Absolutely Berkshire December 2022

STAY IN BED

ZURICH

Bed: Vindö I Fabric: Designer´s Guild Glenville Oyster I Carpet: Light Beige I Bed Linen: Havsbris White I Bedside table: Holme

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Enjoy seamless streaming this Christmas, no matter how many devices are connected to the internet.

It’s time to experience truly exceptional Full Fibre broadband.

* Piper-Heidsieck Chief winemaker was acknowledged as best of the year nine times since 2000 by the IWC.

PIPER-HEIDSIECK PAVES A NEW WAY IN CHAMPAGNE BY ACHIEVING THE B CORP SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL CERTIFICATION.

EDITOR

MARK KEBBLE

ART DIRECTOR

PAWEL KUBA

SENIOR DESIGNERS

MIKE ROBERTS SUZETTE SCOBLE

MIDWEIGHT DESIGNER CARMEN GRAHAM

PRODUCTION MANAGER

DANICA BRODIE

GROUP SALES MANAGER - SOUTH ABIGAIL GARDNER

MEDIA CONSULTANTS

LOUISE PEARSON, STELLA ADAMS

FINANCIAL DIRECTOR JERRIE KOLECI

CREDIT CONTROL MANAGER ALEXANDRA HVID

DIRECTORS CRAIG DAVIES, LEAH DAY, JAMES FUSCHILLO

NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ALEXANDRA HUNTER MANAGING DIRECTOR SHERIF SHALTOUT

LETTER Editor’s

ABSOLUTELY’S December issue highlights

Iam writing this letter on the day that England started their World Cup campaign in Qatar. It's also probably the first time that I have been very indifferent to the tournament too, which growing up football mad I could never have envisaged.

There are a host of reasons for this indifference. The fact it is in Qatar is a real issue for me, particularly after watching Netflix's excellent Fifa: Uncovered documentary that detailed years and years of corruption at football's highest level. Being a chairman of an amateur football club, the way these men took advantage of their power for their own gain, rather than football's, left a really bad taste in my mouth.

Then there is the questionable human rights issues that all and sundry have been pushing, bar of course Fifa who would rather everyone just swept that under the carpet and concentrated solely on football. No chance.

And the fact it's being held in the run up to Christmas is also a negative, particularly with everything going on across the county this month. Ditch the football, I say, and concentrate on supporting local businesses and community events. It's all been a reminder to me about what's really important in life.

Festive Agenda Why all comers are getting into the spirit (p20)

Panto Special We meet three of December's stage stars (p22)

MARK KEBBLE EDITOR

Coworth Park Adam Smith on his restaurant, Woven (p62)

Trend All the best ceramics for your Christmas table (p101)

The Shoot Get the party look thanks to Oliver Bonas (p76)

COMPILED BY PENDLE HARTE

CHECK MATE

The Barbour Lorelie seersucker dress features all-over checks for a stylish approach to casual dressing. Detailed with volume sleeves and a tiered gathered panel at the hem, it's an easy go-to garment to match with boots. barbour.com

BRANCH OUT

Donna Wilson has taken a new

directon with her art: Abstract Assembly is a collection of sculptures in wood and glass. scp.co.uk

END OF

New to the Conran Shop are these stylish and tactile Fleck bookends, £49, in ochre and white, or white and blue. conranshop.co.uk

BROWN SUGAR

Brodie loves a cashmere piece with a sporty twist. The Love 2.0 jumper is a cosy classic with a contemporary feel. £225 brodiecashmere.com

10 things we Absolutely love

EDITOR’S PICK

RED ALERT

We believe that Madeleine Thompson's cashmere is the so est and most stylish out there. This red cardigan is a winter essential. madeleine-thompson.com

CUT THE MUSTARD

New to ukhomeliving.com is this gorgeous handloom Audley throw in chevron design with a tasselled fringe. 125cm x 150 cm, £27 inc vat and shipping to UK mainland. ukhomeliving.com

BRIGHT EYES

New makeup from Paul and Joe features a graphic eye in limoncello yellow, pistachio green, marshmallow pink, coral orange or hot pink. paulandjoe.com

ZERO CARBON

Sheep Inc's ultra-fi ne, temperatureregulating, Merino wool beanies use yarn sourced from regenerative New Zealand farms and knitted using solarpowered, zero-waste machines. £50 sheepinc.com

TAKE FLIGHT

This alluring 18ct yellow gold Faberge butterfl y brooch boasts indulgent deep brown enamel wings adorned with scintillating diamonds that outline the edge of the wings. £2,727 berrysjewellers.co.uk

WINDSOR ILLUMINATED

Open now until 2 January, the very special light trail, Windsor Illuminated, returns to light up the festive season. Expect it to be brighter, better and more dazzling than ever with a brand new trail design and spectacularly re-imagined installations.

Windsor Great Park Illuminated promises to be the perfect evening out where longlasting festive memories will be made. windsorilluminated.com

DECEMBER'S HOTTEST EVENTS The Agenda Nutcracker Christmas

17 December

ASCOT

RACECOURSE

This December, Ascot Racecourse invites families, friends, and colleagues to gather and kick o the Christmas holidays in style, together with world-class horse racing and plenty of festive cheer at the Howden Christmas Family Raceday. The theme for this year is A Nutcracker Christmas, and the event promises to be exhilarating and enjoyable for all ages. ascot.com

FAMILY

Festive Fun

THROUGHOUT DECEMBER, DOBBIES, AYLESBURY

Dobbies is gearing up to create a Christmas to remember for customers in Aylesbury and has announced a magical line up of great-value festive events. Santa’s Grotto is back and better than ever, with families having the opportunity to take part in an interactive experience in the Aylesbury store. Dobbies’ Quiet Grottos will also be available on 9 December. This experience is designed to help support children with additional needs, with sound and visual elements adapted to reduce anxiety.

dobbies.com/events

9 February-5 March MILTON KEYNES THEATRE

This February, escape to a world of pure imagination. Based on the iconic novel and the original 1970s motion picture, this spectacular show combines the memorable songs from the film with all new numbers from the multi-award winning songwriters of Hairspray. It will dazzle your senses. atgtickets.com/miltonkeynes

Rapunzel

Until 1 January

WATERMILL THEATRE

Discovered as a baby, Rapunzel is found and brought up by Mother Gothel, a clever herbalist known for her magical healing powers. As Rapunzel grows into a spirited and loving young woman, Mother Gothel locks her away in a tall tower deep in the forest to keep her safe. Surrounded by thorny vines, Rapunzel’s dreams of escape seem doomed forever until she meets the wandering Tuscan Prince Patrizio. Together the couple hatch a plan to run away, but their happily-ever-after is ruined when they are separated by an evil trick... watermill.org.uk

TO WATCH

Joyful

SEASONAL EVENTS

FAMILY THROUGHOUT DECEMBER WATERSIDE QUARTER

Christmas is almost here and there’s no better place to get ready for the festivities than at Waterside Quarter, Maidenhead. On 10 December, Norden Farm’s festive lantern parade will run through Waterside Quarter, lighting up the night. Plans are also in place for a wreath making workshop, as well as some other events being planned for the lead up to Christmas with more details to be announced.

waterside-quarter.co.uk

This Month’s Must See

ELF SCHOOL

This Christmas, Eden is bringing everyone’s favourite festivities back to High Wycombe. Opening its doors on 3 December, the highly popular Elf School is back for its 8th year, ready to welcome a new intake of Elves in training. For only £2.50 per child, visitors are invited to enjoy an immersive festive experience, not only learning the ropes, but also o cially joining the ranks of Santa’s helpers edenshopping.co.uk/elfschool

Loved for his dry sense of humour, use of bright colours, whimsical characters, and ironic captions, David Shrigley’s intuitive sense of style and witty text always evokes a smile. Having dealt in his work for nearly a decade, Hang-Up will exhibit this full collection for the first time, including over 30 Shrigley works across limited-edition prints, colour and monochrome originals, ceramics, and amazing posters.

Hang-Up Gallery, London N1 until 27 January 2023. hanguppictures.com

Across town in Soho, OMNI is presenting two unmissable new solo exhibitions spanning their impressive Eastcastle Street space. First Light features 12 never-before seen paintings by Seattle-based artist Brian Sanchez. This show is a must visit for both the amateur art lover and the seasoned collector alike. Running concurrently, Jesse Edward’s solo show titled Little Jewels delicately combines his youthful, countercultural background as a gra ti artist, with a highly detailed oil painting and ceramic sculptural practice. Edward’s works have a playful sense of internal dissonance.

OMNI, London W1 until 7 January 2023. omnigallery.com

FROM 3 DECEMBER, EDEN SHOPPING CENTRE, HIGH WYCOMBE

antidotes to the dark winter days with three colourful exhibitions

DAVID SHRIGLEY, UNTITLED (BEES ARE BETTER THAN US), 2022. COURTESY OF HANG-UP GALLERY

BACK AFT BY BRIAN SANCHEZ

IN FRONT OF YOU

By BETHAN ANDREWS

LESLEY JOSEPH

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs at the Milton Keynes Theatre

Best known for playing Dorien Green in Birds of a Feather, Lesley Joseph tells us about her excitement for breaking the fourth wall and returning to Milton Keynes Theatre, which she opened in 1999 as part of the show Annie.

Q This isn’t your first panto experience, is it? And, it’s not your first with co-star Rob Rinder, either...

A We did Strictly Come Dancing together, and they asked Rob to do panto last year and he said, 'Yes, I'd love to do it if I can do it with Lesley,' because he is a friend and I think he trusts me in terms of the quality of the show. People adore Rob and were thrilled to see him in his first ever panto. We broke box o ce records in Bristol during a pandemic, which is crazy! I spoke with Rob and said, 'Milton Keynes is fabulous, you will love doing it there.'

Q What are you most looking forward to this year in Milton Keynes?

A You are telling a story, you are talking to young people and talking to old people. You are part stand-up, part dramatic actress and part comedy actress. After Birds of a Feather people feel they know me and I can talk to them – and I can flirt with any men who are out there. There is a connection through the fourth wall!

Q What is most special about the pantomime season for you?

A It's not just something you do o the top of your head, it's a work of art. Sometimes it's the only time in the year that people can a ord to come to the theatre, and they come with the whole family, and with children. If you can catch a child when they are young, it means you've got them for the rest of their life, hopefully.

Q You like to keep the cast in check and the audience on their toes, is that right?

A There are moments when I can be really funny, and sweet and loveable, and then I will suddenly turn on them! It's a wonderful, genuinely feel-good show.

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is at Milton Keynes Theatre from 10 December-8 January, 2023; atgtickets.com/MiltonKeynes

As panto season gets underway, we take a look at who to keep your eyes peeled for this Christmas

DAVOOD GHADAMI ALADDIN at the aylesbury waterside

The ex-EastEnders actor marks his first foray into the world of panto. He tells us how excited he is to be treading the boards again and experiencing the nostalgic tradition

Q When did you first realise that acting was your thing?

A When I was young, but I was a very shy boy believe it or not! It wasn’t until there was a little Christmas production of Yellow Brick Road and I thought, you know what, I want to be a part of it and I got cast as the Tin Man. When I got on stage, I enjoyed it so much and realized that I could come out of my shell. From there, I did acting every year and then joined drama classes before doing a degree in drama and going to drama school.

Q What have the highlights been in your career so far?

A I managed to get an agent out of drama school and feel lucky that I get to call this my career. I’ve got a wife and kids, and things needed to settle down so that’s when the focus turned to TV work. I was lucky enough to get the regular role in EastEnders and it became home for a good few years. I did a lot of touring theatre before I got into TV and that’s what I’ve missed most of all, which is why I’m so excited to get back on stage in Aylsebury this year.

Q This is your first time doing pantomime. What are you most looking forward to?

A I haven’t ever had the time before this, so panto wasn’t really on my radar. But, I love Christmas and I love

spending it doing all the brilliant things that Christmas is about so this year, with my kids being a bit older and loving watching shows, it felt like the right time. The theatre is amazing and the cast is such a good bunch.

Q What do you love most about pantomime and the festive theatre season?

A I think panto is so uniquely culturally British. It’s a bit like the Strictly experience on TV! It’s the real build up to Christmas, it’s pure entertainment and so unique – it’s amazing how many people go every year with multiple generations of people. It’s lighthearted and it’s fun for everybody, both those on stage and the audience, so it’s a real collective enjoyment. It’s been a tough few years and the festive season encapsulated in one experience can really bring people together. It’s like one big family when you’re in the space.

Q What are you most looking forward to with Aladdin and playing at Aylesbury?

A The space is gorgeous! I’ve not been on the stage yet so I’m really looking forward to that, but it feels like such a warm space and you clearly get people who go regularly so we need to hit that high standard – I’m looking forward to that journey. For me personally, I haven’t had the privilege of playing a bad guy and you can’t get much more evil than Abanazar! Something about playing him is really exciting to me.

Aladdin is at Aylesbury Waterside Theatre from 2 December-3 January 2023; atgtickets.com/venues/aylesbury-waterside-theatre/

“It's the festive season encapsulated in one experience”

MARTIN CABBLE-REID

Sleeping Beauty at The Theatre Royal Windsor

As the performer Martin Cabble-Reid (wellknown for his alter ego, Kevin Cruise) returns to the Theatre Royal Windsor for pantomime for the 13th year, he tells us how excited he is to see smiling faces, positivity and an uplifting atmosphere.

Q How did you first get into performing?

A My first year was because I did Britain’s Got Talent in 2010 and they thought I’d make a good comic – little did they know! It went really well so I ended up staying here over the years. The rest of the time I perform as Kevin around the UK and holiday parks and then I perform as Mr Martin in the Basil Brush Show

Q What is it about the pantomime season that makes it so special?

A The good thing about panto is that you are going to enjoy something in it. A lot of people go to shows that might not be their cup of tea, but at least with panto, there is something for everyone and this year more than ever, we need that escapism and a couple of hours out from all the doom and gloom. I think that’s why the theatre have got record sales at the moment and we are selling out shows that we’ve never sold before.

Q What do you love the most about the panto season?

A We get the same families coming every year, sitting in the same seats, and we love seeing the same faces every year. It’s like one big family and it’s just so lovely and makes it so much fun for us. Here at Windsor, too, we are one big family so that also makes it special for us as performers.

Q What are you most looking forward to this year?

A I can’t wait to see everyone and all the familiar faces again. There’s a real gratitude for what we all have at the moment and it’s nice to spread that message – it’ll all be fine in the end.

Q What can people expect from Sleeping Beauty?

A A really good show, full of music, laughter, comedy and we’ve got a fantastic cast. Anita Harris is celebrating 60 years in showbusiness and she’s still going strong and is absolutely on top of her game. It’s a really good, fun, positive panto and we pride ourselves on being a traditional pantomime.

Q And will there be any surprises?

A All I have to say is wait until you see a little number I’m doing and you won’t believe your eyes. People won’t believe what I’m dressed in this year and that’s all I’m saying!

Sleeping Beauty is at Theatre Royal Windsor from 25 November- 8 January 2023; theatreroyalwindsor.co.uk/sleeping-beauty/

ALL THE TRIMMINGS

Afabulous mix of Christmas bands and choirs, sparkling lights, a magical VR sleigh ride and free family activities are just some of the reasons that make The Lexicon the place to visit this Christmas.

The star of the Christmas activities this year is the opportunity to enjoy an amazing virtual sleigh ride. It's a trial flight to test Santa’s new sleigh, before it is needed on Christmas Eve.

This fully immersive experience will

transport passengers around the world, by using a VR headset providing 360 degree views and matching movements. Tickets will need to be booked in advance.

Bracknell Forest Giant, Will Wildwood, returns to Princess Square, dressed for the festive season complete with festive forest foliage and frost tipped sparkling lights to help raise money for Bracknell Foodbank.

Every time someone (adults as well as children) uses the Winter Will Wildwood slide, The Lexicon will donate 20p to the foodbank up to a maximum of £5,000. That’s about 735 slides per day from opening to Christmas Eve, to trigger the full donation.

There’s also a Snowflake Trail for families to follow around the town centre, using spectacular artwork created by local children with a chance to win fabulous family prizes from Cineworld and Gymfinity.

Situated by the 10 metre Christmas Tree in Union Square, the popular Christmas Market Festive Stalls are back with picturesque wooden huts selling a selection of delicious food and drink. Everything you could ask for in the run up to the Christmas period.

THE LEXICON

For more information about The Lexicon’s Christmas activities including how to book the virtual sleigh ride and timings for the Christmas entertainment, visit thelexiconbracknell.com

Why there will be plenty of festive fun for everyone at The Lexicon this Christmas

MERRY OCCASION

Underbelly and Newbury Racecourse are thrilled to reveal the full programme of attractions forThe Great Christmas Carnival at Newbury Racecourse, on now until 2 January. Home of the gravity-defying attraction Flying Father Christmas, the Carnival is brought to Berkshire by the producers of the acclaimed Edinburgh’s Christmas, Christmas in Leicester Square, and Christmas in Trafalgar Square.

Once inside the Carnival site, customers will have a veritable feast of things to do. This one sleigh stop will feature a whole host of family friendly attractions, including incredible theme park rides such as the The Greatest Hits Radio Big Wheel, the Vintage Carousel and the Fun House. For thrill seekers, the Carnival will feature the spine-tingling Spinning Coaster and the exhilarating Giant Rollercoaster

Ticket holders are set to be wowed by the Great Christmas Circus. From the creators of Circus Extreme and Circus Berlin, the big top will host multiple performances each day of this family friendly and sensational circus show, featuring an array of world class performers. Get lost in the twists and turns of the enchanting Christmas Tree Maze, and younger guests are set to be captivated by Father Christmas’ wonderous Grotto, where children can meet the man himself and be read a special Christmas story.

Additionally, guests are invited to pull on their skates and glide across the sparkling Ice Rink. Surrounded by glistening lights, the rink is suitable for the whole family, with skates available to hire and aids to help younger skaters and those taking their first steps on the ice.

The Great Christmas Carnival will also include an expansive Christmas Market, featuring the Nordic Nook bar with a cosy fire pit and the Après Alpine bar, an Alpine style beer hall. Everything from European produce and traditional festive refreshments will be on o er, including mulled wine and mince pies.

PHOTO: IAN GEORGESON

Carnival goers will need to purchase an entry ticket for access, with the first 200 pre-booked tickets free. Tickets include a complimentary hot chocolate, as well as the incredible Flying Father Christmas outdoor show, which will take place on the hour, every hour that the site is open. Look up to the sky and watch as Santa literally flies over the Carnival site in his sleigh, accompanied by a wonderful festive soundtrack. The magical and jaw dropping event can only be seen at The Great Christmas Carnival and will make for a very special and ‘one of a kind’ Christmas moment for families.

The Great Christmas Carnival at Newbury Racecourse will see one of the county’s most iconic landmarks transform into a magical winter experience and host the biggest festive event in the south outside of London.

Tickets for The Great Christmas Carnival at Newbury Racecourse are on sale now at greatchristmascarnivalnewbury.com

It’s carnival time at Newbury Racecourse, with an ice rink, alpine bar and a flying Father Christmas all on the bill

“Tickets include the incredible Flying Father Christmas outdoor show”

PHOTO: IAN GEORGESON

PHOTO:

Q What’s the ethos behind My Little Green Wardrobe?

A My Little Green Wardrobe is an online store selling organic and sustainable baby and children’s clothing brands up to age six years. We want to make clothing your children from top to toe in sustainably and ethically produced garments as easy and accessible as possible for modern day parents. I started the business from a practical standpoint, after struggling to shop more sustainably for my own two children.

Q What’s new from My Little Green Wardrobe?

A Plenty! We have launched this year’s Christmas collection – with amazing ecofriendly gift ideas for babies and kids to suit every budget. And brand new for this year are our Baby’s First Christmas Gift Sets. I’ve handpicked a selection of organic and ecofriendly baby gifts, all wrapped up beautifully in a gift box – ready to be delivered to a lucky recipient for baby’s first Christmas. Each and every item has been included for a reason. As well as a beautiful organic cotton baby outfit, I have sourced items from small, sustainable UK businesses, along with those that support vulnerable women in Bangladesh. And what’s more the sale of each gift box will see a tree planted with our partners, Ecologi, making this the most sustainable baby gift set going.

Q Is the Christmas period a good time to remind people about eco concerns?

A Christmas is a GREAT time to remind people about being more eco-friendly. Yes, it’s a season of celebration and indulgence, but also of excess and waste: the gifts, the food, the decorations, the wrapping and packaging – the list goes on…

All these things have a carbon footprint, both in their creation and in their disposal. But what this also means is there’s lots of

REINDEER BABY GIFT SET

LUCY TODD WITH AMELIE

potential where people can reduce their impact with relatively little e ort. There are lots of really easy things you can do which are beneficial for the planet – as well as your bank balance. In fact, if you head to my website I've written an article, Five Steps to a Greener Christmas, with some really simple tips. With some forward planning and a few tweaks here and there, you can improve your impact dramatically.

Q Why have you teamed up with Chai Cocoa?

A Chai Cocoa is an independent play cafe that’s opened in the centre of Maidenhead, which also happens to have eco principles at its very heart. I realised there was a real synergy between our businesses and wanted to explore how we could celebrate that. We’ve run a giveaway from the two brands for local residents, and the cafe has also hosted a My Little Green Wardrobe pop-up event. Alongside a few other brands, our products are now stocked on an on-going basis in the cafe’s Eco Pantry, and we’ll run further events around the year. It’s great to be able to work together to give parents in Maidenhead an ecofriendly alternative to what’s already on o er.

Q You are based in Maidenhead – what do you love about it?

A The very best thing about Maidenhead is the proximity to the countryside while simultaneously having incredibly easy access to London. I love that when I go for a run, I can head out my front door and I am right next to the River Thames or I am straight onto farmland at the foot of the Chilterns. But equally, I love the ease of being able to get into London for work meetings and all the other things the capital has to o er – especially at this time of year. It’s so magical with all the Christmas lights.

Q If picking your three favourite places in the county, where would you choose?

A I would always pick Windsor as my favourite place, because it’s where I grew up, and whenever I go back I'm always struck at how beautiful it is. As a teen, my friends and I didn't appreciate it and were always plotting our escape. Now as an adult, I always feel how fortunate I was to grow up in such a unique town.

For a restaurant, I’d choose Gilbey’s in Eton. I’ve enjoyed so many landmark celebrations there – including most recently my 40th birthday. The team there never fails to deliver. And for an open space, the woodlands at Cliveden. Especially during the bluebell season – it’s so calm and tranquil.

Q Are there any spots that truly come into their own at Christmas?

A I absolutely love visiting Windsor Castle at Christmas time. They put on carols and activities for kids – including, in previous

years, learning how the Victorians celebrated Christmas and dressing up in Victorian outfits. But the best thing is they have a huge Christmas tree with a di erent theme in each of the State Apartments. It’s just the essence of Christmas for me!

Q What does 2023 hold in store for you?

A It’s such a turbulent time we’re going through at the moment, so it’s di cult to make concrete predictions, but I have lots of plans for the business. I plan to introduce more brands to the website to give an even greater choice for those interested in shopping sustainably for children’s clothing. I also plan to produce more original articles and content using my background as a BBC journalist. I want to continue my own education on sustainability issues, but also help raise awareness amongst others on these really important topics – and most importantly, give practical ways to help.

mylittlegreenwardrobe.com

WINDSOR AT CHRISTMAS

PICTURESQUE MAIDENHEAD

CLIVEDEN

LUCY IS A FAN OF GILBEY'S

WHERE THE

magic

HAPPENS

In the mood for some festive fun? Here’s our round-up of some of the best Christmas spots in Berkshire and Buckinghamshire

By NATALIE LI

WINDSOR CASTLE AND PARK

Grand and glittering Windsor has something for everyone during the festive season. Monarchs since the 12th century have celebrated Christmas at Windsor Castle, but it was Queen Victoria and Prince Albert who paved the way for many of the Christmas traditions we know and love today, like indoor decorated trees. This year is no exception. Windsor Castle will be decked with shimmering Christmas trees, dazzling lights, festive foliage, wreaths, and carols under the spectacular 20-foot Nordmann fir tree brimming with iridescent ornaments in St George’s Hall. Families visiting on the first three weekends in December can explore how the Victorians celebrated Christmas through craft activities and workshops.

Don’t miss Windsor Great Park Illuminated during your trip. This special light trail is set in the beautiful woodland near Windsor Great Park’s Savill Garden and around the Obelisk Pond. Woodland and water will come alive with stunning displays of colour and flood-lit fountains. There’s plenty of food, mulled wine, and hot chocolate along the way – with the chance to toast marshmallows at one of the fire pits. rct.uk/visit/windsor-castle

WADDESDON MANOR

Historic venues across the UK have been embracing the soaring popularity of light trails at Christmas over the last few years. There’s certainly no shortage of events as most towns and cities light up over the winter.

can explore how the Victorians celebrated Christmas”

Waddesdon Manor in Buckinghamshire is following suit by opening its doors to the house and gardens for the first time since 2019 and hopes to “surprise and delight” visitors. Expect sparkling decorations and themed displays inside the house, which was built by Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild between 1874 and 1885 to display his collection of arts and to entertain the fashionable world. A new route takes visitors through the magnificent Red Drawing Room, Dining Room, and Conservatory, all transformed for the first time at Christmas. A series of light installations reflecting Waddesdon’s outdoor displays – including suspended butterfly lights and a corridor of illuminated clouds – connect the house and grounds. Outside, a kaleidoscope of colour, lights, and music will fill Waddesdon’s landscape as the longest-ever illuminated light trail takes over the grounds. Other highlights include the annual Christmas fair housed in wooden chalets and decked with over 1,000 metres of festoon lighting. More than 80 artisan stalls feature alongside the brandnew food village which will o er a selection of warming takeaway food and drink. waddesdon.org.uk

BLETCHLEY PARK

Once the top-secret home of Britain’s World War Two codebreakers, Bletchley Park is now a tourist attraction. This Christmas expect the codebreaking huts

and mansion to be dressed in vintage 1940s decorations. The man we’ve been waiting for – yes, Father Christmas – will take residence in the Ballroom and will be chomping at the bit to take Christmas present requests and photos with his elves, much to the delight of young visitors.

There’s plenty more mischief and fun with a free trail to find Santa’s elves who have escaped the north pole, plus ‘Make Do and Mend’ Christmas decoration

“Families

BLETCHLEY PARK

WINDSOR CASTLE

WADDESDON MANOR

crafting sessions. Those seeking some festive indulgence can enjoy Christmas afternoon teas in the Dining Room where codebreakers once worked. bletchleypark.org.uk

NEVERLAND ILLUMINOVA

Wellington Country Park will fling open its gates at dusk for the first time to invite friends and family to join an immersive light trail.

The award-winning park known for its rural outdoor attractions promises to magically transform its landscape while o ering imaginative storytelling. You’ll even have the chance to wave hello to Father Christmas on your way as you travel through a magical portal to commence your journey to Neverland. Tickets cost £20 for adults and £16 for children, infants go free. A train

ride on the Neverland Express costs an extra £3, but sounds like money well spent to fully immerse in the whole family in this Christmas adventure. neverlandilluminova.co.uk

LAPLANDUK

Lapland UK in Berkshire allows kids (and adults!) to experience the magic of Christmas by meeting Santa and his team.

And it really doesn’t get more magical. Suspend your disbelief for this enchanting and immersive experience which straddles the boundaries of theatre, theme park and magical kingdom.

Running since 2007, the attraction sells out every year and welcomes more than 400,000 visitors. The team behind this Christmas attraction have worked closely with Hollywood set designers to ensure that the normally quiet portion of woodland near Ascot transforms into a dreamy, magical kingdom. David Beckham, Elton John, and Holly Willoughby have been spotted in the forest and have been said to be huge fans.

Inside, visitors can enjoy a 90-minute show of immersive theatre, an "Elf Passport" to travel along the pathways

and through a magical door, plus a Toy Factory where families can build toys. There’s a chance to meet huskies, reindeer and, of course, Father Christmas.

The entire tour takes up to four hours and includes a framed picture of Santa and the toy made in the workshop.

Tickets aren’t cheap and start from £59 per person for adults and children, but be warned – they sell like hot cakes. tickets.laplanduk.co.uk/booking-portal

“Woodland near Ascot transforms into a dreamy, magical kingdom”

LAPLAND'S CONKER THE SILLY ELF

PIXIE MIXIES BEAUTIFUL SWEET SHOP AT LAPLAND UK

CHRISTMAS AT WADDESDON

NEVERLAND ILLUMINOVA

Preserving THE PAST

By KATE ASHBROOK

The Henley-based Open Spaces Society is Britain’s oldest national conservation body, working throughout England and Wales. Founded in 1865 as the Commons Preservation Society, we spent our early years saving many commons and other open spaces in and around London: Hampstead Heath, Epping Forest and Wimbledon Common to name a few. In 1895 the society’s founders and early activists created the National Trust as a landholding body.

Our website displays a unique collection of more than 1,000 digitised lantern slides of places, many in Berkshire and Buckinghamshire, which the society helped to save in its early years.

Today we still safeguard common land –historic places which are privately owned,

collecting wood for instance. Thanks to the e orts of the society and others, the public has the right to walk on all commons, and to ride on many. As a statutory consultee we scrutinise every application for works on commons. This year we published updated editions of Our Common Land and Getting Greens Registered, our guides to protecting and managing commons and greens.

We advise communities on saving their green spaces. They can register them as town or village greens if they have evidence of 20 years’ use for informal recreation, without permission or challenge. Then the land is protected from development and local people have the right of recreation there. We are encouraging landowners, especially local councils, voluntarily to register greens through our Grant a Green campaign.

Our history of defending public paths goes back a long way. We are notified of all proposed changes to public paths and, where we have a local volunteer, we object if we believe the change is against the public interest. This year we helped to prevent footpaths at Cookham in Windsor and Maidenhead Borough from being diverted onto inferior routes.

The society is a small and nimble charity, ever ready to defend threatened spaces and paths. We take up hundreds of cases each year and, in championing our cause, we lobby parliament and local authorities. We have no public funding and rely on subscriptions, donations and legacies to support our vital work.

Visit oss.org.uk for further information

A first hand account of the important work the Open Spaces Society do in Berkshire and Buckinghamshire

SPECIAL Christmas GIFT Wrapped

Still seeking some inspiration when it comes to buying for a friend or loved one this Christmas? Inside we round up some top picks for all, plus head to London to visit two very festive spots.

Everything YOUR HEART DESIRES

Head

This festive season head down to Carnaby for the ultimate Christmas shopping and dining experience in the heart of the West End. This central London destination has an incredible atmosphere that boasts a diverse and eclectic collection of retailers, bars, pubs, and restaurants, all within walking distance of Oxford Circus and Piccadilly tube stations. Carnaby has over 100 retailers and more than 60 restaurants which spans across 30 global cuisines. The iconic London destination is made up of 14 streets which includes famed foodie courtyard Kingly Court and creative hub, the Newburgh Quarter.

This Christmas, Carnaby has something for everyone, with brand new openings from Stine Goya, RIXO, Ksubi, and Dickies. Take a visit to premium French fashion brand IKKS Paris, Amsterdam based brand Scotch & Soda and Danish brands Han Kjøbenhavn and GANNI for some Scandi style. Discover Rolling Stones lifestyle brand RS No. 9 Carnaby, for authentic British brands visit Aubin and RÆBURN. Stop by Bloobloom for a beautiful range of spectacles and sunglasses, head to lounge and underwear brand Gilly Hicks or discover NICCE for those perfect stocking fillers.

Visit the Newburgh Quarter, which is located just o Carnaby Street, the best place to find gifts from independent and one-o concepts. Find independent stores such as Annie’s Ibiza, iconic rock and roll jewellers The Great Frog, bespoke tailors Mark Powell and highly respected piercers Metal Morphosis.

Shopping for beauty lovers? Carnaby’s beauty o erings include; M.A.C, Too Faced, Benefit, KLORIS, Pixi and laser facial specialists Skin Laundry.

Whilst you’re busy shopping for the festive period don’t forget to fuel up at some of the most diverse and exciting eateries in London. Dine in renowned names such as Kanada-Ya, Polpo, Dishoom, Kolamba, Jinjuu and Zahter. Uncover Kingly Court, the three-floor foodie hub, nestled in the heart of Carnaby. The courtyard o ers 25 concept dining experiences. In Kingly Court discover Marsha, a zero waste chicken concept, or head along to Imad's Syrian Kitchen for an authentic Syrian dining experience. This year Carnaby Celebrates features a medley of iconic lights from the past 25 years with themes including an underwater seascape, colourful rainbows, oversized fairy lights, giant snowmen, 60s inflatables, a kaleidoscope of butterflies and collaborations with two of the world's most famous bands; the Rolling Stones and Queen. It’s not to be missed. The installation illuminates Carnaby Street, Foubert’s Place, Ganton Street

and Newburgh Street. The iconic Carnaby arches are adorned with silver shimmer discs embellished with carnival decorations and a dazzling globe has been brought back to celebrate ‘Carnaby Welcomes The World’. Whilst you're in the area why not visit the Choose Love pop up? Located at 15-17 Foubert’s Place, Choose Love will be selling a collection of limited edition products, along with refugee gifting packages plus a constant stream of celebrity guests popping in to serve customers.

See more at carnaby.co.uk Follow @CarnabyLondon for updates

to Carnaby for the ultimate Christmas shopping and dining experience

NARVVI

Mia Silk Kimono Robe in Wistful, £500 narvvi.com

ODETTE LINGERIE

Red Satin Padded Deep Plunge bra, £175, Luxury Lace and Tulle brief, £115 odettelingerie.co.uk

HERMÉS

Navy Nantucket Serti Joaillier watch, £6,580 net-a-porter.com

RACHEL JACKSON

Birthstone Huggie Hoop Earrings in Ruby, £70 racheljacksonlondon.com

ASTLEY CLARKE

Circulus Mother of Pearl Ring, £150 astleyclarke.com

CHLOBO

Personalised Didi bracelet, £75 chlobo.co.uk

HER Gifts for

ROCK ON RUBY

Overthinking makeup bag, £15 rockonruby.co.uk

LH REMEDIES

Luxury

KATE SPADE

Bookshelf stainless steel coffee mug, £28 katespade.co.uk

All she wants for Christmas

By PENDLE HARTE

ISEABAL HENDRY

The

LIBERTY

Liberty Accessories Crackers, £60 libertylondon.com

£25 sbri.co.uk

LOEV JEWELRY

Toi et Moi Checkerboard Brilliant Bangle, £8,816 loevjewelry.com

SIF JAKOBS

Necklace Roccanova Grande with Green Zirconia, £139 si akobs.uk

HENRY DANIEL

Anna Camera Bag, £365 henrydanielroma.com

BAKER BROTHERS DIAMONDS

18ct White Gold & Diamond Necklace, £3,500 bakerbrothersdiamonds.com

JAEGER-LECOULTRE

Rendez-Vous Night & Day watch, £POA jaeger-lecoultre.com

PANTHERELLA

Tabitha Cashmere Socks in Sky Blue, £34.50 pantherella.com

EDITOR’S PICK

KATE SPADE

Sam icon candy gem embellished satin small tote, £395 katespade.co.uk

AMELIES FOLLIES

Aubade Histoire

D’Unsoir nightie, £179 ameliesfollies.co.uk

RADLEY Christmas dog socks, £12 radley.co.uk

ELOISE JEPHSON

Silk satin sleep set,£250 eloisejephson.com

OLIVER BONAS

Quentin alphabet initial mini travel jewellery box, £14.50 oliverbonas.com

Bennet Faux Fur Slipper, £36.95 justfab.co.uk

SBRI

THE TRIPLE-FOUR LIMITED-EDITION RACING CHRONOGRAPH

“All British land speed world record cars link back to Brooklands, and this luxury watch pays homage to that legacy with precision timing and exquisite design.” - Land Speed World Record Holder Andy Green OBE.

Brooklands designed and operated the World’s first motor race chronograph accurate to 1000th of a second in 1907. Over 100 years later, we introduce a British classic limited to 500 units. Swiss made, designed by Sir Terence Conran and inspired by the heritage of the Brooklands Motor Circuit.

Nude Obsessions Eyeshadow Palette Rich, £27 sephora.co.uk

By RACHEL HOGG

CHARLOTTE TILBURY

STILA Glisten & Glow

EDITOR’S PICK

ANASTASIA BEVERLY HILLS

Set Setting Spray, £27 lookfantastic.com

MAC Pro Longwear Paint Pot, in shade Babe in Charms, £18.50 maccosmetics.co.uk

Eyeshadow in Shade Playa, £24 stila.co.uk

HUDA BEAUTY

DIOR BEAUTY

Limited-Edition Rouge

Velvet in shade Midnight Rose, £36 dior.com

Anya Taylor-Joy for Parfums Christian Dior

By PENDLE HARTE

PULLMAN

RARE CHAMPAGNE

Rare Champagne 2008 (75cl), £215 harrods.com

OOSHKY Whisky jug, £28 ooshky.com

BLACK

By PENDLE HARTE

BLACK LINES

Passionfruit Martini, £21.99 wholefoodsmarket.co.uk

SILENT

Christmas IN SOHO

Head to Soho, the creative hub of London’s West End, for a vibrant mix of independent and concept fashion stores, tailors, record stores, restaurants and bars this Christmas.

This Christmas Soho has something for everyone, and start by popping by some of the most exclusive and independent stores in London. Head to RÆBURN, Footpatrol, Axel Arigato, Wood Wood and Oliver Spencer for the perfect gift for fashion lovers, or visit A.P.C for Parisian classics, Billionaire Boys Club for exclusive launches and collaborations, plus Ace & Tate for some fabulous eyewear.

If vintage is more your style, Dunno. Curated sells one-o products from brands such as Champion and Versace, and you can find premium grade designer vintage clothing and accessories at Reign Vintage.

Find the perfect gift for music lovers at Sister Ray and Reckless Records – an integral part of Soho’s rich history is the presence of vinyl and record stores.

For stocking fillers, head to beauty and grooming stores, Aesop, KLORIS and Johnny’s Chop Shop, as well as MÜHLE where you can find premium shaving brushes, razors, and shaving sets. Don’t forget to visit BLEACH, pioneers of dipdyes, rainbow hues and silver sheens, for all your hair care products this Christmas.

Some of the most well-known jewellery stores can be found in the heart of Soho.

For a gift for that special someone head to iconic rock and roll jewellers The Great Frog to find a timeless piece that will last a lifetime, or Sacred Gold for a luxurious jewellery and shopping experience in London. For something more cutting edge, Metal Morphosis o ers the most extensive range of piercing and fashion jewellery.

After some serious Christmas shopping, it’s time to discover the diverse selection

restaurants, bars and cafés Soho has to o er. Tuck into mouth-watering dishes from Evelyn's Table, Kricket, The Duck and Rice, BAO, Inko Nito and many more. Plus Ramo Ramen, Ugly Dumpling, Ember Yard and Temper are all among popular eateries in the area.

If you fancy a drink after a long day of exploring Soho, you can enjoy delicious cocktails at Heritage, who use masterful mixology and the finest spirits to bring you a cocktail menu with elaborate flavour infusions, and SOMA for drinks inspired from India and beyond. You can also find new openings from Tel-Aviv inspired Miznon and Speedboat Bar who bring the Thai flavours of Bangkok to London.

Don't miss the bright neon Soho signs on Beak Street and Newburgh Street. What can you spot as you walk through Soho? Make sure to snap your photos and tag @ThisIsSoho on socials.

thisissoho.co.uk

Why Soho is the go-to London destination for shopping and dining this Christmas

A

CHRISTMAS

A warm welcome. A scent of mince pies.

The roar of the fire. The pop of champagne.

The ultimate festive stay. Coworth Park.

& DRINK

CERTIFIED SUCCESS

PIPER-HEIDSIECK

Earlier this year, the efforts of Piper-Heidsieck were recognised as they became B Corp Certified, joining a community of companies that are leading a global movement for an inclusive, equitable, and regenerative economy.

Acquiring the certification is an extensive process involving the assessment of each brand’s social and environmental influence.

Read more on page 67. piper-heidsieck.com

WHAT TO DRINK

GRAPE news

Wine recommendations for Christmas

Baron de Lay Rioja Reserva, Spain  £12

Made primarily using Tempranillo grapes that are grown in Baron de Ley’s Mendavia vineyards, this Reserva's deep cherry colour and complex aromas are the result of spending 20 months in new oak casks, followed by maturation in the bottle. coop.co.uk

Campaneo Old Vines Garnacha, Spain  £5

A beautifully smooth, rich and full-bodied red with rich plum notes, light spice flavours and just a touch of cherry on the finish. This Garnacha is made from old bush vines 15 to 50 years of age, which give the wine its concentrated fruit flavours. tesco.com

The Hidden Sea Red Blend, Australia  £7.50

This wine is a wellcrafted combination of Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Malbec. It is bright red with aromas of red berries, fruit cake spice and toasty oak. These characters carry onto the palate, which is smooth, rich and long. coop.co.uk

TASTING

NOTES

The latest food and drink news from across the county

By MARK KEBBLE

Treat yourself

TOM KERRIDGE

Michelin-starred chef Tom Kerridge is launching a luxury Beef Wellington box this Christmas, so why not take some of the stress out of the festive period and treat yourself to something special. The Tom Kerridge Beef Wellington Box is available to pre-order now for £195 and will be delivered nationwide on 23 December.

tomkerridge.com

Cream on top

COWORTH PARK

Dorchester Collection’s luxury Berkshire country house hotel, Coworth Park, o ers a magical sanctuary for the festive season. The winter chill makes for a perfect excuse to cosy up next to a roaring fire and enjoy the hotel’s festive afternoon tea. Seasonal sandwiches of roast turkey, sage and apple compote; poached and smoked salmon with horseradish crème fraiche; followed by warm scones with honey and fig compote, raspberry jam and clotted cream. dorchestercollection.com

EXTRA

TRIMMINGS

Festive food events with a di erence in the county

COOK FOLK

Cook Folk teaches people how to grow and cook their food, with a conscience. They are running a Sustainable Christmas Workshop at the Wasing Estate on 6 December. It will be a full day learning the art of cra ing a beautiful yet sustainable Christmas. wasing.digitickets.co.uk/tickets

MEAT AND GREET

THE CATTLE GRID

The Cattle Grid restaurant is the ultimate steak and BBQ grill restaurant in the heart of Windsor. The menu features a variety of steak cuts, cooked to order, including sirloin, fillet, and ribeye. Those looking for something more special, their Aberdeen Angus dry, aged, extra mature ribeye steak is a cut above the rest. Alongside the selection of steaks, the ‘build your own burger' concept is an all time favourite. cattlegridrestaurant.com

ELEPHANT AT THE MARKET

Perched on the edge of the historic Market Square in Newbury, this cosy pub features 14 beautiful bedrooms. Look out for their special threecourse Boxing Day special. theelephantatthemarket.com

Top of the pops

THE IVY MARLOW GARDEN

Celebrate the festive season at The Ivy Marlow Garden, where the brasserie will be serving an array of joyful treats, including a limited-edition festive cocktail menu created in collaboration with Monkey 47. Featuring six celebratory cocktails, The Ivy Marlow Garden’s drinks o ering for the Christmas season includes the Popping Cracker Royale (£13.75), a concoction of Monkey 47 gin, passion fruit and spiced mango syrup, lime juice, cranberry juice, and Prosecco, garnished with candy floss and popping candy. theivymarlowgarden.com

PENNYHILL PARK

Pennyhill Park is transformed into a festive wonderland at Christmas. Pastry Chef Sarah Frankland has created a festive take on the traditional a ernoon tea, which will be served in The Hillfield Bar. exclusive.co.uk

TIME FOR TEA

STUBBINGS NURSERY

What better way to welcome in the Christmas season than with a Festive Afternoon Tea at Stubbings Café. Meet up with friends, family or colleagues for traditional tea with a festive twist.

The Café is open 7 days a week, from 9am-4.30pm with an excellent reputation for breakfasts, lunches and cream teas, served in a glasshouse building overlooking the lovely 18th Century Grade II listed walled garden. A covered decking area also provides an ideal spot for dog walkers.

stubbingsnursery.co.uk

PART

OF THE

FABRIC

The county’s foodie scene had an early Christmas present when Woven opened its doors at Coworth Park earlier this year. We meet Adam Smith, the chef behind it

By MARK KEBBLE

PHOTO: JAMES THOMPSON

PHOTO: MARK BOLTON

For six years, Adam Smith has been a key part of the food o ering at the Dorchester Collection’s Coworth Park, but during this time something was bubbling away inside of him. “A simple answer would be around 18 months,” he says when asked about how long his new restaurant, Woven, had been in the making. “That is when we decided to embark on the project. A more romantic answer would be the last 20 years, as I feel Woven is the culmination of my whole career to date!”

It’s little wonder, then, that Woven at Coworth Park has really captured restaurant goers’ imaginations across the county. “It’s very hard to give a clear and definitive answer to one key role or position that has inspired me the most,” Adam reflects on the aforementioned career. “From all of the positions and experiences I have had there were learnings and inspiration. From working with John Williams, I was inspired by the classics of haute cuisine, the fundamentals of running a world-class kitchen and being a leader. My time at The Devonshire Arms allowed me to build relationships directly with farmers and suppliers, several of which I still work with today. It gave me the opportunity to source directly, sometimes the most humble of ingredients, but of the most amazing quality. Finally the biggest inspiration has been my role and team at Coworth Park for the last six years, we have all grown together in our own style and in confidence of what we do.”

Adam describes the process of idea of concept through to launch as “a rollercoaster of emotions”, but one he says he loved. “It was extremely stressful and challenging at times,” he admits, “but I have always found opportunities to experience something new for the first time enjoyable.”

The design is the first thing to take in, something Adam worked on alongside Martin Hulbert, who is also the designer of Coworth Park

from when it first opened in 2010. “The design is theatrical and contemporary, yet woven seamlessly into the fabric of the Georgian manor house setting and the surrounding Berkshire countryside,” Adam explains. “Every detail of the design has been inspired by the natural world, with the fabrics, lighting, artworks, natural materials, and striking colours and textures all coming together to create a lively, luxurious, and interesting space. Coworth Park itself is a very special place – you will struggle to find a more beautiful property.”

With the design in capable hands, it was time for Adam to move on to the food itself. “My style of cooking at Woven is inspired by classic flavours and techniques, but presented in refined, creative, and contemporary ways,” he says. “I like to showcase the finest produce: fresh seafood, quality butchery, foraged mushrooms, hand-picked herbs, native flowers. I am inspired by what’s around me in the English countryside.

“We have created a dining experience that blends a tasting menu and a la carte menu,” Adam continues, “so that the guest still has choice, whilst also experiencing the unique culinary journey of the restaurant, and the story that each dish has to tell. We don’t create dishes to fit a concept; it’s about making every moment of the dining experience shine and a lot of thought and care has gone into that.”

There’s plenty to like on the menus at Woven, but is there one dish that stands

“I feel Woven is a culmination of my whole career to date, so it has been 20 years in the making”

A TASTY BREAD SELECTION

INSIDE WOVEN

out for Adam? ”At the moment I feel our Cornish turbot with salsify, lobster and tru e is just so special,” he smiles. “It’s a dish firmly rooted in classical cookery in terms of technique, however the execution has made it 100% relevant, and most importantly, our guests all seem to love it!”

On that note, how have guests responded to what he is trying to do? “The reaction to the opening has so far been amazing. I feel flattered that we have so many loyal and returning guests who have all loved

what we have done with the space and who are excited by the new dining experience. Furthermore, we have seen an influx of new guests who are equally blown away.”

And that, Adam says, is key to his early 2023 plans. “We hope that if we keep focusing on our guest experience, we will build on our already fast growing reputation as a gastronomic destination.” Those 20 years have certainly been put to good use.

dorchestercollection.com

Coworth Park at Christmas

Adam Smith on the festivities and his own top tips for cooking on the big day

Q Is there anything special planned at Coworth Park this Christmas?

A. Coworth Park is a really special place at Christmas, with guests enjoying the twinkling lights, chilly walks in the grounds, a ernoons by the fire, and of course the festive food and drink. Our festive a ernoon tea served in the Drawing Room always has a special kind of magic to it, being accompanied by a local choir singing carols at the weekends. The hotel is also a really exciting place for kids, with the chance to write letters to Father Christmas, make treats for reindeer and join a festive treasure hunt. We won’t be serving turkey and Christmas pud in Woven though! But I am looking forward to having the restaurant full of people celebrating the season, getting stuck into the food and perhaps popping an extra bottle or two of bubbles.

Q Will you have time o over Christmas?

A. I usually work over Christmas then have some time off around 27 December. By this point, I have had it up to my eyeballs with turkey, so it has become a bit of a tradition that I buy a rib of beef for my family Christmas meal. I do tend to still do all the cooking, then just enjoy some time with my children and family.

Q Can you o er our readers some top tips on how to approach Christmas dinner cooking?

A. My biggest tip for Christmas dinner is to be super organised, so that on the day you can enjoy the cooking and being around loved ones. I will always prepare all the vegetables the day before. I even boil and fluff my roast potatoes then freeze them, then on the day put them frozen straight into the hot duck fat in the oven, which gives you the perfect crispy and fluffy roast potato with minimal stress. I like to remove the legs from the turkey and stuff them with the stuffing, this way when you roast the crown separately you can cook it for less time and retain as much moisture as possible.

FOOD THAT IS A WORK OF ART

PHOTO: MARK BOLTON

WOVEN’S POPULAR TURBOT DISH

UNTAMED LUXURY Unlock the magic this Christmas

CHAMPAGNE MOMENTS

Since its inception, PiperHeidsieck owes its success to audacious leadership and a pioneering spirit, anchored in its companywide practices – an approach now being recognised by others.

The House showcases its unwavering commitment towards a conscientious, sustainable future and responsible Champagne production by implementing several initiatives across a number of areas including its carbon footprint reduction, vineyard operations, social impact and supplier management.

Now, the e orts of the Champagne House, Piper-Heidsieck, have been recognised as it becomes B Corp Certified, joining a community of companies that are leading a global movement for an inclusive, equitable, and regenerative change.

A NEW WAY FORWARD

B Corp certification is given to businesses that meet high standards of social

and environmental impact, verifying its performance, accountability, and transparency by allowing information to be measured against B Lab’s criteria. Piper-Heidsieck obtained a score of 91.9 points, verified by B Lab, the non-profit network founded in 2006.

Acquiring the certification is an extensive process involving the assessment of each brand’s social and environmental influence with more than 200 questions as defined by B Lab, covering governance, employees, communities, and the environment.

PIPER-HEIDSIECK CEO BENOIT COLLARD

“Achieving B Corp certification reflects our pioneering ethos and daring initiative

to be a driving force of change within the Champagne industry. This certification not only recognises our environmental impact in the vineyards, but extends to our entire winemaking ecosystem, our community and our workplace.

“This process began with an innovative vision from our Chief Winemaker Emilien Boutillat, which propelled our entire team on a journey to work together towards a shared mission, and I am immensely proud to see this remarkable achievement brought to life. Becoming B Corp Certified marks a commemorative occasion in the history of Piper-Heidsieck, yet it also signifies that together we are striving towards sustainable change and we hope to inspire others in the wine industry to implement similar initiatives.”

For Piper-Heidsieck, the B Corp certification represents a first milestone in the reinvention of the iconic Champagne House’s operations towards a positive and purpose-driven business model.

piper-heidsieck.com

How Piper-Heidsieck is uncorking a sustainable future

“It has an unwavering commitment to sustainability”

PHOTO: TIM COPPENS

HOUR Cocktail

Three perfect festive mixes from Silent Pool

Mediterranean Rosemary

Green Man Wildwood Gin is the world's first spirit to be packaged in a cardboard bottle. Not world saving by itself, we admit. But if we're going to do what's right by the earth, we figured we'd do it right here, where we live, in Britain's most wooded county. Enjoy top notes of fresh pine, birch leaf and fir, which give way to a herbal mid-palate of rose hips and apple with a woody, rooty finish, paired perfectly with the fresh and herbaceous notes of Fever Tree Mediterranean Tonic.

INGREDIENTS

• Cubed ice

• 50ml of Greenman Wildwood Gin

• 150ml of Fever Tree Mediterranean Tonic

• A sprig of Rosemary

METHOD

In a tall glass, and plenty of ice, pour 50ml of Greenman Wildwood Gin layered with 150ml of Fever Tree Mediterranean Tonic and garnish with a sprig of Rosemary to enhance the forest floor flavours.

Green Man Wildwood Gin is available for purchase directly from Silent Pool for £30

Grapefruit & Pink Pepper

Silent Pool Rare Citrus is an innovative and alluring gin handcra ed with the world’s rarest citrus. Expertly balances bright and zesty notes of Buddha’s Hand with enticingly rich notes of Natsu Dai Dai, subtly sweetened with Hirado Buntan with aromatic spice, perfectly paired with London Essence Pomelo and Pink Peppercorn Tonic, creating Fresh, zingy and deliciously fragrant G&T. This citrus infused gin is best served with seafood.

Grapefruit, Bergamot and Orange

Silent Pool Gin is a luxury English gin handcra ed with 24 botanicals in the Surrey Hills, full-bodied and fresh with clarity and depth of flavour. A rich, juniperdriven spirit with floral layers of lavender and chamomile paired perfectly with a burst of citrus forward tonic, Grapefruit & Bergamot from Franklin and Sons. This gin is best served with cucumber sandwiches or smoked cheese.

INGREDIENTS

• Cubed ice

• 50ml of Silent Pool Gin

• 150ml of Franklin and Sons

• Grapefruit & Bergamot Tonic

• Silent Pool Gin’s Aromatic Liquid Garnish of Bergamot Orange or a slice of orange.

METHOD

In a copa glass, and plenty of ice, pour 50ml of Silent Pool Gin, layered with 150ml of Franklin and Sons Grapefruit & Bergamot Tonic and garnished with SilentPool Gin’s Aromatic Liquid Garnish of Bergamot Orange or a slice of orange. Silent Pool Gin

INGREDIENTS

• Cubed ice

• 50ml of Silent Pool Rare Citrus Gin

• 150ml of London Essence Pomelo and Pink Bergamot Tonic

• A slice of grapefruit

METHOD

In a copa glass, and plenty of ice, pour 50ml of Rare Citrus Gin layered with 150ml of London Essence Pomelo and Pink Bergamot Tonic. Garnish with a slice of grapefruit. Silent Pool Rare Citrus is available for purchase directly from Silent Pool for £39.50w

BERRY’S JEWELLERS

Add a burst of light to your festive attire with these stunning OPEIA Nova earrings from Berry’s Jewellers. A new addition to their OPEIA 125th anniversary collection, these elegant 18ct white gold and diamond earrings can be worn with or without the highly-polished backdrop for a different look each time you wear them. Contemporary and versatile, these beautiful earrings would also make the perfect Christmas gift for that special someone in your life.

Browse the OPEIA Collection at Berry’s in Windsor, or visit berrysjewellers.co.uk

Art Deco

Christmas is the perfect time to revisit the Roaring Twenties

By RACHEL HOGG

ANNOUSHKA

Gold & Diamond Arrow Feather Lapis Earrings, £2,790 annoushka.com

EMMA CLARKSON WEBB

Bespoke Yellow & White Gold Joanna Ring, £POA emmacwebb.com

RAINBOW K

Shield Gold, Ruby & Diamond Ring, £2,905 net-a-porter.com

KOJIS

Platinum Art Deco Plaque Ring, £3,950 libertylondon.com

V BY LAURA VANN

Thalia Sterling Silver Bracelet, £159 vbylauravann.com

RACHEL JACKSON

Statement Art Deco Padlock Necklace, £250 racheljacksonlondon.com

VILTIER

Magnetic Diamond, Bull's Eye & Gold Earrings £12,400 matchesfashion.com

WAKEFIELDS JEWELLERS

Platinum Vintage Style Round Brilliant Cut & Tapered Diamond Ring, £3,115, wakefieldsjewellers.co.uk

THE

VINTAGE

RING COMPANY

Ottilie Antique Victorian Ruby & Diamond Ring, £2,980 thevintageringco.com

Jewellery Workshop - Amersham

EXQUISITE

Whether you’re looking for a special piece of jewellery or want to repair a treasured item, we’re here to help. As well as stocking a fabulous range of jewellery, we also o er a comprehensive repair and valuation service. Just let us know what you are after and our dedicated team in Amersham Old Town will ensure you go away happy.

2 Market Square, Amersham HP7 0DQ | 01494 434178 amershamworkshop@hotmail.co.uk | jewelleryworkshopamersham.co.uk

The Triple-Four Racing Chronograph has made a seriously dazzling impression on the world of horology since its launch this autumn. Limited to just 500 examples, the debut timepiece from new British firm Brooklands Watch Company is a modern classic with heritage at its heart.

Designed by the visionary Sir Terence Conran, the Triple-Four is inspired by the golden age of racing at Brooklands, the birthplace of motor sport and aviation in Britain. Sir Terence’s father often attended the races at Brooklands’ historic track in Surrey and his mother learnt to fly at its Flying Club.

His Triple-Four Chronograph design references the record-holding NapierRailton racing car built at Brooklands in 1933. The watch face perimeter is banked, echoing Brooklands race track’s unique

sloped embankment, while the blue leather strap echoes the distinctive block tread design of early car tyres. Its back reveals a rotor design modelled after the car’s legendary Triple-Four Aero aircraft engine.

The Triple-Four has already received praise from the likes of Tracey Llewellyn, watch editor of The Telegraph. In The Best Watches for Motoring Enthusiasts in WatchPro, Tracey noted that “watches and cars are a match made in mechanical heaven” and named the Triple-Four “a modern classic”.

An ideal Christmas gift, each of the 500 limited-edition watches is individually numbered, signed by Sir Terence and presented in a beautiful blue velvet-lined leather watch box. Displayed neatly inside are the Triple-Four Chronograph, a slim brass warranty card and a members badge. This badge entitles the Triple-Four owners to a drive on Brooklands’ world-famous Test Hill track in a specially commissioned Brooklands Watch Company electric Bugatti Baby II car.

Brooklands Watch Company was founded by aeromechanical engineer Simon Je s. “The Triple-Four is a piece of art with a purpose. It has a beating heart and a story of British motor racing to tell,” he explains. “I’ve enjoyed flying for many years and settled mainly on helicopter flying before motorsport took over. I visited Brooklands racetrack to see my uncle’s Brooklands racing car being run after many years in storage. It was incredible. I was astonished that Brooklands built and operated the first Motor Racing Chronograph accurate to 1000th second in 1907. This inspired me to create a luxury British watch brand.”

The limited-edition Triple-Four retails at £5,754 and is available on the Brooklands Watch Company website and until the end of the year exclusively at The Conran Shop, Chelsea. Brooklands Museum Trust and London’s Design Museum will both benefit from the sale of each watch.

Taking a closer look at the debut timepiece from Brooklands Watch Company, designed by Sir Terence Conran no less

SIR

TRIPLE-FOUR CHRONOGRAPH WITH WARRANTY AND MEMBERS BADGE

Party PEOPLE

The AW22 collection from Oliver Bonas, available at their stores in Milton Keynes and Reading, will turn heads during the festivities

HEADMASTERS

Get Christmas Party perfect hair with a glamour wave look. The style that goes with every outfit, every occasion and oozes luxury and confidence. The secret of this glam look is the combination of gloss, volume and wave. Book your appointment today at the Headmasters Reading salon. headmasters.com

HEALTH & BEAUTY GLAMOUR WAVE

Horwood House 82 • Fitness Notes 85

REST EASY

We have never been so stressed, but a solution may just be found in the Buckinghamshire countryside

Tired of feeling tired?

According to Booking. com, more people will seek mindfulness getaways in 2023, with two in five (29%) aiming to find peace at a silent retreat and one third (33%) keen to go on a break that focuses on mental and transformative health.

With sleepless nights a ecting people’s wellbeing, and Mental Health UK reporting that one in five people are not getting enough sleep, Absolutely was intrigued to know that country house hotel Horwood House has partnered with the awardwinning Aromatherapy Associates to launch a new Deep Relax Day and Stay package. Nestled in the heart of the Buckinghamshire countryside, Horwood House is home to H Spa – a state-of-theart boutique spa that boasts a 15-metre heated swimming pool – complete with

poolside tranquillity beds, a detoxifying sauna, cleansing steam room and six deluxe treatment rooms, as well as cosy lounge area that benefits from views out to the landscaped courtyard. Part of the hotel’s £6 million refurbishment, the new state-ofthe-art spa boasts views and access to the hotel’s picturesque landscaped grounds. Other facilities include a fully equipped gym.

A blissful getaway that’s sure to help you to nod o , the Aromatherapy Associates Deep Relax Stay aims to o er discerning travellers an insomnia-busting, tranquil escape. With full use of the spa facilities from noon to check out, enjoy a delicious two-course lunch in the spa lounge before uninterrupted access to the spa relaxation area, pool, sauna and steam room, as well as a 60-minute Aromatherapy Associates Deep Relax Body Treatment, performed by one of H Spa’s skilled therapists.

After a day of pampering and a delicious dinner in Harry’s Bar & Kitchen, retreat to one of the Deluxe bedrooms and make use of the in-room luxury Aromatherapy Associates gift – with products including the Deep Relax Bath & Shower Oil, Sleep Mist, Body Oil, or Sleep Well Body Butter – that are sure to mellow both the mind and body.

For those that have less time to spare, take advantage of the luxe facilities at H Spa with the Aromatherapy Associates Deep Relax Day setting you up for an easy drift o when you get home. Working in perfect harmony to provide a full day of complete relaxation, arrive at 9am for a morning on the heated tranquillity beds before a 60-minute Aromatherapy Associates Deep Relax Body Treatment in one of the treatment rooms. Spend the afternoon using the pool, sauna and steam room.

H Spa’s menu of blissful spa treatments, using Caudalie natural skin and spa products, is designed to satisfy the senses, ease aching muscles and leave you looking and feeling absolutely fabulous.

In the hands of the expert therapists, facial treatments will include cleansing,

exfoliation and a massage to revitalise the skin. Choose from treatments such as Resveratrol Firming, Lifting & Anti-Wrinkle Facial (£90 for 55 minutes); Vinosource Hydrating Nourishing Facial (£85 for 55 minutes) or the Express D-Vine Facial Instant Glow (£49 for 25 minutes).

There are seven di erent types of body treatments including a Relaxing & Nourishing Wrap (£85 for 55 minutes); an exfoliating Crushed Cabernet Body Treatment (£85 for 55 minutes) or the soothing Fleur de Vigne Candle Massage (£85 for 55 minutes). Mothers-to-be can also indulge in a gentle and enveloping Pre-Natal Massage (£85 for 55 minutes) that helps to soothe tension brought on by pregnancy, stimulate blood circulation and improve the skin’s tone and elasticity.

Those looking to work out can make use of the leisure club with top spec Matrix equipment featuring interactive cardio machine touch screen consoles and weight machines to help users tone, build muscle and burn fat. Designed for both seasoned users and novices, guests and local members can join a wide range of group exercise classes such as Pilates and Boxercise –memberships start from £95 per month.

We can just feel the stress of Christmas ebbing away… horwoodhouse.co.uk

“It's a blissful getaway that's sure to help you nod o ”

TOP PICKS

BEST FOR TRAIL

Tackle trails and roads in rain or shine with the Challenger series. These water-resistant, all-terrain shoes will take you everywhere, no matter the weather conditions.

FITNESS

NOTES

By RACHEL HOGG

BEST FOR ROAD

Built to endure the harder surfaces, the Bondi series are some of the hardest working shoes in the HOKA lineup, and offer an incredibly so and balanced ride.

BEST FOR BOTH

Built for the long haul, the Mafate series is durable and protective enough for longer distances, and are designed with Hoka's lightest and most responsive foam.

All styles mentioned are available for purchase at hoka.com

1. TAKE YOUR TIME

The temptation is to just put your trainers on and start running, but most injuries occur from doing too much too soon, so you need to think long term and follow a training plan. The body can do incredible things if given time to adapt and plenty of opportunity to recover from the stress of training. You will need to give yourself enough time to build up to a marathon, but how long exactly depends on your starting point; for example, the beginner plan on the Onetrack app is 16 weeks.

2. KNOW YOUR BODY

Before taking on any sport it's a good idea to get yourself ready to perform and have your mechanics evaluated. With running, the most important thing is to assess if your body has the capacity to distribute the load evenly. The biomechanics screen at our Onetrack studio is able to identify what could lead to excessive stress being placed on any one joint, muscle or ligament. Knowing this information helps us implement the most impactful corrective exercises and hopefully minimise the risk of injury.

3. FIND SOME SUPPORT

Finding and staying connected to a community of runners is essential because it can help you feel more motivated and give you a sense of accountability. Many people also find working with a coach during the training process very beneficial, as it’s a soundboard to vent at and a source of reassurance. You can access the support of coaches easily via the Onetrack app, which is available to download from the App Store and Google Play, with subscription plans starting at £15 per month.

Founder of run coaching platform Onetrack, Anthony Fletcher, gives us his top tips to work o the festive excess

ON -TRACK

SIT BACK AND RELAX

BENETFELD

Getting your home ready for Christmas is always a stressful experience, particularly if you have a large group of people coming to stay. Well, there is another way. Unique Homestays offer luxury properties to rent and, this month, we check out one particularly stunning option in Berkshire starting on page 90.

NOTES INTERIORS

Ideas, designs and styles for your home

By PENDLE HARTE

PRETTY G REEN

FARROW & BALL

A palette of 11 new paint shades has joined the fold at Farrow and Ball, and they range from the subtle to the bold. Pictured is Beverley, a joyful green that we think is perfect for a kitchen, while new neutral Stirabout – named for an Irish porridge – has already gained lots of attention for its intriguingly warm hue.

farrow-ball.com

PERFECT FINISH

MKM HOME

MKM Home is launching a new range of luxury natural stone and decorative tiles. Working with Ca’ Pietra, the range will feature distinctive patterns, colours, textures, finishes and effects to make a statement in your home. MKM Home is also releasing a range of paint. mkmhome.co.uk

TAKE FIVE

Advent candles

ST EVAL

Red advent candle, £5.25 st-eval.com

DESK SPACE

BISLEY

Known for its iconic metal offi ce fi ling cabinets, Bisley has expanded to become a stylish purveyor of practical furniture for homeworkers in a variety of colours. This pebble desk in plywood with hairpin legs comes in several colours, £295. bisley.com

TALKING TABLES

Red Christmas pillar candle, £12 talkingtables.co.uk holder, £59

LIME LACE

Round tealight holder, £59

BLUE GREEN WORKS

Drawing inspiration from the beach modernism of the Fire Island Pines resort of New York's Long Island, the Palm pendant combines hand-rolled, kiln-slumped glass and precision machined steel or brass elements to the metal’s strict lines. It's exclusive to SCP, £7,788. scp.co.uk

ATELIER 38

Gold engraved advent candle, £22

limelace.co.uk atelier38.co.uk

LIGHT WORKS BRIGHT BLOOMS

ANTHROPOLOGIE

IVYLINE

Advent countdown candle ivylinegb.co.uk

Designed by Temperley exclusively for Anthropologie, this charming bedding collection is cra ed from 100% organic cotton, strewn with brand signature blooms that whisk a breath of fresh air into your boudoir. anthropologie.com

GRANDEUR POMP&

Ablaze against the green and pleasant fields of Berkshire, the large country house and park that makes up Benetfeld is as bold on the outside as it is welcoming on the inside.

Push through the front door and all is not what it seems; gleaming chandeliers hang above modish furnishings, pop art embellishes the 18th century walls, and patchwork quilts counterbalance kenspeckle electric guitars. Experiential, immersive and extraordinary: Benetfeld is no ordinary luxury house.

Built from the same vivid red bricks which construct the Royal Albert Hall, this eccentric and luxurious country house

close to Windsor is the venture of a born artist whose compositions live throughout every room. Grown from military abode to family legacy, personality dazzles around every corner, charisma beams through each floor-to-ceiling window.

Heralding the past whilst looking to the future, Benetfeld’s unique collection of objets d’art journeys through the world, taking guests on a ride through some of the globe’s most stirring cultures and events. Even so, calm ensues throughout; the floodlit orangery kitchen makes cooking and informal breakfasts (or cocktails) an a air of beauty, while the enormous ballroom welcomes relaxed togetherness. Sweeping staircases, intricate detail and jungle like house plants; here is a country house where grand repose awaits.

Just ten miles from Windsor, Christmas is the perfect time to take a tour of Windsor Castle’s royal exhibitions. Just over the

river, Eton’s Museum of Antiquities will satiate the curiosity of all family members. It’s a stunning property, so we just had to speak to its owners to find out more…

Q Can you give us an overview of Benetfeld’s history?

A Benetfeld is a 1775 Grade II listed country manor house. The history of the surrounding area also has a tale of many greats. The local inn, Stag and Hounds, is a stone’s throw from Benetfeld. It was said to be a royal hunting lodge visited by King Henry VIII and Queen Elizabeth I, being originally at the very centre of Windsor Great Park.

Q What is the first thing that catches your eye when arriving at the location?

A The Georgian grandeur, symmetry and boldness of the building unifies with classical Old England and an innovative

and contemporary clean interior space. With enormous sash windows and whitewashed walls, it is simultaneously a clean canvas and ready-made set full of magnificent objects. It is filled with a private collection of object d’art, historical antiques, furniture and visual art from some of the world’s leading contemporary artists.

Q Are there plenty of examples of the past meeting the present?

A It is a creative, immersive space of modern contemporary art framed by an 18th century mansion. Benetfeld remains a homage to great international artistry and transitions from classical to modern art, design and photography.

“Experiential, immersive and extraordinary: this is no ordinary luxury house”

Q How would you describe the bedrooms?

A Each bedroom has its own identity to reflect the guests’ choice, character and preference. There is the Oriental Bedroom, The Boudoir Bedroom, Art Deco Bedroom, Princess Bedroom, Movie Bedroom, Georgian Bedroom, Retro Bedroom, and Writers Bedroom (where the feng shui in the house says a writer should sit).

Q Is there plenty of space to entertain?

A Absolutely! There is a large ballroom with plenty of space to relax and entertain. Within the ballroom sits an oval dining table that can seat up to 20 guests. The grand staircase has a pool table which makes for the perfect entertaining space for a cocktail or two before or after dinner. There is a casual breakfast room for informal dining.

Q What does the parkland garden o er?

A Two cast Atlas Cedars dominate the large parkland, between which lies a stone path landscaped with topiaries. The parkland garden o ers incredible views over the local landscape, with woodlands where dears frolic and pheasants call. The majestic redwood, oaks, willow, among other beautiful trees within the garden, o er strategically located benches placed in sanctuary spaces visited by all the local English birds and wildlife one would expect. There is a traditional long lawn for croquet and badminton on a sunny day. There is a large decking space and patio sheltered by olive groves and a dining table for entertaining, made atmospheric with festoon lighting and fire pits.

Q Is the location perfect?

A Located in Binfield, Berkshire, only an hour from London and half an hour from

Heathrow International Airport, Benetfeld makes for the perfect weekend getaway or long retreat. Benetfeld is 20 minutes from Windsor and 15 minutes from Ascot racecourse. It’s central to multiple golf courses including Wentworth and Polo Clubs including Guards Polo Club and Royal Berkshire Polo club. There’s plenty of local hiking paths, countryside cycling paths, local fisheries, guest friendly golf clubs for all levels and, of course, classic English countryside pubs.

Q This will be appearing in our December issue, so is Benetfeld a place that could make someone’s Christmas truly special?

A Of course! Benetfeld makes for an incredible house for many celebrations and especially Christmas. The atmosphere when decorated complements the grandeur of the house and it’s the perfect setting for a banquet and feast.

Benetfeld is available to rent exclusively via Unique Homestays. See more at uniquehomestays.com

“Benetfeld makes for an incredible house for celebrations, especially at Christmas”

Lighten

collection of lamps

Words PEARL BOYD

This new collection of ceramic pieces was hand-built by Henry Holland and his small team of ceramicists. As an extension of his signature nerikomi technique, a process of stacking di erent coloured clays on top of each other, Henry designed his first capsule of floor and table lights that brings this look to a new area.

“Lighting felt like an exciting next step for us at the studio, moving our ceramic work on to something quite unexpected for the home,” he explains. “I started to explore what a Henry Holland Studio lamp could look like by combining existing shapes and forms in the main ceramics collection, drawing from our vases, dinnerware and planters, and building new silhouettes for each base.”

The fashion designer launched his first ceramics collection during the pandemic and the new lamps sit alongside a collection of plates, bowls and vessels. “My aim was to create pieces with dramatic scale

that would become central talking-point pieces for a room. As with all of our other collections, it was important for us to retain our process of working with artisanal makers in the UK and so we worked with a frame maker, furniture designer and lampshade maker to create all of the various elements by hand. Working with numerous processes on a single piece really reminded me of the work involved in making fashion pieces, with a team of creative skill sets all coming together to create the final designs.”

The table lamp base is based on the idea of stacking balls. “I’ve always been a fan of the bobbin technique used in wooden furniture and I started toying with the idea of creating ceramic spheres that would stack – like an abacus – over a solid oak frame to form the base of the lamp and create a similar silhouette. Instead of uniformity, however, I’ve mixed di erent sizes here which I think gives this a unique profile and makes a strong stand-alone statement.”

A similar technique was used to create a side table. “Admittedly this isn’t lighting, but I got carried away when designing

and thought that the ceramic lamp bases could translate very well as a side table. It was an experiment, but one that I’m excited to explore further as we look to develop what other furniture pieces we could potentially create in the future.”

A range of ceramic lamps create a di erent kind of light from the glow of a linen lampshade. “These slender ceramic lamps are designed to cast light upwards on walls and ceilings, and to give a contrast to the wider shade designs in the collection which take up a bit more space. Made entirely of ceramic, I picture these pieces at either side of a bed to create a relaxed lighting scheme when turned on, but also to act as interesting sculptures when not in use.”

And the collection’s largest piece is a floor lamp. “The big boy. I love the impact of this lamp and that it can just stand on its own as a piece of sculpture within a space. The irregularity of the di erent shaped marbled spheres draws the eye and the bespoke linen shade reflects the curvaceous profile while casting a relaxing, warming glow. The ceramic glaze also reflects the light beautifully.”

The collection is available exclusively at henryhollandstudio.com and Sister by Studio Ashby

Henry Holland moves further into homeware with a new

HENRY HOLLAND

RETAIL FOR THE SENSES

The Danish retail chain, Søstrene Grene, will open their first store in the South of England on 25 November at Parkway Shopping Centre. The new store in Newbury will include a selection of interiors, hobby items, small furniture, kitchen items along with the new Christmas collection with the headline The Magic of Christmas. Here, shoppers can immerse themselves in a world of wonderful finds that won’t break the budget.

CEO and co-owner of Søstrene Grene, Mikkel Grene, is excited to open a new store in the UK. “We are very happy to be opening a store in Newbury, and we wish to contribute with a completely new shopping experience in the Parkway shopping centre as this store will be the second Søstrene Grene store in the UK presenting our new store concept called Retail for the Senses,” he says. “We cannot wait to invite both new and existing customers inside for a moment of ‘hygge’ at Parkway during this autumn and not least the coming Christmas season.”

The 312 m2 store will set the scene for the new concept which o ers a shopping experience designed to invoke your senses and invites you to a journey of discovery through the store. With this concept, the retail chain has worked with evolving Søstrene Grene’s well-known labyrinth, so its flow has become more organic.

The idea of ‘the city’ has also served as an inspiration and large squares which showcase the product categories have been incorporated into the store design to allow customers to take a break without having the feeling of blocking the flow of the labyrinth.

Norma Jacob and Richard Power, who are UK Joint Venture Partners, say: “We’re delighted to be opening our new Retail

For The Senses concept at The Parkway, Newbury which is a perfect fit for Søstrene Grene’s beautiful world of discovery. The Grand Opening will be a jam-packed morning of activity including live entertainment and giveaways for the first 100 customers.”

Søstrene Grene is a Danish retail chain which since 1973 has worked to bring beauty and joy to everyday lives through ever-changing aesthetic design made to create and support moments of ‘hygge’. The family-owned company is now managed by the second generation after the founders from the headquarters in Aarhus, Denmark, while the stores are mainly run on a joint venture or franchise basis. The chain holds more than 260 stores across Europe as well as webshops on 8 markets.

sostrenegrene.com

Shoppers at Parkway Shopping Centre in Newbury will soon be presented with the first Søstrene Grene in the south of England

“Shoppers can immerse themselves in a world of wonderful finds that won't break the budget”

ROOM FOR MORE

Benji Lewis is an established British interior designer with extensive experience working on residential and commercial properties, both at home and abroad. These include flats and studios, town and country houses, listed properties and commercial spaces such as the redesign of London’s Universal Studios o ces.

Recently, Benji – who is based in Buckinghamshire – launched an online interior design consultancy Zoom That Room, which o ers instant advice via Zoom or Facetime during lockdown. This combined with a finely tuned intuitive design capability has resulted in Benji “virtually” moving onto an increasingly international platform: he has conducted multiple virtual bespoke consultations for individuals in the UK, US, Paris and Australia. As such, we just had to ask him for his top tips on decorating your home this Christmas.

GO OPULENT

For the festive period it’s important to try and forget the outside noise of what’s happening in the world and immerse yourself in a little escapism. Incorporate metallic detail to add an extra glint to the sparkle of your fairy lights. Name cards in proper holders at each place setting on your dining table are a great extra addition. Choose a simple colour scheme and try to stick to it and don’t just look at red and green; ivory, brown and gold for a ‘thinking outside the traditional box approach’ is super chic.

FAN THE FLAMES

Include candle light; whilst it likely won’t be enough on its own unless you have masses of them, absolutely have a bunch of candles lit because they’ll provide a warm ambient glow to your room (as well as providing a bit of warmth given the cost of living crisis!).

Banish overhead lighting unless you can dim it low; instead use side lighting

in the form of table lamps, this will be way softer than anything beaming down on top of you. Battery charged fairy lights are handy because you can weave them artfully amongst your tabletop décor without the need of trailing cables crossing from table top to power socket.

TABLE TALK

Try to accessorise your table settings with a small additional flourish – a bowl of sugared almonds is really charming, or if you really fancy going the extra mile, have a small wrapped personalised gift for each of your guests on the table. These needn’t be expensive and you should consider preloved items; for someone who enjoys sewing for example, how about an antique silver or porcelain thimble?

Don’t get caught up in complicated napkin arrangements and absolutely do not choose paper, cotton or linen is the only way to go. zoomthatroom.com

Buckinghamshire-based Benji Lewis unwraps his tops tips for dressing the home this Christmas

BENJI LEWIS

CANDLES SHOULD BE A KEY PART OF YOUR FESTIVE TABLE

MICUCCI INTERIORS

Folkifunki Grimace vase, £590 micucci.co.uk

EDITOR’S

PICK

VAISSELLE

Jughead jug, £90 conranshop.co.uk

MARIMEKKO

Karhuemo mug, £14 marimekko.com

REIKO KANEKO FOR SCP

Terracotta jug, £85 scp.co.uk

SWEETPEA & WILLOW

Orca jug, £35 sweetpeaandwillow.com

GLAZE OVER

A look at the loveliest ceramics for Christmas

By PENDLE HARTE

QUINCE AND COOK

Petunia dinner plate, £18 quinceandcook.co.uk

HEAVENLY HOMES AND GARDENS

Rustic washed terracotta vase with handles, £30 heavenlyhomesandgardens.co.uk

HOUSE OF HACKNEY

Dessert plate, £16 anthropologie.com

ARIANNA DE LUCA

Exclusive vases, from £85 conranshop.co.uk

COX & COX

Ribbed stoneware vase, £60 coxandcox.co.uk

HK LIVING

70s bowl on foot, £36 nordicnest.com

THE CURIOUS DEPARTMENT

Insect Mandala tea cup and saucer, £28 thecuriousdepartment.com

REX LONDON

Moorish Cinnamon

fl ower plate, £8.95 rexlondon.com

PICK

LIGNE ROSET

Souffl ot Sofa, from £3,436 ligne-roset-westend.co.uk

ERCOL

Forli Chaise, £3,615 ercol.com

HATFIELDS

Acacia Grand Sofa, £1,359 hatfields.com

Harry Chesterfi eld Sofa, from £2,125 roseandgrey.com

Sereno sofa, from £2,985 theconranshop.co.uk

JONATHAN ADLER

Ether Cloud Settee, £3,320 sweetpeaandwillow.com

ON THE COUCH

All the best sofas for sinking into this Christmas

By PENDLE HARTE

LOAF

Squisharoo sofa, £1,445 loaf.com

BORNALDO

Saddle sofa, £3,090 gomodern.co.uk

SNUG

The Rebel 3 Seater Sofa, £1,429 snugsofa.com

MADE

Scott sofa, £1,500 made.com

PIET HEIN EEK

Home sofa, from £7,309 scp.co.uk

SOFA.COM

Snowdrop Button Back 2.5 Seat Sofa, £1,540 sofa.com

Velvet Helmsley Snuggle, £2,509 sofasandstuff.com

SOFAS AND STUFF

ROSE & GREY

THE CONRAN SHOP

Comfort with Integrity™

GO LARGE BLOOM

Bloom's Christmas Wreath designs are 100% plastic-free and created using sustainable fl oristry techniques. These expert London fl orists make every single festive wreath by hand. From £155 bybloom.co.uk

A MIXED BUNCH

UNCUT STEMS

Born from a desire for a more creative, sustainable and educational fl ower subscription that champions real fl owers, Uncut Stems offers a journey through the British growing season from spring blossoms to Christmas wreaths. uncutstems.co.uk

METAL HEAD

ROSE & GREY

Bring the festive season into your home in a more suble way by hanging this stylish metal wreath above your mantlepiece or on a wall. We love the brass fi nish and delicate berry details. £45 roseandgrey.co.uk

WHITE LIGHT COX AND COX

The subtle and elegant Gypsophila Lit Wreath has a simple, round silhouette, a total of 15 steady warm white micro LED bulbs and is adorned in tiny white faux fl owers with a glitter fi nish.£30 coxandcox.co.uk

MASTER CLASS

PETERSHAM NURSERIES

Immersive wreath making masterclass using sustainable fl oristry techniques and Petersham Nurseries’ dramatic fl oristry style take place from 28 November. Book now. petershamnurseries.com

POUR FORTH

One of the most often requested gadgets for the kitchen is a boiling water tap, and when you consider how versatile they are, it’s easy to see why they are so popular.

It may be surprising to discover how often you need boiling water during a day, and not just for making hot drinks. You can blanch vegetables, cook pasta, heat up a bottle of milk for a baby, and rinse dirty dishes or preheat dinner plates with your boiling water tap.

You can save money on food preparation and cooking by utilising your boiling water tap. An instant cup of soup or noodles takes seconds. You can utilise it for couscous, potatoes, vegetables, rice and noodles. Then there is skinning tomatoes, blanching spinach, soaking raisins or poaching fish, a huge selection of tasks are all made easier and faster.

Kitchen & Bedroom Studios sell Quooker taps in their showroom as they are the only company to provide ‘true boiling water’, at 100 degrees. They also love the fact they are built with safety in mind. All Quooker taps feature a push-and-turn handle for safety and the Fusion model has a double push-and-turn system to prevent accidental activation of the boiling water function.

A boiling water tap is also a space saving option as the space normally occupied by a kettle can be freed up for other uses. The tank sits under the worktop, taking up little room in the kitchen cupboard.

With the cost of living rising it is also good to know that it is easier to be economical with the hot water you use, when it comes from a tap, rather than boiling a kettle.

With a number of models to choose from, and a selection of finishes, polished chrome, stainless steel, nickel, patinated brass, gold and black, there is a model for every kitchen.

If you are buying a kitchen from Kitchen & Bedroom Studios, you can benefit from their 40th anniversary o er and claim a free Quooker tap with every kitchen ordered between 1 November and 11 December.

You can still benefit from free fitting of a Quooker tap as part of this o er, even if you are not having a kitchen fitted but would like a new Quooker tap, full details available on request.

Revealing the tap that does it all

“You can save money on food preparation and cooking with a boiling water tap”

CHRISTMAS SLOWDOWN

that all-important Zoom meeting might help improve the connection speed temporarily. Of course, this might not be feasible for most modern homes that have dozens of devices constantly connected to the internet... and it might cause some family arguments.

The second option is far more e ective – upgrade to Full Fibre broadband.

Christmas is often lauded as the time for connecting with loved ones and being social. But let’s be honest – the thing most of us look forward to is curling up on the sofa and watching Christmas classics like Love Actually and A Christmas Carol guilt-free for the 20th time.

So why does Netflix keep bu ering? And why, when you hop on your phone, does Instagram take forever to load? The reason might be a little closer than you think.

Christmas time usually sees a far higher usage of the internet bandwidth in your home. You might have friends and family staying over, who are connected to your Wi-Fi. You’re also probably spending most of December either watching Christmas TV or doing some last-minute online shopping. What’s more, the kids have finished school

and are sat at home on their phones, leading to even more activity on your broadband.

All these extra devices and usage can have a noticeable e ect on your broadband speed. So, what can you do about it? There are two real options available –one more e ective than the other.

One option is to try and stagger your broadband usage. Asking family members to avoid using their phones or computers while you’re watching a film or taking

Providers such as Swish Fibre o er blisteringly-fast broadband speeds that can deliver a reliable service no matter how many devices are connected at the same time. Their packages also o er equal upload and download speeds, so you can keep working from home even if other people in your house are streaming TV or blasting the Christmas tunes on Spotify.

With Swish you won’t even need to worry about your broadband losing its punch in the future. Whether your family (or your tech collection) is set to keep growing, Swish will be able to handle it. Their network is capable of handling 10,000Mbps broadband speeds – far faster than anything available now. This is to ensure that as internet speeds grow faster in the future, Swish customers won’t have to upgrade their hardware or have new fibre cables laid in their street.

SWISH FIBRE

Head to swishfibre.com/absolutely to see how faster and more reliable broadband can bring a bit of extra cheer, and speed, to your home this Christmas swishfibre.com

LOVE ACTUALLY IS A CHRISTMAS TRADITION

By SARAH BARCLAY

CALM STORM after the T

he beginning of the year is always a great time to declutter your space and start the year feeling energised. Clearing and sorting through your things can have a positive e ect on mental health and create more joy in your home.

Make a list of all the rooms that you would like to declutter and work through them one at a time. A great tip is to take a walk through each room and mark the larger items that you may want to clear out on a list. Once the list is completed, then you can easily see what you may need to organise to remove the larger items, such as booking a collection service. This helps to keep mess to a minimum if you are decluttering over a period of time.

There are some beautiful options in terms of smaller storage that can hide clutter while still looking elegant. Baskets, pretty boxes, and deep decorative trays can all be used to skilfully detract the eye from the items you want to keep without them being visible. And they can add an element of fun, with bright colours or di erent textures for an instant update.

When you are reviewing each room and the items that are to be decluttered, take into consideration the existing storage and how you use the space. Think about the flow of the room, how often you are using the items and how accessible they need to be. And of course if you actually need the item at all.

Most homes have the opportunity to create more storage space with some inventive interior design. Think about the spaces in your home that might be overlooked, such as the hallways, under the stairs, and odd spaces. These may be perfect for a

bespoke cupboard that discreetly adds more storage space and is unique to your home. Having built-in cupboards designed for your space gives you the opportunity to ensure that you get the maximum amount of storage that you can have in any given space. Bespoke joinery combined with clever design can increase the amount of storage space quite significantly. It also means that everything in your home will have a dedicated space built specially to house the items that you want to keep.

Whether you are a minimalist or a maximalist or somewhere in between, a good declutter once a year can reinvigorate your home and space.

Barclay is the founder of Barclay Interiors based in Ascot; barclay-interiors.com

Sarah

After the chaos of Christmas, there’s no better time to take stock and declutter your home

Enjoy the journey

CONTINUING THE JOURNEY

ETON END SCHOOL

Eton End is a co-ed Nursery and Prep school set in beautiful grounds where they merge tradition with a creative, inclusive and aspirational approach to excellent teaching, pastoral care and wellbeing. They welcomed Rachael Cox as Headmistress from September to continue leading pupils in achieving excellent academic standards and developing a love of learning in small classes with specialist staff. etonend.org

CREATIVE CHRISTMAS

This is a special time of year for families, but there’s so much more we can all do to create long-lasting memories

By SUE LAIDLAW

Idon’t know many children who don’t like Christmas. Whether you celebrate as a Christian festival or in a more general celebratory sense, it is, without doubt, a special time of the year. However, it is so easy to get caught up in plans and arrangements, in lists, and in food and presents that you miss some of the simpler (and arguably, more wholesome and worthwhile) aspects of the season. It’s also a wonderful time to build in some interesting and enjoyable family activities and perhaps create new family traditions.

I once read a book, many years ago, about building rituals into your children’s life and that of the family. These can run through the year and can be especially poignant at Christmas. One of ours was, and still is, a ectionately called “BGS” – Big Girl

Supper – each Friday evening throughout the year. Even though our daughters are all now in their twenties, they still come home and ask if we are having BGS and those Friday nights have become a staple of family life. Family traditions that each family may have at Christmas build memories and family strength throughout each child’s life. It’s never too late to add some more and enrich family history forever. When my children were very young, I had a box of seasonal and Christmas books that came out in December and were packed away again at the beginning of January. This was the source of great fun and the opportunity to be reunited with certain special books lasted for many, many years – a bit like remembering the Christmas tree decorations, as they each come out of the box, like old friends every year.

“Family traditions at Christmas build memories and family strength”

There are also endless opportunities for creative activities for all ages and tastes – printing wrapping paper, wrapping parcels, making gift tags… the list goes on and I have no doubt that you have plenty of ideas of your own.

Try to make time for some outdoor activities each day of the holidays. It certainly doesn’t need to be commercial or expensive: collect cones, holly and evergreen and make table centres, or put on your wellies and come back for hot chocolate and mince pies.

Your teenagers will probably be out and about, with friends, at parties and celebrating as well as lying in! Apart from their social lives outside the home, give them some opportunities to get involved (and find the real child within – not the sophisticated teenager). Why don’t you give them free rein of the kitchen for a celebration family meal of their choice. Alternatively, o er them the opportunity to host a dinner party for their friends, give them a budget and an opportunity to plan a menu, decorate the table – and clear up! Perhaps even o er to be waiters for the evening.

Whatever you choose to do, however you choose to celebrate, it’s an important time for each member of the family to enjoy time with friends and family, so let’s encourage each other to look for new, creative ways to share time together. It’s so important to relax and restore before the various routines start up again.

Sue Laidlaw is founder of Laidlaw Education LLP. For 30 years, Sue and her team have o ered educational advice, lessons and courses for children of all ages through their centres, including Laidlaw Hall, a specialist centre for children with Dyslexia and the Laidlaw Virtual Academy. To find out more call 020 8487 9517 or visit laidlaweducation.co.uk

PACKED BUNCH

A day in

By RHIAN THORNTON

We started the academic year by announcing our champion sunflower horticulturalists working with Savills and celebrating #HelloYellow Mental Health Awareness Day, raising £245 for Young Minds Mental Health Charity. Mindfulness and wellbeing are a key part of the curriculum here at Upton. Wonderful excursions to exciting and beautiful venues including Kew Gardens, Woburn Safari Park, Slough Gurdwara have returned. Form 6 Broadcasting Club pupils visited Pinewood Studios for a film industry festival. How exciting! Educational visits add so much depth of learning and first-hand knowledge, developing life skills, a robust theme here at Upton. Our Broadcasting Club are now running

our online events! In charge of cameras, sound, vision mixing and graphics, the pupils have invaluable work experience to carry forward to their Senior Schools.

A typical day in the Science Lab this term included Form 5 researching upthrust for their boat designs, and Form 6 getting to grips with dissecting a lamb’s pluck (lungs, liver and heart)! Curiosity and questioning in action.

Form 6 girls are taking their leadership responsibilities seriously. Heads of Charity created their own video supporting Windsor Foodshare and Slough Foodbank, with the Heads of Environment working diligently on the school’s plan to reach Net Zero in the future. Form 6 are currently also busy applying for scholarships and sitting assessments for Senior schools. We are proud of our scholarship success; last year we had 14 scholarships awarded for 19 girls, and the previous year 19 scholarships awarded for 26 girls (academic, all-rounder, music, performing arts, art, drama, swimming and more).

The whole school walked to the school’s Harvest Festival service at Holy Trinity Garrison Church, streamed to 600

viewers in the school’s wider community of families joining us for Harvest online all over the world, in real time. Form 6 accompanied the delivery of 115kg of harvest donations to the Slough Foodbank.

It has been a pleasure to welcome the Heads of our many feeder Independent Senior Schools back into Upton, continuing the strong relationships we enjoy with outstanding local Independent Senior Schools. Sport at Upton is a huge part of every day. Weekly fixtures and festivals abound. Form 6 girls represented the school at the IAPS Hockey Regional Qualifiers, getting through to the Plate Competition quarter finals. Our mixed football teams had great success at many events trained by our Head of Sport, Mr Phillips, previously of Chelsea FC Foundation. Swim squad trains weekly at Eton College and Heathfield, and all our children swim weekly at St George’s School Ascot. Reaching the IAPS swimming final last year was exciting and worth all the hard work.

We welcomed many families for our most recent virtual Open Morning, which followed the very successful virtual format. Live, interactive with performances from the children – this is far from just an online presentation.

We still have much to look forward to this term including Nativities and carol concerts and we would be delighted to welcome you to Upton for a tour or one-to-one meetings after the virtual Open Morning.

Wishing you all a very happy and healthy Christmas from all at Upton House School.

Sign up for the next online Open Morning on Saturday 21 January at uptonhouse.org.uk/admissions/ open-mornings

“A typical day in the Science Lab included Form 5 researching upthrust for boat designs. Curiosity and questioning in action”

ENGINEER AWAY

KIWICO

With subscription kits for every age and stage, KiwiCo will encourage your child to think outside the box. Choose from 1,500 science and arts projects, as well as great creative gi s for babies and toddlers. kiwico.com

GET GROWING

MUD & BLOOM

This gardening subscription box will be sure to get your kid’s hands dirty. Created with 3-8 year-olds in mind, each box is packed full of seasonal nature cra s, as well as lots of fun outdoor activities. mudandbloom.com

BE MINDFUL

HAPPY CRAFT BOX

The activities inside this subscription box will do more than just keep your 4+ child entertained, they can help support their long-term emotional wellbeing and develop new mindset skills. happycra box.com

STAY INSPIRED ARTFUL

Artful is a quarterly subscription box that will nurture your 12+ child’s artistic fl air. Every quarter they are introduced to a new art technique and given everything they need to go create. artful.co.uk

APRONS ON FOODINI CLUB

Parents of picky eaters, this one is for you. Foodini is a seasonal subscription box designed to get the whole family in the kitchen, learning useful cooking skills and embarking on foodie adventures. foodiniclub.co.uk

EDUCATION NEWS

The latest news from schools across the county

Fun and gains

Coleshill CE Infant School, between Amersham and Beaconsfield, is a happy, friendly school, with high expectations and a vibrant, rich curriculum. Every child is nurtured and loved and given the very best possible start in their educational career in their small classes (max 20 children per class). Their teaching and learning is of the highest quality and they aim to light the fire in every single child, recognising them as individuals, helping each and every one to achieve their highest potential.

The children are busy practising their Nativity ‘Baarmy Bethlehem’ and are preparing for their first performance. They enjoyed a recent trip to Brooklands Museum as part of their transport topic, especially seeing the London buses and boarding an aeroplane! Pupils have also participated in football, multi-skills and gymnastics festivals. Their Christmas party will include a spectacular pantomime to be followed by carols in the playground with hot chocolate and mince pies. If you have a child due to start school in September 2023, you can apply now, see website for more information. coleshillvillageschool.co.uk

Bursting with potential

The Sixth Form at St George’s Ascot is highly populated with 70 young women completing their A-Level studies across 23 subject areas. There is a high completion rate of the EPQ as well as Young Enterprise Award, and girls frequently go on to complete their Gold Duke of Edinburgh Awards, at the same time as honing their focus on the subjects they have chosen, with a timetable matched to suit their academic ambitions. Upper Sixth Leavers in September pursued a number of university and creative arts opportunities, including Oxbridge, Durham, Newcastle, and UCL. Approximately 25% of the newest SGA Alumnae have gone on to

Fitting tribute

Local independent boarding school for girls, Downe House, has paid tribute to the brave men and women who served in the armed forces or who worked for the war effort during the first and second world wars with a stunning musical performance during the school’s annual Michaelmas Concert. The school’s award-winning choir performed a beautiful rendition of In Flanders Fields accompanied by its talented Chamber Orchestra. As the performance began, a single trumpet sounded the Last Post from the balcony above the stage, as a flurry of poppies cascaded from the ceiling down over the audience.

Every year, Downe House stages a beautiful Remembrance art exhibition, featuring a wide range of works created by talented pupils and its Creative Art Scholars. This year, a range of incredible artwork was exhibited in the Murray Centre on the school grounds. downehouse.net

read a STEM related subject at university, with many others turning their gi s and talents to business, law and the creative arts.

These are formative years where the groundwork of growing independence and shaping and influencing the next chapters in their journeys really come together. stgeorges-ascot.org.uk

THE BUCKINGHAMSHIRE CAPACITY FUND

How a single grant of over £100k is available for an organisation tackling local poverty

There are many complexities and challenges that cause poverty. It is first on the list of the UN global ‘Sustainable Development Goals’, which set the blueprint for prosperity for global society by 2030. But poverty and financial insecurity are major and multifaceted issues that requires significant resources and crosssector thinking to tackle e ectively.

The Anson Charitable Trust, Heart of Bucks Community Foundation and Rothschild Foundation have partnered to tackle local poverty through the Buckinghamshire Capacity Fund.

The fund will award a single grant of at least £110,000 to a not-for-profit organisation that can contribute significantly to Buckinghamshire’s response to the rising costs of living for vulnerable, disadvantaged and insecure-income households.

Henry Allmand, CEO at Heart of Bucks, says: “As local grant-makers, we want to think global, and act local. We want to make a di erence by working together, to tackle a challenging and deeply concerning area of focus within Buckinghamshire. Through the creation of this collective fund, we want to provide the local non-profit sector with additional resources to deliver a larger local safety net than would otherwise exist.”

Projects should provide at least 12 months of additional capacity and funding can be for organisations wanting to extend and enhance an existing service, as well as new and innovative approaches. Preference will be given to consortium/partnership applications of two or more local organisations.

Heart of Bucks is a community foundation that raises funds across Buckinghamshire to then distribute money directly to local causes. Heart of Bucks operate to ensure any form of philanthropy, whether from an individual or an organisation, is e ective and brings the greatest benefit to those in need across Buckinghamshire. Since Heart of Bucks began in 2000, the charity has awarded over £11m to local causes and are proud to be one of 47 members of UK Community Foundations.

For more information on the Buckinghamshire Capacity Fund and to apply, visit heartofbucks.org/buckinghamshirecapacity-fund/

why everyone is talking about…

THE COUNTY IS HOME TO MANY CHARITABLE CAUSES

HELP MAKE SOMEONE'S CHRISTMAS SPECIAL