Abingdon Living Jan - Feb 2020

www.abingdon.org.uk/sports-and-leisure 

KICK-START 2020

Contents 

A Note 

from the editor 

A Culinary meat-free Journey recipes throughthat 

Northern 19Fantastic still comfort Ireland 

cosset 

BBC Producer of Planet 

Earth II Mike Gunton 

In this issue... 

04 What’s On 

24 

We embrace the chill and find the best 

events this winter - with lots of fun to 

blow away the January gloom 

17 Michael Caines 

We interview the Michelin star chef 

from Devon on his passion for motor 

racing and his charitable work 

19 Veg Out 

Four fabulous recipes if you’re 

attempting Veganuary this year or are 

just looking to reduce meat intake 

22 Live Well 

If you’re looking to retune your health 

this year, we have some excellent tips 

to get you started 

26 Magical Oman 

We visit the mountains and the dunes 

of Oman, a glorious country with a 

rich history 

30 Homebuying Guide 

If the New Year heralds a big house 

move, we bring together tips to make 

the process easier 

17 

Michael 

Caines 

I’d love to hear your resolutions for the New 

Year - please do email them to me and add to 

the inspirational pot. In the meantime, you can 

get a flavour of everything else in this issue by 

32 

looking left. Whatever your resolutions or goals, 

I hope 2020 is a fantastic year for you. 

Country House 

Interiors 

Editor Kate Thomson | e katie.thomson@minervapublications.co.uk 

Publisher Sally Thomson 

Pre-Press Manager Kate O’Connell 

Contributors Rebecca Williams, Peter Thomson, Sue Cooke, Matthew Biggs 

Angela Cave, Lucy Saunders and Pete Lawrence. Front cover from Waitrose 

Key Account Manager Marcus Hawke 

e marcus.hawke@minervapublications.co.uk 

d/l 01225 308 094 

twitter: @AbingdonLiving1 

Here we are in a new decade. 2020, with all its 

numerical symmetry, has both the promise of 

a new year and a new epoch. It goes without 

saying that this is a time for reflection, both 

inward and outward - what shape would we like 

our lives to have taken come January 2021? 

My goals would usually be overly simplistic and 

a little nebulous - lose a few pounds, drive less, 

learn a language; I’m almost doomed to failure 

by the lack of framework in the first instance. 

This year, I’m trying the opposite approach - 

detailing exactly how I will do something and 

here it is, printed - I can’t look back now. 

1. Walk, Run or Cycle 5km a day, for the 

whole of 2020. This sounds bonkers, but 

we all need to move more and even the 

most fitness-phobic person can walk 5km 

in a day...well, I’ll update you in March with 

my progress. 

2. Consume Less - I’m not talking just about 

food. I’ll be limiting myself to one new 

piece of clothing a month (the rest will 

come from resale sites and charity shops). 

I’m going to get store-cupboard staples 

from zero waste shops and I’ve swapped 

my cleaning products for natural ones. 

This was in part inspired by our amazing 

interview this issue with Mike Gunton of the 

BBC’s Natural History Unit - his passion for 

environmentalism is infectious. 

3. Live Well - ok, this does sound like I’m 

straying into generalities but a quote I heard 

really hit home: ‘everything you eat will either 

prevent disease or fuel it’. We only get one 

body, so I’m going to treat mine with more 

respect by getting the nutrients I need - you 

can read more on that in our health guide. 

MINERVA PUBLICATIONS 

County Gate, County Way 

Trowbridge, Wiltshire BA14 7FJ 

t 01225 308 128 

w www.minervapublications.co.uk 

visit our website www.abingdonliving.co.uk 

Katie 

Disclaimer: The publishers shall not be held liable for any loss occasioned by failure of an 

advertisement to appear, or any damage or inconvenience caused by errors, omissions and 

misprints. No part of this publication may be reproduced without prior permission from the 

publishers. The opinions expressed within are not necessarily those of the publishers. 

www.abingdonliving.co.uk | 3

Welcome to our first what’s on guide of 2020! 

Here is a taster of what’s happening locally. 

From tribute bands, beautiful gardens to visit, shows for the children, there 

is something to keep everyone entertained during the winter months... 

Abingdon Country 

Market 

Salvation Army Hall, West St Helen Street, 

Abingdon OX14 5BL 

01235 529624 

www.oxfordshirecountrymarkets.co.uk 

Second Saturday of the month, 10am - 

12.30pm 

The Abingdon Country Market is an indoor 

market which is very popular for excellent 

home made produce for sale and to order. 

Crafts and gifts are for the appropriate time 

of year. 

Abingdon Market 

Place 

Abingdon OX14 3HG 

01235 522642 

www.abingdon.gov.uk/town-councilservices/market-place 

Saturday 11 January, 10am to 3pm or 

when they reach their target distance. 

Cycling and Rowing in aid of 

Anthony Nolan Trust 

Go and support brave people cycling on 

static bikes and rowing their way to fitness 

in the January cold weather. 

Organised by soldiers, this event will 

promote the needs of the Anthony Nolan 

Bone Marrow Trust and hopefully raise 

funds for them. A donation will be made to 

the Army Benevolent Fund as well. 

Saturday 29 February, 10am - 3pm 

Abingdon Local Excellence Market 

The first Excellence Market of the year with 

good local produce and gift items from the 

region around Abingdon-on-Thames is on 

Leap Year Day. 

Amey Theatre 

Abingdon School, Abingdon OX14 1DE 

01235 849063 

www.abingdonschool.savoysystems.co.uk/ 

AbingdonSchool.dll/ 

Sunday 2 February 

ROH Live - La Bohème (2020) 

Puccini’s opera of young love in 

19th-century Paris is packed with beautiful 

music, including lyrical arias,celebratory 

choruses for Act II’s evocation of Christmas 

Eve in the Latin Quarter and a poignant final 

scene over which the composer wept. 

4 | www.abingdonliving.co.uk 

Tuesday 25 February 

ROH Live - 

The Cellist / Dances At A Gathering 

Cathy Marston has previously been an 

Associate Artist of the Royal Opera House 

and is much in demand internationally. 

The inspiration for her first work is the 

momentous life and career of the cellist 

Jacqueline du Pre. Jerome Robbins’s 

elegant and elegiac classic forms the 

second part of the programme. This 

exercise in pure dance for five couples, set 

to music by Chopin, is a masterpiece of 

subtlety and invention. 

Blenheim Palace 

Woodstock OX20 1PP 

01993 810530 

www.blenheimpalace.com 

Saturday 15 February - Tuesday 14 April 

Let’s Misbehave - The 1920’s at 

Blenheim Palace 

Travel back in time to the Roaring Twenties 

as Blenheim Palace invites bright young 

things to a magnificent party celebrating 

this famously decadent decade. 

Cornerstone Arts 

Centre 

25 Station Road, Didcot OX11 7NE 

01235 515144 

www.cornerstone-arts.org 

Wednesday 5 - Thursday 6 February 

Stephen K Amos - Everyman 

It’s easy to feel angry when mad talking 

heads and evil officials are looking for any 

slight difference of opinion to plough open 

and exploit. We need an everyman to bring 

people together using the most powerful 

tool we have comedy. We need Stephen 

K Amos. 

Thursday 13 February, 8pm 

Mark Thomas - 

Fifty Things About Us 

50 Things About Us is a show about songs, 

gongs, loot, tradition, wigs, nicking, statues, 

art and identity. A sort of funny national 

edition of Who Do You Think You Are? 

Saturday 15 February, 8pm 

Matt Richardson - Imposter 

Following an acclaimed season at the 

Edinburgh Festival, the multi award-winning 

comedian takes to the road with a brandnew 

nationwide tour. 


Dom Joly’s Holiday Snaps - Travel 

and Comedy In The Danger Zone 

Dom Joly, best known as the creator of 

Trigger Happy TV, will be talking about 

his exploits as a serial globe-trotting and 

seeker of dangerous travel spots. From 

North Korea though the Congo and Syria 

to Chernobyl, he’s visited some of the most 

unusual places on the planet. Joly famously 

attended school with Osama Bin Laden 

and armed with a trusty Powerpoint, fans 

can expect his holiday snaps to provide 

comedy and a sense of danger. 

Friday 28 February, 7.30pm 

Radio Ga Ga - 

The Ultimate Tribute To Queen 

Be part of the ultimate celebration of one 

the biggest bands to have ever graced the 

stage - Queen. 

Radio Ga Ga recreates the magic, fun & 

showmanship of the bands touring days, 

as they played to millions of people every 

year. Be taken on a journey through the 

decades, with all 26 UK Top 10 hits and fan 

favourites, such as Crazy Little Thing Called 

Love, I Want to Break Free, Somebody 

to Love, We Are The Champions, We 

Will Rock You and of course Bohemian 

Rhapsody. 

Harcourt Arboretum 

Nuneham Courtenay, Oxford OX44 9PX 

01865610305 

www.obga.ox.ac.uk/visit-arboretum 

Thursday 23 January, 7pm - 8pm 

The Glory of the English 

Herbaceous Border 

Chris Beardshaw, award-winning garden 

designer and TV presenter, kicks off the 

2020 Winter Lecture series. 

Chris will be discussing a classic element 

of a traditional English garden, the English 

Herbaceous border. 

Wednesday 19 February, 1pm - 3pm 

Waking Up After Winter 

Enjoy some nature-inspired craft in a 

stunning woodland setting. Search for signs 

of spring and enjoy seasonal craft activities. 

continued

THE COSENER'S HOUSE 

Come and visit our hidden gem in the heart of Abingdon... 

Surrounded by picturesque gardens overlooking the River Thames, this intimate venue provides the 

perfect backdrop for your photographs. With a capacity of up to 80 seated guests and 150 evening 

guests, Cosener's House is ideal for weddings with close family and friends. 

Our experienced wedding planner will be with you every step of the way to inspire and assist while our 

expert chef’s provide you with food that will be the envy of all your guests. 

With packages starting from just £60 per person, what are you waiting for? 

Bar and Restaurant | Accommodation 

5 Conference rooms | Private gardens | Parking 

Wedding | Private Events 

T E L : 0 1 2 3 5 5 2 3 1 9 8 

1 5 - 1 6 A B B E Y C L O S E , A B I N G D O N , O X F O R D S H I R E , O X 1 4 3 J D 

E M A I L : C O S E N E R S @ S T F C . A C . U K | W E B : W W W . T H E C O S E N E R S H O U S E . C O . U K 

Open Mornings 

Tuesday 11 February 2020 

Wednesday 29 April 2020 

Saturday 26 September 2020 

Wednesday 25 November 2020 

www.olab.org.uk/Open-Morning 

Experience Days 

Year 5: Saturday 14 March 2020 

Year 6: From Monday 16 

to Friday 20 November 2020 

www.olab.org.uk/Experience-Days 

Our Lady’s Abingdon School | Independent Day School for 3–18 

Radley Road | Abingdon | OX14 3PS | 01235 524658 

admissions@olab.org.uk | www.olab.org.uk 


New Theatre Oxford 

George Street, Oxford OX1 2AG 

0844 871 3020 

www.atgtickets.com/oxford 

Friday 10 January 

You Win Again - Celebrating the 

Music of The Bee Gees 

Are you ready for some Night Fever? 

The magical music of the Gibbs’ brothers 

takes you on a journey like no other, from 

‘Idea’ album, right through to ‘Spirits 

Having Flown’, with all the incredible hits 

they wrote for Celine Dion, Diana Ross and 

Dolly Parton in between to soothe your 

taste buds! 

Monday 20 January 

Sandi Toksvig Live! National Trevor 

Sandi realises some people harbour an 

ambition to be a National Treasure but 

following a misunderstanding with a friend 

has decided instead to become a National 

Trevor half misprint, half Danish comedian, 

novelist, actor and broadcaster. 

Expect tall stories, fascinatingly funny facts, 

really silly jokes, a quick fire Q&A and a 

quiz. Don’t expect tap-dancing, leotards or 

a forward roll. 

Thursday 30 January 

One Night of Elvis - 

Lee Memphis King 

Europe’s most successful Elvis Presley 

tribute artist with consummate ease and 

an almost unbelievable combination of 

stunningly accurate vocals and incredible 

passion in every performance. 

Why go and see it? 

There are Elvis tributes and then there’s 

Lee Memphis King. 

Tuesday 4 - Saturday 8 February 

Cabaret 

It’s 1931, Berlin is a haven of divine 

decadence and the legendary Sally Bowles 

is about to take the stage at the infamous 

Kit Kat Klub.... 

Cabaret features show-stopping 

choreography, dazzling costumes and 

iconic songs ‘Money Makes the World Go 

Round’, ‘Maybe This Time’, ‘Cabaret’ and 

more. 

Starring John Partridge as Emcee. 


Milton Jones in Milton - Impossible 

One man. One Mission. Is it possible? No, 

not really. 

Milton reveals the truth about being an 

international spy, before being given a 

disappointing new identity which forced 

him to appear on Mock the Week, Live at 

the Apollo. 

But this is also a love story with the twist, 

or even a really bad sprain. 

Just gloriously daft nonsense or is there a 

deeper meaning? 


Anton & Erin - 

Dance Those Magical Movies 

Anton & Erin, the nation’s favourite ballroom 

stars are back with their brand-new show 

as they Dance Those Magical Movies. 

With sensational choreography set to 

music that made it big on the silver screen, 

expect a Hollywood red carpet premiere 

performance from the UK’s leading dance 

stars. 

6 | www.abingdonliving.co.uk 

Friday 28 February 

Jimmy Carr - Terribly Funny 

Comedian Jimmy Carr knows that terrible 

things happen in life but he believes the 

best way to cope is to make jokes about 

those events and not to worry about 

political correctness. His audiences have 

been warned. 

Saturday 29 February 

The Illegal Eagles 

Described as ‘flawless’ by The Express, 

The Illegal Eagles are internationally 

renowned for their outstanding ability to 

recreate the Eagles’ distinctive sound with 

both flare and incredible authenticity. 

O2 Academy 

190 Cowley Rd, Oxford OX4 1UE 

01865 813500 

www.academymusicgroup.com/ 

o2academyoxford 

Saturday 18 January, 6.30pm 

The White Lakes 

Oxford-based indie-rock outfit, The White 

Lakes, have become known for their 

energetic and powerful live performances 

and they kick off the New Year with a 

hometown show packed full of surprises. 

Sunday 2 February, 7pm 

Billy Lockett 

Emotive singer-songwriter, Billy Lockett, is 

starting off the New Year with a string of 

headline shows that’ll flaunt off the material 

from his brand-new EP, Reset. 

Tuesday 11 February, 7pm 

Miz Cracker’s American Woman 

Miz Cracker returns with her brand-new, 

witty one-woman show, American Woman 

and she’ll be bringing a host of friends from 

New York along for the ride! Over 14s only. 

Friday 28 February, 6pm 

Hot 8 Brass Band 

The Hot 8 Brass Band are an incredible raw 

and funky brass band, straight from the 

streets of New Orleans. Famous for their 

boundless energy, you can’t help but raise 

a smile when you see them live and they’re 

heading out on the Mardi Gras tour in the 

spring. 

Friday 28 February, 6.30pm 

Vex Red 

Electronic rockers, Vex Red, are back with 

a refreshed sense of purpose after a long 

17-year wait and they’ve got plenty of new 

music on the way. Having reignited their 

hunger, the band are set for a full headline 

tour and the year will see them go from 

strength to strength. 

Oxford Playhouse 

11-12 Beaumont Street OX1 2LW 

01865 305305 

www.oxfordplayhouse.com 

Monday 20 - Saturday 25 January 

Crazy For You 

In a world of showgirls and cowboys, 

Gershwin’s musical comedy is the classic 

tale of a city boy and a country girl who fall 

in love and try to save a theatre the oldfashioned 

way! 

Award-winning OXOPS return with this 

feel-good show, featuring the hits Someone 

to Watch over Me, Slap That Bass and I’ve 

Got Rhythm. 


Ardal O’Hanlon 

Where Ardal O’Hanlon comes from there 

is nothing worse than showing off. Yet 

he is a professional ‘show-off’. Why does 

he continue to do it? Because in this age 

of the collapsing middle-ground, Ardal is 

forced to saddle his horse one again and 

ride fearlessly into the culture wars, with 

comedy as ever being the best emergency 

response to extreme events that there is. 

Monday 24 - Saturday 29 February 

Stewart Lee - Snowflake/Tornado 

Legendary comedian and Oxford 

Playhouse patron Stewart Lee returns with 

a double-bill of two new sets, Snowflake 

and Tornado, performed back-to-back. 

Tornado questions Stew’s position in 

the comedy marketplace after Netflix 

mistakenly lists his show as “reports of 

sharks falling from the skies are on the rise 

again. Nobody on the Eastern Seaboard 

is safe.” 

Snowflake questions Stew’s worth in a 

society demolishing the liberal values he 

has been keen to espouse in a fairy-tale 

landscape of winter wonder. 

Pendon Museum 

Long Wittenham, Abingdon OX14 4QD 

01865 407365 

www.pendonmuseum.com 

Thursday 20 February 

Modelling for Junior Modellers 

A 90 minute workshop introducing junior 

modellers to building cardboard model kits, 

making realistic grass (using ‘static’ grass) 

making hedges, fences and trees. 

Each modeller leaves the workshop with 

a finished model, but more importantly 

with new skills and confidence to continue 

modelling at home. For ages 7-10 and 

10-12. 

Sheldonian Theatre 

Broad Street, Oxford OX1 3AZ 

01865277299 

www.admin.ox.ac.uk/sheldonian 

Saturday 18 January 

Viennese New Year Concert - 

City of Oxford Orchestra 

The fabulous Viennese New Year Concert 

returns for 2020, performed by City of 

Oxford Orchestra. 

In the first half, renowned pianist Tom 

Poster will perform Grieg’s evergreen Piano 

Concerto. 

Stephen will then whirl the orchestra 

through a sparkling programme that 

includes Lehar and Suppe, as well as all 

our Strauss favourites his most romantic 

waltzes, thrilling polkas and exciting 

marches. 

Saturday 25 January, 7.30pm 

Oxford Beethoven Festival - 

Symphony & Concerto Cycle 

Two hundred and fifty years on from the 

birth of the man who changed the course 

of music forever, Marios Papadopoulos 

salutes Ludwig van Beethoven in the 

most absorbing and comprehensive 

way presenting a complete cycle of 

the composer’s symphonies and piano 

concertos as both conductor and soloist. 

continued

Unicorn Theatre 

Medieval Abbey Buildings, Thames Street, 

Abingdon OX14 3HZ 

01865 594020 

www.abingdonabbey-unicorntheatre.org.uk 

Now - Sunday 5 January, various times 

The Wolf, The Duck and The Mouse 

One day Mouse is gobbled up by a wolf. 

‘Oh woe,’ says Mouse, who fears this must 

be the end. But then we discover Duck, 

who was, until Mouse arrived, taking a nap. 

As it turns out, it’s pretty nice living inside 

the belly of the beast with a new friend. 

There’s delicious food, dancing and - better 

still - no more fear of being eaten! 

Meanwhile, outside in the forest, things 

aren’t quite as rosy for Wolf who is being 

stalked by a hunter. Realising their fates 

are intertwined, Duck and Mouse hatch a 

winning plan… 

Sunday March 15 - Sunday 3 May, 

various times 

Gulliver’s Travels 

This perfect family show is an adventurefilled 

modern adaptation of Jonathan 

Swift’s surreal masterpiece. 

Three teenagers with a camera, projector 

and props, vividly bring to life Gulliver’s 

adventures of brutish Yahoos, belligerent 

Lilliputians, giant Brobdingnagians and wise 

Houyhnhnms. 

Blending film and live performance, 

this playful, funny and highly inventive 

production uses Swift’s biting satire to view 

our own world from a very different angle. 

The North Wall Arts 

Centre 

South Parade, Summertown OX2 7JN 

01865 319450 

www.thenorthwall.com 

Saturday 1 February 

Murder She Didn’t Write 

You become Agatha Christie in this 

improvised comedy as each night an 

original murder mystery play is created 

based entirely on audience suggestions. 

So take up your magnifying glasses and 

don your deerstalkers for a never-seenbefore 

(and never-to-be-seen-again) 

evening of murder, mayhem and making it 

up on the spot. 


Hollie McNish 

With fans ranging from Emma Watson, 

Pink and Benjamin Zephaniah, Ted 

Hughes Award winner Hollie McNish 

is a poet whose readings are not to be 

missed. She has garnered millions of 

YouTube views for her online poetry 

readings and was the first poet to record 

at London’s famed Abbey Road Studios. 

Wednesday 12 - Thursday 13 February 

Can I Help You? 

An off-duty policeman is about to throw 

himself off Beachy Head when he is met 

by a woman carrying a laundry bag and 

a cat box. Over the course of one night, 

these two disparate souls learn what it 

truly means to be touched by the magic 

of hope. 

Saturday 15 February, 11am & 2pm 

Chloe and the Colour Catcher 

Chloe lives in a world with only one colour, 

a world that is completely grey. But at 

night, when she’s wrapped up tight, her 

dreams are colourful and bright. Unable 

to contain her imaginative thoughts, Chloe 

tells of the vast blue seas, lush green 

jungly-trees and golden yellow sands she’s 

seen. But, hushed at once by her parents, 

Chloe is warned to keep such thoughts at 

bay for the Grey Queen is out to wash all 

trace of colour away. 

The Wolf, The Duck and The Mouse is also 

being shown at The North Wall Arts Centre 

on Friday17 & Saturday 18 January. 

We take great care in compiling the listings, 

however we recommend that you check with the 

venue in advance as events and activities may 

be subject to change. 

8 | www.abingdonliving.co.uk

haus 

HOME | LIFESTYLE 

ARTISANAL SOFT 

FURNISHINGS FOR 

THE MODERN HOME 

HANDMADE 

RESPONSIBLY 

SOURCED 

ONE OF 

A KIND 

Use code LIVE15 for 

an exclusive 15% off 

your order 

NEW COLLECTIONS OF MUDCLOTH 

AND KILIM PILLOWS AND LEATHER 

POUFFES COMING SOON - 

AVAILABLE TO PRE ORDER NOW 

FREE UK P&P ON ALL 

ORDERS 

www.hauslife.co.uk 

Image courtesy of cityfarmhouse.com 


Time to trust in the future of prep schools 

It can’t be easy being a prospective 

parent of a prep school child. If you fall 

into this category you might be forgiven 

for thinking that there’s not much point as 

the whole fee paying independent school 

sector could be abolished in the near 

future if certain politically minded people 

get their way. 

Anything is possible, of course, but for 

this extremely vindictive approach to 

become a reality the Labour Party would 

need to adopt it formally as a policy which 

it has not yet done as well as achieve 

a working majority to pass legislation 

to make it happen. If all this does take 

place, however, don’t underestimate the 

independent school sector’s determination 

to fight for its existence with every legal 

pathway being followed to test the 

legitimacy of such a policy. There could 

even be a remarkable irony that should 

the UK still be in the EU at the time such 

legislation is brought forward it could be 

the European courts who stop the move in 

its tracks. As I said anything is possible. 

In the meantime, there is every reason to 

have confidence in prep schools and their 

future. IAPS (the Independent Association 

of Prep Schools) has over 600 of the top 

prep and fee-charging junior schools in the 

UK. The first step in your search for quality 

is to check if your possible short list of 

schools for your son or daughter carries 

the mark of quality by being a member of 

the heads’ association known as IAPS. 

This association has a history extending 

back over 126 years and the criteria 

for membership is strictly monitored to 

ensure both the head, and the school they 

work at, maintain the highest standards. 

School inspection reports are received 

by IAPS, for example, and any failings 

identified have to be rectified in good time 

to maintain membership. In one sense, 

therefore, the first level of due diligence a 

parent might feel it necessary to undertake 

is already done for them if the school can 

demonstrate they are members of IAPS 

and, better still, have been a member for 

many years. 

What should you do next as you are 

feeling your way through the maze of 

glossy publications and enticing web sites 

placed in front of you. The temptation is 

to look for a ‘brand’ name and, to some 

extent, this has merit as it will more often 

than not lead you to a school with a fine 

reputation polished over many years of 

conspicuous achievement. The question 

to ask, of course, is has the school a 

reputation for success in the areas which 

co-incide with the talents and interests 

of your child. A fine school’s sporting 

tradition is of little relevance if your child is 

a talented and developing musician – not 

that those two areas have to be mutually 

exclusive. 

The resort to social media and discussion 

forums is a likely step many will take but 

if your chosen pathway takes you in this 

direction then, at the risk of patronising 

you, the reader, beware. Do you use 

Tripadvisor when planning a stay away? 

Do you believe all the messages posted 

there and would you base your whole view 

of a school on the postings of a few with 

most likely a pro- or anti-line to promote 

for their own reasons. There might be 

themes to pick up on but it really needs 

each parent to seek out the things that are 

most important to you and your child. 

That brings me then to what you should 

do. The most important thing is to visit the 

school and not just on an official Open 

Day. If a school can’t buff itself up to look 

good on an official Open Day it really is 

a poor do. However, choose a day and 

time to suit you, though be reasonable 

when negotiating this. Nothing much is 

likely to be gained from a visit if a good 

proportion of the school is off their normal 

timetable or routine because it’s the day 

of the annual whole school cross country 

event. Ask to see the class your child 

would likely join at work and then visit 

older age groups, looking for obvious 

positive progression as revealed by the 

work displayed on the wall displays. Find 

out the answers to the questions you have 

about the areas important to you and 

judge how open and direct you find the 

responses from the school. In short trust 

your instincts and not wholly what others 

tell you. 

If you follow this advice you won’t go far 

wrong and then don’t lose any sleep over 

the long term future of your prep school. 

Let IAPS do that bit for you whilst you 

concentrate on finding the right school for 

your child. 

Christopher King 

CEO, IAPS 


EAT SHOOTS AND LEAVES 

Fantastic vegan recipes for a successful Veganuary from cookwithmands.com 

WARM CRISPY 

TOFU SALAD 

with orange and lime dressing 

SERVES 2 

INGREDIENTS 

lime wedges 

2 spring onions 

1 pack High protein pea noodles 

1 pack Edamame and pea stir fry 

1 pack Lime and orange dressing 

2 tsp maple syrup 

1 tbsp soy sauce 

1 tsp black peppercorns 

1 red chilli 

3 garlic cloves 

15g ginger 

2 tsp sesame oil 

1 tbsp olive oil 

1 tbsp cornflour 

200g firm tofu 

PREPARATION 

Thinly slice the spring onions. Lightly 

crush the black peppercorns. Thinly 

slice and remove seeds if you prefer 

less heat from the red chillis. Crush the 

garlic cloves. Crush the ginger. Drain, 

pat dry and cut into approx. 2cm cubes 

the firm tofu. 

METHOD 

In a bowl, toss the tofu in the cornflour 

ensuring it is well coated. Heat the 

olive oil in a wide-based pan or wok on 

a medium-high heat. Once hot, cook 

the tofu until golden brown and crispy, 

around 5 – 7 mins. Drain on kitchen paper 

and sprinkle with salt. 

Heat the sesame oil in the same pan on a 

low heat. Add the ginger, garlic and chilli 

and cook until soft, around 6 – 8 mins. 

Stir frequently. 

Add the peppercorns, soy sauce and 

maple syrup. Cook for another 2 mins on 

a low heat. Stir the tofu back into the pan 

with the edamame and pea stir fry mix. 

Cook for 3 mins and season to taste.Heat 

the noodles according to the back of pack 

instructions and place in a large bowl with 

the warm stir fry mix and dress with the 

lime and orange dressing. Serve the tofu 

on the noodle salad sprinkled with the 

spring onions. Garnish with lime wedges. 

PUMPKIN TEMPURA 

SERVES 4 

INGREDIENTS 

For the dip - 50g soy sauce 

2 tbsp rice wine vinegar 

1 garlic clove 

1cm piece of ginger 

1 small red chilli 

For the tempura - 1 litre vegetable oil 

1 pumpkin (approximately 1kg in weight) 

150g self-raising flour 

1.5 tbsp cornflour 

1.5 tsp baking powder 

225ml cold sparkling water 

PREPARATION 

Peel and crush the garlic cloves. Peel and 

finely grate the piece of ginger. Deseed 

and finely dice the red chillis. Peel and 

remove the seeds of the pumpkin. Finely 

chop 4 of the sage leaves. 

METHOD 

Make the dip by combining all the 

ingredients in a small bowl, and set aside. 

Cut the pumpkin in half lengthways and 

cut into slices approximately 2cm wide. 

Heat the oil in a deep-sided, heavy-based 

pan until hot. Make the batter. In a bowl, 

combine the flour, cornflour, baking 

powder, ½ tsp salt and chopped sage. 

Slowly whisk in the cold sparkling water 

until the batter has the consistency of 

single cream – don’t worry about any 

small lumps, they will disappear. 

Test if the oil is the right temperature by 

dropping a teaspoon of batter into the 

pan – if it cooks quickly, the oil is ready. 

Dip the pumpkin slices into the batter 

and carefully add to the pan. Cook in 

the hot oil, in batches of 5-6 at a time, 

for 4 minutes or until golden and cooked 

through. Remove with a slotted spoon 

and drain on kitchen paper. Serve 

immediately with the soy dip. 

VEGAN PAVLOVA 

SERVES 6 

INGREDIENTS 

300g blackberries 

1 tbsp icing sugar 

150ml liquid from 400g tin of chickpeas 

0.25 tsp xanthan gum 

0.25 tsp cream of tartar 

225g caster sugar 

250g fresh coconut cream (from chilled 

aisle) 

1 handful basil leaves 

METHOD 

Heat the oven to 120°C/ 100°C fan/gas 

½. In a food processor, blitz 150g of the 

blackberries with the icing sugar. Sieve 

and set aside. 

Whisk the chickpea liquid, xanthan gum 

and cream of tartar for 2 mins, until fluffy. 

Whisk in the caster sugar, 1-2 tbsp at 

a time. Fold in 2 tbsp of the blackberry 

coulis. 

Line 2 baking trays with baking paper. 

Spread half the mix in a circle on one. 

Pipe mini meringues on the other. 

Bake the large meringue for 3 hours 

and the small ones for 1½ hours. Turn 

off heat, and leave to cool in the oven 

completely. Spread the cream over the 

meringue base. 

Top with blackberries, mini meringues, 

icing sugar, coulis and basil. 


PICK YOUR OWN 

Red, black and white currants 

Ready picked plums and damsons 

Kings 

Arms 

As a Chef and Brewer pub restaurant, our friendly 

and welcoming team create the perfect experience in a 

lovely environment, with roaring fires, cosy corners and 

flickering candles... 

Our freshly cooked traditional pub food is always 

comforting and our daily changing specials make our 

menu really exciting. 

Opening times Mon-Sat 11am-11pm Sun 11.30am-10pm 

Food served Mon-Sat 11am-10pm Sun 11.30am-9.30pm 

Now taking bookings 

Kings Arms, Church Road, Sandford on Thames, Oxford, Oxfordshire OX4 4YB 

Call 01865 777095 to book or for more information 


Sam Cary appointed 

head chef at Sudbury House 

ADVERTISING FEATURE 

Faringdon-based Sudbury House Hotel has today 

announced the appointment of Sam Cary as head 

chef of Magnolia Restaurant – its relaxed restaurant 

serving modern British food with classical roots... 

Cary, who has worked in some of the UK’s most well-known and 

highly acclaimed restaurants, will also oversee all of the food 

and beverage operations in the Faringdon-based hotel, including 

in-room dining, conferencing, events, weddings and private 

functions. 

He will also be responsible for menu development within the 

hotel’s new luxury spa which is due to open in late 2020. 

The Chippenham-born chef joins from Whatley Manor Hotel 

and Spa in Wiltshire and has a wealth of experience working in 

both Michelin and AA Rosette accredited restaurants and hotels 

in the UK. Previous restaurants include two Michelin-starred 

The Hand and Flowers, in Marlow; Lucknam Park Brasserie 

at Lucknam Park Hotel, a 5 AA red star luxury hotel and spa; 

and The Old Bell Hotel, a two AA rosette accredited restaurant 

Malmesbury. Cary also spent two years working in Australia at 

the highly acclaimed Bentley Restaurant & Bar, and Cirrus Dining 

in Sydney. 

Magnolia Restaurant, which recently revised its dining 

experience, has the potential to seat 100 diners and includes 

an extensive terrace area for al fresco dinning. Service includes 

breakfast, lunch and dinner for residents and guests to the hotel. 

Cary will launch his new menus in the new year, working closely 

with local suppliers and the local community. He has already 

signed up Pat Thomas, a local Farindgon-based butcher a the 

restaurant and hotel’s major meat supplier. 

Cary said: “I’m super excited to join the team and aware of 

standard of food our guests expect. The new challenge will give 

me the opportunity to cook some old favourites, whilst having a 

bit of fun with some new dishes. 

“I’m going to use the next few months to learn about our guests, 

local suppliers and the team, with a view to launching some new 

menus in the new year. Christmas is already looking busy so I 

can’t wait to get going. My style of cooking is very much about 

creating hearty dishes that are packed full of flavour. I want our 

guests to pick anything off the menu with the confidence that it’s 

been created and presented with care.” 

Ronan Hunter, general manager at Sudbury House Hotel, 

added: “We are very pleased to welcome Sam to the team. He 

is a very talented chef who is keen to help us build upon our 

existing reputation. What is great about Sam is that, not only 

is he incredibly talented, but also has experience of cooking at 

elite level across all areas of our operation, whether it’s a 

dinner for a table two, right the way through to a wedding of up 

to 200.” 


NOTES 

from the pass 

Michael Caines MBE, chef/patron of Lympstone 

Manor, is one of Britain’s most decorated and 

well-known chefs. Sally Thomson caught up with 

him to discuss his ventures in wine, his passion 

for teaching and his need for speed... 

When we last met you were at 

Kentisbury Grange, and I note that you 

received some awards for that? 

Yes, the Small Hotel of the Year and 

Restaurant of the Year. It’s great! 

Kentisbury Grange is owned by my old 

school friend Mark Cushway. Mark asked 

me to get involved and help him with 

his project, which I did, and it’s great to 

see that over the years we’ve managed 

to acquire many awards which is a 

tribute to the team. The chef there at the 

moment is James Checkley and he is 

doing a great job, and we just continue 

to advance and improve. There are 

challenges being in North Devon that are 

different to being located in South Devon, 

unfortunately places in North Devon can 

get overlooked on the culinary map, so 

it’s nice to be able to contribute to the 

North Devon economy by creating a 

lovely venue, and to see it do well. 

When we last spoke you mentioned that 

your pride and joy was Lympstone Manor. 

You are now nearly into its third year… 

It’s incredible to think that when we last 

met, it was just in its infancy. We won a 

Michelin Star within six months, and we 

are very pleased to announce that we 

have been given five rosettes this year, 

so it is great progress and we just look to 

the Michelin gods that we might advance 

to two! But the main thing is that since 

we spoke we planted a vineyard and the 

whole property has settled and matured. 

It really is the best of me and everything 

that I have achieved in my career 

combined into this wonderful place. 

Do you draw back the curtains and pinch 

yourself to remember that it’s yours? 

Every day! When I walk into that 

"Lympstone Manor 

really is the best of 

me, and everything 

that I have achieved in 

my career combined 

into this wonderful 

place." 

property and I look 

at that view…I do pinch myself! But 

I also recognise that it has been a 

huge amount of hard work and it still 

continues to take a lot of commitment. 

So about your vineyard! The harvest 

in 2018 was good wasn’t it? 

The harvest in the UK in 2018 was 

brilliant, it was the best harvests in the 

history of English wine making, it’s been 

incredible. We planted our vineyard in 

2018, and in its second year it will 

produce grapes that we can harvest 

(next year), those grapes will then be 

vinified and we will be releasing our first 

wine in 2024. So it takes three years for 

the vineyard to establish. We are now in 

our second year. We planted, in eleven 

acres, 17,500 vines, of which 50% 

are Pinot Noir, 20% Meunier and 30% 

are Chardonnay. They are the classic 

champagne varietals, so we are looking 

forward to producing some wonderful 

English sparkling wine. Hopefully they will 

have their own story to tell, alongside the 

story of Lympstone Manor. 

I’ve been watching Jason Atherton 

in The Chef’s Brigade, and what I 

hadn’t really realised is the interaction 

between each person in the kitchen 

and how it can affect the cuisine. I 

work in an office, and each person 

does their own thing, whereas in a 

kitchen, the relationship between each 

person is quite a complex one! 

In all honesty it’s not that different! Similar 

to what you described with your office, 

everyone has different disciplines. The 

editor brings into the magazine all those 

different skills that contribute into a great 

publication. In a kitchen it is similar, it’s 

like an orchestra, and we conduct that 

orchestra, but we edit it and so we are 

the curators but it requires an individual 

team working alongside each other and 

communicating. Our deadlines however 

are very immediate! It requires massive 

amounts of effort and discipline, and 

that discipline is not self-indulgent, 

it’s selfless, as it is a requirement. It is 

a very tough environment. We are all 

interconnected and intertwined, but it’s 

also like the analogy of a swan, where on 

the surface to the customer we appear 

very calm, but underneath there’s two 

legs paddling! But we’ve got more than 

two legs on the team, and those legs are 

components, all working together. It’s 

fascinating and it’s a good insight into 

what goes on behind the scenes. 

17

On a completely different note, did 

you go to Silverstone this year? If so, 

how many Grand Prix’s did you get to 

attend? 

I did go this year, it was great! I’ve seen 

four this year, sometimes it’s five. But I 

did three Europeans and one fly-away, 

and so we send a chef out to all the 

Europeans to support ROKiT Williams 

Racing, and I go to Monaco, British, 

Monza and America. Sometimes I do Abu 

Dhabi and I might try and do Singapore 

next year. I do as many or as few as I 

want, but no less than three. 

What’s your favourite? 

Monaco is amazing but the racing is 

dull. Monza is the fastest track. Italy, I 

love Italy. But I love Silverstone for pure 

racing, it’s a great track. It’s a fascinating 

sport, and I think as much as we criticise 

it, one minute you can have a dull race 

and the next minute you can have the 

most exciting race. 

I know you are very involved with 

charities, and you have the Michael 

Caines Academy at Exeter College? 

It’s probably more of an educational 

programme at Exeter College where we 

take sixteen students through two years 

of training and they then graduate as 

a Michael Caines Academy student. In 

that time they have a slightly shortened 

curriculum where they spend six weeks 

in work experience and they have do 

one ‘experience day’ a week, which are 

cooking demonstrations, visits to the 

industry etc. After these two years when 

they graduate they are very sought after, 

because of the experience they have 

gained. So the academy is very important 

and it’s doing a great job supplying the 

industry with some much needed talent. 

They are all like-minded and are fabulous 

kids, and now in its eighth year we’ve had 

sixty cohorts going through, and we will 

continue to develop. We might increase 

the cohort, and we might expand the 

academy within other colleges. But in 

terms of the charity work I do, I work with 

seven different charities. I’m patron of 

Families for Children which is an adoption 

charity, I’m the president of the wonderful 

charity Farms for City Children, I’m on the 

board for the Exeter Chiefs Foundation, 

which is the charity for the Exeter Rugby 

team which do a fantastic job. I’m also 

an ambassador and advisor to the board 

of the Calvert Trust, and I also work 

alongside Damon Hill’s Charity who 

support people with Down’s Syndrome. 

So it’s lots of different charities! But it 

increases public awareness, and I’m 

particularly proud to have been made 

a deputy lieutenant to the lieutenant of 

Devon, because through this position 

I am able to work on improving the 

network of charities in Devon, and get 

them working together. 

In terms of the success of the Exeter 

Chiefs, and the work that they do – we 

support seventeen charities every 

year, but alongside that we donate 

undesignated funds to a huge amount of 

different charities. What we are seeing 

is a way in which we can help charities 

with capital projects, and last year we 

got together with the Property Ball. 

They raised £55,000 last year towards 

charities, and we chose to match fund 

"If you are a public 

figure...then I 

think you have a 

duty of care to do 

something and 

put back in the 

community" 

that, and so between the two charities 

we raised £110,000 to refit Devon 

Hospice in Exeter, which was a wellworthy 

cause and an incredible thing 

to do. But it’s things like that, that are 

about the community, that inspire you 

to get involved. If you are a public figure 

or you are someone who is perceived 

to be a celebrity or you are successful 

then I think you have a duty of care 

to do something and put back in the 

community. Not everybody does it but I 

think it is important. 

You can find out more about Michael 

Caines at michaelcaines.com 

and Lympstone Manor at 

lympstonemanor.co.uk 

18

TIME TO 

veg out 

Prep 

time: 5 minutes 

Cooking time: 30 minutes 

Serves: 2-4 

This recipe serves two as a 

main dish and needs some 

preparation the day before. 

with C hipotle Mayonnaise 

Fry each piece of chicken for about 3-4 

minutes until golden brown. Remove 

from the fryer and leave on a rack to 

cool. 

In a large mixing bowl place the 

buttermilk, egg, garam masala and For the chicken seasoning, combine 

smoked paprika and whisk well to the garam masala and salt together. 

ALL IN ONE veg lasagne 

incorporate all the ingredients together. 

Turn up the temperature of your fryer 

Place your chicken Prep time: thigh 5 pieces minutes into 

the buttermilk Cooking mixture time: until well 30 minutes coated. 

Cover the bowl Serves: with cling 2-4 film and 

place in the fridge to marinate for 24 

to 190°C Heat and the re-fry oil in the a large chicken pieces 

until dark ovenproof golden frying and very pan crispy. or 

shallow casserole dish over 

Ensure a medium-high each piece is cooked heat. Fry through. the 

hours. INGREDIENTS 


Place soffritto the chicken for 7 on minutes, a paper stirring towel 

to soak regularly. up any excess oil and 

Mix together the 200g plain pack flour, chilled paprika, Cooks’ 

onion powder, Ingredients garlic powder, Soffritto garam 

masala, cornflakes 500g carton and feuille Italian de passata brick. 

with chopped basil 

season with a dusting of the chicken 

seasoning. Tip the passata, then fill 

the carton with water and add 

For the to chipotle the pan. mayonnaise, Simmer for 10 combine 

Remove the bowl 6 fresh of chicken lasagne from sheets, the halved all ingredients minutes, together then stir in a the large pasta bowl 

fridge, and one lengthways by one place each and whisk strips well. and Put mince; the simmer fridge for and 

piece of chicken 350g thigh pack into chilled the flour Quorn Mince chill until another ready 5 to minutes. serve alongside the 

and spice mix, 125g making pack sure mozzarella, you get drained chicken. 

a good amount and of torn crumb over the 

chicken pieces. Handful basil leaves 

Scatter the torn mozzarella 

Finish over with the top fresh and zest pop of under lemon 

and lime the and grill for serve 5 minutes. with slices Grind of 

Preheat a deep METHOD fat fryer or oil in a 

saucepan to 175°C. Preheat the grill to high. 

green over jalapeño some and black plenty pepper of chipotle and 

mayonnaise. scatter over the basil to serve. 

19

BUTTERNUT 

SQUASH 

and goats cheese 

salad 

Prep time: 15 minutes 

Cook time: 30 minutes 

Serves: 4 

INGREDIENTS 

1 essential Waitrose Butternut 

Squash, halved, deseeded and 

cut into 1cm slices (about 1kg 

prepared weight) 


Pinch chilli flakes 

40g pecans 

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 

½ lemon, zest and juice 

2 x 140g packs red chicory, leaves 

separated 

2 tbsp dried cranberries 

75g essential Waitrose English 

Goats’ Cheese 

METHOD 

Preheat the oven to 220˚C, gas 

mark 7. Toss the squash slices 

with the 1 tbsp olive oil and 

spread out on a large baking tray. 

Sprinkle with the chilli flakes, 

season and roast for 25-30 

minutes, turning halfway, until 

golden in places. Put the pecans 

on a separate baking tray and add 

to the oven for the final 5 minutes 

of roasting. 

For the dressing, whisk together 

the extra virgin olive oil, lemon 

zest and juice. 

Arrange the roasted squash (it can 

be hot from the oven or cooled 

to room temperature) and sliced 

chicory leaves on individual plates 

or a large serving plate. Scatter 

over the cranberries and toasted 

pecans, dot over the goats’ 

cheese, then spoon over the 

dressing. Grind over some black 

pepper and serve immediately. 

COOK’S TIP 

For extra sweetness, try adding 

some finely sliced apple or pear in 

place of the cranberries. 

20

NAAN FLATBREADS 

with spinach and caramelised onion 

Prep time:15 minutes 

Cook time:20 minutes 

Serves: 2 

INGREDIENTS 

1½ tbsp vegetable oil 

1 onion, halved and finely sliced 

450g pack spinach 

1 tsp cumin seeds 

½ tsp black onion seeds 

Pinch of dried chilli flakes 

2 garlic cloves, finely sliced 

2 The Spice Tailor Plain Naans 

1 tsp Waitrose Cooks’ Ingredients Tamarind Paste 

2 tbsp natural yogurt 

Large handful pomegranate seeds 

METHOD 

Preheat the oven to 180°C, gas mark 4. Put 1 tbsp oil in a large 

frying pan over a medium-high heat. Fry the onion with a pinch 

of salt, stirring regularly, for 10 minutes, until deep golden. Drain 

on kitchen paper. 

Meanwhile, put the spinach in a large colander and pour over 

just-boiled water from the kettle to wilt (you may need to do 

this in 2 batches). Rinse under the cold tap, then squeeze out 

as much excess water as possible. Drain thoroughly on kitchen 

paper. 

Add the remaining ½ tbsp oil to the frying pan and toss in the 

spices and garlic. Fry for 1 minute until fragrant, then add the 

spinach plus a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes until 

any excess water has evaporated. 

Splash the naans with a little cold water and bake in the oven 

for 3-4 minutes. Remove and top each with the spinach, onion, 

tamarind paste, a drizzle of yogurt, and the pomegranate seeds. 

BAKED PEAR, ALMOND 

& OAT SQUARES 

Prep time:15 minutes, plus cooling 

Cook time:45 minutes 

Makes: 16 

INGREDIENTS 

250g porridge oats 

100g ground almonds 

1½ tsp baking powder 

1 tsp ground cinnamon 

¼ tsp fine salt 

50g soft dried apricots, roughly chopped 

350ml Alpro Oat Unsweetened drink 

1 British Blacktail Free Range Egg, beaten 

2 ripe bananas, mashed 

3 tbsp maple syrup 

¼ tsp almond extract 

2 conference pears 

METHOD 

Preheat the oven to 200˚C, gas mark 6. Line a 21cm square 

cake tin with parchment. Mix the oats, ground almonds, baking 

powder, cinnamon, salt and apricots in a large mixing bowl. In a 

jug, whisk together the Alpro oat drink, egg, mashed bananas, 

maple syrup and almond extract. 

Pour the oat drink mixture into the bowl of dry ingredients. Peel, 

halve and core both pears. Cut 1 pear into 1cm dice and stir 

through the mixture. Tip the mixture into the cake tin, smoothing 

the top. 

Slice the other pear and scatter over the top. Bake for 45 

minutes, then cool completely before cutting into squares. 

21

1 

SPICE THINGS UP 

We all know we should eat more veggies 

(ideally 10 portions per day), but we could also 

be reaping huge health benefits from herbs and 

spices by introducing them into our diets. Here 

are just a few with phenomenal healthy stats. 

SAGE - Current research indicates that sage 

may be able to improve brain function and 

memory, especially in people with Alzheimer's 

disease. 

Alzheimer's disease is accompanied by a 

drop in the level of acetylcholine, a chemical 

messenger in the brain. Sage inhibits the 

breakdown of acetylcholine 

CINNAMON - Cinnamon has potent 

antioxidant activity, helps fight inflammation 

and has been shown to lower cholesterol and 

triglycerides in the blood. 

2 

STRETCH IT OUT 

DAILY STRETCHES - Most people think that 

stretching is for gym bunnies or yogis, but daily stretching 

can have huge benefits in both pain management and 

prevention, and can delay the onset of age-related immobility. A great idea 

is to try to fit in a few as you get out of bed in the morning. 

• Firstly, lying flat on your back, hold each knee up to your chest and 

hold for 15 seconds on each side. 

• Then lying on the bed, raise one of your knees, and gently roll it 

over to the opposite side. Make sure both of your shoulders stay in 

contact with the bed at all times. 

• Sit on the edge of your bed, with your feet flat on the floor. Interlock 

your fingers and reach forward, bending from your middle back. 

Stretch with your hands forward at shoulder level. 

• Come to a standing position and stand with your feet hip-width 

apart and clasp your hands above your head. Gently lean your 

body to one side, feeling a deep stretch along the side of your 

body. Hold for 10-15 seconds and repeat on the other side. 

MYOFASCIAL MASSAGE - Myofascial release is an alternative 

medicine therapy claimed to be useful for treating skeletal muscle 

immobility and pain by relaxing contracted muscles, improving 

circulation, and stimulating the stretch reflex in muscles. You 

can reap the benefits at home using a foam roller 

to work out areas of tension in the body. The 

stretching motion helps to increase joint mobility 

and the targeted pressure on your fascia helps to 

release trigger points where you’re feeling pain. 

Performance Foam Roller, 

£19.99,1000mile.co.uk 

TAKE A BREATH 

According to the Mayo Clinic, there’s sufficient evidence that intentional 

deep breathing can actually calm and regulate the autonomic nervous 

system (ANS). This system regulates our involuntary body functions such 

as temperature, heart rate, digestion and respiratory rate. It can lower blood 

pressure and provide an almost immediate sense of calm. 

Cinnamon can lower blood sugar by several 

mechanisms, including by slowing the 

breakdown of carbs in the digestive tract and 

improving insulin sensitivity. The effective dose 

per day is 0.5 - 2 teaspoons. 

TURMERIC - Turmeric contains Curcumin 

is a remarkably powerful antioxidant, helping 

to fight oxidative damage and boosting the 

body's own antioxidant enzymes. 

The slow holding of breath allows CO2 to build up in the blood. An 

increased blood CO2 enhances the cardio-inhibitory response of the vagus 

nerve when you exhale and stimulates your parasympathetic system. This 

produces a calm and relaxed feeling in the mind and body. 

BOX BREATHING - Box breathing, also known as square breathing, 

is a technique used when taking slow, deep breaths. It can heighten 

performance and concentration while also being a powerful stress reliever. 

It’s also called four-square breathing. 

It's very simple - the cadence is 1:1:1:1. Deeply and slowly inhale for five 

seconds, hold your breath for five seconds, exhale slowly for five seconds, 

then hold your breath again for five seconds. Repeat at least four times. 

Curcumin is also strongly anti-inflammatory, to 

the point where it matches the effectiveness of 

3 

some anti-inflammatory drug. Inflammation is 

the root cause of most Western diseases, so 

the regular inclusion of turmeric is a no-brainer. 

GINGER - Ginger is known for its efficacy 

in treating nausea, but alongside that it is 

said to have anti-inflammatory properties. 

Research found that a mixture of ginger, 

cinnamon, mastic, and sesame oil decreased 

pain and stiffness experienced by those with 

osteoarthritis. It had a similar effectiveness as 

treatment with aspirin or ibuprofen. 

22

TAILOR YOUR WORKOUT 

We are all very different - the requirements in diet and fitness terms from one 

person to another vary hugely, as do our needs as we become fitter - that's a 

common issue with fitness equipment for the home - workouts can stagnate 

easily, leading to slowed progress and ultimately disenchantment. 

4 

The new Bowflex Max Trainer M8 is the first home exercise equipment to possess 

an Artificial Intelligence platform that can help people reach peak fitness and keep 

their home regime dynamic and interesting. The AI platform, called JRNY, uses AI 

algorithms, data from an initial assessment, and tracking from previous workouts to 

create personalised daily workouts based on the user’s fitness goals. Each custom 

workout is adjusted automatically based on how the user is feeling, how much they 

improve, and their past performance. 

In addition to the new AI platform, the new Bowflex Max Trainer M8 boasts enhanced 

features over its predecessor, the M7. Combining the full-body, low-impact motion 

of an elliptical with the calorie-torching power of a stepper, the fat-burning capability 

of the Max Trainer M8 is unmatched. At a fraction of the size of most ellipticals 

and treadmills, this space-saving machine is designed to fit in every home gym 

environment, and with handy integrated transport wheels, it can be moved about with 

ease. The Max Trainer M8 is available exclusively from Fitness Superstore for £1999. 

5WEIGHT 

TRAINING 

It's a common misconception that the only 

way to get leaner is lots of cardio. Whilst its 

fat-burning positives are important, some form 

of weight training is also essential if you want to change your body 

composition - there are a myriad of benefits - here are just a few: 

INCREASES BONE DENSITY - weight training can help 

limit the effects of age-related bone mass loss. It also increases 

joint stability, helping to avoid injury in both training and everyday 

activities. 

OVERALL STRENGTH - strength training increases our ability 

to perform daily tasks well, like squatting, rising from a seated 

position and lifting bags - it is a functional form of training. 

INCREASES LEAN MUSCLE MASS - as well as making 

you look slimmer overall, lean muscle also increases metabolic 

rate, so it's a calorie burning win-win. 

BLOOD PRESSURE - improves heart health by decreasing 

both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. 

INFLAMMATION - weight training helps reduce inflammatory 

molecules and also improves the efficiency of the cardio-vascular 

system - try to weight train at least twice a week for these benefits. 

Consult a personal trainer to help devise a routine that works for 

your level of ability and which targets the particular improvements 

you would like to make, or concerns you might have. 

Dumbells make for a good purchase to support home weight 

training, but full racks are bulky. Bowlfex's smart, compact 

solution means that with just a twist of the dial, 

your dumbell can go from 2-24kg, meaning 

it can adapt to the requirements of any 

workout and user. Bowflex SelectTech 552 

Adjustable Dumbbells, £399 

a pair, available exclusively 

from Fitness Superstore 

Please consult your doctor before 

making any major changes to your 

fitness or diet regime 

LIVE WELL IN 

2020 

6 TIPS FOR A HEALTHIER AND 

HAPPIER YEAR AHEAD 

6 

MOVE MORE 

We can all scoff at the fitness tracker 

wearers pacing around the office to 

reach their step goal, but our sedentary 

lifestyles are a huge contributor to a raft 

of diseases. Even standing and taking 

short walking breaks throughout the 

working day can have benefits on blood 

pressure, blood sugar and can alleviate 

some back and hip issues. 

A good step (pardon the pun) is to use 

a variable desk like the Varidesk (from 

£150, UK.Varidesk.com). By 

rotating sitting and standing 

hourly throughout a 

workday you can improve 

your posture, reduce back 

pain and also burn 50 calories per 

hour when standing. 

It's also essential to have a good 

idea of how much you move in a day - very 

few people hit the recommended 10,000 

steps. An easy way to get on top of the 

numbers is with a Fitbit - we love the Versa 

2 with its lightweight design, smart syncing, 

customisable straps and easy to use 

interface. £199.99, www.fitbit.com/uk 

23

THE NATURAL 

order 

Mike Gunton is a key producer within the BBC 

Natural History Unit, which is the world’s largest 

production unit. It is best known for its highly regarded 

nature documentaries, often presented by Sir David 

Attenborough. Here he talks to Sally Thomson about his 

early fascination for frogs, his delight in seeing young 

people taking an interest in the environment and the 

echoes of the natural world in our own day-to-day lives 

Whilst you may not recognise his face, 

you will certainly know Mike Gunton's 

extraordinary work. Mike has worked 

on all of the BBC Earth shows and in 

particular the Planet Earth II TV series and 

has had a long association with Sir David 

Attenborough. Mike will be appearing 

on the Planet Earth II tour along with Liz 

Bonnin, who is the host, and will offer 

some amazing insights into the footage 

the arenas will be watching. He is also 

involved in the Seven Worlds One Planet 

show on BBC1, which was launched 

October 27th. 

Where did your career start? When you 

left university at Cambridge, what was 

the next step? 

I did a doctorate in Zoology at 

Cambridge. I was quite interested in film 

making. There were grants that could be 

applied for, so while I was there I started 

making films. I actually made a film which 

I sold which was about Cambridge life. 

It’s one of those weird things, I ended 

up playing cricket with a Don, who said 

to me “What are you going to do when 

you leave college?”. I said “Well I’m very 

interested in film making and I would love 

to work at the BBC.” He said “Ah I know 

somebody at the BBC”. And it actually 

turned out it was somebody at the OU 

(Open University) who was an academic. 

When I enquired, I found out the BBC 

side wanted a researcher. 

It was all very fortunate timing. They 

offered me the job of researcher, which I 

did for about 6 months, then concluded 

my PHD, then returned to work for them 

for about 3 years, during which time the 

OU were really starting to look at crossing 

over with several other national television 

departments, so I actually ended up 

working on projects the Natural History 

and the Science department. 

I got to know people and the opportunity 

came up work with what we were being 

told was David Attenborough’s last 

series, The Trials of Life. I grabbed it with 

both hands and never looked back. 

If we look back to when you were 

13, your fascination with frogs 

subsequently lead you to taking 

photographs of them. That was your 

understanding then that we did not 

see things as well through our own 

eyes, but when you had a camera you 

were able to see and understand a 

little bit more about the creatures that 

you were taking photographs of. Was 

that the catalyst? 

I would love to say that it was a ‘ta da!’ 

moment, but no. Most people who are 

interested in animals were interested in 

lions and elephants and tigers and things 

like that. Of course I liked them too, but 

they didn’t really excite me. What excited 

me was the slightly weirder creatures, 

because you would have to take a 

slightly different perspective. 

With a lion you can stand back with a 

pair of binoculars and see one. But with 

these little tiny creatures you do have to 

think about how can I really get to see 

this. There was something about the 

combination of a bit of science, a bit of 

imagery, psychology but also the sense 

of mysteries that you can reveal by using 

something to draw back the curtain. And 

that really started I think when I came 

here, to The Natural History Unit. A lot 

of developments in wildlife film making 

happen in concert with technological 

changes. Life on Earth (1979) and 

Living Planet (1984) had been by David 

Attenborough and they had been real 

mould-breaking shows, and effectively 

defined every show that you now see. 

At that time we were all of a similar age, 

around our mid-twenties and all getting 

into the business of natural history film 

making, and there was a lot of innovative 

thinking; ‘How can we get cameras and 

lenses into positions to reveal different 

things about natural history?’. I had a 

couple of friends here who were really 

interested in ‘Macro Photography’, 

filming small things like little tiny frogs, 

and there were all sorts of unusual 

lenses being used. Suddenly, you were 

effectively creating a different filmic 

grammar because the way you move and 

position a camera had to be rethought; 

how you light it and tell the stories. 

One of the things I loved about this is 

that in some ways you could direct the 

stories more. When you are filming a 

lion hunt, you can’t really direct that, 

you just have to film what happens. 

But when you are telling the story of 

a female frog, who’s trick is that she 

carries her baby tadpole on her back 

and climbs to the top of a tree and looks 

for a bromeliad to put it on, that’s an 

extraordinary piece of evolution and 

behaviour and it’s so empathetic with 

people if you tell the story in a way 

that connects that empathy. Of course 

24

"we set out to connect 

people with the natural 

world...the viewer gets a 

sense of the extraordinary 

scale of this existence." 

Photograph by Elizabeth White 

Copyright BBC NHU 

you have to be careful to not go too 

soppy and anthropomorphic. But I’ve 

always defended anthropomorphism. 

Whenever people criticise, my reaction 

is ‘well I think you’re being rather 

anthropocentric!’. We can be a bit 

anthropocentric, in our thinking that we 

are so different. 

When watching a programme that you 

produce, it gets a bit fearful at times 

because you can see a creature being 

pursued. It can be difficult to watch! 

One of the things that’s very important 

about this is that there can be a danger 

of tripping into melodrama. Some of my 

colleagues and I have had arguments 

about this. The evolution of these new 

photography approaches that we were 

talking about is proximity. Trying to 

get the camera, and therefore you the 

audience, as close as we can physically 

but also emotionally to the action. And 

you cannot help but feel caught up at 

times. What was lovely about Planet 

Earth II and the technology that had 

been involved, was that we were able 

to bring that to a fine point. The snakes 

and iguanas sequence is a phenomenal 

example of that sense of proximity 

and viscerality, where you have people 

across the country hiding behind their 

sofas shouting ‘Run, baby, run!’. They 

are empathising with a creature that is a 

reptile and a tiny little thing. But if you get 

that sense of involvement then people are 

completely transfixed. 

These things feel like they have been 

big leaps, but in actual fact we’ve been 

doing it for a while, but the stars aligned 

with Planet Earth II and I think there was 

something in the air, some zeitgeist going 

on there and people wanted it. 2016 was 

quite a miserable year for a number of 

reasons, they were feeling at woe with the 

world, and something about Planet Earth 

II made them look up and look out and 

feel joyful. I think one of the things the 

press kept picking up on was that despite 

the intimacy and some of the terror, that 

at the end of it people overall felt joy. 

One of the things about this concert 

is that being on stage, the sense of 

joy that I felt, and that I felt back from 

the audience…I’d never experienced 

anything like it. Initially I thought I was 

going to be petrified, I was going to 

be standing on stage in front of 5,000 

people. But I wasn’t the slightest bit 

nervous. You could just sense a warmth 

from the audience. What the concert 

does is it actually amplifies another key 

thing that I think was unique about Planet 

Earth II, and that was that at the time 

everyone was saying that television as a 

media was falling away. People weren’t 

watching television, they were consuming 

media, as they say. Something about 

Planet Earth II got people flocking 

back to their television. They made an 

appointment to view at 8pm on a Sunday, 

and not only that but they did it as 

co-viewers. So families came together, 

football clubs…there was this incredible 

sense of we are all going to get together 

to watch this. And there was something 

about this group viewing that I think 

enhanced the experience of joy and that 

is why when you go to the concert you 

get that amplified! 

When people watch these programmes, 

what do you think it is about them that 

makes people behave differently? 

How long have you got?! There’s a 

conceptual answer and a practical one. 

The conceptual one is that we set out to 

connect people with the natural world 

and that’s what happened. They realised 

there was more to the world than their 

own lives. The viewer gets a sense of the 

extraordinary scale of this existence, but 

they also form empathetic connections; 

sometimes feeling that some of their 

troubles and woes can be absolved when 

watching the dynamics of their own lives 

being played back to them through the 

dynamics of animals. So I think there’s 

some catharsis there. But equally, there 

were a number of examples where after 

having seen a sequence in Planet Earth, 

there was a rush to digital media to find 

out more about some of the things they 

had seen – particularly in cases where 

there was some conservation spin on it. 

One of the things that was a real key 

moment in this series was the sudden 

magnetic attraction for young people. 

As a television producer I am constantly 

being asked "where are the 16-24 year 

olds?", the group that don’t watch 

television and certainly don’t watch BBC 

terrestrial television. Suddenly with Planet 

Earth II, they all wanted to watch these 

shows. That’s incredibly important to 

us, as they are the next generation. But 

also, their perspective on the planet I 

so different from my generation. What’s 

interesting with the Planet Earth II concert 

is that when the lights went up, I looked 

out and 50% of the audience were 

people in that group. They weren’t just 

kids being brought along by Grandmas 

and mums, they were cool hipsters from 

as far as the eye could see! 

Whether you're a hipster, a grandma, 

or somewhere in between, you can find 

out more information on the concert 

series by visiting planetearth2live.uk 

25

magical 

OMAN 

Katie Thomson journeys to the mountains and dunes of Oman to 

discover unrivalled landscapes and classic Arabian hospitality 

26

The name Oman is a particularly evocative one. It 

speaks of the shifting sands of dunes and deserts, the 

intricate mastery of wood carving, interiors bedecked in 

jewel-toned fabrics reflected in shining brasswork and 

of millennia-old traditions and classic Arabic hospitality. 

It is also a country of contrasts - high mountain passes 

with spectacular valleys and picture postcard famous backdrops of 

sand dunes. 

You might not think mountains when you think of Oman, but the 

country has some of the most spectacular landscapes and vistas 

anywhere in the Middle East. Indeed, many nationals from the UAE 

or Saudi head to the Omani mountains for their holidays, preferring 

the milder climate in the summer months. 

Sitting atop a peak in Jabel Al Akhdar is the Sahab Resort and Spa, 

the latest hotel offering from the Omani Al Nahda group. Known for 

their strong commitment to service and luxurious settings, this hotel 

seeks to offer a mountain getaway where guests can truly relax. The 

hotel is of course centred around the views - spectacular vistas of 

gorges, waterfalls and stone cut ridges. The designers have been 

keen to ground the hotel in its location through a series of careful 

touches - the million year-old fossils found in the valley are visible 

throughout all of the grounds and the local rosewater scents the 

halls. 

Sahab offers 27 rooms in three different categories - Studio rooms, 

Suite rooms & Family Suites. The decor is influenced by rich Omani 

culture, equipped with all the modern amenities and offering a 

magnificent view of the Jabal Al Akhdar mountain range. It was 

special indeed to sip my morning coffee whilst gazing out across 

the vastness of the surroundings, watching as the sun stretched and 

touched each mountainous ridge in turn. 

There are lots of excursion options from the hotel - some abseiling 

and mountain climbing for adrenaline-seekers, alongside more 

sedate tours of local villages, the rose garden or even star gazing. I 

opted for the village tour, taking in the local waterfall and getting a 

sense of the unique challenges of living in somewhere so remote. 

After days of soaking up the endless views by the pool, it was time 

to move on to a more archetypal Middle Eastern experience in the 

sand dunes. 

Mirage-like and utterly majestic, the Dunes by Al Nahda resort sits 

amongst the undulating sand dunes of Wadi Al Abyad. Only 40 

minutes from Muscat, it’s a world away from city life, creating an 

authentic taste of the Omani experience. The hotel is made up of 

a series of static ivory one or two bedroom Bedouin tents, each 

luxuriously furnished with dark woods, richly patterned fabrics and 

ultra-comfortable beds. For a truly majestic stay, and this resort 

does host royalty, there are the Royal Suites. The size of almost 

four tents together, each is capacious at 139 square meters and 

equipped with separate bedrooms, a living room and a private patio. 

Dunes Resort and Spa 

“IT IS ALSO A COUNTRY 

OF CONTRASTS - HIGH 

MOUNTAIN PASSES WITH 

SPECTACULAR VALLEYS AND 

PICTURE POSTCARD FAMOUS 

BACKDROPS OF SAND DUNES.” 

27

“IT WAS SPECIAL 

INDEED TO SIP MY 

MORNING COFFEE 

WHILST GAZING 

OUT ACROSS THE 

VASTNESS OF THE 

SURROUNDINGS” 

Other than the opulent accommodation, what makes 

Dunes unique is the swimming pool - unlike many desert 

camps, Dunes is unique in having a spectacular infinity 

pool, with views stretching out for miles over undulating 

terrain. This immersion in the landscape is important, and 

it is emphasised at every opportunity - each tent enjoys 

similarly spectacular view of the dunes or the distant Al 

Hajar mountains, so, if like me you have a little jet lag, you 

can watch the sunrise over the sands from your bed! 

The resort offers a whole host of amazing experiences 

- from riding on Abdul the resident camel, guided quad 

biking on the dunes and even a most spectacular Arabian 

feast served under the stars. Just as in Sahab, Dunes 

prides itself on an excellent menu of Indian and Omani 

dishes. These are served in the Fleur Restaurant, open 

on all sides to the panoramic mountain views. Fleur’s 

head chef is somewhat of a local celebrity, having won 

the Omani equivalent of MasterChef. He was also a part 

of Rick Stein’s series on India - showing the calibre of the 

cookery on offer. 

It is clear with both resorts that the work is collaborative 

and dependent upon excellent staff. The chefs, both 

Indian, are adept and dexterous in the kitchen, creating 

different takes on classic Omani dishes and elevating 

them to fine dining - of course with some spice and curry 

flavours thrown in. The spas too are what the group are 

known for; Dr Mary Ann is one of those brought in at the 

conception of the hotel group, with the owners seeking 

out her health and wellbeing expertise to set up the 

medi-spa in the original Al Nadha Hotel. Her ethos and 

whole-body approach to wellbeing is echoed in each 

resort and she has designed a treatment menu for each 

that reflects its setting. 

In Sahab, perched as it is high in the mountains, the 

signature scent is called ‘Clouds’ - an uplifting fragrance 

which pairs with the Signature massage. In Dunes, the 

scent is a more musky ‘Arabian Nights’ and the signature 

treatment is quite extraordinary. Called the ‘Sand Spa’, 

clients take to an open air treatment room are immersed 

in sand which has been heated by the sun. It is said that 

a sand bath provides relief for people suffering from a 

range of muscular disorders as well as helping to ease 

the symptoms and heal various skin conditions too - 

the gentle heat is also supremely relaxing, bringing a 

soothing warmth to the body without becoming overly 

hot. After the sand, which exfoliates the skin too, a 

moisturising coating of natural yoghurt is applied to the 

skin. Quite unique and almost elemental in its approach, 

this is a treatment unlike any you might find elsewhere. 

28 

Dr Mary, originally from Scotland, was certain she would 

return home after setting up the spas - but she fell in

Images, clockwise from top left: Bedrooms at 

Sahab; amazing views from the Sahab pool 

area; the infinity pool at Dunes; Dunes tent 

interior; Abdul, Dunes' resident camel 

with Oman and moved permanently. I asked 

her about her thoughts on the way the modern 

world is changing what is ostensibly a traditionled 

country “the country is not virgin anymore, 

in the respect of technology and infrastructure, 

she is newly married though - growing a little, 

finding her way, experiencing new things and 

of course changing - but ultimately Oman is 

not so changed from its core and that is what 

makes it so magical.” 

It is amazing that a country can have as peaceful 

an existence as this, often called upon to be 

the mediator of other political conflicts. The 

Sultan Qaboos bin Said Al Said plays a part 

in this prosperity, and his particular penchant 

for aesthetically pleasing architecture has 

seen Oman, and Muscat in particular, grow 

gracefully and with tradition at its heart - you 

won’t see the skyscrapers of Dubai here as all 

buildings are limited to four storeys. There are 

lots of excursions available from Dunes which 

take in some of the city’s best sights - you can 

meander through the nearby Matrah Souk or 

visit the city’s architectural gem - Sultan Qaboo’s 

Mosque. This mosque can accommodate 

over 7,000 worshippers inside it’s cool marble 

prayer rooms and at its heart it houses the 

most dazzling chandelier I have ever seen - all 8 

tonnes of it. 

I have travelled fairly extensively in the Middle 

East, but something about Oman really did 

capture my imagination. It offers so much 

to the traveller - world-class scenery, lots of 

cultural sights, and of course that wonderful 

Omani hospitality. 

The Al Nahda Group too make the most of these 

elements, amplifying them in their hotels to give 

guests an authentic, but relaxing experience 

and surely fond memories of a holiday filled with 

adventure and discovery. 

TRAVEL TIPS: 

• 4 nights at Sahab and then three nights at Dunes, private transfers and 

return flights with Oman Air 

• Cox & Kings (0203 642 0861, coxandkings.co.uk) offers 4 nights at Sahab 

Resort & Spa on a full board basis and 3 nights at Dunes by Al Nahda on a 

half board basis from £2,395 per person (two sharing) including all private 

transfers and return economy international flights with Oman Air. 

• The currency is the Omani Rial - 2 rials is approximately £1 

• The national language is Arabic - handy phrases include 'Shukraan' - thank 

you, 'Salam Alaikum' - hello or peace be with you to which the response is 

'Wa-Alaikum-Salaam' - and peace with you also 

29

THE HOMEBUYER'S 

Thinking about moving or buying your first home? Read on... 

If you are beginning the process of buying 

your first home, selling to buy a bigger 

property or even downsizing once the 

kids have flown the nest, you may find 

that the property market is an unknown 

entity, full of potential pitfalls, doubts 

and unexpected costs. Couple that with 

the looming uncertainty of BREXIT, and 

you have a complicated set of hoops to 

jump through. In this guide, we aim to 

demystify homebuying and give useful 

advice for each stage of the process. 

BREXIT BLUES? 

UK house price growth remains subdued 

as uncertainty about the direction and 

shape of Brexit continues to weigh on the 

market. 

The latest figures from Nationwide show 

UK house prices rose by 0.4% on the year, 

the 11th month in a row that annual price 

growth remained below 1%. 

City A.M. says the latest modest rises 

“underline concerns over a slowdown 

in activity in the UK’s housing market, 

particularly in London and the South, 

despite a recent improvement in earnings 

and employment”. 

“It’s hard to see the market emerging from 

this sub-one per cent annual growth rut 

until there is clarity on Brexit,” said David 

Westgate, chief executive of Andrews 

Property group, adding “the sheer level of 

political uncertainty has left the property 

market in a protracted limbo”. 

Which? magazine says: “Whether you’re 

a staunch remainer or avid Brexiteer, 

there’s no denying that the uncertainty 

around when the UK will leave the EU, and 

the terms under which it may happen, is 

causing property market jitters.” 

What has the impact of Brexit been so far? 

“The economic uncertainty caused by 

Brexit has undoubtedly affected the 

market, with house price growth slowing 

year-on-year and the number of sales 

taking a dramatic dip in recent months,” 

says Which?. 

Nationwide’s chief economist Robert 

Gardner said this week that average 

prices rose by £800 over the last 12 

months, a sharp slowing compared with 

the year to October 2016, just after the 

Brexit referendum, when prices jumped 

by £9,100. 

Data released by Rightmove earlier this 

month found that the price of property 

coming to market has endured its weakest 

month-on-month rise at this time of year in 

over a decade. 

Prospective home buyers have been 

undeterred by the approaching Brexit 

deadline, while sellers have been put off 

by ongoing uncertainty over UK house 

prices, according to the real estate 

platform. 

While the latest Brexit extension has 

pushed back the imminent threat of a nodeal 

Brexit, investors and market experts 

have expressed concern about the 

potential consequences given it remains 

the default position if an agreement 

cannot be ratified by Parliament by 31 

January 2020. 

Information from theweek.co.uk 

FIRST-TIME BUYERS 

So, you’re about to make the biggest 

investment of your life so far. Scary, right? 

There’s a lot to think about, and a lot of 

costs you will not have even considered 

until the process has started. Your 

mortgage is the first thing you should 

think about, because until you have your 

Decision in Principle, you will not know 

what you can afford to buy. By going to 

an independent mortgage advisor, you 

will have the choice of many different 

banks and building societies, so you 

can assess options like the term of your 

mortgage, fixing interest rates and any 

cash back offered. 

Viewing Houses 

This is probably the most fun bit of 

the process, because you get to know 

your tastes and can have a look around 

some lovely properties in the process. 

Rightmove is a great resource, as is 

Zoopla for comparing prices in an area. 

As well as relying on these sites, it is 

vital that you make yourself known to 

lots of different local agents. Let them 

know in as much detail as possible what 

requirements you have (location, number 

of bedrooms, garden, garage etc) and 

your upper price limit. A good agent will 

let you know about properties about to 

come to the market, helping you get a 

head start on other buyers. 

Viewing Tip - When viewing houses, 

try to take some pictures (with the estate 

agent’s permission) on your phone as 

an aide memoir and if you have furniture 

from renting to fit in, take a tape measure 

and see if it would fit in the space. 

CONVEYANCING 

So, once you’ve found the property you 

want, you will need to instruct a solicitor 

to do the conveyancing for you. Before 

deciding on one, we recommend emailing 

or calling around for some quotes to 

make sure you get a competitive rate. 

30

GUIDE 

CHARTERED SURVEY 

Unless the property you are buying is less 

than 10 years old, it really does make good 

sense to have a survey. Most surveyors 

offer a choice between a RICS Homebuyer 

Report or a Building Survey. Send over 

the property details you have and they 

will help you decide on the best survey for 

peace of mind. Once again, it does pay to 

enquire with a few different firms to keep 

prices competitive and to find the right 

surveyor for the type of property you buy. 

Surveying Tip - If you are buying a 

flat, it can be difficult to know whether 

you need to have a full building survey 

(formerly called a structural survey). If 

you are buying a flat in a listed or older 

building, talk to your surveyor about 

whether they can offer a special package 

for you. 

SELLING 

Over the past few years, the property 

landscape really has become a seller’s 

market. With a high demand for property, 

estate agents are having to be creative 

in the way they compete for instructions. 

This is great news if you are selling, as 

you can ask them to be competitive in the 

rates they offer. 

Surveying Tips - It is likely that you 

will need to provide certificates or 

documentation of any major work you 

have had done on your home in the last 

10 years, primarily electrics. De-clutter 

before the estate agent comes to take 

photos. Your home needs to be a blank 

canvas, so the potential buyer can imagine 

their possessions there, without yours 

dominating their vision. 

MOVING 

So, you’ve accumulated a lot of stuff eh? 

Here are our top tips to make moving easier: 

• Start packing the areas of your 

home that you use the least. Pack 

essentials last. 

• At least 8 weeks before the date, 

notify change of address for any 

subscriptions. 

• Pack early if you are using the 

services of a moving company. Also 

be sure to label clearly and keep 

heavy boxes double taped. 

• Recycle anything you don’t love 

anymore. Start this process early, 

using a skip for unsellable items and 

send other bits to the charity shop. 

Removals companies sometimes 

charge by volume, so reducing the 

amount you take with you cuts costs. 

Help to Buy? 

The Help to Buy scheme offers an equity 

loan where the government lends firsttime 

buyers and existing homeowners 

money to buy a newly-built home. 

The purchase price must be no more 

than £600,000. Under this scheme, you 

can borrow 20% of the purchase price 

interest-free for the first five years as 

long as you have at least a 5% deposit. 

If you live in London, you can borrow up 

to 40% of the purchase price. 

The Government has confirmed it will 

extend its Help to Buy equity loan 

scheme from 2021 to 2023. However, this 

extension will be restricted to first-time 

buyers purchasing newly built homes. 

From 2021, there will also be new 

regional price caps which could reduce 

the maximum value of homes that can be 

bought through the Equity Loan Scheme. 

Help to Buy: Equity loans 

How they work 

• You need at least 5% of the sale 

price of your new-build flat or 

house as a deposit. 

• The government lends you up to 

20%, or 40% if you live in London, 

of the sale price. 

• You borrow the rest (up to 75%, or 

55% if you live in London) from a 

mortgage lender, on a repayment 

basis. 

• The equity loan must be repaid 

after 25 years, or earlier if you sell 

your home. 

• You must repay the same 

percentage of the proceeds of the 

sale as the initial equity loan (i.e. 

if you received an equity loan for 

20% of the purchase price of your 

home, you must repay 20% of the 

proceeds of the future sale). 

• You don’t pay any interest or fees 

on the government’s equity loan for 

the first five years. In the sixth year, 

you’ll be charged 1.75%. 

• After then, the fee rises by inflation 

based on the Retail Prices Index 

(RPI) plus 1% each year. 

• RPI figures are put together by the 

Office for National Statistics. 

Help to Buy: Shared 

Ownership 

If you can’t quite afford the mortgage on 

100% of a home, Help to Buy: Shared 

Ownership offers you the chance to buy 

a share of your home (between 25% and 

75% of the home’s value) and pay rent 

on the remaining share. Later on, you 

could buy bigger shares when you can 

afford to. 

You could buy a home through Help to 

Buy: Shared Ownership in England if: 

• Your household earns £80,000 a 

year or less outside London, or 

your household earns £90,000 a 

year or less in London 

• You are a first-time buyer, you used 

to own a home but can’t afford 

to buy one now or are an existing 

shared owner looking to move. 

With Help to Buy: Shared Ownership you 

can buy a newly built home or an existing 

one through resale programmes from 

housing associations. You’ll need to take 

out a mortgage to pay for your share of 

the home’s purchase price, or fund this 

through your savings. Shared Ownership 

properties are always leasehold. 

You can get help from another home 

ownership scheme called Older People’s 

Shared Ownership if you’re aged 55 or 

over. It works in the same way as the 

general Shared Ownership scheme, but 

you can only buy up to 75% of your 

home. Once you own 75% you won’t 

have to pay rent on the remaining share. 

31

trend spotting 

ENGLISH COUNTRY HOUSE 

‘The stately homes of England 

How beautiful they stand! 

Amidst their tall ancestral trees, 

O’er all the pleasant land.’ 

Felicia Hemans, 1827 

The English country house style is 

timeless. If you are a fan of collectables, 

historical pieces, and antique jewellery, 

you will no doubt fall head over heels for 

this romantic interior style. English country 

homes are whimsical, cosy, and warm and 

whether you have an ancestral home or a 

modern house, there are plenty of ways to 

recreate this style. 

THE HISTORY BEHIND THE HOUSE 

The origin of the traditional country house 

style is an interesting one. It actually 

originated during the Tudor period, a 

time of relative peace and security in 

Britain. As it was no longer necessary to 

focus your home-making efforts towards 

defence of property, aristocrats could 

instead prioritise design. Their houses 

became sources of pride; a way of 

showing off their money and impressing 

their peers. And thus, the country house 

aesthetic was born. 

Despite the true provenance of this style, it 

wasn’t until the 1920s that the interior style 

that we recognise as 'English Country' 

came into fashion. Ironic as it sounds, 

it was an American woman, Nancy 

Lancaster, that brought the style to the 

fore and crystallised the aesthetic. 

Her philosophy regarding interior design 

revolved around comfort and elegance. 

She found ways to combine the traditional 

country house style with the practicalities 

of twentieth century living. 

Even through the popularity of minimalist 

design, the English country house style 

has remained a favourite. Plus, the ‘more 

is more’ mentality linked to this style 

means that your home will look better and 

better over years of collecting new art, 

ornaments and furniture. 

HOW TO RECREATE THE LOOK 

This style can be recreated and adapted to 

suit the space you’re working with. Whether 

you’re looking to start from scratch in a 

new home, or you want to make your living 

room feel a bit more cosy, we have some 

top country house tips for you... 

PERIOD PIECES 

Historical accents work beautifully with 

this scheme. If you are lucky enough 

to have a house with original beamed 

ceilings, a cosy open fireplace, or 

hardwood floors, then make the most 

of them - restore where you can using 

traditional techniques and complement 

them with tonal elements. 

FLORAL DECOR 

Florals are essential with this stunning 

style. Whether you fill your house with 

vases of flowers, or opt for floral prints on 

curtains, wallpapers and tablecloths, there 

is always a way to freshen up your home 

with botanicals. If you want a more subtle 

floral effect, invest in some antique silver. 

Lots of silver items feature floral motifs 

and they will also add a nostalgic sense of 

antiquity to your home. 

DETAILS ARE EVERYTHING 

The beauty of an English country house is 

that you constantly discover new personal 

touches within the eclectic theme. 

Baskets, boxes and other ornamental 

antiques are perfect for adding those 

extra little touches to your home. What’s 

more, these tiny antiquities will give the 

impression of a vast collection that’s taken 

generations to acquire, giving an ancestral 

feel to your home. 

BOOKSHELVES ARE A MUST! 

What’s a traditional English house without 

some traditional tomes. Bookshelves 

are essential to country house interiors, 

and it’s another case of the more the 

merrier. As well as a capacious library, 

your country house wouldn’t be complete 

without some cosy nooks and comfy sofas 

to bed down in. With the temperamental 

British weather, you will end up spending a 

lot of time in these cosy corners, so invest 

time in perfecting them. 

AMAZING ANTIQUES 

Antique furniture is the cherry on the 

top of this style. A classic trope of the 

English country house look is its eccentric 

busyness. So, go wild! Pick a range of 

furniture in different styles, from different 

time periods. It may seem random, 

but when they all sit together, they will 

look right at home. Head to your local 

auctioneers and invest in pieces you 

love - antique pieces are built to last and 

become heirlooms in their own right. 

The age-old beauty of the English country 

house style will make you feel cosy and 

content. If you prefer maximalist styles 

and historical features to stripped-back 

minimalism, then this is the style for you! 

32

Choosing and Installing 

a Woodburning Stove 

Installing a woodburning stove is a real investment, not only 

increasing the value of a property but adding a sense of warmth and 

comfort to the living space. However, with so much choice on the 

market, it can be a daunting process. Vicky Naylor, General Manager 

of ACR Stoves, gives her expert advice to help customers select the 

right stove for their home. 

CE Approved & Warranty 

“Firstly, consumers should always ensure that their chosen stove is 

CE approved – this is a legal requirement and guarantees the stove 

has been tested to current standards and is therefore fit for purpose”, 

comments Vicky. “Another benchmark to look for is the length of 

warranty given by the manufacturer; some stoves are supplied with 

a 12 month warranty whereas others have a 10 year warranty. The 

longer the warranty, the more peace of mind to the consumer.” 

SIA EcoDesign Approved 

EcoDesign is the new approval which will replace CE approval from 

2022. It is designed to make stoves cleaner and more efficient in the 

battle to improve air quality. Members of the Stove Industry Alliance 

(SIA) have signed up to ensure that their new models are EcoDesign 

approved immediately, rather than when this requirement comes into 

force in 2022. “Choose a SIA EcoDesign approved stove - they will be 

one of the most environmentally friendly and efficient stoves available 

on the market,” advises Vicky. 

Installation 

“Consumers should always enlist the help and advice of their stockist 

and registered heating engineer (such as a HETAS engineer) before 

purchasing their stove to ensure that the installation will comply 

with Building Regs and the manufacturer’s instructions” comments 

Vicky. She continues, “The chimney should always be checked for 

soundness and lined if necessary. Each installation will be different - it 

is important to ensure that the hearth requirements and clearances 

are complied with. If you live in a smoke controlled area you must also 

ensure that the stove you install is smoke exempt if you intend to burn 

wood.” 

Style of Stove 

“When it comes to which type or style of stove to choose, it’s very 

much down to personal choice. However, there are certain aspects, 

such as the room itself, which do influence these decisions” advises 

Vicky. “We are seeing the sales of 5Kw output stove sales increasing. 

This is mainly due to less heat being required in homes due to today’s 

better insulation levels, along with the fact that stoves are being 

installed into smaller rooms. This is often because they now are 

becoming a ‘must have’ on people’s wish lists.” 

Vicky concludes, “We find that customers want to see as much of 

the fire as possible, so the larger the glass viewing area the better. 

The increase in open plan living spaces also means that many 

homeowners are looking for a stove which can be placed in the 

middle of the room and enjoyed from all angles, so stoves with more 

than one viewing window are increasingly popular.” 

ACR Stoves are experts in their field and are always happy to offer 

expert advice tailored to your features, to arrange this please contact 

hannah@baytreepr.com. 

Pictured above: SIA EcoDesign Ready Buxton Multifuel Stove from 

£1,115.00 


Town & Country - Contemporary 

Shaker shown in Bridgwater 

Prosecco and Dark Sage 

www.mereway.co.uk/kitchen/ 

bridgwater-prosecco-dark-sage/ 

Annie Sloan Chalk Paint 

Splodge Duck Egg Blue 

Portrait 

www.anniesloan.com 

Cozy Living Mathea Throw 

in Army Green £79 

www.cuckooland.com 

Pale Blue Ceramic 

Round Vase 

£35 

www.shimu.co.uk 

Woven Rattan Shade Natural 

£150 

www.coxandcox.co.uk 

Palm Set of 2 Plant Pots £25 

www.made.com 

Kidman 

www.vgnewtrend.it 

Dulux Muted Sage 

2.5L = £27.56 

dulux.co.uk/en/products 

TRANQUIL DAWN 

Emerging into 2020, Tranquil Dawn is this years 

colour of choice. Inspired by the morning sky 

this cool tonal green is the perfect pair for an 

increasingly hectic modern society. Pair this with 

a jewel like olive green or pale neutral tones to 

make the ideal colour palate. 

Aliona Cushion, Green 

£65 

www.habitat.co.uk 

Annie Sloan Chalk Paint 

Splodge Svenska Blue Portrait 

www.anniesloan.com 

Nikki Wardrobe with 

Storage Drawer in Army 

Green by Woood £459 


Bergamo Bed 

£349.99 

www.furniturechoice.co.uk 

Broste Copenhagen Wind 

Footstool, Grape Leaf 

£540 


Pair of Leon Dining Chairs in 

Green £199 



Family run business 

ONE 

FREE 

APPLIANCE 

with every full kitchen, 

on orders placed in 

January 2020. 

Subject to t&c’s. 

The kitchen is often the most important room in the house, so as well as 

stunning looks, you also need it to be practical. Whether preparing dinner for 

the family or cooking that all important dinner party we can supply or install a 

wide range of quality British made kitchens that work for you. 

01235 810029 

sales@m-g-kitchens.co.uk 

www.m-g-kitchens.co.uk 

80-82 Broadway, Didcot, OX11 8AE 

Kitchen & Bedroom Showroom 

Tuesday - Friday 9.30-5.00pm 

Saturday 10.00-4.00pm

Homes with a heritage 

When Charles William Bovis founded CW Bovis & Co. 

in 1885, we’re sure he didn’t expect the company 

to be one of the UK’s leading housebuilders over 

100 years later. 

People choose a new Bovis Home for lots of reasons. 

For many, it’s the stunning modern layouts designed for 

today’s families. For others it’s the indulgence of having 

brand new kitchens and bathrooms. And some simply 

choose Bovis Homes for the contemporary design and 

traditional architecture. 

Discover a Bovis Homes 

development near you 

The Avenue, Moreton in Marsh 

East Gate, Wantage 

The Silkmill, East Hanney 

Faringdon Fields, Faringdon 

Townsend Place, Shrivenham 

Windrush Place, Witney 

Oaklands, Hunts Grove 

Millfields, Cam 

Charlton Hayes, Filton and 

coming soon to Minster Lovell. 

01242 329 329 

bovishomes.co.uk 

One thing is for sure, 134 years of building experience 

means our customers enjoy a level of heritage 

unparalleled anywhere else. 

Purchase assistance schemes to help you move 

Help to Buy 

Available to all types of buyers. 

Just a 5% deposit needed. 

Access to 75% mortgage. 

Home Exchange 

For existing homeowners. 

Part exchange your current home 

for a brand new one! 

Smooth Move 

Available to all types of buyers. 

Save thousands on Estate Agent 

fees and save time too! 

External streetscene image depicts typical Bovis Homes. Home Exchange, Help to Buy and Smooth Move subject to specific terms and conditions. Please ask your sales advisor for further information. YOUR HOME MAY BE REPOSSESSED 

IF YOU DO NOT KEEP UP REPAYMENTS ON A MORTGAGE OR ANY OTHER DEBT SECURED ON IT.

Find the perfect 

new home for you 

Bovis Homes are sure you will fall in 

love with their stunning homes and are 

on hand to help you move and find your 

dream home…. 

Bovis Homes is offering attractive new developments. The Silk 

Mill in the pretty Oxfordshire village of East Hanney offers a range 

of quality 2, 3, 4 and 5 bedroom homes carefully designed to suit 

your needs. If you prefer to be closer to a town their East Gate 

development has a range of 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 bedroom homes in 

the historic market town of Wantage with its strong community 

atmosphere, shops, schools and amenities. Both Bovis Homes 

developments offer good transport links and are set in the 

stunning countryside of the Vale of the White Horse with the 

ancient Ridgeway nearby. 

There are several ways in which Bovis Homes can help you 

move, whether you are a first-time buyer, a couple or family 

looking to upsize or downsize, the team will be able to assist you 

and help guide you through your options*. 

The government backed Help to Buy scheme is continuing to 

help thousands of buyers benefit from its equity loan scheme, 

and you don’t have to be a first-time buyer. The scheme which 

is exclusive to brand new homes could help you to move to your 

perfect new home. 

If you have a home to sell then their Smooth Move scheme could 

be the one to help. This service is designed to help you sell your 

ADVERTISING FEATURE 

old property quickly so that you can make the move into your 

brand new home. Bovis Homes will deal with the estate agents 

on your behalf, and even pay the estate agent’s fees when your 

house is sold! 

On selected homes you may be able to use their Home Exchange 

scheme which is the simple way to make sure you don’t lose out 

on your brand new Bovis Home - and saves you time and money 

along the way. They’ll buy your property at market value and you 

avoid estate agent’s fees. 

So, whether you are choosing your first home, or need space for 

a growing family, The Silk Mill at East Hanney and East Gate at 

Wantage are the perfect choices for your stylish new home in the 

stunning Oxfordshire countryside. 

For further information please contact Bovis Homes on 

01242 329 329 or visit www.bovishomes.co.uk. 

*Terms and conditions apply. 


NEW RETIREMENT APARTMENTS IN ABINGDON 

Register your interest 

Britain’s award-winning retirement living specialists are coming to 

Ock Street, so you could soon be enjoying a safe, secure and convenient 

new lifestyle with like-minded neighbours. 

Make the first move towards Churchill Retirement Living today 

– you’ll be surprised how easy it can be. 

ALBERT LODGE Ock Street 

CALL TODAY TO REGISTER YOUR INTEREST 

0800 458 1849 

Visit churchillretirement.co.uk 

• Lodge Manager • Owners’ Lounge with coffee bar • Guest Suite for friends and family 

• Landscaped gardens • 24-hour support • Video entry system • Free parking • Lift to all fl oors

Baby it's cold outside 

The garden is bare, the leaves have fallen and now is the opportunity to take stock of what you would 

like to see during the wintertime. It’s also the time to plan for the spring and summer. Perhaps you 

have a sunny patch where you could lay some decking or an attractive terrace, create an arch or a rose 

garden are just a few examples. Here are some ideas of making your winter garden attractive and 

planning for next year...including getting rid of that shed that’s on its last legs! 

Gardeners in the UK have plenty of reasons to get cold feet about 

winter. Plants are at rest and their bright colours have gone. And with 

very little to plant, those of you who love their gardens might think 

there are few winter landscaping tips - or to dos. 

In fact, careful planning in spring, summer, and autumn - plus a few 

easy accents during winter - can lead to a beautiful and pleasing 

landscape. 

Here are six winter landscaping tips to 

help make you love your garden during 

this season and in the future. 

1. Focus on bark Deciduous trees do 

lose their leaves in wintertime, leaving 

their branches and trunks in focus. 

It is a good idea to look out for 

interesting ornamental trees that 

have really visually distinctive 

bark, which will add winter 

interest. Many of those trees and 

some shrubs are smaller, meaning 

they’re easier to find spots for in the 

winter landscape. Dogwoods and birch 

trees are particularly good examples. 

2. Include berries Many trees and shrubs 

have berries they hold onto during autumn 

and winter, and not only look attractive but 

also provide food for birds. Crab apples, holly 

and firethorn are very attractive. 

3. Remember evergreens Evergreens are great at this time of year. 

Firstly, there’s colour: Evergreens are not just green; they’re available 

in yellow, such as Gold Thread False Cypress, and blues, the Dwarf 

Blue Spruce, and all colours in between. When you are planting a 

new border, try to have at least one evergreen. 

4. Check out your hard landscaping Winter is a good time to 

critically assess the layout of your garden, figuring out where 

it’s missing focal points. The solution to enhancing your winter 

landscaping might not be a plant at all. Winter is the best time to 

consider the bare bones of the garden. You may wish to place a 

trellis, a bench, an arbour, and if you can run to it, a garden sculpture 

which will add another dimension. Perhaps plan to put in a small or 

indeed large fountain for sound…the possibilities are endless. 

5. Make use of your summertime containers Window boxes, 

hanging baskets, winter-hardy containers are perfect for winter 

landscaping. They will still need to be watered during dry periods. 

You can plant up winter primroses and pansies, trailing hedera, 

colourful cyclamen with their delicate flowers and leaves. Also 

consider adding some spring flowering bulbs to bring colour into the 

early part of the year. 

6. Try these four-season perennials Some perennials have 

evergreen foliage - ornamental grasses, hellebores, - dianthus with 

its beautiful low-creeping foliage - making them great for winter 

landscaping, 

Happy gardening! 

Didcot Calor & Paving Centre Ltd 

• Indian Natural Stone paving from £19.95m2 

inc VAT & Free Delivery 

• Rolawn Medallion Turf stockist 

• Bradstone, Natural Paving, Stonemarket stockist 

• Sand, Ballast & Shingle (bulk loads available) 

• Grange Fencing, Gates, Pergolas & Trellis 

• Now stocking Growbags 

For deliveries call: 

01235 814186 

Monday - Friday 8.30am-5pm 

Saturday 9am-4pm 

visit us at: 

Rich’s Sidings, Lower Broadway, Didcot 

sales@didcotcalor.co.uk 

www.didcotcalor.co.uk 


MG ZS 

Exclusive EV 

Motoring 

Journalist Sue 

Cooke test drives 

the new MG ZS 

Exclusive EV... 

Nowadays the majority of cars I am 

asked to road test are alternatively 

fuelled vehicles. The latest figures from 

the Society of Motor Manufacturers and 

Traders show that more than one in 10 

cars joining UK roads, are either hybrid, 

plug-in hybrid or pure electric. 

In fact, the demand for the latest 

battery electric cars surged by 228.8% 

and MG has joined the jostling crowd 

and launched an electric version of 

its compact Sports Utility Vehicle. It is 

good to see the choice moving from the 

supermini electric car to an electric small 

crossover, like the ZS. Aside from power 

being derived from a battery, the ZS has 

many other attributes. 

The exterior design is stylish with a large 

MG badge taking centre stage on the full 

frame grille. The badge is what the new 

owner will press to raise a portion of the 

front grille where one end of a lead is 

plugged into the car and the other into a 

house plug to charge the battery. 

Charging from home, using the 7kW Type 

2 charger to fully charge takes 6.5 hours, 

ideal for overnight charging but with the 

50kW CCS rapid charger, you can charge 

from zero to 80% in 40 minutes. 

The class leading interior space comes 

with most of the ‘extras’ as standard and 

trim level choice is the entry level Explore, 

Excite or top of the range, Exclusive. 

The ZS has one of the most generous 

shoulder, leg and headroom capacities 

in its segment. There is 448 litres of boot 

space, which is 60 litres larger than the 

typical compact SUV. The split-level boot 

has plenty of room for prams, luggage, 

outdoor leisure equipment or the 

weekly shop. Numerous compartments 

throughout the car provide additional 

storage. 

An 8” touch sensitive infotainment 

screen is supported by DAB radio (on the 

Exclusive and Excite models). Bluetooth 

hands-free and Cruise control are also 

included and Satellite Navigation and 

a rear camera are standard on the 

Exclusive variant. MG offers Apple Car 

Play on the Excite and Exclusive variants 

at no extra cost. The safer way to use 

your iPhone in the car, CarPlay will take 

the things you want to do with your 

iPhone while you are driving and puts 

them on the car’s in-built display. 

The Excite and Exclusive models come 

with three power-assisted steering modes 

– Urban, Normal and Dynamic. Normal 

is normal, while Urban steering offers 

a lighter and quicker response at low 

speeds and when parking. The Dynamic 

mode is designed to increase the steering 

effort, deliver a higher damping effect and 

increase the centre definition at medium 

and high vehicle speeds. 

Acceleration is instant as the car 

silently tiptoes through urban traffic. 

Deceleration is gradual as the right 

foot slowly removes the pressure. The 

EV is only available with automatic 

transmission. 

MG offers a 7 year/80,000 mile warranty 

as standard across all variants, which the 

British brand says is one of the longest 

fully transferable warranties in its class. 

It’s good to see the increase in 

registrations of electrified cars. The 

larger choice of models like the MG ZS 

SUV is ideal for people who want to go 

electric but also need the space and 

practicality of a compact SUV. For 2020 

manufacturers are offering plenty of new 

and exciting alternatively fuelled models 

to give buyers even more choice. It just 

needs a more confident consumer. 

Facts at a glance 

Model: MG ZS sports utility vehicle 

Exclusive EV 

Basic Price: £30,495otr but with the 

MG grant of £3,500 on top of the 

Government’s £3,500 plug-in car grant, 

the overall price is from £23,495. 

Power: 44.5 kWh battery 

Performance: 0-62mph in 8.5 seconds 

and on to a top speed of 87 mph 

CO2 emissions: zero 

Combined fuel consumption: WLTPaccredited 

range of 163 miles 


Caring for the elderly members of your family 

Over Christmas you may have spent some time with the family and perhaps more time with 

the elderly members and you become concerned about their health? 

Here we list 8 warning signs to assess if 

they need help and what to do if they do. 

You may wish to consider the following 

questions: 

1. Is the person (persons) able to take care 

of themselves? 

Pay attention to their appearance. Failure 

to keep up with daily routines - such as 

bathing and tooth brushing - could indicate 

dementia, depression or other physical 

impairments.Also pay attention to their 

home. Are the lights working? Is the heat 

on? Is the garden overgrown? Any changes 

in the way things are being done around the 

house could provide clues to their health. 

For example, scorched pots could mean 

they are forgetting about food cooking on 

the stove. Neglected housework could be 

a sign of depression, dementia or other 

concerns. 

2. Are they experiencing memory loss? 

Everyone forgets things from time to time. 

Modest memory problems are a fairly 

common part of ageing, and sometimes 

medication side effects or underlying 

conditions contribute to memory loss. 

There’s a difference, though, between 

normal Changes in memory and the type of 

memory loss associated with Alzheimer’s 

disease and other types of dementia. Are 

the memory changes limited to misplaced 

glasses or an occasionally forgotten 

appointment - or are the changes more 

concerning, such as forgetting common 

words when speaking, getting lost in 

familiar neighbourhoods or being unable to 

follow directions? 

3. Are they safe in their home? 

Take a look around their home, keeping an 

eye out for any problems. Could their be a 

difficulty navigating a narrow stairway? Are 

they able to read directions on medication 

containers? When asked, do they say they 

feel safe at home? 

4. Are they safe on the road? 

Driving can be challenging for older adults. 

Do they become confused while driving 

or are you concerned about their ability to 

drive safely, it might be time to stop driving. 

They could be a danger to others. 

5. Have they lost weight? 

Losing weight without trying could be a sign 

that something’s wrong. Weight loss could 

be related to many factors, including: 

• Difficulty cooking. 

• Loss of taste or smell. 

• Underlying conditions - indicating ill health. 

6. Is the person (persons) in good spirits? 

Note their moods and ask how they’re 

feeling. A drastically different mood could 

be a sign of depression or other health 

concerns. 

7. Are they still social? 

Talk to them about their activities. Are 

they connecting with friends? Have they 

maintained interest in hobbies and other 

daily activities? Are they involved in 

organisations or clubs? Have they given up 

on being with others, it could be a sign of 

a problem. 

8. Is the person (persons) able to get 

around? 

Pay attention to how they are walking. 

Are they reluctant or unable to walk usual 

distances? Have they fallen recently? Is 

knee or hip arthritis making it difficult to get 

around the house? Would they benefit from 

a cane or walker? Issues such as muscle 

weakness and joint pain can make it difficult 

to move around as well. If someone is 

unsteady on their feet, they might be at risk 

of falling - a major cause of disability among 

older adults. 

Taking action 

There are many steps you can take to 

ensure the person/persons’ health and wellbeing, 

even if you don’t live nearby. Share 

your concerns with them. Your concerns 

might motivate them to see a doctor or 

make other changes. 

Encourage regular medical check-ups 

If you’re worried about weight loss, 

depressed mood, memory loss or other 

signs and symptoms,encourage them to 

schedule a doctor’s visit. 

You might offer to schedule the visit or to 

accompany them to the doctor - or find 

someone else to attend the visit. Ask about 

follow-up visits as well. 

Address safety issues 

Point out any potential safety issues you 

have observed - then make a plan to 

address the problems. For example, the 

person (persons) concerned might benefit 

from using assistive devices to help them 

reach items on high shelves. A higher toilet 

seat or handrails in the bathroom might help 

prevent falls. If they are no longer able to 

drive safely, suggest other transportation 

options -such as taking the bus or using 

a taxi. 

Consider home care services 

Particularly if they are having trouble taking 

care of themselves, you could hire someone 

to clean the house and run errands and 

help with daily activities, such as bathing. To 

ensure good nutrition Meals on Wheels is 

also an option. 

And finally 

It would be a good idea to secure an 

Enduring Power of Attorney to ensure that 

if things get worse you can step in without 

having to involve the Court of Protection. 

Your solicitor will be able to give you good 

advice on this. 


All you need to know about Retirement 

Interest-Only (RIO) mortgages 

It’s been over a decade since the 2008 financial crash 

shook the world and wiped £90 billion off the value of 

the UK’s biggest companies. 

As a result, borrowing became more difficult for those 

heading into their later years with many lenders 

lowering their maximum lending age limit and reducing 

the provision of interest-only mortgages. 

However, since the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) 

recently improved access to mortgage borrowing for 

those in retirement, the door finally reopened for 

everyone seeking finance; no matter their age. 

What is a RIO mortgage? 

RIO mortgages – short for Retirement Interest-Only 

– allow borrowers to pay a monthly interest payment 

with no set end date as it will run until a ‘significant life 

event’, such as the homeowner moving into long-term 

care or dying. It is at this point the mortgage is repaid 

by the sale of the mortgaged property. 

Who eligible for a Newbury Building Society RIO 

mortgage? 

Our RIO mortgage is designed to support borrowers 

in later life who either want to move or do not want 

to downsize their current property and wish to remain 

in their home. We lend to those aged 60 and above 

who are retired and in receipt of their pension or other 

ongoing income. 

Why might a person want to borrower in 

later life? 

There are many reasons why older borrowers might 

want to take out a mortgage: 

• To purchase a retirement property which better 

suits their needs as they get older 

• To fund home improvements or extend their 

property 

• To release cash to top up their pension income 

• To gift funds to a loved one looking to step 

onto the property ladder 

Is a RIO mortgage different to that of a standard 

residential mortgage? 

A RIO mortgage is very similar to that of a standard 

residential mortgage, with two key differences: 

1. The loan is usually repaid when the borrower either 

sells the house, moves into long-term care or dies 

2. The borrower only has to prove they can afford the 

monthly interest repayments because the method 

of repayment the loan is already agreed 

Essentially, the ‘retirement’ element of the mortgage 

means there is no defined end date the capital has to 

be repaid by. 

Our mortgage appointments can be undertaken in 

branch, by telephone or by video link. If you would 

like to talk to a qualified mortgage adviser about RIO 

mortgages, contact us to book an appointment. 

Abingdon branch, 1 West St. Helen Street, 

Abingdon, OX14 5BL Call: 01235 527750 or 

email: abingdon@newbury.co.uk 

Julie Harris, 

Abingdon Senior Branch Manager 

YOUR MORTGAGE IS SECURED ON YOUR HOME. THINK CAREFULLY 

BEFORE SECURING OTHER DEBTS AGAINST YOUR HOME. YOUR HOME 

MAY BE REPOSSESSED IF YOU DO NOT KEEP UP REPAYMENTS ON YOUR 

MORTGAGE. 

Always speak to an independent financial 

adviser who will explore your options with you 

and determine which route suits your 

circumstances. 

Newbury Building Society is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct 

Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority (Financial Services Register number 206077). 7464 

Newbury 

Building Society

Your hearing is as 

important as 

your vision... 

Isn’t it time you 

got your 

ears checked? 

WE CAN 

HELP WITH: 

• Ear wax advice and removal 

• Full audiological assessment 

• In the ear monitors 

• Repair & servicing 

• High specification hearing instruments 

• Personalised Hearing Healthcare 

• Custom made noise reducing ear plugs 

• Bluetooth connectivity/transmitting systems 

contact directly to smart phones and TV. 

TO FIND OUT MORE CALL: 01865 861861 

Email: info@oxfordhearingcentre.co.uk | oxfordhearingcentre.co.uk 

Oxford Hearing Centre, 5 Farmoor Court, Farmoor, Oxford OX2 9LU 

Open Monday - Friday, 9am to 5.30pm FREE PARKING

NEW HOME FOR THE NEW 

YEAR AT LETCOMBE GARDENS 

Reserve your new home at Letcombe Gardens this January and 

enjoy the start of your year in new home. Part Exchange or Help to 

Buy are available on selected plots. Book your appointment now. 

That’s the David Wilson Difference. 

Station Road, Grove, Wantage, Oxfordshire OX12 0DH 

2, 3, 4 and 5 bedroom homes from £299,000 to £650,000 

Show Homes open daily from 10.30am to 5.30pm. 

See the Difference at dwh.co.uk or call 0371 454 3562 

Offer available on selected plots only. Terms and conditions apply. See website for details, subject to contract and status. Prices correct at time of publishing if mentioned. Images include 

optional upgrades at additional cost. Following withdrawal or termination of any offer, we reserve the right to extend, reintroduce or amend any such offer as we see fit at any time. David Wilson 

Homes is a brand of BDW TRADING LIMITED (Company Number 03018173), a company registered in England whose registered office is Leicestershire, LE67 1UF, VAT number GB633481836. Calls to 

03 numbers are charged at the same rate as dialling an 01 or 02 number. Non-BT customers and mobile phone users should contact their service providers for information about the cost of calls.

Abingdon Living Jan - Feb 2020

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?