North Hampshire Lifestyle Mar - Apr 2020
Spring has awakened and our magazine is alive with a bountiful bouquet of features - from interviews with famous faces, delicious Easter recipes, travel to Santa Barbara, UK staycations, a bathroom and tile guide plus advice on choosing the right school.
Spring has awakened and our magazine is alive with a bountiful bouquet of features - from interviews with famous faces, delicious Easter recipes, travel to Santa Barbara, UK staycations, a bathroom and tile guide plus advice on choosing the right school.
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Contents<br />
A Note<br />
from the editor<br />
Hello Spring – I’ve been waiting for your arrival<br />
like a lovelorn maiden, excitedly hopping out<br />
of bed to look out the window for signs of new<br />
life and sunny skies. I know that in recent years<br />
<strong>Mar</strong>ch weather has been…unpredictable, but<br />
nevertheless I’m hopeful and cheery.<br />
A Culinary is nearly Journey here, through so we celebrate<br />
<strong>North</strong>ern 19Easter with a weekend Irelandof<br />
recipes!<br />
Avid readers might remember reading about<br />
my new year’s pledge last issue – to walk, run<br />
or cycle 5km every day of <strong>2020</strong>. Not having a<br />
bike, or access to a stationary one continues<br />
to be slightly problematic, but apart from a<br />
particularly grim night during a storm (I can’t<br />
remember which given name, we’ve had so<br />
many of late), I’ve done it! I’m not sure yet if<br />
I’m fitter or slimmer, but I’ve really enjoyed<br />
carving little moments out of my usually hectic<br />
day to go for a head-clearing walk. It’s never<br />
too late to start!<br />
In this issue...<br />
Fabulous UK<br />
staycations<br />
06 What’s On<br />
As spring comes into its swing we<br />
touch on the best local events for<br />
the whole family<br />
25<br />
10 Futureproof Education<br />
The Independent Schools Council<br />
tell us why it’s essential to prepare<br />
students for the changing world<br />
17 Mitch Tonks<br />
We catch up with the renowned fish<br />
chef on where his passions lie and his<br />
love of his community<br />
22 Foodie Santa Barbara<br />
We journey to the Golden State of<br />
California to sample the famous Santa<br />
Barbara food scene<br />
28 Amazing Glazing<br />
Architectural glazing elevates<br />
any home - we explore the best<br />
investments and new technologies<br />
43 Care Needs<br />
How to stay happy and healthy in your<br />
autumn years and identifying care<br />
needs when they arise<br />
17<br />
Chef Mitch<br />
Tonks<br />
Bathroom<br />
30<br />
& Tile Guide<br />
Editor Katie Thomson<br />
e katie.thomson@minervapublications.co.uk<br />
Publisher Sally Thomson<br />
Pre-Press Manager Kate O’Connell<br />
Contributors Rebecca Rose, Peter Thomson, Sue Cooke, Matthew Biggs<br />
Angela Cave, Lucy Saunders and Pete Lawrence.<br />
Key Account Manager Ben Hollis<br />
e ben.hollis@minervapublications.co.uk<br />
d/l 01225 613 513<br />
twitter @<strong>North</strong><strong>Hampshire</strong>L<br />
This issue we have really turned the focus<br />
on Easter, with cracking pressies and some<br />
egg-cellent recipes – hey, if you’re running five<br />
kilometres a day, you go ahead and enjoy that<br />
hot cross bun pudding! There’s also lots to<br />
look forward to in the calendar, with some of<br />
our favourite attractions opening again.<br />
Continuing the foodie note, we have an<br />
interview with top Devon chef Mitch Tonks –<br />
you’ll probably recognise him from a supremely<br />
popular show he presented with rugby star<br />
Matt Dawson a few years back – he’s a<br />
titan in the fish industry and is passionate<br />
about sustainability. We caught up with him to<br />
discuss his role in creating a community feel<br />
and growing his business.<br />
That, plus some fantastic interviews and a<br />
bumper crop of home inspiration, makes this<br />
issue a great read.<br />
We will see you back in May!<br />
Katie<br />
MINERVA PUBLICATIONS HQ<br />
County Gate, County Way, Trowbridge,<br />
Wiltshire BA14 7FJ t 01225 308 128<br />
w www.minervapublications.co.uk<br />
visit our website www.northhampshirelifestyle.co.uk<br />
Disclaimer: The publishers shall not be held liable for any loss occasioned by failure of an<br />
advertisement to appear, or any damage or inconvenience caused by errors, omissions and<br />
misprints. No part of this publication may be reproduced without prior permission from the<br />
publishers. The opinions expressed within are not necessarily those of the publishers.<br />
www.northhampshirelifestyle.co.uk | 3
www.themalls.co.uk<br />
facebook.com/TheMallsShoppingCentre
22 nd <strong>Mar</strong>ch Mothering Sunday<br />
Meet the charming Butler and the elegant Roses Lady<br />
11 th <strong>Apr</strong>il What the Tortoise told us!<br />
Life lessons from the wisest creature on the planet!<br />
13 th <strong>Apr</strong>il Fairplay Comedy Easter Gnomes<br />
Gnomes are the secret hiders of the Easter bunnies eggs!<br />
17 th <strong>Apr</strong>il Circus Skills Workshop<br />
New talents can be learnt from 3 to 103!<br />
18 th <strong>Apr</strong>il Big Art Chicken workshop<br />
Have creative fun bringing the chicken to life<br />
Check out the website for details of the May Bank Holiday events<br />
8 th May VE Day and 9 th May Rural Day.
EVENTS GUIDE<br />
Finally, the days are getting longer and<br />
spring is just around the corner.<br />
Looking for the best local places to visit and<br />
things to do at this time of year?<br />
Then make the most of the season with our<br />
extensive guide...<br />
Alton Farmers’ <strong>Mar</strong>ket<br />
High Street, Alton GU34 1AB<br />
01420 588671<br />
www.hampshirefarmersmarkets.co.uk<br />
Second Saturday of every month<br />
Alton Farmers’ <strong>Mar</strong>ket runs the second<br />
Saturday of every month, offering a range<br />
of delicious local <strong>Hampshire</strong> food and<br />
drink. Enjoy the great taste of <strong>Hampshire</strong>,<br />
savour the delights of truly local food<br />
reared, grown, baked, caught and brewed<br />
in <strong>Hampshire</strong>.<br />
Ascot Racecourse<br />
Ascot SL5 7JX<br />
0870 727 1234<br />
www.ascot.co.uk<br />
Sunday 29 <strong>Mar</strong>ch<br />
Spring Family Raceday<br />
The first family raceday of <strong>2020</strong> offers a<br />
thrilling combination of top class jumps<br />
racing and free countryside themed<br />
activities for racegoers of all ages.<br />
Wednesday 29 <strong>Apr</strong>il<br />
Royal Ascot Trials Day<br />
The races at Royal Ascot Trials Day are an<br />
important opportunity for younger horses to<br />
gain valuable experience at the track ahead<br />
of Royal Ascot.<br />
Off the track, this is a leisurely day to have<br />
a flutter and sample the many bars and<br />
restaurants on offer. Racegoers can gain a<br />
fascinating insight into behind-the-scenes<br />
racing at a racecourse dating back more<br />
than three centuries.<br />
Gilbert White's House<br />
Selborne, Alton GU34 3JH<br />
01420 511275<br />
www.gilbertwhiteshouse.org.uk<br />
Friday 20 <strong>Mar</strong>ch<br />
Friday Night at White’s:<br />
British Glassics<br />
The Café turns into an evening restaurant<br />
one evening a month with a fabulous menu<br />
and a different theme each month.<br />
To book your table contact Whites@<br />
gilbertwhiteshouse.org.uk or call 01420<br />
511275.<br />
28 <strong>Mar</strong>ch, 10.30am - 3pm<br />
Wedding Open Day<br />
The Wedding Open Day gives your the<br />
opportunity to view the 16th Century<br />
Barn at Gilbert Whites. Look round the<br />
barn and the parkland, meet our wedding<br />
coordinator and discuss your individual<br />
requirements.<br />
There will be information about all the<br />
recommended suppliers including caterers,<br />
photographers and florists.<br />
6 | www.northhampshirelifestyle.co.uk<br />
Princes Hall Theatre<br />
Princes Way, Aldershot GU11 1NX<br />
01252 329155<br />
www.princeshall.com<br />
Tuesday 17 <strong>Mar</strong>ch, 7.30pm<br />
Eric and Ern<br />
For all the family from 8 to 108 Eric and<br />
Ern is a brilliant homage to Morecambe<br />
and Wise crammed full of those famous<br />
comedy sketches, from Grieg’s Piano<br />
concerto, Mr Memory… ‘Arsenal’ to the<br />
paper bag trick!<br />
From the Olivier Award nominated duo Ian<br />
Ashpitel and Jonty Stephens, this nostalgic<br />
show evokes memories of a time when<br />
whole families would huddle around the<br />
telly on Sunday evenings.<br />
This show hits all the right notes!<br />
Tuesday 24 <strong>Mar</strong>ch - Saturday 28 <strong>Mar</strong>ch<br />
Shrek - The Musical<br />
Featuring all new songs as well as cult<br />
Shrek anthem I’m a Believer, Shrek The<br />
Musical brings much-loved fairy-tale<br />
characters to life in an hilarious all-singing,<br />
all-dancing extravaganza, guaranteed to<br />
delight audiences of all ages!<br />
Tuesday 31 <strong>Mar</strong>ch, 2.30pm & 7.30pm<br />
The Good Liar (PG)<br />
Film starring: Ian McKellen, Helen Mirren,<br />
Russell Tovey.<br />
Career con artist Roy Courtnay can hardly<br />
believe his luck when he meets well-todo<br />
widow Betty McLeish online. As Betty<br />
opens her home and life to him, Roy is<br />
surprised to find himself caring about her,<br />
turning what should be a cut-and-dry<br />
swindle into the most treacherous tightrope<br />
walk of his life.<br />
Friday 24 <strong>Apr</strong>il, 7.30pm<br />
How Sweet It Is<br />
This stunning 100% live show combines<br />
first class music with the slickest<br />
choreography and an amazing band, to<br />
deliver truly outstanding performances for<br />
the best Motown experience ever.<br />
It will have you Dancing On The Ceiling,<br />
with songs from legendary artistes such<br />
as Lionel Richie, The Temptations,<br />
Stevie Wonder, The Four Tops, Smokey<br />
Robinson, <strong>Mar</strong>vin Gaye and more.<br />
Sunday 26 <strong>Apr</strong>il, 2.30pm<br />
Big & Brassy Season 4<br />
Your local brass bands again form up to<br />
strengthen their skills and give you an<br />
afternoon of thrilling music.<br />
Big and Brassy has donated hundreds of<br />
pounds so far to local charities and looks<br />
forward to supporting The Vine Centre,<br />
Christopher’s Smile and Brass for Africa as<br />
their nominated charities for <strong>2020</strong>.<br />
The Anvil<br />
Churchill Way, Basingstoke RG21 7QR<br />
01256 844244<br />
www.anvilarts.org.uk<br />
Saturday 7 <strong>Mar</strong>ch, 7.30pm<br />
Mayor’s Spring Charity Concert<br />
Join the Mayor of Basingstoke and<br />
Deane Cllr Diane Taylor for an evening<br />
of choral favourites, with massed local<br />
choirs accompanied by the Heritage Light<br />
Orchestra and the Basingstoke Area Youth<br />
Orchestra.<br />
Programme includes: Hallelujah Chorus,<br />
The Anvil Chorus, Fantasia on British<br />
Sea Songs and Wagner’s Mastersingers’<br />
Overture.<br />
Wednesday 11 <strong>Mar</strong>ch, 8pm<br />
John Bishop - Warm Up<br />
Comedy superstar John Bishop is visiting<br />
to warm up his brand-new show!<br />
John is looking forward to this new<br />
adventure, in what will be his eighth stand up<br />
tour, and its shaping up to be his best yet!<br />
Friday 27 <strong>Mar</strong>ch, 7.30pm<br />
Fascinating Aida<br />
Dillie Keane, Adèle Anderson and Liza<br />
Pulman are heading out on tour. With<br />
a selection of old favourites, songs you<br />
haven’t heard before and some you<br />
wish you’d never heard in the first place!<br />
The songs are hilarious and topical - the<br />
glamour is unstoppable. With three Olivier<br />
Award nominations and over 25 million<br />
YouTube and Facebook hits for Cheap<br />
Flights and their scandalous Christmas<br />
song, how can you possibly miss them?!<br />
Thursday 2 <strong>Apr</strong>il, 7.30pm<br />
A Night with the Legends<br />
Enjoy a Night with the Legends as sports<br />
journalist and presenter Jeff Stelling is<br />
joined by four stellar football professionals<br />
– Matt le Tissier, Paul Merson, Charlie<br />
Nicholas and Phil Thompson.<br />
In aid of The Knights Foundation which<br />
provides support and gifts to disabled<br />
children, deprived children, seriously ill<br />
children and their families.<br />
Thursday 16 <strong>Apr</strong>il<br />
The Wizard Panto<br />
Follow the Yellow Brick Road to The Anvil<br />
for the fantastic all-new Easter pantomime<br />
version of The Wizard of Oz!<br />
Join Kansas farm-girl Dorothy and her pet<br />
dog Totoon this magical adventure. Watch<br />
in amazement as they are picked up by a<br />
tornado and carried off to the magical Land<br />
of Oz. With help from their new friends the<br />
Munchkins, they to travel to the Emerald<br />
City where the great Wizard of Oz lives.<br />
Starring Bobby Davro as Scarecrow.<br />
continued
Law firms merge to<br />
strengthen market<br />
position<br />
Give your child a truly<br />
unique experience...<br />
Two leading <strong>Hampshire</strong> law firms,<br />
Phillips Solicitors and Brain Chase Coles<br />
have merged to create a new dynamic law<br />
firm to better serve their clients...<br />
The combined firm is now known as Phillips Solicitors<br />
incorporating Brain Chase Coles and is based at one office in<br />
London Street, in the centre of Basingstoke.<br />
Director Max Hope said: “The merger is an important step<br />
towards our goal of building the region’s strongest dynamic,<br />
full-service law firm, whilst maintaining the traditional values that<br />
both firms were built on.”<br />
Phillips offer a full range of specialist legal services for both<br />
individuals and businesses.<br />
We are on hand to help you whenever you need us in your<br />
personal life, such as buying a house, writing a Will, when you<br />
are handling a difficult family matter like getting divorced or<br />
separated, or if you have been made redundant.<br />
With a highly regarded reputation,<br />
Jubilee Day Nursery provides<br />
ADVERTISING FEATURE<br />
We are equally delighted to work for smaller, owner-managed<br />
companies, exceptional as for large corporates. care for You babies will find and us good listeners<br />
and valuable children partners. from three months to<br />
five years of age.<br />
Max said: “Our commercial lawyers make it their business to<br />
know your business, delivering results and adding value to your<br />
business, Over whether 60 you’re acres an established of gardens,<br />
market leader or an<br />
ambitious start-up – we are here to help.”<br />
woodland & farm<br />
A highly skilled & caring<br />
Jon Coles, who was a partner at Brain Chase Coles and is now a<br />
director at the new firm said: “As a combined firm, we now offer<br />
even greater strength and depth<br />
teamin our services to clients. We are<br />
looking forward Freshly to continuing prepared to work with our food existing clients<br />
and getting to know our new colleagues as we enter this next<br />
exciting stage Funded of our history.” places available<br />
“We will help you plan, protect and achieve the For very more best information, We are please here to visit: help. If you have any legal issues you would like to<br />
outcomes for you and your family,” said Max.<br />
discuss with please email legal@phillips-law.co.uk or call<br />
01256 460830. To find out more about the legal services offered<br />
For those who run businesses<br />
www.jubileedaynursery.co.uk<br />
we provide the full spectrum of by Phillips Solicitors incorporating Brain Chase Coles, please visit<br />
services that you might Rectory require Road, over Padworth, a business lifetime. RG7 4JD | 0118 970 www.phillips-law.co.uk<br />
1600 | info@jubileedaynursery.co.uk<br />
Creating magical childhood memories!<br />
With a focus on outdoor<br />
learning, Jubilee Gems provides<br />
exceptional term time care for<br />
children from 3 months to<br />
5 years of age.<br />
• 60 acres of private woodland,<br />
gardens and working farm<br />
• Freshly prepared food<br />
• Funded places available<br />
For more information, please visit:<br />
www.jubileegems.co.uk<br />
Conveniently situated in Padworth,<br />
between Reading, Newbury and<br />
Basingstoke | 0118 983 4018<br />
info@jubileegems.co.uk<br />
www.northhampshirelifestyle.co.uk | 7
The Haymarket<br />
Wote Street, Basingstoke RG21 7NW<br />
01256 844244<br />
www.anvilarts.org.uk<br />
Friday 6 <strong>Mar</strong>ch, 8pm<br />
The Counterfeit Stones<br />
Described as a Rolling Stones’ hooky<br />
masterpiece, The Counterfeit Stones’ latest<br />
fast shuffle, Not Fake Away, promises yet<br />
another night of utter copy-rock.<br />
Now in their 29th year, these fraud-stars<br />
continue to deliver the best ‘mock ‘n’ roll’<br />
show on the circuit, packed with big hits,<br />
retro fashion, vintage guitars and a huge<br />
dollop of “Spinal Tap” humour.<br />
Sunday 15 <strong>Mar</strong>ch,<br />
Firedance<br />
Firedance is the brand new Latin<br />
spectacular starring Strictly favourites<br />
Gorka <strong>Mar</strong>quez and Karen Hauer.<br />
Expect hot pulsing beats, seductive<br />
choreography and passion that will take<br />
your breath away as these stars ignite the<br />
dance floor with their Argentine tango,<br />
flamenco, paso doble, samba, salsa, and<br />
contemporary dance moves.<br />
With live Latin musicians and a dynamic<br />
dance ensemble, this is a dance experience<br />
you ‘strictly’ won’t want to miss. It’s time to<br />
heat things up - get ready for Firedance.<br />
Thursday 16 <strong>Apr</strong>il, 7.30pm<br />
Wilderland Wildlife Film Festival<br />
Selected from over a hundred entries from<br />
film-makers around the globe, Wilderland<br />
presents the very best of short groundbreaking<br />
films, offering an unparalleled<br />
insight into some of the world’s most<br />
incredible wildlife.<br />
A must-see for lovers of wildlife, film, travel,<br />
conservation and adventure.<br />
Wednesday 8 <strong>Apr</strong>il, 1pm & 3.30pm<br />
Shark in the Park<br />
This fin-tastic, family musical follows<br />
Timothy Pope (and his telescope!) on three<br />
exciting adventures… but wait, is that a<br />
shark, in the park?!<br />
From the creative team behind The Hairy<br />
Maclary Show - see all three of Nick<br />
Sharratt’s Shark in the Park books Shark<br />
in the Park, Shark in the Dark and Shark<br />
in the Park on a Windy Day, live on stage!<br />
You decide! But will you guess whodunit?<br />
Suitable for 2 years +<br />
Thursday 9 <strong>Apr</strong>il, 7.30pm<br />
The Real Thing<br />
The UK’s own disco pioneers, Chris Amoo<br />
with Dave Smith stop by The Haymarket.<br />
Featuring no. 1 singles from the 70s and<br />
80s, You to Me Are Everything,Can’t Get<br />
By Without You and Feel the Force.<br />
Hear all the hits plus some fantastic covers<br />
such as Ladies Night,Celebration, Good<br />
Times, and Ain’t No Stopping us Now, in<br />
this action-packed show!<br />
Wednesday 15 <strong>Apr</strong>il, 7.30pm<br />
Annabella Weir<br />
The bestselling author and star of The Fast<br />
Show and Two Doors Down. Does My<br />
Mum Loom Big in This? is for everyone<br />
who’s had a mother or been a mother,<br />
featuring hair-raising hilarious true stories<br />
from Arabella’s dysfunctional childhood,<br />
her perilous career and her life as a single<br />
working mother.<br />
Devastatingly funny, excruciatingly honest<br />
and definitely embarrassing for all of<br />
Arabella’s relatives, not to mention herself,<br />
this is a helter-skelter tour of appalling –<br />
and appallingly funny – maternal behaviour.<br />
<strong>Hampshire</strong> Gin Festival<br />
The Cross Barn, Odiham RG29 1JX<br />
Saturday 7 <strong>Mar</strong>ch, 6pm - 22.30pm<br />
Go along to enjoy tasting up to 15 different<br />
unique gins, with food and a gin glass<br />
included in the ticket price.<br />
Tickets are just £25.00 per person (+<br />
booking fee) which includes entry plus<br />
a huge range of extras. Please see the<br />
website for more details.<br />
A fun atmosphere, with friendly staff to help<br />
The bar will be stocked with Prosecco,<br />
vodka, beer and soft drinks.<br />
You’ll have the opportunity to try and buy a<br />
bunch of boutique gin brands!<br />
Guildhall WINCHESTER<br />
The Broadway, Winchester SO23 9GH<br />
13 - 14 <strong>Mar</strong>ch<br />
Real Ale and Cider Festival<br />
This festival is organised wholly by<br />
Winchester Real Ale and Cider Festival<br />
volunteers of the Southern <strong>Hampshire</strong><br />
branch of the Campaign for Real Ale<br />
(CAMRA) Once again Winchester Guildhall<br />
will be filled with over a hundred different<br />
real ales, ciders, perries and foreign bottled<br />
beers.<br />
The Vyne<br />
Sherborne St John, Basingstoke RG24 9HL<br />
01256 883858<br />
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/thevyne<br />
Saturday 4 <strong>Apr</strong>il + 15 other dates,<br />
10am - 4pm - please visit website<br />
Cadbury’s Easter Egg Hunt<br />
Picking up your £3 trail sheet from the<br />
Easter tent, you can learn about the<br />
‘homes’ of different wildlife on a trail<br />
through the gardens. You’ll also discover<br />
what you can do to give wildlife a helping<br />
hand in your home.<br />
At the end, return to the Easter tent and<br />
show your trail sheet to collect your<br />
chocolate prize. Normal admission applies.<br />
Winchester Cathedral<br />
Cathedral Office, Winchester SO23 9LS<br />
01962 857 214<br />
www.winchester-cathedral.org.uk<br />
22 <strong>Mar</strong>ch, 12pm - 3pm<br />
Mothering Sunday Carvery<br />
Treat your mother to a delicious Sunday<br />
Carvery at the Paul Woodhouse Suite.<br />
£17.95pp* for main (carvery) and a dessert<br />
£8.95 for children (up to 12 years of age)<br />
*To include a small gift for mum.<br />
28 <strong>Mar</strong>ch, 7pm<br />
Waynflete Singers’ 50th Anniversary<br />
Gala<br />
This gala concert will contain works<br />
selected from those the Waynflete Singers<br />
have performed over the past 50 years<br />
and will be conducted by their three most<br />
recent music directors.<br />
As a result of a successful crowd-funding<br />
campaign a new commission will be<br />
unveiled from the composer and eminent<br />
baritone Roderick Williams OBE, who will<br />
also be performing. Not to be missed!<br />
WiLLIS MUSEUM &<br />
Sainsbury Gallery<br />
<strong>Mar</strong>ket Place, Basingstoke RG21 7QD<br />
01256 465902<br />
www.hampshireculture.org.uk<br />
5 <strong>Mar</strong>ch, from 10.30am<br />
World Book Day:<br />
Mini Beast Adventures<br />
Inspired by our Microsculpture exhibition<br />
and to celebrate World Book Day, we are<br />
having a mini beast inspired day of stories<br />
and crafts, especially for pre-schoolers!<br />
Pop in between 10.30am and 4.00pm for tales<br />
of the Hungry Caterpillar and its many friends<br />
from the insect world and have some fun!<br />
Admission is free, but donations are<br />
welcome. Children must be accompanied<br />
at all times<br />
Wednesday 8 <strong>Apr</strong>il, 10.30am & 2pm<br />
Make a Bug Hotel<br />
The insects will be waking up after their<br />
winter sleep - now’s the time to think about<br />
providing a hotel for the summer or ready<br />
for next autumn. A great way to encourage<br />
wildlife into your garden. Some access<br />
restrictions apply - please check with<br />
museum on 01256 465902 before booking.<br />
Theatre Royal<br />
Winchester<br />
21-23 Jewry Street, Winchester SO23 8SB<br />
01962 840440<br />
www.theatreroyalwinchester.co.cuk<br />
Friday 15 May - Sunday 17 May<br />
Room on the Broom<br />
Jump on board the broom with the witch and<br />
her cat in Tall Stories’ fun-filled adaptation of<br />
Room on the Broom, the best-selling picture<br />
book by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler.<br />
The witch and her cat are travelling on their<br />
broomstick when they pick up some hitchhikers<br />
– a friendly dog, a beautiful green bird<br />
and a frantic frog. But this broomstick’s not<br />
meant for five and – CRACK – it snaps in<br />
two... just as the hungry dragon appears!<br />
Will there ever be room on the broom for<br />
everyone? Find out in the magical Olivier<br />
Award nominated show for everyone aged<br />
3 and up.<br />
We take great care in compiling the listings,<br />
however we recommend that you check with the<br />
venue in advance as events and activities may<br />
be subject to change.<br />
8 | www.northhampshirelifestyle.co.uk
The importance of preparing<br />
students for the workplace<br />
Dr Joseph Spence, head of Dulwich College, discusses the value<br />
careers-based workshops can bring to independent schools and<br />
their state school partners...<br />
Careers education is an important<br />
element of a school’s provision, and<br />
a service one cannot introduce to<br />
pupils too early. Prospective parents,<br />
even of 11‐year‐olds, are asking far<br />
more questions than they used to<br />
about how we are preparing children<br />
for the workplace of the future. This is<br />
inevitable given all of the rhetoric about<br />
the percentage of jobs not yet created<br />
into which our pupils will move, and the<br />
fact that they will likely have multiple<br />
careers, possibly across many countries<br />
or continents, over the course of long<br />
working lives.<br />
Networking events focused on particular<br />
professions or industries have proven<br />
immensely popular. These bring together<br />
former pupils and current and past<br />
parents, alongside pupils from both<br />
independent and state schools.<br />
However, it is also useful to look for<br />
ways older pupils can deliver light‐touch<br />
advice to their younger peers at partner<br />
schools. As co‐director of the Southwark<br />
Schools Learning Partnership, I have<br />
been delighted in recent years to be able<br />
to encourage a hub of careers advisers<br />
from a good number of our 16 schools<br />
(12 state schools and four independent<br />
schools) to share best practice between<br />
schools and across the sectors. Latterly,<br />
we have had our own students help focus<br />
the minds of younger pupils at a partner<br />
school on potential university applications<br />
and the world of careers.<br />
Last June, a group of Year 10 students<br />
from City Heights E‐ACT Academy<br />
in South East London had a careers<br />
workshop with our careers adviser<br />
at Dulwich College, and a group of<br />
the College’s Year 12 students. The<br />
workshop introduced the UCAS process<br />
with a short ‘true or false’ activity, with<br />
students from both schools working in<br />
teams to decide on the veracity of various<br />
statements. The statements included<br />
the number of applicants to university<br />
through UCAS, World University<br />
Rankings, average graduate salaries and<br />
deciding what degree courses some<br />
famous people had taken. This was an<br />
effective ice-breaking exercise, which<br />
ensured that no one could feel he or she<br />
was an expert when it came to university<br />
admissions.<br />
The Year 10 City Heights students were<br />
then given a brief overview of the UCAS<br />
applications process and the Year 12<br />
students explained what A‐levels they<br />
were doing and the different courses<br />
and universities they were planning to<br />
apply to. The City Heights pupils were<br />
introduced to course and career options<br />
they had not previously considered, while<br />
the Dulwich College pupils said it really<br />
helped them to clarify their own plans<br />
by having to articulate them for younger<br />
pupils.<br />
The next activity consisted of a wideranging<br />
discussion of the likely nature<br />
of jobs in the future that haven’t been<br />
created yet. Students were also advised<br />
about courses and careers on to which<br />
one could move later, e.g. becoming a<br />
solicitor or barrister via a post‐graduate<br />
law conversion course.<br />
The final part of the workshop consisted<br />
of a question and answer session, much<br />
of which focused on what subjects were<br />
needed for certain careers. This also gave<br />
the Dulwich students and their careers<br />
adviser the opportunity to talk about the<br />
importance of engaging in co‐curricular<br />
activities that might support a career<br />
aspiration, such as volunteering in a<br />
hospital or care home for healthcare<br />
related careers. The feedback from the<br />
session was universally positive and<br />
this workshop has provided a template<br />
Dulwich College will consider repeating<br />
at City Heights and taking to other 11‐16<br />
partner schools.<br />
There was a time when the only careers<br />
advice the head of an independent<br />
school needed to offer sixth formers was<br />
on how to write a personal statement.<br />
Those days are long gone. Whether<br />
explicitly or implicitly, the new order is<br />
that everything we do with our students<br />
has some bearing on preparing them for<br />
the fast-changing workplace. The jobs<br />
they will go into may be newly minted<br />
or newly branded, but the skills and<br />
aptitudes they will require to succeed<br />
in them are, in fact, those which have<br />
always been needed in the world of work:<br />
the ability to lead on a project, to work in<br />
a team, to communicate clearly and the<br />
ability to think outside the box.<br />
All this they learn in their representation<br />
of the school on its sport field, in<br />
the joining of musical and theatrical<br />
ensembles, in their community projects<br />
and charitable fundraising and in their<br />
adventurous activities. We are all careers<br />
educators now – but explicit, nuanced<br />
careers advice delivered by those<br />
who work hard to keep up to speed<br />
with changes in the major (and new)<br />
professions, is still absolutely essential.<br />
10 | www.northhampshirelifestyle.co.uk
ADVERTISING FEATURE<br />
Have you considered Queen<br />
<strong>Mar</strong>y's Sixth Form College?<br />
Queen <strong>Mar</strong>y’s College ensures that every learner aspires to and achieves the highest possible<br />
qualification grades, irrespective of their academic starting points and to this end has<br />
a proven track record of success with students of all abilities. There are a wide range of<br />
courses on offer taught by highly qualified and enthusiastic teachers in superb facilities.<br />
Our priority at QMC is to ensure that<br />
all students flourish, enjoy their time<br />
at College and are able to progress<br />
through College and onto excellent<br />
destinations. In order to achieve this<br />
we strive to provide each student with<br />
one-to-one support and guidance<br />
alongside teaching that is tailored to<br />
their individual needs. This approach has<br />
helped to make Queen <strong>Mar</strong>y’s not only<br />
a particularly happy College but also a<br />
very successful one academically.<br />
Recently published performance tables<br />
are impressive, demonstrating our<br />
success in helping students to do much<br />
better than expected at all levels, based<br />
on their GCSE results.<br />
Located on an impressive leafy campus<br />
in the heart of <strong>Hampshire</strong>, Queen<br />
<strong>Mar</strong>y’s College attracts students from<br />
across and beyond the County. Each<br />
individual is supported to achieve<br />
their full potential, not just in terms of<br />
qualifications but also transferable skills<br />
and resilience. With excellent results<br />
year on year and a vibrant and engaging<br />
atmosphere, students find it impossible<br />
to resist participating in the wide range<br />
of extra-curricular opportunities open<br />
to them. Our young people leave well<br />
equipped for the bright future ahead.<br />
QMC excels in the STEM subjects of<br />
Maths and Science, and as a result<br />
many talented students are able to<br />
pursue dreams of prestigious careers<br />
in areas such as Medicine, Engineering<br />
and Veterinary Science. QMC offers<br />
outstanding support to students<br />
applying to Oxford, Cambridge and<br />
Russell Group universities and each<br />
year students secure places at these top<br />
universities.<br />
Our teachers, students and staff look<br />
forward to welcoming you to our<br />
Open Evening.<br />
12 | www.northhampshirelifestyle.co.uk
OPEN EVENING<br />
23 rd <strong>Apr</strong>il<br />
5:30 - 8:30pm<br />
Beyond expectations,<br />
close to you<br />
Come and talk to students,<br />
staff and teachers. Explore the<br />
campus and find out about the<br />
fantastic range of courses, top<br />
facilities and teaching on offer<br />
at Queen <strong>Mar</strong>y’s College.<br />
www.qmc.ac.uk<br />
Cliddesden Road,<br />
Basingstoke RG21 3HF<br />
01256 417500<br />
Where children<br />
become everything<br />
they can be<br />
Singing, dancing and acting<br />
classes for 4 - 18 year-olds<br />
For more information about Stagecoach<br />
Schools in <strong>Hampshire</strong> visit:<br />
Stagecoach Basingstoke<br />
www.stagecoach.co.uk/basingstoke<br />
Stagecoach Basingstoke West<br />
www.stagecoach.co.uk/<br />
basingstokewest<br />
Stagecoach Fleet<br />
www.stagecoach.co.uk/fleet<br />
www.northhampshirelifestyle.co.uk | 13
Rural Retreat<br />
Located just outside Oakley village, Oakley<br />
Hall Hotel offers executive in a refreshingly<br />
friendly way. Ben Hollis escapes to the<br />
country for an overnight stay…<br />
Built in 1795, the Hall has stories to tell,<br />
as well as finding itself in a few along<br />
the way. With Jane Austin having lived in<br />
local village, Steventon, until the age of<br />
25, she was friends with the Bramston<br />
family who once owned Oakley Hall, with<br />
Mrs Bramston being the inspiration for<br />
the character Lady Bertram from Austen’s<br />
novel Mansfield Park.<br />
Having refurbished all bedrooms in 2014;<br />
launched their brand new garden pavilion<br />
in 2018 and revamping the courtyard<br />
bedrooms and garden cottage in 2019,<br />
they’re now starting work on building<br />
their first ever outdoor civil ceremony<br />
structure, ‘Woodland Pavilion’. Oakley<br />
Hall Hotel has much to shout about!<br />
Upon our arrival, we were greeted and<br />
shown to our room, with assistance to<br />
avoid the busy hustle of business-folk<br />
leaving one of the conference areas; it<br />
seemed at first that we had chosen a bad<br />
time to arrive, but the reception staff were<br />
more than happy to take us to our room<br />
via short cut, avoiding the events bar<br />
that was now looking busy. A small detail<br />
perhaps, but it was the start of many<br />
‘little touches’ that made our stay special.<br />
The decor of the room brought a modern<br />
feel to a room kept pleasantly in line with<br />
the Georgian charm seen throughout<br />
the hall. The tall ceilings and lofty<br />
windows kept the room feeling open and<br />
spacious. Topped off with a half bottle of<br />
champaign and some milk and cookies<br />
for the little ones, the adults get a foodie<br />
treat in the form of handmade, white and<br />
dark chocolate truffles, with the choice<br />
of sofa, arm chair or the bed for relaxing<br />
once you arrive.<br />
The bathroom provides an oversize tub<br />
(which is always a refreshing sight for<br />
a tall person!) with complimentary ecofriendly<br />
toiletries, as well as a shower<br />
and even an Oakley Hall Hotel branded<br />
rubber duck.<br />
There’s no mystery as to why the<br />
Glasshouse Restaurant has been<br />
awarded the 2 AA Rosette. Each<br />
seasonal menu is tasted by the staff for<br />
a truly knowledgeable waiting service.<br />
With meat, vegetarian and vegan menus<br />
available, you’re provided with variety<br />
without too many options, which is<br />
handy when dining with children! Playful<br />
additions to the already delicious meal<br />
included chive butter and a cauliflower<br />
soup drizzled over blue cheese by the<br />
waitress at the table. The mood lighting,<br />
carefully chosen music and artistic decor<br />
make the fine dining experience of the<br />
“Whether you’re here for business, some<br />
luxury time away or maybe even a wedding,<br />
Oakley Hall Hotel is somewhere you can<br />
relax, unwind and be sure to feel welcome...”<br />
Glasshouse Restaurant exactly what’s<br />
needed after a long day, regardless of<br />
whether you’re there for business or<br />
pleasure.<br />
The 1795 bar, named so after the year<br />
the Hall was built, is the perfect area to<br />
retire to after a meal, continuing with the<br />
mood lighting and music. Table service<br />
is available, so you’re free to do as I did;<br />
relax, enjoy a dark rum or two and let<br />
your food go down.<br />
The next morning, it was up and at<br />
‘em for breakfast in the Glasshouse<br />
Restaurant again. A continental breakfast<br />
buffet is available while your wait for your<br />
Full English to be cooked, which will not<br />
disappoint, continuing the ‘Field to Fork’<br />
philosophy the kitchen pride themselves<br />
on. Local produce is sourced within a 50<br />
mile radius as well as ingredients from<br />
their Kitchen Garden, where they grow a<br />
selection of vegetables, herbs and fruit.<br />
The grounds have a 1.5 mile countryside<br />
run track, plus a woodland walk to help<br />
you take in the fresh air. If you’re looking<br />
for more to fill your day, the TV in the<br />
room lists multiple local attractions,<br />
such as Bombay Sapphire Gin Distillery.<br />
However, if you prefer a day lounging in<br />
your room there’s plenty of films available<br />
on the in-room TV through a pre-loaded<br />
app.<br />
Whether you’re here for business, some<br />
luxury time away or maybe even a<br />
wedding, Oakley Hall Hotel is somewhere<br />
you can relax, unwind and be sure to<br />
feel welcome, because if handmade<br />
chocolate truffles don’t say ‘We want to<br />
look after you’, then I don’t know what<br />
does!<br />
Book a stay at Oakley Hall<br />
Hotel today:<br />
01256 783350<br />
oakleyhall-park.com<br />
14 | www.northhampshirelifestyle.co.uk
Social icon<br />
Circle<br />
Only use blue and/or white.<br />
For more details check out our<br />
Brand Guidelines.<br />
Spring colour and garden<br />
trails at The Vyne<br />
In <strong>Mar</strong>ch and <strong>Apr</strong>il, plum, pear and apple<br />
blossoms are set to come into their own,<br />
dusting the orchard’s lawn with delicate pink<br />
and white petals.<br />
In the summerhouse garden, the distinctive flowerheads of Crown<br />
Imperials will burst from the central flowerbeds in shades of orange<br />
and yellow.<br />
Later in the season, visitors can indulge the eye with a palette of<br />
blues and purples with Alliums, wisteria and Camassias in the<br />
gardens, while a stroll out to Morgaston Woods from mid-<strong>Apr</strong>il to<br />
May will reveal carpets of bluebells.<br />
Garden trails:<br />
Running daily until 23 <strong>Mar</strong>ch 10am-5pm, visitors can ask<br />
themselves 10 thought-provoking questions on the Mindfulness<br />
trail and find the best peaceful spots picked out by The Vyne’s<br />
gardeners on the Simply ‘be’ trail.<br />
Running 2 <strong>Mar</strong>ch to 31 May 10am-5pm, on the Fallen bridge trail<br />
all ages can discover the history of a 19th-century bridge that<br />
collapsed in a storm. Find out how you can help us rebuild it.<br />
Suggested donation £1.<br />
Running 4-19 <strong>Apr</strong>il 10am-4pm, families can enjoy the Cadbury’s<br />
Easter Egg Hunt. £3 per trail sheet. Normal admission applies to<br />
all events.<br />
Visit nationaltrust.org.uk for more details.<br />
ADVERTISING FEATURE<br />
A spring in your step<br />
made at The Vyne<br />
Recharge your batteries<br />
this spring at The Vyne,<br />
on meandering trails into<br />
the heart of nature.<br />
nationaltrust.org.uk/the-vyne<br />
© National Trust <strong>2020</strong>. Registered Charity no. 205846.<br />
Photography © National Trust Images/Hugh Mothersole<br />
The Raven<br />
‘The Raven Hotel is an and old Manor<br />
house converted in to a Hotel with lots<br />
of History, serving great food and drink<br />
all day. It has forty ensuite bedrooms<br />
and two function rooms suitable for<br />
all occasions from business meetings<br />
to large parties, our friendly team are<br />
always on hand to make your event a<br />
great one.<br />
There is also a large public bar<br />
equipped with TV’s and sky sports<br />
for all those sporting fans.<br />
The Raven Hotel also hosts tribute<br />
nights regularly and would love to<br />
welcome you free of charge to our<br />
next event, please contact the Hotel<br />
for details.’<br />
The<br />
OLD HOUSE<br />
at HOME<br />
Thai Restaurant<br />
& Takeaway<br />
Great, home-cooked food<br />
Fine selection of beers,<br />
wines and spirits<br />
Parties catered for<br />
Children welcome<br />
For more information contact:<br />
01256 762541<br />
9190@greeneking.co.uk<br />
01256 770335<br />
Station Rd, Overton,<br />
Basingstoke RG25 3DU<br />
www.northhampshirelifestyle.co.uk | 15
The Old House<br />
at Home<br />
The best Thai foods<br />
in Overton<br />
The Old House at Home is a mock tudor pub and<br />
restaurant located just 5 minutes walk from the centre<br />
of Overton and a 10 minute walk from the mainline<br />
railway station.<br />
The traditional pub boasts to have one of the best<br />
offerings of Thai cuisine in <strong>Hampshire</strong> provided by chef<br />
Jack Singoy and his team in the kitchen.<br />
Jack offers classic dishes such as Pad Thai and<br />
Weeping Tiger alongside weekly specials.<br />
The Thai food can be enjoyed in the comfortable<br />
restaurant, in the lovely garden or decking area and<br />
also as a takeaway service.<br />
Also on offer is a traditional bar menu plus freshly<br />
baked baguettes with a range of fillings.<br />
On Sundays traditional roasts are available.<br />
There is also a childrens menu which also includes Thai<br />
dishes alongside the usual favourites.<br />
The Kitchen is open Tuesday - Sunday for<br />
lunch and dinner.<br />
The pub also boasts a large bar area with an open fire<br />
in the winter months and a separate pool room with<br />
television for a range of sporting events.<br />
Above the pub are 2 letting rooms ideal for business<br />
or pleasure. The location is ideal as a base to explore<br />
Winchester, Salisbury, a visit to Bombay Sapphire<br />
distillery or a stroll along the Harrow way.<br />
Whatever your reason for your visit a warm welcome<br />
awaits you from Ian, Jack and their teams.<br />
01256 770335<br />
Theoldhouseathomeoverton.com<br />
Station Road, RG253DU
THE CHEF<br />
that rocks<br />
Famed for his growing group of fabulous fish restaurants,<br />
Rockfish, Mitch Tonks is a chef, author, restaurateur and a<br />
passionate, lifelong advocate for all the morsels that emerge<br />
from the deep blue sea. Sally Thomson caught up with him<br />
to discuss expansion plans, career motivations and why his<br />
heart will always belong to the kitchen...<br />
Sally: I hear you have another book<br />
on the horizon?<br />
Mitch: I do! We’re doing another<br />
Rockfish book. It will be published<br />
October. All very exciting!<br />
Fantastic! How many Rockfish<br />
Restaurants have you got<br />
now?<br />
At the moment there are<br />
seven but there will be<br />
nine by the end of the year.<br />
They will be in Poole, Lyme<br />
Regis, and Sidmouth. Poole<br />
opened in January, Lyme<br />
Regis will open in June<br />
and Sidmouth will open<br />
in October. We then have<br />
two or three sites ready<br />
for 2021 that we are just<br />
negotiating on.<br />
That is incredible,<br />
when you think about<br />
where you’ve come<br />
from.<br />
It’s kind of been an<br />
up and down journey,<br />
because we had<br />
Fishworks, which<br />
grew to thirteen,<br />
but it was a public<br />
company and the<br />
wrong environment<br />
to grow restaurants<br />
in and ultimately<br />
the project failed.<br />
But since 2009<br />
Seahorses has existed down in<br />
Dartmouth, and Rockfish is ten years<br />
old, so we’ve done well to rebuild over<br />
that period.<br />
When we last had a chat you’d<br />
opened Joe’s Bar, how’s that going?<br />
It’s going really well, and since May last<br />
year we actually moved the entrance to<br />
the restaurant through Joe’s Bar, and<br />
that’s been a real success as people<br />
enter the restaurant through Joe’s<br />
Bar, have a drink and start their dining<br />
experience off with something more<br />
special and fun.<br />
So how do you stretch yourself with<br />
everything going on?<br />
Well the business is over three hundred<br />
people, with a really good senior team,<br />
finance, marketing, and then over four<br />
hundred in the summer. So, I obviously<br />
work very closely with my senior team<br />
and I am clear about what I want to<br />
achieve in a period of time and helping<br />
other people to achieve those goals.<br />
Sometimes its challenging but when you<br />
work as a team and you are supporting<br />
each other you can make stuff happen.<br />
That’s it really!<br />
Managing those people, helping them<br />
manage others, then I spend my time in<br />
the restaurants, as well as consistently<br />
looking at the business as a whole and<br />
thinking ‘How can our business provide<br />
better solutions for jobs, how can we<br />
be better than anywhere else to work<br />
"I tend to think of the restaurants like a<br />
community now. Everybody who works for<br />
us belongs to the community. We talk a lot<br />
about family but of course family are hard to<br />
get rid of and communities are made up of<br />
people all contributing"<br />
17
"I think when Fishworks<br />
failed…well it gives you<br />
plenty of time to reflect on<br />
what’s really important to<br />
you and what’s not"<br />
So I made a phone call to my agent who<br />
was on the train on the way up. He was<br />
mortified! All I could say to everyone was<br />
that 'I’m sorry, I just don’t want to do<br />
it'. Financially it was suicide as it was a<br />
very well paid job but it was prime time<br />
television and all the things that go with<br />
it and I didn’t want to be known as a guy<br />
on telly. I wanted to build my reputation<br />
as a restaurateur and a chef which is<br />
what I actually really enjoy.<br />
I think when Fishworks failed…well it<br />
gives you plenty of time to reflect on<br />
what’s really important to you and what’s<br />
not and allowed me to make my own<br />
choices, not get swept along with ‘this is<br />
a great idea’. It was a great idea, it was<br />
magnificent. The TV show would have<br />
been great but it just wasn’t for me. So<br />
the answer is I am regularly asked to do<br />
television bits and I will 99% of the time<br />
turn them down and occasionally I might<br />
do the odd thing but I don’t wake up<br />
thinking ‘I’d like to do more television’.<br />
18<br />
for, how can we have a really amazing<br />
strategy over five years that gives people<br />
top pay, freedom, how can we create a<br />
development programme so that people<br />
can develop in the organisation.’<br />
I tend to think of the restaurants like a<br />
community now. Everybody who works for<br />
us belongs to the community. We talk a lot<br />
about family but of course family are hard<br />
to get rid of and communities are made up<br />
of people all contributing, so when people<br />
don’t contribute they move out of the<br />
community and new people move in.<br />
One thing I didn’t realise is that you<br />
made significant changes to your menu<br />
with regards to being gluten-free. That<br />
must have been a big change?<br />
Yes! About ten years ago we set about<br />
rebuilding all of cooking ranges and<br />
changing all of our practices so that offer<br />
everything gluten-free. We committed to<br />
the business being gluten-free, not just<br />
by saying ‘here’s a gluten-free menu’.<br />
Everything we do is gluten-free. If we<br />
have to swap a bun for a gluten-free bun<br />
we do, and it basically means that the<br />
whole menu is available to somebody<br />
with a gluten intolerance rather than<br />
them feeling in a minority and only being<br />
able to choose from say five things on<br />
the menu.<br />
Going back, I first met you at the<br />
beginning of the century! 2000, a<br />
long, long time ago! Since then you’ve<br />
appeared on TV, most notably with<br />
Matt Dawson, the rugby player, but<br />
do you find yourself too busy to make<br />
room to do any shows as of late?<br />
The television career took off back<br />
around 2008/09. The series Mitch and<br />
Matt’s Big Fish became very successful<br />
and Denham Productions and the BBC<br />
wanted to do series two. So there was a<br />
lot of euphoria and excitement from Matt<br />
and the team, and they were on their way<br />
to London to sign the deal.<br />
We had agreed it, gone through it all and<br />
I started to get cold feet. I was sat in the<br />
restaurant having a brandy and a coffee<br />
and I was just thinking to myself ‘I don’t<br />
actually want to be a television chef, I<br />
want to be in this restaurant cooking’.<br />
Surely your heart has to be in it if it’s<br />
what you are going to do?<br />
I think you are either on telly to drive<br />
people to your restaurants, well I’ve been<br />
there when you are in a restaurant and so<br />
many people want to talk to you because<br />
they’ve seen you on telly but never for<br />
the right reasons, and the thought that<br />
somebody comes to the restaurant just<br />
to catch a glimpse of the person they’ve<br />
seen on telly is just the wrong motivation.<br />
I want people to restaurants because<br />
they are really great places socially to<br />
go and they have importance in the<br />
community and they like your food and<br />
that it’s somewhere they want to come to<br />
celebrate birthdays and all of that stuff!<br />
Absolutely, and you’ve done so, I mean<br />
The Seahorse is just brilliant I’ve got<br />
to be honest. It’s just delightful the<br />
minute you walk in there, it’s such<br />
a lovely place to be and I absolutely<br />
love coming down there and hopefully<br />
when the weather brightens up I’ll be<br />
back. One last question; are you doing<br />
Salcombe Crab Festival this May?<br />
I’m still not sure if I’m going to do it this<br />
year. I didn’t do it last year, but I did<br />
the year before, but I am hoping to do<br />
a fish festival in Brixton, a crab festival<br />
in Dartmouth which we always do, and<br />
also Dartmouth Food Festival in October<br />
which is always great.<br />
www.mitchtonks.co.uk
EASTEr<br />
eats<br />
The next big cooking fest after the festive feast, we think cooking for<br />
Easter should be easy. So we've gathered some seasonal favourites with<br />
minimal fuss, all from the fantastic cooking app cookwithmands.com<br />
GRIDDLED<br />
ASPARAGUS<br />
with citrus hollandaise<br />
The perfect starter, light and delicious - it<br />
also lets seasonal hero asparagus shine!<br />
Prep: 10 mins | Cook: 20 mins<br />
Serves: 4<br />
INGREDIENTS<br />
450g asparagus<br />
1 lemon<br />
1 dash olive oil<br />
For the hollandaise:<br />
2 large egg yolks<br />
1 tbsp fresh orange juice<br />
half a lemon<br />
2 tsp lemon zest<br />
125g cold butter<br />
METHOD<br />
Juice the half lemon, grate the lemon<br />
zest from the whole lemon, then cut that<br />
lemon into slices. Dice the cold butter.<br />
To make the hollandaise, in a medium<br />
heatproof bowl, whisk together the egg<br />
yolks, orange and lemon juice, lemon<br />
zest, and some salt and freshly ground<br />
black pepper. Sit the bowl over (but not<br />
touching) a pan of gently simmering<br />
water and add 2 or 3 pieces of butter,<br />
whisking continuously until melted.<br />
Continue adding the remaining butter in<br />
this way, whisking until the sauce is thick<br />
and smooth. Remove from the heat.<br />
Heat a griddle pan until hot. Drizzle the<br />
asparagus and lemon wedges with a<br />
little olive oil and griddle for 2-3 minutes<br />
each side, until just tender. Season with<br />
salt and pepper, and arrange on a platter.<br />
Drizzle with the hollandaise to serve.<br />
CHEDDAR &<br />
ONION seeded rolls<br />
Something about Easter makes baking<br />
feel right. This is great for the main meal or<br />
as a sandwich with any leftover lamb.<br />
Prep: 65 mins | Cook: 15 mins<br />
Makes: 10<br />
INGREDIENTS<br />
3 tsp black onion seeds<br />
375g seeded bread mix (from M&S)<br />
200g mature Cheddar<br />
180ml lukewarm water<br />
flour, for dusting<br />
olive oil<br />
METHOD<br />
Heat a frying pan over a medium-high<br />
heat and add the onion seeds. Move<br />
them around the pan for 1 minute, until<br />
they produce an oniony aroma. Set aside.<br />
Tip the bread mix into a large bowl. Stir in<br />
three-quarters of the cheese, two-thirds<br />
of the onion seeds and the lukewarm<br />
water. Mix to form a ball of dough.<br />
Turn out onto a floured surface and<br />
knead for about 10 minutes until soft and<br />
elastic. Shape into rolls, then put on oiled<br />
baking sheets, well apart.<br />
With a knife, slash the tops of the rolls.<br />
Loosely cover each sheet with lightly<br />
oiled cling-film and leave in a warm<br />
place for 40 minutes, until the dough has<br />
almost doubled in size. Heat the oven to<br />
220°C/425°F/gas 7 (200°C for fan ovens).<br />
Once the rolls have risen, scatter them<br />
with the reserved cheese and onion<br />
seeds. Bake for 12-15 minutes until<br />
golden and hollow-sounding when<br />
tapped underneath. Delicious served<br />
warm with butter.<br />
19
4 (160°C for fan ovens). Transfer the<br />
potatoes to a roasting tin, drizzle with the<br />
oil and sprinkle with the seasoning. Roast<br />
the potatoes for 40 minutes, turning<br />
occasionally, until tender and crisp.<br />
SLOW-ROAST<br />
LAMB<br />
The Easter centrepiece - this one is meltin-the-mouth<br />
delicious and just needs<br />
low, slow cooking.<br />
Prep: 30 mins | Cook: 4 hours 10 mins<br />
Serves: 8<br />
INGREDIENTS<br />
2kg leg of lamb (bone in)<br />
400g shallots<br />
2 whole garlic bulbs<br />
150ml Madeira/<strong>Mar</strong>sala or other sweet<br />
fortified wine<br />
2 tsp plain flour<br />
2 tsp butter<br />
Seasoning paste<br />
2 lemons<br />
4 sprigs rosemary<br />
4 garlic cloves<br />
8 anchovies<br />
1 tbsp olive oil<br />
METHOD<br />
To prep: If large, peel and half the<br />
shallots. Half crossways the whole garlic<br />
bulbs. Soften the butter. Zest and half<br />
the lemons. Finely chop the leaves of the<br />
rosemary. Finely chop the garlic cloves.<br />
Chop the anchovies.<br />
Heat the oven to 160°C/140°C fan/gas 3.<br />
To make the seasoning paste, put the<br />
lemon zest, rosemary, garlic cloves,<br />
anchovies and freshly ground black<br />
pepper in a bowl. Use a fork to mash<br />
together into a chunky paste. Stir in the oil<br />
and set aside.<br />
Heat a roasting tin on the hob and brown<br />
the lamb for a couple of minutes on each<br />
side. Remove the lamb from the tin and<br />
place on a board.<br />
Cook the shallots in the roasting tin (add<br />
a little olive oil if necessary) for 5 minutes<br />
or until golden, stirring occasionally.<br />
Remove and set aside.<br />
Meanwhile, use a thin, sharp knife to<br />
make deep, angled incisions all over the<br />
lamb.<br />
Push the seasoning paste into the cuts.<br />
Return the lamb to the tin. Add the<br />
shallots, garlic and lemon halves. Pour<br />
the Madeira and 100ml water around the<br />
lamb. Cover the roasting tin tightly with<br />
foil and roast for 3 hours.<br />
Remove the foil and return to the oven<br />
for a further hour. Meanwhile, mix the<br />
flour and butter to form a paste. When<br />
the lamb is ready, transfer it to a carving<br />
board or platter, with the garlic, lemons<br />
and shallots, and loosely cover with foil.<br />
Strain the juices from the roasting tin into<br />
a small saucepan and bring to the boil.<br />
Whisk in the flour and butter paste, then<br />
simmer until the sauce is thickened and<br />
glossy. Serve with the lamb.<br />
ULTIMATE<br />
ROAST<br />
POTATOES<br />
Perfect roast potatoes with a flawless,<br />
crisp crunch.<br />
Prep: 10 mins | Cook: 45 mins<br />
Serves: 6<br />
INGREDIENTS<br />
1kg potatoes<br />
1 tbsp Seasoning for Roast Potatoes<br />
2 tbsp olive oil<br />
METHOD<br />
Peel and cut the potatoes in half, or into<br />
quarters if large. Boil the potatoes in<br />
salted water for 5 minutes and drain well.<br />
Heat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas<br />
WHOLE SALMON<br />
with roasted squash and<br />
tarragon olive mayonnaise<br />
The perfect celebratory fish dish for<br />
Good Friday.<br />
Prep: 10 mins | Cook: 1 hour 5 mins<br />
Serves: 8<br />
INGREDIENTS<br />
1 lemon<br />
2kg whole Lochmuir salmon, cleaned<br />
3 tbsp olive oil<br />
8 sprigs tarragon<br />
20g unsalted butter<br />
1 large butternut squash<br />
8 whole garlic clove<br />
2 tbsp pumpkin seeds<br />
200ml mayonnaise<br />
2 tbsp pitted green olives, chopped<br />
METHOD<br />
Heat the oven to 190°/170°C fan/gas 5.<br />
Halve the lemon, set one half aside and<br />
slice the other into rounds. To cook the<br />
salmon, start with two large sheets of<br />
foil, one on top of the other, in a roasting<br />
tin large enough to hold the whole fish.<br />
Brush the foil with 1 tablespoon oil and<br />
lay the salmon on top.<br />
Stuff 4 tarragon sprigs, the lemon slices<br />
and a little salt and pepper in the cavity.<br />
Dot the butter over the surface of the<br />
salmon and bring the foil around it in a<br />
loose parcel, sealing the edges tightly.<br />
Roast for 1 hour, then set aside to rest for<br />
15 minutes before opening the foil.<br />
Meanwhile, slice the squash into wedges,<br />
skin on, and toss with the remaining olive<br />
oil and the whole garlic cloves on a large<br />
baking tray.<br />
Roast for 45 minutes, until the squash<br />
is golden then scatter with the pumpkin<br />
20
seeds and return to the oven for a final 5<br />
minutes.<br />
To make the mayonnaise, strip the leaves<br />
from the remaining tarragon sprigs and<br />
finely chop.<br />
Stir into the mayonnaise with a squeeze<br />
of lemon juice from the remaining lemon<br />
half and the chopped olives.<br />
Season with black pepper only. Serve the<br />
baked salmon with the roast squash, soft<br />
garlic and tarragon-olive mayonnaise.<br />
HOT CROSS BUN<br />
PUDDING<br />
A great alternative to bread and butter<br />
pudding - and a way to use up any<br />
leftover hot cross buns and Easter eggs!<br />
Prep: 40 mins | Cook: 40 mins<br />
Serves: 6<br />
INGREDIENTS<br />
2 eggs<br />
8 mini hot cross buns, or four large<br />
1 pear, peeled, cored and cubed<br />
4 tbsp hazelnut chocolate spread<br />
25g dark chocolate, chopped<br />
150ml double cream<br />
25ml whole milk<br />
25g caster sugar<br />
METHOD<br />
Cut each bun in half, then sandwich<br />
together with the chocolate spread.<br />
Arrange in an ovenproof dish and scatter<br />
over the pear cubes and chocolate.<br />
Whisk together the eggs, cream, milk and<br />
sugar. Pour the mixture over the buns<br />
and leave for at least 30 minutes to allow<br />
it to soak in.<br />
Heat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4<br />
(160°C for fan ovens) and bake for 35-40<br />
minutes until golden and just set. Stand<br />
for 5 minutes before serving.<br />
RHUBARB AND<br />
MASCARPONE<br />
meringue cake<br />
Another seasonal favourite - rhubarb.<br />
Meringues can be made ahead, but eat<br />
on the day you assemble with cream.<br />
Prep: 1 hour 25 mins | Cook: 2 hours<br />
Serves: 8<br />
INGREDIENTS<br />
For the purée:<br />
400g rhubarb, cut into 2cm pieces<br />
2 tbsp caster sugar<br />
1 vanilla pod, deseeded<br />
4 tbsp orange juice<br />
For the meringue:<br />
225g caster sugar<br />
4 egg whites<br />
For the filling and topping:<br />
50g icing sugar<br />
350g mascarpone<br />
30g shelled pistachios, roughly chopped<br />
METHOD<br />
Heat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6.<br />
Toss together the rhubarb, sugar, vanilla<br />
pod pieces and orange juice. Spread<br />
out the mixture in a small baking dish<br />
and roast for 15 minutes, or until tender.<br />
Remove from the oven and set aside<br />
to cool.<br />
Turn the oven down to 110°C/90°C fan/<br />
gas ¼. Reserve 10 pieces of rhubarb<br />
for decoration, and purée the rest in a<br />
blender. Only add the juices from the<br />
baking dish if the purée seems too thick.<br />
Set aside.<br />
Trace 4 x 18cm circles on baking paper<br />
as a guide for the meringue discs. Put<br />
the sugar and 90ml water into a heavybased<br />
saucepan. Carefully swirl the water<br />
around to ensure the sugar is covered.<br />
(Do not stir after swirling as this will<br />
encourage sugar crystals to form on the<br />
sides of the pan.) Put the pan over a high<br />
heat until the mixture bubbles.<br />
Reduce the heat to medium and allow<br />
the mixture to bubble away for about<br />
10 minutes. If using a thermometer the<br />
syrup is ready when it reaches 116°C.<br />
Otherwise, test the mixture by dropping<br />
a small amount into a cup of cold water,<br />
lift it out and if it can be rolled into a soft<br />
ball, it’s ready. If it’s still slippery and loose,<br />
bubble a little longer.<br />
Meanwhile, in a clean bowl, whisk the<br />
egg whites to stiff peaks using an electric<br />
whisk. When the syrup is ready, add it<br />
to the whisked egg whites, whisking<br />
continuously until the mixture is glossy<br />
and the syrup is fully incorporated.<br />
Pipe or spread the mixture onto the<br />
prepared baking sheets, filling in the<br />
circles. Bake for 2 hours, then keep the<br />
oven door ajar with a wooden spoon and<br />
bake for another hour to crisp up the<br />
surface. Turn the oven off and leave the<br />
meringues to cool in the oven for a further<br />
hour.<br />
To make the filling, beat the icing sugar<br />
into the mascarpone, adding more if you<br />
prefer a sweeter flavour. Then gently fold<br />
about two-thirds of the rhubarb purée<br />
into the mascarpone.<br />
To assemble the cake, spread a meringue<br />
disc with a third of the mascarpone and<br />
top with some of the reserved purée,<br />
gently rippling it with a table knife. Repeat<br />
these steps with the other discs and<br />
decorate the top with the reserved pieces<br />
of rhubarb and the chopped pistachios.<br />
21
a<br />
Slice<br />
of<br />
SANTA<br />
BARBARA<br />
Kate O’Connell tackles<br />
the culinary scene of<br />
Santa Barbara. One<br />
mouthful at a time...<br />
Harbor View Inn Hotel<br />
22
When it comes to traveling, shockingly enough I had yet to actually<br />
get round to visiting the USA. This also came as a surprise to my<br />
fellow journalists on this trip. Our two nations are bound together<br />
by much history, an overlap in religion, a common legal system and<br />
language, so how had I not visited at least one state at one time or<br />
another?<br />
Who knows. Our family holidays didn’t stretch that far I guess. Which<br />
may explain my eagerness when I was offered the chance to explore<br />
Santa Barbara. Quite the destination for a first time visitor to the USA!<br />
Aptly nicknamed ‘The American Riviera’, Santa Barbara is situated<br />
90 miles (a 2 hour car journey) north of Los Angeles, tucked within<br />
a south-facing pacific coastline on one side, and the rolling hills that<br />
stretch into the Santa Ynez Mountains on the other. But it is its charm<br />
and sense of style that makes this small city so tempting - indeed it is<br />
a hotspot favourite for the rich and famous, with a whole host of A-list<br />
celebrities calling Santa Barbara home.<br />
If there’s one things that strikes you, it’s that Santa Barbara doesn’t<br />
really feel like a city at all. There’s no hustle and bustle here, instead<br />
just a wonderfully laid-back, chilled vibe. Infused with the spirit<br />
of Spain, we were informed that 6.8 magnitude earthquake near<br />
enough flattened the city back in 1925. Devastating yes, but like a<br />
phoenix from the ashes, this proved the making of the city in terms of<br />
architecture, as the city planners were convinced to rebuild the city in<br />
a unified, Spanish Colonial Revival style inspired by the historic Old<br />
Mission (founded by Spanish Franciscans in 1786). Red-tiled clay top<br />
roofs and white washed walls litter every building, and in addition to<br />
the climate, give the city its Mediterranean charm.<br />
Our first stop; checking in to the newly developed <strong>North</strong> Wing of<br />
Harbor View Inn hotel. A premier beachfront hotel, Harbour View Inn is<br />
centrally located within the city, and made for a fabulous base to start<br />
our trip. My room featured a very inviting king size bed, complimented<br />
by gorgeous modern Spanish Colonial furnishings, and to top it off - a<br />
balcony view, a chance to sip on a morning coffee and watch the<br />
world go by. But not yet. First; dinner!<br />
We made a short walk around the block to Loquita Restaurant for<br />
some authentic Spanish tapas. Created as a love letter to the Spanish<br />
origins and history of Santa Barbara, Loquita’s showcases a medley<br />
of paellas, charcuterie, cheeses and seafood. We were offered a<br />
sample of a variety of dishes on the menu, with the squid ink seafood<br />
paella being a personal favourite of mine.<br />
After a restful nights sleep in my luxuriously comfy bed, I was ready<br />
for a day of exciting activities. To get us started, we required a hearty<br />
breakfast, and Goat Tree was just the place to go. A gourmet cafe<br />
with a relaxed vibe, Goat Tree offers everything from fresh pastries<br />
and baked goods cooked in-house by their resident pastry chef,<br />
through to cooked breakfasts with a Mediterranean twist. I opted<br />
for the classic Shakshuka, accompanied by homemade flat bread.<br />
Possibly the best, tastiest start to a morning ever.<br />
Feeling suitably energised, it was time for a spot of kayaking down<br />
at the harbour front, courtesy of Santa Barbara Adventure Company.<br />
Kayaking is a great way to view a side of Santa Barbara that perhaps<br />
few visitors get to see, so it felt like such a treat. Not only this, it was a<br />
perfect opportunity to spot some of the resident wildlife.<br />
Loquita Restaurant<br />
23
Kayaking around Santa<br />
Barbara harbour<br />
24<br />
It was perhaps my enthusiasm at this<br />
opportunity that had me labelled a<br />
‘Twitcher’ on this trip. On every dock<br />
we manoeuvred around brought hoards<br />
of enormous pelicans, gangly herons<br />
and rather amusing loons to name but a<br />
few. We even managed to paddle right<br />
up to a raft of sealions. So much of the<br />
wildlife on show were species that I had<br />
never seen out of captivity, it was a very<br />
special morning indeed. I can’t say I am a<br />
particularly experienced kayaker, having<br />
only dabbled on holidays in the past, but<br />
I needn’t have worried. The Adventure<br />
Company specialise in providing tours for<br />
all abilities, so I was in safe hands!<br />
A great way to experience the harbour<br />
front is to sample some of the<br />
specialities, and so with this we took a<br />
stroll over to Stearns Wharf; California’s<br />
oldest wharf named after builder John<br />
P. Stearns. There we took some seats at<br />
Santa Barbara Shellfish Company, and<br />
were served an array of locally caught<br />
seafoods, all washed down with some<br />
local beer.<br />
To garner more of an overview of the city,<br />
we then took a ‘trolley tour’ via Santa<br />
Barbara Trolley Co. This 90 minute tour<br />
is lead by a highly insightful guide, who<br />
relays all sorts of interesting facts about<br />
the city, as well as a little local celeb<br />
gossip on the side!<br />
After a quick freshen up it was time for<br />
a bite to eat. Cue...Cubaneo! Californian<br />
Cuban cuisine served alongside cocktails<br />
from Shaker Mill who neighbour within<br />
the same premises. It is easy to see how<br />
you could happily waste away an evening<br />
here, and we did just that! With a cubano<br />
sandwich in one hand and a ‘Bay of<br />
Santiago’ cocktail in the other, you could<br />
have easily fooled us into thinking we<br />
were in Havana!<br />
After another restful night's sleep, I<br />
skipped breakfast in order to make room<br />
for the immense amount of food we<br />
would be sampling on the Eat This, Shoot<br />
That! Funk Zone Food & Photo tour. A<br />
three-hour expedition, this is a chance to<br />
sample some of Santa Barbara’s finest<br />
fodder, as well as learn a little more about<br />
the city’s history, all while discovering<br />
how best to maximize your photo-taking<br />
ability, achieving the most Instagramworthy<br />
images that will make you the<br />
envy of all your friends.<br />
The tour is also a great chance to get to<br />
grips with the layout of the city. Santa<br />
Barbara is made up of several districts,<br />
one of which, The Funk Zone, has seen<br />
its popularity boom in recent decades.<br />
Comprising of a series of converted<br />
warehouses, this contemporary district<br />
is very much the place to be to sample<br />
artisan foods from up-and-coming chefs,<br />
and out-of-this-world Santa Barbara<br />
Country wines. Shop fronts and walls<br />
are adorned with graffiti murals and art<br />
pieces; this district really is an everevolving<br />
artistic neighbourhood that is<br />
well worth a visit.<br />
It was then time to travel up into the<br />
foothills to our next hotel. And what an<br />
iconic hotel indeed. The Belmond El<br />
Encanto. Recently renovated in 2013,<br />
Belmond El Encanto offers stunning<br />
views of the American Riviera and a<br />
whole heap of Hollywood glamour on<br />
the side. This resort manages to feel<br />
relaxed and low-key, while at the same<br />
time feeling like the most exclusive place<br />
on earth. Sitting poolside whilst sipping<br />
a glass of ‘Belmond El Encanto Cuvee’,<br />
life truly feels timeless up here. It’s little<br />
wonder that it was a favoured getaway of<br />
the Hollywood elite.<br />
We made our way back down from the<br />
hills to State Street for an Italian feast<br />
at Due Lune Cucina. Serving fresh<br />
ingredients and hand-made pasta, I<br />
would have been mad not to order the<br />
Linguine alle Vongole. This was paired<br />
with some fabulous local wines, and the<br />
staff couldn’t have been more friendly<br />
and attentive. We topped off the night<br />
with a nightcap at Pearl Social; an<br />
intimate and beautifully furnished cocktail<br />
bar. The night felt like a very classy affair<br />
indeed.<br />
Somehow, our final day had sadly rolled<br />
around already! It was time to do a spot<br />
of botanical sight seeing. Lotusland was<br />
our destination. This 37-acre estate and<br />
botanic garden is situated in the foothills<br />
of Montecito, which is located to the<br />
East of Santa Barbara. Purchased by<br />
the rather marvellous socialite Madame<br />
Walska (Google her, honestly!), she spent<br />
43 years designing the gardens to her<br />
liking. To say they were breathtaking is<br />
an understatement. Home to all sorts of<br />
exotic, rare collections of plants, this is<br />
truly a garden like no other.<br />
After another spot of wine tasting at<br />
some of the local establishments (it<br />
would be rude not to!), we made our<br />
way to Bibi Ji for dinner. A modern take<br />
on traditional Indian cuisine, Bibi Ji are<br />
experts at pairing quality, local wines<br />
with the most brilliant of dishes. The<br />
moment came when the aptly nicknamed<br />
‘Californian Gold’ was bought out; Santa<br />
Barbara’s locally caught sea urchins.<br />
Beautifully presented, and filled with<br />
biryani rice, I couldn’t lie...I was a little<br />
hesitant to try them. After all, my only<br />
knowledge of them was to avoid standing<br />
on them when on sandy beaches abroad.<br />
I needn’t have worried. Creamy and<br />
indulgent, they were fantastic.<br />
What a dish. And what a trip.<br />
Sea Urchins at<br />
Bibi Ji Restaurant<br />
At a glance<br />
2 nights at harbor view inn<br />
hotel, 2 nights at belmond<br />
el encanto hotel, private<br />
transfers and return<br />
flights with Norwegian air.<br />
Parking and lounge access<br />
with holiday extras.<br />
No1 Lounge at Gatwick<br />
Airport (South Terminal)<br />
from £26 PP<br />
Harbor view inn - Nightly<br />
Rates vary from $268.00-<br />
$400.00<br />
belmond el encanto -<br />
nightly room rates start<br />
from $560 (inc tax),<br />
suites from $811 (inc tax)<br />
www.santabarbaraca.com
Glorious walks from the Highbullen Hotel, Devon<br />
STYLISH Staycations<br />
Whether you want the buzz of the city or a<br />
complete country retreat, here are our pick of<br />
UK staycations...<br />
the best of the city and west end at<br />
THE STRAND PALACE, LONDON<br />
Having welcomed guests since 1909, the Strand Palace is surrounded by<br />
the best London has to offer - located just minutes from Covent Garden.<br />
Having recently undergone a large-scale multi million pound renovation,<br />
myself and my partner decided to tie in a spot of winter shopping/<br />
sightseeing in with a stay in what is most definitely the heart of London.<br />
The Strand Palace creates a fabulous impression the minute you meet the<br />
doorman! The front entrance, lobby and reception are one large, bright,<br />
open spaced hub, featuring art deco influences that create a very relaxed<br />
and sophisticated atmosphere. We checked in and made our way up to<br />
our room, which was a tranquil, comforting retreat from the hussle and<br />
bustle of the street below.<br />
It is at this stage that I feel I must confess: I am a bit of a tourist when it<br />
comes to London. In the past I have found myself booking into hotels that<br />
seem to be on the other side of the city in location to all the spots I wished<br />
to visit, and although there’s the tube, it’s still nice to be situated near<br />
the action. This is what makes The Strand Palace so perfect. Its location<br />
is brilliant - right in the heart of the West End, and with Covent Garden<br />
a mere two minutes away you really have got it all on your doorstep.<br />
I couldn’t believe our luck when a trip to The National Portrait Gallery<br />
took....seven minutes on foot!<br />
We made our way back to the hotel after a spot of lunch, opting for the<br />
pre-theatre menu which is brilliant value for money if you are trying to<br />
keep costs down. Pre 7pm, you can indulge with 2 courses for £20, so<br />
we tucked into some crispy lime squid, followed by fish and chips, with a<br />
lovely light batter. All washed down with a bottle of red. Delightful!<br />
The city felt like ours for the taking! We took ourselves off for a stroll around<br />
Covent Garden, closely followed by a visit to a couple of ‘proper’ London<br />
pubs. If you are after a weekend away in the city and want to make London<br />
your own, The Strand Palace offers a truly unbeatable location.<br />
Sam Norris | strandpalacehotel.co.uk, rooms from £175 per night<br />
escape to the country at<br />
UPPER TETCHWICK<br />
HOUSE, NR AYLESBURY<br />
There is surely no better ointment for the weary<br />
soul than a weekend in pristine countryside<br />
with your closest friends. I found that sense of<br />
reatreat at the beautiful Upper Tetchwick House,<br />
booked through holidaycottages.co.uk.<br />
With a whole host of different holiday<br />
accommodation options to suit couples, families<br />
and large or small parties, holidaycottages.co.uk<br />
was the perfect site through which to book our<br />
little staycation. We settled on Upper Tetchwick<br />
House, which sleeps 12.<br />
In a rural location on the outskirts of Aylesbury,<br />
the property is a home away from home - if your<br />
home is a resplendent country pad complete<br />
with six bedrooms, a swimming pool, a billiards<br />
room and a duck pond, with far reaching views<br />
across the countryside! It’s a house that would<br />
cater in any season - with a huge garden and<br />
pool for the warmer months and a wonderful<br />
wood burning stove when the chill sets in.<br />
The whole process was easy as anything -<br />
meaning we all felt immediately on holiday - that<br />
was in part thanks to the lovely locally-sourced<br />
welcome hamper waiting on the counter.<br />
The house had the added benefit of being dog<br />
friendly too, meaning my pooches didn’t miss<br />
out on any of the holiday action.<br />
Katie Thomson | holidaycottages.co.uk,<br />
a three night stay costs £1,568 total<br />
25
take time out at<br />
DONNINGTON VALLEY<br />
HOTEL & SPA, BERKSHIRE<br />
It really does go without saying that a visit to the<br />
spa is a great way to relax, de-stress and unwind<br />
from the day-to-day. However we should never<br />
need an excuse for a little pampering. After all,<br />
many of our modern-day spas have deep roots,<br />
dating back thousands of years. Hence my<br />
lack of guilt in booking myself and Mum in for a<br />
weekend stay at Donnington Valley Hotel.<br />
A privately owned hotel, spa and golf club,<br />
Donnington Valley is located just off the M4.<br />
Arriving in the surrounding beautiful Berkshire<br />
countryside, this truly felt like a retreat.<br />
Sharing an Executive suite, we were graced with<br />
gorgeously comfy beds and a rather spacious<br />
bathroom! We quickly put on the robes provided<br />
and made our way to the spa. There we had<br />
a luxury 55 minute Sonoma Aromatherapy<br />
Massage. Melting our tensions away, my<br />
thoughts drifted to the hustle and bustle of<br />
life, and what a rarity it is to have 55 minutes<br />
to yourself to just…be. It occurred to me how<br />
important it is to take time for yourself. It’s a<br />
win-win for everyone too surely, as by feeling<br />
and looking your best, you are better able to take<br />
care of your loved ones without feeling burnt out.<br />
We took ourselves off to the capacious pool,<br />
and made use of the indulgent sauna and<br />
steam rooms, not to mention a quick lounge<br />
in the jacuzzi, before quickly freshening up for<br />
our dinner reservations. On the menu: scallops<br />
on a bed of pea purée, black pudding and<br />
smoked pancetta, followed by a juicy sirloin<br />
steak, all complimented beautifully by some<br />
well-recommended wine, and last but not least<br />
followed by a delectable espresso martini.<br />
Naughty? Yes. But perhaps we all need to take<br />
a weekend every once in a while to look after<br />
number one.<br />
Kate O’Connell | donningtonvalley.co.uk,<br />
rooms from £135 per night<br />
find sanctuary in the city at<br />
PARK PLAZA LONDON RIVERBANK<br />
As a former Londoner who now resides in the countryside, there is always a<br />
thrill when returning to the capital. The beauty of being a visitor, instead of a<br />
resident, is getting to appreciate the wealth of culture, architectural marvels<br />
and general buzz of this sprawling metropolis. And there is nowhere better<br />
located to explore it all from than the Park Plaza London Riverbank.<br />
Located on the south side of the River Thames, it sits near many of<br />
London’s most legendary tourist attractions. The Houses of Parliament, the<br />
seat of England’s political authority, are just across Westminster Bridge, and<br />
the London Eye, the city’s enormous Ferris wheel, is only a 15-minute walk<br />
away. My room had an uninterrupted view out to Big Ben and the Palace of<br />
Westminster. Being so central might feel chaotic, but the hotel really does<br />
feel like a sanctuary away from it all.<br />
I visited with my small niece and nephew in tow - travelling with children<br />
is never easy, but the London Riverbank hotel has taken a huge step<br />
toward making it a breeze - it has just launched the capital’s first hotel<br />
room designed by families, for families - featuring elements such as chalk<br />
board walls, neon lights, a bunk bed for the kids, and chic décor and iconic<br />
London view for the adults, along with bespoke services. The suite is<br />
available from just £179 per night and can be booked by visiting<br />
parkplaza.com/ultimatefamily<br />
Daniel Weston | radissonhotels.com/en-us/hotels/park-plaza-Londonriverbank<br />
Rooms from £119 per night<br />
sleep like a royal at<br />
HARTWELL HOUSE, NR AYLESBURY<br />
I would call myself an explorer, but it isn’t often that I can feel as I’m back<br />
in the 17th century and living as the royals once had. That is exactly how<br />
this weekend felt, exploring the warmth, romance and delicious cuisine that<br />
Hartwell House had to offer.<br />
The hotel makes an impression straight away - the exquisite drive to the<br />
front entrance, greetings from smiling staff and the aroma of a burning stove<br />
made us feel we were somewhere very special.<br />
As we settled in our large room, with far-reaching views across the fields we<br />
were very pleased by the little touches - the room’s decor transporting you<br />
to an era of vintage style. History oozes from every pore of this house and<br />
there is so much to be explored - even the walk to dinner took us past the<br />
characterful staircase - each spindle of the bannister is hand carved into a<br />
caricature - we delighted in spotting famous historical figures, including a<br />
grave-faced Winston Churchill.<br />
The house has both Jacobean and Georgian features with outstanding<br />
decorative ceilings and panelling, fine paintings and antique furniture. It has a<br />
remarkable history too: its most famous resident was Louis XVIII, exiled King<br />
26
soak in the views at<br />
THE HIGHBULLEN HOTEL<br />
& COUNTRY CLUB, NORTH DEVON<br />
Arriving after nightfall to a hotel destination is always a bit of a treat -<br />
there is something exciting about waking up to an undiscovered view<br />
- pulling back the curtains to reveal the surprise.<br />
This delight surely hits its peak at the Highbullen Hotel, nestled in the<br />
rolling hills of <strong>North</strong> Devon. As I ambled, sleepily, from the sumptuous<br />
seven-foot bed in our suite, I opened the curtains with a cup of tea in<br />
hand, I was greeted by the most glorious, expansive views - rolling hills,<br />
a view down the Mole Valley and out towards national parks. From the<br />
hotel’s high vantage point on a ridge between Dartmoor and Exmoor, on<br />
a clear day you can see for 18 miles across pristine British countryside -<br />
it really is something to behold.<br />
An opportunity to enjoy these views is never missed - as well as a<br />
lovely reading nook in our own room, the elegant drawing rooms and<br />
sun terraces offered chances to sit and soak it all in. The hotel’s Devon<br />
View Restaurant also offers these panoramas, alongside its 2 AA<br />
rosettes - making for a very special dining experience. With a changing<br />
daily menu featuring the best local, seasonal produce, the restaurant<br />
is a foodie destination in its own right. We dined on the house-smoked<br />
salmon with avocado, a deliciously light leek and cheddar tart and<br />
perfectly succulent lamb cutlets with a perfect umami punch. The<br />
portions are perfect, leaving just enough room for a shared dessert of<br />
treacle tart with clotted cream - simple dessert pastry at its best. This is<br />
also the restaurant where residents can enjoy breakfast -<br />
it’s a great spread with lots to choose from.<br />
If the dishes in the restaurant gets you in the indulgent<br />
foodie mood (and they will) you can also head down to<br />
the lovely Laura Ashley Tearoom on site for a classic<br />
Devon cream tea or a more indulgent offering with fizz.<br />
As well as the main hotel, guests have accommodation<br />
options in self catered cottages - meaning the facilities<br />
of the whole resort are still on their doorstep. An 18-hole<br />
USGA golf course set within richly wooded parkland,<br />
tennis courts, a multi-sport simulator, a leisure centre,<br />
fishing, shooting, snooker - the list is expansive and<br />
caters for every member of the family, making it a<br />
wonderful holiday destination. Keen walkers can also<br />
make the most of miles of local country walks, Exmoor or<br />
the nearby South West Coast path.<br />
Katie Thomson | highbullen.co.uk,<br />
B&B from £110 per night<br />
of France, for five years from 1809 - no wonder we felt like royalty.<br />
That evening we shared a decadent three course dinner. The food was<br />
wonderful and the ambiance pure romance - with a piano playing in the<br />
background. I would highly recommend a starter of scallops or smoked<br />
salmon, the cod for a main and a trio of the delicious sorbets to finish it off.<br />
The majestic tone set the night before continued at breakfast - the<br />
spread pure elegance - hand polished silverware, white table cloths and<br />
loose leaf earl grey tea. Then it was out to explore the grounds. Hartwell<br />
House is a National Trust owned property with Capability Browninspired<br />
landscapes - we pretended it was all our domain as we strolled<br />
from one spectacular vista to another.<br />
Then it was time to relax even further in the beautiful spa - with its<br />
stylistic echoes of a Roman bathing house. Our treatments were<br />
sublime - taking away all the strain of a working week.<br />
From the first sights of history, to the genuine comforts of a homely room<br />
and stunning food, I arrive back in the big city, relaxed, romanced and so<br />
full of fond memories. Hartwell House comes highly recommended and I<br />
can see why - it is the perfect weekend away, only if you wish to get lost<br />
in time and take a moment to enjoy your surroundings.<br />
Lucy Elamad | hartwell-house.com, B&B from £250 per night<br />
27
AMAZING<br />
GLAZING<br />
When we think about our homes, it’s really the windows<br />
and doors that create the wow factor. We are all so<br />
keen to flood our properties with natural light and the<br />
constantly evolving technology in the world of glazing is<br />
making some truly astonishing designs achievable, not to<br />
mention more affordable than ever.<br />
Whether you are self-building, extending or even<br />
renovating your home, apportioning budget to windows<br />
and doors is a savvy move. As well as making your home<br />
more valuable - 69% of people say that light rooms make<br />
them more inclined to buy - investing in clever glazing can<br />
make you fall in love with your space once more.<br />
BI-FOLD vs SLIDING<br />
DOORS<br />
Bi-fold:<br />
PROS - for those looking for that wonderful sense of a<br />
garden room that brings the outside in, bi-folds can help<br />
create the sense of one open-plan space as the panels<br />
fold away fully to the walls.<br />
CONS - an expensive option - poorly constructed bi-folds<br />
can also suffer from air-tightness issues around the joins<br />
so do your research and get guarantees.<br />
Sliding:<br />
PROS - generally cheaper than bi-fold doors, sliding<br />
doors also have fewer frame elements, meaning when<br />
they are closed your view is less obstructed.<br />
CONS - you won’t get the full, uninterrupted view of the<br />
garden - instead only a portion of the doors are openable.<br />
Bi-fold<br />
Sliding<br />
69% of people say that light rooms make<br />
them more inclined to buy - investing in<br />
clever glazing can make you fall in love with<br />
your space once more...<br />
28
Roof Lanterns and Skylights<br />
Compared to windows of the same surface area, skylights and<br />
roof lanterns can increase light in a room by up to five times.<br />
They are particularly good in extensions and for channelling<br />
light to darker corners of the home and adding opportunities<br />
for ventilation. These additions are no longer considered just a<br />
luxury and can be used in a wide variety of scenarios:<br />
• In a loft extension, tucked beneath sloped rooflines, the<br />
presence of skylights may spell the difference between a<br />
bright, friendly space and a murky cave.<br />
• In a home built between closely adjoining neighbouring<br />
houses where overlooking might be an issue, skylights may be<br />
the best solution for introducing good natural light into rooms.<br />
• In a single storey house build or extension, built with an open<br />
floor plan, skylight shafts can bring much needed natural light<br />
into the centre of large spaces.<br />
Many of the issues experienced in the past of rooms<br />
overheating or being hard to clean have been mediated with<br />
a tranche of new technology, including glass panels with heat<br />
regulatory and storage abilities and self-cleaning glass.<br />
SINGLE STOREY EXTENSION?<br />
In a single storey house build or extension, built with an<br />
open floor plan, skylight shafts can bring much needed<br />
natural light into the centre of large spaces.<br />
Energy Efficiency<br />
Our homes are one of the biggest energy wasters out there and<br />
traditionally windows are the biggest energy leakage point, so<br />
with any renovation, it can really pay to invest in glass tech to<br />
ensure the best temperature regulation - creating huge savings<br />
down the line. We all know that double glazing is much more<br />
efficient than single, but newer technologies like triple glazing<br />
are making windows nearly as efficient at energy retention as<br />
the walls they are installed within.<br />
As well as the glass, it is important to do you research into<br />
frames and opt for the most airtight models.<br />
With great green credentials, triple glazed units have the<br />
added benefits of better thermal comfort, noise reduction and<br />
a reduced risk of condensation between panes – so for the<br />
self-builder or home improver looking for a premium finish with<br />
added benefits, it’s a natural choice.<br />
29
2<br />
1<br />
dark ARTS<br />
3<br />
The trend for sleek black finishes<br />
continues, with lots of companies<br />
now supplying dark taps, shower<br />
enclosures, towel rails and tiles<br />
Dark tiles and fixtures look amazing - the only thing<br />
to be aware of is living in a hard water area and the<br />
effects that will have on the finish of taps over time.<br />
For a sleek look, pair large-scale dark floor tiles with<br />
white tiles on the walls, framed by black hardware.<br />
5<br />
Images: 1. Aquaglass Velar 8mm Black Crittall Corner<br />
Entry Enclosure, frontlinebathrooms.co.uk; 2. Original Style<br />
Tileworks Steel Midnight Blue, originalstyle.com; 3. Merlyn<br />
Black Showerwall With End Panel, merlynshowering.com;<br />
4. Duravit - Stonetto (Sand) Shower Tray, duravit.co.uk;<br />
5. Contour Radiator, frontlinebathrooms.co.uk; 6. Pitch<br />
Bluetooth Mirror, purebathroomcollection.co.uk; 7. Finissimo<br />
Black Bath Filler, bathroomdealsuk.co.uk; 8. Valverdi Iguazu<br />
Tile, londontile.co.uk;<br />
8<br />
4<br />
7<br />
BATHROOM<br />
TECH<br />
With homes becoming<br />
smarter in the main, it<br />
makes sense that similar<br />
technology would be<br />
extended to the bathroom.<br />
We love this bluetooth<br />
mirror which can play<br />
your favourite songs and<br />
has automatic demisting<br />
technology<br />
6<br />
30
THE BATHROOM<br />
& TILE GUIDE<br />
A roundup of the trends that can beat the bathroom blues<br />
and turn your bathroom into your own slice of heaven<br />
1 2<br />
3<br />
ensuite DREAMS<br />
According to a survey carried out by Nationwide<br />
Building Society, an ensuite can add as much as 5%<br />
to your home's market value - if you have the space,<br />
it's a great investment which is luxurious too<br />
If space permits, a roll top or freestanding<br />
bath looks wonderful in an ensuite and<br />
gives a true sense of luxury. If your space<br />
is more modest, the smaller scale is a great<br />
place to experiment with some interesting<br />
tile combinations and colours. There are<br />
some fabulous examples of encaustic tiles<br />
out there at the moment, but if you do opt<br />
for those, be aware and prepared for more<br />
maintenance than printed tiles.<br />
Images: 1. products from Original Style; 2. String<br />
lights from Lights4fun.co.uk; 3. image from<br />
carleyrowena.com; 4. Floris tile from Boniti<br />
4<br />
31
1<br />
TILE STYLE<br />
THE way to add style and personality to<br />
your bathroom - choices are limitless.<br />
Avoid following trends too closely and pick<br />
something you really love<br />
3<br />
4<br />
2<br />
When choosing<br />
tiles, functionality<br />
is key - tiny mosaics look amazing, but you<br />
don't want them in high traffic areas of a family<br />
bathroom. Try to keep floor tiles low maintenance<br />
and add decorative flourishes in smaller spaces.<br />
Ceramics aren't the only option either - vinyl tiles<br />
and laminates can work effectively.<br />
5<br />
6<br />
Images: 1. Selection from Ripples; 2. Havana Dawn Self<br />
Adhesive Vinyl Floor Tiles, zazous.co.uk; 3. Odyssey<br />
- 8051V Seville Tile, originalstyle.com; 4. 3D Offset<br />
Hexagon Tiles, bakedtiles.co.uk; 5. Original Style Living<br />
Spirit Tile, originalstyle.com; 6. Windmill Geometric<br />
Tile, tonsoftiles.co.uk; 7. Odyssey - Persian Floor Tile,<br />
originalstyle.com<br />
7<br />
green SPACES<br />
Houseplants are taking over - and<br />
we love it! If you have natural light<br />
in the bathroom, lots of plants can<br />
thrive in the space!<br />
The best plants for bathrooms are<br />
moisture lovers - these are our<br />
favourites: -<br />
Zamioculcas zamifolia (the eternity<br />
plant - so named because it is hard<br />
to kill!), the spider plant, most ferns,<br />
snake plant, aloe vera, cast iron plant<br />
and orchids.<br />
Image, left, from Dobbies - plants and<br />
plant pots available.<br />
NO WINDOW?<br />
No problem! LED growing lights can be<br />
easily installed to help your plants grow,<br />
even without natural light.<br />
32
BESPOKE SOFAS, CHAIRS, BEDS & MATTRESSES<br />
See offers<br />
online & in-store<br />
Stopham 3 seater sofa in House Plain Meringue & Designers Guild Florian Corn £2,713<br />
The Walled Garden, Herriard Park, Basingstoke, RG25 2PL<br />
01256 637240 www.sofasandstuff.com
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HANDCRAFTED KITCHENS<br />
FOR OUR OFFERS VISIT<br />
OPTIPLANKITCHENS.CO.UK<br />
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Camberley Notcutts 105<br />
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Call us on 01276 692 144
BRIGHT IDEAS<br />
FOR YOUR HOME<br />
Elstead House, Mill Lane, Alton, <strong>Hampshire</strong>, GU34 2QJ<br />
www.elsteadlighting.com | Tel: 01420 590510<br />
Showroom open 9:00am - 5:30pm Monday - Saturday
Sherborne Windows<br />
ADVERTISING FEATURE<br />
Introducing what might just be<br />
your favourite windows, doors and<br />
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Taking inspiration from a bygone era for their levels of service,<br />
and using market leading brands, Sherborne Windows supplies<br />
products with enduring style and with the security, reliability and<br />
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Sherborne offers six impressive collections – handcrafted<br />
and bespoke Timber, contemporary and slimline Alumiunium,<br />
high security and energy efficient Ultimate Collection, low<br />
maintenance Timber Alternative ranges from Evolution and<br />
Bygone and for roofs the stylish Roofline range.<br />
All these ranges are designed to transform the look of your home<br />
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Sherborne Windows have three impressive showrooms in<br />
<strong>Hampshire</strong> and Surrey, each one displaying their full range of<br />
products and offering experienced advice for every property<br />
type and any budget. Whether you live in a listed property in a<br />
conservation area or have an old terrace property, they can offer<br />
advice for the most suitable windows, doors and conservatories<br />
for your situation.<br />
The showrooms are situated in Windlesham, Farnborough and<br />
their latest one in Hartley Wintney in <strong>Hampshire</strong> was officially<br />
opened in 2017 by BBCs Spring Watch presenter Kate Humble.<br />
Sherborne constantly strive to offer ground breaking new designs<br />
and ideas to their clients and their installations have been<br />
featured in many National publications including the impressive<br />
transformation of a tired house in <strong>Hampshire</strong> into a stylish New<br />
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Sherborne have also won many accolades over the years<br />
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Two for the price of one entry with<br />
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Home to one of<br />
Britian’s most<br />
pioneering naturalists.<br />
The perfect day out<br />
for the whole family.<br />
Explore his home and<br />
25 acres of garden<br />
and parkland.<br />
Cafe, gift shop,<br />
exhibitions and lots<br />
see and do.<br />
Selborne . HantS . GU34 3JH<br />
www.gilbertwhiteshouse.org.uk<br />
REGISTERED CHARITY NO. 1159058<br />
36 | www.northhampshirelifestyle.co.uk<br />
<strong>2020</strong> ad template .indd 1 17/01/<strong>2020</strong> 16:39:23
<strong>2020</strong>: THE YEAR OF SLEEP<br />
<strong>2020</strong> is set to be the ‘Year of Sleep’ as the third<br />
of a life we spend in bed takes a higher profile<br />
than ever before...<br />
<strong>Mar</strong>ch is<br />
National<br />
Bed Month<br />
With more and more wellbeing and mental health organisations<br />
focusing on the importance of a good night’s rest, even Tatler has<br />
called sleep ‘the new status symbol’. Already lined up for the year<br />
is the presentation of a Sleep Manifesto to an all-party House<br />
of Commons group on <strong>Mar</strong>ch 4. And, importantly, the Mental<br />
Health Foundation announced at the end of 2019 that the theme<br />
for Mental Health Awareness Week in May will be the connection<br />
between sleep – or lack of it – and mental health.<br />
Said Lisa Artis, chief advisor for The Sleep Council: “For too long<br />
we’ve seen sleep regarded as virtually an ‘optional extra’ when it<br />
comes to good health, but a growing tide of scientific evidence is<br />
proving that it is vital to both our physical and mental wellbeing.<br />
Unlike diet and exercise, the subject of sleep is barely mentioned<br />
in schools – and while access is given to all kinds of physical and<br />
wellbeing training in the workplace, help with achieving a good<br />
night’s sleep is rarely considered. Given that 200,000 working<br />
days a year are lost in the UK through sleep-related problems*,<br />
that would seem to be an incredibly short-sighted approach.<br />
“However, it would finally appear that the tide is changing and<br />
highly significant that the Mental Health Foundation – which itself<br />
has enjoyed a hugely raised profile in the past year – is to focus<br />
on the importance of sleep to mental health as its campaign<br />
theme for May.”<br />
Catania Latex 2600 Teramo Latex 1400<br />
The World's No.1 Bed Brand.<br />
01252 812111<br />
281, FLEET ROAD FLEET GU51 3BT<br />
www.carpetsandflooringfleet.co.uk<br />
open 7 days a week<br />
free customer parking<br />
Because your home matters<br />
42 | www.northhampshirelifestyle.co.uk
social care needs<br />
Social care seems to be in the news a lot at the<br />
moment, often, unfortunately, in conjunction<br />
with the word ‘crisis’. Given that if you<br />
need care it’s a necessity, it makes sense to<br />
understand the basics – well before that time<br />
might come...<br />
Social care is there to support you because you need some extra<br />
help with daily living or are caring for someone who requires<br />
additional help themselves. There are a wide range of social care<br />
services, including care in your home or in a care home, live-in care<br />
services, day centres, home adaptions like handrails, and technology<br />
of various kinds.<br />
The first step if you or your loved one needs some extra help<br />
and support is to ask your local authority to carry out a needs<br />
assessment. You might have to wait several weeks at least for this,<br />
because councils are strapped for cash and staff, but it’s important<br />
to have it because it’s the gateway to the wider system. Someone<br />
from the council usually visits to establish the type of support you<br />
might need. There’s no charge and the assessor will create a care<br />
plan specific to your needs.<br />
When the type of care you need is decided and agreed the next<br />
stage is to establish how it will be paid for through a financial means<br />
test - which can be complex and quite confusing. Social care isn’t a<br />
free service provided by the NHS as many people think. Most of us<br />
have to pay for all or some of our care and the amount depends on<br />
the level of need and the value of any assets we have.<br />
Your home will not be included in the means test if you’re arranging<br />
care and support at home but other capital assets, including savings<br />
will be. Currently, if you have more capital that £23,250 you will<br />
have to pay all your care fees. If you have under £23,250, you’ll get<br />
financial assistance but may have to contribute from your income.<br />
The cost of care varies by area but it is not unusual to have to<br />
pay about £20 an hour for a care worker to come to your home<br />
(domiciliary care) to help you with, say, getting up, washing and<br />
dressing, if that’s what you need. You can see how the bills add up<br />
if you need more than one visit every day.<br />
It is also possible that rather than ‘personal care’ you need a<br />
different kind of support, such as companionship, because you are<br />
very alone and lonely. If so, in some places the council may refer<br />
you to a scheme run by a charity like Age UK, where you might<br />
have to pay a modest amount to take part.<br />
Social care has a bad reputation at the moment, largely because<br />
it is underfunded and there isn’t enough to go round. You may<br />
also have read horror stories in the press of care workers being<br />
neglectful. Please don’t be put off seeking care though - there are<br />
many wonderful care workers. It pays to get advice and go into it<br />
with your eyes open, but there are hundreds of thousands of older<br />
people whose lives are immeasurably better because of the good<br />
care they receive.<br />
Caroline Abrahams, Charity Director, Age UK | www.ageuk.org.uk<br />
www.northhampshirelifestyle.co.uk | 43
Still Outstanding<br />
25 Years Later<br />
ADVERTISING FEATURE<br />
Oak Lodge care home recently celebrated<br />
their 25th Anniversary and Outstanding<br />
CQC rating with a large party attended<br />
by many across the Basingstoke<br />
community...<br />
To celebrate 25 years of caring, Oak Lodge hosted a day of<br />
entertainment, which included entertainment, speeches from<br />
the Mayor of Basingstoke along with the Director and Owner<br />
of Forest Care, a 1995 themed quiz, spectacular buffet lunch<br />
followed by a very well received Abba Tribute act.<br />
The attending Mayor Diane Taylor kindly said “Oak Lodge is key<br />
part of this community. The long service of the management<br />
and staff makes a huge difference to the homely atmosphere<br />
experienced by the residents. I visit Oak Lodge regularly to<br />
see my friends and there is always something going on here to<br />
enjoy”.<br />
Having worked for Forest Care for over 30 years, <strong>Mar</strong>k Vickery,<br />
the Director of Forest Care, presented a photo collage of Oak<br />
Lodge’s construction, while narrating a history of the care home.<br />
To conclude, <strong>Mar</strong>k proudly announced that Oak Lodge has<br />
recently maintained its “Outstanding” CQC rating in its latest<br />
inspection at the end of 2019, a fantastic achievement for Oak<br />
Lodge.<br />
Oak Lodge has a large amount of long-serving staff, positively<br />
affecting the continuity of care the home provides.<br />
Frank Fogarty, Owner of Forest Care, handed out gifts of thanks<br />
to the staff during the celebrations for their commitment and<br />
dedication to care home. Frank recognised that it is because of<br />
the hard work of the people employed at Oak Lodge that has<br />
allowed it to achieve its 25th anniversary and become awardwinning<br />
in 2019.<br />
Oak Lodge would like to say a big thank you to everyone for<br />
helping them to celebrate their special milestone. Without the<br />
support of the local community, trust instilled by relatives and<br />
dedication of staff, Oak Lodge would not have been able to<br />
celebrate 25 years of caring for the elderly.<br />
To speak to the team or to learn more about this outstanding<br />
and award-winning home, contact Oak Lodge on 01256 780222<br />
or oaklodge@forestcare.co.uk. Alternatively, visit the Forest<br />
Care website: www.forestcare.co.uk.<br />
Residential | Nursing | Respite<br />
All-inclusive fees & no deposits with complimentary physio, hairdressing, chiropody & more.<br />
An Award-Winning Care Home<br />
offering the highest standard of care and support for the elderly<br />
led by the Care Home Manager of the Year 2019 - National Care Awards.<br />
Rectory Road, Oakley, Basingstoke, <strong>Hampshire</strong>, RG23 7EL<br />
Tel: 01256 780222 Email: oaklodge@forestcare.co.uk Website: www.forestcare.co.uk
spring has sprung...<br />
along with the<br />
allergy season!<br />
Days are getting longer, and garden daffodils<br />
are blooming. Whilst for many this is great<br />
news, there are some that dread this time of<br />
year, the advent of the allergy season...<br />
Allergies are particularly debilitating in the spring, with many<br />
trying to avoid pollen by popping antihistamines, but this only<br />
gets you so far. Though many tips are well known, such as<br />
closing the windows or wearing sunglasses, there are some<br />
triggers that you may not have realised.<br />
Often proclaimed as the good guys, fruit can exacerbate allergy<br />
symptoms because they are, funnily enough, covered in fruit<br />
pollen. However, do not stop eating fruit. We still need our daily<br />
vitamins so instead make sure you wash, peel or cook your fruit<br />
to prevent transfer of irksome pollen.<br />
Alcohol is another culprit because it dilates the blood vessels<br />
in your nose, enabling a larger reaction to any pollen present.<br />
Wine is particularly bad so maybe try another drink in the spring<br />
sunshine.<br />
Hair products turn your luscious tresses into a pollen magnet,<br />
ensuring pollen stays with you wherever you go. On the same<br />
theme, if you find yourself waking up with a particularly stuffy<br />
nose then you should try swapping your morning shower for an<br />
evening one. Going to bed swathed in pollen certainly doesn’t<br />
help. Even just washing your face can make a big difference.<br />
Many things can be attributed to stress these days and allergies<br />
are no different. Even small amounts of stress increases allergytriggering<br />
proteins and allergic symptoms, so enjoy some me<br />
time to de-stress however you like to: yoga, mindfulness, reading.<br />
Finally, the spring clean! Although the intention is good to remove<br />
all dust and mould spores from the house, cleaning dramatically<br />
increases allergens in the air whilst you are cleaning. Best to get<br />
someone else to do it when you aren’t there (think partner or<br />
children!)<br />
If you are still struggling, a visit to your local osteopath to help<br />
clear congestion from your sinuses might be just the thing you<br />
need to relieve those spring sneezes!<br />
Linda Routledge<br />
www.outlinehealth.com<br />
ADVERTISING FEATURE<br />
OSTEOPATHY<br />
Dedicated compassionate<br />
personalised treatment<br />
BACK, NECK AND SHOULDER PAIN<br />
JOINT PAIN . SCIATICA<br />
SPORTS INJURIES . HEADACHES<br />
NEURALGIA . ARTHRITIC PAIN<br />
01252 850814<br />
enquiries@outlinehealth.com<br />
outlinehealth.com<br />
Outline Health,<br />
Oak Park Golf Club, Heath Lane, Crondall,<br />
Farnham, Surrey GU10 5PB<br />
10%<br />
OFF<br />
first appointment<br />
QUOTE CODE<br />
NHL10<br />
46 | www.northhampshirelifestyle.co.uk
Tie the Knot<br />
TIE THE KNOT AT OAKLEY HALL HOTEL<br />
Whether you’re planning a small and intimate ceremony for close friends and<br />
family or need space for up to 340 guests, Oakley Hall Hotel provides the choice of<br />
several elegant rooms that are licensed to hold civil ceremonies and partnerships.<br />
For larger weddings, the brand new Garden Pavilion can hold up to 350 guests for<br />
a wedding breakfast and 400 for an evening reception.<br />
With 315 acres of grounds surrounding the hotel, your photographer will have an<br />
exceptional choice of settings in which to capture many wonderful moments.<br />
3<br />
RECTORY ROAD, OAKLEY, BASINGSTOKE, HAMPSHIRE, RG23 7EL<br />
ENQUIRIES@OAKLEYHALL-PARK.COM | WWW.OAKLEYHALL-PARK.COM | +44 (0)1256 783 350