YLM March 2015 | #57

YLM

YOUR LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

Featured artist

STORIES

KRISTIAN GARNHAM

Spring

LOOK BOOK & PARIS INTERIOR TRENDS

Champion Tree Surgeon Chainsaw Sculptor Indoor Bowls Record Breaker

WIN!

2 tickets to macbeth

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APPRENTICESHIPS MOTHERS DAY OFFERS MAKING A WILL BRUNCH IDEAS MEET THE shires The Deli at the Chilli Farm

HOMES & GARDENS

HEALTH & WELLBEING

Aqua Sana Elveden SPA ESCAPE IN THE FOREST

MOTORING

FOOD & DRINK

FASHION

EVENTS

VENTURE

Free ISSUE 57 MARCH 2015

loving life in Norfolk & Suffolk

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TBS

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YLM

Welcome 9

for something fresh and different to fill the rails next season

STORIES Kristian Garnham 10 Tree surgeon, logging champion, chain saw sculptor and indoor bowls record breaker, Hoxne’s Kristian Garnham is branching out from the family firm

transform your look It’s Jennys turn to share her make-over story

FOCUS SPRING LOOK BOOK 13 Inspired by the Pantone spring 2015 colour guide we pick out a few appealing items, as well as looking at efficient use of space and a few designer tips voilà 18 Lanassir Lawes reports back on interiors showcase Maison & Objet Paris 2015 GETTING TO KNOW YOU 20 Lanassir Lawes NEW * Chestnuts 22 Did you know that during World War II horse chestnuts were roasted and ground to make a bitter substitute for coffee?

SHARE THE LOVE 24 March is truly the start of the British flower growing calendar Aqua Sana Elveden renovated, expanded and modernised

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take the plunge 28 Water Lilies expand on the benefits of swimming with baby What’s the point?

30 Have a close look at your skin and see what havoc has been caused by the ravages of winter and time The Deli at the Chilli Farm A bit of foodie heaven lOve brunch What are you having for brunch today?

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SITTING COMFORTABLY? 41 We find out from Perkins & Gibbs what it takes to be a super-skilled upholsterer Community Spirit 45 New columnist Louise Priest takes a look at what brings neighbours together WILL POWER Addressing corncerns when it comes to your legacy

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SHARE THE LOVE p24

SPRING LOOK BOOK p13

How retirement will look in 2015 48 What these changes mean for you and how to respond in the best manner STAY POSITIVE How can we have a more productive appraisal?

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A IS FOR...

Leighten is suspicious that our apprentice engineers and technicians aren’t getting the respect they deserve

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evolution of an icoN The new Mini Cooper S

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Kristian Garnham p10

THE SHIRES p58

INTRODUCING: THE SHIRES 58 “When we first started The Shires I think a lot of people thought we were slightly crazy for wanting to do country music.”

Book Club

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competition time

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WHAT’S ON

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DIRECTORY

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TRADE FLAIR 36 The Dream On team go on the hunt "People always say don’t work with friends or family, but we are the exception to the rule. ”

CONTENTS YLM | your lifestyle magazine

CONTENTS

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“Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.”

— Mother Teresa

ENQUIRIES T 01379 642 044 E info@ylm.co.uk

BY POST YLM 3 Hales Yard Diss Norfolk IP22 4AF THE YLM FAMILY

Contributors Geir Madland Bridget McIntyre Lanassir Lawes Joan Garnham Gabi Reid Gemma Harvey Geraldine Walters Leighten Ball Louise Priest Chris Lilly SUBSCRIPTIONS Enquiries to info@ylm.co.uk using the word ‘Subscribe’

PHOTOGRAPHY & CREATIVE DIRECTION Wendy Aiken wendy@ylm.co.uk

Welcome A very warm welcome to the March edition and my favourite season, Spring.

Our featured artists this month are Libby and Tamsin of Perkins & Gibbs. They have an awesome workshop, full of character. As soon as I went in I had a great feeling about the place.

I was met with such a warm welcome. I loved all the amazing chairs around the workshop, big and small. There was loads of amazing fabric and handmade bespoke lampshades. Anyone who knows me will know I was in my element.

I am booked in to go on one of the Perkins & Gibbs courses in April. I will be taking one of my dining chairs and the material that I bought two years ago and never got round to using! Libby and Tam are going to teach me how to re-upholster the one chair and then hopefully I can go on and do the rest!

We always get fantastic feedback from you guys, our readers, about how much you like catching up with our regular writers.

So, starting this month we are going to do a profile on each of our contributors. We begin with our beautiful and talented Lanassir Lawes of Swank Interious. I love knowing the people behind the great articles and stories, I’m proud to call them

my friends. It’s so interesting finding out how people have got where they are in life.

A huge well done to Kristian Garnham and the rest of the Diss Bowls Club team who recently broke the world record for the longest game of indoor bowls. Ben and I went along to help out by doing the 10pm till 2am shift as witnesses for the record. We had such a lovely time, it was so much fun. The World record attempt took place at The Potters Resort and they looked after everyone so well.

We also got to hang out with and have such a giggle with Buzby from Potters; he kept everyone going and entertained.

You can read more about Kristian over the page.

The team from Diss Bowls Club raised a lot of money for The Big C cancer charity. You can still donate at www.justgiving.com/team-diss. Great job guys!

Happy reading and have a fantastic month.

CREATIVE & EDITORAL Ben Aiken ben@ylm.co.uk CREATIVE Matt Bignell matt@ylm.co.uk ACCOUNTS Janet Fairweather janet@ylm.co.uk DISTRIBUTION Dayburst Couriers 07810 852 089 dayburst@diss.co.uk

Cover Wendy Aiken Photography

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, 2015

FEBRUARY COMPETITION WINNERS Dream On Makeover: D. Somers, Roydon | Brome Grange: Mrs. Bray, Diss Bury Theatre Royal: S. Maskell, Diss | Wordsearch: J. Thomas, Diss Sudoku: C. Brittain, Needham Market

get connected www.ylm.co.uk t @ylmuk v@ylmuk

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MORE THAN just a Chip Off The Old Block For our story this month Geir Madland chatted to Kristian Garnham Words by Geir Madland

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ree surgeon, logging champion, chain saw sculptor and indoor bowls record breaker, Hoxne’s Kristian Garnham is branching out from the family firm.

The Garnhams have been timber men for generations and Kristian has added indoor woods to his interests. Kristian started playing lawn bowls when he was 12. “My Dad’s been playing thirty-odd years.

He’d pick us up on a Friday and take us along to watch. We were told to sit down and be quiet. I was bored and it didn’t look difficult so I gave it a go.

“By the end of the season I was playing for Suffolk County.”

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The next week I was playing for the team, by the end of the season I was playing for Suffolk County. Now I play outside in the summer league for Hoxne and indoor in the winter for Diss and District.”

Last month Kristian was one of the Diss & District Bowls Club players who played for fifty hours non-stop at Potters Leisure Resort in Hopton-onSea, setting a new record for an indoor bowls marathon (subject to official confirmation from Guinness World Records, due in May) and raising money for the local Big C cancer charity (www.justgiving.com/TeamDiss). The previous record, set in Australia last year, was 40 hours.

“I haven’t got to where I am just by myself. There’s been a lot of people behind me, giving me that push. With the World Record, we had to get independent wit-

“I’m going to America for two years, travelling and working as I go – felling the redwoods, seeing the World! I’m going on my own, starting in Oregon and working through California, Texas and the whole of North America.” nesses, not family or friends, I called on everyone I know asking if they would help. They had to sit and watch me playing bowls for four hours, some people at two in the morning.

I’m very grateful! We raised £3000.”

His two sisters haven’t gone into timber so it was down to Kristian to keep the family tradition going.

By the time he left Easton College at 17, Kristian already had four NPTC (National Proficiency Tests Council) certificates. At 19, he bought

his own house in Eye. “I’d been working since I was twelve, doing firewood with my Granddad and then in the woods with my Dad at weekends and halfterms. I left school with terrible GCSE grades. The tree surgery I knew and you didn’t need GCSEs to get the certificates, you needed to get into college.

I knew I wanted a house and I just kept saving for a deposit. I got a lovely little two-bedroom mid-terrace ex-council house, it needed a lot of work but we bought it cheap and we did the work.”

At 17 Kristian won the UK Junior Logging Championship for the first time. He won again aged 19 and at 20 was the first ever Junior to win an event in the Senior competition. That was for changing the bar and chain. At 22, Kristian broke the British record for speed change of bar and chain on a chainsaw at under 12 seconds: you have

to take the saw apart, take the old chain off and put on the new. (He shows me the video that’s on Facebook: brilliant!)

“At my house I had the saw set up on a table in the spare room, and every night I’d change it continuously – five or six times over, every night – it gets like clockwork: everything has to be set in exactly the same spot.

When I take the nuts off I put them in the exact same spot….”

You could do it with your eyes shut, you mean?

“Well, we actually had a competition when the Eye Show was on, I bet my Dad that I could beat him blindfolded. I did it in 20 seconds!”

Don’t try it at home!

Kristian’s other hobby is chainsaw carving, though he was “terrible” at art at school - maybe the wrong materials? “I had a border collie dog, she was a rescue, and she got cancer. I couldn’t pay the bill to

have the tumour removed and I didn’t want to borrow it so I had a go at chainsaw carving, taught myself, sold the carvings and within two months made enough to pay for her treatment. I sold them at shows, in lay-bys, and on Facebook; word got around. I’ve been doing that now for three years. The dog got cancer again so I did some more. She’s still alive and going better than ever.”

And what’s next?

“Well, I’ve put the house up for rent due to the fact that this October I’m quitting my job and going to America for two years, travelling and working as I go – felling the redwoods, seeing the World! I’m going on my own, starting in Oregon and working through California, Texas and the whole of North America.”

So, who knows, it could soon be Kristian Garnham, Logging Champion of the World? What a smashing feller! •

STORIES

Watch the video for the British record for speed change of bar and chain on our Twitter and Facebook For chainsaw carving, v Eye Carving Kristian Garnham You can still donate to the World Record indoor bowls charity via, justgiving.com/Team-Diss

© photowizardsphotographicstudio

“Diss & District Bowls Club players played for fifty hours non-stop, setting a new record for an indoor bowls marathon.”

© Photowizards

MARCH 2015

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HOMES & GARDENS

IN TE RIOR S

LOOK BOOK SPRING COLOUR PALETTE SOFT FURNISHINGS EFFICIENT USE OF SPACE DESIGNER TIPS & TRICKS

Creating Wonderfully Light & Useful Spaces

“When life inspires our home, our home inspires life.”

Blue Butterfly CUSHION Jan Constantine www.janconstantine.com £96

— Melissa Michaels

FLAT PLAN spring palette SWATCH REFERENCE PANTONE 16-4010 Dusty Blue

Bugs& Butterflies Wallpaper

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Barneby Gates www.englishabode.com £78

pring is a season of new beginnings, nature bursting with colour and shining out with its vibrant en-

thusiasm and freshness.

Why not introduce the beautiful colours and senses of spring into your home? Be inspired by the amazing world that is around you.

Walking into a room inspired

by spring and nature would brighten any day, lifting the mood.

Also, don’t miss the oppertunity to de-clutter and think about how you can make more of your space.

From amazing blue skies, butterflies and blossom, what is your inspiration? How will you bring the joy of spring into your home? •

spring palette SWATCH REFERENCE PANTONE 19-4008 Meteorite

YLM | your lifestyle magazine

MARCH 2015

HOMES & GARDENS

YLM

SOFA STYLE Give your living space an elegant new look with a beautifully bespoke sofa or chair from Multiyork. Each piece is lovingly hand-crafted in Norfolk, and with over 50 styles to choose from and 1,000s of available fabrics there is something for every taste.

Call 0845 303 7134 or visit Multiyork.co.uk

SPRING COLOUR PALETTE SOFT FURNISHINGS EFFICIENT USE OF SPACE DESIGNER TIPS & TRICKS Alpine Small Sofa

Cosie & gloves

Multiyork

Jan Constantine

Multiyork.co.uk

www.janconstantine.com

Spring 2015 is set to be dominated by blues and greens, whether it be natural hues or a more exotic jungle and aquamarine inspired palette.

£829

Swedish pleated cushion cover Andshine

spring palette SWATCH REFERENCE

www.andshine.co.uk

PANTONE 14-5002 Silver

£27.50

spring palette SWATCH REFERENCE PANTONE 18-1447 Orange Rust

FLAT PLAN

The Little Greene ‘exterior family’ now includes two new low-sheen finishes, both designed specifically for exterior woodwork, joinery and metalwork: Intelligent Exterior Eggshell and Tom’s Oil Eggshell.

— www.littlegreene.com/blog ✳new✳ exterior paints Little Greene Coffee Rule the World giclee print

www.littlegreene.com

Of Life & Lemons www.oflifeandlemons.co.uk £20

Vintage Blue Pantone 630 coffee maker Berry Red www.berryred.co.uk £25

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"No more excuses for putting off painting the shed!”

MARCH 2015

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Space saver

HOMES & GARDENS

SPRING COLOUR PALETTE SOFT FURNISHINGS EFFICIENT USE OF SPACE DESIGNER TIPS & TRICKS

When you are stuck with a small bathroom one way to create more room is to open it up into a wet room - Scandinavian style.

Under-sink storage will maximise floor space. You might then even have room for his and hers toilets!

Always seek professional advice when making a room watertight.

A good place to start would be Eye Flooring.

Spring is a great time to think about making the most of your available space. You could also consider breathing new life into tired looking furnishings.

www.eyeflooring.co.uk

Blocks of colour Leave sections of your chairs and other painted furniture bare for a combination of wooden warmth and colour.

Contrasting draw handles work really well but use a hard-wearing paint.

Nicola Gouldsmith Halfpenny Homes www.halfpennyhome.blogspot.com The clean lines of a roman blind work well in bathrooms and rooms where there isn’t so much space around the window area.

Patterned fabrics are shown at their best as the fabric is held flat rather than gathered up as curtains would be.

GO BESPOKE

£14.99 Cico Books

YLM | your lifestyle magazine

Photo © Gavin Kingcome

If you are struggling with a smaller kitchen the most indulgent route to go down (without knocking down walls) is to create a working space that is tailored

INDIGO

www.colourandpaint.com/ royal-academy-cley-blue £35 (2.5L)

Why paint the whole chair when you could just paint half?

Leaving the blind unlined means that it is easier to take down and clean. Instructions for this blind can be found in ‘Indigo: dye it, make it’ by Nicola Gouldsmith.

Nicola Gouldsmith

Cley Blue Royal Academy

to your rquirements. Beam Ends have 17 years experience providing handmade, purpose built kitchens. After careful consultation they will design and build you a kitchen that is fully of character and that suits your exact needs

www.beamends-norfolk.co.uk 01379 608 873

MARCH 2015

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The collectors’ cabinet Looking to the past, walls tend to be painted in intense colours and dressed with carefully curated collections of objet d’art. Antique books adorn shelves alongside faux taxidermy.

Industrial This unpolished look that takes its inspiration from manufacture and the factory environment. We are treated to cabinets made from reclaimed wood alongside copper lighting.

Fashion turned home ware brand, Diesel have taken this trend a step further by launching a tableware range consisting of cog shaped plates and spanner ended cutlery!

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rAVEN from ibride

Again, warm toned metals are a big part of the antique look and the rooms are softly lit with table lamps.

Jungle fever & all things exotic Large leafy prints in vibrant greens are adorning walls and windows this season creating the perfect backdrop for bright jewel coloured accessories and works well with the must have gold coloured metals. Animal prints are also reappearing with a collection being launched by well known fabric and wallpaper brand Osborne and Little.

HOMES & GARDENS

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"In the UK the launches take place in March and September across the London Showrooms.”

wice yearly fashion shows launch the latest clothing trends and in the same way the Interiors world turns out to see the latest collections from fabric, furniture, wallpaper and accessory brands.

In the UK the launches take place in March and September across the London Showrooms but this year I was fortunate to get a sneak preview by attending the Paris launch that takes place at the end of January, here is a little taster of things to come and trends to watch out for….

voilà

Lanassir’s Paris Diary

Next stop Chelsea Harbour for the UK launch!

Words by Lanassir Lawes Swank Interiors 01379 687542 www.swankinteriors.co.uk

Q&A

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getting to know you

A chance to find out a bit more about our contributors CONNECT 01379 687542 www.swankinteriors.co.uk studio@swankinteriors.co.uk v Swank Interiors Ltd t @swankinteriors

Why Interior design?

Growing up I always lived in homes that were under going renovation. My Grandad was a builder by trade and as an only child and only grandchild of a close hard working family I spent a lot of time doing adult activities at weekends such as visiting DIY and furniture shops or assisting with practical tasks like stripping wallpaper or mixing cement so I was exposed to the industry at a young age. I never realised at the time that this was a real career possibility.

At sixteen I left school with the thought of going to college to study fashion and textiles but at the time the country was in recession and I was offered a fulltime sales assistant position at the clothes shop that I worked in on Saturdays- jobs were hard to come by so I jumped at the chance. It was low paid but it was a step on the ladder and one day I spotted an advertisement in the careers office for a position in a well established family run fabric shop. I applied and two weeks later I started my new job, Over the eight years that I worked there I learnt about buying and selling fabrics, how to measure for and make window treatments.

Trained or self taught?

Inspired by the Interior designers that I was meeting, I investigated the courses available through adult education and

completed GCSE & A level Interior design at evening classes from 1996-98. Then in 2007 I started attending courses at KLC school of design in Chelsea learning about the design process, technical drawing, how to present schemes to a client and the basics of running a design business amongst other topics.

Learning the correct processes and technicalities are essential and enables creative ideas to be realised in a professional manner.

are so lucky to have a great balance of city, country and coastal places within East Anglia that there is no need to leave the region. Covering the whole of East Anglia I get to work on really interesting properties, one day I might be at the coast at a new England style house overlooking the beach, the next I could be twelve floors up in a city centre tower block. I have friends that are designers in other parts of the UK and they just don’t have that variety.

What do you enjoy most about your job?

I am a real people person so I love getting to know my clients and then helping them turn their property into their dream home.

Getting to know what a client loves and about the way they live is so important to creating a home for them. Conversations often involve talking about their jobs, where they have previously lived and places where they have travelled. A good relationship with a client is essential to a project’s success.

What are you watching on TV at the moment?

Mr Selfridge is probably my only must watch, I love the period costumes and sets. I have developed a secret addiction to The real housewives of Cheshire, I don’t usually watch reality TV but this one has got me.

One of the ladies is an Interior designer but I have to say we couldn’t be more different!

What do you do when you are out of the office?

Interior design is not just a job it is a lifestyle and with the studio & showroom in the grounds of my home there is very little escape! I am an avid Norwich City Football Club fan and go to all of the home matches. We also love going to the North Norfolk coast with Tuddy our Labrador and walking along the beach, we find it is a great way to relax and recharge the batteries.

Have you had any great meals out recently?

We try to eat out locally once a week and it is always a hard decision as where to go as there are some really good places.

We have recently had a lovely evening and great food at The Auberge - the bread and butter pudding was amazing! Another favourite is Weavers where I cannot resist the chicken liver starter.

The Park Hotel is legendary for its Sunday roast, we recently went for a family party and it was really good. •

What do you love about living in East Anglia?

Having never lived outside of Norfolk I know nothing else! We

LANASSIR LAWES SWANK INTERIORS

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HOMES & GARDENS

YLM

KEEP YER HEEL DOWN BOR

Sweet Chestnut / Spanish Chestnut (Castanea sativa) Also known as - ‘roast chestnuts’

Wotcha! Hoop yer diddlin ok. Oive been doin’ me sums ‘As Usual’ (remember that song by Brenda Lee? Yep, she’s still ‘Comin’ On Strong’ and phoned us on Christmas Day 2013!)* fer last year and this is wot oive come up wiv. Well, there ain’t much else to do these dark evenings is there?!

So far I’ve dug two thirds of me allotment. Spec you’ve finished? Daft I call it (from Knockout Comic!).

It is believed to have been introduced by the Romans as food for humans and stock.

Infusions of the leaves were used to alleviate whooping cough and bronchitis.

Leaves were also used to treat wounds and as food wrappings The Ancient Greeks revered the sweet chestnut and dedicated it to Zeus; both the chestnut and walnut were known as ‘acorns of Zeus’.

During a storm in 1308,

Allotment: Free (privately owned) Seeds (mainly Dobies) £27.49 Plants (Runner Beans) £11.88 Compost £30.00 Poultry Pellets £4.93 Silver Sand £2.99 Seed Potatoes (4kg) £14.00 Growbags (6 Levington) £12.60 TOTAL £103.89 I wouldn’t normally be buyin’ runner bean plants but hed a job with mice. Did I git me money’s worth? Probably!

Dew yew keep on troshin’ and remember; a farmer sows in expectation, a gardener sows in hope, a meteorologist sews in doubt! * Many people will know I was Brenda Lee’s Fan Club secretary for 5 years.

Queen Joan of Aragon and 100 cavaliers sheltered under a sweet chestnut in Sicily; it is still standing and thought to be over 2,000 years old.

It is called the ‘Tree of 100 horses’; The Sweet Chestnut is susceptible to Ink disease Phytophthora cambivora,.

This will kill the roots and no therapy is available.

Chestnuts Going Bonkers for Conkers

“During World War II the nuts were roasted and ground to make a bitter substitute for coffee” Common Horse Chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum) Also known as - ‘conker tree’

Introduced to Britain in 1633 and now becoming less common, why? It is considered dangerous! People might trip on the fallen fruit; children might fall out the tree getting conkers and, amazingly, children might hurt their hands playing ‘conkers’.

Some schools now ban them.

How on earth did we all survive?

It has white flower spikes about 10 inches tall; the cross, Aesculus x carnea, has red flower spikes. The nuts contain aescin which is poisonous to humans when raw; but during World War II they were roasted and ground

to make a bitter substitute for coffee. It gets its name because Turkish soldiers fed their horses on the nuts and the fallen leaves leave a scar in the shape of a horse shoe.

You may see the leaves turning brown early; this is probably Guignardia or leaf blotch. It is common and since it affects the tree after most yearly growth has taken place, will not greatly affect the health of the tree. Another fungus affecting Horse Chestnut is bleeding canker (Phytophthora cactorum). It looks like the bark is bleeding.

There is no prevention but it can be treated.

Words by Joan Garnham Waveney Tree Specialists

Mark dayburst@diss.co.uk

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show some love

Making Memorable Moments

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arch is truly the start of the British flower growing calendar; with the first of the scented Narcissi - the beautiful bridal crown, delicate Ranunuclus with its peony like flower and if the weather is mild, the peachy pink of Apricot Beauty one of the earliest Tulips to flower here in the garden in Gissing. In the hedgerows and ditches pale yellow Primroses grow in clusters, the irresistible soft and furry tips >

“Perennials to plant, annuals to sow, beds to mulch and the Dahlias that have been stored frost free over winter are boxed up with a mixture of compost and sand and slowly brought back to life.”

Words by Gabi Gabriel’s Garden

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> of the Pussy Willow and Hazel catkins, yellow with pollen, dangle and dance. Cutting back what’s left of last year’s growth and tidying up in the flower beds the first green shoots are visible, fresh and full of promise. The daily job list is long! Perennials to plant, annuals to sow, beds to mulch and the Dahlias that have been stored frost free over winter are boxed up with a mixture of compost and sand and slowly brought back to life.

It’s such an exciting time, popularity is growing for our fabulous British flowers, following on from programmes such as The Big Allotment Challenge and items on growing flowers for cutting on Gardeners World. It is hardly surprising; we are and always have been a nation of gardeners, growers and flower lovers, with an ancient heritage of plant collecting and plant breeding. We have a deep appreciation for beautiful gardens and the plants and flowers that signify our changing seasons. It is with the slightest hint of a scent or a particular time of year that certain flowers have the ability to transport one back in time, moments full of nostalgia and sweet memories. For me, wild hedgerow Primroses take me back to my childhood, Primroses, Ground Ivy and Grape Hyacinths, gathered and tied into tiny posies with an ivy leaf or two, hastily wrapped in tin foil and then given to my mum on Mothering Sunday still to this day has me looking longingly amongst the moss on south facing banks at the delicate flowers that hold such significance.

Here in Gabriel’s Garden we aim to rekindle that love and growing pleasure of beautiful garden grown seasonal flowers that are perfect for giving

HOMES & GARDENS

“For me, wild hedgerow Primroses take me back to my childhood, Primroses, Ground Ivy and Grape Hyacinths, gathered and tied into tiny posies with an ivy leaf or two, hastily wrapped in tin foil and then given to my mum on Mothering Sunday.”

to the ones we love, creating our own traditions and in turn providing happy memories of celebrations and special occasions. Today the posies and bouquets we create in the garden are fuller and finer and a little more thought out than the humble posy of Primroses, but the sentiment remains the same.

Give locally grown, locally sourced seasonal flowers this Mother’s Day. In doing so not only will the flowers that you buy have more scent, originality and charm but you will be supporting the growing number of flower growers and florists who are determined to revive and rejuvenate a time honoured British trade and tradition.

Please order your hand tied and gift wrapped Mothers Day bouquet by Wednesday 11th March. Collect from the garden here in Gissing, from Wyken Vineyard Farmers Market - Saturday 14th March, order online or call 01379 677793 (Monday to Friday 9am -5.30pm) •

- Dates for your diary Gabriel’s Garden will be at Wyken Vineyard Farmers Market from the 7th March, every Saturday from 9am – 1pm.

Buy beautiful posies, bouquets and bunches of seasonal fresh flowers until late October.

Gabriel’s Garden Floral workshops Saturday 14th March. 2.30pm – 4.30pm Mothering Sunday Bouquets The Workhouse, Harleston; £35.00 per place Come and learn how to hand tie a beautiful bouquet, using a fabulous array of fragrant spring flowers and a variety of seasonal foliage. All materials will be provided as will tea and coffee. Please bring a pair of scissors or secateurs.

Saturday 28th March. 2pm – 4.30pm Easter table arrangements using beautiful British spring flowers.

The Pennoyer Centre, Pulham St. Mary; £35.00 per place Please bring a (dinner plate sized) shallow bowl or dish and a pair of scissors. All materials will be provided, but as always if you have flowers and foliage from your garden that you would like to use please do bring them along. Includes tea and coffee.

To place an order, to book a place on a workshop or to find out more

www.gabrielsgarden.co.uk

hello@gabrielsgarden.co.uk or call 01379 677 793 www.gabrielsgarden.co.uk

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HEALTH

“Aqua Sana Elveden has been renovated, expanded and modernised to provide the maximum ways for you to unwind fully.”

n the heart of rural Suffolk is Aqua Sana Elveden Forest. Here the focus is your complete relaxation. Why not visit with a friend or loved one and sample one of the incredible new spa packages? Together explore the spa experiences, including the warming Turkish Hammam, the new outdoor pool and the gentle heat of the Laconium.

Enjoy the relaxation of the Aqua Meditation room or head to the balcony to cosy up on the comfy beds and experience the joys of a spa nestled within nature whilst wrapped

“The hydro pools’ consistent heat melts knots away.”

in a blanket. Sample a delicious lunch at Vitalé Café Bar then head home feeling restored, refreshed and rejuvenated Bliss!

Aqua Sana Elveden Forest is currently running two incredible offers including the sensational Chocolate Decadence Spa Day for two, from £49 per person! Calling all chocoholics, with this offer you cannot have enough chocolate! What’s not to like? A Spa Day with a sweet treat of hot chocolate and indulgent cream paired with a chocolate dessert, simply delicious.

Or if you are feeling lavish why not sample the Skin Sparkle Spa Day for two from £99 per person? An exclusive treatment and Spa Day newly introduced to Aqua Sana, they have created a Spa Day with Elemis that includes a bespoke facial (40 minutes) and a com-

YLM | your lifestyle magazine

ESCAPE TO THE FOREST Get Away to Aqua Sana Elveden

plimentary mini treatment (15 minutes). We all know that the cold months aren’t great for the skin and this spa day is a great start to brightening your skin and lifting those winter blues!

The spacious lay out, modern interior and wide range of treatments at Aqua Sana Elveden Forest all help you to let go.

Set over two levels, Elveden has been renovated, expanded and modernised to provide the maximum ways for you to unwind fully. The hydro pools’ consistent heat melts knots away before you begin a treatment. Relax floating in our heated outdoor pool surrounded by nature. Let cares drift away as these spa experiences soothe the body, calm the mind and bring you back to a revitalised and relaxed you. •

For further information, Aqua Sana Elveden Forest Brandon Suffolk IP27 0YZ 03448 266 203 www.aquasana.co.uk /sanaspa/elveden

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HEALTH

take the plunge

“Results are reported to be immediate and continue to improve with each use.”

The Benefits of Swimming with Baby

“Both my boys swim with Water Lilies and I'm very impressed with their progress.

They both really enjoy swimming and my 3 year old can now swim! Very highly recommended and reasonably priced too!”

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veryone knows that keeping fit and healthy should be part of our everyday lives.

Taking the plunge in the pool is a great way to get your weekly quota of cardiac exercise, and introducing your baby to the water at the earliest opportunity will provide you with the perfect balance of family fun and keeping fit.

Not only that, it will also provide your child with two valuable life lessons: how to enjoy the water with confidence and how to stay safe in water.

Learning to be a competent swimmer is vital but many parents are nervous about taking their babies to the swimming pool.

Structured swimming lessons are a good idea as they teach both you and your child many holds, moves and safety practices. Playing together in the water is also an excellent way

YLM | your lifestyle magazine

Words by Hannah Cooke Water Lilies Swimming School

for you both to relax and bond.

At Water Lilies Swimming School baby and toddler swimming classes we encourage free movement in the water leading the children to swimming when they are physically and emotionally ready. We encourage the development of newborn babies’ natural swimming reflex in water into conscious movement of the legs and arms.

“I cannot recommend you guys enough! From 6 weeks old Charlie has loved her lessons with Water Lilies and now at 2 1/2 can almost swim."

— Charlie’s Mum, Starston Did you know that swimming is one of the most complete and beneficial activities that babies can do from birth? Research shows that early swimmers perform better on tests measuring social, academic, motor skills and personality developments. Babies who develop their swimming abilities are often more alert for their age, with better eating and sleeping patterns. Swimming also improves the cardio respiratory function of babies and their general health.

It is important that children

are taught by trained and insured instructors that use a recognised baby swimming programme. Programmes such as STA’s Starfish Learn to Swim programme for 0-2 years olds have been developed specifically for babies and will ensure that your child will reap positive experiences in the water. They are structured to help them to develop physically, emotionally, intellectually and socially, while equipping them with key safety and safe holds skills in the water.

Water Lilies Swimming School teaches babies from 6 weeks old. All our instructors are STA / ASA qualified, with Safeguarding Children certificates, DBS checked and fully insured.

We follow the STA’s Starfish Learn to Swim programme for 0-2 year olds. For further information and advice, please contact Water Lilies Swimming School.

Join us throughout the week, we use lovely heated private pools in Norfolk and Suffolk.

We teach in pools in Quidenham, Harleston, Bungay, Redlingfield, Shelfanger, Pulham Market, Holton and Burgh St Peter. New fantastic private pools are being introduced later

in 2015 too!

If you would like to join in with a baby & toddler swimming class contact Water Lilies Swimming School to find a class near you.

Fun in the pool this Easter During the school holidays we also run great activities for children in selected pools from snorkelling and diving to technique clinics, intensive swimming lessons and private tuition. We also run classes for parents with babies and toddlers - see our Easter Holiday programme of activities to find out what's on!

Mother’s Day treats Treat Mums-to-be with a voucher for our wonderfully relaxing Aqua Yoga for Pregnancy course, 5 week Birthlight course £45. Suitable for all stages of pregnancy.

Or, treat your Mum to our fun and invigorating Aquarobics classes, 5 week course £40.

For further information, 01379 740489 treacle@waterliliesswim.co.uk www.waterliliesswim.co.uk

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N HEALTH

ow that Spring has (nearly) sprung and the grass is risen (almost) it’s the optimal moment to have a close look at your skin and see what havoc has been writ by the ravages of winter – and time.

Remember, ageing isn’t just the appearance of wrinkles; it’s sagging skin, uneven skin tone and dark spots. And although we may prefer to call the crinkles round our eyes ‘laughter lines’, on a bad day they are definitely crows’ feet.

So what’s to be done?

Skin health is influenced by numerous factors including lifestyle, environment, genetics, hormones, nutrition etc. Ageing results in poor absorption of ingested skin nutrients and poor delivery to the vascular and lymph systems. Topical application of nutrients is a logical solution, but the natural barrier created by the skin has always limited success.

This is where skin needling has made great steps forward in anti-ageing treatments. Not only does it tighten the skin, but it means up to 80 percent more nutrients can be introduced deeper into the skin, meaning more value for money as results are better and seen more quickly.

In brief, skin needling uses thousands of tiny needle pricks into the upper dermis to trigger the wound healing cascade - thought to be the reason for natural collagen regeneration. The use of the term ‘skin needling’ (collagen induction therapy) though, can be confusing as there is a range of methods used for this technique but they can have quite distinctive meanings.

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WHAT'S the POINT?

The Benefits of Skin Needling Basically, skin needling involves using a sterile roller that has hundreds of tiny needles, from 0.2mm to 3mm in length, that is rolled over the surface of the face, or neck, and which pricks the upper layers of the dermis. This injury, minute as it may seem, causes some localised damage which promotes the normal release of growth factors and fibroblasts

- the most common type of cell found in collagen. The needle only penetrates the epidermis and does not remove it, so it will open slightly and then rapidly heal within minutes. The thousands of pin pricks that are created encourage a sheet of collagen to be laid down which tightens over the following months, causing a lifting and plumping effect.

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

“The knowledge that collagen and elastin are building up over the weeks and months after the procedure is very reassuring.”

Another method is a pen-like device to take needles over the skin. This is quite superficial but fantastic for product delivery – especially hyaluronic acid (as found in fillers), and antioxidants such as Vitamin C, or skin lightening serums. This is often referred to as meso therapy or micro needling. It’s the ultimate in anti-ageing facials for immediate glow and hydration. A similar treatment uses smaller configurations of needles (such as used by tattooists or permanent make up technicians) to target small areas such as upper lips or facial scars.

Any swelling soon disappears and the knowledge that collagen and elastin are building up over the weeks and months after the procedure is very reassuring. The other great advantage over other methods of rejuvenation is that the procedure does not damage skin – which actually becomes thicker – and it can be repeated. Courses of three treatments are recommended with six weeks between each procedure.

Cosmetic needling has proven to be safe and effective. It is possible to obtain significant improvement of hyperpigmentation, fine lines and wrinkles, scarring, hair restoration and even sun spots in time. Over the past few years this treatment has become a wonderful way to stimulate the body’s natural collagen anti-ageing systems and still get remarkable results. •

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Foodie

HEAVEN by the roadside

Words by Geir Madland

The Deli at the Chilli Farm

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usy road that A140, isn’t it? And perhaps you’ve slowed down for the Chilli Farm sign, only to change your mind and drive on, not being in a chilli frame of mind. Well, stop!

The Chilli Farm, putting the Mexican in Mendlesham and certainly the place for all things picante, has a secret stowaway: The Deli and Café, independently intriguing, footloose but full of fancy.

"The licensed café has three tables downstairs and lots more upstairs, serving delicious food crafted from the deli’s stock by the two chefs, including a wide selection of sandwiches with local breads, and homemade soup."

Kate Bigden took over the deli and café eighteen months ago and has nurtured a very welcoming and well-informed team of staff to make it very much worth your while pulling off the road. With a passion for all things delicious, Kate “just loves food”. Manager Ali has been there a year and expounds enthusiastically on the delights on offer.

Set in a beautiful thatched Suffolk barn, the deli counter has a sumptuous range of international as well as local cheeses, cold meats, pies and pastries; and the shop is stacked with sauces, chutneys, dressings, Naughty Sheep jams, Suffolk Beekeepers and Gnawfolk chocolates.

The licensed café has three

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FOOD & DRINK

tables downstairs and lots more upstairs, serving delicious food crafted from the deli’s stock by the two chefs, including a wide selection of sandwiches with local breads, and homemade soup. Gluten Free options are available.Today it’s Thai crayfish noodle soup (with a hint of chilli) or celeriac and leek, and quite a hot chilli con carne.

They don’t insist on spice but they’re not scared of it either, and it does wonders in the winter cold. You’re never chilly with chilli!

Perhaps the pièce de résistance is their amazing cooked breakfast, available all day and all locally sourced with meat from Earl Soham butchers and eggs from Kate’s own hens.

Local beers like Grain and Calvors, and ciders (Giggler and Aspalls), together with a range of fine wines, complement the food, as well as fresh coffees.

Open seven days a week 9 till 5:30 (10 till 4 Sundays) all year round, they’re receiving rave reviews. Even the outside seating for summer is an oasis of calm, beside the weeping willow.

“People are always surprised when they visit. It’s so relaxed,”

“It really is a great place to wander round before or after eating some scrumptious food: a bit of foodie heaven.”

says Ali. “It really is a great place to wander round before or after eating some scrumptious food: a bit of foodie heaven.”

So, next time you’re heading up or down that A140, set off early and give yourself time to stop over for breakfast at the Deli and Café at the Chilli Farm, even if it’s past lunchtime! •

For further information, The Deli at the Chilli Farm Norwich Road Mendlesham Suffolk IP14 5NQ 01449 766344 www.chillicompany.com/chillifarm/deli-and-cafe

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lave brunch

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“Brunch is cheerful, sociable and inciting.

It is talk-compelling.�

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"

Words by Gemma Harvey Cherry Catering Company

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1 Sultana pancakes 2 Corned beef hash 3 Rainbow fruit salad & Granola cups 4 Egg, bacon & cheese circle 5 Strawberry jam twists 6 Bacon pancake dippers 7 Banana & chocolate french toast roll - ups 8 Brunch Crumble

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1 7

Move over, breakfast, lunch & dinner.

Here are six reasons to get your brunch on.

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B

runch hasn’t changed much since the concept was coined in Britain in 1895 by writer Guy Beringer in a magazine article called ‘Brunch: A Plea’: “Brunch is cheerful, sociable and inciting. It is talkcompelling. It puts you in a good temper, it makes you satisfied with yourself and your fellow beings, it sweeps away the worries and cobwebs of the week.”

Reasons to love Brunch 1. The time Brunch is at the best time possible. By 10 a.m, the sun is up and shining (hopefully!), you aren’t feeling too exhausted and, best of all, you don’t have to wait to eat. Just jump out of bed and indulge. What’s not to love about that? All of the food pictured can be made ahead, so with a bit of planning even the host can have a relaxing morning.

2. Sweet and savoury options….

Craving something sweet, savoury, or both? It can satisfy your sweet tooth with Sultana Pancakes, Brunch Crumble and Banana and Chocolate French Toast Roll-Ups, while Egg, Bacon and Cheese Circle or Corned Beef Hash with poached eggs satisfy your savoury side. Or there are Bacon Pancake Dippers for those that like both?! For the more health conscious there are rainbow fruit salads or granola cups with fromage frais.

FOOD & DRINK

3. You can eat lots and not feel guilty Brunch = breakfast + lunch.

With two meals in one, you have a great excuse to fill up with double the amount of food you normally eat, especially keeping in mind that you probably won’t eat again until tea time.

4. A bit of booze Party in the daytime, anyone?

From Bucks Fizz to Bloody Marys, a little morning tipple is bound to create some great brunch conversation between your friends, family and you.

Let’s toast to that!

5. It’s hard to mess up With a bit of effort, anyone can make good pancakes or a side of scrambled eggs.

Heck, even making toast in the toaster counts as making part of brunch. The dishes pictured are just a few ideas – feel free to change to suit your tastes – don’t like banana? The French toast roll-ups would be great with strawberries and cream cheese filling, or maybe a savoury one with ham and gruyere cheese?

6. It's a social affair Brunch is a great excuse for friends and family to get together. With a whole week of work/school behind and ahead of you, some time with friends or family is necessary to unwind and catch up. Of course, there’s no better way to do that than over some delicious brunch food. •

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oday is an early start at Dream On. We are off to the Pure Trade Fair at Olympia, London looking at new collections, restocking for Spring/Summer and getting the feel for new trends in the coming months. As we are not based on the high street, it is very important to us that we can offer our customers something fresh and different.

At the trade fair we meet some familiar faces and have a browse at what will be coming through in the following season.

Most of our time is spent ordering for Autumn /Winter 2015 which can seem a long way in the future but you get used to the time scale. In fact it is a little easier to buy stock in advance because you are currently in that particular season. We have in the past travelled to Paris (on probably the hottest day of 2014!) to buy our Autumn/ Winter ranges. Pulling on jumpers in the searing heat was actually pretty unpleasant especially as we decided to make the whole trip in one day - an experience not to be repeated!

We visit a familiar collection, Darling, which we all love, have a quick look over the range but we will actually be visiting their London showroom later in the month. It usually takes about two hours to choose the seasons collection. The choice is large and we need to consider our customer base, the stock levels needed in the shop and of course, if we actually like the designs. We have been known to walk away from a brand unless we feel it is right for us.

Our rule is normally to buy one of each size per style and occasionally we will buy an item in two colours but that is more the exception rather than the rule.

We need to consider if the style

YLM | your lifestyle magazine

FASHION

“It’s so nice to find a young designer, a British make or even a brand that we have admired from afar.”

TRADE FLAIR Dream On go Shopping at Olympia

suits various shapes and sizes and order accordingly. We can get it wrong…selling out of one item in the first week and wish we had bought more but over the years we’ve learnt that there is always the possibility this will happen.

One of the most frequently asked questions is, “do you buy styles that you wouldn’t wear yourself?” and we do. Not eve-

ryone dresses the same so you need to bear that in mind but we are pretty good at knowing makes that just wouldn’t work for us. The second most asked question is ‘do you buy for yourselves’ and again, of course. Bridget and I love clothes…we were born to shop!

We have very different personal styles but there are certain items where sense goes out of

the window and we just have to have it. I have a vivid yellow winter coat that I tried and just knew I loved. If we hadn’t bought it for the shop then I would have hunted it down myself in season. Needless to say, we only bought one in yellow and the rest in black.

New collections are always exciting. Its so nice to find a young designer, a British make or even a brand that we have admired from afar. There is always the minimum order values or quantities to consider first and we sometimes think we can make a collection work but once started it doesn’t always happen. However when we have decided on a range and made the choices it feels great.

The only problem is waiting the eight - ten months before delivery!

This time we found four new collections ranging from a small individual designer to a gorgeous range of winter boots…. now do I really need another three winter coats and two pairs of boots…. of course I do! •

Words by Amanda Church Dream On

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transform your look

enny came along to her first Makeover Day with us earlier in the season. Jenny was unsure of styles to suit her shape and also wanted advice on which colours worked for her.

Once we started to look at clothes, it became clear that Jenny could really go quite bold with her look and she had great fun trying on styles that she would not normally pick off the hanger. Sam (our hairdresser) just left Jenny’s

hair long but enhanced her natural curl which again she loved and with the makeup it was just the case of showing Jenny how to get the maximum out of her makeup with very little time and effort.

Having spoken to Jenny afterwards, this is how she described the day…. “Having never done anything like it before and been given the makeover day as a gift, I had no idea what to expect. I turned up in the usual grey faded jeans and jumper (the only splash of colour being my son’s breakfast down the front of

me!) I was warmly welcomed with morning coffee and soon relaxed into chatter with the other guests.

I had my hair and makeup done and wow!, what a difference! “Why can’t I do that,” was my only question to which both stylists had armfuls of suggestions of exactly how I could do it myself and I have. I have also worn the leather-look leggings (to which my first thought was ‘mmm…. practical, wipe clean but never in a million years could I wear those out!) with many compliments.

The Makeover Day

We continue with our Dream On makeover stories

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didn’t just change my hair, makeup “The and wardrobe. makeover day It changed my changed my perception perception of of myself. I’m myself.” not a dowdy grey mum, that’s just a cloak I wear sometimes. In my opinion all women are attractive, we just need to let them out. That’s what Dream On’s Makeover Day did for me”

Jenny

WATCH THE FILM HERE

Angela is a stylish lady but realised that she wore a lot of black. Her aim on the Makeover Day was to experiment with new looks so we helped her bring colour and pattern into her outfits.

Sam showed Angela how giving her short hair a sharper style would work much better for her, and Dionne helped her look at make-up which enhanced her features.

Although many of us do not enjoy having our photo taken, Angela loved how relaxed and fun Wendy Aiken made the photo-shoot and now she has some wonderful photos to share with her family.

Dream On was set up to help women be the best they can be. One of the services we offer is fashion and styling.

If you would like to find out more about Makeover Days then please take a look on our website www.dream-on.co.uk, call our team on 01379 678483 or email info@dream-on.co.uk. We would love to hear from you.

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FEATURED ARTIST

SITTING COMFORTABLY?

About

Perkins and Gibbs is a partnership between two skilled Upholsterers. Libby Eley from Elizabeth Eley Upholstery in Eye, Suffolk and Tamsin Hannam from Curious Upholstery of Harrogate. Having run their own successful businesses independently they have now come together as Perkins and Gibbs Upholsterers based in Earsham, Norfolk. Sharing a passion for excellent quality and traditional craft Libby and Tam work together to offer a high standard of upholstery and a range of one and two day upholstery workshops.

YLM | your lifestyle magazine

How was it that you came into business together?

T – Libby and I met on the first day of the AMUSF Level 2 upholstery course that we attended to re-train, with a hope of escaping our previous careers. We clicked immediately and on completing the course we kept in touch and supported each other in setting up our independent businesses. Libby set up Elizabeth Eley Upholstery in Denham, Nr Eye, and I set up Curious Upholstery in Harrogate.

L. We ran these successful businesses for 4 years, helping each other out when we took big jobs on. We liaised almost daily on techniques, sharing

problems and successes.

About 18 months ago we started talking about setting up a business together.

as every piece is different and brings its own challenges. This job, although creative, is very much about problem solving.

Are you self taught or trained?

T - We are both fully trained.

Although we both started our upholstery journey by doing our AMUSF Level 2 qualification, which does give you a good basic knowledge of both traditional and modern techniques, I would say that the majority of our knowledge has come from just doing the job. We learn something on every piece

Do you differ much in terms of expertise and style of working?

T - The beauty of us having run our own upholstery businesses previously in different locations is that we have developed slightly different strengths. This is due to differ- >

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YLM

and hammer and create strong edges and good form by many rows of hand stitching.

Modern upholstery uses different range materials such as foam and polyester and ‘back tack’ alongside the natural materials. With these materials comes a different range of skills. It’s about knowing how to use the materials to get the best finish.

> ent demands in those locations amongst other things, but it means that now we have a stronger, wider skill set overall.

L. Our style of working is actually very similar. We have the same standards in terms of attention to detail, and we have very similar taste when it comes to fabrics and design.

It is the perfect combination, meaning that the customer gets the same quality of work from both of us.

then having some quiet time when we get into the zone.

This time of year we have tea breaks by the log burner with the dogs. It’s pretty even when it comes to tea making skills, but there was an ‘incident’ with a mouse poo discovered at the bottom of my mug once, after I had drunk it, (The workshop is on a working farm, which comes with various wildlife).

Libby denies any knowledge, but I am quietly vigilant.

How do you find working together in such close quarters and who makes the best cup of tea?

T – People always say don’t work with friends or family, but we are the exception to the rule. We are best friends and spend almost as much time together outside of work as we do in work!

An average day involves us both singing at the tops of our voices, having a little dance,

Can you tell us about the differences between modern and traditional techniques?

L. The difference between traditional and modern upholstery is the materials and techniques used. Traditional upholstery uses natural materials such as jute and flax hessians and twine and stuffings such as curled hair and coir fibre (from the husk of coconut). With these materials we work by hand with steel tacks

Curled hair and coir fibre? - I assume you can't just go down the road to get hold of these things?

T - No these we get these from our specialist trade suppliers. We have carefully selected a variety of suppliers who provide us with the best quality materials for the finish that we require. The quality, feel and durability of different materials can vary supplier to supplier, so we cherry pick to get what we want.

There are websites though who will sell these materials to the public, which is great for upholstery hobbyists.

Which fabric designers are you really enjoying at the moment?

Warwick – anthropology range, A Rum Fellow – Ikat and Red House, Ian Sanderson.

What about heritage collections? - we really love William Morris.

T - Liberty have an absolutely fantastic heritage collection and they are excellent at updating their fabrics without losing the Liberty feel. One of their most recent collections uses digital printing on velvet.

The small floral design was

reminiscent of their vintage silk scarves, but the sharpness of the digital print and the contemporary colour choice made it breath taking. It definitely stood out to me as the most special fabric of this year.

They are still very good at what they do.

How do you go about selecting fabric?

T - We pride ourselves on our consultative approach and we aim to find the right fabrics for our customers, helping them to tie the piece of furniture

“We have to leave our personal tastes at the door so that we can be objective.”

in with their existing interior scheme. To do this well we have to leave our personal tastes at the door so that we can be objective.

What we require from a fabric is that it is upholstery weight, (ideally 20,000 rub test or higher), that it is fire treated, (if for use on a modern piece of furniture), and that it is an appropriate weight, texture, or design for the specific piece that we are working on.

You must have pieces come through the studio that have great sentimental value?

L - We do, often a chair can

“When we are working on a chair that has been in a family for so many years it’s nice to know that when we are finished it will go on for future generations.”

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FEATURED ARTIST

“It’s pretty even when it comes to tea making skills.”

have been in the family for many generations and we find evidence of this as we take it apart, fabrics that have been used on the chair previously and all sorts of memorabilia down the back of the chair mostly sweetie wrappers and Christmas tree needles, scrabble letters and the odd photo or paper clipping. When we are working on a chair that has been in a family for so many years it’s nice to know that when we are finished it will go on for future generations.

What kind of furniture do you have in your own homes?

T - Ha. mostly things that need upholstering! We both fall in love with old chairs and sofas that we find, but then never have time to upholster them for ourselves! At the moment we really love mid century shapes though. They

lend themselves so well to showcasing exciting fabrics.

Needless to say, we have both run out of space at home for any more, so a pile of chairs has started developing at the workshop, for ‘when we have more space’...

If we wanted to get into the world of upholstery, what is the best way to go about it?

L. We have so often been asked this question that we have started offering weekend workshops, teaching upholstery. We offer a one day 'Drop in seat course', which teaches traditional techniques and a two day 'Create your own footstool course', teaching modern techniques. There are dates running throughout the year, just call us here at the workshop if you would like to get involved.

Finally, what do you both get up to when you’re not springing and buttoning and stitching?

L. We both really love the outdoors and enjoy breaking up our working day with a dog walk - it gives us the opportunity to mull over any tricky upholstery problems. We can also often be found putting the world to rights around a fire pit in the evening with a glass of something warming.

We love living and working in the Waveney Valley and enjoy spending time locally going to antiques markets and seeing local bands. •

To find out more about Perkins & Gibbs, 01986 896655 www.perkinsgibbs.com v perkinsandgibbs t @perkinsandgibbs

2015 Upholstery Weekends at Perkins & Gibbs 25th April Drop in seat course 9am – 5pm (One day) Learn traditional upholstery skills; webbing, apply hessians, horsehair stuffing, covering with calico, wadding and final fabric.

Refreshments and homemade lunch included. £110 14th - 15th March 16th - 17th May Footstool course 10am – 4pm (Two days) Learn modern upholstery skills to create your own bespoke footstool.

From waxing the frame to applying the trim, at the end of this fun weekend you take home your finished hand made footstool.

Refreshments and homemade lunch included. £230 Location, Earsham Park Farm, NR35 2AQ

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H new

ello YLM readers. This month I would like to share with you an evening out I had recently.

For the past two years I have been privileged to be invited to present the South Norfolk Council Community Awards.

It seems an old cliché to hear the words ‘unsung hero’ but frankly without these individuals I sometimes wonder what would become of our communities. It’s not a lecture I wish to conduct. I am no saint, although I have been known to don rubber gloves for a community litter pick in the past! Joking aside, apart from the healthy activity of walking through my much loved local country lanes picking up litter, I also talked to several neighbours properly for the first time! We all had a common goal, to make our village a nice place to live and litter free.

Enough of my ‘rubbish’ story!

Did you know last year in South Norfolk there were fifty two litter picks carried out by more than seven hundred volunteers (maybe you were one?) South Norfolk Council also provides a financial incentive, a prize of £200 for twenty groups randomly picked which can be spent on their community. In the past this prize has been spent on anything from school books to resurfacing of a football pitch, not to mention communities using the money to buy more litter bins!

Now if this isn’t commendable enough, South Norfolk Council has gone even further.

It organised a Summer Clean Sweep and Autumn Leaf Clearance too (500 tonnes of leaves incase you wondered!). Three

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STORIES

“My neighbours and I all had a common goal, to make our village a nice place to live and litter free.”

Community Spirit Volunteers Receive Recognition thousand unwanted household items were also reused or recycled thanks to a number of council - run ‘re-use’ events which ran alongside local and

national charities. The items were used by low income families and people furnishing starter homes.

Time now to mention, by

Words by Louise Priest Broadcast Journalist BBC Look East

name, the winners of the South Norfolk Council Community Awards 2014.

Supporting others - Volunteer of the Year: Kevin Parfitt of Bergh Apton.

Young Volunteer of the Year: Declan Jones for his work at the Pennoyer Centre in Pulham helping ‘silver surfers’.

Community Youth Group: Four Villages Good Neighbourhood Project, covering Broome, Ditchingham, Hedenham and Thwaite.

Charity Fundraiser(s) of the Year: Anne Beckett-Allen and Pippa Hardie from Rosedale Funeral Home.

Community Sport Volunteer (s) of the Year: Jim Harlow and Gary Fisher from Tasburgh United Football Club.

Inspiring Achievement Volunteer of the Year: Trevor Brown, Wymondham Pabulum Café.

Plus Special Awards to: Denton Community Composting Scheme and Bullock Fair Charity shop, Harleston. What a busy inspiring lot the people of South Norfolk are!

I think a special award should go to our local council, South Norfolk, too. Not only does the council actively encourage local communities by offering grants and awards, to those helping people near them and their communities, in my opinion, the council itself does a jolly good job too!

By the way, the Chairman of South Norfolk Council, Councillor David Goldson loves reading YLM! Good taste Mr Goldson! •

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S Q.

hould I consider making a Will? I’ve always assumed that it is only necessary for elderly people and not something you necessarily want to think about in your 30s or 40s (as I am) but is it a sensible thing to do, regardless of your age? Also once a Will has been written, is it set in stone or can changes be made? I am sure that my family’s circumstances will change over the years, so the Will may become out of date.

A. At Steeles Law, we recommend that everybody should make a Will, whatever their age, wealth or family circumstances.

It may not be a very cheerful or comfortable topic but it is an important one.

If you do not make a Will, the Intestacy Rules set out who is entitled to deal with your affairs after your death and who receives your money and property – and this may not necessarily be who you want.

For example, depending on the value of money and property in your sole name, your spouse may not receive all of your money and property on your death – and if you are cohabiting, your partner has no right to anything under the Intestacy Rules.

You may think your family and finances are straightforward but where there is no Will, family arguments often arise after death. By making a Will, you can say who will receive your money and property after your death and name executors to carry out your wishes and deal with all of the paperwork.

W I LL POW E R What will you Leave Behind?

© Lorna Mitchell You can also: Leave gifts of money or items to friends or charities Name guardians to look after infant children and trustees to look after their inheritance Provide for dependant or disabled children or relatives Protect your money and property in case of your spouse or partner remarrying or going into residential care Make substitute provisions in case any of the people named in your Will dies before you Make tax-efficient arrangements for the passing of business property Make arrangements for your pets Once you have made your Will,

you can and should continue to update it if your family or financial circumstances change.

This needs to be done formally, either by making a new Will or, if the changes are minor, by way of a ‘Codicil’ - a document that amends, rather than replaces, a previously executed Will. It is especially important to do so if you: Marry, as marriage revokes existing Wills Move in with your partner Buy or sell a home Start a family Inherit substantial sums of money and/or property Start a business, or your existing business expands or contracts Become divorced or separated

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Have an accident “You should Suffer from, or update your develop, a long Will if your term or termifamily or financial circumstances nal illness change.”

When drafting your Will, we would always recommend that you engage a qualified legal adviser. DIY or online Wills can seem a financially attractive alternative but it is important to remember that your Will is a legal document, which will be relied upon in the event of your death. Sadly, we often receive enquiries from family members who have been left to deal with the consequences of a poorly drafted Will, which can lead to upset and in the worst cases, expensive disputes over who gets what.

At Steeles Law, we understand that your Will is probably the most important legal document you will ever sign. Our legal practitioners, who have many years of experience and include Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners members, will take the time to get to know you and understand your needs. •

For further advice, please contact the team at Steeles Law on 01379 652141 or, probate@steeleslaw.co.uk

Words by Karen Bacon Head of wills, probate & tax team

Find Us 2 Mount Street, Diss

Email info@steeleslaw.co.uk

Telephone 01379 652141

Visit our Website www.steeleslaw.co.uk

F VENTURE

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“You may want to withdraw your pension savings at a slower rate that is more tax-efficient. ”

rom April 2015, we will see more freedom in ways people can take their pension benefits when they reach 55. Few would vote against choice and flexibility for their pension, but what do the changes mean if you are planning your retirement?

More freedom in how you draw your income In theory, the flexibility will allow you to treat your pension fund in the same way as any other investment: you will be able to take withdrawals whenever you want.

From April, if you are a member of a defined contribution pension scheme and aged 55 or over, you will be able to draw money from it as you see fit. You can receive a tax free cash sum of up to 25% of the amount you take, then you will have the freedom to access some or all of the remaining fund as income, taxable at your marginal rate of income tax. So if you want to access all of the money from your pension, you will be able to take it as a lump sum.

As tempting as it sounds to get hold of your money when you want it, in practice, the tax treatment may discourage you from extracting large sums in a single year. So unless you really need the extra income, you may want to withdraw your pension savings at a slower rate that is more tax-efficient.

Although the new pension freedoms mean you will no longer be compelled to buy an

annuity, if you are looking to secure a guaranteed income for the rest of your life, an annuity will still be an appropriate option for you, especially as it’s impossible to tell how long you will live.

Guidance or advice?

How retirement will look in 2015 Changes to your Pension

From April, the government will introduce a new right to impartial financial guidance at the point of retirement, for anyone with a defined contribution pension scheme. The guidance will be delivered through the Pensions Advisory Service and the Citizens Advice Bureau. But it’s important to understand that what will be on offer is just guidance – not advice - so while guidance will explain the impact of these new rules and let you know what you could do, it won’t tell you what you should do. Advice, therefore, remains essential. •

Words by Samuel Duncan To receive a complimentary guide covering Wealth Management, Protection, Retirement Planning or Inheritance Tax Planning, contact Samuel Duncan of 6 St. Nicholas Street, Diss on 01379 641211 or email samuel.duncan@sjpp.co.uk

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Many people have spent their lives being told what they need to improve on, not being encouraged in what they do well.

I

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shows that if my boss had concentrated on what I was doing well, I was six times as likely to be engaged in my job. If we look at that in terms of productivity, the benefit for a business is huge.

On each programme we run for the Blossom Charity, we

“Research shows that if my boss had concentrated on what I was doing well, I was six times as likely to be engaged in my job.”

spend a lot of time focusing on what we are good at. We concentrate on strengths and also self-awareness so we can

understand why we are as we are. This approach has a significant effect on self-confidence, which in turn leads to an ability to take steps forward.

We see so many people who have similar appraisal experiences to my own. They have spent their lives being told what they need to improve on, not being encouraged in what they do well.

So appraisals, reviews or assessments are important.

They can have either a hugely negative or hugely positive effect. I hope that by focusing on strengths, achievements and noticing what you are good at, that they can be the latter and that we don’t have David Brentesque (made-up word) behaviour going on! •

Words by Bridget McIntyre Dream On

How to have an Effective Appraisal

love the scene from the Office series, where David Brent is doing an appraisal with one of his team. It is embarrassing to watch. He asks a question along the lines of, “Is there any leader you admire?”, obviously hoping he will be mentioned. He keeps repeating the question adding hints until he gets the reply he needed to hear - “Well, you.” As a result the questioning stops. David Brent adjusts his tie and smiles to the camera. Great, he is getting what he needs from the appraisal but what about the appraisee?

Reviews, appraisals or assessments, whatever they are called are often odd experiences. I’m sure many of you have stories to tell. They are in fact very important. They can be motivational, encouraging and even inspiring if done well. My view is a boss needs to take them seriously, prepare well and make them positive experiences.

I remember appraisals in the past. I would go through the things I’ve done well and my boss would nod, maybe agree. This would be done very quickly and then we would get to the serious stuff - the things I should have done better. The time spent in the appraisal would for the majority of the time concentrate on this. Research however

STAY POSITIVE

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WOMeN IN BUSINESS

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Josie Allen Suffolk Surplus Nestled in the Suffolk countryside, near Stonham Aspal, Suffolk Surplus sells anything and everything from kitchenalia and collectables, to antiques, shabby chic furniture , items for the garden and even a super 1976 Volkswagen bay window camper van!

Come along and have a browse!

Kate Bowden Essential Interiors If you are considering changing or updating your soft furnishings Kate will visit you in the comfort of your home with pattern books, trimmings and lots of exciting ideas.

Essential Interiors offers a complete design to installation service and the first consultation is free.

Charlotte Nicholls The Forge

They have supported the businesses on this page and would love you to do so too.

Open seven days a week, all year: April to Sept 10am to 5pm, October to March 10am to 4pm.

Nicki Porter Mrs. P Creative Nicki, aka Mrs P, is an experienced freelance graphic designer providing a range of services including branding , logos and promotional materials and communications for print and web, illustration and web site design.

Nicki enjoys working with clients on a one to one basis from project inception to final delivery.

For more information, 01379 678483 www.dream-on.co.uk

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.

Whether you have just had a bracing stroll around the beautiful Thornham Walks or need a great place to meet up with friends or family, The Forge has a warm welcome. From delicious lunches with a nice glass of wine, to tea and cakes or light snacks.

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pprenticeships seem to be the flavour of the month at the moment.

Mr Cameron promised us 3 million new apprenticeships last October, and Mr Miliband, not wishing to be outdone by his political rival, has just announced an ‘apprenticeship guarantee’ for everyone who achieves the required grades. Thankfully Mr Sugar (sorry, Lord Sugar) is off air at the moment, and I’m certainly not talking about his type of apprentice. No, what I’m talking about are the spanner/trowel/ pipe wrench/multi-meter wielding types – the young men and women who will be keeping our homes, industry and transport functioning in the future.

I’ve long held a suspicion that engineers and technicians don’t have the same status

“Engineers with a nononsense attitude, equally happy in front of a drawing board or wading in with the spanners to overcome apparently insurmountable problems at the coal face.” in the UK as they do on the continent. Certainly in France and Germany engineers are awarded the same status as doctors, teachers or lawyers, and from that, technicians also benefit from a similar degree of respect. Take a look back at our industrial heritage and you’ll see that much of it comes from the north of the country – engineers with a no-nonsense attitude, equally happy in front of a drawing board or wading in with the spanners to overcome apparently insurmountable problems at the coal face (in some cases literally!). That’s not to say that there aren’t any

YLM | your lifestyle magazine

MOTORING

fine engineers in the south, it just seems that we have rather too many bankers, lawyers and politicians. Now, if I had my way I’d make it law for parliament to have a minimum quota of 50% scientists or engineers – and perhaps relocate it to Sheffield or Derby. After all, how can our politicians make the right decisions in our increasingly technology dominated world if they don’t have a deeper understanding of the workshop and laboratory? Anyway, I digress, back to apprentices….

Two recent encounters have given me a great deal of hope for the future of our young en-

gineers and apprentices. Firstly, I attended a careers evening at my son’s high school and was bowled over by the overtures being made by private companies and the armed forces for apprentice technicians and engineers. The Royal Navy made it clear that they couldn’t recruit fast enough, and EDF Energy were so enthusiastic that they had me asking when and where I could sign up for their nuclear power apprenticeship (yes they do take mature apprentices!).

Secondly there’s Guy Martin.

I’m a little late to the phenomenon of Grimsby’s most celebrated mechanic – call him a

A IS FOR...

The Future Looks Bright for Apprenticeships

“In our ‘virtual’ world Guy has made it cool to be a mechanic.”

Guy Martin

mechanic or technician they’re the same thing, but Guy likes mechanic, so that’s what I’ll call him. Here’s a man who has no TV or smart phone and positively avoids the publicity that celebrity has inevitably brought. So what does he do when he’s not fixing trucks?

He’s in his shed making his bikes (both of the push- and motorvariety) go faster - skilled hands imbibed with a passion for all things mechanical, supreme in their craft. In our ‘virtual’ world dominated by touch screen tablets and smart phones, Guy has made it cool to be a mechanic, cool to get stuck in with your spanners, cool to be greasy, and that’s cool with me. Oh, and he drinks tea, lots of it – now, how down to earth is that? •

Words by Leighten Ball GM Autotech

MARCH 2015

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here are few vehicles on our roads as iconic as the Mini.

Granted, the current Mini is far larger than the original and the new one has grown again, but despite having a product which is as popular as the famous hatch, creating a new one can’t be an easy task.

There are now more variants than ever before but I managed to get my hands on the Cooper S to take it for a spin.

It must be said that there are tougher tasks than jumping into a quick Mini for a road test so it was with a sense of excitement that I took the keys and walked to the car.

From the outside it understandably looks similar to the previous model, which in turn wasn’t far removed from the original re-launch (still with me?).

It is still utterly recognisable with round headlights, a floating roof and squared-off rear.

Look more closely though and the small changes everywhere make quite a difference.

The headlights follow the contours of the front wing more than before, the grille has been tidied up in terms of design and the car looks squatter than before.

The interior has been overhauled in the same Mini tradition – namely, it hasn’t changed much. The design is a little more modern but if you owned the previous model, you will feel right at home in the new version.

Once again, the changes have worked and it feels more prestigious than previously, but the

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“Normal mode offers a balanced driving experience while you can also opt for an eco-friendly green set-up by pushing the switch one way or sport mode the other.”

biggest difference is the use of the famous large, round central dial. Before, the centre dial was the speedometer with the rev counter sitting in front of the driver. Now both dials sit behind the steering wheel.

This has left the central space available for Mini’s navigation and entertainment system. It is a huge departure for Mini but was an essential one since few customers will pay this sort of money for a car with no colourscreen media system. It’s good that Mini’s designers have kept the famous dashboard feature and incorporated the sat-nav into it rather than trying to cram everything into too small a space.

The other big change is the addition of the driving mode switch, which is a collar around the base of the gearstick. Nor-

MOTORING

evolution of an

icoN

Mini Cooper S (2014)

mal mode offers a balanced driving experience while you can also opt for an eco-friendly green set-up by pushing the switch one way or sport mode the other. Putting the Mini in the latter set-up gives you the cringe-worthy message of ‘maximum go-kart feel’ – but the essence rings true.

In Eco mode the Mini Cooper S will return 49.6mpg, which is very good for a hot-hatch, and emissions are comparable at 133g/km of CO2.

Driving around in normal will see the Cooper S behave well and deal with everyday driving easily. Use these two set-ups around town or on the motorway and you will find yourself in a refined and capable hatchback.

If you buy a Mini Cooper S though, you are likely to want to let your hair down sometimes, find

your favourite B-road and have a drive. This is what the Mini became famous for – as a car that could put a smile on your face well within the legal speed limits.

The new Cooper S continues this long-standing tradition as it is an absolute hoot to drive.

The 192hp engine pulls you along smoothly and rapidly with a rev-happy feel to it. Zero to sixty-two mph is dealt with in 6.8 seconds but it is when you get to a corner that the Mini shows its hand.

The steering could perhaps do with a little more feedback but there is ample communication to quickly gain confidence in hooking up a series of corners. The suspension, with the optional adaptive dampers, feels set-up just right too. It won’t shake your teeth out but will hold a flat, progressive line when cornering.

All in all, the Cooper S is a very capable small car. The Mini has enough space for a couple of occupants in the back and a boot that will deal with mundane chores easily enough. Neither the rear passenger space or load space are cavernous but both will suffice.

The Cooper S is comfortable on motorways and, with its light steering, easy to thread through town. In Sport mode the car changes again and becomes taut and precise, having more than enough in its arsenal to keep most drivers happy. The added maturity in its suspension set-up has compromised the very upper limit of its hot-hatch character but it is a price many customers will be happy to pay to stay comfortable for the majority of the time they use their Mini.

The Mini Cooper S is on the expensive side, especially when

you add the almost necessary extras. Starting at £18,655, it looks rather expensive when you compare it to something which is even better to drive – the Ford Fiesta ST. But the Mini feels like a better built and more prestigious car.

Although not exactly a bargain, the Mini Cooper S with its great versatility will prove a popular pick for many. •

Words by Chris Lilly

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B

en Earle and Crissie Rhodes, AKA The Shires, are officially bringing country music to the UK. The country duo who hail from the Home Counties have been signed to a major American label, Universal Music Group Nashville, something which Ben calls “the dream.”

Their songs have been gaining major radio airplay and there’s an April tour to prepare for.

The band have come a long way in two short years. “When we first started The Shires I think a lot of people thought we were slightly crazy for wanting to do country music.”

Now, they’re the first UK act to be signed to such a prominent US label. “To be, as they say, ‘the first’, it’s just great and then the fact that we got to make the album out there in Nashville as well - its all been a bit of a dream, a pinch me moment if I’m honest.”

The duo flew out to Nashville, the homeland of country, to immerse themselves in their music. “We signed our record deal in February and literally went out to Nashville two weeks later to do some writing

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© Anthony D’Angio which was just crazy and amazing. We were there for seven days and had six sessions so pretty much a session a day, we got to hang out with a couple of the cast from the TV show Nashville as well, with Sam who plays Gunner and is actually English, and Chaley Rose who

went into the studio with some session musicians and our promotion team and recorded the album of is 15 songs in three days which is unbelievable.”

From there it was Sweden for a week - “our producer is Swedish” - and they put the vocals down in about ten days.

“They’ve a really famous drink out there (Nashville) called the Fireball, which is whisky and cinnamon.

Doing that all night was great fun!”

plays Zoe. We got to see Grand Ole Opry which is a great venue out there which features in the TV show quite a bit.”

The Shires made the most of the Nashville experience, writing in the daytime and enjoying the social scene at night, including, “A place called the Whisky Kitchen. They’ve a really famous drink out there called the Fireball, which is whisky and cinnamon. Doing that all night was great fun!”

Four weeks later, they were back on U.S. soil again armed with musical material. “We

“To be in America when you see how proud they are to be American, that’s something we feel we don’t do as much over here generally; we don’t appear proud to be British all the time when we think we should be.”

In fact, a song on the new album is dedicated to the green grass of home. “It’s called Made in England and is about all the things we love about being English and British. We talk about fish and chips and pints and grey skies and stuff and we’re very proud to be from here.

Today The Shires are enjoying a massive buzz, and Ben

in particular, having spent ten years on the music scene now, didn’t see it coming. “The interesting thing is I only discovered country music about three years ago and at that point I’d really had enough of music. I wasn’t getting anywhere with my songs - I wasn’t writing great songs and was frustrated and discovering country just gave me a completely new lease of life as a songwriter. I met Crissie after that and everything from that moment two years ago has been really easy. I just stopped caring song wise and just sort of wrote what I wanted to write.

“I remember the first time I heard ‘Need You Now’ By Lady Antebellum and that was the song that just really changed it for me. And I think since then it’s just been a lot easier in a way, writing wise and making music and being with Crissie is really liberating. She’s such a great singer and she really inspires me and in many ways she’s a lot more ‘country’ than I am, she’s been doing country for years. So it just feels great!”

The Shires have an album, a tour and this summer will see them hit the festival scene “At the moment we’re doing Jimmy’s Farm, a really nice festival and also a sausage and beer festival which makes for great food back stage!” So if you can’t make it to the American South? The Shires are a little closer to home. •

See The Shires Norwich Waterfront Sunday 26th April, 7:00pm Tickets from £12 Jimmy’s Farm Sausage & Beer Festival 25th - 26th July 11:00am - 11:00pm www.theshiresmusic.com

“Discovering country just gave me a completely new lease of life as a songwriter.

I met Crissie after that and everything from that moment has been really easy. I just stopped caring song wise and just sort of wrote what I wanted to write.”

ARTS

— Ben

INTRODUCING:

THE SHIRES Bringing the Nashville Sound Home

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Pom Pom Gets the Grumps

by Sophy Hen £6.99

Sweetie Pie

by Hannah Miles £16.99 Loads of possible delicious combinations to make fantastic dessert pies are gathered together in this book with tons of mouth watering photos, ranging from traditional treats to exciting inventive fillings!

Pom Pom Panda wakes up in a bad mood and then the day just keeps getting worse. Can anything cheer Pom Pom up?

A delightful and gorgeously illustrated book about toddler tantrums from World Book Day Illustrator 2015 Sophy Henn, who will be visiting Diss Publishing Bookshop on March 7th for a book signing and plenty of fun activities like making Pom Pom puppets!

Book club OR AUTH T VISI

ReviewsReviews

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

Sophia: Princess, Suffragette, Revolutionary

by Anita Anand £20 Sophia Duleep Singh was born in 1876, daughter to Maharajeh Duleep Singh, heir to the Sikh Kingdom.

When the British invaded the area, the Maharajeh was exiled to England where he transformed his estate at Elveden in Suffolk into a Moghul Palace.

Sophia, god-daughter to Queen Victoria, was raised

The Bookshop

by Penelope Fitzgerald £7.99 Florence Green decides to open a bookshop in the isolated town of Hardborough in East Anglia, ignoring polite but ruthless local opposition, however by rebelling against the traditions of the town Florence finds herself struggling against not only the people of Hardborough but supernatural forces as well... A reprint of a classic novel that provides a vivid satirical portrait of a small selfcontained community.

BOOK CLUB

as an aristocratic Englishwoman but she secretly travelled to India in defiance of the British government and when she returned she devoted herself to battling inequality. She supported India’s struggle for independence, worked as a nurse on the front-lines in World War I and fought for female suffrage. An inspiring account of an incredible woman.

The Girl on the Train

by Paula Hawkins £6.99 Rachel catches the same commuter train every morning, and she’s fascinated with one particular couple who live in a house on her route. She imagines their lives to be perfect, until one morning she sees something shocking... Suspenseful and thrilling, this book is impossible to put down.

s Paula Hawkin

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COMPETITION TIME

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W in

TOP PLACES TO SEE THE SPRING LAMBS baylham-house-farm.co.uk kentwell.co.uk churchfarmstowbardolph.co.uk

wroxhambarns.co.uk

CAPTURE

beautiful images that inspire

YLM

what’s on MARCH Wednesday 4th - Saturday 28th Dale Devereuex Barker – and Prints from the 2014 Workshop An exhibition in Diss Corn Hall Gallery Evening viewing Wednesday 4 March 6.30pm - 7.45pm.

Diss Corn Hall | Free | 01379 652241 www.disscornhall.co.uk

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THURSDAY 5th ‘Dream on’ Fashion Sale Fabulous ladies clothes sale at 50% discount. Prices start from £10!

Pennoyer Centre, Pulham St. Mary | 1pm – 8pm | Free Entry | 01379 676660 / www. pennoyers.org.uk

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Friday 6th Elvis McGonagall - Luke Wright’s Stand-up Poetry Club Diss Corn Hall | £8, Students £6 | 8pm | 01379 652241 / www.disscornhall.co.uk

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Evening Inn Come along to this popular monthly event. Local ale on tap, our ‘cocktail of the month’, bacon butties. All welcome.

Pennoyer Centre, Pulham St. Mary | 6.30pm – 11.30pm | Free Entry | 01379 676660 / www.pennoyers.org.uk

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Quiz Night What better combination is there for a Friday night than a quiz and some delicious British bangers? 2 Course Meal, Quiz Entry £1 per person (to be paid on entry) with a maximum team size 6 people.

Jimmy’s Farm, Ipswich | 7.30pm | £15 | 01473 604206 / www.jimmysfarm.com

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Saturday 7th UK Bee Gees - Diss & District Rotary Club Diss Corn Hall | Tickets: £15, £13.50, £12.50 | 7:30pm | 01379 652241 / www.disscornhall.co.uk

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FREE Snooker Night Have you been watching the snooker championships? Now’s your chance to come along and be that budding star.

Enjoy a free game of snooker.

Apollo Social Club, Harleston | Between 7.00pm & 11.00pm | over 18yrs only | 01379 854205 / www.apollo-club.co.uk

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Live Music @ Pennoyers - Hannah Aldridge Folk/Americana singer-songwriter all the way from Nashville, Tennessee, via Muscle Shoals, Alabama.

Pennoyer Centre, Pulham St. Mary | Bar open from 7pm | Tickets £12 from The Pennoyer Centre or online via Eventbrite | 01379 676660 / www.pennoyers.org.uk

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MC Hansen A native of Denmark, M.C. has travelled the European continent and North America from Texas to the Yukon, telling

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stories, writing songs, and leading a band.

The Bank, Eye, Suffolk | £10 & £8 | 8pm Doors 7.15pm | 01379 873495 / www. thebankeye.org

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Saturday 7th & Sunday 8th Crocheted Granny Square Weekender at The Workhouse, Harleston Immerse yourself in the joys of Granny Squares, learning different motifs, joining techniques & make a fabulous pair of slippers too!

The Workhouse, 5 Old Market Place, Harleston, Norfolk, IP20 9BE | 10am-4pm | £110 - Light refreshments & lunch included | 01379 853668 / info@the-workhouse. co.uk / www.the-workhouse.co.uk

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Sunday 8th The Silver Dollar Country Music Club, The Park Hotel, Diss presents THE DAVE DRAIN BAND The Park Hotel, Diss | Doors 7pm - Music 7.30pm until 10.30pm | Members £5 - NonMembers £6 | John and Teresa Stannard 01603 433918.

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Romeo & Juliet Romeo and Juliet fall madly in love, and are distraught when they realise they belong to rival families.

The Fisher Theatre, Bungay, Suffolk | 3pm | £12 | Box Office: 01986 897130 / www. fishertheatre.org

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Come Dancing Dance the night away on our superb large parquet dance floor and enjoy music from our professional DJ. A wonderful night with a wonderful atmosphere.

Apollo Rooms, Harleston | £5 | 7pm-10pm | 01379 854205 / www.apollo-club.co.uk

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Tuesday 10th One-Man Breaking Bad The Unauthorised Parody. Sixty Awesome Episodes - One Awesome Show. Yo! Join us on a rip roaring ride through the greatest TV show ever made. Incredible impersonations break all five seasons down into one, exhilarating, uproarious performance.

Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds | Box Office 01284 769505 / www.theatreroyal.org / booking@theatreroyal.org

or £4.00 without food | Teams of up to 6 - Booking essential | 01379 676660 / www.pennoyers.org.uk

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JANE EYRE Jane’s life begins with physical psychological abuse at the hands of her aunt. Eventually, Jane is employed as a governess at Thornfield Hall where she falls in love with Edward Rochester, master of the house.

Rochester eventually proposes to Jane but the complexities of his past ensure that Jane’s struggles are far from over.

The Cut, Halesworth | 7:30pm | £12 Standard £9 Concession | 01986 873285 / info@newcut.org / www.newcut.org

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Friday 13th - Thursday 19th Jason Avery Exhibition Jason is best known for his stunning landscapes which capture the beauty of his local Suffolk countryside. His latest photographic subject is livestock. These too are captured in beautiful Suffolk locations and have the same attention and quality that all Jason’s other work has.

Snape Maltings, Near Aldeburgh | 01728 688303 / info@snapemaltings.co.uk

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SATURDAY 14th Live concert at Alburgh village hall Nigel “Boy”Syer & Lisa Marie Alburgh Village Hall | Doors open 6.45pm for a 7.30 start | £10 | Tickets in advance from Pat 01986 788 510 / Julie 01986 788 934

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The Saturday Club: POP! - A Magical Comedy Show Diss Corn Hall | £6, £4 (3-8 yrs) | 2pm | 01379 652241 / www.disscornhall.co.uk

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Sunday 15th Mother’s Day Sunday Lunch You and your Mum can enjoy a delicious 3 course meal, followed by a spot of shopping in our Joules shop, for all seasons Gift Shop and our Farmshop and Butchery. All Mums will enjoy free entry into our Farm Park!

Jimmy’s Farm, Ipswich | 01473 604206 / www.jimmysfarm.com

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Thursday 12th - Saturday 14th Mother’s Day Vintage Afternoon Tea Finger sandwiches, cream scones, homemade cakes, all served on vintage mismatched china and accompanied by a big pot of tea for two.

Pennoyer Centre, Pulham St. Mary | 1.30pm – 4pm | £9.95 per head, or £12.50 with a glass of fizz! - Booking essential | 01379 676660 / www.pennoyers.org.uk

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FRIDAY 13th Quiz Night Popular quiz night with fish and chips.

Pennoyer Centre, Pulham St. Mary | Bar opens at 7pm for a 7.30pm start | £8.00

Mother’s Day Lunch Delicious 3 course lunch followed with coffee and a free gift for every mother.

Apollo Rooms, Harleston | Booking in advance please - Adults £15.50 / Children under 10 years £8.50 per head | 01379 854205 / www.apollo-club.co.uk

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Rock. With video projected scenes, incredible stage set, superb band and Steve’s unique sense of humour and stage presence, the show will have you up on your feet and dancing in the aisles.

Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds | Box Office 01284 769505 / www.theatreroyal.org / booking@theatreroyal.org

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Monday 16th - Wednesday 18th The Picture Of Doreen Gray Doreen Gray has it all, a drive time radio show, a high ratings lifestyle programme on Even More 4, but hitting 50, Doreen finds her face no longer fits the bill. At a school reunion she stumbles across a youthful self-portrait and makes a dark and dreadful deal.

New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich | 01473 295900 / www.wolseytheatre. co.uk

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Tuesday 17th MARTIN BELL - THE MAN IN THE WHITE SUIT Martin Bell began life as a journalist as a reporter in Norwich. Then followed a distinguished career covering eleven conflicts and reported from eighty countries, making his name with reports from wars and conflicts in Vietnam, Middle East, Nigeria, Angola, and in Northern Ireland.

The Cut, Halesworth | 2.30pm | £4 | 01986 873285 / info@newcut.org / www.newcut.org

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Swan Lake Swan Lake is a irresistible combination of a tragic romance, a glorious score and wonderful choreography for the entire company.

The Fisher Theatre, Bungay, Suffolk | 7:15pm | £12 | Box Office: 01986 897130 / www. fishertheatre.org

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Buskers Night Bring along your instrument & speak to Dave when you arrive. Bar with real ale & snacks available. All welcome.

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

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Tuesday 17th - Saturday 21st The Mist in The Mirror this Gothic fireside story is a tense and atmospheric otherworldly mystery, that will leave a terrifying eeriness suspended in the air.

Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds | Box Office 01284 769505 / www.theatreroyal.org / booking@theatreroyal.org

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Apollo Country Music Club presents ‘Boxcar Kelly Trio’ Enjoy a great night of country music with this fantastic trio. Bar, hot meals and raffle available.

Apollo Rooms, Harleston | £5 cmc members / £6 non members | 7.30pm - 10.45pm | 01379 854205 / www.apollo-club.co.uk

Thursday 19th Behind the Beautiful Forevers – Meera Syal,National Theatre Encore Screening Diss Corn Hall | £12 , under 18s £10 | 7pm | 01379 652241 / www.disscornhall.co.uk

Monday 16th The Meatloaf Story Starring Steve Steinman from Vampires

Friday 20th The Trench (Cert. 15) On the eve of a massive battle with the

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EVENTS

a selection of forthcoming events in our region

Germans, Sgt. Telford Winter (Daniel Craig) oversees a company of British soldiers too young and naive to be properly terrified of their coming mission.

The Bank, Eye, Suffolk | £5 | Doors 7pm for 7.30pm start | 01379 873495 / www. thebankeye.org

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Film Night – Mr Turner The story of the artist’s later life, contrasting his artistic skills with his odd and eccentric approach to those around him.

Pennoyer Centre, Pulham St. Mary | Bar open at 7.15pm for 8.00pm start | Booking advisable - £4 in advance, £4.50 on the door | 01379 676660 / www.pennoyers.org.uk

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SATURDAY 21st Wreningham Village Hall, Mill Lane there is a dance to the band LOU AND THE DIAMONDS Live Music 50S, 60S and Jive...

Music 8.15pm - midnight | £6.50 | Licensed bar, tea, coffee and light refreshments | Christine Minns on 01508 488123.

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Family Disco Dance the night away to some great music from our fantastic DJ. Happy to play all your requests to keep the whole family entertained.

Apollo Social Club, Harleston | FREE to all members or just £1 daily membership for non members | 7.30pm - late | 01379 854205 / www.apollo-club.co.uk

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The Cabaret Pin up Girls!

A magical night, with a mixture of cabaret acts, singing and dancing! Be transported back to the roaring 20s, where the evening will come to life with live music great company and a cheeky Charleston to bop along to!

The Fisher Theatre, Bungay, Suffolk | 7:30pm | £10 | Box Office: 01986 897130 / www.fishertheatre.org

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Saturday 21st - Sunday 22nd Discover your Natural Voice - A Weekend Workshop with Chris James Re-discover the healing quality of your true voice as you develop vocal confidence & self-empowering speaking & singing skills.

Open to everyone - no experience needed.

The Arts Centre, The New Eccles Hall School Quidenham, Norfolk, NR16 2NZ | 9.30am - 4pm| £185 | Beverley Bulmer: 01953 454627 - Email: beverley.8@btinternet.com | www.chrisjames.net for more information

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Sunday 22nd The Silver Dollar Country Music Club, The Park Hotel, Diss presents NASHVILLE NUMBERS The Park Hotel, Diss | Doors 7pm - Music 7.30pm until 10.30pm | Members £5 - NonMembers £6 | John and Teresa Stannard 01603 433918

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Licence to Thrill Every Bond theme is an event in itself and this exciting, fast and sexy show brings

you all the greats!

The Apex, Bury St Edmunds | 7:30pm | £22, concessions £20 | 01284 758000 / www.theapex.co.uk Come Dancing Dance the night away on our superb large parquet dance floor and enjoy music from our professional DJ. A wonderful night with a wonderful atmosphere.

Apollo Rooms, Harleston | £5 | 7pm-10pm | 01379 854205 / www.apollo-club.co.uk

Roz Barnett the Eye Town Clerk on 01379 651898 or email townclerk@eyesuffolk.org.

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Monday 23rd - Wednesday 25th English Touring Opera On Christmas Eve lovers draw close, but poverty and ill-health force them apart. In memorable music their story is told, from ‘Che gelida manina’ to the shattering chords announcing Mimi’s death. Sung in Italian with English subtitles visible from all seats.

Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds | Box Office 01284 769505 / www.theatreroyal.org / booking@theatreroyal.org

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Monday 23rd - Saturday 28th The History Boys Set in the 1980’s, the story of a group of bright, funny and unruly sixth-formers in pursuit of sex, sport & a place at university. Staffroom rivalry and the anarchy of adolescence overflow, provoking insistent questions about history and how you teach it. Their A Levels may be over, but their true education is only just beginning.

New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich | 01473 295900 / www.wolseytheatre.co.uk

Richard Digance Richard will be touring in 2015 with a new one-man show. Not many guitarists have played a duet with Queen’s Brian May, worked with Steve Martin or performed at The London Palladium with the late Robin Williams, Richard has.

Wingfield Barns | £15 | 7:30pm | 01379 384505 / www.wingfieldbarns.com / enquiries@wingfieldbarns.com

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Floral Workshop Create a delightful Easter table arrangement using beautiful British spring flowers...Please bring a (dinner plate sized) shallow bowl or dish, a pair of scissors and any flowers & foliage from your garden. All materials will be provided.

Pennoyer Centre, Pulham St. Mary | 2pm – 4:30pm | £35.00 including tea & coffee | Gabi on hello@gabrielsgarden.co.uk / 01379 677793

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Wednesday 25th DIss Flower Club - Saturday night at the movies A demonstration by David Wright.

Visitors welcome.

Roydon Village Hall | 7:30pm | £4 | Marion Bond 01480 434830

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Friday 27th Corn Hall Comedy Club With Dave Johns, Ian Smith and Lewis Schaffer (compère).

Diss Corn Hall | Tickets: Advance £9 / Door £10 | 8pm | Min age 18 | 01379 652241 www.disscornhall.co.uk /www.easternangles.co.uk

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SATURDAY 28th Eye Town Hall Spring Craft Fair – Craft Stalls Wanted Crafters are being invited to join the Eye Town Hall Easter Fair. We already have a good mix of stalls for the event but still have a few places left. The craft fairs are well supported by the local community.

All the money raised from the event will go towards the Town Hall renovation project.

Stalls only cost £10 for a 6ft table |

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

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First Friday & third Sunday African Djembe Drumming Lessons ‘Backspace’, Angel Cafe, Fair Green, Diss | Friday: 10 - 12pm & Sunday: 3 - 5pm | £12 per session | Jane 01379 641233

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SUNDAY 29th Apollo Country Music Club presents ‘Merv & Maria’ Another great night with a brilliant duo.

Bar, hot meals and raffle available.

Apollo Rooms, Harleston | £5 cmc members / £6 non members | 7.30pm - 10.45pm | 01379 854205 / www.apollo-club.co.uk

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Tuesday 24th Oysters - Eastern Angles Diss Corn Hall | Tickets £11 / Concessions £10 | 7:30pm | 01379 652241 / www. disscornhall.co.uk /www.easternangles. co.uk

Third Tuesday Buskers Night A relaxed evening with all types of music including modern, blues and folk. Bring along your instrument & speak to Dave when you arrive. Bar with real ale & bacon butties.

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

MONTHLY Every Monday

Odd Balls Knitting Club Just bring along your needles and ‘knit & natter’.

Pennoyer Centre, Pulham St. Mary | 1pm – 3pm | Free | 01379 676660 / www.pennoyers.org.uk admin@pennoyers.org.uk

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Mondays & Saturdays PC Help Club One-to-one PC help from keen and knowledgeable volunteers. All abilities welcome.

Pennoyer Centre, Pulham St. Mary | Mondays 1.30pm – 5.30pm, Saturdays 9.30am – 12 noon | £4 for a one hour session | 01379 676660 / www.pennoyers.org.uk admin@pennoyers.org.uk

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

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

The Wyken Vineyard Farmers Market The Wyken Farmers’ Market is about farmers, producers, bakers, makers, friends and family.

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

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

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

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FIRST Saturday Indoor Flea Market Vintage, antique, collectables, etc.

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

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Second & fourth Saturday Bingo for Cash Prizes £6 for 6 games. All monies paid in is paid out in cash prizes - so the more the merrier!

Apollo Social Club, Harleston | £6 for 6 games | 8.00pm | 01379 854205 / www. apollo-club.co.uk

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Every Sunday Stonham Barns CAR Boot Sale Stonham Barns, Pettaugh Road, Stonham Aspal | 8am for Sellers / 9am for Buyers | Simon Tilley 07817 539168

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

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

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

Entries for April by 15th March via info@ylm.co.uk

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