minutes but it wasn’t.

“That was all in Marylebone, in about five mews houses which FilmFair had taken over, knocking the internal walls down. The films made pennies but the merchandising really took off. Graham was good at that but he didn’t know anything about the music world, and Mike Batt (who

to make. We were making lots of money for FilmFair and decided to set up on our own. In retrospect it was the worst time to start up, the early 80s, but animation was flavour of the month. I called it Puppetoon – I pinched the name from an American animator from the 20s and 30s, a guy called George Pal, I just liked his work – and we did commercials for 9 or 10 years.”

ters, Harriet and Emma.

“I began to see the red light twinkling in the distance and I thought, ‘the scripts aren’t turning up as frequently as they used to. I’m getting older and the creatives are getting younger.’ It’s understandable: advertising is fickle and egotistical.”

So he retired to Norfolk, but he does miss the working lunches at L’Epicure. q

Paddington Bear

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YLM

BOOK CLUB

The Green Road Into the Tree: A Walk Through EnglanD

by Hugh Thomson £9.99 (Paperback)

Reviews by Diss Publishing www.disspublishing.co.uk | 01379 644612

This book won the Wainwright Prize 2014 and is richly deserving.

Hugh Thomson has written widely about other countries but now he turns his attention to his own, walking right across England along ancient tracks and grass roads. He explores legends and literature of the natural world and current country way of life and the characters he meets along the way. Insightful, humorous and a joy to read.

Elizabeth is Missing

by Emma Healey £12.99 (Hardback) Maud is an elderly woman who is suffering from the symptoms of dementia but Maud must remember something very important, her friend Elizabeth is missing or so the notes written in her own handwriting say. This book takes the reader on a gripping journey to solve the mystery of her friend’s disappearance and how it connects to the unsolved disappearance of Maud’s sister Sukey over seventy years ago, just after the war. A captivating tale, with an unforgettable lead character.

Fleabag

by Helen Stephens £6.99 (Paperback)

Love Your Lunchbox

by James Ramsden £16.99 (Hardback) James Ramsden is a food writer and broadcaster and his supper club, The Secret Larder, is very hard to get into. This book screams summer and has the most colourful and tasty recipes we have seen in a long time. Anything from Turkish Lamb and Rice Broth to Cucumber and Feta Salad and Purple Sprouting Broccoli, Poached Egg and Anchovy Dressing. The colour photographs are very appealing and it lists the preparation and cooking times, has easily accessible ingredients and is tasty and healthy.

YLM | your lifestyle magazine

Fleabag the dog doesn’t have a big person to look after him and take him for walks - he lives all alone in a park. One day he sees a little boy, Bob, whose big person (Mum) is too interested in his little brother to pay him much attention and they start to play together. A strong friendship soon grows and Fleabag finds what he has always wanted: a friend and a home. Accompanied by beautiful and colourful illustrations, this is a heart warming book.

Sinner

by Maggie Stiefvater £12.99 (Hardback) Sinner follows Cole St. Clair a sobered up rockstar from Maggie Stiefvater’s Shiver series. Cole has a dark secret - the ability to shift into a wolf that few people know, one of those people being Isabelle Culpeper. Cole and Isabelle used to love each other, but Isabelle has fled from Cole. In this novel their paths cross again. They can save each other or destroy each other.

Whatever the outcome these two seemed destined to be entwined.

An epic love story in the same vein as Twilight.

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YLM

Q&A

Bolddog FMX Team Bolddog FMX Team

Bolddog FMX Team are the UKs number one freestyle motorcross team and sponsered by Honda

YLM

If you’ve not spotted Bolddog FMX Team at one of the many shows around the country then any of you Britain’s Got Talent fans out there will remember them from the live television semi-final!

This month we were extremely lucky to be invited to watch Dan Whitby (manager) age 30, Samson Eaton, age 25 and Arran Powley, age 24, at one of their practices. What an amazing experience and privilege!

All three are ‘local boys’ and started riding at the age of 3 and 4, moving into freestyle between the ages of 15 and 19.

So, ‘where did the name Bolddog come from?’ I hear you ask. Well, the team was started by Andy Gobbold and Bolddog is an anagram of his surname. Dan took over as manager in 2005 and has been doing it ever since. Lings look after them for all their Honda equipment; the motorcycles, the generator… everything comes from Lings Honda.

The team are extremely grateful to them.

The stunts performed by the team are incredible! They leave you watching with your mouth wide open and your heart pumping. What they do takes a lot of hard work and a lot of passion and we would definitely recommend getting out there and checking them out for yourselves.

After an ‘edge of your seat’ practice we caught up with Dan, Samson and Eaton and this is what they had to say…

So, how did you manage to get on Britain’s Got Talent?

More by luck really than anything else; it was a mutual thing between us and them. We got invited down to the Cardiff audition and it went really well even after not a lot of sleep, leaving very early and getting down there.

It was a good idea for us to have a go. It was nice to get a little bit of exposure for the sport. We’re grateful that we didn’t embarrass our parents or our friends, or ourselves! It was a good exercise and good to be a part of it.

How dangerous is what you do?

Did you get to meet everyone on Britain’s Got Talent?

Not everyone. We met Simon Cowell, he is really, really nice.

He was the only judge that came over to us, they’re busy people but he made a real effort.

We met Ant and Dec and spent a bit of time with them. We also met Stephen Mulhern – he was awesome! He was probably the most talented person we met on there, including all the contestants! The dude is hilarious. Everyone else has a bit of script that they follow; everything he had to say his auto-cue came up with ‘Stephen Adlib’. So everything was him off the cuff.

You got through to the semifinals but then you had to prerecord the performance, how did this feel?

It was a suggestion from them.

We were more than happy to do it live but I don’t think they realised before exactly what we were going to do and then having seen the auditions, they thought ‘this is live, what if one of them crashes?’ Obviously if we do crash the consequences are pretty bad. You’re not in a roll cage, you’re not surrounded by

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air bags; bones do break and you could almost witness something horrendous on live TV. That’s why they went for it. It definitely created a little bit of hype but it probably didn’t help us much in the final, you don’t get an atmosphere from just watching it on a screen.

When we recorded it that night the atmosphere was unbelievable. We were hiding away in the lorry because if we came out the whole crowd went mental and were screaming; you couldn’t walk about. If that had come across on the night then it would have been a bit better.

It’s pretty factual, you know, we don’t glamorise it to be anything that it’s not – it is a motorcycle jump, 21M/75ft gap, 35-40ft in the air. And then we let go.

The consequences of falling when doing that are pretty high.

Unfortunately there have been a few fatalities within the sport.

We’ve broken one or two things, between us, there’s a nice list! (Dan actually fractured his neck in 2002!) Most of the time you work through the injuries.

The first thing you think when you fall off is ‘when can I ride again?’

When you first start doing freestyle motorcross how do you practice the stunts?

Start small. Pull the gaps in to next to nothing until you’re no longer scared of it and then work up until you get bigger and bigger…

Are the stunts ‘set’ jumps or do you play around with them and change them?

Depending on the weather that we’re faced with on the day we generally jump a generic 75ft, that’s what we try and aim for

Q&A

Bolddog FMX Team PERFORMING AT THE SUFFOLK SHOW

Photo: © Boldog

“When we recorded the semi final performance (Britain’s Got Talent) the atmosphere was unbelievable.

We were hiding away in the lorry because if we came out the whole crowd went mental and were screaming; you couldn’t walk about.”

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“Dan: I went to India earlier this year and going back in September for two weeks to work on a film called Hero. I’ve got to jump Pontoon to Pontoon to Pontoon!”

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Q&A

every time but obviously the weather doesn’t always allow it so we may have to adjust a little bit. We are following what freestyle riders do.

We sometimes mess about - we’ve pulled the gap in a bit smaller and used smaller bikes.

We then jump a freestyle set-up, as in terms of the take-off ramp and the landing ramp. That’s something that I don’t think has been done too often. You know, we flip them as well and jump side by side.

Do all these jumps have names?

They are all individually named; they have quite unusual names (such as ‘Double Can Look’, ‘Back Hart Attack’, ‘Rock Solid’ and ‘Switch Blade’). The names spawn from America which is where the sport originated. Then Andy Godbold was at the forefront of bringing it over to the U.K. and he developed the mobile landing systems, allowing us to be able to set up a freestyle arena anywhere that there’s space.

As you’re doing dangerous stunts and jumps is the gear you wear very specialist?

The gear is pretty much generic motorcross riding gear; the boots, the knee braces… The gear gives you the confidence to ride, especially the knee braces.

You feel a bit bionic but not to the extent that you can’t move, they’re designed to enable you to move to the best they can but restrict the movements that you don’t want, like your knee popping out!

So, what else is planned for Bolddog in 2014 and the future?

We ride as much as we possibly can…obviously the weather doesn’t always allow. There’s quite a bit to do in terms of maintenance and running the

Image © Boldog

company, booking shows etc.

We’ve been so busy we barely get time to practice. We do 52 days of shows a year! Being in Norfolk you’re quite out of the way so we travel a lot.

Dan: I went to India earlier this year and going back in September for two weeks to work on a film called Hero. I’ve got to jump Pontoon to Pontoon to Pontoon!

We’ll then see what is thrown at us! We are very fortunate to be a busy team.

Lastly, what is it that you all love about the sport?

Everything! Apart from the crashing…

The money doesn’t warrant what we do in terms of injuries and the risk but when you love something so much you do it.

We’re just grateful that we make enough of a living to keep doing it. We constantly think how very, very lucky we are. It’s something that we do as a hobby but we get paid to do it. It’s unreal. You couldn’t think of a better job for us! ❏

We would like to thank Dan, Samson and Arran for an exciting and exhilarating afternoon! If you would like to see Bolddog in action for yourselves then pop along to Cromer Carnival on August 20th and the Aylsham Show on August 25th or visit www.bolddog.com for a full list of events.

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FOCUS

Is for

Education

“Excellence in education is when we do everything that we can to make sure that they become everything that they can.”

— Carol Ann Tomlinson

E

ducation is key and as George Lucas said “Education is the single most important job of the human race”. It shapes who we are and who we are to become. Having a good education not only opens our minds but can open up the world to us.

With this in mind more people are turning to independent schools and free schools. The very fact that they are independent or free means that each school can offer more flexibility in both curriculum and teaching approach. In reality this means greater control over factors such as pupil to teacher ratio, which makes massive differences to the learning environment.

The independent system means greater freedom of choice for parents, happier teaching staff and therefore, well rounded and educated young men and women.

When it comes down to it, education is really about giving young people a chance. What more could one wish for the next generation other than the opportunity to make the most out of life.

The amount of children attending independent schools is increasing, but by how much exactly? The independent schools survey in 2014 indicated that there are now 511,928 pupils at ISC (independent schools council) member schools (of which there are approximately 2600 in the UK). this is up from 508,601 in 2013.

The diversity and flexibility of Independent schools is obviously appealing. Independent schools attract a fractionally larger number of ethnic minority pupils and there is also continued expansion of overseas campuses for UK schools.

As wonderful as that all sounds, we must not forget the reality of the sacrifice made by the teachers and staff, “Above all, it is the hard work of the talented staff at ISC schools – both teaching and non-teaching – who provide the education that parents find so attractive for their children.” — Barnaby Lennon, Chairman, Independent Schools Council There seems to be a trend throughout education in general,

towards learning through experience. Perhaps schools are conscious to try and engage with a generation more easily distracted and bridge the gap between traditional education and modern thinking? Certainly both state and independent schools share many common goals, however, when you look the figures published by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills last year any comparison ends. These figures showed that almost two-thirds of A-level students from the independent sector went on to top universities, compared with less than a quarter of those from the state system. The gap between private and state schools widened in the past five years, despite attempts by the Russell Group, representing 24 leading UK

This article is continued on page 18

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RIDDLESWORTH HALL SCHool

R

iddlesworth Hall School, set amidst over 30 acres of its own parkland in the beautiful Norfolk countryside, is an IAPS school catering for girls and boys from the age of 2 to 13.

It’s a traditional, rural prep school maintaining strong values; manners such as holding open doors and being polite and friendly are taught as great importance and you notice this straight away when visiting the school.

Numbers are limited so that there are not more than twenty children in each year group and because it’s so small the school is very family orientated. It has an excellent pastoral system and as such it is a caring and happy place for students and teachers alike.

There is such a unique atmosphere within the school.

Riddlesworth Hall offers a broad curriculum and being small means that they can offer so much more.

A wide range of sports are taught such as Rugby, Football, Cricket, Hockey and Netball; with matches every week. Due to the size of the school it means that everyone gets to participate. The school has a

policy: everyone has a go, everyone is involved.

The same goes for the speech, drama and music; everyone is involved. The school offers courses examined by LAMDA (the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts). One to one tuition is provided for both this and music; some children lack in confidence and this really helps to build up that confidence, helping them to be the best that they can be.

Music plays an important role in the daily life of the school for all the students. Riddlesworth Hall prides itself on a strong and continuing musical tradition.

As well as singing together at church every Friday the school has its own choir and chamber choir. These perform regularly and have sung at the Norwich Festival, the St. Mary’s Diss Festival, at the cathedral in Bury St. Edmunds and Ely and at local residential homes.

They have even performed at the O2 and a local whisky distillery!

As well as day students Riddlesworth Hall also offers boarding for ages 7 to 13. Whether it be full time or flexi-board, all children are made to feel welcome and

comfortable. Many day students will suddenly come in to board and they fit in straight away. On Saturday there are lots of in school activities such as arts and crafts, there is always something to do.

The computer room is shut and the children are encouraged to go outdoors, in the beautiful grounds.

Every Sunday they go out on day trips and in half terms they go out every single day! The children are very well looked after and there is such a warm, caring and family atmosphere.

International students are also welcomed at Riddlesworth Hall.

They are linked with a school called Regents in Thailand but students from all over the world visit, such as, Japan, China, Spain, Italy, Korea, Columbia, Russia, Ukraine and the USA! They can come for a year or on a short term basis but all international students are fully integrated; they are assessed quickly and go straight into the normal curriculum with their same age group.

Riddlesworth also has links with the services and provides boarding for children who have parents currently serving in HM Forces.

They offer fully escorted travel to and from airports by members of staff who know the children and also cover weekends and, where circumstances do not allow children to travel home, during school holidays. They aim to become a ‘home from home’ for the children and maintain a close liaison with parents.

The school’s ethos is ‘to be a unique, stimulating, secure and happy environment rich in opportunity and expectation. Every child is encouraged to aspire to the highest possible educational, moral and spiritual standards preparing them to meet the challenges of a changing world.’

“Independence and curiosity are encouraged and nurtured, and the children leave us at thirteen ready for the new opportunities and challenges that they will face at their secondary schools.

I consider it an absolute pleasure to be leading Riddlesworth Hall and would very much like to have the opportunity of welcoming you to the school to share my passion for the education and unique care we can offer your son or daughter” Headmaster, Paul Cochrane. q

“Every child is encouraged to aspire to the highest possible educational, moral and spiritual standards preparing them to meet the challenges of a changing world.”

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Find us Hall Lane, Diss, Norfolk, IP22 2TA

Email ljc@riddlesworth-hall.co.uk

Telephone 01953 681246

Visit our Website riddlesworthhall.com

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institutions, to increase the proportion of students from state schools. Across the UK, 86 per cent of pupils from independent schools went on to university compared with 70 per cent from the state system.

And what have some of these graduates gone on to do? Well, take controversial former Secretary of State for Education Mr Gove for example. He started out at a Scottish state school but then won a scholarship to the independent Robert Gordon’s College in Aberdeen. David Cameron went to Eton, as did Oliver Letwin, Jo Johnson, Ed Llewellyn, Rupert Harrison and Boris Johnson. A study by the education think-tank, the Sutton Trust, found the proportion of MPs having attended

independent schools increased at the last General Election, reversing the downward trend of recent decades. Over a third of MPs attended fee-paying schools, which educate just 7% of the school population. A major factor behind the increase was the higher number of Conservative MPs, who are much more likely to have been privately schooled than Labour members. Over half of Conservative MPs attended fee paying schools, compared with 40% of Liberal Democrats, and 15% of Labour MPs. The review also found that there were 20 Old-Etonians in Parliament.

Whether that will actually mean anything for next year we will have to wait and see.

further than London 2012. Twelve of the forty one British gold medal-winners at the Olympics were from private schools, as noted by the Good Schools Guide, presumably thanks to superior facilities and coaching.

For sporting influence look no

Of course we must not forget

Even pop musicians and screen stars are more likely to have been privately educated. According to The Word magazine, artists include: Lily Allen (prestigious boarding school Bedales), Coldplay’s Chris Martin (Sherborne), Florence and the Machine’s Florence Welch (Alleyn’s), singersongwriters Jack Penate (Alleyn’s) and Jamie T (Reed’s). Actor Luke Roberts, star of BBC’s Holby City, went to Woodbridge School.

FOCUS

one of the most influential political activists of all time, Thomas Paine, who was a former pupil of Thetford Grammar School, thought to have been founded in the 7th century and one of the oldest schools in the country.

Paine’s The Rights of Man inspired the American and French revolutions. There’s also the story of a certain young lady called Diana, who spent some time at Riddlesworth Hall...

But perhaps, despite all the famous names and influence, the real heroes are the wonderful teachers and places of education that we are fortunate to have on our doorstep, and which are helping inspire a new generation of dynamic, and diverse students, full of potential. q

“Twelve of the forty one British gold medal-winners at the Olympics were from private schools, as noted by the Good Schools Guide, presumably thanks to superior facilities and coaching.”

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A Woodbridge Education

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oodbridge School is an independent coeducational day School for children of ages 4 - 18. The aim of the School is to create an environment in which children thrive as individuals, and where a wealth of opportunities are open to them academically, socially and through a host of extra-curricular activities.

However, do not fall into the trap of believing that a School which promotes extra-curricular activity is somehow less focussed on the importance of academic success; on the contrary, it is clear that the confidence gained from extra-curricular achievements filters into the classroom. This is evidenced by our outstanding CGSE and A Level results, as well as five Oxbridge offers this year alone. Children who know that they are capable are more likely

and out, are the hallmark of Woodbridge.

“I am much more confident since I started at Woodbridge; the School and the friends I have made there have really brought out the best in me.”

“When I came back for another visit to the School on a normal School day, it actually seemed as buzzy as it did on Open Day.” From the very beginning at Queen’s House, the lively pre-preparatory School, children encounter a nurturing environment and a love of learning is encouraged from day 1.

Classrooms are colourful and lively, the School has a warm, purposeful and enthusiastic atmosphere. On any day children may be learning about day and night and enjoying a visit from a live owl, or wrapping a teacher in white kitchen roll and

love of learning.

At The Abbey, the beautiful Preparatory School, pupils continue to learn through fun. Amongst numerous examples are the much loved Abbey maths days- a day of fun activities to encourage children’s engagement with the subject, as well as theme days for history, such as the recent Viking day which saw hordes of children dressed as Vikings tearing through the grounds in the midst of a fierce battle enactment. Always fun, but always with improving academic strength in mind. The community spirit that is in the brickwork at Woodbridge starts to be nurtured at The Abbey, as children are involved in a host of fun fundraising activities for local and national charities.

“We don’t just sit and read books, we always learn through something fun. We’ve made board games in maths and we’ve done coal mining re-enactments in history!”

“We all have loads of best friends here, not just one. It is a really friendly School” By the time our pupils emerge from the Senior School and Sixth Form, they are ready to face the world and confident in their ability to face life in further education or beyond. They leave feeling a mixture of sadness and excitement, which is exactly as it should be.

“If I look back on my time here I’ll think so fondly of time just spent in the classroom. Actually, that’s where all the fun is.” q

“I am much more confident since I started at Woodbridge; the School and the friends I have made there have really brought out the best in me.”

to excel in their academic studies and to enjoy the process of learning.

This is at the heart of a Woodbridge education. The well rounded, cheerful and competent children that engage with the community, in School

Sellotape during a lesson about Egyptian Pharaohs. A creative approach to the curriculum enables children of all abilities to become excited to discover knowledge and skills and to embark on a lifelong

Find us Woodbridge, Suffolk, IP12 4JH

Email enquiries@woodbridge.suffolk.sch.uk

Telephone 01394 615000

Visit our Website woodbridge.suffolk.sch.uk

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FOOD & DRINK

Food Review

10% OFF WHEN YOU BOOK with code YLM* PAGE 57

GREAT LOCAL DINING “I was particularly pleased to see so many local ingredients on the menu; Mendlesham Lamb, Occold Pork, Norfolk Samphire, Suffolk Brie, Suffolk Chicken, East Anglian Red Poll Steak and Burger and Occold (Church Farm) Lamb”

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he Beaconsfield Arms was the location for this month’s food review, where we were kindly invited by Marc and Sophie Prescott.

As you walk into The Beaconsfield Arms you are immediately struck by the friendly atmosphere.

Everything is clean and modern but at the same time traditional and characterful, with its beautiful old beams and lovely large fireplace.

We were warmly welcomed by Marc and Sophie and also by Rob at the bar. We were not rushed at all and spent a little time at the bar before moving through to the restaurant, which again was clean and fresh and spacious.

I love that excited feeling you have when you first look at a menu, that anticipation of what you might find.

I was particularly pleased to see so many local ingredients on the menu; Mendlesham Lamb, Occold Pork, Norfolk Samphire, Suffolk Brie, Adnams Beer Batter, Suffolk Chicken, East Anglian Red Poll Steak and Burger and Occold

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(Church Farm) Lamb. Marc and Sophies ethos is ‘celebrating local produce’.

So, what did we start with? Well, I chose the Bubble and Squeak, black pudding and crispy softboiled free-range hen’s egg which was absolutely delightful. After breaking through the crunchy coating of the egg the yoke oozed out and trickled down the black pudding and bubble and squeak.

It was perfectly cooked. This was not a dish I had seen on a menu before, which was why I went for it, but it worked so well. The combinations complimented each other completely.

Ben chose the Crispy Church Farm (Occold) Lamb Shoulder, baby radish, mint crème fresh and red wine reduction. Again, lamb was something unusual to find as a starter but it worked perfectly.

Ben said that the lamb was tender and was wonderfully balanced with the radish and crème fresh “I love to pull the lamb apart, that’s the fun of it”.

The service was excellent and quick, especially as everything

was freshly cooked and we did not have to wait long for our main meals.

I went for the fillet of Hake, chorizo and potato croquette, king scallop and creamed leaks.

The fish was ‘melt in your mouth’ but with a golden, crispy skin. I was intrigued to see how well the chorizo would go with the rest of the ingredients but I was very pleasantly surprised; it brought out all the flavours. The combinations had clearly been thought out and the dish worked best if you took a bite of every element together.

Ben decided on The Beaky Burger – an 8oz East Anglain Red Poll Steak Burger topped with Suffolk Gold and Dingley Dell Streaky Bacon, viennoise roll, hand cut chips, Adnams beer battered onion rings and coleslaw as he said he was a “bit of a burger expert”! A burger is actually not easy to get right.

“Good chips are hard to find but these are amazing, the best I’ve

had in ages” revealed Ben. The bacon juice had soaked into the bread and was rich and salty.

This was a classic dish done extremely well. I could see the sheer joy on Ben’s face.

To finish off the meal I opted for the special – Lemon curd, meringue, Chantilly cream, crumb and traditional lemonade. This was dreamy. For me it was the perfect ending to a delicious meal. It was such a great concept and worked fantastically; cleansing the pallet as well as delighting the taste buds. We would like to take this opportunity to thank Marc and Sophie for a lovely evening and meal. We recommend you try The Beaconsfield Arms for yourselves. ❑

Find us Mill Road, Occold, Suffolk

Email info@thebeaconsfieldarmsoccold.co.uk

Telephone 01379 678362

Visit our Website thebeaconsfieldarmsoccold.co.uk

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FOOD & DRINK

Coronation Chicken Roasted Butternut Squash & Chickpea

“One taste of homemade dressing and you won’t go back to those bottles hanging around the refrigerator door!”

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ummer is the season when the humble salad comes to the fore. As the weather (hopefully) heats up, our desire for lighter dishes packed with fresh, seasonal ingredients means the salad becomes a true star of mealtimes - and so much more than a feeble garnish of a few lettuce leaves, cucumber and a cherry tomato!

As summer hits its stride, it’s easy to turn salads from side dishes into a main meal. Salads are a great way to use up leftover barbequed chicken or steak. Any kind of protein is good - turkey,

ham, tuna, salami and prosciutto are all great on salads. If you want to keep it meatless, open up a can of beans - kidney, cannellini, chickpeas and black beans all make tasty, satisfying salad ingredients – in the picture you can see roasted butternut squash and chickpeas with tahini dressing. Also pictured is Coronation chicken made with leftover roast chicken.

Salad dressings are easy to make

from scratch. One taste of homemade dressing and you won’t go back to those bottles hanging around the refrigerator door!

Remember - it doesn’t need to be leafy and green to be called a salad - try a Greek salad of tomato wedges, sliced cucumber, thinly sliced red onions, green pepper, Kalamata olives and tangy feta cheese mixed with a simply delicious dressing of lemon juice, olive oil, and

Fruity Couscous

chopped mint and dill. There’s a whole world of grain salads, too – pictured here is some fruity couscous – simply make couscous with vegetable stock and add chopped dried apricots, flaked almonds, sultanas and fresh mint and parsley.

Make them for a picnic, to accompany a BBQ, for a light supper or a delicious packed lunch – just make sure you make them! ❑

Words & food by Gemma Harvey | Cherry Catering Company

Super Summer Salads YLM | your lifestyle magazine

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LEASE OF LIFE

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n the 4th July 2014 Elliott Knight and Abi Rainbird re-opened the Trowel and Hammer in Cotton, having taken over the lease on 23rd May 2014. A big challenge for anyone but especially at the age of 23 and 19!

But if anyone can meet that challenge it is them; their passion and dedication shines through when you meet them.

However let’s go back in time to where it all began; at The Thornham Four Horseshoes. Both Elliott and Abi started there part time but Elliott was soon offered an apprenticeship to become manager and Abi worked up to supervisor.

“We learnt everything we know from Tom at the Four Horseshoes” explains Elliott and Abi “He put a lot of trust in us and we couldn’t have done it without him. Both Tom and his family helped us a lot”.

The time felt right to move on

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FOOD & DRINK

and start on their own and about a year ago the Cotton Trowel and Hammer came up for lease. Both Elliott and Abi had always loved the Trowel and Hammer and were very passionate about it and so jumped at the chance. They were disappointed to find out that it had already been signed to someone else. However, it was listed again and they saw it on the day and went for it!

From then until they opened they worked incredibly hard. They wanted to make sure that everything was just right. Everyone was involved, all of their friends and family helped, from ironing curtains, to painting, to cleaning the toilets.

“Friends and family, you can’t beat them!” says Elliott with a smile.

All of their hard work has paid off though as they have created a truly lovely place to visit. The Trowel and Hammer has a real traditional feel with its beautiful oak beams, low ceilings and welcoming fireplaces, but it is also wonderfully clean and fresh.

Their signature dish is the The building itself is homemade Wild Boar made up of separate and Onion Burger, areas; you have a which many relaxed family have said is the area to eat in, best burger which is child they’ve and dog “Elliott and Abi have ever had! friendly; d goo three main focuses: The Wild here you food, good service and a Boar itself will also is raised in find the good atmosphere.”

Woodbridge. bar, then All the bread you have the is from Palmers Cotton Club Bakery in Haughfor more formal ley, the meat is from dining. Then there’s Norwich and the fish from the light and airy Garden Stowmarket. It’s all about local Room and of course the attractive quality. large garden at the rear of the part Elliott and Abi have three main thatched listed building, perfect focuses: good food, good service for alfresco dining and drinking on these fantastic summer evenings. and a good atmosphere. So, how do they feel now that they have All the dishes on the menu are been open for a few weeks? “We made using local and fresh ingreabsolutely love it! It is a way of life. dients. “We have made a point of keeping our menu short to ensure People don’t just eat and go, they stay and relax and we really enjoy that everything is prepared freshly it. We can relax too as we live here and only using the best ingredients” and can spend time with everyone. say Elliott and Abi.

It feels like family” People have been really keen for the Trowel and Hammer to open and do well. Under the passionate care of both Elliott and Abi it will do just that…They both love it and are excited at the opportunity they feel they have been given, one they have worked hard for.

If you would like to see for yourself then the Trowel and Hammer is open Tuesday-Thursday 12pm-11pm, Friday-Saturday 12pm-12am and Sundays 12pm-11pm. You can visit www.trowelandhammercotton. com for more information or for dining times. You are guaranteed a warm welcome. ❑

Find us Mill Road, Cotton, Nr Stowmarket

Email info@trowelandhammercotton.com

Telephone 01449 257381

Visit our Website trowelandhammercotton.com

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FEATURED PROPERTY

Exciting times ahead FOR GABLES FARM

September OPEN HOUSE 6th

Do you ever have a dream that comes close to reality? Well, the dream for us is:

Step One - to leave our beautiful home after 30 years. Some folk think we are mad!

Step Two - move into a static caravan - that confirms the madness!

Step Three - watch the renovation of our future home - at the moment looking like a cowshed, tudor barn and animal housing!

So the question is, how and when does this all happen?, the answer? As soon as the right family fall in love with and buy our home!

With this in mind we, together with Durrants, are hosting an Open House on Saturday 6th September between 1pm and 3pm.

Gables Farmhouse is a beautiful six bedroom home, we moved here in 1984 with our three children. In about 1995 we enhanced three of the bedrooms by installing en-suite facilities and ran a 4 star Silver Award Bed and Breakfast - our guests loved the idyllic setting, the landscaped gardens and the opportunity to visit the many varied places of interest in the area.

Along with the opportunity to look around our home, we will also be able to show prospective buyers the approved plans for The Mill House, an exciting opportunity for further development of the propertie’s outbuildings.

So don’t forget, if you are looking for a Grade II Listed timber framed, moated farmhouse, contact Durrants in Harleston and Diss for more information about our open day.

Michael & Sue Harvey

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HOMES & GARDENS

Top tips for top marks Swank Interiors go back to school Words by Lanassir Lawes Swank Interiors

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hether you are looking for a space to study or work from home, getting the perfect setting that is functional yet comfortable is so important.

With computers becoming more compact and the ability to use portable devices such as lap tops has eliminated the need for bulky desks that house cumbersome towers and wired keyboard.

Antique and reclaimed wooden desks can add interest to a room and look less like a commercial office than steel and metal. A good desk lamp that focus’ the light onto reading material is essential for eye comfort, overhead lighting can cause glare on computer screens.

Personally I like to have a clock on view as it is so easy to lose track of the time when engrossed in a project. As they say “time flies when you are having fun” Keep the items on your desk to a minimum - only have things that you are currently working on; it is so easy to get distracted and digress!

Are you sitting comfortably?

Finding a chair that suits your height and helps maintain a good posture can be a big but worthwhile investment, I would always advise sitting on a chair prior to purchasing.

The items featured in the photograph are available to purchase.

Swank Interiors 01379 687542

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What's Happening in Gabriel's Garden?

HOMES & GARDENS

HOT STUFF

ugust can be the hottest month of the year and traditionally the month to take a holiday. Head to the coast to enjoy the best of our Norfolk beaches, spend nights under canvas and the wide open skies, enjoying the warm evenings with friends and family. All of which thankfully can be achieved without travelling too far, especially from the gardens here in Gissing.

Enlist family and friends to help keep pots and beds watered (using collected water where possible) if you do go away, place trays underneath pots (I use old school dinner trays and black builders trays, not very attractive but practical!) to

create reservoirs of water or invest in a drip feed irrigation system to keep beds and borders looking lush and full of flowers.

The National Gardens Scheme has an amazing list of gardens that are open to the public in August. It’s not only great to see other gardens in all their glory but also to gain new ideas inspiration and advice.

Here in the garden in Gissing the Zinnia’s en mass create an incredible display. I have them planted in the poly tunnel for protection from the wind. Their colours range from scarlet to burnt orange, hot pink, lime green and cream to pale pinks and mauves; their complex

back and take a look to ensure the shrub you are pruning has a balanced and even look and never cut back more than one third of the plant in one go!

Snippers in hand, I’m deadheading all the flowering plants in the garden, espe“Hardy annuals like Nigella cially the dahlias and Gypsophila that flowered (this means cutting earlier in the year will have set off any flowers their seed and on a dry day you that have died back). Always cut can cut the seed pods from the the stem just above plant and store in paper bags.” a side shoot or leaf, this will help the plant to keep producing flowers well into the autumn.

August is also the start of the seed collecting season, hardy annuals like Nigella and Gypsophila that flowered earlier in the year will have set their seed and on a dry day you can cut the seed pods from the plant and store in paper bags, (don’t forget to label what they are) or hang in bunches.

Nigella African Bride has beautiful sculptural seed pods that will look fantastic in autumn arrangements or even sprayed silver and gold for Christmas.

Towards the end of the month flower heads contain tiny yellow I will sow the first of the hardy star like flowers within the flower’s annuals that will over winter and centre, fabulous on their own in flower early next year, Cornflowsingle vases or bottles they create ers, Larkspur and Cerinthe seem a stunning display. For a dramatic to do well in the gardens here and arrangement or bouquet combine will often self seed, popping up in with the soft fern like floristry filler unexpected places which is always Ammi Visagna and the deep purple a delight. ❑ of Salvia Viridis.

I am going to prune back the summer flowering shrubs Philadelphus and Weilegia both of which have become too tall and rambling, I will cut back the shoots that flowered this summer to the fresh new shoots that have grown this year encouraging even more flowers Words by Gabbi | Gabriel’s Garden next year. It’s always good to stand

diary

Seed Saving workshops September 20th & 21st, 2pm – 4pm Workshops will take place in the garden and will focus on how to collect, store and label seeds. Take home a selection of collected flower seeds, Tea and cake included. £35.00

Wyken Vineyard Farmers Market 2nd & 23rd August Gabriel’s Garden will be there, selling fabulous flowers

A

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How to get in touch, www.gabrielsgarden.co.uk hello@gabrielsgarden.co.uk 01379 677 793

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HOMES & GARDENS

WEATHER THE STORM Words by Joan Garnham | Waveney Tree Specialists

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lightning strike is the most dramatic tool in mother natures arsenal when it comes to tree damage. A tree can virtually explode when hit or long narrow furrows appear on the stem where the bark and wood has been torn out. A lightning rift typically runs in a gentle spiral from the top of a surface root to a dead or dying branch or tree top, (the lightning stroke is upwards from the ground to the cloud). If this enormous surge of energy in a fraction of a second (200 megawatts) passes through the tree the water in the tissue vaporises with explosive force, killing the tree.

The torn off bark and wood can be found up to several feet away. On particularly precious or rare trees, lightning conductors can be fitted.

The most common kind of storm damage is wind. It may look alarming when trees bend in the wind but they are made to withstand strong wind and indeed are planted to act as wind breaks. When a tree topples (wind throw) it is more likely due to the roots losing purchase because of excessive rainfall. There is also an increased risk when the tree is in full leaf. Snapping/falling branches due to wind is exacerbated by earlier damage or disease.

If you are unfortunate to have storm damage to your trees, please do not be hasty in lopping off branches or cutting

the tree down.

There are several reasons for this.

The tree might be saved by correct surgery; bad pruning makes the tree generate a lot of new growth which will be weak. It can be very dangerous since the tree will be weakened. One of the most dangerous jobs is to fell a wind throw that has caught onto another tree – we call these ‘widow makers’.

The stress within the fallen tree or twisted and broken branches can be amazing and it really needs an expert to deal with it. Cutting out limbs with a chain saw is not the same as cutting up fire wood and should be done with extreme care and with the correct training and protective equipment.

The only time immediate work is necessary is when the tree is

about to fall on people or property, it can often be ‘helped’ to fall away from danger; to do this effectively and safely, requires years of training.

If the tree has brought down power lines – don’t touch – call in the experts.

Prevention is better than cure.

The best thing to do is regularly inspect your trees for any damage or disease and deal with this straight away. This will help the tree rejuvenate and reduce further damage.

Good tree surgeons will give free advice or contact your council tree officer. ❑

“The stress within a fallen tree or twisted and broken branches can be amazing.”

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Talking about birds and the bees...and the barn owls

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he busiest time of the year has arrived and farmers now stop worrying about the harvest prospects and roll up their sleeves to get on with the job. The time has come to get the crops into the barn. My childhood memories are of picnic teas in the harvest field, the noise and dust of machinery and hitching rides on trailers of grain and loads of straw.

Today’s H&S inspectors would have a fit. In these memories, the weather is always sunny and warm, the air is full of insects and butterflies, and invariably the picnic is near a wasps’ nest. Now, in 2014, after years of habitat decline, we are getting back to where we were, thanks to the introduction of Environmental Schemes. These involve grassy field margins and protected hedges, both of which are hugely beneficial to all the pollinators. Of course, the hitching of tractor rides is a no-no, the sun doesn’t always shine when you want it to, and teatime is a hasty affair in the cool of air-conditioned cabs. However, all is not doom and gloom on the wildlife side of life. We are enjoying some warm spring and summer weather for the second year running and insect numbers, especially

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butterflies, have bounced back. ( Now THAT weather forecast is tempting fate, it will probably be raining buckets by the time you are reading this.)

The greatest success story is the Suffolk Barn Owl Project, where the introduction of barn owl boxes has helped restore their numbers.

There are now more Barn Owls in Suffolk than 50 years ago and the trained and registered birdringers are rushing about as busy as chalet girls. The miracle of flight cannot come soon enough for all juvenile birds in the nest, and it is not unknown for the fast-growing young barn owl to take to the wing before the ringer arrives. Like many kids of my generation, I was an enthusiastic egg-collector and followed a strict rule to take one egg only from a clutch of four or five.

One day, my father sent me on a wild-goose chase across a meadow to seek out a hedge by a certain oak-tree, where, he assured me, the nest of the handsome bullfinch was the prize. On failing to find this jewel, I was not in the best of moods when I returned to the farm-house, only to be reminded by all and sundry that it was April 1st. The bullfinch remains my favourite garden visitor and we have

seen a splendid increase in their numbers at Wash Farm in recent winters. Our lovely part of Suffolk is sometimes referred to as the heart of High Suffolk, which is all of 55 meters above sea-level.

A feature of this clay plateau is the predominance of ash trees, many of which overhang our overgrown garden, and the seed of the common ash is the bullfinches’ favourite food.

We are stewards of the land for our lifetime and a wise man would tell us to leave the land in better heart than we found it. Our challenge at Wash Farm is to marry conservation with profitable farming. The family, with son William now

with us, now enters its fourth generation since my grandfather started here in the 1890’s and the fundamental of maximising productivity remain. But we must not forget the birds and the bees! ❑

“The miracle of flight cannot come soon enough for all juvenile birds in the nest, and it is not unknown for the fastgrowing young barn owl to take to the wing before the ringer arrives.”

CAPTURE

Words by Trevor Edwards

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MOTORING

WIN

A £50 VOUCHER FOR GM AUTOTECH PAGE 57

MY FIRST CAR Words by Leighten Ball | GM Autotech

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verybody remembers their first car, whether it was shiny and new(ish) or purchased as a wreck and brought slowly back to life through solid endeavour. That first drive, that sense of freedom – it’s almost as significant as moving out and setting up your own home for the first time – it makes an indelible mark on your memory. Ask anyone what their first car was and the response will be instant.

Ask them what was their second or third and I almost guarantee there’ll be a pause while they dredge their mind for a response.

So, what was my first car? Well, that depends on how you define it. Arguably the first car I ‘drove’ and lavished care and attention on was a 1960’s Ferrari 330 P4. It came along with half a dozen other Scalextric cars in an old trunk with miles (or should I say feet) of track, grandstands, pit stops and other racing paraphernalia. None of it was new, much of it was broken or in need of a little

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TLC, but I was in heaven. A quick appraisal of all the cars revealed the P4 as being in the best shape and it was certainly the quickest around the track. But eventually I realised I needed more speed and what followed was a continuous program of improvement. Firstly all the other cars were cannibalised for the best parts. When I’d exhausted that avenue, trips to Langley’s Model Shop in Norwich were organised for my go faster bits. At its peak the P4 was at least 30% faster than any other car in the set, but as they say, time marches on and I was soon ready for something on a larger scale.

I’m not entirely sure if the next car really counts as truly ‘My First Car’ material, but it gets a mention here as it was my first encounter with spannering, and had the added spice of being a bit of a commercial venture too. My family’s 1974 Mini Clubman estate (the earlier generation with ‘real’ fake wood down the sides, not the late model with mere vinyl stripes!)

“The first car I ‘drove’ and lavished care and attention on was a 1960’s Ferrari 330 P4. It came along with half a dozen other Scalextric cars in an old trunk.”

had initially belonged to my brother, and although much loved, it had become a somewhat neglected run-about. With a need to dispose of the Mini and keep his teenage son busy, my father suggested I could do it up and then sell it on. So we struck a deal: anything over £200 would be mine to keep. Two weeks of fettling with some help and guidance from my brother, a not inconsiderable amount of body filler, plus the gift of some (just) legal tyres from a friend saw the Mini looking much perkier. I placed an advert in the EDP classifieds and within a week I had closed a sale at £400. Father was a little surprised at my

£200 profit and I’m sure I heard him remark later that perhaps he should have set his share a little higher!

That £200 didn’t go to waste though. It went towards the purchase of my own first real car, and I’m pleased to say that I still have it: a 1969 Morris Mini Cooper MkII. But alas I’m still waiting for that first drive. Why so long you might ask? Well, it was purchased as a restoration job, and as they say, it’s still a work in progress. Watch this space though and I’ll make sure you’re the first to know how that first drive goes. In the meantime I must get busy with my welding torch… ❑

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VENTURE

ust the other day , I was having a look at the Dream On numbers. We are half way through the year and I was looking at how we are doing and working out plans for the rest of the year. I was half listening to a conversation in the background “I could never have my own business.”

“Yes , it’s too much pressure”, “You can never switch off”, “And you get problems with people who work with you” “And you constantly have to keep thinking of ways to develop your business” I looked up from the numbers and saw my team in deep conversation about why they wanted to be employed and never wanted to own a business.

“You are right “I said , “ I don’t know why I bother, it’s just too hard.”

The team looked a bit sheepish.

“Not for you “said Amanda...

Umm. I’m sure anyone who has their own business, must on occasions wonder why they bother. On balance however, I love running Dream On. I wrote the plan for the business more than 14 years ago. It was only 10 years later that I actually launched it.

I previously had always been employed but had the idea of a business that combined all the things that I think can help women be their best and achieve their dreams.

I had worked out a business model where we could sell clothes and offer styling help ( I love clothes and fashion), where we could run workshops and offer coaching to build skills and finally where we could also help women to look after them-

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“At Dream On we help support business ideas, we run workshops on health checking your business, and coach on selling & marketing”

selves physically.

The idea sat in a drawer for ages. When I decided the time was right.

I spent a lot of time working out a plan for the business including, What the company stood for, all captured in the words ‘our brand’.

What we would offer our customers and how we would price this.

Who our customers could be and how we would find them.

The support I needed to make this happen; the team skills, the technology, the premises.

The business has developed in ways that I didn’t expect. I set it up as a social enterprise as I was clear that Dream On was about supporting women within a community. As a social enterprise we have to have a clear purpose and when we report to companies house we have to report about the impact of our work.

We have to invest 75% of any surplus back into the business and if we were ever sold the proceeds would have to go to a nominated charity.

Running your own business is hard.

I’ve learnt so much. Having a good, up to date business plan is essential.

Try not to get distracted by the day to day running of the business and make sure you find time and space to think. As business owners we

need support.

I have had the support of a lady called Jane Taylor, who has helped me understand the world of social enterprise. She now has become more involved in Dream On. She helps me think well. I have a coach who I can talk with about the tough parts of running the business.

I don’t pretend things are going well if they are not. I’m constantly checking and facing the reality of how we are doing.

In 2012, according to Bis.gov, over 400,00 new business were set up, however 20% failed within the first year and statistics predict 50% of those business will be done by 2015.

These are fascinating statistics, they are somewhat scary too.

At Dream On we like to help women at different stages of running their businesses. We don’t want the bis.gov to come true in East Anglia. We help support business ideas, we run workshops on health checking your business, we coach on selling & marketing. I think most importantly we provide an environment you can come to to reflect & plan. We offer positive & realistic support. We work in partnership with the Blossom Charity who provide development awards to support women in business. ❑

RUNNING YOUR OWN BUSINESS

Words by Bridget McIntyre | Dream On

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VENTURE

future proof

East Anglia is brimming with talented

Apprentices and staff on a recent visit to the House of Commons

and driven young people who are keen to get their careers started

For many, an apprenticeship is a great way to learn the skills in their chosen field, gain valuable work experience, receive training and ultimately a relevant qualification.

For some small local businesses the resources are often lacking to deal with the complexity of taking on an apprentice – that’s where SNAP, Saffron’s New Apprenticeship Programme, comes in.

Launched in September 2013, Saffron is proud to be successfully training the budding construction workers, administrators, chefs and more with keen local businesses.

With HR support, employer costs met and funding for training days and holidays, the host businesses just pay for the time the apprentices work with them.

SNAP started last year with eight young people from Diss High School hosted by local businesses. Building on the success of this pilot Programme this year we will be working with both Diss

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Saffron’s New Apprenticeship Programme allows local businesses to focus on what’s important to them whilst sharing skills and knowledge and giving young people an opportunity to gain qualifications and experience.

and Wymondham communities.

Dr Jan Hunt, headteacher, said ‘Diss High School is thrilled with the apprenticeship scheme. Our youngsters have been able to earn a little, learn a lot and develop work life skills that will serve them for the rest of their lives. It’s been fun too!’

The SNAP Programme draws on the experience Saffron has gained through its ‘in-house’ apprenticeship scheme, in place for many years, with eleven currently training and working with craft workers and office staff. In 2012 we were delighted when two of our apprentices jointly won the 2012 CTS Apprentice of the Year Award.

Over the 10 years that Saffron has been in operation, it has always been our ethos to work with and support local communities and businesses, using local suppliers and local contractors. SNAP is an extension of this commitment and allows local businesses to focus on what’s important to them whilst sharing skills and knowledge and giving young people an opportunity to gain qualifications and experience.

You may know that Saffron Housing has over 5000 properties throughout East Anglia with about 490 in Diss. Our links with the town are reflected in the naming of two new housing developments as Vikings Close and Grigg Close. These names celebrate both The Royal Anglian Regiment (The Vikings) who were given the Freedom of the Town in 2012 and James Grigg, a young soldier from the regiment who died in Afghanistan.

Saffron has a wide range of housing available with not only a development programme that provides more homes in East Anglia but also an ongoing commitment to maintain all of its properties to a decent standard.

If you would like to know more about us go to saffronhousing. co.uk; follow us on Twitter @ SaffronHousing and Facebook / saffronhousingtrust. To find out more about SNAP contact Karen on 01508 532000 or kmurphy@ saffronhousing.co.uk. ❑

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main sponser

Diss Business Forum is Proud to Present our new look Diss On View 2014

C I K T ?

S S I D S E K A WH o M

T

he only thing constant is change, and like all committees or businesses Diss Business Forum has seen several changes in the last 12 months.

We are now coming to the time of year to present our Annual Business Exhibition which will take place on Friday 19 September 2014.

Again we are holding this at the Park Hotel in Diss, although this year’s event will have new ideas and options for those attending.

“This year promises to be the best Diss on View ever.. We have an

amazing line up of sponsors and exhibitors. The event is open to the public and the entry is free, so please come and see what all of the hype is about.” — Judith Ward, Chair of Diss Business Forum.

We are aiming to attract local people to visit us on the day from 1pm to 6pm to see what the businesses can offer in the way of goods and service and free advice!

Please see details at the foot of the page 48 on how to claim your Free Mocktail to enjoy during your visit.

If you are thinking of starting your own business, or checking out the ‘competition’, come along to our Networking Brunch which starts at 11.30am.

Our Exhibitors will be attending, and this is a chance to make new contacts and refresh existing ones.

About our Sponsers This year Saffron Housing Trust, based at Long Stratton, have kindly agreed to be our main Sponsor. Last year Saffron launched their innovative local

“Saffron Housing is delighted to sponsor Diss on View in 2014. We continue to work with communities in which we provide affordable homes and we are delighted that the first year of SNAP – Saffron’s New Apprenticeship Programme – not only benefitted the local business community but also young people from Diss High School. Saffron Housing and Crocus Contractors, our construction subsidiary, have a commitment to employing local contractors and suppliers in support of the local economy and we are delighted to sponsor Diss on View to showcase local businesses.”

Apprenticeship Scheme which supported local businesses in taking on an Apprentice- a daunting thought for some who have little spare time to wade through the mountain of information on the subject.

Saffron’s help in selecting the right candidate and general support in employment issues has been invaluable to the businesses who have taken on a young per-

son to help grow their business.

Visit Saffron’s stand at the Exhibition to find out more, or visit their website, www.saffronhousing. co.uk Without our other Sponsors Diss Business Forum would not be able to present this event. Jackamans, locally based in Diss, were again quick to offer their backing. They provide a wide range of legal services for businesses including

sponsers

turn over now for your free cocktail vouncher

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YLM main sponser

advice on the best legal structure for setting up a new venture and purchase or sale of businesses.

“Jackamans is proud to co-sponsor this great business to business networking event. Diss on View is a window on the business life of Diss at an affordable price for all firms to exhibit.”

Blackwell Print are again supplying our printed materials; last year they had a great selection of goodies to give away on their stand!

Wendy at YLM has been fantastic in her promotion of the event and one year from taking on her new business.

“Diss on view is a fantastic oppertunity to meet the people behind the business and for them to get to know you.”

Kerry at Splice Creative designed the new look branding and website for Diss Business Forum and will be another of our Sponsors.

“Splice Creative is a creative media and marketing agency. We love nothing more than designing, innovating and advising local businesses so we jumped at the opportunity to sponsor and we’re really looking forward to exhibiting at Diss on View once again.”

Workshops This year we are offering FREE workshops on Employment and Internet issues – important subjects for small business owners or those thinking of starting a business. Amongst these will be Steeles Law and Amanda Baldwin from HR Answers offering advice on Employment matters.

“Steeles Law are delighted to be exhibiting at Diss on View once again. There’s something for everyone at Diss on View – it’s not just for businesses, but an opportunity for people to find out more about what is going on in their local community. We’re also offering short workshops for small businesses on employment law topics.”

Chris Aldrich from Red Dune will be talking about how to get your website noticed on the web.

“Red Dune Web Design is proud to exhibit at Diss On View for the third year running. This year we will be giving a workshop on Website Search Engine Optimisation, tips and tricks to get your website noticed.”

Latest information and details of booking for Brunch or Exhibiting can be found on the website dbf.org.uk or give us a ring on 07514 253333

Pictured left to right; Sharon Knights, Beverley Blake, Judith Ward (All Diss Business Forum Committee members), Wendy Aiken (YLM), Louise Loveday (Park Hotel)

sponsers

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APPEARING AT DISS ON VIEW 2014

APPEARING AT DISS ON VIEW 2014

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VENTURE

There have been a lot of changes to the rules for ISAs, what are the main changes?

your contribution it could be worthwhile.

ISAs have become far more flexible, and from the 1st July 2014 the following changes will be made: ISAs (Individual Savings Account) will change to a New ISA (NISA) and all existing ISAs will also become a NISA. The annual subscription will increase to £15,000 for 2014-2015.

Savers will be able to invest 100% into Stocks and Shares, Equities, certain retail bonds and cash, or a combination of these.

Junior ISA or Child Trust fund will be increased to £4,000.

I am 68, thinking about retiring next year. I’ve heard that there are changes to lumps sum rules that make a high cash option more attractive than an Annuity. Are Annuities good value?

Finance matters YLM asked Elizabeth Leslie-Smith DipFA MIFS from PLS Financial Services to tackle some of your financial queries

I want to save some money for a deposit on a house, should I use a cash ISA or stocks and shares ISA? It all depends on the length of time you wish to save for, and your attitude towards investment risk.

The shorter the time you wish to save for: The lower the risk you should invest into, as the higher risk investments, Stocks and Shares and Equities investment could lose you money if you wish to cash in your investment at a time when the marked has dropped and consequently your investments have reduced in value. Whereas Cash produces a low rate of return, and with instant access NISAs the rate of return is still lower but these enable you to access your deposit with no notice, which would suit a buyer at the time of purchase.

Attitude towards Investment Risk: A NISA invested in Stocks and Shares, or Equities is more for the higher risk investor. These could potentially make you more money, and conversely lose you money, as the market goes down as well as up and you may not get back your original investment.

This is the risk warning we give to our investors, and is particularly appropriate for those saving over a short period.

It is recommended that you should only invest into this type of investment when you wish to save for five years and above, and not when you may need to access

this money quickly.

The NISA invested in cash is more suited for the low risk investor as you are usually given a guaranteed return over a fixed period ( although you will need to monitor this carefully as once the fixed period is over the return can be dramatically reduced). Cash is currently giving a poor return so although you would be getting a guaranteed return the rate being offered is typically under inflation so effectively you would be losing money.

The medium risk investor can now invest in a combination of both these types of investment within the one NISA. Are Pensions still the best way to save for the future?

Pensions are a savings plan that can help you accumulate a fund, so that from the age of 55 (or above) the fund can pay a 25% lump sum, tax free and an income from the remaining fund.

Whatever is paid into the pension (subject to some contribution restrictions) you can claim tax relief as the money you are paying into your pension is paid from your net income. So were you a

basic rate tax payer and were you to pay in £80.00 your contribution would be made up to £100.00. For the 40% taxpayer then additional tax relief is available. The longer pensions are paid into, the greater the potential for a fund that will produce sufficient pension to give a realistic income in retirement.

From April 2015 for those with a pension fund and are over the age of 55, it is proposed that they will be able to access the whole pension fund. 25% of this will be tax free and the remainder of the fund will be taxable at the pension holders’ marginal rate of income tax for that year.

You do not have to take the whole fund, you can still use the remaining money to buy an Annuity to give a guaranteed income or keep the remaining money invested and take an income from this amount.

At age 62 with one year to retirement, you will have needed to have saved a substantial lump sum to fund for your retirement future, and starting a pension now with small monthly amounts for one year would not produce sufficient for the future. However particularly for a 40% tax payer making a large contribution where you would obtain tax relief on

You could then at retirement take up to 25% as a tax free lump sum and use the remainder to pay you an income from the remaining fund. After 5th April 2015 you could cash in the remainder of the fund, paying tax at your marginal rate at that time.

The problem is that unless you have another guaranteed source of income, by cashing in your remaining pension fund you would be leaving yourself with only your state pension to live on...

You can leave the remainder of your fund invested and take an income from this, which gives you a flexible income and access to taxable capital, and you can leave any remaining fund to your beneficiaries (this fund is taxable) depending on how much income and capital you take. However there is more risk to this option as the more income you take the more the capital within the fund can erode, and the value of your investments within the fund can go down as well as up.

Or you could purchase an Annuity which is where your pension fund is purchased from the Annuity provider to give you, and where appropriate your spouse, a guaranteed income for life, with a series of other options.

On death of the annuitant or the death of their surviving spouse, the Annuity ceases, unless continuing options have been selected at outset.

Different Annuity rates are available and the difference in income between the best rates offered and the worst are huge, so it is very important to take advice from an Independent Financial Adviser about the options available. ❏ Elizabeth M Leslie-Smith Director PLS Financial Services Ltd

If you have any questions you would like Liz to answer then email them to liz@plsfinancial.co.uk The information available through this article is for your general information and may not take into account all particular circumstances.

YLM | your lifestyle magazine

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YLM

out & a bout

“The combination of all the elements together, the sound, the smell, the ever so slight recoil and seeing the clay smash, led to a very adrenaline fuelled and satisfying feeling!�

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OUT & ABOUT

Words by Sarah Feaver

I

was very uneasy about my Out and About this month. Anyone that knows me will know that I have disliked guns for a long time.

I’m a bit of an animal fanatic and this had led me to be very antishooting. I knew that I would only be aiming/shooting at clays but the very idea of even holding a gun did not sit well with me at all.

However, I am always open to trying anything, so off we went to High Lodge, Hinton.

High Lodge was set up 25 years ago by 7 times Sporting World Champion, John Bidwell. Set in 120 acres of woodland, High Lodge is home to a wide range of activities.

As well as clay pigeon shooting you can also try your hand at golf, footgolf (an 18 hole course played using a size 5 football that you have to get in the holes using only your feet), air rifle shooting, archery and fishing.

We were greeted by Jackie Read, the events coordinator, and introduced to our instructor for the afternoon, Roger Rackham.

The first thing that Roger did was to go through all the safety.

He showed me exactly how to hold the gun when not using it, the safe way to get the gun out of the bag etc.

He asked me to point at a marker with the hand that I usually use, which is my right.

I then had to close my left eye.

Wow! It caused my finger to

“High Lodge is one of the top UK shooting venues and is classed as a Premier Plus ground by the CPSA, the official Clay Pigeon Shooting Association.”

move off the marker by about three inches! This showed that this was my dominant eye and when shooting on my right side I would have to shut my left eye (a little hard as every time I closed my left eye my right tried to go with it. Aiming was going to be a tad difficult with both eyes shut!)

I was starting to feel very uncomfortable surrounded by guns. But I was completely overwhelmed when I was given a 12 gauge gun to practice holding it correctly; it was very unsettling for me. This was really not something that I thought I would ever be doing. I was more likely to be the crazy person standing between the gun and the animal!

I had to wear a jacket with pads in front of the shoulder sockets (to protect against any recoil from the gun), safety glasses, ear defenders and a hat to protect the face from any falling, broken clays. We were ready to go. Oh crumbs, I was feeling a bit sick by this point!

High Lodge is one of the top UK shooting venues and is classed as a Premier Plus ground by the CPSA, the official Clay Pigeon Shooting Association. Facilities include four Skeet ranges, Down the Line, Compact Sporting, FITASC, numerous sporting woodland stands, a 60foot and a 120-foot tower.

Once we got to the stand we would be shooting from we were

straight to it which was great. As the tester clay flew up into the air it looked absolutely tiny to me. How embarrassing, I wasn’t going to end up hitting anything! I should have had more faith in my instructor though, as Roger was excellent.

I started off shooting from my right side which I struggled with a bit as I’m not very good at closing my left eye, or should I say, just my left eye! So we swapped to my left side (that way I could have both eyes open) which felt a bit cack-handed to start off with but then I got my first hit… I wanted to not enjoy it but what a feeling! The combination of all the elements together, the sound, the smell, the ever so slight recoil and seeing the clay smash, led to a very adrenaline fuelled yet satisfying feeling! I wanted to go again!

Every time I missed it was so frustrating but when I shot one it was amazing. It really felt like such an achievement. It was clear to me that this is a sport like any other sport and requires skill and practice.

All too soon it was over, although by this point my arms had turned to jelly.

I would like to thank Roger as his banter and encouragement pushed me and it was just what I needed.

If you would like to have a go at any of the activities at High Lodge then visit www.highlodge.co.uk and take a look. ❑

WIN

CLAY SHOOTING FOR TWO PAGE 56

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DREAM ON

find yourself again Discover an experience that defines you

“I absolutely love being part of the makeover days. I feel that all parts of the day come together at the end with the beautiful relaxed photos of the ladies with their new hair styles, makeup and outfits.

The offering is very unique.”

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I wanted to continue my work making women feel the best that they can” - Dionne from Defining Radiance Makeup Artists talking about her involvement with Dream On. Dionne trained as a beauty therapist and worked for Chanel for 20 years, originally as a part-time consultant and eventually as Area Manager/Trainer. However, she always had the desire to set up her own business, and so, three years ago, alongside colleague, Rachel, she did just that.

Both Dionne and Rachel were very clear that they wanted to offer an unbiased environment where women would receive a very personal service and they could pass on tips and knowledge they had gained over the years. As well as offering wedding make-up, pamper parties, make-up lessons and beauty therapy at their studio in Thorndon, For twenty years Dionne has also worked with the charity Look Good Feel Better, the only support charity that helps women combat the visible side-effects from their cancer treatment. Through the efforts of their supporters Look Good Feel Better are able to offer free skincare and makeup workshops through a network of hospitals, cancer support centres and community spaces nationwide. Dionne is the coordinator for the Big C Centre in Norwich.

“We are dedicated to improving the wellbeing and self confidence of women and teenagers undergoing treatment for any type of cancer. Look Good Feel Better enables them to regain a sense of normality at a time when diagnosis and treatment has taken over their lives.”

Dionne is also the in-house makeup consultant at Dream On for all their events and makeover days.

“I love working with Dream On, their ethos is very similar to my own thinking.”

A Dream On makeover day offers ladies a very special treat just for them, and starts with a very warm welcome and a piece of homemade flapjack! Hairdresser Sam from John Olivers, Ipswich, will be on hand to work with you to achieve your perfect cut and style. Whether it be something completely different or perhaps an update of your current look. You will also spend time with the Dream On stylists who look at outfits that suit your shape, colour and lifestyle. “A very common comment we hear is that ladies have ‘lost their style’. So we encourage ladies to experiment with some new looks which they would not try if shopping on their own” says Amanda from Dream On. Dionne is very aware of some customers trepidation when it comes to makeup so she wants to ensure the ladies feel relaxed and confident that she will use makeup to suit their lifestyle… it’s no good showing a busy mum a one hour beauty regime every morning as it simply won’t fit into her lifestyle. Dionne says “I absolutely love being part of these days.

I feel that all parts of the day come together at the end with the beautiful relaxed photos of the ladies with their new hair styles, makeup and outfits. The offering is very unique…and I feel very privileged to be part of a team that wants to help women be the best they can be.”

The day includes a delicious light lunch with wine, 10% discount off any purchases on the day and professional photos that will be sent to you in the following few days. The cost is £95 and dates are available throughout the year. ❑ Take a look at the website, www.dream-on.co.uk Or call the Dream On team on, 01379 678483

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The Sweet Truth about Sugar and Weight Loss As a personal trainer and tutor of anatomy and physiology I have a keen interest as to how the body works and why people come to the gym but do not lose the weight they want despite exercising.

The bottom line is you cannot train over a bad diet especially one high in sugar. Over the past 10 years I have noticed an increase in the amount of sugar that people consume through the food they eat and the drink they take; I might even go as far as to say an `addiction` to sugar is what has happened without them realising it.

Diets over the past years have cut down on fats and made people more aware of the ones to avoid and the ones to eat more of, but now sugar is the greater evil due to its effects on our blood sugar and insulin levels within the body. Our blood needs only around a teaspoon of sugar circulating in it to take part in activities and it is our insulin that makes sure that there is only ever around this level at any one time. The more sugary foods we eat the more insulin will be released and if we repeatedly consume high sugary foods throughout the day our Pancreas has to release insulin for longer. Each time we consume such foods as sweeteners, grains, cookies, pastries, cakes and other high glycaemic carbohydrates it is leaving an excess of insulin in our blood stream. Insulin works by stimulating your cells to sponge up this excess sugar out of your bloodstream. Once inside your cells, sugar is used for energy, with any excess amount being converted to fat tissue.

If you think you have a problem with insulin resistance then book in with one of our fitness team at Fit Club to discuss your diet and the best exercise routine to help you balance your blood sugar and banish that excess fat for good!

Anouska Fit Club Diss

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HEALTH

Erasing the signs of AGING Fast, efficient blemish removal with advanced cosmetic procedures

M

Words by Geraldine Walters Btec HND/Cert.Ed | www.geraldinewalters.co.uk

y physiology lecturer said that if you lived in a cupboard you would have beautiful skin. You would have an immeasurably boring life, but beautiful, blemish free skin.

Thankfully the majority of us (Harry Potter aside) can roam both indoors and outdoors and, in doing so, submit ourselves to the inevitable ravishes of time. Fishermen are described as weather-beaten for a good reason. The rosy-cheeked farmer of bucolic literature and florid dairy-maid are described like that, not because of their jolliness, but because they would traditionally have been subject to skin conditions such as rosacea and telangiectasia (commonly known as thread veins).

I think of the lesions that we acquire as being like barnacles grouped together living quietly and peacefully on a shipwreck. But perhaps that’s not the most sympathetic analogy for a skin therapist to use. However, clients relate to it and they are happy for the removal process to begin once it has been explained. The obvious requirement is that the barnacles are removed while not damaging the vessel.

To do that we have to identify the blemish and like barnacles, they

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have such unappealing names; acrochordons, sebhorreic keratoses, sebaceous hyperplasia and everbody’s favourite, ‘senile’ warts. Many people are unaware that they can be removed safely and effectively with diathermy. This is an advanced form of electrolysis that uses a low emission of electrical current to either cauterise the blemish such as skin tags, or to desiccate (dry out) the contents, such as with thread veins. ‘Broken capillaries’ are a misnomer. They are in fact one-cell thick blood vessels that expand and contract constantly to control body temperature and when their elasticity weakens they become permanently dilated. When surrounded by older, thinning skin they become even more evident. There are two variations of the treatment but the most common is a small probe tapped over the blood vessel that applies current to the surface and causes immediate desiccation of the vessel. If you are seeking this, it is worth asking if the Blend method

is used as it is more comfortable and causes less skin trauma but used by only a few further-trained specialists in this field.

Skin tags can be removed from all areas of the body – even between the eyelashes. They are commonly found in areas where there is friction such as in the armpit or around the neck. It is worth noting that they are viral and while not infectious can be numerous with some people suffering from dozens of them. Treatment is fast and effective with only a little discomfort and much relief when these annoying growths have been removed.

Many therapists have taken training in electrolysis to remove capillaries and skin tags but usually a further qualification is required to cover the treatment of other lesions so true practitioners of Advanced Cosmetic Procedures (ACP) are not easily found. Those who do practice at this level take real satisfaction in providing this service to clients who have found their

"I often think of the lesions that we acquire as being like barnacles grouped together living quietly and peacefully on a shipwreck!"

‘barnacles’ distressing and unsightly.

At a recent convention there was a room of electrolysists gasping with delight at the shrinking of moles and delicate scraping of sebhorreic keratoses (the stuck-on-looking brown, scaly blobs) from grateful and surprised ‘models’.

Further concern is caused by age spots found without exception on the hands and face of middle aged and elderly clients who usually despise them as they are so clearly chronologically related. Peels are often used for treatment but electrolysis is possibly even more effective. When a tiny section of the spot is lifted and healthy pink skin is exposed this is a good sign that the pigment will disappear.

The cosmetics industry considers ACP to be a relatively new development but a book published by Plym S Hayes M.D. in 1910, ‘Electricity in Facial Blemishes’ suggests that many of the treatments have been around almost as long as electrolysis for hair removal. Treatable conditions are numerous and the list continues to grow. With the right practitioner you should soon know whether this is the solution for you. And, of course, always consult your doctor if you have any doubts. Treat your skin with respect and you will go on a long and happy blemish-free voyage together. ❑

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COMPETITION TIME

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UPDATES & EVENTS BURY FOOD & DRINK FESTIVAL

BioBlitz at foxburrow farm

Two of television’s best loved chefs will be the stars of the show at the Ourburystedmunds Food and Drink festival this summer. Brian Turner and Lesley Waters will each headline on one day of the twoday event, organised by the Business Improvement District (BID) over the August Bank Holiday.

Brian Turner who appeared on ‘Ready Steady Cook’ from its early days in 1994 and worked at various top London establishments before opening his own restaurant in 1986 will cook in the festival’s Aga Rangemaster Theatre Kitchen on Monday 25th August.

Lesley Waters, who has worked in television since 1989 and written nearly 20 cookery books, will appear on Sunday 24th August. Both will give three demonstrations on the day they appear, allowing an opportunity for as many as possible to ensure they don’t miss them.

Chief Executive of the BID Mark Cordell said: “I’m delighted we have secured two top names for this year’s Ourburystedmunds Food and Drink Festival. Lesley and Brian will both be familiar to many from their television careers and I know they will put on entertaining cooking displays. The Aga Rangemaster Theatre Kitchen always draws big crowds at this event and with two very popular celebrity chefs taking part it will be no different this year.”

The 2014 Ourburystedmunds Food and Drink Festival will be the third to be held and the event is growing in both popularity and size. With different offerings throughout the town centre including a Farmers’ Market, cooking demonstrations and a chilli festival the free event is fast becoming a significant fixture in the East Anglian foodie calendar.

A BioBlitz is an exciting family event where scientists, wildlife enthusiasts and members of the public work together to carry out a range of surveys. The surveys are carried out during a 24 hour period in a specific location. This year we are holding our BioBlitz event at Foxburrow Farm.

We really want your help in recording as many different species of plant, bird, invertebrate, fungi, mammals and more besides in just 24 hours! You don’t have to be an expert, whatever your level of ID skills you can help. We need to record everything from bluetits and oak trees through to specialist macroinvertibrate and botanical taxonomy.

A Bioblitz is a fun way to increase your knowledge and gain new skills but it also means that the data you gather will be used to make a real contribution to science. During the event you will be able to submit the data you collect directly to the Suffolk Biodiversity Records Centre. We’ll have lots of Trust staff and volunteers on hand to help you do this using iRecord.

The Bioblitz kicks off at 6pm on Friday 8th August with owl calling, sighting of night vision cameras, a bat walk, twilight pond dipping, setting up a whole variety of invertebrate and mammal traps and even a spot of astrological gazing.

You’ll need to set that alarm clock if you want to be up in time to join us for our dawn chorus walk on Saturday morning. Then we’ll be off to discover what we’ve captured in our Longworth traps, pitfalls, moth trap, footprint tunnels and checking the footage from our night vision cameras. Experts will lead grassland and woodland surveys and we’ll also be holding bookable pond dipping throughout the day.

You’ll be able to stay in touch

www.burystedmundsfestivals.com

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with us on the day via Facebook and Twitter where we’ll be posting our running species tally and uploading pictures of the species we find.

There really is something for everyone, you can drop in for a single activity or get involved in as many surveys as you can squeeze into 24 hours! And the great thing is whether you’re a real enthusiast or a complete novice we’ll have a range of experts on hand to help identify your discoveries.

Friday 08 August - 6:00pm 8:00pm. For more information on helping out on the day please contact angela.jones@suffolkwildlifetrust.org

Celebrate Ipswich Celebrate Ipswich which incorporates the fabulous Maritime Festival is set to be bigger and better than ever. Running from the 11th to the 17th of August 2014, it will include a range of exciting town centre activities and culminating in the Maritime Festival.

This year we have a range of activity and events for you and all the family to enjoy, plus a selection of new and exciting features that include a Suffolk Farmers Market, a new beer and beverage festival and a fantastic St Tropez car show.

The festival will begin in the town centre with the exciting car exhibition, an urban free style show and plenty of popular street entertainers to keep you entertained on your shopping trips. At the weekend we turn to the stunning waterfront for the weekend festival.

This year, the maritime weekend includes a new range of visiting vessels, Viking re-enactments, more markets, street entertainment, children’s activities plus the fantastic fireworks finale on the Sunday evening.

The Celebrate Ipswich festival is not to be missed this year!

To keep up-to-date with all the activities and events, follow us on our Facebook or Twitter @allaboutipswich or sign up to the All About Ipswich updates.

Full Steam Ahead Preparations are well under way for the 8th Museum of East Anglian Life Steam and Crafts Weekend to

be held on the 9th and 10th August 2014.

Visitors will be able to experience the sights, sounds and smells of the machines of yesteryear, as well as checking out a range of crafts and skills, many of which are experiencing a revival at the present time. The Museum’s 80 acre site will be buzzing with working machinery, demonstrations and plenty of live action, as well as all the usual displays, exhibits, historic buildings and our current temporary exhibition “Everybody’s Darling: the First World War Nurse”.

Lisa Harris, Curator at the Museum of East Anglian Life, says: “Without the commitment of a range of individuals and museums, both machines and skills that have been so key to rural life in the past would already have been lost. With less than a month to go until the beginning of the event, the plans and preparations are really starting to take shape and excitement is certainly growing”.

During the weekend, the Museum will also host its 12th Steam Engine Driver Training Event.

This special opportunity teaches students the basics of engine ownership, maintenance and use, whilst encouraging them to work alongside experienced local steam engine owners.

Visitors will be able to talk with our demonstrators, have a go at some of the crafts, as well as checking out the range of attractions that the Museum has to offer. There will even be a chance to make your own poster on the Museum’s original 1870 Colombia printing press.

The Museum of East Anglian Life is open daily until the end of October, Monday–Saturday 10:00–17:00, Sunday 11:00–17:00, with Abbot’s Hall open throughout the winter too.

For more details contact the Museum on 01449 612229 or check out our website, www.eastanglianlife. org.uk

A Hundred Years of Remembering During the next few months and indeed over the next four years the First World War will be very much in our thoughts, along with those icons of remembrance to be found in market squares and village greens all over the country – the

war memorials.

Although there are a number of places that have a memorial to the Boer War e.g. Norwich and Bury St Edmunds, the scale of slaughter between 1914 and 1918 prompted a great wave of feeling throughout the country that these men should not be forgotten, and even by 1920 war memorials had begun to appear often financed by public subscription.

Dennis Cross’s book ‘Memories of Diss’ has a picture of the unveiling of the Diss Memorial in 1921.

Just over 100 Diss men lost their lives.

Apart from the public memorials many schools, especially public schools, factories and other work places, churches and clubs have a panel of remembrance. Colman’s of Norwich have a memorial in Carrow House and if you are on Liverpool Street Station you may have noticed the large GER memorial on the upper concourse.

There is no set pattern for the inscription. Some are simply initials and surname in alphabetical order.

Many have their Christian names and ranks. Some are in rank order e.g. Botesdale which has a Capt. at the head of the list. The majority of men killed were privates. Look at Diss’s memorial and see how they are arranged. Of the local memorials Stoke Ash has the smallest number of names – one, to Pte Archie Moss M.M. Not all memorials are correct.

Some names have been left off, either by error or request. Some families did not wish to be reminded of their loved one who never came back. Many memorials were erected before those wounded finally dies. Those ‘Shot at Dawn’ for cowardice did not appear, although that attitude has changed in the light of modern studies of the effects of conflict on a man’s mind. ‘Local politics’ have resulted in some names being deliberately left off. Adding names could still be a sensitive issue without careful research.

Many places did not erect the normal memorial but something ‘practical’ instead. Mellis erected a village hall, Ongar in Essex has its memorial hospital. Ironbridge in Shropshire has a footbridge across the River Severn with this inscription ‘This bridge is free. O tread it reverently in memory of those who died for thee’. Norwich has its memorial cottages on Mousehold Heath. Names would be recorded elsewhere.

Over the 80 to 90 years that our memorials have existed they have become victims of all that British weather can throw at them.

Stonework has deteriorated and

UPDATES & EVENTS

become very dirty, names have become eroded and unreadable, all in addition to general neglect and vandalism.

In the late 1990s, Winston Churchill, M.P. grandson of the former Prime Minister, together with fellow parliamentarians founded the Friends of War Memorials in an attempt to halt this decline and raise awareness of what was happening. Small grants were made available for cleaning and restoration. This has now become The War Memorials Trust and is continuing and expanding the work of restoration and listing. Details of the trust can be found at www. warmemorials.org Have a look at your local memorial and if you think it needs attention e.g. cleaning, restoration etc. contact the Trust for help and advice. Smartening up our memorials is a fitting way to honour the men named on them in this centenary year.

Roland Buggey Regional Volunteer WMT

Breckland 2014 Art Trail Calling potters, painters, printmakers, photographers and more!

Local artists are invited to contact the Council to take part in the third Breckland Art Trail, a popular, well-attended annual event that promotes and showcases the creative talent of the district.

Breckland Council Communities Officer Sam Patel is looking for local artists for the 2014 Art Trail, set to take place from 8th - 16th November. As a new feature, and following feedback from visitors last year, artists are encouraged to put on live demonstrations or to run workshops for visitors.

Last year’s Trail saw a fantastic range of exhibits on show from over 70 local artists including paintings, prints, photographs, ceramics, textiles and sculpture; organisers are hoping for a similar range this year.

Breckland-based artists who are interested in taking part can download an application form on the Council website (www.breckland.gov.uk/arttrail). Completed forms should be submitted by 26 August. The cost to participate is £10 per artist or £30 per group. For more information, call or email Sam Patel on 01362 656870; samantha.patel@breckland.gov.uk

dancing with mice!

ANGELINA BALLERINA THE MOUSICAL Everyone’s favourite little star, Angelina Ballerina, will pirouette onto the stage at Norwich Theatre Royal in August in a sparkling musical packed full of singing and dancing.

Children’s book favourite, Angelina is back with her musical theatre spectacular which is suitable for all ages from two upwards.

Touring nationwide and to Ireland, Angelina Ballerina The Mousical visits Norwich Theatre Royal on Sunday August 24 at 4pm, and Monday August 25 at 11am, 2pm and 4.30pm.

An award-winning children’s book series by author Katharine Holabird and illustrator Helen Craig, Angelina Ballerina was first launched in 1983 and has since garnered huge international acclaim, with over 20 books published and an animated television series broadcast in the UK and the US. The heartwarming tale of Angelina Ballerina The Mousical was first launched on stage in 2012 with a 19-week UK tour. Now returning with a brand new cast, this touring production has already enjoyed a hugely suc-

cessful tour of Australia, including 12 performances at Sydney Opera House.

The show transports audiences to Chipping Cheddar, as Angelina and her friends discover that Camembert Academy has won the opportunity to appear in their favourite television programme ‘Dancing With Mice!’.

It feels like a dream come true - but when the girls and boys have very different ideas for the show and just can’t seem to agree on anything, it’s up to Angelina as Dance Captain to ensure that the performance goes ahead.

The little mouse always works hard to reach her goals and learns from her mistakes, and as the young audiences share in Angelina’s experiences, they’re inspired to go after their big dreams too.

So put on your ballet shoes and join Angelina, Alice, Gracie, Viki, AJ and Marco for the most stupendous Mousical of the year!

Box Office 01603 630000. For more info or to book online, www.theatreroyalnorwich.co.uk

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WHAT’S ON Every Monday

Odd Balls Knitting Club Just bring along your needles and ‘knit & natter’ Pennoyer Centre, Pulham St. Mary | 1pm – 3pm | FREE | 01379 676660 www. pennoyers.org.uk admin@pennoyers. org.uk

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EVERY TUESDAY Tuesday Time Together Come along for a chat, fellowship, refreshments or quiet space.

St John’s Church, Harleston | 10.00am4.00pm | FREE | 01379 851148

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FIRST & THIRD TUESDAY DISS & DISTRICT CAMERA CLUB Grasmere Club, Denmark Street, Diss | 7:30pm-9:45pm | www.disscamera. org.uk

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First Tuesday Waveney Bereavement Group Number 7 - Prayer & Counselling Centre, 7-8 Mere Street, Diss | 2pm | 01379 658956

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Third Tuesday Buskers Night Would you like to perform to a live audience? Come along to this relaxed evening with all types of music including modern, blues and folk. Bring along your instrument & speak to Dave when you arrive. Bar with real ale & bacon butties.

All welcome.

Pennoyer Centre, Pulham St. Mary | 7pm | Free | 01379 676660 www.pennoyers. org.uk admin@pennoyers.org.uk

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First Thursday Diss Computer Club At the Residents’ Meeting Room, Taylor Road | 7.00pm - 10.00pm | Bob Morgan 01379 650977 disscomputerclub@gmail. com

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second Thursday Comedy Night Get ready for a belly full of laughs!

Fantastic new comedians every time!

A scrumptious three course meal followed by hilarity and tomfoolery for just £30.00 per head, this is a sure to be a great evening!

Jimmy’s Farm, Pannington Hall Lane, Ipswich | 7pm | £30 | 01473 604206 / bookings@Jimmysfarm.com

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First Friday & third Sunday African Djembe Drumming Lessons ‘Backspace’, Angel Cafe, Fair Green, Diss | Friday: 10 - 12pm and Sunday: 2:30 - 5pm | £12 per session | Jane 01379 641233

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The Wyken Vineyard Farmers Market The Wyken Farmers’ Market is about farmers, producers, bakers, makers,

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friends and family.

Wyken Road, Stanton, Bury St Edmunds | 9am - Noon | 01359 250262

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Every 2nd & 4th Friday Funkin Fridays A great way to kick start your weekend.

Live DJ, Drinks Promotions & Cocktails Galore!

Apollo Rooms, Harleston | 8pm - Midnight | 01379 854205 www.apollo-club.co.uk

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Every Saturday All you can eat barbeque followed by different entertainment each week.

Apollo Rooms, Harleston | 7 - 8pm | £5.95 | 01379 854205 www.apollo-club.co.uk

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Strictly Saturdays Dump the shopping and come dancing at The Apex in the upstairs bar! Ballroom, Latin and Rock & Roll.

The Apex, Bury St. Edmunds | 2.30pm4.30pm | FREE | 01284 758000 /enquiries@theapex.co.uk

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FIRST Saturday Harleston’s Indoor Flea Market Stalls of vintage, antique, collectables, etc.

Swan Hotel | 9.00 - 1.00pm | Stalls £10 | 01379 855486

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second Saturday Jazz Breakfast Come and enjoy a leisurely weekend breakfast with the soothing sound of live Jazz in the background. We have a great selection of talented local Jazz bands who join us for these dates.

Jimmy’s Farm, Pannington Hall Lane, Ipswich | 9.30am - 11am | 01473 604206 / bookings@Jimmysfarm.com

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Every Sunday Stonham Barns CAR Boot Sale Stonham Barns, Pettaugh Road, Stonham Aspal | 8am for Sellers / 9am for Buyers | £3.50 cars / £5 Vans / £7.50 Large Vans | Simon Tilley 07817 539168

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NOW - Sun 31st International Mini Print Exhibition This international event returns to Wingfield Barns with its biggest exhibition ever.

740 prints from all over the world will be on display with prices starting at around £10. Affordable art on your doorstep.

Wingfield Barns, Church Road, Wingfield | Free | 11am - 4pm Closed Mondays and Tuesdays, also 9th, 24th and 30th August | 01379 384505

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sat 2nd & sun 3rd Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship The Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship returns to Snetterton for the 2014 season. There is guaranteed to be plenty of excitement in store as big names

battle it out on track for the title. With support races from the Ginetta GT and Juniors, Formula Ford Championship, and Renault Clio Cup, there is sure to be never a dull moment, as plenty of action takes place on the track right in front of you.

Snetterton Circuit | 9am-6.30pm | Weekend admission £33; Sunday £26; Children under 13 free; Senior Citizens £22 on the gate for Sunday; weekend camping £18.

More ticket options available at the gate as well as grandstand tickets online | snetterton@msv.com www.snetterton. co.uk 0843 453 9000 un 3rd

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SUN 3RD Festival of Classic & Sports Cars This event attracts classic and sports car owners who exhibit their cars some of which parade up and down the main drive on the two concourse runs throughout the day.

This amazing collection of vehicles is displayed against the magnificent back drop of Helmingham Hall and its surrounding moat which sits in the middle of the ancient deer park.

As well as this impressive display of vehicles there will be main ring entertainment, craft and trade stalls, birds of prey, lots of live music and great local food & drink!

Helmingham Hall | 10:00am - 5:00pm | Adults £8.00 (£7.00 in advance) Children 7 years and over £3.00 Family ticket (2 adults and 2 children) £20.00 01473 890 799 www.helmingham.com

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Wed 6th FILM: LA GRANDE ILLUSION (U) A great classic recently restored to celebrate its 75th anniversary. A tale of French prisoners of war and their attempts to escape, it was a huge success but was banned in both Germany and Italy. The ‘illusion’ of the title was that war - ‘the war to end all wars’ - could be fought honourably.

The Cut also provides a warm and welcoming pre cinema light meal. There are normally 8 “tapas” style options available, all for only £4.

The Cut, Halesworth | 7.30pm | £5.00 | 0845 673 2123 | boxoffice@newcut.org

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audience with tales of life, love, loss and the fragility of the human condition.

Hailing from Western Australia, Caddy is currently touring the UK to promote her debut album Snapshot.

Her live shows have been receiving rave reviews and Caddy will be backed on the night by her band.

The Fisher Theatre, Bungay | 8pm | £12 / £10 conc. | 01986 897130

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Sat 9th Harleston Shopkeeper’s Grand Sale Discontinued lines, excess stock to clear and special offers galore. Come along and grab yourselves a bargain! Free parking Harleston Market Place | 9.00am - 3.00pm Sat 9th & Sun 10th CLASH OF KNIGHTS Chain-mailed and adrenalin-fuelled, massed ranks of armoured knights meet head-on. Feel the heat of the battle as four teams fight with shield and club in this genuine contest of skill and strength.

Tensions will rise, alliances will be made and broken but only one team will triumph.

Framlingham Castle | 10am - 5pm | English Heritage Members Free, Adult £7.70, Child (5-15 years), £4.60 Concs. £6.90, Family £20.00 | 0870 333 1181 / www.englishheritage.org.uk

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SUN 10TH the Easy Star All-Stars Blending musical versatility, instrumental prowess, beautiful vocal harmonies and a premier rhythm section, the Easy Star AllStars have established themselves as one of the top international reggae acts on the scene today.

The band has toured in over 30 countries on 6 continents, averaging over 100 shows per year for the past 5 years.

They’ve played most of the major festivals throughout the world, including an unprecedented three-day, three-stage stand at Glastonbury in 2009, which earned them a UK Festival Award Nomination that year.

The Apex, Bury St. Edmunds | 8pm | £16 | 01284 758000 /enquiries@theapex. co.uk

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wed 6th & wed 20th Guided Bat Walk at Nowton Park Come out in the twilight with a park ranger and discover who’s about in the grounds of Nowton Park!

Suitable for adults and children 8+; children must be accompanied. Please dress in suitable outdoor clothing!

Nowton Park, Bury St Edmunds | 8pm | £4 adults, £2 children | www.westsuffolkdiary.co.uk

TUES 12TH - THURS 14TH Life Drawing – Rebecca Lyne A comprehensive 3 day Life Drawing course led by an experienced tutor with exceptional professional models.

Discover why life drawing is used to further your observation and technique.

Diss Corn Hall | 10am – 4pm | £120 / Student (over 16) £75 | 01379 652241 www. disscornhall.co.uk

Fri 8TH Caddy Cooper Caddy Cooper is an exhilarating acoustic country, blues, folk singer who entices her

Sat 16th A Dance to the band THE MOTIVES Music 8.30pm until midnight. Licensed bar, tea, coffee and rolls.

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WHAT’S ON

calling all foodies!

Wreningham Village Hall | Music 8.30pm - Midnight | £6.50 | Christine Minns 01508 488123

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Juan Ramirez Guitarist, singer, and manager of the internationally renowned Flamenco Dance Group and Company, Viva Flamenco, Juan Ramirez, along with his beautiful, professional dancer, bring a lively touch of Flamenco to The Bank in an evening of music, dance and passion. A fully licensed bar will be available at this event.

The Bank, Eye | 8pm Doors 7.15pm | £10 / £8 On The Door: £12 / £10 (Subject to Availability) | 01379 873495 www.thebankeye.org

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Mon 18th Visions of Albion – Beccles to Geldeston Locks The River Waveney Trust has joined forces with the Norfolk Wherry Trust to arrange a short visit to the impressive Wherry Albion. This walk from Beccles across the marshes to see Albion moored at Geldeston Locks will take just over an hour.

The 116-year-old wherry is the only remaining trading barge built for the Bungay millers on the Waveney. Local artist Geoff King, a former boat-builder, will give ideas and encouragement for sketching. Food and drink available at The Locks Inn and an optional ferry ride back.

Meet at: The Dell Car Park, Beccles | 10.30am – 2.00pm | £5 (under-12s free) 01379 853464 geoff@smartangles.com

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Tues 19th Vintage Afternoon Tea & Music As part of the Harleston & Waveney Festival. Enjoy vintage afternoon tea, including finger sandwiches, delicious cream scones and homemade cake in the company of The Pulham Orchestra. A wide ranging repertoire of music for small ensemble will be played in the background. Booking essential.

Pennoyer Centre, Pulham St. Mary | 2pm - 4pm | 01379 676660 www.pennoyers. org.uk admin@pennoyers.org.uk

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Sat 23rd MAISEBROOKE FARM SUMMER FAIR Come and see the Animals and Enjoy Farm Fun. All day Barbeque.

Shipmeadow on the B1062, Beccles/Bungay road | 10am - 4pm | Free | Facebook: Maisebrooke Farm Shop

Rocket. How far will yours fly? Please bring an empty plastic 2 litre fizzy drink bottle.

Meet: Thornham Walks main car park 11:00am-3:00pm | £3.00 children (accompanying adults FREE)

FRI 29TH Stand-up Poetry Club – featuring Molly Naylor & Jon Osborne Luke Wright’s mighty Stand-Up Poetry Club returns with two brilliant poets Molly Naylor and John Osborne. Their sitcom will be broadcast on Sky later this year.

Molly’s storytelling shows mixing music, verse and warm, anecdotal prose have received stellar reviews.

John Osborne, writer of the smash hit show John Peel’s Shed, will wow us again with his new poems about sad restaurant owners, mopey star gazing and Kylie’s attempts at internet dating.

Luke is the host with buttery toast.

Don’t Miss.

Diss Corn Hall | 8pm | £8/Students £6 | 01379 652241 www.disscornhall.co.uk

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SAT 30TH The Anna Mudeka Band: Dance Workshop Diss Corn Hall | 4-5.30pm & 8pm | £12 / Concessions £11 / Gig & Workshop £17 | 01379 652241 www.disscornhall.co.uk

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COMING SOON WED 3rd - SAT 6th SEPT Mixed Voice present: Godspell The East Anglian premiere of this incredibly popular musical. Having played to huge acclaim Off-Broadway in 2012, the show has been updated with references to everything from Borat to Alan Sugar as well as some amazing new arrangements.

With its messages of community and inclusion combined with an incredible score and a phenomenally talented cast, this musical is perfect for all ages and is the perfect treat for the end of the summer holidays!

Norwich Playhouse | www.mixedvoice. co.uk www.norwichplayhouse.co.uk

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Tuesday 26th Rockets Galore Back by popular demand. Create and launch your very own Water Powered

The Norfolk Food & Drink Festival offers an extensive programme of food and drink related events across Norfolk, celebrating all aspects of the food and drink industry in the county. It is a unique opportunity for collaboration between producers, consumers, restaurateurs and businesses in the food and drink industry and attracts a high footfall to its many and varied events and to the flagship weekends and restaurant weeks taking place county-wide during the course of the six week festival. 2014 is proving to be no exception with the planned return of many of the festival’s best loved events including the Battle of the Bangers, Moveable Feast and Dining in the Dark, as well as the addition of some exciting new events such as the Pop Up Producers Weekend & Picnic and Norwich Restaurant Week.

30th August to 12th October norfolkfoodanddrinkfestival.co.uk

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Sun 24th BECCLES ANTIQUES STREET MARKET 100 stalls selling variety of antiques and collectables, plus local hot and cold food including Big Skies Pies.

8am -2:30pm | Free | 01502 711174

The Norfolk Food & Drink Festival 2014

Whilst every effort has been made to make this listing as accurate as possible, we recommend that you verify times and dates prior to attending any events.

Entries for September by 10th August via info@ylm.co.uk

North Norfolk Food & Drink Festival This festival is a celebration of all that is best about food grown, reared, caught, made or sold in North Norfolk and takes place

within and around the historic Courtyard of Holkham Hall. The North Norfolk Food and Drink Festival supported by Kettle Chips is part of the Norfolk Food and Drink Festival taking place throughout September.

With 60 of North Norfolk’s finest food and drink producers are attending, you’ll find everything from loin of venison to real ale The plentiful tastings and samples help to make for sell out days across the board.

Visitors may purchase food from producers to take home and enjoy freshly cooked all-day dining options created by North Norfolk’s finest concessions just outside the courtyard.

There are children’s activities including cup cake decorating, face painting and more to keep everyone happy.

A programme of exciting cookery demonstrations in the beautiful hexagonal tent which houses the cookery theatre, hosted by Mary Kemp, will keep you enthralled.

Eminent North Norfolk chefs and producers will be sharing their culinary secrets and talking you through their dishes.

August 30th - 31st northnorfolkfoodfestival.co.uk

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next month ...

Find inspiration and plan your wedding day with the help of local vendors and suppliers, as well as discover your dream location

To book into this feature now, get in touch with Bill on, 01379 770 722 or why not pop into the YLM office in Hales Yard, Diss for a coffee and meet the team!

Not forgetting all the usual features: Stories, Out & About and Focus. Also keep up to date with what all our contributors have been up to in Interiors, Gardens, Fashion, Skincare and Motoring