Oadby Town Football Club - Aspire Magazine
Oadby Town Football Club - Aspire Magazine
Oadby Town Football Club - Aspire Magazine
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Feature<br />
ISSUE 249<br />
YOUR FREE COPY<br />
All you need<br />
to know about<br />
London 2012<br />
with our Olympic<br />
Supplement<br />
Retirement<br />
Make sure you make the<br />
most of your prime years<br />
Plan a holiday north of<br />
the border with<br />
Spotlight On Scotland<br />
<strong>Oadby</strong> <strong>Town</strong> <strong>Football</strong> <strong>Club</strong><br />
With households all over the country feeling the pinch, it’s more important than ever to make<br />
the most of those special moments, which is why <strong>Aspire</strong> would like to recommend <strong>Oadby</strong><br />
<strong>Town</strong> <strong>Football</strong> <strong>Club</strong>, in <strong>Oadby</strong> Leicestershire, winners of our Certificate of Recognition for<br />
Local Venue of the Year. For more info, call 0116 2715728 or turn to page 3<br />
View this issue online at www.aspiremagazinegroup.co.uk<br />
Follow us on twitter @aspire_magazine<br />
ASPIRE 1
St David’s Day Recipe<br />
This Thursday (March 1st) is St David’s<br />
Day, the patron saint of Wales. The day<br />
is celebrated in remembrance of the<br />
death of St David (Dewi Sant) on March<br />
1st in the year 589; it was declared as a<br />
national day of celebration in the 18th<br />
Century.<br />
A poll conducted by BBC Wales in 2006 found that nearly<br />
nine out of every ten people in Wales want St David’s Day<br />
to be a public holiday, even if a day’s holiday was lost<br />
elsewhere (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/4760362.<br />
stm). One thousand and one people were questioned<br />
for the poll and 87% said they wanted March 1st to<br />
become a public holiday with just 11% against the idea.<br />
When this 87% were asked if they would give up another<br />
public holiday to ensure St David’s Day became one, 65%<br />
remained in favour. However, in 2007 a petition calling for<br />
St David’s Day to become a public holiday was rejected by<br />
Tony Blair, who was British Prime Minister at the time.<br />
Once again, <strong>Aspire</strong> have called upon<br />
our resident chef, Neil Walker, to give us<br />
a delicious and easy recipe…<br />
Welsh Rarebit With Goats<br />
Cheese And Leeks<br />
Serves 2<br />
A good Welsh rarebit is so much more than cheese on<br />
toast – it is comfort food of the highest order and really<br />
tackles the cold spell we're going through at the minute.<br />
It's an easy recipe to play around with and improvise but<br />
to me, this is the ultimate Welsh rarebit. Don't be put off<br />
by the goat’s cheese, I know it's not to everybody’s liking,<br />
but combined with the other ingredients in this recipe, it's<br />
not overpowering, just mellow and delicious!<br />
Enjoy.<br />
Ingredients<br />
1 leek or 2 small thin ones<br />
2 free range eggs<br />
2 thickly cut slices of bread<br />
100g -125g goat’s cheese<br />
1 tsp of mustard<br />
1 tablespoon Worcester sauce<br />
Salt and freshly ground pepper<br />
Knob of butter or a splash of olive oil<br />
Method<br />
1. Pre-heat the oven to Gas Mark 8.<br />
2. Slice the leeks thinly and sweat off in a frying pan with<br />
a knob of butter for about 10 minutes.<br />
3. Whilst the leeks are slowly cooking, beat the eggs,<br />
goat’s cheese, mustard, Worcester and seasoning<br />
together.<br />
4. When cooked add the leeks to the egg mix, give it<br />
a good stir, then spread evenly over the thick slices of<br />
bread.<br />
5. Place on a baking tray and toast in the oven for about<br />
10 minutes until browned and crispy.<br />
6. Serve with a bottle of Worcester sauce on the side – ok<br />
not very Welsh, but an absolute must!<br />
Delicious!<br />
A Delicious<br />
St David’s Day<br />
<strong>Oadby</strong> <strong>Town</strong> <strong>Football</strong> <strong>Club</strong><br />
<strong>Oadby</strong> <strong>Town</strong> <strong>Football</strong> <strong>Club</strong><br />
Triumphs<br />
Situated in the suburb of <strong>Oadby</strong> in Leicester, <strong>Oadby</strong><br />
<strong>Town</strong> <strong>Football</strong> <strong>Club</strong> is <strong>Aspire</strong>’s choice for Local Venue<br />
of the Year. Ideal for wedding receptions (during<br />
the summer months), birthday parties and family<br />
get-togethers, <strong>Oadby</strong> <strong>Town</strong>’s modern clubhouse<br />
boasts a fully manned and fully stocked bar, a kitchen<br />
for preparing food and a cold cellar to store food –<br />
everything you need for the perfect party, just add<br />
music and partygoers.<br />
Originally established in 1908 as <strong>Oadby</strong> Imperials,<br />
<strong>Oadby</strong> <strong>Town</strong> receive sponsorship from a number of local<br />
businesses, including Freeway and Greene King, but as a<br />
small football club just trying to survive hard economic<br />
times, hiring out the clubhouse brings in much needed<br />
revenue. <strong>Club</strong> Chairman, Ken Farrant, explained: “As the<br />
football team only use the clubhouse before and after<br />
matches and at the end of the season for club and team<br />
celebrations, it sits unused for the majority of the year.<br />
So, we started hiring it out for private functions and it’s<br />
been a great way to being in extra income. We’re a small<br />
club, just trying to survive. Hiring out our clubhouse for<br />
functions is a great way to serve the community, as well as<br />
supply the club within another source of income.”<br />
The clubhouse is ideal for all day wedding receptions<br />
during the summer, when the clubhouse is not being<br />
used by the football club. It is still available during the<br />
football season (August to May) but only in the evenings<br />
at weekends. You might be shocked at how inexpensive<br />
the clubhouse is to hire, just £150 for evening events<br />
and £300 for all day hire. Ken added: “included in our<br />
hire charge, as well as where food can be prepared. You<br />
can also use our. We have a music and bar license until<br />
midnight and our bar manager, Kelly, is happy to show<br />
anyone interested around and answer any queries you<br />
may have. We do require a £100 cheque as a damage<br />
deposit (£300 for 18th birthday parties) but we will not<br />
cash that if everything is as it should be; it’s only to cover<br />
us if there’s any damage, as, like I said, we’re a small<br />
club just trying to survive these tough economic times.<br />
There are football clubs much bigger than us going<br />
into administration and we’re just trying to continue for<br />
another 100-plus years.”<br />
If that wasn’t enough, <strong>Oadby</strong> <strong>Town</strong> also boast a taxi<br />
firm, Direct Taxis, run from the edge of the clubhouse,<br />
meaning party-goers won’t have to ring around for a taxi<br />
once the party’s over. Ken said: “We’re passionate about<br />
discouraging drink-driving so having Direct Taxis here is<br />
perfect. It works really well.”<br />
As well as being the perfect venue for celebrations,<br />
<strong>Oadby</strong> <strong>Town</strong> FC clubhouse is also ideal for conferences,<br />
business meetings and even team building days, with<br />
hourly hire just £20 a hour. Teas and coffee is supplied<br />
and anyone choosing the clubhouse for business will<br />
be in good company, as Ken told us: “Every Tuesday, the<br />
Leicester Tigers hold their weekly press conference here.<br />
We get reporters from Sky, the BBC, ITV and local radio<br />
and news coming here to speak to Richard Cockerill and<br />
other members of the team. It’s great for us and provides<br />
a different environment for the managers and players of<br />
Leicester Tigers, away from the intensity of their training<br />
ground and the fierce competition of rugby.”<br />
With such excellent facilities within five acres of grounds<br />
on Wigston Road near Parklands Leisure Centre and<br />
Leicester Tigers’ training ground, <strong>Aspire</strong> have awarded<br />
<strong>Oadby</strong> <strong>Town</strong> with our Certificate of Recognition for Local<br />
Venue of the Year. On hearing the news, <strong>Club</strong> Chairman,<br />
Brian Fletcher-Warrington, said: “Thank you for this<br />
accolade <strong>Aspire</strong>. It means a lot to us to know that our<br />
clubhouse is catering to a gap in the market and we hope<br />
some of your readers will consider holding their next<br />
celebration at <strong>Oadby</strong> <strong>Town</strong> <strong>Football</strong> <strong>Club</strong>.”<br />
<strong>Aspire</strong> Sales Executive, Emily Davison, added: “Households<br />
across the country are feeling the pinch these days, which<br />
is why it’s more important than ever to make the most<br />
of those special moments. <strong>Oadby</strong> <strong>Town</strong> <strong>Football</strong> <strong>Club</strong><br />
provides the perfect option for those looking to celebrate<br />
with friends and family without breaking the bank. I hope<br />
this Certificate of Recognition is a great boost to everyone<br />
at <strong>Oadby</strong> <strong>Town</strong> – they deserve it!”<br />
2 ASPIRE<br />
For more information or to make an appointment to view the clubhouse,<br />
please call 0116 2715728<br />
<strong>Oadby</strong> <strong>Town</strong> FC, Greene King Park, Wigston Road, <strong>Oadby</strong>, Leicester LE2 5QG<br />
ASPIRE 3
Editor: Claire Tipton<br />
claire@aspiremagazinegroup.co.uk<br />
0116 2517385<br />
Accounts: Kathy Tipton<br />
accounts@aspiremagazinegroup.co.uk<br />
0116 2515919<br />
Feature Writers: Laura Hyde<br />
editorials@aspiremagazinegroup.co.uk<br />
0116 2517385<br />
2. St David’s Day Recipe<br />
12. Antiques & Collectables<br />
3. <strong>Oadby</strong> <strong>Town</strong> <strong>Football</strong> <strong>Club</strong> 13. Olympic Supplement<br />
4. Contents<br />
21. Seasonal Gardening<br />
6. <strong>Aspire</strong> Recommends<br />
24. Holidays & Leisure<br />
7. Advertise With Us<br />
26. Explore The Cotswolds<br />
Contents<br />
8. Retirement<br />
28. Spotlight On Scotland<br />
10. Care<br />
Graphic Designer: Lucy Crookston<br />
design@aspiremagazinegroup.co.uk<br />
0116 2517385<br />
Sales Manager: Stacey Wragg<br />
north@aspiremagazinegroup.co.uk<br />
0116 2624867<br />
Sales Executives: Emily Davison,<br />
Barbara Stone, Ashley Cooper,<br />
Jade Savage<br />
Distribution: Michael Tipton &<br />
Self Select Distribution<br />
Published by:<br />
Spectrum Printing Services<br />
0116 246 1717<br />
To subscribe to <strong>Aspire</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong> call<br />
0116 2517385<br />
The Olympic Park<br />
Picture taken on 5th December 2011 by Anthony Charlton<br />
Web Design: Paul Tipton at Q Creative Design<br />
paul@qcreativedesign.co.uk<br />
0116 251 7298<br />
Write to us:<br />
ASPIRE MAGAZINE<br />
NORTHAMPTONSHIRE GROUP<br />
3rd Floor Office, 29-35 St Nicholas Place,<br />
Leicester LE1 4LD<br />
Name & Registered Office:<br />
ASPIRE MAGAZINE<br />
NORTHAMPTONSHIRE LIMITED<br />
Allen House, Newarke Street,<br />
Leicester LE1 5SG<br />
Company Number: 06036102<br />
Image Courtesy Of Bob Martin<br />
©VisitBritain<br />
©VisitBritain/ Tony Pleavin<br />
4 ASPIRE<br />
ASPIRE 5
1<br />
<strong>Aspire</strong> Recommends<br />
Choose The Best<br />
We know how difficult it can be to find well-established companies that can offer<br />
a high level of service that’s tailored to your personal needs, so we work hard to<br />
bring you the very best organisations and specialist services in the UK. We also<br />
understand that it can often be a challenge to find a reliable company when the<br />
services and goods you’re looking for are not readily available on the High Street.<br />
<strong>Aspire</strong> strive to support independent businesses, as there are many advantages to<br />
choosing these companies over their large, multi-national counterparts. Independent<br />
companies pride themselves on treating each and every customer as an individual rather<br />
than a number and as our specialists are armed with a wealth of experience in this field,<br />
they’re guaranteed to provide you with the very best customer service.<br />
The companies within this feature offer their customers the whole package: high<br />
quality products and competitive prices, as well as an excellent and personal service.<br />
We’ve searched high and low, across the length and breadth of the UK to find you these<br />
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Although these companies are offering different things, the factors that lead to success<br />
remain the same; good customer service, reliability, and professionalism are three of the<br />
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These companies are surviving in hard economic times, so you can be sure any money<br />
and time you invest with them is safe and will be highly rewarded. These individuals will<br />
endeavour to provide only the highest standards of service, the very best products, and<br />
great value for money – just remember to tell them that your favourite weekly magazine<br />
sent you!<br />
<strong>Aspire</strong> recommends only the best in the business...<br />
Home Support Service<br />
Direct Care Works provides a Home<br />
Support Service for people who wish<br />
to live the way they want to, in their<br />
own home.<br />
We can help with the following:<br />
Social activities, cooking a meal,<br />
domestic chores, shopping and travel<br />
training.<br />
We also offer a sitting service for<br />
family carers, provide friendship,<br />
reassurance and companionship<br />
when needed. Help after a hospital<br />
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All our staff are carefully selected<br />
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Now registered with the Care Quality<br />
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For further information contact<br />
Richard on<br />
0116 2330297 or 07515 730715<br />
Email us on<br />
info@directcareworks.co.uk<br />
www.directcareworks.co.uk<br />
LUTTERWORTH<br />
& DISTRICT<br />
LEUKAEMIA & LYMPHOMA<br />
RESEARCH CHARITY SHOPS<br />
NEEDS YOUR DONATIONS OF<br />
• FURNITURE • BOOKS<br />
• CLOTHING • AND BRIC-A-BRAC<br />
Lutterworth and District Leukaemia &<br />
Lymphoma Research Branch has been<br />
running a charity shop for 13 years.<br />
Our Station Road shop has been running<br />
for nearly 3 years selling everything from<br />
clothes, bedding, old handbags, shoes and<br />
trainers and much more!<br />
Our Furniture and Book Shop on Bells Street<br />
is growing day-by-day but we still need your<br />
support. We need more furniture in good<br />
condition and we gratefully accept most types<br />
such as settees, arm chairs, cupboards, toy<br />
chests, tables & chairs, coffee tables, nest of<br />
tables, TV stands, bunk beds, wooden beds,<br />
cots, headboards and china cabinets.<br />
We can deliver and collect with our own<br />
van and if you would like to donate furniture<br />
please contact us.<br />
33a Station Road, rear of car park,<br />
Lutterworth, Leicestershire LE17 4AP<br />
Tel: 01455 556649 (Usual items)<br />
1 Bell Street, Lutterworth,<br />
Leicestershire LE17 4DW<br />
Tel: 01455 553094 (Furniture & books)<br />
Burton Road<br />
Melton Mowbray<br />
Are you looking for hourly,<br />
full-time or part-time care for your child?<br />
We provide care for babies from 6-weeks-old through to<br />
Pre-School 2-5-year-olds.<br />
'One-offs' available. Also flexible shift/term-time only bookings.<br />
FREE taster sessions, also nappies and babymilk<br />
15 hours FREE child care available PER WEEK<br />
for 3-5-year-olds in our Pre-School room.<br />
Bookings now being taken.<br />
Before and after-school club drop & collection for<br />
schools in the Melton area.<br />
Also school HOLIDAY CLUB 4-11-year-olds<br />
Full days or part days.<br />
Call for more details on (01664) 481506<br />
Email: ke7nursery@btconnect.com<br />
www.kingedwardviidaynursery.co.uk<br />
Discover St. Gilles, France<br />
Highlighted in Raymond Blanc’s recent TV<br />
programme, the picturesque old town of<br />
Beaune is the centre of an area where wine<br />
tasting and excellent restaurants serving<br />
local specialities welcome you at every<br />
turn. Half and hour’s drive at a leisurely<br />
pace through the famous Burgundy<br />
villages and vineyards of Meursault,<br />
Pouligny Montrachet, Volnay, Bouzeron<br />
and Rully, you drop down to St. Giles, where<br />
Judy Rhodes’ comfortable cottage nestles<br />
by the canal.<br />
She bought it ten years ago and over<br />
the years has restored, updated and fully<br />
equipped it as a holiday cottage for her<br />
family and friends. It sleeps five and with<br />
another bedroom/playroom off the galleried<br />
landing, could accommodate a family of six.<br />
Two bathrooms with showers, one up and<br />
one downstairs and wash hand basins<br />
in two of the bedrooms are only part of<br />
the practical renovation. From the large<br />
sliding glass doors looking across the<br />
safely enclosed garden, you can watch the<br />
interesting selection of boats that cruise<br />
by and the occasional walkers and cyclists,<br />
using the towpath across the water. At the<br />
front of the house, there is plenty of parking,<br />
and a garage and storage, easily accessible<br />
from the quiet, original old farmyard.<br />
Visiting the market at Beaune, Chagny<br />
and Chalon Sur Saône, one cannot resist<br />
the huge variety of vegetables, salad and<br />
ripe, ready-to-eat fruit; and with more than<br />
60 cheeses to choose from at the local<br />
supermarket, cooking or eating al fresco<br />
under the vine-shaded pergola adjoining<br />
the house is so much easier and more fun<br />
in France.<br />
Sadly this lovely house is now up for sale,<br />
What with such an easy six-hour journey<br />
from St Pancras to Le Creusot where hire<br />
cars await you, or an equally pleasant drive<br />
from Calais via excellent, uncrowded roads,<br />
I am sure it will soon have some new, lucky<br />
owners for the bargain price of £249,000.<br />
Tel: 01823 451792<br />
Email: cath.may@talktalk.net<br />
Advertise your company in...<br />
To advertise your company in <strong>Aspire</strong>,<br />
call our sales team on 0116 262 4867<br />
As well as one week at our distribution<br />
points, each issue of <strong>Aspire</strong> is also available<br />
on our website for 3 months!<br />
Advertise With Us<br />
www.aspiremagazinegroup.co.uk<br />
6 ASPIRE<br />
ASPIRE 7
Retirement<br />
Golden<br />
Oldies<br />
Dream It,<br />
Situated in Leicester, in the heart of the East Midlands,<br />
Santorini Financial Planning offers financial planning for<br />
individuals and business owners across Leicestershire and<br />
into Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire.<br />
With almost 15 years’ experience as a financial advisor,<br />
company Director Matthew Walne established Santorini at<br />
the end of 2010. Offering advice on all aspects of financial<br />
planning including retirement investment planning and<br />
protection planning for your family or for your business,<br />
Matthew takes a more holistic approach to financial<br />
planning, focusing on what the client wants to achieve,<br />
what their motivation is, what they fear and what they want<br />
from life; this allows Matthew to fit each individual clients’<br />
financial architecture around their life.<br />
Matthew told <strong>Aspire</strong>: “Many clients actually get excited<br />
when they can see what’s achievable, and it’s not all<br />
money-related; for many people, spending more time<br />
with their family and less time at work is a dream, a dream<br />
we can help them achieve. At Santorini, we specialise in<br />
offering long-term advice for long-term financial planning.<br />
I would encourage <strong>Aspire</strong> readers to contact me if they’re<br />
Many people look forward to<br />
their retirement, seeing it as an<br />
opportunity to enjoy life and do all<br />
the things you always dreamed of<br />
doing, but never quite got round<br />
to. Nowadays, retirement isn’t the<br />
scary event it once was, when hitting<br />
your 60th or 65th birthday meant<br />
a carriage clock, weekly trips to the<br />
Post Office and taking life at a slower<br />
pace. Without the hectic nine-to-five<br />
working week, it leaves much more<br />
time to start experiencing all of those<br />
things you’ve never had time to do,<br />
such as hobbies and travel.<br />
Retirees are now following the example<br />
of gap year students and using their<br />
free time to indulge in holidays,<br />
especially those once-in-a-lifetime<br />
round-the-world trips. According<br />
to Leger Holidays, 4.6 million UK<br />
pensioners now spend their free time<br />
travelling the world. Whether you’re<br />
taking part of your pension as a lump<br />
sum, downsizing your house or using<br />
your savings, your retirement offers the<br />
chance to visit somewhere you’ve only<br />
ever dreamed of going.<br />
Making Your Money Work For You<br />
worried about their pension investments or their savings<br />
as these seem to be the two areas individuals are most<br />
concerned about at the moment. We’re living longer yet the<br />
state pension is still poor, for most, and with interest rates<br />
being so low, it can be hard to know where to invest your<br />
money to make a return. I can offer bespoke, individual<br />
advice specific to you on both these areas, and more.<br />
“I come across a number of common mistakes, such as not<br />
increasing your savings in line with your earnings, relying<br />
on the State Pension, not taking ongoing advice or relying<br />
on a Lottery win, to name but a few. Retirement planning<br />
is complicated and is a long-term project, there are usually<br />
no quick fixes. Don’t forget you need to provide yourself<br />
with an income in retirement for nearly as long as you are<br />
working so it’s important to get it right.”<br />
<strong>Aspire</strong> are so impressed with the ethos and attitude of<br />
Santorini, as well as the advice and expertise on offer, late<br />
last year we selected them for a Certificate of Recognition<br />
for Financial Services 2011. Matthew said: “Thank you so<br />
much for this recognition <strong>Aspire</strong>. It’s great to have such<br />
prestigious recognition so soon after starting my own<br />
To ensure you have the funds to afford<br />
a comfortable lifestyle during your<br />
retirement, organising a personal<br />
pension is vital. While the state pension<br />
allows everyone a safety net for their<br />
retirement, the reality is that the<br />
amount you receive may not be enough<br />
for your personal needs. Many people<br />
are beginning to find they need to keep<br />
working in order to supplement their<br />
pension fund, whether this was because<br />
they failed to save enough, or spent<br />
some time unemployed during their<br />
working life. If you don’t want to work<br />
once you reach the state retirement<br />
age (visit www.direct.gov.uk/en/<br />
Pensionsandretirementplanning/<br />
StatePension/DG_4017919 to<br />
calculate your individual retirement<br />
age), you need to ensure you firstly,<br />
have a pension scheme in place, and<br />
secondly, are saving enough money<br />
each month to provide sufficient funds<br />
for your retirement. For a personalised<br />
pension saving plan, <strong>Aspire</strong> would like<br />
to recommend enlisting the services<br />
of a financial advisor, such as Matthew<br />
Walne at Santorini Financial Planning.<br />
business. It’s a great boost and I hope it highlights my<br />
services to more <strong>Aspire</strong> readers, in order for me to help as<br />
many people as possible sort out their finances and plan for<br />
their future.”<br />
Travelling can be the most amazing,<br />
fun, enlightening and unforgettable<br />
experience that stays with you long<br />
after the suntan fades.<br />
A boutique travel agency specialising<br />
in creating your perfect Latin American<br />
experience, Latitude Journey guarantees<br />
to build a journey around your<br />
expectations, timescales and budget,<br />
based on the things you want from a<br />
holiday. The brain-child of passionate<br />
travellers Edd and Angela Tillen, Latitude<br />
Journey is a family-run company that<br />
dedicates lots of time and effort into<br />
creating your perfect tour.<br />
Edd told <strong>Aspire</strong>: “Latin America holds a<br />
special place in my heart as it’s where<br />
my wife, Angela and I met. I did the Inca<br />
Trail in Peru and she was a tour guide, we<br />
fell in love and decided to get married<br />
in 2009 after I proposed at the mouth of<br />
the Devil’s Throat in Iguazu Falls. Being<br />
from Derby, we invited my family over<br />
to Peru for the wedding and my parents,<br />
sisters and their families and two of my<br />
best friends made it over and I suppose<br />
that’s when our journey began. My mum is<br />
disabled, my dad is over 70 and my sisters<br />
have children aged seven to 17 so that in<br />
itself presented us with a number of travel<br />
and accommodation problems that we<br />
had to overcome. Angela and I were so<br />
grateful that so many people were coming<br />
over to Peru to share our special day that<br />
we wanted to do something special for<br />
them to say thank you, so we arranged<br />
for my parents to enjoy a Caribbean<br />
cruise from Miami before they came to<br />
Peru, my best friends completed the Inca<br />
trail and we arranged for my sisters and<br />
their children to visit the rainforest. The<br />
younger children were given diaries to<br />
complete and take back to their schools to<br />
make up for their missed time.<br />
“After getting married we moved back<br />
to the UK and began seriously thinking<br />
about setting up our own travel agency.<br />
We officially launched with a party in<br />
November 2011 at Revolution in Derby<br />
but the website didn’t launch until<br />
Christmas. We’re very new, but we work<br />
with experienced local operators, that<br />
Angela has worked with for years, who<br />
share our passion for ensuring everyone is<br />
able to experience Latin America on their<br />
own terms.”<br />
Latitude Journey can organise holidays<br />
to anywhere within South America but<br />
Edd and Angela are currently focusing on<br />
Peru, Bolivia, Brazil and Ecuador as Edd<br />
explained: “We have travelled all over<br />
South America but have spent the most<br />
time in these four countries so, at the<br />
moment, we want to focus on those. We<br />
definitely never want to sell a journey to<br />
anywhere we have never experienced for<br />
ourselves, so we plan to travel much more<br />
extensively throughout this stunning<br />
continent to discover more wonderful<br />
places. We’re not in this for the money; we<br />
just want to share our passion for Latin<br />
America, its people and the culture with as<br />
many people as possible.”<br />
The biggest expense when travelling to<br />
any South American country is the air<br />
fare, which can vary greatly from month<br />
to month. An economy flight to Peru in<br />
early June can cost as little as £550 but<br />
in August the same flight could set you<br />
back £1,000. “We have a few example<br />
itineraries on our website but as every<br />
tour is bespoke, you can add or remove<br />
anything you like; we’re 100% flexible. We<br />
have three main classes: basic, comfort<br />
or deluxe, to suit any individual need. All<br />
our holidays are tailor-made so they can<br />
incorporate as much or as little of each of<br />
these styles as you wish; for example, we<br />
can arrange an extra special night if you<br />
happen to be celebrating a birthday or<br />
anniversary whilst on holiday. We strongly<br />
believe that customers should not have to<br />
pay a premium for this bespoke service.<br />
We do offer a number of discounts<br />
including 15% for over 60s and students;<br />
however getting there in the first place is<br />
usually the biggest expense, once you’re<br />
actually in South America the cost of living<br />
day-by-day is actually very little,” Edd<br />
added.<br />
Edd and Angela highly recommend<br />
learning a little Spanish before<br />
travelling, to get the most out of your<br />
experience. As part of the service,<br />
they will help with this, and all other<br />
preparations for your journey. For<br />
more information, please visit<br />
www.latitudejourney.co.uk or call<br />
0116 3183518 to speak to Edd or<br />
Angela directly.<br />
Live It, Love It<br />
Where North meets South<br />
at The Equator, Ecuador<br />
Passengers with the Uros People on the<br />
Floating Islands of Lake Titicaca, Peru<br />
Sunset on the Pacific Coast in Lima, Peru<br />
Machu Picchu, one of the Wonders of the World, Peru<br />
Iguazu Falls, Biggest waterfalls in the<br />
world, Brazil / Argentina<br />
CONTACT US NOW<br />
TELEPHONE 0116 235 5733<br />
EMAIL info@santorini-fp.co.uk<br />
FAX 0116 227 1372<br />
WEB www.santorini-fp.co.uk<br />
Santorini Financial Planning Ltd is an Appointed Representative of Financial Ltd which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority<br />
Sunset on the Uyuni Salt Flats, Bolivia<br />
8 ASPIRE<br />
ASPIRE 9
Care<br />
Show You Care<br />
As progress in modern medicine continues to<br />
help us live longer, more and more of us can<br />
now expect to live in to our 80’s and 90’s. Whilst<br />
a healthy diet and plenty of exercise can help<br />
to keep us fitter for longer, many of us may still<br />
need a little extra help as we reach our twilight<br />
years, and as a result can become heavily<br />
dependent on others.<br />
Instead of struggling to complete a never ending list of<br />
domestic tasks around the home, or reluctantly asking a<br />
friend or family member for help, letting someone else<br />
take responsibility will free up more time for enjoying<br />
other activities. Home helpers can not only give you the<br />
extra medical help you require, but can also give you<br />
the support you need around the home and also when<br />
getting out and about. So, there’s no need to struggle<br />
alone.<br />
Many people, understandably, are reluctant to give up<br />
their own homes in order to enter residential care, so<br />
employing the services of a home carer may be a better<br />
option and can help you or your loved one regain their<br />
independence. No one likes to think about putting a<br />
family member into care, but for some of us it’s just not<br />
possible to provide the right care. In 2007, there were<br />
420,000 elderly or disabled people recorded as living in<br />
residential care homes and that number looks set to rise<br />
steadily as we continue to live longer.<br />
Many care homes today, pride themselves on their<br />
homely feel and personal service, but it’s important to ask<br />
the right questions before you agree to place your loved<br />
one there. Don’t be afraid to ask questions – remember<br />
you’re entitled to expect a service that suits your needs.<br />
All good care homes will be more than happy to answer<br />
any of your queries and may even offer a trial period to<br />
ensure it’s the right environment for the individual.<br />
Whether old or young, if you have mobility difficulties<br />
just getting to the shops and back can be a difficult task.<br />
Relying on other people just to get through the day can<br />
leave you feeling out of control and often, like you’ve<br />
lost your independence. There are numerous mobility<br />
companies out there who can provide advice about<br />
mobility aids that may help your day-to-day life run a<br />
little easier and give you back some of the independence<br />
you may have lost. From scooters and walking sticks to<br />
stairlifts and bathroom hoists, there are thousands of<br />
products specially designed to help you through the day.<br />
It’s not just our physical well-being but also our mental<br />
well-being that may need help from time to time.<br />
Counselling is a great way to talk about your problems<br />
with a non-judgemental trained expert who will just listen<br />
and equip you with the tools to work through your issues,<br />
enabling you to make the most of your life.<br />
Unfortunately, negative attitudes to mental illness<br />
continue to make it difficult for sufferers to talk about the<br />
serious issues affecting their everyday lives and mental<br />
health charity, Mind strongly believe the media are failing<br />
to give the issue the attention it needs. In a recent survey<br />
conducted by the charity, 45% of people admitted they<br />
couldn’t remember seeing any stories or reports about<br />
mental health in the media over the past 12 months.<br />
Earlier this year, it was discovered that music may have a<br />
positive effect on our mental well-being by boosting our<br />
feel-good chemicals. Experts from Nature Neuroscience<br />
found that volunteers who listened to music they enjoyed<br />
had dopamine levels of up to 9% higher than normal<br />
levels, leaving listeners in a better mood.<br />
First Step Awarded<br />
Certificate of Recognition<br />
Male sexual assault/abuse is one of the last great<br />
taboos; there’s great societal denial surrounding male<br />
sexual assault/abuse. Men are often, mistakenly,<br />
thought of as immune, safe and invulnerable; however<br />
these beliefs can also increase the pain that is felt by a<br />
male survivor of sexual assault.<br />
Established in May 1997, First Step provides support<br />
and one-to-one counselling for male survivors of sexual<br />
abuse, as well as their partners and family. First Step<br />
Co-ordinator, Cas Beckett, told <strong>Aspire</strong>: “First Step was<br />
founded by Alistair Hilton. He was looking for support<br />
for the sexual abuse he himself had suffered but there<br />
was nothing, so he founded First Step together with a<br />
group of abuse survivors that had become his friends<br />
and we’ve grown from there. The last two years have<br />
been very successful. We were getting by with no<br />
funding but were only helping four men a week; now<br />
Please fill in your contact details below...<br />
Name:<br />
Address:<br />
Tel:<br />
Email:<br />
we’ve managed to secure funding until 2014, we’re now<br />
able to help 24 men a week. The last two years have<br />
been a phenomenal success and I hope it continues.”<br />
Acknowledging the vital work First Step do, <strong>Aspire</strong> have<br />
awarded the charity with a Certificate of Recognition for<br />
Care & Support. <strong>Aspire</strong> Sales Executive, Emily Davison,<br />
said: “Whether you’re a man or a woman, sexual assault/<br />
abuse is traumatic; it’s vital to have someone you can<br />
turn to, someone you can trust. Unfortunately, men<br />
aren’t ‘supposed’ to talk about their feelings, so when<br />
something traumatic, like sexual abuse, happens to<br />
them, many assume they have to suffer in silence and<br />
just ‘get on with it’; this is not the case, which is why<br />
I had to nominate First Step for the excellent work<br />
they do. I’m so pleased to award this Certificate of<br />
Recognition to Cas and the team and I hope it leads to<br />
increased awareness of First Step’s services.”<br />
Donation Form<br />
Please help First Step continue their vital work by making a donation today:<br />
I would like to make a donation of £ and enclose a cheque/postal order made payable to First Step.<br />
Please return this form to<br />
First Step, Alliance House, 6 Bishop Street, Leicester LE1 6AF<br />
Registered Charity No: 1077147<br />
Registered Charity No: 1077147<br />
Serving Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland, First Step<br />
provides free, confidential one-to-one support and<br />
counselling for men, their partners, friends and families,<br />
who have stepped out of the shadows, broken their<br />
silence, and reached out to benefit from the services<br />
First Step provides.<br />
Cas added: “We understand how hard taking that ‘first<br />
step’ is, but would encourage any man suffering to<br />
contact us. We provide a non-judgemental ear that<br />
many men who use our service find invaluable. We<br />
know how important it is to just listen.”<br />
For more information on First Step, please visit<br />
www.firststepleicester.org<br />
For confidential support and advice, please call<br />
0116 2548535 or 07581 568144<br />
Alternatively email info@firststepleicester.org<br />
BOSWORTH<br />
HOMECARE<br />
Our company has been supporting<br />
people in their own homes since<br />
1996 and are the proud holders of<br />
the ‘Investors in People’ Award. Our<br />
high standard of domiciliary care is<br />
maintained and delivered to our<br />
clients via our committed, friendly<br />
and extremely well-trained care staff, who have been vetted and chosen to<br />
ensure the safety and best interests of our clients are being looked after at<br />
all times.<br />
We can offer: short-term, long-term and emergency help for<br />
up to 24 hours per day<br />
Personal care, Domestic care and Social Care.<br />
If you or a relative are considering some help and would<br />
like more information please contact our care team on:<br />
Tel: 01455 292648 (option 1)<br />
E-mail: managementteam@givecare.co.uk<br />
Keeping Your Stairlift in Tip Top Condition<br />
With Stairlift Maintenance Services<br />
Established in February 2006, Stairlift Maintenance<br />
Services provide a full range of repair and<br />
maintenance services for stairlifts in care homes<br />
and residential properties across the UK, as well as<br />
selling new and reconditioned stairlifts.<br />
Stairlift Maintenance Services was founded by Paul Ford, who<br />
has over 20 years’ experience supplying and maintaining<br />
stairlifts, as he explained: “Working in the industry, I noticed<br />
that manufacturers were charging a lot for their call outs<br />
once stairlifts were out of their one-year warranty. It seemed<br />
like there was a gap in the market, space for someone with<br />
the experience and knowledge I had, so I started Stairlift<br />
Maintenance Services. In the last six years, the business has<br />
steadily expanded and I now sell new and reconditioned<br />
stairlifts. It’s going pretty well and I actually look after the<br />
stairlifts for some big care companies, who have homes across<br />
the country.”<br />
Annual services are carried out by Paul and the team to ensure<br />
stairlifts are in the best condition. All the mechanics and<br />
fittings are expertly checked and recommendations are made<br />
on anything Paul feels may cause problems within the next<br />
12-month period, such as worn parts. Repairs can then be made<br />
should anything need updating or replacing.<br />
Stairlift Maintenance Services are also able to carry out repairs<br />
and attend call outs; these are usually handled with 24-hours<br />
to ensure customers aren’t struggling without their stairlift<br />
for any longer than necessary. Paul says: “We try and get as<br />
much information about the problem over the phone as, in<br />
Top Recommendation<br />
the past, we’ve managed to get the stairlift working again over<br />
the phone, negating the need for a call out charge. If we can’t<br />
get it working over the phone, the more information we have<br />
regarding the problem, the better equipped we can be –we<br />
can ensure we have any parts we think we may need in the van<br />
already.”<br />
Paul and the team can also install new and reconditioned<br />
stairlifts, as Paul explained: “Most of the installations we do<br />
are upgrades for people who already have a stairlift, but<br />
their stairlift is probably too old, meaning parts for it are very<br />
hard to come by. Manufacturers are always changing their<br />
products so certain models become obsolete after a while. We<br />
can usually install a stairlift within 10 days and we can even<br />
take the old stairlift away. If required, we can also provide a<br />
full demonstration of how the controls work – we offer a full<br />
service.”<br />
Stairlift Maintenance Services also provide extended warranties<br />
for stairlifts of all makes that are out of their one-year<br />
manufacturer’s guarantee. Paul said: “Extended warranties<br />
can be purchased at any time. We first of all carry out a full<br />
inspection and service of the lift to ensure it’s in top condition<br />
before we offer a warranty. Warranties are offered for a<br />
12-month period. We also rent out stairlifts.”<br />
For a free, no obligation quote, call 0800 0789087<br />
(freephone) or 07725 021335. Alternatively, please<br />
visit www.stairliftmaintenanceservices.co.uk<br />
10 ASPIRE<br />
ASPIRE 11
Antiques & Collectables<br />
In With The Old,<br />
Out With The New<br />
In a world where nearly everything is new, sometimes it’s nice to<br />
cherish a little bit of the past. Whether it’s an antique Chesterfield, a<br />
classic car or much loved childhood teddy bear, there comes a time<br />
when most of these things require a little tender loving care.<br />
It’s perhaps our surrounding heritage that has fuelled our nostalgic<br />
enthusiasm for the past; our buildings hold the secrets of centuries<br />
gone, our museums house ancient relics of all shapes and sizes, and<br />
ways of life from bygone eras have been well-documented.<br />
Our history has always captured our hearts and over the years the<br />
past has slowly crept into our homes as well. You are sure to have<br />
many items from the past around the home that perhaps look a little<br />
worse for wear. However, don’t be foolish and modernise items that<br />
may be valuable in their current state, especially antiques.<br />
Across the country, there are numerous experts who specialise<br />
in restoring old items back to their original glory; from furniture<br />
experts to oil painting restorers, floor refinishers to fabric specialists,<br />
if you have something precious that you would like to restore, then<br />
there’s an expert for the job.<br />
Don’t let just anybody loose with your treasured items; ask to see<br />
‘before and after’ photographs of previous projects the expert<br />
has completed. Most reputable restoration companies will have a<br />
portfolio of previous work for new clients to view and should be<br />
more than happy to show you. It’s well worth paying for someone<br />
whose talent and knowledge will enhance your item and hopefully<br />
its value, as once it’s been tarnished, there’s no going back!<br />
Auctions are a great place to pick up an antique, especially if you<br />
know what you’re looking for, but for work by up-and-coming artists,<br />
a visit to a local gallery is a must and may prove to be a fantastic<br />
investment. Whether you’re investing in a painting or a collectable<br />
piece of memorabilia, once you’ve splashed the cash there’s no point<br />
hiding your item away, have it framed, show it off and tell everyone<br />
all about it.<br />
Some people mistakenly believe that if an item’s old it must be<br />
an antique, however, it’s possible that the item may simply be a<br />
collectible. An antique is considered to be a valuable and collectible<br />
item whose beauty and age, rarity and unique features make it stand<br />
out amongst the crowd. To qualify as an antique, an item must be<br />
over 100-years-old and must be unaltered.<br />
The numerous TV programmes, including ‘Antiques Roadshow’, ‘Cash<br />
in the Attic’ and ‘Bargain Hunt’, and wealth of Internet resources<br />
dedicated to our love of antiques – as well as our dream of finding<br />
a rare and expensive piece lurking in our attics – has led many of us<br />
to believe that we know what we’re looking for when it comes to<br />
objects from the past. However, if a piece catches your eye, be sure<br />
to get an expert’s opinion before parting with your hard-earned cash<br />
to ensure that it’s the real deal.<br />
Olympic Supplement<br />
Support Team GB<br />
There are now just over 150 days to go until the 2012 Olympic Games in<br />
London. The Games will see 10,500 athletes from 204 nations descend upon<br />
our capital to take part in 26 different sporting events over 17 days (July 27th<br />
until August 12th). The Olympic Games are sure to inspire the nation, even our<br />
couch potatoes, into trying a sport they’ve never tried before…<br />
Megarrys Antiques<br />
Blackmore Essex<br />
Antiques<br />
* Verbal Valuations selling on commission<br />
* 18th, 19th & 20th Century furniture, in<br />
mahogany, walnut, oak and Pine<br />
* Ceramics, Glass, late 19th to mid-20th Century<br />
* Metalware - brass, copper, pewter, spelter, silver<br />
slate and small silver<br />
* Oil lamps and shades<br />
* 19th Century prints 20th Century paintings<br />
* Collectables - postcards, medals, bottles, beswick, Doulton, treen, scent bottles<br />
and jewellery<br />
* Garden antiques, cards, crafts & tea shop<br />
Opening Times Wednesday to Sunday 10am - 5pm<br />
Closed Mondays & Tuesdays<br />
Good Trade Call<br />
Jericho Cottage, The Duckpond Green, Blackmore, Essex CM4 0RR<br />
T: 01277 821031 | E: megarrys@yahoo.co.uk<br />
www.megarrysantiques.co.uk<br />
My Business has been trading<br />
for 25 years and I am a full<br />
member of the Guild of<br />
Mastercraftsmen as well as<br />
the Basketmakers Association.<br />
All types of cane work can<br />
be undertaken, including<br />
Basic, Blind, Curved and<br />
Danish Cord, Double Sided,<br />
Medallion, Natural Rush & Fibre Rush, Seagrass, Sunburst, Pre-Woven or Loom Cane, Rattan & Wicker<br />
Furniture. In addition, very fine canework can be undertaken (French style).<br />
I am a specialist in Lloyd Loom furniture, as recommended by Lloyd Loom of Spalding: repair, with<br />
respray in Lloyd Loom colours a further option available to customers. My business also specialises<br />
in the repair of Cane Bergere suites. All of the work is undertaken with the highest standards of<br />
workmanship and top quality materials.<br />
Throughout the past thirteen years, Cane Chairs Repaired has established itself as one of the most<br />
reliable and cost effective in the area. The size of the business means that customers receives that<br />
increasingly rare thing - personal attention.<br />
www.canechairs.co.uk<br />
From the wonder of the Opening Ceremony to the thrills of<br />
the sporting action, find out what will be happening where<br />
during London 2012 by visiting www.london2012.com<br />
The Olympic Park<br />
Picture taken on 5th December 2011 by Anthony Charlton<br />
12 ASPIRE<br />
ASPIRE 13
Support Team GB<br />
Countdown To The Olympics With<br />
Christopher Clarke<br />
With just over 150 days to go until the Olympic Games in London, the country<br />
will soon be gripped by Olympic fever. Although the Games take place over<br />
17 days, the athletes’ preparation begins much sooner. Features Writer, Laura<br />
Hyde, spoke to London 2012 Men’s 400m hopeful Christopher Clarke to find<br />
out a little more about training for such a massive event on the world-stage…<br />
How long have you been running and why did you start in the<br />
first place?<br />
“My twin brother, Ben, and I were very competitive from a young age and loved<br />
to play sports such as football, tennis and cricket as well as athletics through<br />
school. So we both joined the athletics team after that and it continued from<br />
there.”<br />
What are your hopes for London 2012?<br />
“As this is my first Olympic Games, my first goal is to qualify. The Aviva 2012<br />
Trails and Championships on 23rd and 24th June will determine whether<br />
I qualify or not. As I hope to compete in the Men’s 400m and the Men’s<br />
4x4oom Relay I need to run a time of at least 45.3 seconds or better and finish<br />
within the top two for the 400m, but for the 4x400m Relay I need to finish in<br />
the top five as six runners will be taken to the Olympic Games. At the World<br />
Championships in South Korea in August last year, I ran 44.99 seconds for<br />
my leg of the 4x400m Relay, so I know it’s within me to run 45.3 seconds. I<br />
hope to reach the Men’s 400m Final, but from there anything can happen; the<br />
ultimate aim would be a medal.”<br />
What are your hopes following London 2012?<br />
“I hope to be consistent among the world’s elite and consistently give<br />
performances that achieve medals at major championships, such as the<br />
European Championships, World Championships, Commonwealth Games<br />
and the next Olympics in Rio De Janiero, Brazil in 2016.”<br />
Are there any other athletes our readers should keep their eye<br />
on, either for London 2012, or beyond?<br />
“Nathan Woodward, who is an up and coming 400m hurdler with great talent<br />
and looking to do well this year following a great season last year. He trains<br />
in the group I do and he is training very well as the moment. We are both still<br />
quite young and looking to come on leaps and bounds this year.”<br />
How is your preparation for London 2012 going?<br />
“I’ve recently moved to a new coach, so we are still in the learning phase,<br />
discovering what training suits me best. We have decided not to change training<br />
much from last year’s training schedule, but seeing as this is a special year, you<br />
usually try to give a little more in every possible way. I train six days a week; on<br />
Mondays, I do sprint drills and a CV (cardiovascular) workout of about 15 to 20<br />
minutes, followed by body weight circuits in the evening. Tuesdays are usually<br />
track-based sessions consisting of high intensity reps, followed in the afternoon<br />
by aqua jogging, which works as recovery. Wednesdays are strength and<br />
conditioning in the gym; this sessions consists of a lot of weights, followed by 25<br />
minutes of CV. On Thursdays, I do a lighter running session, usually on the grass.<br />
Fridays are the same as Wednesdays, but without the CV workout, and more core<br />
strengthening. Saturdays could be a range of running sessions, depending on<br />
the week’s training, ranging from high intensity track sessions to low intensity,<br />
longer grass sessions. All sessions have their challenges and that’s what I love<br />
about athletics, but my favourites would have to be the high intensity running<br />
sessions, such as 3x300m with three minutes recovery then 12 minutes recovery,<br />
then 2x350m with four minutes recovery.”<br />
Wow! What’s a typical day like for you?<br />
“I wake up at 7:30am and prepare breakfast, which usually consists of either<br />
granola and Greek yoghurt or scrambled eggs on brown bread. I then pack<br />
my bag for training with all necessary equipment, such as running shoes or<br />
weightlifting shoes depending on what session I have. I will also pack a banana,<br />
cashew nuts and raisins as recovery snacks for after my session. Recovery snacks<br />
are important as they help my body recover faster, so I can work out to my full<br />
potential in the session the following day. If I did not have a recovery snack, my<br />
body wouldn’t have everything it needs for my muscles to function properly.<br />
Then I usually have lunch, followed by treatment with the physiotherapists,<br />
which can be anything from a sports massage to a general body assessment,<br />
followed by possible appointments with the nutritionist or psychologist. In the<br />
afternoon, I will have a further strength and conditioning session, which may<br />
include core and other exercises. The rest of the day is mine so I usually spend<br />
time on my other passions, which include music (playing the piano), playing<br />
chess or reading history books. I like to relax as much as possible after such a<br />
busy day, so the rest of the night I will cook a meal and rest.”<br />
You recently got back from three weeks warm weather training<br />
in Stellenbosch, near Cape <strong>Town</strong> in South Africa. How did you get<br />
on there?<br />
“South Africa was a great training aid due to the great weather and the simplicity<br />
of the whole training camp. All meals were prepared for us and we had no<br />
distractions, so we could just train and rest. I’ve been to this training camp twice<br />
before as it’s funded by UK Athletics, so I literally did just rest on my rest days. In<br />
the past though I have done the tourist thing and have been to Table Mountain,<br />
Nelson Mandela’s cell and to a zoo to hold lion cubs. Training for me went really<br />
well and my coach and I are happy with the way things are progressing towards<br />
the Olympic trials in June.”<br />
Fact File<br />
• Christopher was born in London on 25th January 1990<br />
• He is a twin - his twin brother Ben plays professional football<br />
in Australia<br />
• He currently lives in Loughborough, Leicestershire<br />
• He has an ear for music - he taught himself how to play both<br />
the piano and guitar<br />
• Christopher’s 400m Personal Best of 45.59 seconds was set<br />
at the European Junior Championships in Serbia in 2009<br />
• Christopher’s athletic idol/hero is Roger Black: “He was an<br />
inspirational athlete for Men’s British 400m running and I<br />
hope to emulate the success he had, and then some.”<br />
• As a Junior, Christopher won the World Youth Championship<br />
400m in 2007 in Ostrava, Czech Republic, the European<br />
Junior championships 400m and 4x400m Relay in 2009<br />
in Novi Sad, Serbia and 4x400m relay bronze medal at the<br />
World Junior Championships in 2006 in Bejing, China<br />
when he was just 16-years-old<br />
• As a Senior, he has a bronze medal from the 4x400m Relay at<br />
the World Indoor Championships in 2010 in Doha, Qatar<br />
We’ll be following Christopher’s road to the Olympics closely, so keep your eyes peeled in early July as we report on his progress at the<br />
Aviva 2012 Trials and Championships. Until then, follow Christopher on Twitter: @user1557chris
Support Team GB - Equestrian<br />
Support Team GBR With<br />
Dodson & Horrell Country Store<br />
www.Dodsonandhorrellcountrystore.co.uk<br />
Saddle Up & Go For<br />
Gold<br />
Image Courtesy Of Bob Martin<br />
Man has been riding horses for over 5,000 years.<br />
Anyone who has ever owned a horse will know the<br />
special bond horse and rider share and the endless<br />
joy they bring. The relationship between horse and<br />
rider is one of trust and builds up over time, but like<br />
any relationship, there has to be a bit of a spark to<br />
start with.<br />
Whether you are looking for a horse, simply for pleasure,<br />
for hacking, hunting, dressage, gymkhana or carriage<br />
driving, there are hundreds of breeds to choose from.<br />
From a beautifully poised horse from a top progeny to a<br />
more humble mare from a less renowned background,<br />
it’s so important for the right horse to be paired with the<br />
right rider.<br />
Horse riding is a sport that anyone, regardless of age,<br />
ability or background can have a go at. Horse riding is<br />
one of the most versatile sports you can take up. Once the<br />
basics have been mastered at one of the various places<br />
where you can learn to ride, you can even progress to<br />
show jumping and dressage events.<br />
The Equestrian Team GBR competes across a number<br />
of disciplines and has enjoyed great success on the<br />
World and European stage; from 2000 to 2009 Team<br />
GBR has won 108 medals across dressage, eventing<br />
and showjumping at Youth Level, 78 medals in paraequestrian<br />
dressage, 20 senior medals in the Olympic<br />
sports and 10 senior medals in the non-Olympic sports.<br />
It’s not hard to see why Team GBR is regarded as being<br />
one of the best in the world.<br />
The Olympic Games feature three equestrian disciplines;<br />
dressage, eventing and showjumping, whilst the<br />
Paralympic Games features para-equestrian dressage.<br />
In Athens and Beijing, Team GBR won 22 medals in both<br />
eventing and para-equestrian dressage.<br />
The Olympic Opening Ceremony takes place on 27th July<br />
and will be followed by 12 days of equestrian competition<br />
with the world’s best athletes competing for six gold<br />
medals in the Olympic disciplines of eventing, dressage<br />
and jumping. Greenwich Park, on the south bank of the<br />
River Thames in south east London, will play host to the<br />
2012 Olympic and Paralympic Equestrian competitions,<br />
plus the combined running and shooting event of the<br />
Modern Pentathlon.<br />
The Paralympic Games starts on 30th August; the Games<br />
will see the world’s best para-equestrian dressage<br />
riders battle it out for team and individual glory, with<br />
a total 11 gold medals up for grabs over the six days.<br />
Paralympic Game athletes are classified according to<br />
their disability across five grades: Grade Ia is for athletes<br />
whose impairment has the greatest impact on their<br />
ability to ride, through to Grade IV for athletes whose<br />
impairment has the least impact on their ability to ride.<br />
Grades determine the complexity of the movements that<br />
the riders perform with their horses and ensure the tests<br />
can be judged on the skill of the rider, regardless of their<br />
disability.<br />
To read Equestrian Performance Director Will's<br />
blog as he and the team prepare for 2012, visit<br />
equestrianteamgbr.blogspot.com<br />
Did You Know?<br />
• There are over 200 breeds of horses in<br />
the world<br />
• Equestrian is the only Olympic sport<br />
in which men and women compete<br />
against each other on equal terms.<br />
• The oldest horse was named Old Billy.<br />
He was a cross breed, born in 1760<br />
and he lived to be 62.<br />
• The Cross Country course in Eventing<br />
is between 5,700 and 6,840m long.<br />
• The World's Largest Horse was a<br />
Shire gelding named Samson,<br />
measuring 21.2 1/2 hand high in<br />
1850, and weighed 3,360 pounds.<br />
• Women first participated in Olympic<br />
Eventing at the 1952 Helsinki Games.<br />
Pippa Funnel (GBR) riding Billy Shannon at fence<br />
5 on the Cross Country course at the Greenwich<br />
Park Olympic test event with Canary Wharf in<br />
the distance.<br />
Is an injury to your horse stopping you riding?<br />
Conditions you can treat include:<br />
Wounds/abscesses<br />
Skin conditions such as mud fever<br />
Musculo - skeletal injuries<br />
Inflammation & swelling<br />
Pain<br />
Plus many more<br />
Try new LED red light therapy<br />
Quick and very simple - used by equine therapists,<br />
olympic riders, competition stables, rehabilitation<br />
centres and hobby riders to:<br />
• Speed up healing<br />
• Reduce scarring<br />
• Provide drug-free pain relief<br />
• Help improve the performance of your horse<br />
Local treatments now available in your area by<br />
Tori Graham - qualified equine therapist with specialities in<br />
McTimoney Corely, Bowen therapy and sports massage.<br />
Or hire a unit to treat your own horse. *<br />
* Under the guidance of your own professional equine therapist<br />
This treatment can provide amazing results so if you are stuck and looking<br />
to try something new for injuries or other conditions , contact us.<br />
Pharmalight UK<br />
Office 4, Broad March, Daventry, Northamptonshire NN11 4HE<br />
Tel: 01327 310909/ Mob: 07801 698488<br />
Email: info@danetrehealthproducts.com<br />
www.pharmalight.co.uk<br />
Using light to enhance performance & healing<br />
Serious about horses, Konabo is a British Equestrian company dedicated to<br />
developing high quality, performance products for both horse and rider. Our<br />
product range is continually evolving so please visit our website regularly where<br />
you can also register your interest in receiving updates of all our new products.<br />
Our PRO range of horse rugs incorporating the innovative Hy-Liner system is<br />
currently for sale. Our Total Pro rug got a 5* Tried & Tested Review in Eventing<br />
magazine:<br />
“This was brilliant for my horse who is prone to getting itchy and scurfy skin<br />
when rugged up for the winter. The two interchangeable linings meant that it<br />
was easy to wash one and use another so he had clean linings close to his skin<br />
for the duration of the cold weather. The rug was highly waterproof and it fitted<br />
his shoulders really nicely. The liners didn’t rub and his mane stayed intact.”<br />
Lauren Barber (Tester)<br />
New products will be arriving in the spring.<br />
Please visit www.konabo.com or call 01832 710937<br />
to discuss your requirements.<br />
• Master Saddler<br />
• Qualified Saddle fitter<br />
• Award-winning Side<br />
saddle Specialist<br />
* Saddle Fitting service, including Flair,<br />
with onsite adjustments<br />
* Full repair service for all types of leatherwork<br />
Stockist for: Kent & Masters, Thorowgood<br />
and Wow Saddles.<br />
The Midland Side Saddlery Centre, Pittern Hill Stables,<br />
Kineton, Warwickshire CV35 0JF<br />
Tel: 01926 640869<br />
Email: info@lauradempseysaddler.com<br />
www.lauradempseysaddler.co.uk<br />
Central Clipper Care UK<br />
The Clipper Specialists<br />
Farm Cottage, Butlers Marston,<br />
Warwickshire CV35 ONG<br />
Drop Off/Collection<br />
Windmill Farm, Banbury Road (A422)<br />
Oxhill, Warwickshire CV35 0RP<br />
Sales . Service . Sharpening . Parts<br />
All work done on the premises by qualified people !<br />
Open Monday - Saturday 8am to 5pm<br />
Tel: 01926 641 278<br />
Tina: 07837 557783 Ian: 07779 643881<br />
Email: iancrockett8@aol.com<br />
21 Downlands Avenue, Bexhill-on<br />
Sea, East Sussex TN39 3PL<br />
Tel/Fax: 01424 215 222<br />
Email: info@cozeehomes.co.uk<br />
www.cozeehomes.co.uk<br />
Static and Mobile Timber Stable<br />
Manufacturers, Field Shelters,<br />
Workshops and Animal Housing<br />
Cozee Homes Equestrian Buildings Ltd, are<br />
manufacturers of quality hand-built wooden<br />
buildings. We have been trading since 2003,<br />
and moved to our current larger premises in<br />
2007.<br />
With over 23 years experience building and<br />
erecting stables, you can be sure that you are<br />
getting the bespoke building of your choice,<br />
at a very competitive price. Our extensive<br />
knowledge of stabling manufacture and<br />
equine ownership will see you through the<br />
ordering process with ease and reassurance.<br />
Model Farm, Harbury<br />
Bed and breakfast with overnight stabling<br />
Model Farm is a working farm, providing excellent B&B facilities,<br />
in 14 acres of land, with spacious gardens and patio, all set in<br />
the wonderful Warwickshire countryside.<br />
Full, Part or DIY Horse Livery Currently Available.<br />
* High quality stabling<br />
* Parking for horse boxes and vehicles<br />
* An exercise area for horses kept on the farm<br />
We supply a serviced livery providing a safe, secure location<br />
for horse owners to leave their horses in full confidence that the<br />
level of care required will be delivered on a daily basis.<br />
Bush Heath Road, Harbury, Royal Leamington Spa CV33 9JH<br />
Tel: 01926 613988<br />
Email: jacquelin@bloxham1.orangehome.co.uk<br />
www.modelfarm-harbury.co.uk
Support Team GB<br />
Earlier in February, The London<br />
Organising Committee of the<br />
Olympic and Paralympic Games<br />
(LOCOG) announced the details of<br />
the lighting of the Olympic Flame<br />
for the London 2012 Olympic<br />
Games on 10th May, and its arrival<br />
into the UK on 18th May. The<br />
Flame will travel around the UK<br />
for 70 days on the Olympic Torch<br />
Relay from 19th May to 27th July,<br />
presented by Coca-Cola, Lloyds TSB<br />
and Samsung.<br />
Organised by the Hellenic Olympic<br />
Committee (HOC), the Olympic Flame<br />
will be lit mid-morning (BST) on 10th May<br />
using the sun's rays at the Temple of Hera<br />
in Olympia, in a traditional hour-long<br />
ceremony, among the historic ruins of the<br />
home of the ancient Games.<br />
From the Lighting Ceremony in Olympia,<br />
the HOC will take the Olympic Flame on<br />
an eight-day relay around Greece before<br />
arriving at the Panathenaic Stadium<br />
in Athens on 17th May for the official<br />
Olympic Flame Handover Ceremony.<br />
During an early evening (BST) hourlong<br />
ceremony, the Olympic Flame<br />
will be handed over to a London 2012<br />
representative.<br />
The Greek leg of the Torch Relay will<br />
showcase the beauty and history of the<br />
Greek mainland and islands to the world.<br />
The second Torchbearer on the first day<br />
and the penultimate Torchbearer on the<br />
last day of the Greek leg will be chosen by<br />
London 2012. Both Torchbearers will be<br />
inspirational people from the UK whose<br />
names will be confirmed nearer the time.<br />
British Airways, the official airline partner<br />
of the London 2012 Games and Supporter<br />
of the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay,<br />
will carry the Olympic Flame on board<br />
flight ‘BA2012’ - a gold-liveried aircraft<br />
from Athens into the UK on 18th May. The<br />
specially chartered Airbus 319 will also<br />
transport the official delegation of UK<br />
representatives to and from the Athens<br />
Handover Ceremony.<br />
As the Olympic Flame is classified as<br />
a symbolic flame, it is permitted to be<br />
carried on board an aircraft subject<br />
to special authorisation from the Civil<br />
Aviation Authority. The Flame will travel in<br />
a ceremonial lantern that is secured in a<br />
specially designed cradle which is, in turn,<br />
firmly fixed to its seat on the plane using<br />
a secure holding device. The lantern is<br />
designed so the Olympic Flame can burn<br />
safely for up to 30 hours.<br />
The Flame will arrive into the UK at RNAS<br />
Culdrose, near Helston in Cornwall early<br />
evening (BST) of 18th May. In addition<br />
to being close to the start point of the<br />
Torch Relay at Land’s End, the arrival at<br />
RNAS Culdrose acknowledges the vital<br />
contribution that maritime and coastal<br />
search and rescue services undertake<br />
for our island nation. RNAS Culdrose,<br />
home to most of the Navy’s Merlin and<br />
Sea King helicopter squadrons that are<br />
supporting operations around the world,<br />
also offers a beautiful Cornish setting in<br />
which an estimated 1000 guests, media<br />
and members of the local community are<br />
expected to welcome the Olympic Flame.<br />
On the morning of 19th May, the Olympic<br />
Flame will then travel from RNAS Culdrose<br />
to Land’s End ready for the start of the<br />
London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay. The<br />
Olympic Flame will travel 8,000 miles<br />
across the UK to within 10 miles of 95%<br />
of the population; 8,000 Torchbearers will<br />
carry the Olympic Flame for approximately<br />
300 metres each, passing the Olympic<br />
Flame from torch to torch until it reaches<br />
the Olympic Stadium on the eve of 27th<br />
July.<br />
For further information, please visit<br />
www.london2012.com<br />
Find out the latest from London 2012<br />
HQ on the official blog<br />
http://blog.london2012.com<br />
or follow them on Twitter:<br />
@London 2012<br />
STAFFED BY RUNNERS<br />
• Personnel Service<br />
• Gait Analysis<br />
• Mail Order Welcome<br />
Opening Hours<br />
Mon - Thurs: 9:30am - 5:30pm | Fri: 10am - 5:30pm | Sat: 9am - 5pm<br />
Stockist of :<br />
• Asics • Mizuno • Saucony • Brooks • Gore<br />
• Ronhill • Garmin • Polar • Hilly • Falke • Timex<br />
Come & visit our specialist running shop for all your needs.<br />
11 St Leonards Rd, Far Cotton, Northampton NN4 8DL<br />
Tel : 01604 701961 Email: judith@therunningshop.org.uk<br />
www.therunningshop.org.uk<br />
Following<br />
The Flame<br />
Best Western<br />
Weston Hall Hotel<br />
Weston Hall Hotel Conference &<br />
Banqueting Centre is a stunning<br />
16th Century, Grade II Listed,<br />
three-star accommodation<br />
• Tranquil, rural setting<br />
• Two function rooms: The Manor Suite<br />
& The Middlemarch Suite<br />
• 37 en-suite rooms - some adapted<br />
for disabled guests<br />
• Free of charge parking<br />
Weston Hall Hotel Conference &<br />
Banquet Centre on 02476 312989 or<br />
log onto www.westonhallhotel.co.uk.<br />
Alternatively, email<br />
info@westonhallhotel.co.uk<br />
Image Courtesy Of LOCOG<br />
Jackson<br />
Caravans<br />
New and secondhand<br />
vans for sale<br />
• 10% discount on all new vans<br />
• 15 minutes from the sea<br />
• No connection charges<br />
Tel: 01754 763910<br />
92 Burgh Road,<br />
Skegness, Lincolnshire<br />
Put Your Best Foot Forward<br />
With Salts Techstep<br />
Olympic fever will soon be gripping the<br />
nation, inspiring us all to get up off the<br />
sofa and outside, into the fresh air to<br />
have a go at one of the numerous sports<br />
for ourselves. If you’ve not exercised for<br />
a while, or have trouble with blisters,<br />
<strong>Aspire</strong> would like to recommend<br />
HydroHeel is the first blister prevention<br />
product made from skin-friendly<br />
hydrocolloid shaped for happy heels.<br />
Created by Salts Techstep, part of the Salts<br />
Healthcare Group, HydroHeel can be used<br />
to prevent blisters forming, reduce friction<br />
and minimise skin trauma, making it ideal<br />
for anyone who often finds themselves<br />
reaching for the plasters after a long day<br />
at work, or a night out.<br />
Now for the science bit: A hydrocolloid<br />
is composed of materials that display<br />
fundamentally different characteristics,<br />
making it an exceptional skin contact<br />
adhesive for use in many different<br />
circumstances. The hydrocolloid is a<br />
pressure-sensitive adhesive, where<br />
a small amount of force placing the<br />
inherently tacky product on the skin<br />
gives an immediate adhesion that builds<br />
in strength over time. Hydrocolloids are<br />
well-known for their capability to absorb<br />
large amounts of fluid, while maintaining<br />
a cohesive structure and adhesive bond<br />
to the skin.<br />
Using HydroHeel is really simple: just<br />
make sure the HydroHeel is centered<br />
on the blister and big enough to cover<br />
it completely, without the blister being<br />
anywhere near an edge. Firm down the<br />
plaster all around the edges to make a<br />
good, clean seal. Within hours, you'll see<br />
a little white blob forming in the middle<br />
where the plaster is removing moisture<br />
from the blister helping it to heal.<br />
Once HydroHeel is in place, leave it alone<br />
for a few days. You may have to wait a<br />
week until you can safely remove it. Just<br />
watch, wait, and be patient. Take the<br />
plaster off very slowly and carefully when<br />
you think it’s ready. Eventually, the skin<br />
will be as good as new.<br />
As well as HydroHeel, Salts Techstep<br />
also offer HydroTape, the first blister<br />
prevention product on a roll. HydroTape<br />
is the simple, flexible and effective way to<br />
combat friction points anywhere on your<br />
skin. It can be used on hands - fingers,<br />
thumbs and palms, and feet - heels and<br />
toes. Being able to cut HydroTape offthe-roll<br />
to your required length is a huge<br />
comfort benefit to a wide range of people<br />
including runners, rowers and cyclists.<br />
Tried & Tested<br />
To really put HydroHeel through its paces,<br />
we asked Team GB athlete and London<br />
2012 400m hopeful, Christopher Clarke,<br />
to test it out for us during a training<br />
session. He said: “This was a great help<br />
and an effective resource to combat the<br />
discomfort of blisters and other pain<br />
while training at a high intensity. It helped<br />
assist me in my training sessions, where I<br />
previously may have needed to stop due to<br />
the pain from rubbing. I would definitely<br />
recommend HydroHeel to fellow athletes.”<br />
To find out more about HydroHeel/<br />
HydroTape, email hydro.tape@salts.co.uk<br />
or visit www.saltstechstep.co.uk/otherfoot-care/hydrocolloid-blister-packs<br />
Salts Techstep is the established leader in<br />
the manufacture of custom-made surgical<br />
footwear, with a proven reputation for<br />
quality, innovation, value for money and<br />
service. They also supply and manufacture:<br />
• NovaPED <strong>Football</strong> Insoles -<br />
developed to help alleviate the<br />
symptoms of common foot conditions<br />
experienced by professional footballers,<br />
as well as to provide more protection<br />
and improve foot posture to reduce<br />
musculoskeletal injuries.<br />
• NovaPED Golf Arch Supports - developed<br />
to fit the specialist needs of a golf<br />
player by improving the course of<br />
motions during tee-off and backswing.<br />
• LucRo Socks - specifically designed for<br />
diabetes sufferers.<br />
• Stepahead Elite Insoles - a significant<br />
upgrade to traditional EVA devices, with<br />
longer-lasting foam memory, it is the<br />
material of choice for the at-risk foot.<br />
• Shuform - footwear for healthcare<br />
workers, coated with advanced silver<br />
chloride technology to keep MRSA at<br />
bay.<br />
Salts Techstep have it all!<br />
Visit the Salts Techstep website -<br />
www.saltstechstep.co.uk - for<br />
more info on any of these products
Seasonal Gardening<br />
Get Fit At Home With<br />
Jordan Fitness<br />
Beautiful Blooms From<br />
Eurobulbs<br />
Established 25 years ago by Neil<br />
Jordan, Jordan Fitness specialise<br />
in the design and manufacture<br />
of commercial quality free<br />
weights, flooring and studio<br />
equipment for use at home and<br />
in gyms across the UK, as well as<br />
throughout the USA and Europe.<br />
In the last 10 years, the brand has<br />
gathered pace and is now one of the<br />
leading suppliers of functional fitness<br />
equipment in Europe.<br />
Emma Gosling, Jordan Fitness MD, said:<br />
“We’re constantly refining existing designs<br />
and producing new equipment based on<br />
customer feedback; this helps us remain<br />
at the forefront of the fitness industry.<br />
Our friendly and knowledgeable team of<br />
fitness professionals not only offer a firstclass<br />
service, but they’re also happy to<br />
advise customers on any of our products<br />
when necessary.”<br />
Aimed at the fitness industry, the<br />
majority of Jordan’s equipment is ideal<br />
for resistance training at home or in the<br />
gym. The Jordan brand can be found in<br />
commercial and independent gyms, MOD<br />
sites all over the world, including Camp<br />
Bastion in Afghanistan, prisons across the<br />
UK and elite sports clubs including F1<br />
and Premier League clubs. In fact, they’ve<br />
most recently supported the contestants<br />
on ITV1’s ‘Biggest Loser’.<br />
As well as Jordan’s own equipment, the<br />
company also distributes Powerbag,<br />
Alpha Strong and Lifeline USA equipment.<br />
Emma added: “I think what sets us apart<br />
is the quality of our products; they’re all<br />
made for commercial use, so you can<br />
rest assured you’ll be buying a tried and<br />
tested piece of equipment that’s been<br />
designed, developed and manufactured<br />
for quality, as well as maximum benefit to<br />
the end user. Everything we sell has been<br />
tried and tested in a gym, which receives<br />
a lot of traffic, so you know you’re getting<br />
something robust, something that will<br />
last, something of quality that cannot<br />
be compared to the usual ‘home’ fitness<br />
equipment. This is obviously reflected<br />
in the prices, which we aim to keep as<br />
competitive as possible, but you really are<br />
paying for exceptional quality.”<br />
Instruction DVDs are also<br />
available to buy with all Jordan’s<br />
equipment, and discounts are even<br />
offered when bought with the relevant<br />
fitness equipment. Emma added: “As well<br />
as equipment, we also run REPs accredited<br />
courses nationwide for trainers and PTs<br />
looking to learn all about our wide range<br />
of equipment, both for themselves and<br />
their clients, to get the maximum benefit<br />
from the equipment.”<br />
A recent addition to the Jordon range<br />
is the Bobby Hinds Lifeline USA range.<br />
Jordan’s were kind enough to send us<br />
the Lifeline USA Train-Station (for door<br />
or wall) so we could enlist the expertise<br />
of Christopher Clarke (pictured), Team<br />
GB 400m athlete. Chris says: “Jordan’s<br />
supplied me with some great equipment<br />
to use at home. I took great pleasure in<br />
using the Train-Station, as well as the<br />
Jordan brand 16kg kettle bell; they really<br />
helped me maintain the strength and<br />
conditioning work I have to carry out<br />
at the athletics track, without having to<br />
leave the house. They were really easy to<br />
set up and the instructional leaflet clearly<br />
showed some really good exercises to<br />
do. I would recommend this to anyone,<br />
athlete or not, as an easy way to perform<br />
day-to-day exercise from the convenience<br />
of your own home. I will definitely be<br />
spreading the word about the products<br />
Jordan Fitness has to offer.”<br />
The Train-Station is not only perfect for<br />
training at home, it’s also ideal for taking<br />
your fitness routine on the road. Weighing<br />
in at just one-and-a-half pounds, the<br />
multi-function Train Station just loops<br />
over a nearby door, so you can get to<br />
work almost anywhere, working your<br />
back, shoulders, legs, core, arms, hips<br />
and more. Direct from Jordan Fitness, this<br />
revolutionary piece of equipment costs<br />
just £49.17 plus p&p.<br />
For more information, or to see the full range of Jordan’s excellent<br />
products, please visit www.jordanfitness.co.uk<br />
or call 01945 880257.<br />
UK<br />
Now that the snow has thawed and the<br />
milder weather is on the way, we’d like to<br />
encourage you to get out in to your garden<br />
to get it ready for the summer months. By<br />
spending a little time outside now you’ll not<br />
only reap the benefits of fresh air, but you’ll<br />
also be able to sit back and relax, enjoying<br />
the fruits of your labour come summertime.<br />
A family-run business, Eurobulbs UK Ltd specialise in high<br />
quality cultivated bulbs, especially Snowdrops and True<br />
English Bluebells. Established in 1999, Eurobulbs take<br />
extra care and attention into cultivating each of one of<br />
their top quality bulbs; their aim is to supply your garden<br />
with the best blooms and as each bulb is graded, sorted<br />
and inspected by staff, you are ensured to receive only the<br />
highest quality product.<br />
Based in the Fens, East Anglia Eurobulbs was founded<br />
by Linda Fitt after successfully building up a string of<br />
similar businesses; despite having the opportunity to<br />
retire, Linda threw herself into setting up a new project,<br />
cultivating many rare, sought after bulbs, and over ten<br />
years later, business is blooming.<br />
Linda told <strong>Aspire</strong>: “We stock an extensive range of bulbs,<br />
so whether you’re looking for common bulbs or slightly<br />
more unusual varieties, we have something for you.<br />
We’re proud of our long history in the industry and our<br />
experience in cultivating the highest quality bulbs. We’re<br />
currently coming to the end of the Snowdrop season, so if<br />
you’re looking for Snowdrops in the green, April is the last<br />
opportunity to get them in the ground; however, as one<br />
season ends, another is in full swing, so if you’re looking<br />
to create a carpet of bluebells in your garden, we’ve<br />
English Bluebells in abundance.”<br />
Whether you’re looking for common bulbs or slightly<br />
more unusual varieties, you are sure to find something<br />
you fancy in the Eurobulbs vast range. As well as the<br />
traditional and much loved common Snowdrop - or<br />
Galanthus Nivalis to use its Latin name - Eurobulbs also<br />
cater for those who may be looking for a more unusual<br />
or uncommon variety of this early flowering bulb. One<br />
of the varieties of Snowdrop available for order include<br />
the Galanthus Elwesii, which is a very tall and distinctive,<br />
early flowering bulb and one of the most popular bulbs<br />
supplied due to its large, broad grey/green leaves.<br />
Galanthus ‘S. Arnott’, a strongly scented flower is also a<br />
firm favourite with customers and grows between ten and<br />
18cm high. Prices vary from 100 single Snowdrops for £9<br />
to £2 each for rarer bulbs.<br />
As a protected<br />
species, Bluebells<br />
can be hard to<br />
come by which<br />
is why these<br />
bulbs prove so<br />
popular<br />
with Eurobulbs<br />
customers.<br />
Linda added:<br />
“Removing a wild<br />
Bluebell bulb is<br />
strictly prohibited<br />
by law, but we know<br />
how beautiful this English flower is, which<br />
is why we’re one of the only companies, as well as the<br />
largest, in Britain that produce and sell Bluebells. Each<br />
year, we collect the seeds from our Bluebells, meaning<br />
we can ensure each year the bulbs we’re selling are TRUE<br />
English Bluebells. We also collect Bluebell seeds each<br />
year from our stock, ensuring the supplied bulbs are true<br />
English Bluebells. As well as being an established, familyrun<br />
business, we have many years experience of growing<br />
bulbs, and because of this, our Bluebells have become<br />
one of the most sought after, mainly because they are so<br />
difficult to get hold of.”<br />
As well as top quality bulbs, Linda is also keen to offer her<br />
customers tips for planting and caring for their products,<br />
she says: “I would recommend transplanting during<br />
spring or ‘in the green’ for our Snowdrops, between<br />
January and April. They need very little care, plant them<br />
in fertile soil, ensure you keep them watered and don’t let<br />
them dry out. We always add a little liquid feed when the<br />
leaves are dying down. They are very easy to manage.”<br />
This long running business is able to cater to anyone,<br />
anywhere in Britain and Europe, and customers are so<br />
impressed, they return year after year. Linda explains: “We<br />
have many repeat customers, a large number of which<br />
order up to five or six times in one season, and they know<br />
the quality will be second to none. Our customer service<br />
is always friendly and helpful, and we aim to have our<br />
bulbs with you 24 hours after dispatch, with an overnight<br />
delivery service.”<br />
For a wide range of traditional and extraordinary bulbs, you will find a<br />
huge choice on the Eurobulbs website - www.eurobulbs.co.uk - or by<br />
requesting a catalogue.<br />
Eurobulbs UK<br />
Tel: 01945 430009 | Email: info@eurobulbs.co.uk<br />
ASPIRE 21
Seasonal Gardening<br />
In recent years, more and more people (including the Obamas and The Queen) have<br />
been getting green-fingered and have given ‘growing your own’ a go. A number of<br />
factors have aided in this revolution: firstly, the recession then following economic<br />
hardship has made many of us question every penny we spend and growing your<br />
own veggies is so much cheaper than buying them from a supermarket: secondly,<br />
the increased awareness of where our food comes from and how far it travels from<br />
field to plate has made many carbon-conscious wannabe gardeners give it a go:<br />
finally, those that want to eat organic but can’t afford it have taken to growing their<br />
own as they know exactly what has, and hasn’t, been sprayed on their veg.<br />
If you’ve never given it a go, either because you’re not very green-fingered, or because<br />
you don’t think you have the room, I’d like to encourage you to make 2012 the year you<br />
do give it a go; there’s a whole host of fruit and veggies that can be grown in the smallest<br />
of spaces and a wide variety that grow without much fuss, just a sunny spot and a daily<br />
water is all that’s needed.<br />
First thing is first, where are you going to grow said veggies; well, if you have an<br />
established garden, you could convert one of your flower beds into a veggie patch, or<br />
you could dig up a bit of lawn. For those of you who aren’t green-fingered at all so have<br />
no idea what’s lurking in your garden, why not spend the afternoon clearing some space<br />
and giving the soil a boost by adding some compost before you plant anything.<br />
A great way to grow veggies is in a raised bed. These ease the strain on your back as you<br />
bend over less when weeding and planting and they also warm up quicker, meaning<br />
you’ll be enjoying crops before those ground-growing gardeners. Raised beds are also<br />
ideal for those gardens with a heavy clay soil as they create good drainage; so obviously<br />
if you have sandy soil in your garden, a raised bed may not be the best solution as you’ll<br />
be constantly watering your veggies.<br />
If you don’t have much room in your garden, or even no garden to speak of at all, you can<br />
still grow your own vegetables. Certain veggies will grow happily in pots on windowsills,<br />
in window boxes or even on balconies. Tumbling Tom tomatoes will flourish in hanging<br />
baskets, whilst potatoes grow well in compost bags. Beans and peas, which grow<br />
vertically, will be quite happy climbing up trellis, wooden frames or even bamboo sticks<br />
in the shape of a wigwam.<br />
If you’re new to gardening, it’s advisable to start with veggies that are relatively easy to<br />
grow to ensure you have some reward for your hard work and time. Our top, easy-togrow<br />
veggies include: courgettes, beetroot, garlic, lettuce, runner beans, potatoes and<br />
tomatoes. However, the best vegetables to grow are ones that you actually enjoy eating<br />
and will use in a variety of dishes – there’s no point being overrun by courgettes if you<br />
will never cook with them. Once you get the hang of when to plant what and how often<br />
to weed and water, your repertoire will increase and you can enjoy a whole host of<br />
unusual and exotic vegetables and fruit.<br />
Once your veggies are fighting fit, make sure you water them well in dry weather, and<br />
keep the area free of weeds to ensure your crop is getting all the water and nutrients it<br />
needs – a little bit of TLC will ensure you get a bumper crop of delicious vegetables for<br />
the whole family to enjoy.<br />
It’s a great idea to get your children involved as it may encourage them to eat a wider<br />
variety of fruit and vegetables. Buy them some children’s tools and get them to check the<br />
growth and progress of each veggie, and you’ll be amazed how many previously refused<br />
veggies are now eaten with delight, and pride.<br />
Don’t be disheartened and give up if your first year doesn’t go exactly to plan; everyone<br />
has a few mishaps and disasters, so just keep trying and keep planting and you’ll soon be<br />
enjoying home-grown food throughout the year!<br />
Get Gardening… Then Cooking<br />
A Beginners’ Guide To Garden Tools<br />
You don’t need to spend hundreds of pounds on<br />
the latest high-tech equipment, but there are a few<br />
essentials every gardener needs…<br />
• Spade – essential for digging, good spades<br />
can break and move soil efficiently.<br />
• Fork – potentially more useful than spades<br />
when clearing new ground and breaking firm soil.<br />
• Rake – you’ll need to level your soil once it’s been dug and<br />
that’s when you’ll need this little piece of kit.<br />
• Hoe – best used for chopping heads off annual weeds, a<br />
hoe can make light work of weeding; make sure you<br />
hoe on hot and dry days so weeds don’t re-root.<br />
• Trowel – an invaluable digging tool, a trowel is<br />
ideal for planting and weeding; use the pointed<br />
end to make furrows when seed sowing.<br />
• Shears – ideal for keeping plants and bushes under<br />
control, as well as keeping your lawn edges looking neat<br />
and tidy.<br />
• String – it may seem primitive, but tying a length of string<br />
to two sticks enables you to plant/sow in straight lines.<br />
by Laura Hyde<br />
What to Plant This Month:<br />
As we’re now into late winter, the ground<br />
is still hard with frost so planting should<br />
be reserved to the greenhouse, indoor<br />
window sills or mild areas – ensure to<br />
protect any outdoor seedlings with<br />
cloches.<br />
• Bulb Onions<br />
• Lettuce<br />
• Beetroot<br />
• Spinach<br />
• Carrots<br />
• Early Peas<br />
• Broad Beans<br />
So, what are you waiting for? Now that the warmer weather is on its way, get out into<br />
your garden this weekend and start preparing to plant an array of vegetables that’ll taste<br />
all the more delicious come harvest time because they’re grown by your own fair hand.<br />
For more information about growing and eating seasonally, visit eatseasonably.co.uk<br />
22 ASPIRE<br />
ASPIRE 23
Holidays & Leisure<br />
‘Great’ Ads Launched<br />
To Encourage World<br />
To Choose Britain<br />
A £25 million image campaign was<br />
launched earlier this month which will<br />
add to the £100 million match-funded<br />
tactical campaign already being run by<br />
VisitBritain with commercial partners<br />
such as British Airways, easyJet, Hilton<br />
Worldwide, Radisson Edwardian and<br />
STA Travel. The marketing campaign<br />
aims to drive an extra 4.6 million<br />
visitors to the UK over the next four<br />
years, stimulating an additional £2.3<br />
billion in international spend.<br />
Looking to enhance overseas<br />
perceptions of the UK as a major tourist<br />
destination and help drive economic<br />
growth, the highly impactful image<br />
blitz will run until March next year, with<br />
activity being undertaken in major<br />
cities in Australia, Brazil, Canada, China,<br />
France, Germany, India, Japan and the<br />
US. The campaign will show the world<br />
what makes the UK such a GREAT place<br />
to visit at a time when high profile<br />
events, such as the Queen’s Diamond<br />
Jubilee, Cultural Olympiad, Torch Relay<br />
and the London 2012 Games, are taking<br />
place.<br />
New York commuters will see subway<br />
trains wrapped in the Union Jack and<br />
Grand Central Station filled with GREAT<br />
images. Subway routes in the city – the<br />
largest source of US visitors to the UK -<br />
will also be lined with Britain branding<br />
and copies of the New York Metro<br />
newspaper will be covered with an<br />
invitation to come to choose Britain for<br />
their next holiday.<br />
In Delhi, GREAT billboards will line<br />
the main routes in the city and 200<br />
GREAT branded taxis will be on the<br />
streets. Residents in Rio and Sao Paulo<br />
will see GREAT images across the<br />
sides of buildings, line key city streets<br />
and will have our invitation to visit<br />
Britain wrapped around their Metro<br />
newspaper.<br />
Unsurprisingly France, the UK’s largest<br />
source market for inbound arrivals,<br />
is also being targeted as part of the<br />
campaign. Franklin D. Roosevelt Métro<br />
station on the Champs-Élysées will<br />
be dressed as an art gallery of GREAT<br />
images for all to enjoy. Ads will be also<br />
seen by millions of French cinemagoers<br />
on movie screens, as well as in cinemas<br />
in India, Brazil and Germany.<br />
Along with the GREAT image effort<br />
telling people overseas about the<br />
fantastic place that Britain is to visit,<br />
passengers arriving at airports across<br />
the UK - including Heathrow, Gatwick,<br />
London City and Manchester - will<br />
see GREAT posters on display when<br />
they get off the plane and as they<br />
travel onwards through the airport.<br />
Altogether these airports account for<br />
75% of all UK air passengers and will<br />
help reinforce the sense of a warm<br />
welcome and help improve perceptions<br />
of the UK’s overall friendliness.<br />
Towards the end of 2011, VisitBritain<br />
predicted that Great Britain should<br />
attract 30.7 million visitors in 2012,<br />
spending £17.6 billion in the process.<br />
In fact, Britain’s image overseas has<br />
improved significantly over the last 12<br />
months, driven by better perceptions of<br />
British culture, its people and its appeal<br />
as a tourist destination. The findings,<br />
published in the latest Anholt-GFK<br />
Roper Nation Brands Index (NBI), noted<br />
that the UK now overtakes France on<br />
the overall rankings to become the<br />
third most admired country globally<br />
- now one place higher than it was<br />
in 2010 - positioning itself as one of<br />
the strongest and most well-rounded<br />
nations in the world.<br />
For more information on these<br />
campaigns, or for ideas on holidays<br />
here in GREAT Britain, please log onto<br />
www.visitbritain.com<br />
Braemar<br />
Haydon Bridge<br />
This delightful bungalow is situated in<br />
the Northumberland village of Haydon<br />
Bridge and offers all year round cosy<br />
accommodation and a large rear garden<br />
for those lazy sunny days.<br />
Lounge, kitchen/diner, bathroom with<br />
shower over bath, toilet and basin, 2<br />
bedrooms:1 double & 1 twin,1 store away<br />
bed and cot available on request.<br />
Oil central heating, open fire in lounge.<br />
All fuel, power, bed linen and towels<br />
included in rent. Colour TV, video, stereo,<br />
washing machine, tumble dryer, iron,<br />
ironing board, microwave, fridge/freezer.<br />
Enclosed lawned garden, patio, barbecue,<br />
garden furniture, off-street parking. One<br />
pet welcome. Baby sitting by arrangement.<br />
Mrs Cynthia Bradley<br />
Edenholme, John Martin Street,<br />
Haydon Bridge, Hexham NE47 6AA<br />
Tel: 01434 684622<br />
Email: edenholme@btinternet.com<br />
www.edenholme.btinternet.co.uk<br />
Tara’s House<br />
Only 4½ miles from Southwold and<br />
2 miles from the sea at Covehithe,<br />
this house is situated in an ideal<br />
place. The fishing port of Lowestoft,<br />
the pretty town of Beccles on the<br />
River Waveney and Oulton broad<br />
- the most southerly of the Broads -<br />
are all within a radius of 7 miles.<br />
The house offers ample<br />
accommodation with an enclosed<br />
garden suitable for children and<br />
pets.<br />
It has gas central heating, satellite<br />
TV, DVD player, CD player and free<br />
Wi-Fi (using a BT hub).<br />
No Smoking<br />
Sleeps 6<br />
Dog(s) allowed<br />
D & S Walker, 5 High Street,<br />
Wrentham, Beccles, Suffolk NR34 7HD<br />
Tel: 01502 675226<br />
Email: dswalker2@gmail.com<br />
www.tarashouse.co.uk<br />
Chalet 140<br />
Kingsdown Park, Kent,<br />
South East England<br />
Scandinavianstyle<br />
three<br />
bedroom chalet,<br />
comprising one<br />
twin upstairs,<br />
one double &<br />
one bunkroom<br />
and bathroom downstairs. Fully equipped<br />
with TV, shower, microwave etc. Sleeps 6<br />
+ cot. Situated on tree-lined holiday park,<br />
with swimming pool, tennis court, crazy golf,<br />
volleyball, children’s play area, clubroom/bar,<br />
restaurant, & launderette. Near beach for<br />
fishing & watersports with 3 pubs nearby.<br />
Take beautiful walks along the cliffs.<br />
• Microwave • Hob<br />
• Oven • Fridge/Freezer<br />
• Toaster • Cot available<br />
• High chair available • TV<br />
• Freeview • Video • DVD<br />
• CD Player • Radio<br />
No Smoking<br />
No Pets<br />
Price Range: £210 - £500 pw<br />
Contact Mr & Mrs Arkwright<br />
Tel: 020 8446 2026<br />
Email: rick@arkwrght.fsnet.co.uk<br />
Rockstone Cottage<br />
Freshwater, Isle Of Wight<br />
Rockstone Cottage, built in 1790, is situated<br />
just a 4 minute walk from the coastal path<br />
and sandy beach of Colwell Bay. If you are<br />
looking for a relaxed & friendly retreat -<br />
somewhere you can take a deep breath &<br />
unwind following a day exploring - then<br />
Rockstone Cottage is the place for you.<br />
We offer a high standard of bed and<br />
breakfast accommodation in a quiet,<br />
friendly, relaxing and atmosphere for adults<br />
only. All our rooms are en-suite with tea &<br />
coffee facilities, hairdryers, LCD televisions &<br />
free Wi-Fi, while the lovely garden provides<br />
a place to sit and relax. Our breakfast<br />
includes quality local produce, where<br />
possible.<br />
You can visit our website<br />
www.rockstonecottage.co.uk,<br />
or call us on 01983 753723.<br />
The ‘Garden Isle’ with its captivating landscapes, beautiful beaches, wonderful seascapes<br />
and a climate as warm and as gentle as its people. Shanklin, named after the famous Chine,<br />
overlooks sandy beaches and thatched roofs of ‘Old ShanklinVillage’, suffuse it with ‘Old<br />
World Charm’.<br />
The Ocean View is an elegant hotel commanding magnificent<br />
views across Sandown Bay, offering a number of spacious<br />
bedrooms with seaviews and balconies upon which one can<br />
sit and relax, enjoying the tranquil views of Shanklin beach.<br />
The hotel provides a good standard of comfort throughout<br />
including a large in-house leisure centre and a snooker<br />
room. The hotel is conveniently located for the facilities and<br />
amenities within the town centre and Old Shanklin Village.<br />
24 ASPIRE<br />
The Ocean View Hotel, 1 – 5 Park Road,<br />
Shanklin, Isle of Wight PO37 6BB<br />
Tel: (01983) 861 111 | Fax: (01983) 861 122<br />
Email: info@holdsworthhotels.co.uk<br />
The Old Vicarage<br />
Hartburn, Morpeth NE61 4JB<br />
Rooms: 3 - 1 double, 1 twin, 1 single sharing bath.<br />
Price: £65-£85. Singles £50.<br />
Meals: Dinner, 3 courses with wine, £25. Pub 1 mile.<br />
Closed: Christmas, New Year & Easter.<br />
Come for the tiny village, the ancient church, and<br />
a gentler way of life in this stone-built, wisteriacovered<br />
former vicarage. Light pours in to an elegant<br />
drawing room with large open fire, chintzy chairs<br />
and sofa, soft rugs, beautiful antique furniture and<br />
pictures. Bedrooms are comfortingly traditional,<br />
with crisp white sheets, squishy pillows, thick<br />
curtains and white bathrooms. Margaret gives you<br />
a grand breakfast in a toasty warm conservatory<br />
overlooking the garden; wander down to the river or<br />
to have a peek at the church, which dates from 1080!<br />
Newcastle, Alnwick Garden and stunning beaches are<br />
all a short drive away.<br />
Contact:<br />
Tel: 01670 772562<br />
Email: margiecook2001@yahoo.co.uk<br />
Award-winning Accommodation in Scotland<br />
Scotland is simply teeming with cute cottages, modern hotels, and<br />
welcoming guesthouses but if you want a self-catering holiday<br />
accommodation with a difference, <strong>Aspire</strong> would like to recommend<br />
the six properties owned by Family Holiday Homes.<br />
The brain-child of Peter and Barbara Reese, Family Holiday<br />
Homes boast six traditional in style (with original features<br />
and cosy open fires for those cold evenings) but modern in<br />
facilities (with well-equipped kitchens and en-suite bath and<br />
shower rooms) properties.<br />
The area of Loch Gairloch is the perfect place for family<br />
holidays and with these six properties sleeping four to eight<br />
guests, there’s plenty of room for everyone. Within a short<br />
distance, holidaymakers will find beautiful sandy beaches, low<br />
level walking routes around lochs, dramatic coastal cliff top<br />
walks, stunning mountain top vistas, wonderful wildlife boat<br />
trips and ample opportunities for an afternoon’s fishing. The<br />
area is made even more stunning by the breathtaking mix<br />
of rain and sunshine, which creates the most spectacular<br />
rainbows.<br />
<strong>Aspire</strong> are so impressed with not only the facilities on offer<br />
but the stunning coastal location surrounding Loch Gairloch<br />
(which boasts dramatic mountain scenery, tranquil lochs and<br />
uncrowded sandy beaches), we’ve awarded Family Holiday<br />
Homes with a Certificate of Recognition for Rural Getaways.<br />
On hearing the news, Barbara said: “We’re very honoured to<br />
receive this Recognition for our six properties. We feel that<br />
this is a very special corner of Scotland and we’d just like to<br />
share it with as many people as possible – they’ll fall in love<br />
with the area, just as we did.”<br />
Peter added: “I used to walk and climb a lot in Scotland, mainly<br />
on the east coast and in the Cairngorms, but I decided it<br />
was time to explore the west coast and stumbled across the<br />
stunning Gairloch area. For me, it has everything: mountains,<br />
sea coast, lochs and beautiful low-level walks across the<br />
moors. My wife, Barbara and I have been running self-catering<br />
holiday properties in the area for over 30 years now and<br />
we still love it. All six of the properties we own have been<br />
carefully chosen for their location; they’re all individual and<br />
different but make the most of their location.”<br />
<strong>Aspire</strong> Sales Executive, Barbara Stone, added: “I had to<br />
nominate Peter and Barbara’s properties for this Certificate<br />
of Recognition; they’re stunning and all situated in wonderfully<br />
tranquil and picturesque countryside. I couldn’t think of<br />
anywhere better than the Loch Gairloch area to enjoy an<br />
authentic Scottish experience.”<br />
For more information, or availability on any of<br />
these properties, contact<br />
Tel: 01252 325119 | Email: barbara.reese@ntlworld.com<br />
Web: www.gairlochholidays.co.uk<br />
ASPIRE 25
Explore The Cotswolds<br />
Be Charmed By<br />
The Cotswolds<br />
©VisitBritain/ Tony Pleavin<br />
The Living<br />
Green Centre,<br />
at Bourton on the Water<br />
Combining the counties of Gloucestershire,<br />
Worcestershire, Oxfordshire, Warwickshire,<br />
Wiltshire and Somerset, the Cotswolds is a truly<br />
diverse place. 'Cotswolds' is a combination of two<br />
very old English words; everyone's pretty much<br />
agreed that ‘wolds’ are gentle hills, and most<br />
people agree that 'Cots' are sheep enclosures, so<br />
'Cotswolds' probably means ‘an area of gentle hills<br />
with plenty of sheep’.<br />
The Outdoors<br />
As the Cotswolds have been designated an Area of<br />
Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) there are some<br />
magnificent views to take in, especially over the Severn<br />
and Thames Valleys and the Vale of Evesham. The largest<br />
AONB in England and Wales, the Cotswolds are a paradise<br />
for walkers and wildlife enthusiasts. The best way to see<br />
some of England’s best scenery is to take a stroll along<br />
The Cotswolds Way, a long distance footpath which<br />
runs the length of this AONB, mainly on the edge of the<br />
Cotswold escarpment.<br />
If you’re after a bit of adventure, the Cotswolds’ diverse<br />
landscape provides plenty of opportunities to experience<br />
the thrills of canoeing, white water rafting and cycling, to<br />
name but a few.<br />
History<br />
This historic region also allows you to experience its<br />
varied past thanks to the numerous historical sites dotted<br />
around the ‘heart of England’. Our top recommendation<br />
would be a trip to Sudeley Castle in Winchcombe,<br />
Gloucestershire where you’ll be given a fascinating<br />
insight into Sudeley throughout the ages. There is also<br />
the opportunity to explore the 14 acres of magnificent<br />
gardens surrounding the castle.<br />
Another excellent fun yet educational day out can be<br />
enjoyed at Gloucester Cathedral. Standing in the north of<br />
the city, the Cathedral has welcomed worshippers for over<br />
900 years.<br />
Gloucestershire is also home to 32 Iron Age hill forts,<br />
many in strong positions on the Cotswold scarp.<br />
Leckhampton Hill has a fine accessible example from this<br />
period.<br />
If you’re a fan of William Shakespeare, no trip to<br />
the Cotswolds would be complete without visiting<br />
Stratford-upon-Avon, the birthplace of England’s<br />
national poet. Enjoy the exhibition at Henley Street,<br />
Shakespeare’s childhood home, as well as the exhibit at<br />
Anne Hathaway’s cottage just one-mile from Stratford.<br />
Step back in time to old Stratford and visit New Place on<br />
Chapel Street, where Shakespeare spent his last years or<br />
even visit his last resting place at Holy Trinity Church in<br />
Stratford-upon-Avon.<br />
Traditional <strong>Town</strong>s<br />
The Cotswolds are home to some of England’s most<br />
charming and unspoilt towns and villages. These towns<br />
and villages are built of the underlying Cotswold stone (a<br />
yellow oolitic limestone). This limestone is rich in fossils,<br />
in particular fossilised sea urchins, adding to the area’s<br />
unique charm.<br />
Nestling in the Cotswold Hills you’ll find the beautiful<br />
villages of Snowshill and Painswick, whilst the historical<br />
market towns of Tetbury, Stroud, Evesham and Cirencester<br />
offer visitors of all ages excellent local shopping.<br />
Shopping in the Cotswolds these days is a welcome<br />
escape from the usual trundle around your local<br />
supermarket. There are numerous Farmers’ Markets held<br />
around the region that offer locally produced goods,<br />
such as cheese, craft items and veggies. Cheltenham was<br />
recently voted ‘Britain’s Favourite High Street’ largely in<br />
praise of the Promenade row of excellent smaller shops.<br />
©VisitBritain/ Britain on View<br />
If you’d prefer to experience the countryside from a more<br />
urban base, the towns of Gloucester, with its historic<br />
waterfront, and Cheltenham, with the Royal Crescent and<br />
the Municipal Buildings, offer impressive architecture,<br />
stylish shopping and world-class horse racing.<br />
Food & Drink<br />
Fabulous local produce and award-winning restaurants<br />
make eating and drinking in the Cotswolds a truly<br />
memorable experience. The restaurant scene here is<br />
healthy, with established Michelin-starred addresses in<br />
Cheltenham at Le Champignon Sauvage and 5 North<br />
Street in Winchcombe.<br />
The sheltered climate beneath the escarpment of the<br />
Cotswolds, the light, loose soils and the ready availability<br />
of river water for irrigation in dry weather has led to a<br />
great deal of vegetable production in the area: spring<br />
onions, leeks, cabbages, Brussels sprouts and runner<br />
beans but also rhubarb, lettuce, spinach, broccoli,<br />
beetroot, courgettes, artichokes and pumpkins.<br />
The Vale of Evesham (known as the fruit and vegetable<br />
basket of England) has numerous orchards in the area,<br />
survivors of a time when the entire Vale was covered with<br />
blossom in the spring, making Evesham town the perfect<br />
place to pick up locally grown, delicious produce.<br />
Film & TV<br />
With stunning rural scenes, historic pubs, ancient<br />
buildings and market squares, it’s not hard to see why the<br />
Cotswolds are used for numerous TV programmes and<br />
films each year. In the past, big productions such as Harry<br />
Potter, James Bond in ‘Die Another Day’, Bridget Jones's<br />
Diary and Doctor Who have all used the area for filming.<br />
Heath Farm<br />
Swerford, Chipping Norton OX7 4BN<br />
Award-winning luxury self-catering holiday cottages<br />
in the Oxfordshire Cotswolds. Relax in comfort and<br />
style in the privacy of your own space in the English<br />
countryside.<br />
Self-catering holiday cottages in the Cotswolds, lovingly<br />
converted from old farm buildings set round a stunning<br />
paved courtyard with water garden and adjoining the<br />
owners’ house, these five award-winning, very individual<br />
stone cottages offer guests the ultimate in comfort, quality<br />
and cleanliness and a chance to enjoy the high standards of<br />
craftsmanship, which is the hallmark of this idyllic retreat.<br />
Tel: 01608 683270<br />
Email: barbours@heathfarm.com<br />
www.heathfarm.com<br />
For more information on travelling to the<br />
Cotswolds, visit www.cotswolds.com<br />
Whether you are wanting to explore the<br />
famous English countryside or looking for the<br />
perfect place to get away from it all for the<br />
weekend, The Cotswold Gateway Hotel can<br />
meet your needs.<br />
Situated in the historic Cotswold region of<br />
England, this charming hotel, restaurant<br />
and bar is ideally located for those wishing<br />
to visit classic traditional villages, beautiful<br />
countryside and world-famous Oxford.<br />
Traditional comfort and service, fine cuisine,<br />
and a charming attention to detail await you<br />
at the edge of one of the Cotswold’s premier<br />
destinations.<br />
The Cotswold Gateway Hotel<br />
216, The Hill, Burford,<br />
Oxfordshire OX18 4HX<br />
Tel: 01993 822695<br />
Email: cotswoldgateway@btconnect.com<br />
www.cotswold-gateway.co.uk<br />
Waiten Hill<br />
Farmhouse<br />
Imposing 19th Century farmhouse<br />
overlooking River Coln, water meadows,<br />
old mill and famous church. Short walk to<br />
pubs, (5 minutes) shops and restaurants<br />
(10 minutes). Ideal base for touring the<br />
Cotswolds and water park, and local<br />
walks.<br />
The farmhouse stands within large<br />
gardens, where you will find vegetables<br />
and soft fruit beds, cherry, plum, pear<br />
and apple trees. There are also spacious<br />
south-facing lawns with tables and chairs,<br />
ideal for picnics, playing or just enjoying<br />
the beautiful surroundings and summer<br />
sunshine.<br />
TV, coffee/tea in all rooms. Ample private<br />
parking.<br />
Richard Rymer<br />
Waiten Hill Farmhouse, Coronation<br />
Street,Fairford, Glos GL7 4HX<br />
Web: www.waiten-hill-farmhouse.com<br />
Email: richard@waiten-hill-farmhouse.com<br />
Telephone: 01285 712 652<br />
Right on the High Street, at Bourton<br />
on the Water, the Living Green Centre<br />
is a place where you can see for real,<br />
the ideas and actions that can be put<br />
into practice in any home. We believe in<br />
people change not climate change and<br />
encourage people to take positive steps.<br />
First impressions are ‘what a beautiful<br />
place! I’d like to live here’. In its charming<br />
setting the organic show garden and<br />
ultra green shop building really have the<br />
wow factor. The eco-show home is now<br />
going ahead. It looks at how to make<br />
existing houses environment friendly.<br />
Attached to the project is a marvellous<br />
shop. You can shop with confidence<br />
every product is carefully chosen with<br />
the environment as number one. Lovely<br />
local products made in Gloucestershire,<br />
interesting eco gismos and an extensive<br />
range of Fairtrade and fairly traded<br />
goods.<br />
Tel: 01451 820942<br />
Email: people@living-green.co.uk<br />
www.living-green.co.uk<br />
The Old Coach House B&B<br />
Whether it’s the sublime cathedral of Gloucester, you want to visit or the racing at<br />
Cheltenham, equine pursuits at Gatcombe or Badminton, the wonderful trees at<br />
Westonbirt, or just a relaxing walk in the beautiful Gloucestershire countryside, Rachel<br />
and Stephen are waiting to welcome you. The Old Coach House B&B in the village<br />
of Eastcombe, set beside the beautiful Toadsmoor valley in the Cotswolds Area of<br />
Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) has two en-suite bedrooms, one with ground floor<br />
access onto a courtyard. The bedrooms offer king-sized beds with all the extras you<br />
would expect from a quality B&B.<br />
On arrival, a cup of tea and home-made sponge cake will make you feel at home. If you<br />
require it, an evening meal can be provided by prior arrangement, and then – after a<br />
good night’s sleep – breakfast! Fresh baked croissant, home-made breads and rolls,<br />
locally produced bacon and sausages, and Winnie's eggs (however you want them) all<br />
complement the home-made marmalades and jams; fresh fruit salad and yoghurt or<br />
good old cereals and muesli. Take your pick and tuck in!<br />
If you are going to stay in England this year, stay in the Cotswolds, and where better than<br />
the Old Coach House B&B, in Eastcombe.<br />
Tariff: £75 per night for double occupancy. £60 per night for single occupancy.<br />
Visit England Four Stars, Breakfast and Silver Awards.<br />
Contact: Stephen W. Wright<br />
Dr. Crouch’s Road, Eastcombe, Stroud, Gloucestershire GL6 7EA<br />
T: 01452 771196 | E: admin@oldcoachhousebandb.co.uk<br />
www.oldcoachhousebandb.co.uk<br />
26 ASPIRE<br />
ASPIRE 27
Spotlight On Scotland<br />
Whether you’re looking for a city<br />
break, beach getaway or countryside<br />
adventure, Scotland is the place. A<br />
holiday in Scotland promises to be a<br />
unique and memorable event. Despite<br />
its compact size, Scotland is home to<br />
an array of attractions that are sure to<br />
occupy every member of the family, no<br />
matter what their age or taste. From the<br />
excitement of Scottish cities Glasgow<br />
and Edinburgh, to the mystery and<br />
wonder of Loch Ness, Scotland is an<br />
exciting and dynamic country, steeped<br />
in history, tradition and culture.<br />
For a romantic break for you and your<br />
partner, why not take a trip to one of<br />
the six major cities in Scotland: Glasgow,<br />
Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Dundee, Inverness<br />
and Stirling. These cosmopolitan cities<br />
mix traditional Scottish culture with the<br />
vibrancy and excitement of a modern<br />
city. These six wonders are positively<br />
oozing with things to see and do, from<br />
superb shopping and nightlife, to some<br />
of the best museums and galleries in<br />
the UK!<br />
If it’s a traditional family holiday by<br />
the seaside you’re after, you’re sure to<br />
find it in Scotland. The west coast of<br />
Scotland stretches for miles offering<br />
delightful marinas, harbours and seaside<br />
resorts for you to enjoy, but with new<br />
developments and improvements on<br />
the east coast, deciding which coast to<br />
explore will be difficult.<br />
As Scotland is home to a beautiful<br />
yet diverse landscape, it’s the perfect<br />
destination for those wanting to enjoy<br />
the great outdoors. Whether you want<br />
to take a relaxing stroll to enjoy the<br />
stunning views or need an adrenaline<br />
rush, there’s an outdoor pursuit for<br />
you. From fishing and golf to mountain<br />
biking and white-water canoeing, the<br />
great Scottish outdoors has something<br />
for everyone.<br />
Scotland is also the place for wildlife;<br />
The Scottish Wildlife and Nature Tourism<br />
Operators Association believes Scotland<br />
is the number one destination for<br />
watching wildlife in Europe, thanks to<br />
the diversity of the landscape. Recent<br />
years have see the re-introduction of<br />
many native Scottish species, most<br />
notably the Sea Eagle and Red Kites,<br />
which now grace the Scottish skies once<br />
again. Each summer, six million seabirds<br />
nest in the cliffs and the Mull coastline<br />
is home to hundreds of marine wildlife,<br />
including whales and sharks, so it’s<br />
worth taking a look!<br />
The ideal place to book a golfing break<br />
is Scotland, due to its fascinating history<br />
with the sport. The origins golf still<br />
remains a mystery, although the widely<br />
accepted theory is that it was created<br />
in Scotland during the 12th Century.<br />
It’s believed to have been invented by<br />
shepherds, who would knock stones<br />
into rabbit holes on the area that is<br />
now home to the world’s most famous<br />
golf course, St Andrews. However, the<br />
game as we know it today was certainly<br />
developed in Scotland, as the first<br />
permanent course was created there,<br />
along with the first written rules and<br />
club memberships. Today, there are a<br />
whopping 556 registered golf courses<br />
in Scotland; in fact, the sheer number of<br />
courses has earned Scotland’s eastern<br />
shoreline the title of ‘Golf Coast’, as<br />
combined with the stunning scenery,<br />
it’s the perfect destination for a golfing<br />
holiday.<br />
If you’re thinking of getting married, why<br />
not elope to Scotland. Imagine getting<br />
married on a sandy beach or even on<br />
top of a mountain – you can get married<br />
anywhere you can imagine in Scotland<br />
as the minister, priest or clergyman<br />
carries a licence that means you can<br />
choose your venue, no matter how wild<br />
or romantic! So, if you want a wedding<br />
with a difference, choose Scotland!<br />
©VisitBritain/ Britain on View<br />
Witness The<br />
Beauty Of Scotland<br />
Leumadair Guest House is a working croft where we carry on<br />
the tradition of working the land and raising animals. Highland<br />
Cattle, Glouster Old Spot Pigs (croft-made smoked bacon and<br />
sausages are served at breakfast).<br />
In the village of Callanish, Leumadair is within sight of the famous Callanish (Calanais) Stones.<br />
Run by Don & Nita, all our rooms are en-suite. We have 2 family rooms with a king-size bed and<br />
bunk beds and the other with 1 double and 1 twin with disabled facilities.<br />
Price £37 per adult, per night for B&B. Credit/Debit cards taken. Booked dinner<br />
available.<br />
Tel: 01851 621706 | Web: www.leumadair.co.uk<br />
The Ferry Inn Hotel<br />
The Ferry Inn occupies a superb position overlooking Uig Bay with magnificent uninterrupted<br />
views towards Waternish Peninsula. The Inn’s bars are small and friendly; the Bistro Bar is<br />
ideal for that quiet pint of cask conditioned beer to reflect on the day’s excursions, while in the<br />
Quaich Bar, with its own access from the hotel, there is a selection of malt whiskies to enjoy.<br />
The Inn’s restaurant is very popular and the varied menu incorporates, where possible, locally<br />
sourced ingredients.<br />
Craigard House<br />
Relax in a Victorian house retaining many original features, set in the breathtaking<br />
splendour of the Highlands. We are located rurally on the edge of the small village<br />
of Invergarry. Our spacious rooms give a feel for the Victorian era. We offer bed and<br />
breakfast with an option of an evening meal by arrangement.<br />
Craigard House is the perfect base for a holiday exploring what the Highlands have<br />
to offer. For touring the Highlands the central location of Craigard House is ideal,<br />
for example, Loch Ness is just 8 miles or Eilean Donan Castle about 1 hour travel.<br />
Whatever your interest in visiting the Highlands, there is something here for you.<br />
The comfortable accommodation is to 3 star standard. All six rooms are attractively furnished<br />
and decorated, with flatscreen DVD/TVs, individual heating, tea/coffee making facilities and all<br />
are en-suite.<br />
Uig, on the Trotternish peninsula, is an ideal location for exploring the top end of Skye, with its<br />
spectacular scenery, walks, castles, art studios and wildlife including otters, golden eagles and<br />
corncrakes. It is also the ferry terminal to the Outer Isles.<br />
Ferry Inn Hotel, Uig, Isle of Skye IV51 9XP<br />
Tel: 01478 611216 | Email: info@ferryinn.co.uk<br />
www.ferryinn.co.uk<br />
Contact Andrew or Joy Middleton, Craigard House,<br />
Invergarry, Highland PH35 4HG<br />
Tel: 01809 501 258 Email: andrew@craigardhouse.co.uk<br />
www.craigard.saltire.org<br />
‘wild and dramatic’<br />
28 ASPIRE<br />
ASPIRE 29
Spotlight On Scotland<br />
30 ASPIRE<br />
Music From Martin<br />
Born in 1942 in Aberdeen, Martin Dalby is an experienced and<br />
knowledgeable musician and composer. He’s worked with numerous<br />
well-known musicians during his long and successful career and has even<br />
had his music performed at The Proms on four occasions.<br />
Martin told <strong>Aspire</strong>: “It was my father, John,<br />
who sparked my interest in music. He spent many<br />
years as the organist of St Machar’s Cathedral<br />
in Aberdeen after moving to Scotland from<br />
Yorkshire in 1939. He was a very fine musician<br />
and his love and passion for music was inbred<br />
into me from the day I was born.”<br />
Martin was educated at Aberdeen Grammar School<br />
where he learnt lots from his teachers. He joined the<br />
National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain in the late<br />
1950s, after which he won a Foundation Scholarship to<br />
the Royal College of Music in London in 1960, where<br />
he studied composition with Herbert Howells and<br />
viola with Frederick Riddle. Three years later, Martin<br />
was lucky enough to spend two years in Italy thanks<br />
to the Octavia Prize and a Sir James Caird Travelling<br />
Scholarship. Here, Martin composed many pieces, as<br />
well as playing the viola with a small Italian Chamber<br />
Orchestra. With this orchestra he toured widely in<br />
Europe and North Africa.<br />
Martin added: “I had a wonderful two years in Italy<br />
but on my arrival back to the UK, I discovered from<br />
my father that an interview had been arranged with<br />
the BBC for a music producer for the BBC’s newly<br />
formed Music Programme (later to be Radio 3). I was<br />
lucky enough to get the position and stayed there<br />
until 1971.”<br />
In 1971, Martin became the Cramb Research Fellow<br />
in Composition at the University of Glasgow, but<br />
in 1972 he returned to the BBC as Head of Music<br />
for Scotland, where he began the development of<br />
the public profile of the BBC Scottish Symphony<br />
Orchestra, both in Great Britain and abroad. In 1991<br />
he relinquished this post in order to pursue a more<br />
creative role in BBC Scotland. A result of this was the<br />
production, amongst other things, of BBC Scotland’s<br />
massive radio history, Scotland’s Music, for which he<br />
won a Sony Gold Award. In 1993, Martin retired from<br />
the BBC and he now composes full time.<br />
Martin was Chairman of the Composers’ Guild of<br />
Great Britain from 1995 to 1998 and was a founding<br />
director of both the British Academy of Composers<br />
and Songwriters (now BASCA) and British Music<br />
Rights. His membership of the BAC&S Concert<br />
Executive Committee continued from its start until<br />
2009. He was also Warden of the Incorporated<br />
Society of Musicians’ Performers’ and Composers’<br />
Section in 2001 and 2002.<br />
Martin has written a large amount of music: for<br />
orchestra, for chorus, for brass and wind bands, for<br />
the Church, for film, radio and television, many songs<br />
and song cycles, and chamber music ranging from<br />
duos and trios to octets and nonets. Most of it has<br />
been commissioned: from festivals such as Edinburgh,<br />
Cheltenham, Cardiff, Orkney and Peterborough, or<br />
from orchestras and ensembles.<br />
It has been performed widely throughout the world,<br />
most notably at such festivals as the Warsaw Autumn<br />
and the Henry Wood Proms in London for which in<br />
1991 he wrote The Mary Bean for the Royal Scottish<br />
National Orchestra.<br />
Work for his home city occupied him after that. First,<br />
The White Maa for the Scottish Chamber Orchestra,<br />
music to celebrate 200 years of Union Street in<br />
Aberdeen and more recently a String Quartet to<br />
celebrate 500 years of Aberdeen University. In<br />
1998 he composed his third Piano Sonata for Peter<br />
Seivewright and a year later, a short piece for the<br />
National Youth String Orchestra of Scotland, The<br />
First Thursday in May, welcoming the return of a<br />
Government in Scotland. At this time he was reliving<br />
his fascination with the music of the great Scots<br />
fiddler and composer, J. Scott Skinner, creating his<br />
own five movement orchestral suite A When in Doric<br />
from it. The act of ‘rebuilding’ Skinner’s tender and<br />
characteristically Scottish music is born of devotion<br />
not of destruction.<br />
More recently, Martin’s attention has turned to<br />
writing vocal music both for children and adults. He<br />
is completing a set of songs for voice and piano in<br />
memory of one of his Labradors, A Little Songbook<br />
for Tessa. Sunbeam for Sheba (2002) is likewise a song<br />
in memory of a Labrador - Tessa’s mother. He is also<br />
completing a substantial work for eight double basses<br />
and is beginning to write Lang Johnnie More: an<br />
essay with trumpet mutes.<br />
Martin is passionate about encouraging the youth of<br />
today to get involved with music, both listening to it<br />
and playing it. He said: “I think music is a marvellous<br />
thing. In my opinion there’s nothing better than<br />
playing in an orchestra or a band. Music is not only<br />
good for the soul, it’s good for the brain too, so I’d<br />
encourage any young people out there to get involved<br />
with their school or local choir or orchestra, or even<br />
take music lessons – life’s too short not to do what<br />
makes you happy!”<br />
With such a successful career behind him, it’s not hard<br />
to see why Martin was chosen for <strong>Aspire</strong>’s Platinum<br />
Certificate of Recognition 2011. Sales Executive,<br />
Emily Davison, explained why he was chosen for our<br />
most prestigious Certificate: “Martin has a wealth of<br />
knowledge and experience from a long and successful<br />
career in the music industry, which is why he was the<br />
obvious choice for our Certificate.”<br />
On hearing the news Martin added: “It comes as a<br />
surprise to be selected from many others who are as<br />
well deserving as I am.”<br />
Contact Martin Dalby on Tel: 01360 660427<br />
Email: martindalby@btinternet.com Web: www.impulse-music.co.uk/dalby<br />
Discover The Hear t Of The<br />
Highlands At Ness Cottage<br />
Not constrained to holidaying in the school<br />
holidays, retired and semi-retired couples are<br />
free to explore Great Britain as and when they<br />
please. This freedom and flexibility enables<br />
them to travel further for longer, which is why<br />
we’d like to recommend holidaying in Scotland<br />
this spring.<br />
Situated just ten minutes’ walk from Inverness city centre,<br />
Ness Cottage provides the perfect base from which to<br />
explore the north Highlands and surrounding Invernessshire<br />
region. Catering for a couple, Ness Cottage has<br />
been owned by Don Greig for the last 12 years. Don told<br />
<strong>Aspire</strong>: “My family and I originally bought Ness Cottage as<br />
a temporary home when we were selling and moving out<br />
of the family home; we actually didn’t end up moving but<br />
we still bought the property. We decided to open it up to<br />
holidaymakers because it’s in such a wonderful location,<br />
central to the whole of Inverness, as well as easily<br />
accessible to the rest of Inverness-shire.”<br />
Well-furnished and decorated for comfort, Ness Cottage is<br />
an excellent base from which to explore thanks to its cosy<br />
twin bedroom, well-equipped kitchen with fridge/freezer,<br />
washing machine and tumble dryer, lounge with TV and<br />
DVD player and an enclosed garden with garden furniture<br />
and privacy courtesy of a 6ft-high, well-maintained<br />
hedge. Don added: “There’s a car parking for about 10<br />
cars directly opposite the cottage, but the cottage boasts<br />
unrivalled privacy as it’s set back from the road, tucked<br />
away behind another house. Regrettably, we do not<br />
accept pets and as the cottage only has twin beds it’s not<br />
ideal for couples with children; in fact, I’d say it’s more<br />
geared towards older couples.”<br />
Within walking distance of Eden Court Theatre and<br />
Inverness City Centre, Ness Cottage is ideally situated<br />
for exploring the thriving city of Inverness, which boasts<br />
an enviable location on the banks of the River Ness at<br />
the head of the Great Glen. The city is crowned by a<br />
pink crenellated castle and is amongst the top ten cities<br />
in Britain visited by overseas visitors. There are plenty<br />
of places to shop, eat, drink and relax, and as a small,<br />
compact city, it’s easy to get around.<br />
Further afield, holidaymakers can explore the history<br />
and heritage of Scotland; re-live one of Scotland's most<br />
famous battles at Culloden battlefield, sample some<br />
of Scotland’s finest whisky at the numerous distilleries<br />
littered across the region or even see a school of dolphins<br />
frolic in the nearby Moray Firth 0 the possibilities are<br />
endless.<br />
One of the most famous residents that you can visit<br />
around the Inverness region is Nessie; Loch Ness is just<br />
14 miles from Ness Cottage (about a 30-minute drive). In<br />
fact Loch Ness Cruises are just a 10-minute stroll from the<br />
cottage door, making hunting this world-famous monster<br />
a must for holidaymakers holidaying here for the first<br />
time.<br />
Don added: “There’s so much to see and do in this area,<br />
guests are often spoilt for choice. In fact around 90% of<br />
my clientele is returning guests, who simply ran out of<br />
time to explore everything this area has to offer; either<br />
that or they fell in love with the area and I can’t blame<br />
them!”<br />
Prices for a week’s stay at Ness Cottage range from<br />
£240 per week in the winter to £370 in the summer. All<br />
linen and towels are provided. The central heating can<br />
be adjusted easily, or in summer can be switched off<br />
altogether. Alternatively the gas fire can be easily ignited,<br />
providing instant heat.<br />
For more information, please contact<br />
Tel: 01463 232976 | Web: www.nesscottage.co.uk | Email: dgreig@nildram.co.uk<br />
Don Greig<br />
Ness Cottage<br />
6 Ballifeary Road<br />
Inverness<br />
IV3 5PJ<br />
ASPIRE 31
Feature<br />
Editor’s Choice:<br />
Rose Cottage<br />
Situated in the quiet village of Gelston<br />
near Castle Douglas, Rose Cottage, winner<br />
of <strong>Aspire</strong>’s Certificate of Recognition for<br />
Rural Getaways, offers all the peace and<br />
tranquillity you could ask for, surrounded<br />
by stunning rural countryside. Dating<br />
back to 1760, Rose Cottage offers spacious<br />
accommodation for a large family or<br />
group of friends within two twin and two<br />
double bedrooms.<br />
All on one level, Rose Cottage boasts<br />
two twin (one en-suite) and two double<br />
bedrooms, as well as a large family<br />
bathroom; it comfortably caters for groups<br />
of up to eight. Holidaymakers will find a<br />
cosy lounge with fire, spacious kitchen<br />
and adjacent utility room with all the<br />
mod cons, including washing machine<br />
and dish washer, a pine-lined sun room/<br />
conservatory used as a dining room, and<br />
views over the surrounding farmland. Bed<br />
linen and towels are provided and there is<br />
a TV in each bedroom, as well as a TV and<br />
DVD player in the lounge.<br />
Outside there is ample parking in the<br />
car park, whilst round the back you’ll<br />
find a large garden with a decking area.<br />
Furniture and a barbecue can be provided.<br />
There is a stream and waterfall bordering<br />
the property, which overlooks the<br />
surrounding Scottish countryside.<br />
Owner, Kerr Steele, told <strong>Aspire</strong>: “My late<br />
wife, Sheila, and I ran Rose Cottage as<br />
a guesthouse, offering dinner, bed and<br />
breakfast accommodation, for 20 years but<br />
when she took ill six years ago, we scaled<br />
back our involvement and turned the<br />
cottage into self-catering accommodation.<br />
I now live in a chalet at the back of the<br />
cottage. The cottage is modern and<br />
traditionally decorated and furnished for<br />
that ‘country cottage’ look. All rooms are<br />
STB grade three, meaning they’re suitable<br />
for some disabled visitors.”<br />
It’s not hard to see why Rose Cottage was<br />
chosen for our Certificate of Recognition<br />
for Rural Getaways. On hearing the news,<br />
Kerr added: “Thank you <strong>Aspire</strong>, I’m very<br />
glad to receive this Recognition. It’s a<br />
wonderful start to the year and I hope it<br />
boost my business, although I am starting<br />
to get booked up for this year; I had<br />
someone book most of June this morning<br />
so we look set for an excellent year.”<br />
<strong>Aspire</strong> Sales Executive, Barbara Stone, said:<br />
“Scotland is such a wonderful country to<br />
visit for a holiday, with the whole family.<br />
There’s so much to do in and surrounding<br />
Castle Douglas that Rose Cottage is the<br />
perfect place to relax after a long day<br />
exploring. Alternatively, you can just<br />
relax amid breathtaking and tranquil<br />
countryside. That’s what I love so much<br />
about Rose Cottage; it’s so centrally<br />
located you can get to all the area’s<br />
attractions easily but it’s still set away<br />
from the hustle and bustle, allowing you<br />
to escape the stresses of city living. I hope<br />
our Certificate of Recognition encourages<br />
more <strong>Aspire</strong> readers to travel north of<br />
the border this summer for a wonderful<br />
holiday in Scotland.”<br />
<strong>Aspire</strong>’s Editor, Claire Tipton, added: “I<br />
think Rose Cottage is the perfect place in<br />
which to sample the delights of Scotland.<br />
As it’s not too far over the border, it<br />
doesn’t take as long to get there as other,<br />
more well-known parts of Scotland. And,<br />
because it’s not as well-known, there will<br />
be fewer crowds, allowing you to truly<br />
appreciate the scenery and tranquillity of<br />
the area.”<br />
A week’s stay at Rose Cottage starts from £360 per week<br />
in the off season, rising to £624 per week, meaning there’s<br />
no excuse not to see this stunning cottage for yourself.<br />
A maximum of two well-behaved pets are welcome.<br />
Rose Cottage is an excellent base from which to explore<br />
everything Galloway and the surrounding area has to offer.<br />
For more information, or to discuss availability, please call<br />
Kerr on 01556 502513.<br />
Kerr Steele<br />
Rose Cottage, Gelston, Castle Douglas, Kirkcudbrightshire,<br />
SCOTLAND DG7 1SH<br />
32 ASPIRE