Y OUR L IF E S T Y L E M A G A Z INE
this month
A SUFFOLK REFUGEE STORY
+
W EDDINGS CELEBR AT I NG SPR I NG
free
loving life in Norfolk & Suffolk
Issue #68
|
FEBRUary 2016
|
25 St. Nicol aS Street, DiSS
|
Hattric
At Man About Town not only do you have a superb choice of mens clothing from smart-casual to formal wedding hire, there’s also a warm welcome and great customer service from Adrian and Alison.
roamers HJ Hall tyler&tyler Dickens & Browne Gumleaf raGinG Bull Venti clauDio luGli lloyD attree & smitH
Enquiries
01379 652575 manatmenswear.co.uk
nEW STOCK ARRIVES In FEBRUARY GiFt VoucherS aVail able
oPeNiNG tiMeS
Mon - Fri
9. 30a M - 5pM
|
S at 9. 30a M - 4pM
tHe WiNdOW OF OPPOrtuNitY
CirCuit Media IS A bou tIque publIShIng / medIA compAny. our flAgShIp tItle IS your lIfeStyle mAgAzIne for norfolk & Suffolk
SALES PEOPLE REQUIRED
YOu WiLL Need excellent communIcAtIon & orgAnISAtIonAl SkIllS experIence of medIA /AdvertISIng SAleS | to be genuIne & perSonAble | good compu ter lIterAcy | creAtIvIty & IntuItIon
01379 669 299 | ben@circuitmedia.co.uk | l circuit media uk
FREE
NO OBLIGATION INITIAL CONSULTATION*
IN 2016
Quit smoking? Loose some weight?
sort out my teeth?
go on, you deserve it! Call today to see if you are a suitable candidate for Dental Implant Treatment
01379 897 176
www.botesdaledental.co.uk bdp.thedrift@yahoo.co.uk
Botesdale Dental Practice | Holly Close | The Drift | Botesdale | Diss | IP22 1DH
*Free consultation does not include comprehensive examinations, treatment planning or x -rays.
R
ZI
U
A
6
YO
NE
2
0
13 01 - 2
WHAT’S
YOUR LIFE STORY? your lifest yle maga zine
loving life in norfolk & Suffolk
How to submit your story
t @ylmuk using #yourlifestory | 01379 669 299 | info@ylm.co.uk
01379 641111
Roof Racks & Pipe Tubes Van Racking & Storage Led Lighting
Cycle Racks / Bars & Roof Boxes
Campervan Conversions & Hire
01379 642 222 Fully Comprehensive Insurance Included
4 Berth Campervan for hire Uk & eUropean holidays short & long term hire festivals & sports events etC
Unit 12
|
Forge Business Centre
|
Palgrave
|
Diss
|
Nor folk
|
IP22 1 AP
Your Lifestyle Magazine for Norfolk & Suffolk
Best not revealed on a first date don’t show to sarcastic spouses long johns – the well kept secret The unseasonably warm weather this winter has had many strange effects, including causing daffoldils to start blooming in December. And it was only when
between a man and his trousers.
the first cold snap truly arrived – in the second week of January – that this poet felt the need to dig out his thermals for the first time this season (usually I reach for
Slip into your long johns
them in late autumn!). This moved me to celebrate the simple ‘long John’ in verse.
no-one will know
A humble often mocked, piece of clothing that really has revolutionised my life. Well, it’s kept me warm…
tuck your shirt in your long johns and any wind can blow tuck your long johns in your socks feel the long john glow.
THE
LONG JOHN SONG
I’ve got my long johns on I’ve got my long johns on I’ve got my long johns back on. It’s thermal insulation for your vulnerable pins where underpant ends and woolly sock begins. Yes – a killer of passion so they’ll never be a fashion but if it causes a rash on your leg it’s probably time to take them off but for now… We’ve got our long johns on We’ve got our long johns on We’ve got our long johns back on. Dean Parkin
If you like this check out Capture on page 30
YLM
ENQUIRIES
15
35
T 01379 669 299 E info@ylm.co.uk BY POST YLM PO Box 370 Eye IP22 9BP THE YLM FAMILY PUBLISHER Wendy Aiken wendy@ylm.co.uk CREATIVE & EDITORAL Ben Aiken ben@ylm.co.uk ACCOUNTS Janet Fairweather janet@ylm.co.uk DISTRIBUTION Dayburst Couriers 07810 852 089 dayburst@diss.co.uk Contributors Bridget McIntyre Amanda Church Joan Garnham Gabi Reid Louise Priest Mark Aiken Phil Burton Sue Johnson SUBSCRIPTIONS Enquiries to info@ylm.co.uk using the word ‘Subscribe’
29
SHOW YOU CARE
TOPSY TURVEY
13
22
Are you feeling the love in February?
A WAR WELCOME
15
A Norfolk Primary School teacher retraces her father’s evacuation to Canada in the Second World War
leap for joy
21 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, 2016
YLM | your lifestyle magazine
10
We’re celebrating the early arrival of spring
The latest from Gabriels Garden
SPRING HAS SPRUNG
25
Tree & Hedge Planting & Care: What, When & Where
EXCITING TIMES AHEAD
27
Panache Home & Accessories have been busy re-vamping the showroom
a tale of two buildings
29
How to achieve excellence in Architectural Design
weddings
33
Venues, Wedding Fairs’, Styling and updating the marriage rule book
Turn & face the change
43
Is it time to think different about the way you dress?
c o n t e
50
A few bits for your ‘Englishman’s Castle’ 28
57 sustainable wellbeing
44
When the going gets tough, let’s set some realistic goals
I DON’T DO NUMBERS!
H
ello and welcome to the February issue of YLM. The weather can’t decide what to do at the moment. I went for a walk and there are many signs that spring is here, but it can’t be can it? Not only am I confused (a little more so than usual), but so are the flowers and trees it would seem. I’m not complaining: it’s beautiful. I just worry about why all these changes in the climate are happening. I had been hoping for some snow, it’s been three years since we had a decent amount and it’s so stunning. In this issue we are getting all romantic with our wedding feature. If you are proposed to this Valentines Day, you’ll be ready to start planning the perfect wedding. Dionne and Rachel from Defining Radiance tell us about how they make the brides feel so special on page 41. I have had their magic worked on me and felt a million dollars. You can also get inspired with Hair by Donna Taylor of Taylored Hair on page 36. I have photographed
WELCOME
weddings where Donna has done the hair and the brides and bridesmaids look stunning! We are very excited to welcome James and Solam Sizer from SA Architectural Services to our team, they are experts in their field and are sharing some of their knowledge and fantastic projects they have worked on. We are so blessed to have such great articles month after month and this will be a fantastic addition. I know I ask you every month for your stories and this month is no different! Please keep getting in touch with tales of past or present, I love reading them and we may publish it. If you’re not confident writing the story that is not a problem, just give us the who, where and what and our creative team can do the rest.
49
It’s not all about equations, the numbers tell a story
Troublesome tenants
51
Your rights as a landlord when it comes to rent
Classic Escape
53
Classic car season is upon us!
Cover
Wendy Aiken Photography
e n t s
Your Lifestyle Magazine for Norfolk & Suffolk Do you have a story to tell? t @ ylmuk using #yourlifestory
February 2016
11
YLM
Celebrate Quality C.J. BARKER HIGH QUALITY BUTCHERS F sUPPLIERs O
L O C A LE PRODUC
146 | Victoria rd | diss | iP22 4XF
01379 658 662
COMMENT
It’s a gre at tim e to re - co n n e c t
“Are you one of those people who feels you have to tell people that you love them every day? I often criticise my husband for not telling me enough. However when he does say it, to me, it seems to have more meaning.”
his month marks something of a milestone as I have now been sharing my life with you for a whole year. I hope you feel you know me a little better. You may agree with some things I go on about but I can guarantee you will disagree too at times. I must admit I actually love writing this column, well who does’nt like talking about themselves? (You don’t?!) Saying I love writing this is somewhat appropriate for Feb ruary, the month of love. Lovea word sometimes used too often and sometimes not enough. I think it’s often a gen eration thing. I know my parents love me but as I grew up, it’s not something they actually would tell me. Did this affect me and make me emotionally immature in some way? I don’t think so. Do the people in your life have to tell you they love you in order for you to believe that they do? Maybe you are one of those people who feels you have to tell your partner/par ents/children that you love them every day. I often criticise my husband for not telling me enough. However when he does say it, to me, it seems to have more meaning. In my opinion a world without love is a world not worth living in. Having all the money in the world is worthless unless you have someone to share it with. Love actually comes in many forms in terms of intensity and feeling. The love of a mother or
T
father is unconditional towards a child. The love for a partner is sometimes intense, sometimes the best, most comfortable feeling in the world but sometimes sadly doesn’t last. The love for a true friend is a different feeling altogether. As you get older you know who your true friends are. Sometimes they can be people you meet later in life and sometimes people you’ve known most of your life. I have one girlfriend whom I have known since I was about seven. She is not always very good at keeping in touch, but I just love her to bits. She is one of very few people who doesn’t judge me on my mistakes. We see each other approximately twice a year as she lives five hours away. However when we meet we always have such a great time. We often regress back to our childhood days. There are certain memories only she and I share. My children are now used to our antics (there is a lot of eye rolling!) This friend is very important to me and we both agree we are something of a tonic for each other. My other great pal lives six hours away (am I doing something wrong as a friend, I wonder?) This friend is hugely loyal and we are very fond of each other. We also have great fun. “The best relationships are of course based on give and take, allowing as much time to listen as to talk.”
The love I feel for those around me helps me through every crisis life throws at me. I like to think I am a good friend too. It works both ways after all. The best relationships are of course based on give and take, allowing as much time to listen as to talk. So in this Valentine month maybe take a moment to appreciate all those you love and if you haven’t told them lately maybe you should. You don’t have to tell them you love them if you feel uncomfortable, but maybe even make them an extra cup of tea to show how much you care! ●
S H O W Y OU C ARE
-
Words by Louise Priest Broadcast Journalist
BBC Look East
YLM | your lifestyle magazine
13
Apply today
Hartismere Sixth Form College Applications for entry to the sixth form for September 2016 are now being received. If you were unable to attend our open evening and would like to visit and find out about sixth form life and A level study, please get in touch. Hartismere offers a wide range of A level subjects and some Applied General qualifications. We offer a STEM support programme and the Extended Project Qualification, university preparation and Oxbridge entry guidance. All students undertake a wide-ranging programme of enrichment and study skills. 146 | Victoria rd | diss | iP22 4XF
Website:www.hartismere.com
Email:sixthform@hartismere.com
Hartismere School Castleton Way Eye IP23 7BL
Telephone:01379 870315
01379 658 662
YLM
STORIES
Words by Geir Madland
A Norfolk Primary School teacher retraces her to Canada in the Second World War, and is struck by the contrast between the
l
welcome he received and today’s attitudes towards refugees
ast year Carrie Hayes took her family on holiday to Canada. Only it was more than a holiday – Carrie was following in her father’s footsteps, taken seventy-five years earlier. John Colby Clarke was born in Ipswich, the middle of three children. In 1940, at the height of the German
bombing campaign and with Ipswich docks a prime target, John’s parents, Crumpton and Violet, decided to send him and his two sisters away to safety with his relatives in Vancouver. The girls, Mary and Biddy, were to stay with Crumpton’s sister Mary and her husband Harold, whilst John was to live with Harold’s brother Bruce and his wife Carrie. In a letter to John, Violet explained their decision: ‘It was not for the bombing, but we feared the invasion, and how they would treat you girls and boys. We hoped that if the Germans had succeeded in getting here (I feel sure we shall hear later they surely did) that a few English boys and girls in the colonies would carry on the traditions of our race.’ On July 17th, they drove the children to Crumpton’s mother’s in Crouch End, North London, the next day they took a train to Liverpool, where the children boarded the SS Duchess of Atholl.
1940 2015
father’s evacuation
Canadian Pacific SS Duchess of Atholl
YLM | your lifestyle magazine
February 2016
YLM
ipswich Liverpool
Carrie & Family
HMS Thane
They travelled First Class, courAtlantic as parents decided it tesy of the Canadian relatives, was too dangerous. The threat who worked for the owners, of invasion had also receded. the Canadian Pacific Railway ‘I must tell you how glad we Company. are to have John,’ Carrie wrote Docking in Montreal, they to Violet, ‘and how happy he is. were met by Bruce, who accom- I have never seen a more happy panied them on the four-day child, always comes in singing. train journey across Canada. Ar- When I hear the door slam, I riving in Vancouver on August know it’s Ronnie coming in and 2nd, they were met by their aunt when I hear someone singing I and uncle, and even had their know it’s John.’ photograph appear on the front One reason for her affection page of the Vancouver Daily may have been her inability to Province. have further children as it turns After a few days at 1550 out she was ten years older than Beach Avenue, John went to she had told her husband, as live with Carrie, Bruce and their John later accidentally discovthirteen-year-old son, Ronald, ered. at 4642 West 2nd Street. Seventy-five years later to the Ronald was a teenager. The day, Carrie’s namesake also set two boys didn’t immediately off for Canada, taking the train take to each other but Carrie to Vancouver with her husband became extremely fond of her Stephen and their two sons, new charge. Josh and Their parCharlie, who Siblings & Biddy ents must were then have been the same anxious for ages as John news of the and Biddy children’s had been on safe arrival. their journey Other boats west. travelling Carrie at that time (Hayes) were torpewas overdoed. The whelmed by sinking of the fondthe City of ness and Benares at regard that the end of her distant September Canadian effectively relations still ended harboured evacuation for John and across the his sisters.
YLM | your lifestyle magazine
16
John’s father Crumpton cut out a report from the East Anglian Daily Times of August 20th 1943, underlining this section: ‘We do not forget that Canada opened her doors to receive children from this country at the outbreak of hostilities, and that such guests have been made royally welcome.’ John returned to England at the end of 1944. Carrie wrote to his parents: ‘We’ll miss him terribly, but we all realize his place is home now that he is getting older. We have always been glad we had the opportunity of taking and keeping John and the four and a half years have passed very quickly in spite of the war. Please don’t feel you are under any obligation financially or otherwise, and if John wants to come back when he has finished school and thinks he would like to settle in Canada, this will still be his Canadian home.’ John sailed aboard the aircraft carrier HMS Thane, without his sisters, as girls weren’t permitted
on board Navy vessels; Mary and Biddy returned the following year. In a letter to Carrie, he calmly wrote of his last night heading for Greenock up the Clyde: ‘Ship hit a mine that damaged the stern and broke propeller and rudder and killed several men. Was on the flight deck until dark. It gets pretty cold up there after standing for about four hours. That night slept in cabin right below the flight deck. Five others and myself slept on
“Ship hit A mine that damaged the stern and broke propeller & rudder & killed several men. Was on the flight deck until dark. It gets pretty cold up there after standing for about four hours.”
STORIES
Vancouver Montreal
Mary, Biddy & John - Vancouver 1940 or 41
the floor or on the bed.’ John in particular seems to have been moulded by his experience in Vancouver, developing a true love for the land. He brought some wheat seeds back with him and planted them in the family garden. He later went to Sweden to work on fruit farms then back to farm in Suffolk before he and his sister Mary bought Town Farm in Pulham St Mary and began their own dairy herd. John chaired the Parish Council, was elected president at County Hall and later national chairman of the Village Hall Forum. He became a board member of Wren Wildlife & Conservation Group, and a member of the Norfolk Churches Trust. John Colby Clarke died in 2011, survived by Dinah, his wife of forty-six years, his three children and two grandsons. Carrie Hayes took Norfolk grasses with her to Canada, somewhat to the dismay of her boys, though they ultimately enjoyed casting them over the Vancouver shore in John’s memory.
I
nspired by her father’s experience and the welcome he received, Carrie has done some research into the transatlantic evacuation of children. There was in fact a government scheme, the Children’s Overseas Reception Board (CORB), set up in part because so many people in Canada, Australia and other British Dominions wanted to do something to help and were willing to foster children. Winston Churchill wasn’t initially in favour as he thought it would appear defeatist. The Queen, the present Queen’s mother, had made her views clear at the outbreak of war. There was some suggestion that the Queen and her daughters should be evacuated to North America. To this the Queen replied: ‘The children won’t go without me. I won’t leave the King. And the King will never leave.’ But over 1,500 children were sent by CORB to Canada and it is estimated that over 13,000 were evacuated privately, including Mary, John, and Biddy, mostly between July and Sep-
tember of 1940. ‘I was amazed when reading Jessica Mann’s book “Out of Harm’s Way” (she was privately evacuated aged 2) and Geoffrey Bilson’s “The Guest Children” to find out that there were both CORB and private evacuees with the Clarke children on the Duchess of Atholl,’ says Carrie. ‘I always had the impression, from both Dad and Mary, that they were the only children or evacuees on board. I suspect that being in First Class meant that they did not mix with the other children (in Third)!’ In the last years of his life, Carrie encouraged her dad to record onto tape stories from his life. ‘The four and a half years he spent in Canada played a big part in who he was to become later in life,’ Carrie relates. ‘He never forgot the hospitality of the Canadians and always maintained that he undertook so many voluntary roles during his lifetime in part
“He never forgot the hospitality of the Canadians and always maintained that he undertook so many voluntary roles during his lifetime in part so that he could “give back” to society some of the kindnesses that were shown to him and his sisters in Canada.”
so that he could “give back” to society some of the kindnesses that were shown to him and his sisters in Canada.’ Today, according to Worldvision, nearly five million Syrians are refugees, in addition to over six million people displaced internally within Syria. Half the refugees are children. Most Syrian refugees remain in the Middle East, in Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, and Egypt; slightly more than 10 percent have travelled to Europe. Children affected by the Syrian conflict are at risk of becoming ill, malnourished, abused, or exploited. Millions have been forced to quit school. In September the Prime Minister announced that the UK will resettle 20,000 Syrian refugees over five years. The first 1,000 arrived in December as part of the Vulnerable Persons Relocation (VPR) scheme. More than 50 local authorities have taken a share of the refugees. The Government’s website states: ‘At this point we don’t think there will be a need to host Syrian refugees in homes and we’re not asking people to come forward with offers of a spare bedroom. ‘Many organisations in the UK operate accommodation hosting projects to help vulnerable asylum seekers and refugees. At the moment we don’t think the public will need to foster any unaccompanied Syrian children. However, there are lots of unaccompanied
February 2016
17
STORIES
YLM
from p.15
A Norfolk Primary School teacher retraces her father’s evacuation to Canada in the Second World War, and is struck by the contrast between the welcome he received and today’s attitudes towards refugees.
Syrian refugee families arrive in Rothesay, Isle of Bute Christopher Furlong_ Getty
children seeking asylum already in the UK who need homes.’ VPR accepts refugees from Syria, Jordan and Turkey. Lisa Doyle of the Refugee Council has called on the government to also help resettle those who had risked the trip from Syria to Europe: ‘What we now need to see is the same eagerness to welcome refugees shown by communities across the country. Resettling Syrian refugees is a great first step but Britain also needs to come forward and offer to help refugees arriving in Europe a route to safety too.’ Other high profile figures believe the UK’s response to the refugee crisis has not been enough. Lord Phillips, former UK Supreme Court head, and Lord Macdonald, ex-director of public prosecutions, were among 300 signatories to an open letter on the issue. One retired judge said the UK could cope with taking in 75,000 refugees a year. In addition to VPR, councils in Yorkshire and the Humber will resettle around 1,500 Syrian refugees, fifty-one Syrian refugees have arrived in Belfast, and fifteen Syrian families are making a new home on the
YLM | your lifestyle magazine
18
Scottish island of Bute. Scottish minister Humza Yousaf said their arrival was a ‘proud day’, adding:
be accepting ‘fewer or no refugees’, according to a YouGov survey. But a further poll conducted by The Times showed that figure had risen to 49 percent following November’s terrorist attacks on Paris and claims by ISIS to have smuggled 4,000 covert gunmen hidden amongst innocent refugees. Today’s refugee crisis is undoubtedly a very different situation from that of 1940: there aren’t such obvious links between Syria and the UK as there were between the UK and its former colonies, for one thing. Yet the principle of providing refuge to those threatened and displaced by war is the same. There is little discussion of refugees returning to Syria at the end of hostilities, and this must concern those troubled by immigration issues. But, back in 1940, Violet Clarke was not alone in worrying that the Battle of Britain would end badly and that her children would never return. Carrie Hayes is dismayed by negative reactions to refugees, as her father John would no doubt also have been. Dare we even imagine a Syrian baby of the future being named in fond tribute to a generous British host of 2016? ●
“the principle of providing refuge to those displaced by war is the same.” ‘I would like to extend the warmest of welcomes on behalf of the people of Scotland, and wish them all the best as they start their new lives here.’ Thousands of people took to the streets in September, carrying placards and chanting ‘Say it loud and say it clear: refugees are welcome here’. This was after the shocking TV footage of the death of Aylan Kurdi, a three-year-old boy found face-down on a Turkish beach. At that time, just 27 percent of people believed Britain should
February 2016
WOMeN in BUSINESS
Charlotte Nicolls The Camargue Cafe A warm welcome awaits you at The Camargue Cafe where Charlotte and Sherry will serve you delicious homemade meals, snacks and refreshments. Situated within the award winning Valley Farm Equestrian Leisure facility, The Camargue Cafe also offers workshops for adults and children throughout the year, give them a call for more details.
Louise Thompson Play. Make. Create. A creative mum of two boys with 16 years experience in ‘Early Years’ and Education. Play. Make. Create. sessions provide fun art & craft activities for kids during the holidays and for your birthday party or event. If you can’t get to a Play. Make. Create. workshop why not order a ‘Craft Bag’ to do at home? The Next session, ‘All about the Love’, is in February half term, spaces are limited so booking is essential. Come and play!
Corrina Giles The Little Upholsterer
The Blossom Charity supports women in business through coaching and workshops in, for example, marketing yourself and your business, business budgeting and how to lead teams. They have supported the businesses on this page and would love you to do so too. For more information, 01379 678483 www.dream-on.co.uk
The Little Upholsterer offers traditional upholstery services from the beautiful village of Peasenhall in East Suffolk. Corrina provides a range of services from small restoration work to larger projects using traditional techniques and materials. She has an open workshop and welcomes visitors to pop in and find out more about her work. Visit Corrina’s Facebook page to see her latest projects at The Little Upholsterer.
Andi Jefroy Flying Poodle Flying Poodle is a design studio specialising in hand-drawn designs. Andi creates hand-drawn or hand-let tered designs for bespoke wedding stationer y, party invitations and one-off specialoccasion cards as well as calligraphy, portraits and illustration. Visit Andi’s Facebook page to see examples of her work: Facebook. com/FlyingPoodleStudio
YLM
HOMES & GARDENS
LEAP FOR JOY
topsy Turvey Gabi reid p.22
keep yer heel down bor MARK AIKEN p.25
Spring Has Sprung Joan Garnham p.25
exciting times ahead jan major
Meet me at Baylham Farm from the 13th
p.27
-
baylham-house-farm.co.uk
Spring is here! Words by Wendy Aiken “Spring shows what God can do with a drab and dirty world.”
— Virgil Kraft
Conventionally each season is defined as three months long and spring in the UK as March, April and May. Spring is the season that follows winter and is associated with the fresh growth of vegetation, germination of dormant seeds, resuming of activity in hibernating creatures and the start of animal and plant reproduction. Our climate continues to change and there were reports of frogs spawning, active insects and spring flowers sighted before Christmas. In fact the
YLM | your lifestyle magazine
mild weather so far this year has caused many of us to wonder if winter is the new spring! For me this time is so exciting, seeing the bare trees come back to life and lambs playing in green, lush grass. The sense of new beginnings, the warm spring sunshine on my face. We’re shaking off those winter blues and taking a deep breath of fresh spring air, getting out of the house and listening to the countryside awake. We are so blessed in East Anglia to have many bluebell woods and beautiful places to walk and take in all that nature has to offer.
Let’s see who else is talking about spring ...
February 2016
HOMES & GARDENS
I t’s been a ‘topsy turvey’ kind of winter with the mildest of temperatures, endless rain, interspersed with the odd freezing week, the wildest of winds and the occasional stunningly beautiful, still, golden days. The recent cold snap came as quite a surprise after the mild months before Christmas.
“the pots heat up slowly releasing a gentle warmth, just enough to keep the temperatures up by a few degrees.” A friend gave me the great idea of using big slow-burning candles set under large terracotta pots to keep the frost out of the greenhouse; the pots heat up slowly releasing a gentle warmth, just enough to keep the temperatures up by a few degrees. Outside I wrapped fleece around the Pittosporums to protect their delicate leaves and over the Ranunculus corms that had started to put on lots of leafy growth when the
weather was mild. The hellebore flowers having been bent over with frost seemed to recover quickly and stand tall again, they keep on producing their beautiful flowers and once again I marvel at the miracles of nature and its ability to cope with our ever changing climate and weather.
t
them just after they have flowered. They are one of the few bulbs that need to be planted ‘in the green’, dig them up carefully and separate by hand, replant in small clumps or by individual bulbs, making sure they are planted deep enough, they create a wonderfully natural
the autumn sown annuals in the greenhouse, there is no easy organic way to deal with these critters other than to re-pot affected plants having blasted them with water which will hopefully wash the fly away! My bare root roses have arrived and have been planted;
opsy u r v eery, longer days
o min Welc
g th e
In the garden and local woodlands, the grey green shoots of the Snowdrop leaves have pushed themselves upwards through the cold wet ground to come into flower in clumps and snowy drifts, these lovely flowers are among the first to flower in January and February no matter what the weather and on warmer days they release a delicate fragrance. They seem to symbolise hope and as the days get a little longer and a little lighter it really does feel like spring might be round the corner. Snowdrops love to grow in a dappled shady spot in moist welldrained soil; now is the perfect time to plant or divide
l of l ar r i v a
ight
display and will continue to grow and flower year on year. There are lots of gardens to visit that have magnificent snowdrop displays, it’s worth looking at the National Garden Scheme to find a garden near you and some have specific Snowdrop open days. I’m keeping an eye on the Dahlia tubers stored in the greenhouse, It’s worth checking for any signs of damage or rot as it can quickly spread to healthy plants, cut off any tubers that need to be removed as it will soon be time to start them into growth. Because of the mild weather I’m having an ongoing battle with white fly, they have been blighting all
they’ve been given a good mulch of well rotted manure and will have a month or two to settle before the growing season starts. I’m going to have a lesson in how to graft roses in the spring which I’m very excited about. In preparation, I’ve planted some wild Dog Roses that are going to be used as the root stock; hardy, reliable and relatively disease-free they have been used for centuries as a traditional way of increasing rose stock. ●
— Now taking orders for Mothering Sunday bouquets. For more details about workshops,
Words by Gabi Reid Gabriel’s Garden
to book a place or to order flowers, 01379 677793 hello@gabrielsgarden.co.uk gabrielsgarden.co.uk
W H A T ’ S H A P P E N I N G I N G a b r ie l ’ s G a r d en ?
22
YLM
Diary —
Valentines workshop Sat 13th February Designer Makers 21, Diss 2.30pm – 4.30pm | £35 I’m delighted to be back in the workshop space at the wonderfully creative Designer Makers 21 with two pop up workshops starting with Valentine’s Day where we will be creating a rosebud heart on a base made from hazel twigs, equally beautiful to give as a gift or to make for oneself, these heart shaped garlands are full of miniature red rose buds and fresh green foliage. Mothering Sunday Sat 5th March Designer Makers 21, Diss 2.30pm – 4.30pm £37.50 Create a beautiful hand-tied bouquet full of scented spring flowers, gift-wrapped and ready to give on Mothering Sunday.
Book CLUB see this feature
60
p.
Easter workshop The Pennoyer Centre, Pulham Saint Mary Sat 19th March 11am -3.30pm | £65 Create a gorgeous floral arrangement using a variety of seasonal foliage, delicate blossom and beautiful fragrant spring flowers, this will include making a handmade nest using birch twigs to decorate and fill with chocolate eggs. The price for this workshop includes an attractive zinc container to take home with your arrangement, a light lunch, tea or coffee and delicious homemade biscuits. á “In a deep, dense forest Fox has one friend Star, but one night Star doesn’t appear. Eventually Fox gathers his courage and
Carpets Hardfloors Upholstery
leaves his den in search of Star and discovers a world far beyond what he’s ever known before...”
Telephone 0800 234 3412 • 01379 678806 • 07984 648296 Email crystalcleannorfolk@hotmail.co.uk visit our website carpetcleanernorfolk.co.uk
your lifestyle magazine | February 2016
YLM
HOMES & GARDENS
keep yer heel down bor Wotcha! Hoop yer diddlin ok? We’ve got daffs comin’ out in January (which is when I have to write this obviously), but no sign of snowdrops yet! Maybe the latter are triggered by an internal alarm clock and the daffs by a ‘light bulb’ moment. Botanists reply please. One of the advantages I have through door to door deliveries is that I get to see thousands of gardens. I was speaking to someone working in his garden about how the ‘gardening clock’ is going a bit mad and said that maybe I should be thinking about putting me taters in! In January. I haven’t even put me broad beans in yet! ‘February fill-dyke’ is the common name given to this month, but we’ve already had it haven’t we? The dykes are full, the rivers are full and there’s about as much chance of a hosepipe ban this year as I’ve got of mastering the art of growing garlic! On a positive note, I’ve nearly finished digging the allotment – not quite managing it by Christmas Day or even by New Year’s Day – but almost there. It’s nice to see it clear of weeds! My New Year resolution is to stay on top of the weeds, and I shall continue with a ‘weed compost heap’ and if the compost is used in pots etc you’ll get no mass germination of weeds. Dew yew keep on troshin, and you’ll know, obviously, that Astroturf was developed in space. Well, Captain Tim Peake and his fellow compadres on the International Space Station are expected to carry out hundreds of experiments and one of them, I believe, is the development of an astrocarrot (already called ‘dalectable’) which will actually consume carrot fly; naut will come of it of course. However, my fear is that they might then move on to try and produce astrocress...
Mark Aiken dayburst@diss.co.uk
spring has sprung Planting & Care: What, When & Where
W
ell, to be honest, we haven’t had any winter this year yet, although at the time of writing, the weather men are full of doom and gloom. If they are correct, it is going to have a serious consequence on our gardens. In the first week of February we were seeing the hedgerows and trees already trying to come out in leaf. Some sheltered hawthorn and blackthorn were already in flower. We felled a willow and the sap had already risen. The twigs on the trees are changing colour, a sure sign the sap has risen. What this means is, that when, and if, the frosts and snow arrive in February and March as threatened, the buds are going to be killed and possible damage to the trees – the sap freezing inside and splitting the bark. The ‘up’ side is that there is plenty of food for the
“If we do get a late winter it will mean the fruits and nuts will be in short supply next autumn.”
birds and animals at the moment. If we do get a late winter it will mean the fruits and nuts will be in short supply next autumn. There are a couple of things which can help. Lightweight ground fleece can be draped over your fruit trees – it might look a bit odd but it will reduce the risk of frost damage to the flower buds. One thing they do in California for the orange groves when the frosts hit, is to spray the flowers and buds with water, this freezes and stops the worst of the frost burn. It doesn’t seem to make sense but it does work. The good thing is that nature is very tough and will rejuvenate very quickly. Do hold back on planting new trees and shrubs until all risk of low temperatures have passed. The saplings in the nurseries are just as far ahead as the hedgerows and if they are transplanted during frost, they will probably not survive. The good news is that you can spend the next few weeks planning your garden. Do use a reputable website when choosing trees. I suggest you start with the RHS. They give good descriptions and planting tips. The thing to remember is that trees are the biggest living things on earth and are going to outlast even the longest living of us. The root system will always grow outside the width of the canopy (to get the water) so please look into the full grown
width and plant well away from walls and buildings. We felled a large walnut last year that was demolishing the house and had been planted only a few feet from the foundations! Fruit trees can more or less be pruned anytime. It is better to prune before the fruits are set but make sure your gardener does not do this during heavy frosts. It is also a good idea to do a light prune after the June drop. This encourages the tree to put energy into the fruit rather than in new leader shoots. It will also encourage more fruit the following year. We have had a tremendous amount of rain over the last few months; luckily not as much flooding as some other areas. Trees can become water logged and may look like they are failing. Don’t be too quick to remove them, they may well survive, you will know by mid summer. If in any doubt, give your local tree surgeon a call and they will advise you. ●
Words by Joan Garnham Waveney Tree Specialists
YLM | your lifestyle magazine
25
F IND U S ON f Panache Home and Accessories
de cor
gif ts
c lot hing
pa int ing c la ss es
NE X T PA IN T ING CL A S S Book now for Saturday 27th Februar y
Ja n M ajo r 013 79 3 8 8 6 91 info @ panachehomeandaccessories.co.uk Unit rear of Ches tnut House
|
W il b y R o a d
|
Stradbroke
|
IP 21 5 JP
YLM
HOMES & GARDENS
EXCITING TIMES AHEAD A New Look For Panache
W
ell here we are again, another eventful year has passed us by and scarily they seem to be going quicker and quicker. 2016 is scheduled to be an even busier year for me with lots of exciting things happening. After trading for nearly a year and trebling the size of the shop premises during 2015, I have decided it is time to close for a short period and give the shop a small facelift just in time to display all my lovely new stock, including lots more pieces of furniture, mirrors and lighting in addition to all the gift accessories and all those lovely little items for the forthcoming wedding season. Up has come half the flooring, the sanding never endless and the filler and paints are to hand ready to welcome you all back in February to our newly refurbished premises! The shop is to predominately be divided into four sections; One area being the main entrance where I will be displaying some of the furniture ranges that I am about to start selling and which will also incorporate an area for you to sit at your leisure, have a cup of coffee and browse through the furniture catalogues. Although I will be selling the furniture on display, due to the size of the premises a lot of the furniture is available only to order. The second area will be mainly my gift area where you will be able to purchase your small home ac-
cessories, gifts for all occasions and some small items of clothing, scarfs and jewellery. The third area is to be divided into two smaller areas, one is my chalk painting workshop where I will continue to hold a full-day workshop once a month with the
“Up has come half the
flooring, the sanding never endless and the filler and paints are to hand ready to welcome you all back in February to our newly refurbished premises!”
intention in due course to introduce a three hour workshop during the week as well for all you lovely people who don’t have the time for a full day. Part of this third area is also going to be used by a friend of mine who I met last year, by the name of Lucy Carter who runs her own Mobile Beauty Therapist and Nail business by the name of At Your Fingertips. So anyone who wants to treat themselves to a little shopping trip in a warm and welcoming environment and then spoil themselves to some treatment then Lucy will be in the shop from Wednesday 3rd February and every Wednesday thereafter. Appointments can be made for Lucy
through Panache Home and Accessories or either with Lucy direct through her facebook page – www. facebook.com/lucycarternailtechnician. As if that is not enough - Another exciting project for my partner and I this year is that work has begun on the garden where come April we will be opening our Caravan Club CL Site (CL meaning only allowed to have 5 caravans at any one time). This in turn will hopefully have a large impact on the shop and painting workshops, although I can also see for the spring months we will be extremely busy making sure everything runs smoothly and looks spotless. As a promotion we are offering Caravan Club Members a free overnight pitch if they book a place on the full day painting workshops. So as you can see there is quite a lot going on at the moment but all for the good. Next month my editorial will be more about interiors again but what with all the changes taking place I just wanted to share all the exciting news with you. ●
Words by Jan Major Panache Home & Accessories
Painting Workshops 27th February 26th & 30th March Learn about Grand Illusions chalk paint and how to use it to get the best long lasting results on your home projects. You will learn about the preparation, ageing techniques and finishing using either varnish or wax. You will soon be hooked, we are!
27
Get in touch via, ben@ylm.co.uk
YLM | your lifestyle magazine
Top - bottom Atlanta Pendant £1,199 johndoediss.co.uk | Owl Cushion £125 rume.co.uk audley Chair £1,499 multiyork.co.uk | Jewellery Dish £20 oliverbonas.com gumleaf wellies + Welly Rack from £65 Man About Town / £59 aplaceforeverything.co.uk Apple Box Storage Bench £195 tiffanyjayne.co.uk
Lives in a house, a very modest house in the country | A few bits for your ‘Englishman’s Castle’
William morris strawberry thief
Did you know that we are always looking for designers & products from Norfolk & Suffolk?
YLM
HOMES & GARDENS
inston Churchill once stated: “We shape our buildings; thereafter they shape us”. A profound statement, and you may or may not agree with this, but the continual support of our country’s important stately homes, historic monuments, heritage assets, and notable modern buildings, shows that there may be some truth in this. Naysayers would contend that it stems from a simple feeling of history and heritage; an attachment to our ancestors, or a love of the artefacts on display. All valid reasons of course, but what about the buildings themselves? In a post-medieval age where fortification and practicality gave way to riotous creativity; decoration, proportion, and form flourished into some of the greatest monuments to our collective ability. Craftsmen, Designers, Architects and Engineers of the time battled against the limitations of the materials and tools of the era with staggering results. Few could look seriously at some of the historic gems of Norfolk’s built
harnessed can bring enormous benefits in terms of speed of construction, performance and energy efficiency. So is it still possible to execute construction projects to a high standard, to lift the heart, and to ‘Shape us’? I strongly Holly Barn
construction and architecture are practiced today are constrained by Planning Departments, building regulations (sometimes rightly so!), and sadly at times a general lack of trade skill borne out of serial under-investment in skills training and traditional apprenticeships. Of course the opportunity for creativity exists with a burgeoning pallet of new materials to select from, which when properly
Grade II * Listed Hall
“Is it still possible to execute construction projects to a high standard, to lift the heart, and to ‘Shape us’? I strongly believe it is.”
W
environment and fail to be moved. The soaring proportions of Norwich Cathedral for example; constructed and improved over the centuries by the sweat and strained sinew of religious devotion, and a human desire to do one’s best. Modern development and architecture so often seem to deviate from these principles, and from the lessons of the past. Of course it is difficult to compare the two; The environment under which
H ow to achieve exce lle nce in A rchite c tural Design
b u o a ta il f t l w e ding o s
Words by James Sizer | MCIAT MCABE CbuildE ICIOB | SA Architectural Services
believe it is. Recent work with true craftsmen (and women) on two of Norfolk’s prized assets, a Grade II* hall in South Norfolk and RIBA Manser Medal Winning Holly Barn, have renewed my vigour for Historical conservation and creative design. The buildings are so different in conception and execution, but both have the same underlying characteristics; a devotion to quality and craftsmanship, the use of materials in a creative way to enhance their surroundings, and an unswerving ability to inspire the onlooker with their charms. Both boast a sense of proportion and level of detail which elevate them to listed and widely revered status respectively. As an Architectural designer, I am so rarely lost for superlatives, but it seems apt to finish with another quote “Logic will get you from A to B, Imagination will take you Everywhere”– Albert Einstein ●
01603 713 528 | sa-architecturalservices.co.uk
February 2016
29
YLM
[ BEAUTIFUL IMAGES THAT INSPIRE ]
Valentines Meal SAT 13Th FEB
3 course Valentines meal with a glass of bubbly on arrival, a gift for the ladies & live music Stay the night for £99 per couple
Afternoon Tea FRI 12th FEB 3 - 6pm
Treat your loved ones to our Valentines Afternoon Tea
£25 pp
Buffet Lunch SUN 14th FEB
Treat all the family to our 3 course carvery buffet with lots of lovely treats
“Sometimes you will never know the true value of a moment, until it becomes a memory.” unknown
£12.95 pp
£23 pp
29 Denmark Street, Diss T 01379 642244 www.parkhotel-diss.co.uk
Candleholders
Resin Ornaments
Wooden Containers
Painted Umbrellas
Wickerware
Sugarcraft
Silk & Dried Flowers
Ribbons
CAPTURE
31
FROM THE CREATORS OF YLM
things a bit quiet?
Start-Up WebSiteS Don’t forget to ask about Social Media packages
£750 +VAT
WHAT YOU GET 6 Pages 1 Year Domain Name + Hosting Fully Responsive Easily Integration with Social Media Matching Email Accounts Pdf User Guide Basic Search Engine Optimisation 01379 669 299 | ben@circuitmedia.co.uk | l Circuit Media UK
YLM
WEDDINGS
Weddings fair do’s First Wedding Fair for Wingfield Barns p.34
SEVEN UNIQUE Wedding lOCATIONS p.35
the civil circle of life updating the marriage rule book p.37
Wedding Day Makeup LOOK & FEEL AMAZING p.41
-
The coming together of two people who want to spend their lives together. For better, for worse, richer or poorer, for all the ups and downs that life will throw at you, having your best friend with you to share whatever comes your way. Make your wedding day the day you will both remember for the right reasons. It’s your day - fill it with the things and people you love.
| ? | the ring has always been placed on the third finger because in Roman times they believed that the vein of that finger ran straight to the heart
YLM | your lifestyle magazine
February 2016
YLM
? WINGFIELD
First Wedding Fair for Wingfield Barns MJR Events based in Harleston are organising a Wedding Fair this Spring at The Beautiful Wingfield Barns just a few minutes from Eye and Diss. The 16th Century Barn is already an established venue for weddings and also hosts a variety of concerts and theatrical events during the year. The Wedding Fair will be the first held at Wingfield and is on Sunday 3rd April 2016. The one day fair will have around 50 top East Anglian Wedding Suppliers on hand to inspire and advise the Brides (And Grooms) to be.
fai r do’s
-
All brides-to-be will be greeted with a free glass of Adnams Prosecco kindly sponsored by Adnams’ Harleston shop, together with a free goody bag full of inspirational ideas and a glossy wedding magazine! There will be teas and coffee available in the main barn and guests can explore Wingfield and discover what the venue has to offer at their leisure. There is ample parking on site and entry to the fair is free! A wedding fair can be an exciting day for the bride, groom and their families. At our wedding fairs we try to cater for all interests and styles and have something for all the family to look at. All of our exhibitors are recommended specialists in their field and are more than happy to chat with guests giving advice and passing on years of experience. We have such a selection of exhibitors you could almost plan your entire wedding in just one day!
|?| For more information please visit our website, www.mjr-events.co.uk Alternatively please find us on Facebook – MJR Events For any further information mark@mjr-events.co.uk
YLM | your lifestyle magazine
WEDDINGS
RUINED ABBEY Go against the trend and take it back to church! Also provides a magnificent backdrop for your entertainment
2 | BARN Create an organic, rustic and enchanting atmosphere, reminiscent of weddings in days gone by and beautiful simplicity. Usually situated in the heart of the countryside, providing fabulous views and photograph opportunities. Plenty of scope to be creative and impart you own style and personality.
| 4 |
SEVEN UNIQUE
3 LEVEL 34
Shangri-La Hotel at The Shard, London boasts exquisite views over the city, providing an ideal backdrop for your wedding photographs, especially in the evening
THE BROADS
Wedding lOCATIONS for your inspiration
Have you ever thought about having your special day on a sailing vessel? The broads are amazingly tranquil, with a romance that only nature can conjure. Deck shoes and stripes all round!
windmill / TIDEMILL / lighthouse Capturing the essence of a traditional English wedding. They are always situated in gorgeous surroundings, ideal for photo opportunities and a great talking point for years to come. They are reminiscent of times gone by and thus perfect for a vintage theme. A tender, intimate ceremony; one that you will never forget.
THE BEACH
-
woodland Magical, fairy-tale images. With the gorgeous canopy, and the mystical trees, the ground dappled with sunlight streaking through the branches. Hang decorations from these branches such as lights and garlands, be completely inspired with nature around you; the colours, the scents and the sounds.
An extremely romantic place to get married. Not only are beaches beautiful and mesmerising, dramatic and peaceful, they also place no restrictions on the amount of guests you invite. Your photographs will look amazing. You don’t need to travel abroad to find a perfect beach, we have some stunning beaches right here on our doorstep.
February 2016
35
when only the best will do
TAYLORED HAIR 9
Wedding & OccasiOn sTYLing speciaLisT
Hen featHer print £39.95 victoriacraven.co.uk
“Not only did my hair, but also my sisters hair look fab, it survived the heat of the day and dancing through the night! Having such a happy and genuine person around to do my hair was amazing.” - ABI
01379 423217 07879 444 873 | tayloredhair.com |
f
Taylored Hair
YLM
WEDDINGS
| Words by Kim Greenacre |
p r t .1
O
ur lives and the world we live them in change everyday. Some of these changes happen so fast we hardly notice them until they have crept right up on us and suddenly, when we take a moment to look around, we find theses changes sitting, centre stage, in our lives. There are other changes that manifest at a much slower pace; so slowly, in fact, that most people do not see the primary differences, let alone the complete transformation they bring during the average, three score and ten, lifetime. These lumbering changes, more often than not, have nothing to do with biological or physical evolution, the effect of weather, soil erosion or glacial melt; they are simply trapped in tradition.
YLM | your lifestyle magazine
The dictionary definitely holds clues as to why, that which is held in this seemingly impermeable membrane, sheds all attempts to alter its form the way a good macintosh whisks away a deluge.
the civil circle of life updating the marriage rule book
Tradition: the transmission of customs or beliefs from generation to generation. Synonyms: historical convention, unwritten law, oral history, heritage; lore, folklore.
Understandably then, anything connected to “historical conventionâ€? would take time and more than a little courage to transform but recently individuals, couples and entire families are challenging customs that have stood for centuries and are enjoying not only the process of transforming them but more importantly the outcome! ď ľ
February 2016
WEDDINGS
In my role as a Civil Celebrant I have the privilege to witness such changes. This relatively new profession is without doubt a product of such changes and allows me the honour of meeting people who, preparing for one of the key circle of life moments, make a committed and informed decision to move away from tradition. These choices, and when they need to be made, are obviously connected to the most emotional occasions any of us will face in our lifetime; the birth of a new baby, a marriage or civil union and of course, saying farewell to a family member or close friend at a funeral. Instead of mimicking the well rehearsed and familiar actions of their parents and grand-parents these deliciously brave souls base their decisions on who they really are and how they go about the business of living today. To be able to appreciate the gravitas of such decisions we really need to look at the history and longevity of the ceremonies in question.
“The determination of a few beautifully brave brides & grooms, has revitalised the marriage ceremony & the way it is conducted throughout the UK”
YLM | your lifestyle magazine
38
The quintessential church wedding has long been considered one of the cornerstones of English life but, if more people were aware of how long the current format of the ceremony and the vows it contains have been in situ, perhaps even more of the population would agree that a revamp is long overdue. A little digging in the historical records of our country proves that to find any significant changes in the ceremonial or legal requirements of the marriage act we must go back several centuries. Inter-estingly (and quite alarmingly) it was not until 1140 that the Benedictine monk Gratian, considered that consent of both bride and groom should be essential and formalised this aspect into church law with his textbook, Decretum Gratiani - before that date a person simply had to be present to be bound by the, then, inescapable bonds of matrimony. The Marriage Vows, as couples recite them today during a Church of England ceremony, actually date back to Thomas Cranmer, the architect of Eng-
lish Protestantism. Cranmer laid out the purpose for marriage and scripted the current wedding vows nearly 500 years ago in his Book of Common Prayer. The book was revised in 1552 and again in 1662, but the integral ingredients of the ceremony were first laid down in 1549.
The words that most of us are familiar with and consider to be the warp and weft of a traditional wedding ceremony “to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer” etc. can all be traced to that time. More and more members of our society now live a secular life. Separated, disconnected and, most importantly, without a desire or need for religion and therefore, do not want to include it in the key moments of their life. It also has to be noted that with some faiths still frowning on same-sex unions, portions of our society cannot find common ground, let alone comfort, inside a religious dominion. Of course this is where the Civil Ceremony should step in and, as far back as July 1837 marriages in England and Wales could, for the first time, take place in a Registry Office and quite significantly for that era, could be conducted by a Registrar rather than a member of the clergy. For those not wanting to work out the maths that is 178 years since anything significant has changed. 178 years is a long time and the restric-
tions that govern these Civil Ceremonies have not changed during that period. The stagnation and inflexibility of the core elements of the civil wedding service and now, as importantly for most contemporary couples, where it must take place, prevent many partners who are deeply in love, from committing formally to each other. If the legal dictates prevent them from expressing who they really are and how they want to celebrate their union, they prefer to remain unwed. Over the past three years there has a been a change in thinking and, even though the law has not changed, the determination of a few beautifully brave brides and grooms, has revitalised the marriage ceremony and the way it is conducted throughout the UK, by turning to a Civil Celebrant. It is now possible, after taking care of the legalities of registering the marriage with a Registrar at a Registry Office and in the presence of two witnesses which, usually takes around 15 minutes, the couple are free to hold a ceremony of their choosing, The venue, style and content of a ceremony, led by a Celebrant is without boundaries or limits! In 2013 a couple from London held their ceremony in a shark tank, others opted for a tandem skydive, more recently another couple decided upon a Game of Thrones wedding theme complete with an Iron Throne! On a more romantic note the content of the service is personal; the vows are bespoke and written for each couple, the readings can be selected from any source or can be commissioned especially for the event. For couples who have mixed heritage and customs, this option is the only way they can blend the most significant elements of their cultures together and offers them the best opportunity to celebrate all that is great about their combined ethnicity.
YLM
There is of course another bonus to this idea; it can mean that super low-budget weddings can be turned into the stuff of dreams! Without the
“If you would prefer to buy some amazing plants for your garden that will bloom year after year on your anniversary, make some bunting out of pink gingham, fire up your barbecue, have your Labrador as Best Man and have the biggest garden weddingparty ever, then so be it!”
need for a high-priced licensed venue you can decide exactly what to spend your money on. If that means preferring to buy some amazing plants for your garden that will bloom year after year on your anniversary, make some bunting out of pink gingham, fire up your barbecue, have your Labrador as Best Man and have the biggest garden wedding-party ever, then so be it! The same dilemmas are faced by couples who manage to reach milestone anniversaries. The current C of E “Thanksgiving for A Marriage” ceremony begins with a formal prayer - if the couple are not regular church goers they may feel a little uncomfortable celebrating the longevity of their union in such a way. Much nicer perhaps for them to invite friends and family to a favourite beauty spot or to their own garden and be the focus of a ceremony written just for them? A bespoke Vow Renewal Ceremony will commemorate their love for each other and their proven commitment to each other - real life reflected in every aspect of the celebration... ●
The Civil Circle of Life will continue in the March edition of Your Lifestyle Magazine
YLM
Treat Your Loved One on
Valentines Saturday 13th February
Glass of Bubbly, 3 Course Meal, Gift for your Loved One & talented Singer Hayley Moss £24.95
Sunday 14th February
3 Course Lunch & Gift for your Loved One £16.95 3 Course Evening Meal & Gift for your Loved One £19.95
Book Now
Treat Your Mum on
Mothering Sunday Sunday 6th March
3 Course Lunch & a Gift for the Mums £21.95
A Scrumptious Afternoon Tea with a glass of Bubbly (Available Saturday or Sunday)
£12.95
Booking is essential
01379 870456 bromegrangehotel.co.uk
Celebrant House Bespoke ceremony creation for Weddings, Celebration of Life Ceremonies and Naming Days To discuss your requirements, or find out a little more about the services I offer please call 07816 818838 or email kim.greenacre@uksoc.com
In lIfe
|
I n d e at h
|
In love
W
e arrive at the bride’s chosen venue holding our makeup case full of skincare and makeup. Director style chairs for all the bridal party to sit at in turn to have their makeup done in preparation of the wedding celebrations ahead. Mother and Bridesmaids take the special seat first... The room is filled with excitement, nerves and anticipation. All rolled into one makes the wedding morning a morning to remember forever. Makeup is such an important part of getting ready. The dress/oufit carefully chosen, the hair and makeup rehearsal perfected the look ready for this special day. The combination creates a feeling of personal beauty and confidence. Cameras, photographers will be clicking away but feel reassured you will look and feel amazing...
#BEAUTY
Wedding Day M a k eup
Welcome to February’s Beauty Blog
WEDDINGS
s
Each makeup individually discussed to tailormake the look you feel comfortable with. Advice given on foundations and how to keep makeup lasting all day, colours for eyes, lips and cheeks, firstly to bring out your own natural best but to complement the colours within the wedding theme. All this preparation done at rehearsal in our studio so each and everyone of the wedding party can sit back and relax on the wedding morning and let us pamper you until you leave.
Try Lancome Hypnose Drama Mascara - Its tearproof, waterproof & smudgeproof!
Lipfinity by Maxfactor includes a nourishing lip balm, great for all those extra kisses!
Makeup done, hair done, dress / outfit on, final finishing makeup touches, a touch of gloss, a piece of jewellery and spray of fragrance
Precious Moments
The journey to the ceremony, the smiles, the excitement on route to the most important day of your life, looking and feeling amazing to be see by everyone on the day and photographs for a lifetime of very happy memories.
Those precious moments before the bridal party leave, all looking and feeling special. The bride having her moment to reflect on her wedding morning and the wonderful day ahead.
Use a Translucent Powder that compliments your foundation to refresh your makeup well into the evening
Dionne & Rachel offer Bridal advice and packages to make every Bride, Mother of Bride Bridesmaid or Guest look and feel their very best for a very special day. 01379 678117 | 07511 383953 definingradiancemakeup.co.uk
Words by Dionne & Rachel Defining Radiance Words by Dionne & Rachel definingradiancemakeup.co.uk Defining Radiance
Photography by Hayley Denston
your lifestyle magazine | February 2016
NOVEMBER 2016
41
YLM
# PATTERN + PRINT
tREND ... JUMPSUIT
S P R ING / SUMMER FORE C AST ACE & JIG
wide leg trousers by ted baker
SS 1 6
#WIDE LEG + CROPPED
42
topshop ss16
Navy Culottes by NEW LOOK
#TAILORING
joules
Suits you, Madam -
trouser / jacket COmbinations
Learn to love a compliment Many women find it very hard to accept a compliment, but they are given with the intention to make you smile so enjoy the feeling.
4
|
-
FASHION
|
2
Mix it up Add a pretty floral scarf to a striped top or perhaps play with colours… there have been some bold colours in the shops and they can give your outfit a fresh look.
Give yourself time Allow an extra 15 minutes twice a week and start by adding accessories and progress to choosing new outfit combinations.
5
| Accessorise
|
It’s something that can change any outfit with one simple addition. A bold piece of jewellery, a statement handbag or even a pop of colour with a gorgeous scarf can all help to create a new look to an existing outfit.
Dress up Don’t keep dresses just for special occasions. Dresses can be worn with leggings and boots for a more casual look or team it with a leather jacket for rock chic glamour.
DITCH THE JEANS! Jeans are not the only thing to wear…now, we all love our jeans but are you the person that never wears anything else. Perhaps a weekly challenge to wear something different could be the start of your new style.
S
pring is just around the corner (I know, how good does that feel?) and it may be time to have some fashion goals to help make your wardrobe a little more interesting for the new season. The best thing about fashion is that it is always changing, and sometimes even backwards but this does allow us to have some fun experimenting with our looks. Probably the most frequent comment I hear is “I’m stuck in a rut with my clothes style but don’t know where to start”. Well, take a look at the following eight suggestions and see if you are able to adopt one or more of them this season and start to see a change in your style. ●
Dream On was set up to help women be the best they can be. If you would like to know more get in touch via the following methods,
6
Turn & face the change -
New Season, New You?
|
Challenge your rules We all have them and probably far more than we think. When you hear yourself saying “I don’t look good in blue or I’m too old to wear that” stop and think again. Give it a try and ask a friend for their opinion… you may be surprised at the result.
01379 678483 www.dream-on.co.uk
treat yourself sometimes
-
Now I’m not advocating that you splash out on items you cant afford but occasionally it doesn’t hurt to buy yourself something… a lovely new coat or a more expensive tailored pair of trousers. You will love them, feel good when wearing them and that must be a good thing. In unison say “yeah, you’re joking right”. Of course he wasn’t joking and any true expert in the power of referral marketing will tell you the same. Human beings are fundamentally relational creatures. Whether our relationships are one to one, or in groups, we still need to connect.
Words by Amanda Church Dream On
43
HEALTH
Words by Kyle Brooks 07935 726358 | brookspt.co.uk
Do you have a story to tell? t @ylmuk using #yourlifestory
time o n ’s ! There e present h like t
YouGov survey has shown that the 3 most popular New Year’s resolutions relate to health and fitness, and with 2016 under way many people will be working hard to keep up those resolutions, whilst some may have stumbled and a few will have given up altogether. As a qualified personal trainer and nutrition consultant my role is to promote health and fitness to my clients as well as the general public, however, as part of that task I make sure I communicate the reality that things don’t often go to plan when starting a health regime. A lot of articles, videos and TV programmes will be encouraging you to work on a New Year’s resolution and that’s great. What I would like you to consider for a moment though is that perhaps (for health and fitness goals) January might not be the best time. Asking for support isn’t something we’re often very good at, but if you want to be successful, it’s something you must have. Support can come in many forms and the more of them you have, the better your chances of sticking to your resolution and reaching your goal. Health professionals, including personal trainers, nutritionists or dietitians can be
#livewell
44
even harder. It’s widely accepted that to form a new positive habit takes around 21 days of adherence. How much harder do you think it would be to resist temptation and stick to your resolution when the food is available to you as readily as it was just after the festive period? Your general health can be another barrier in January. With coughs, colds and ‘man flu’ doing the rounds, it was hardly going to inspire you to go to the gym, commit to exercise classes or eat healthily when you feel ill. I’m generally not a big fan of New Year’s resolutions and throughout November and December people tell me about their plans for starting in the New Year. Some may argue that Christmas isn’t a good time to begin eating more healthily, but I disagree. The key word there is MORE. You may not be eating healthily during Christmas, but you can eat more healthily than you typically would for the time of year. Even curbing the amount of weight gain is a positive. Many of my clients have adopted this so strongly that they’ve eaten the foods they wanted (in moderation) over the festive break and have either gained no weight, or put on just 1lb. Change can’t come just from changing actions alone, you need to modify the way you think. If you don’t, the new action will be resisted and you’re more likely to end up back where you started, resenting what you feel failed to work for you. Modifying your thinking is by far one of the hardest and most uncomfortable things to do, so try small incremental adjustments rather than huge leaps. Long term the proof of this is evident in fad diets where you only eat certain types of food
s u s taina b l e w e l l b e ing
Get support
YLM
a huge help. With expert advice, experience and accountability to them, they can be your biggest asset but do insist on seeing certificates of their qualifications as well as recent testimonials from previous clients. If they can’t or won’t provide them, go elsewhere. Invest a little time searching for the right person rather than automatically going with who
p r t .1
appears at the top of Google. Your choice is important. The friendships you build at classes and weight loss groups together with regular time in your weekly schedule mean you’ll be more consistent. Your friends, family and colleagues are extremely influential. Things they probably won’t consider, like offering you unhealthy food at work or saying “shall we order a pizza tonight?” can easily derail you. Hopefully the people close to you will support you, but first you need to let them know what you’re doing. Once they know what you need to avoid, they’re less likely to accidentally tempt you. Was January the best time to change?
During January you most likely still had cakes, biscuits, crisps and chocolates in the house. This was only going to make not eating those foods
YLM
JOHN TAYLOR BUILDERS LTD
General Builders & Joiners PlumBers & decorators
Specialist Work to Listed Buildings & Properties of Character such as melon all day. They’re not sustainable from a physical or mental perspective. People lose weight quickly, hating the process the entire time, and go back to normal habits, putting on often more weight than they lost. For me change in what I do working with clients isn’t about dieting or drastically reducing calories to get a bikini body for summer. For those who have dieted it’s about making the necessary long term changes in order to never need to diet. The change is in attitudes, thought and behaviours that result in a genuinely happier and healthier life When is the best time to change?
February has been shown to be a more successful time for change. We’ve had our fill at Christmas, the food has gone and now we have the right attitude to progress. The point of this article isn’t to say don’t make changes now. What I want to encourage you to do is make changes when the idea comes to you. Act straight away while the motivation is clear in your mind, whether it’s feeling tired of how you look or aspiring to just feel healthier. As the saying goes, “there’s no time like the present.” If now is when you genuinely feel motivated and prepared to start making changes, go for it, you have my full support. ●
NEXT MONTH The first steps of your journey
your lifestyle magazine | February 2016
01379 643138
5 shelfanger road / diss
R
ZI
U
A
6
YO
NE
2
0
13 01 - 2
WHAT’S
YOUR LIFE STORY? your lifest yle maga zine
loving life in norfolk & Suffolk
How to submit your story
t @ylmuk using #yourlifestory | 01379 669 299 | info@ylm.co.uk
YLM
HEALTH
W
a he lk al ing th t ie he r lif pa es th t y to le
Words by David Young | Focused Massage
“Make small changes by eating a little good quality, local product.”
I
was very surprised when Google answered my question that 40% - 50% make a New Year resolution. How is this so... I thought more people must have something better to ‘Focus’ on? With so many articles giving information about diet or should I say dieting this gives the impression that almost every-
body’s ‘Focus’ is on dieting. I am unsure about dieting and where the good is with not eating. Well there are good nutritional practitioners that focus on health. When the ‘Focus’ becomes about improving health with better food choices this inspires us to talk with friends about great locally produced food. Talking chocolate is a big thing with many people. I like a ‘good’ chocolate, 70% Cocoa more chocolate less sugar. Are there health benefits to eating ‘good’ chocolate ? Well, dark chocolate contains many essential minerals like magnesium, calcium, iron, zinc, copper, potassium, manganese, and the vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, C, E, and Pantothenic acid (historically known as vitamin B5). Make small changes by eating a little good quality, local
product. I wonder about those who have chosen to ‘get fit’ and have started to increase exercise... with this in mind I will use the word ‘movement’ instead of ‘exercise’. Resolve to move more. I would guess lots choose movement because they felt better after‘woods’!... That sounds like a walk in the woods and I like walking and walking more is for me a great step. I have followed and supported the great work of the Woodland Trust for many years. I regularly see people out and about running in urban areas. Is it with shorter amounts of daylight and wet muddy ground that lots choose to run in town because it is safer? However there will be many more enjoying running in countryside and we are very blessed with what we have around us in Suffolk and Norfolk both inland and coastal. How will their bodies cope with the changes in demand by more movement: muscular aches, old injuries, pains and nasty niggles? Plan ahead and after a good walk or run, how about following this movement by having a massage to keep joints moving freely and rapid recovery from muscular aches? There are many who are already living healthy lifestyles that are striving to make better health choices and some finding their way with new health choices in 2016. How many consider what their thoughts are … while eating healthily, and while out for a good walk/
Eat, e x e r ci s e & get a ma s s ag e ! run... enjoying what is around in Nature that shares their delights and their thoughts focusing their thoughts on health and getting better? When drinking plenty of water, it does not have to be cold. What about hot water with a slice of lemon or lime? Have I started something and will clients be asking for hot water with a slice of lemon or lime after their massage? Combining lifestyle choices brings many health benefits. Well, I have touched on a few things... What happens if all the above relates to a client who focuses on their health and well-being. yet still experiences symptoms of tightness in their calf muscles and occasionally cramp?... Eating foods with magnesium (such as leafy greens, nuts and fish), keeping moving and massage can be beneficial. What about resolving to have a regular massage? Now there is a good thought towards taking time out and feeling better. ● ] Paleo Guide to Dark Chocolate_ ulti-
matepaleoguide.com
David Young is currently taking appointments in Diss at the Park Hotel 07540 610475 david@focusedmassage.co.uk
- #livewell -
YLM | your lifestyle magazine
February 2016
47
VENTURE
I
f I had a penny for every time I was told this I would have a lot of pennies to count up! The thing is, no matter how you try to avoid numbers you just can’t. It can make life very complicated and cause a lot of problems by avoiding them. We need to understand numbers so we can make many decisions. Can I afford something? If I commit to borrowing money can I afford to repay? If I accept that new job will I be better or worse off? (Yes that sounds simple - just look at your pay...but say your pay is made of allowances, bonuses, holiday pay, sick pay ...they all count.) Another decision might be: I want to have my own business, can I create a plan?, Can I see how I’m doing against it? What numbers do I look at other than just money numbers? I’m sure you can all think of lots of numbers that it would
knew I had to keep with it. I got very average marks. Oddly, when I went on to study business it was the numbers side that I found I enjoyed. Not doing simultaneous equations or standard deviation but looking at the story the figures are telling you. An example for us at Dream On is looking at the different brands of clothing we sell and analysing how they are selling. My team might suggest that they know by simply looking in the shop but the numbers tell a more accurate story. We were looking at a particular brand we sell: “It’s only this season it hasn’t sold well.” One of the team said... “Umm, I replied, what do the numbers say?” “We sold it through and only had a little left.” “Yes but look at the numbers”, I continued, “It’s clear the range had to be discounted to sell through.” “But it was only this season we had to do that.”
be helpful to look at and not avoid. At Dream On we discuss numbers. Some of the team aren’t keen, but I stick with it. When we don’t look at the numbers we can get into a fix. I hope by now I’ve convinced you paying attention to numbers matters a great deal. When I was at school I struggled with maths but I
“Umm... that’s not what the numbers say, they say the same happened last year.” As a result of that conversation we’ve worked out what in the range sells, and why, we’ve spoken to the sales rep and been clear about what needs to happen if we continue selling the brand. Gut reaction can be useful but it’s clear numbers told the more accurate story.
“Gut reaction can be useful but numbers tell a more accurate story.”
The Blossom Charity exists to help women who would like to make their lives work better. It could be to help improve confidence and build new skills or to help launch an idea. Contact the team at Dream On via, esther@dream-on.co.uk or 01379 678 483
At Dream On we run three courses: How to Budget and Manage your Money; Health Check your Business; Creating my Marketing Plan. How many customers am I trying to find?, Where are they and how do I reach them? We encourage both producing the numbers and importance of understanding them. I won’t pretend this is great fun to all on the workshop, but I can say that all say they are pleased that they have started to understand the numbers rather than avoid them. One lady who came on the budgeting workshop had recently separated from her partner and was scared of looking at the numbers. We talked about how to create a budget. We looked at her income and worked out her costs and borrowings. She was able to understand the choices she had and left feeling she was in control and not scared any more. In fact she had a smile on her face. So you never know, you might find doing numbers isn’t as bad as you think and, more importantly, it can put you in control. ●
It ’s not all about e qu ations , the num b e r s te ll a stor y
Id n o u n m ’t be d rs o !
YLM
Words by Bridget McIntyre The Blossom Charity
YLM | your lifestyle magazine
49
YLM
don’t be foolish!
#SOCIALMEDIA
W
e have a Referral Institute Colleague in Dubai who recently contacted us with the following...
A few months ago I was sat in a room listening to David Bullock, one of the world’s leading authorities on social networking and credited with helping Barrack Obama into the White House. He shared a wealth of information about social media for creating buzz and the unarguable impact. He cited the election of President Obama, the Arab Spring as evidence of the power of social media when used correctly. Then he dropped a bombshell. “I have to tell you” he said “One big tip for you all here today; Get out from behind the computer and build relationships face to face” You could almost see the crowd in unison say “yeah, you’re joking right”. Of course he wasn’t joking and any true expert in the power of referral marketing will tell you the same. Human beings are fundamentally relational creatures. Whether our relationships are one to one, or in groups, we still need to connect. On the whole social media is a first “touch” hence it generates word of mouth and knowledge of you and your brand. However, it does little to really build “credibility” for
Before you get carried away online, don’t forget where ‘real’ relation-
don’t fool yourself! ships are made.
expensive or truly important products. If someone is looking to utilize social media to sell an internet marketing product then they may very well sell an item for $30 or $40 but would you really want to go on line for a doctor if your child was ill or would you ask a friend? Online and offline networking go hand in hand. They are not a “one or the other” option, you need both and you need a strategy. How well have you planned yours?
If you would like to understand how to gain new business by Referral, philburton@referralinstitutenr.co.uk | katrina@referralinstitutenr.co.uk or 01986 892214
Phil & Katrina Burton Referral Institute Norfolk
VENTURE
T
roublesome enants?
Recovering Arrears in Rent Q. My tenant has failed to pay their rent and now has substantial arrears. What can I do?
procedure”. Although this is desession. There is a particular form signed to be a much quicker option, that this notice must take, which the disadvantage is that you cannot you must make sure is used correctly. recover rent arrears using the accelerated possession procedure. Sometimes courts will initially If you choose this option, you allow tenants to stay in the propA. Understandably if you are a do not have to convince the court erty, provided that they can make landlord faced with a tenant in arthat your tenant is at fault, as you rears you will want to make sure reasonable repayments towards the arrears on top of their rent. If your do if you make an application on that you start receiving rental ingrounds. However, you must comtenant does not keep up repaycome again as soon as possible. ply with certain technical requirements, you will need to return to Sometimes changes of circumments, the main one being that you court for a further order, but courts stance, such as redundancy, will have given your tenant at least two result in a temporary reduction in will not allow the situation to continue indefihousehold income. In such case nitely. where arrears are relatively small, “ T h e r e a r e t w o m a i n r o u t e s t o a p p ly t o c o u r t f o r However, you might want to first make an p o s s e s s i o n o f r e s i d e n t i a l p r o p e r t y: e i t h e r “ o n in some informal arrangement with your g r o u n d s ” s u c h a s n o n - pay m e n t o f r e n t, o r u s i n g t h e cases the tenant. Unfortunately, this does not “a c c e l e r at e d p o s s e s s i o n p r o c e d u r e .” level of rent always work and it will be necesarrears is sary for you to go to court in order months’ notice in the correct way. much more serious. If your tenant to lawfully evict your tenant. There are also certain limitations has a substantial level of arrears, There are two main routes to equivalent to two months’ rent, the on when the accelerated possesapply to court for possession of sion procedure can be used: for court does not have the same disresidential property: either “on instance, it cannot be used if you cretion but must make an order for grounds” such as non-payment of have failed to protect your tenant’s possession. rent, or using the “accelerated posAlternatively, if your tenant has deposit in a government-approved session procedure”. tenancy deposit scheme. remained in the property after the If you want to apply to the court The final option is to sue a sitting fixed term of their tenancy has on grounds of non-payment of rent, or former tenant for unpaid rent. come to an end, you may be able the first stage is giving the tenant to use the “accelerated possession However, even if you obtain judgnotice that you intend to seek posment, enforcement can be difficult unless your tenant has substantial assets of their own. The better option may therefore be to take possession of the property, so that new tenants can be installed in the property as soon as possible. It is important that you comply with the particular requirements for taking court action, because if you fail to do so, it is highly likely that the court will not hear your claim. Steeles Law offers fixed fee Employment Legal As these requirements can be Advice Consultations in our Diss office on the complicated, in our experience it is last Wednesday of each month. usually quicker and, in the long run, cheaper for landlords to take legal advice as soon as they start thinking about evicting a tenant. ●
Do you know your rights when things go wrong at work?
-
For further advice on this, or any other landlord or tenant issues, please contact our dispute resolution team on, 01379 652141 | disputes@steeleslaw.co.uk
Words by Denise Traube Chartered Legal Executive Dispute Resolution
51
MOTORING
YLM
I
t’s that time of year again Christmas is a distant memory and New Year resolutions are being conveniently diluted or filed away in the recesses of our minds, ready for another time when the willpower might return. But with spring almost within reach, some of us are getting a little twitchy – steady on, I’m only talking about the start of the classic car season. The hedgerows are in bud, bulbs are sprouting, trees are
starting to turn green again and the wildlife is gearing itself up for the fertility season. But the classic car enthusiast sees none of it, for he (or she) is either toiling in the garage, thumbing excitedly through the latest parts catalogue or planning a summer of excursions and trips. But why do we do it? What drives us to invest serious amounts of time and hardearned cash on cars that are
noisy, often uncomfortable, frequently draughty, mainly unreliable, horribly polluting and (by modern standards) quite dangerous? Ok that’s a bit of a dark picture and I can think of many more positive reasons to own something a bit more vintage than the family runabout. Ford’s advertising slogan in the early seventies for the
Classic Escape
Hoorah for Classic Car Season!
YLM | your lifestyle magazine
February 2016
YLM
new Capri was: ‘The Car You Always Promised Yourself’, and for so many of us that is a huge driver for our classic car purchases. I remember so many cars from my youth that I too promised myself, only to be denied by lack of funds or circumstance. But the one on my list that I did manage to acquire was a Mk 1 Golf GTI in Lhasa Green. Having been brought up on a diet of stodgy Hillmans, Renaults, Volvos, various BL offerings and Land Rovers, the Golf was a total revelation. It was everything I had dreamed it would be – light and quick with excellent handling and surprisingly economical to boot. Unfortunately it also represented my only liquid asset when the subject of a deposit for a house came up, and the keys were duly exchanged for a modest wad of cash and our house
Words by Leighten Ball GM Autotech
54
was secured. Remember the days when a second-hand Golf was enough for a deposit on a house? Fast forward to now and I have an incurable desire to re-live my Golf GTI days – must get scanning the classifieds... Then there’s the dreaded mid-life crisis purchase. I’m not so sure about the whole mid-life crisis label – I think it’s much more the case that most of us are in a much better position to enjoy our hobbies and pastimes in the 40-60 years bracket. Not that those extra years have necessarily endowed us with any extra wisdom in our choice of classic motor. How many of us have endlessly researched our prospective purchase, convinced ourselves that it’s absolutely the right motor for ourselves, only to wonder if we’ve made the right decision just days after taking delivery? I have to admit that I’m particularly good (or bad) at this one and will dream up any excuse to justify an addition to the collection. Unfortunately (or fortunately) Mrs Ball has her radar tuned to recognise the symptoms and quickly constructs a watertight counter-argument which usually reduces me to a grinning fool who knows he has been beaten. Note: for the benefit of all you other midlifers out there I’m considering starting a campaign to stop Google/Ebay monitoring our web searches for the purpose of suggesting we ‘might like
“How many of us have endlessly researched our prospective purchase, convinced ourselves that it’s absolutely the right motor for ourselves, only to wonder if we’ve made the right decision just days after taking delivery?”
this or that’. It seems more than a little unfair to me that our covert research into impossibly large motorcycles and such like is made public to the next computer user, usually accompanied by the cry of “what have you been looking at one of those for?!” But surely the greatest driver of our decisions is the desire to drive something genuinely different. Styled for looks rather than to meet some obscure line of European legislation, not designed by computers or assembled by robots, and engineered more for fun than efficiency. And then there’s the potential for escapism – who can deny that driving their cherished old motor can transport them to a time and place when life was simpler and more fun? Now there’s an idea - perhaps I should try the escapism argument on Mrs Ball next time I’m thinking of a new (old) motor? ●
February 2016
STORIES
I
“I thrust my hands deep into my pockets & breathed a sigh of relief that hung in the cold air.”
t was minus six degrees when I crept out of my friend’s cottage early one Sunday morning. The sky was a clear brilliant blue and there was a stillness that wrapped itself round me like an icy blanket. I made my way gingerly out of the unfamiliar driveway and guided the car round skating rink corners and up ski slope hills. For a while I was uncertain that I had found the right road across the wintry Dales and began to wonder if I had made this rather dodgy journey in vain. But then, just as I was deciding that maybe I should turn back, I spotted the object of my pilgrimage. Rather closer to the edge than was wise, I pulled the car over onto a flat patch of crunchy undergrowth and stopped the engine. Getting out, I thrust my hands deep into my pockets and breathed a sigh of relief that hung in
on display wherever I cast my eyes. To my right was Ingleborough Mountain; it looked miniature now on the distant horizon, but when I’d climbed it a couple of years before it had seemed huge. In front of me the meandering single-track road ducked between the ridges of the dale, weaving a pattern with the becks that burbled their way over shiny rocks down to the river that would eventually take them to the far away sea, that even now glistened in the early morning sunshine. On my left, towering over the bay, tiers of Cumbrian hills rose up in ever darker layers, all capped with snow and utterly majestic. Time stood still. As I began to slowly take in all that I could see, I was almost overwhelmed by the weight of an immense silence. With the exception
the cold air. Now what? Before, when I’d stood here in this fiercely lonely place, I’d had an unexpected encounter; but this time the rendezvous was my idea. I shivered, waiting for God to arrive, not quite sure that He had this appointment in His diary. He was late. In the waiting, I surveyed my surroundings, and suddenly, I was struck by the awesome and rugged beauty
of the occasional grouse call, there was no sound up here at all, nothing; the emptiness seemed as big as the panorama before me; it found an echo in my spirit. And now I found I had very little to say. After a while, from over my shoulder I caught a glimpse of a wispy white cloud in the otherwise pure blue sky, and all at once this cloud displayed within it all
the colours of the rainbow. And somehow I knew that He had come. There was no trumpet fanfare, no whistles or bells, no surge of emotion or gush of tears, just the certainty that He was all around me; the evidence was indisputable. And into my soul dropped this thought: “My silence does not indicate my absence.” Surrounded by this raw beauty that had already challenged my perspectives, I knew it was true. I lingered there on the frozen hillside, feasting on the magnificence of the sleeping landscape, comforted by the wonder of the promise. I really don’t know how long I stood there, but eventually my numb fingers and tingling toes convinced me that it was time to slither back down to the village. Thawing out in front of the Aga, I was soon joined by the rest of the household, as they tumbled down the stairs looking for breakfast! The bitter coldness was quickly forgotten, but the truth of those words lives with me still…. ●
S om e one wor th waiting for
YLM
Words by Sue Johnson
- #faithstories -
YLM | your lifestyle magazine
57
|
|
25 St. Nicol aS Street, DiSS
#showyourcolours
SHOW YOUR COLOURS Hattric
At Man About Town not only do you have a superb choice of mens clothing from smart-casual to formal wedding hire, there’s also a warm welcome and great customer service from Adrian and Alison.
roamers HJ Hall
tyler&tyler Dickens & Browne
Gumleaf
raGinG Bull
Venti
clauDio luGli lloyD attree & smitH
DO YOU HAVE A GREAT BUSINESS THAT NEEDS TO BE SEEN?...
We are a friendly and motivated group of business people that meet once a week for coffee and to refer work —
The accountant says:
“It’s not all about the money!” For me being a part of this group is about getting to promote my business in front of 20 plus other like-minded business people and build some really important long term relationships. Yes the financial reward is good, but it’s so much more than that for me and my company. —
Matthew Neale Haines Watts Chartered Accountants
Enquiries
01379 652575 manatmenswear.co.uk
nEW STOCK ARRIVES In FEBRUARY
If you want to see how we can grow in business, together,
GiFt VoucherS aVail able
Phil Edwards 01603 788 461 phil@fortyhillfs.co.uk oPeNiNG tiMeS
Mon - Fri
9. 30a M - 5pM
|
S at 9. 30a M - 4pM
tHe WiNdOW OF OPPOrtuNitY
CirCuit Media IS A bou tIque publIShIng / medIA compAny. our flAgShIp tItle IS your lIfeStyle mAgAzIne for norfolk & Suffolk
SALES PEOPLE REQUIRED
YOu WiLL Need excellent communIcAtIon & orgAnISAtIonAl SkIllS experIence of medIA /AdvertISIng SAleS | to be genuIne & perSonAble | good compu ter lIterAcy | creAtIvIty & IntuItIon
01379 669 299 | ben@circuitmedia.co.uk | l circuit media uk
8
BOOK CLUB
B ook
YLM
The Little Paris Bookshop Nina George £8.99 A gem of a book that will make you feel good!! Jean is an eccentric bookseller whose shop is a restored barge on the Seine – he has a sixth sense for what book will suit and soothe each customer. The only person he can’t seem to help is himself. A new neighbour moves into his apartment block and Jean is inspired to undertake an adventure of his own.
CLUB
Reviews by Diss Publishing 01379 644612 | disspublishing.co.uk
01379 669 299 | ben@circuitmedia.co.uk | l Circuit Media UK
SALES PEOPLE REQUIRED
THE WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY
YLM | your lifestyle magazine
60
Walking the Himalayas Levison Wood £20 This was a fascinating television series that aired on Channel 4 this January. Levison Wood is an ex-army explorer who walked the whole length of the Himalayas. His journey takes him through Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Nepal and Bhutan, giving him the opportunity to gain an intimate insight into the people of those countries and their cultural environment. There are a few hairy incidents along the way but the spectacular geography and the warm of the people shine through.
“A few hairy incidents along the way but the spectacular geography and the warm of the people shine through.”
Winter Cabin Cooking Lizzie Kamenetzky £19.99 Lizzie Kamenetzky spent many childhood holidays skiing in the Swiss Alps and she has taken inspiration from these memories and traditional foods from mountain ranges across the world, including the Western Alps of Slovenia and Austria and the skiing food culture in the US and Canada. Kamenetzky covers a wide range of comforting treats, such as fondues or the delicious Linzertorte cake and some fabulous hot toddys. These indulgent recipes are ideal for when there’s a chill outside.
I Want My Mummy! Tracey Corderoy & Alison Edgson £5.99 The perfect story for Mothers’ Day! Arthur’s never been apart from Mummy for a whole day and even with an amazing dragon costume and his toy Huffity, he still wants her back. Luckily Granny has a plan, after all any adventure with a dragon must have a knight! A funny,charming tale that will reassure children anxious about being away from their parents.
February 2016
YLM
a selection of forthcoming events in our region
What’s On In February & coming soon
Until Fri 19th Land of Our Fathers Winner of Time Out’s Critics’ Choice and Fringe Show of the Year 2013, Chris Urch’s critically acclaimed debut play is packed full of blistering comedy and echoes a generation of lost voices. 3 May 1979, South Wales. Margaret Thatcher is counting her votes, Sid Vicious is spinning in his grave and six Welsh miners are trapped down a coal mine. As the men await their rescue, secrets emerge and accusations fly. Within two weeks, everything they believe in and everything they know will have changed. BURY Theatre Royal 7:30pm theatreroyal.org | 01284 769505 Until Sun 6th March Kew Gardens celebrates the orchid Kew Gardens’ celebration of the orchid returns for a second year, this time with a colourful carnival theme. A series of carefully designed displays take over the glasshouse exploring the science of the mysterious plants with a focus on Brazilian hybrids. Highlights include two giant ‘Rainforest Tree’ sculptures covered with beautiful Oncidium orchids, a tunnel of vibrant tropical plants and five figures situated in the pond representing the flamboyant costumes of Brazilian carnival dancers made from Bromeliads and Phalaenopsis. Four late night events also take place during the exhibition (Feb 11th, 18th, 25th and Mar 3rd) packed with talks, interactive workshops and a bar serving up botanical cocktails. Kew Gardens, London, TW9 3AB Free with admission kew.org Wed 10th volunteering Do you like being outdoors? Interested in wildlife? Drop in for a chat to find out about our volunteering opportunities both at the Fen and at Knettishall Heath. Discover how you could get involved with educational activities and events. No experience necessary. Redgrave & Lopham Fen Education centre IP22 2HX 10am - 12noon 01379 688333 | suffolkwildlifetrust.org
Matthew Kelly IN TOAST Mon 29th - 5th March theatre royal norwich
YLM | your lifestyle magazine
62
Sat 13th - Sun 21st Snowdrops & Spring Bulbs Explore the spring at Kentwell with lovely walks through the massed spring bulbs in the gardens and woodland. Last year the snowdrops lasted well into March and weather-depending, our daffodil displays usually last throughout March into April and some even into May. After the daffodils, primroses, cowslips, oxslips, bugle, violets and forget-me-nots provide colourful displays, and finally in May, bluebells line our woodland walks. With the fruit blossom in the Walled Garden and the Herb Garden and Potager coming to their peak, the spring is a beautiful time to explore the Kentwell grounds. Kentwell Hall, Long Melford
From £5.60 01787 310 207 | kentwell.co.uk
Sun 14th Casablanca Valentine’s Special They had a date with fate in Casablanca… Starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman as old flames caught in a love triangle and political intrigue during WWII, Casablanca has lost none of its excitement, drama or comedy, and ranks among the most romantic films of all time. Cinema City, Norwich 0871 902 5747 | picturehouses.com MON 15TH LEGENDS FROM A LON FORGOTTEN LAND Come and hear ancient stories about the lost land of Doggerland which once joined Britain to Europe. Imagine being there, sitting in a wood roundhouse, sharing stories about hunting boar and wild wolves, of magical groves and sacred pools, and of people’s struggles as the sea flooded the land and changed their way of life forever. With David Tonge, The Yarnsmith of Norwich these 40 minute fun and interactive storytelling sessions are suitable for children and their families. Adults also welcome. These sessions are presented by Waveney & Blyth Arts with support from Touching the Tide. Places are limited. Wenhaston Village Hall, IP19 9EP Adults £3.30 Children (>5yrs) £2.25 Family £6.47 / Under-fives are free | 2:30pm and 4pm touchingthetide.org.uk Sat 16th - Sun 31st Feed the Birds and Give a Bird a Home Make bird feeders and bird boxes; play the giant Plovers Perils and Perks game and try the Giant Puzzle of Landguard Shingle. Follow the Garden Bird Trail and find the answers to the quiz. Landguard Nature Reserve FREE | Bird Box Building £5 01394 675283 discoverlandguard.org.uk Sat 20th Claude Bourbon Claude Bourbon is known throughout Europe and America for amazing guitar performances that take blues, Spanish, Middle Eastern, and Russian stylings into uncharted territories. Each year Bourbon plays more than 100 shows around the world. Claude has played countless venues, including Glastonbury Festival, Isle of Wight Festival, Colne Great British & Blues Festival, Rock O’Z Arene, Avenches, Switzerland, among others. He has shared the stage in Europe and the USA with countless musicians, Calvin Russel, Charlie Morgan (Elton John, Gary Moore), Jan Akkerman (Focus), Steve Grossman (Miles Davis), Herbie Armstrong ( Van Morisson), Jose barrense Dias and many more. A fully licensed bar will be available at this event. THE bANK, EYE £8 / £10 | 7.15 for 8pm 01379 873495 | thebankeye.org
Mon 22nd Greek Language Course Come and join a 6-week Greek for beginners language class where you will learn the basics in a fun and relaxed atmosphere with Greek native speaker tutor Aspa in time for your next holiday in Greece or Cyprus! Pennoyer Centre, IP21 4QT 6.00 – 7.30pm | £60 07904 910448 | pennoyers.org.uk FRI 26TH Gordie MacKeeman & His Rhythm Boys Gordie’s thrilling dance style, while simultaneously playing the violin, mixes with close-harmony bluegrass vocals and blistering guitar solos to make oldtime roots music with an energy level that practically yanks you out of your seat by the collar. The Apex, Bury St Edmunds 8pm | £15 theapex.co.uk | 01284 758000 fri 29th World Wetlands Day Walk To celebrate World Wetlands Day why not wrap up and join us for a walk out on the marshes of Heigham Holmes Nature Reserve. We will look for harriers and other birds of prey, winter wildfowl even cranes and deer. Heigham Holmes Nature Reserve Adult £8.00 Child £4.00 | 10:30 - 12:30 0844 249 1895 | nationaltrust.org.uk Mon 29th - SAT 5th March Toast Another Sunday night shift. The smell of bread baking. The industrial thump, thump, thump of the machines that never stop. The ovens are cranked up to full blast, the factory is humming, and everyone wants to be somewhere else. But this shift is going to be different. Because when a crisis hits the factory, the men have more to lose than just their wages... From the writer of the international hit One Man, Two Guvnors, Richard Bean’s
brilliantly observed drama stars the Olivier Award winning actor Matthew Kelly. After receiving huge critical acclaim in London in 2014, this funny and moving play now comes to Norwich for one week only. theatre royal norwich 01603 630000 secure.theatreroyalnorwich.co.uk
coming soon Thurs 10th March An Evening with Pam Ayres Pam Ayres has been making the nation laugh for over 40 years. Her work is funny, and approachable, with an eye for the detail of everyday life, and for the absurdity therein. The Apex, Bury St Edmunds 7.30pm | £25.50 theapex.co.uk | 01284 758000
BOOK it NOW! Fri 18th - Sun 20th March Guarattelle Puppet Making Masterclass Join award winning puppeteer Luca Ronga to discover the techniques of constructing a traditional Italian Guarattelle glove puppet. Guaratelle has it’s roots in commedia dell’arte theatre, which dates back to the 16th-century. The UK’s traditional Punch and Judy shows derive from this Italian puppet tradition. Under the expert tuition of Luca construct a simple Guarattelle puppet over three days in the Norwich Puppet Theatre studio and workshop. Create and combine the puppet components of head, hands and costume to develop your character. International award winning Italian puppeteer and teacher Luca Ronga has been working in theatre for over 20 years. He began his training at Eugenio Ravo’s school studying corporal mime followed by training at Atelier delle Figure (puppeteer school) in Italy. Luca uses a combination of these traditional skills in his work to improvise and create new stories. This masterclass is for professional and practicing theatre makers, puppeteers and performers. Norwich Puppet Theatre 10am-5pm | £125 | Ages: 18+ 01603 629 921 | puppettheatre.co.uk SAT 19th March Saskia Griffiths-Moore Singer-songwriter Saskia is a rising folk artist building her national profile and has been #1 in Bristol’s folk charts since August 2015. Frequently compared to Joan Baez, Joni Mitchell and Eva Cassidy for her clear, enchanting tones, passionate and creative melodies and her perfect, natural sound, Saskia’s original songs draw on the genre’s of Americana, roots and darker folk music. They are at once thoughtful, mesmerizing and strikingly beautiful, delivered with humour and style.
“…a fine singer-songwriter…wonderful voice and great guitar playing” - Johnny Coppin, BBC Radio Gloucestershire Pennoyer Centre, IP21 4QT £8 / £7 | 7:30pm pennoyers.org.uk 01379 676660
sun 27th March Easter Fun Day Join in the Easter Egg Hunt around the Museum’s beautiful 75 acre site, have a go at our seedling workshops in the Walled Garden, feed the Spring lambs and don’t forget to pay a visit to the museum’s animals. Check out the chickens, pygmy goats and cows, visit Tulip the Suffolk Punch horse or take a trip to rabbit world! For families we have plenty of art activities and games to keep everyone amused. Over in the Activity room you can try your hand at the egg shy, have a go at dying eggs or make a chicken egg cup from recycled materials and don’t forget traditional games such as the ring toss and splat the rat. There will also be Easter colouring and the chance to make your own rabbit ears. Food and refreshments are available in our on-site cafe The Osier, or bring a picnic to eat enjoying the wonderful views across the museum site. Museum of East Anglian Life 11am-4.30pm eastanglianlife.org.uk Sun 17th April Ji Liu piano at Halesworth Arts Festival In 2014 Ji’s debut CD Piano Reflections was released by Classic FM and immediately went on to become No.1 in the classical charts. Last year it was nominated as the Classical Album of the Year in the prestigious 2015 Chinese Music Awards. Born in 1990, Ji Liu studied at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, with Dmitri Bashkirov at the Escuela Música Reina Sofía and with Christopher Elton at the Royal Academy of Music. Recently Ji has appeared as soloist with the Philharmonia Orchestra at the Royal Festival Hall and Henley Festival, and with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Vasily Petrenko at the Royal Albert Hall, and in China. He gave a series of performances of Bach’s Goldberg Variations at Wigmore Hall and the Bristol Proms, and took part in the Nottingham International Piano Series and Bath Festival. In January Classic FM released Ji’s second CD – Encore, and in 2016 he releases a third album. The Cut Arts Centre, Halesworth 7.30pm | £15.50 01986 874264 halesworthartsfestival.org.uk
Gordie MacKeeman & His Rhythm Boys FRI 26th Feb The Apex
Kulture Shock and The Fisher Theatre present: Toyah Live with full band From punk princess to high priestess of TV, Toyah Willcox is a uniquely gifted performer. Charismatic, outspoken and impossible to categorise, she is one of Britain’s iconic household names – an awardwinning rock legend as well as a muchloved actress and music composer. Toyah is one of our most versatile and popular personalities whose vibrance and energy has won over many audiences in a career spanning thirty-nine years. Toyah has amassed thirteen top 40 singles, recorded twenty albums, written two books, appeared in over forty stage plays, acted in fifteen feature films and presented such diverse television programmes as The Good Sex Guide Late, Watchdog and Songs Of Praise. Fisher Theatre, Bungay 8pm | £25 standing only 01986 897130 | fishertheatre.org
EVENTS
Disclaimer: Whilst every effort has been made to make this listing as accurate as possible, we recommend that you verify times and dates etc. prior to attending any events. Entries for March by 10th February via info@ylm.co.uk
February 2016
63
FROM THE CREATORS OF YLM
things a bit quiet?
Start-Up WebSiteS Don’t forget to ask about Social Media packages
£750 +VAT
WHAT YOU GET 6 Pages 1 Year Domain Name + Hosting Fully Responsive Easily Integration with Social Media Matching Email Accounts Pdf User Guide Basic Search Engine Optimisation 01379 669 299 | ben@circuitmedia.co.uk | l Circuit Media UK
R
ZI
U
A
6
YO
NE
2
0
13 01 - 2
LOOKING FORWARD TO
MARVELLOUS MARCH
SPRING FOREC AS T - THE BOYS
loving life in Norfolk & Suffolk
Be part of it
f
ylmuk t @ylmuk | 01379 669 299 | info@ylm.co.uk
BUILDERS
CLEANING SERVICES
DENTURE REPAIR
PLUMBING & HEATING
DRIVEWAY SERVICES
laptop repair
ELECTRICIAN
_
seamstress
TREE SURGERY
KITCHENS
_
Directory 66
R
ZI
U
A
6
YO
NE
2
0
13 01 - 2
WHAT’S
YOUR LIFE STORY? your lifestyle magazine
loving life in Norfolk & Suffolk
How to submit your story
t @ylmuk using #yourlifestory | 01379 669 299 | info@ylm.co.uk