J'AIME AUGUST 2020
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J’A<br />
A U G U S T 2 0 2 0<br />
E<br />
Y O U R L O C A L L U X U R Y L I F E S T Y L E M A G A Z I N E<br />
Pretty and<br />
practical:<br />
SUMMER’S<br />
FAVOURITE<br />
WARDROBE<br />
COMBO<br />
Nostalgic<br />
style:<br />
embracing<br />
‘granny chic’<br />
THE WONDER OF<br />
CHOCOLATE FROM<br />
A NEW MIDLANDS<br />
ARTISAN<br />
Find<br />
your next<br />
‘staycation’
Probate and formal valuations<br />
for inheritance tax purposes<br />
Our reliable and sympathetic<br />
team can assist all executors in the<br />
administration of deceased estates<br />
From jewellery and large collections<br />
to cars, furniture and household<br />
items, we handle everything<br />
Comprehensive, bespoke<br />
clearance service and<br />
downsizing solutions<br />
We handle clearance of an entire<br />
estate from houses, bungalows and<br />
flats to offices and all other buildings<br />
We specialise in:<br />
Antique and modern jewellery<br />
Watches<br />
Gemstones<br />
Silverware<br />
Coins, medals and militaria<br />
Works of art<br />
Whisky and wine<br />
Vintage toys<br />
Stamps and ephemera<br />
Cameras and record collections<br />
Scientific equipment<br />
Antique and modern furniture<br />
Record-breaking<br />
international sales<br />
More than 3,000 bidders from<br />
all over the world joined our latest<br />
online Fine Arts Sale<br />
Online services available<br />
Virtual estimates, online auctions<br />
and contactless collections.<br />
Valuations and viewing by<br />
appointment only<br />
Qualified<br />
All members of our jewellery<br />
department are certified<br />
gemmologists and diamond graders<br />
Established – Professional – Transparent<br />
The Winterton family name has been synonymous<br />
with auctioneering in Staffordshire since 1864<br />
01543 251081<br />
www.richardwinterton.co.uk<br />
richardwinterton@richardwinterton.co.uk<br />
The Lichfield<br />
Auction Centre,<br />
Wood End Lane,<br />
Fradley Park<br />
WS13 8NF<br />
NAJ A4 ad_August_<strong>2020</strong>.indd 1 08/07/<strong>2020</strong> 15:56
Welcome to J’AIME<br />
Who doesn’t love chocolate? As a little everyday<br />
treat, a thoughtful gift or just something you<br />
can’t live without, chocolate is the perfect pickme-up.<br />
And, much like the recent boom in<br />
craft coffee producers, specialty chocolate is<br />
becoming increasingly sought-after. We chat to<br />
artisan Midlands chocolate maker Luke Pearson,<br />
founder of Wnder Chocolate based at the Thorpe<br />
Constantine Estate near Tamworth, about the<br />
trials, tribulations and rewards of crafting the<br />
perfect specialty chocolate bar as Wnder Chocolate<br />
launches this month.<br />
And if you’ve perhaps done a little too much<br />
bingeing on chocolate during lockdown, we<br />
welcome back Lichfield personal trainer Raul<br />
Romero, who has a plan to banish those bingo<br />
wings with some simple exercises you can do at<br />
home.<br />
Elsewhere, if you’re after a dining out treat we take<br />
a look at some local eateries who have signed up to<br />
the Eat Out to Help Out scheme,offering discounts<br />
during August, plus there’s all your usual interiors,<br />
fashion, beauty and travel favourites.<br />
Remember, with this online version you can click<br />
directly through to the websites mentioned from<br />
our pages and adverts - so why not take a look?<br />
We’re delighted to be back into print for September<br />
issue and delivering to homes in and around Sutton<br />
Coldfield, Lichfield and the surrounding villages.<br />
And if you don’t benefit from our home delivery,<br />
we are expanding our reach as you will now be<br />
able to pick up your free copy of J’AIME from a<br />
selection of supermarkets around the area, so you’ll<br />
never have to miss out on your favourite monthly<br />
glossy magazine.<br />
We are now taking advertising bookings for<br />
September issue and beyond, so if you have a<br />
business you’d like to shout about then please drop<br />
us an email to advertising@jaimemagazine.com for<br />
our media pack and full details.<br />
In the meantime follow us on Facebook, Instagram<br />
and Twitter for the latest updates. Stay safe!<br />
EDITOR: AMY NORBURY<br />
EDITOR@JAIMEMAGAZINE.COM<br />
ADVERTISING: JAN ASHLEY<br />
ADVERTISING@JAIMEMAGAZINE.COM<br />
07388 335 931<br />
DESIGN: DESIGN@JAIMEMAGAZINE.COM<br />
CONTRIBUTORS: NATHAN COLLINS, AKTAR<br />
ISLAM, RAUL ROMERO, DEBORAH MITCHELL,<br />
DIETER JANSONS<br />
J’AIME IS PUBLISHED BY ASHBURY<br />
PUBLICATIONS LIMITED AND PRINTED BY KEP<br />
LIMITED, TAMWORTH.<br />
Check us out online at:<br />
WWW.JAIMEMAGAZINE.COM<br />
Find us on<br />
/JAIMEMAGAZINE<br />
@JAIMEMAGAZINE<br />
@JAIMEMAGAZINE<br />
SPONSORED BY<br />
3
CO N T E N T S<br />
InsideJ’aime this month...<br />
6 Wnder Chocolate - A new artisan chocolate<br />
maker launches in the Midlands<br />
10 Property - Property of the month<br />
12 Interiors - Embrace granny chic<br />
16 Interiors - Mixed metallic messages<br />
20 Food and drink - Time to eat out<br />
24 Food and drink - A delectable dish from Aktar<br />
Islam at Birmingham’s Opheem<br />
26 Sutton Coldfield Town Hall - Youth theatre<br />
appeals to boost food bank<br />
28 Travel - The new ‘staycation’<br />
32 Fashion - Rock the dress and trainers combo<br />
34 Beauty - The truth about serums with Heaven<br />
Skincare’s Deborah Mitchell<br />
36 Health - Banish those bingo wings with<br />
personal trainer Raul Romero<br />
38 Health - Exploring emotional abuse with Dieter<br />
Jansons<br />
40 Business - Travel Counseller Charlotte Mitchell<br />
41 Business - Ikew Designs’ James Wilson<br />
SPONSORED BY<br />
4
F E AT U R E<br />
The age of Wnder<br />
AN ARTISAN CHOCOLATE BRAND INSPIRED BY LICHFIELD HERO ERASMUS DARWIN AND THE<br />
AGE OF WONDER LAUNCHES THIS MONTH. AMY NORBURY SPOKE TO WNDER CHOCOLATE<br />
FOUNDER AND CHOCOLATE-MAKER LUKE PEARSON TO DISCOVER MORE<br />
Hot air balloons, mammoth stories of botanical<br />
discovery and a fusion of art and science were all<br />
hallmarks of the Age of Wonder, the period of<br />
enlightenment and invention during the late 18th<br />
century which saw the birth of modern science.<br />
And it is in homage to one of key figures of this<br />
period - and one of Lichfield’s most famous sons -<br />
that fellow Lichfeldian and artisan chocolate-maker<br />
Luke Pearson has named his new chocolate brand,<br />
Wnder Chocolate.<br />
“We’ve lived in Lichfield for many years and<br />
we’re really connected to the city, and when I was<br />
developing the brand I was looking at some leading<br />
figures from Lichfield who have done really cool<br />
things,” says Luke.<br />
“Erasmus Darwin was a physician by trade, but what<br />
really put him on the map was poetry. He was a poet,<br />
a writer, an artist at one point, and he did all these<br />
amazing things which saw the arts and science come<br />
together. He’s from a time which has now been called<br />
the Age of Wonder, and it’s the first time you can see<br />
this happening en masse.<br />
“Erasmus Darwin was also one of the first people<br />
to put to the British government an anti-slavery law,<br />
which ties into everything we believe when it comes<br />
to the ethics of our chocolate, and it just hit the nail<br />
on the head for us.”<br />
Much like the Age of Wonder introduced the world<br />
to the wonders of modern science, Luke’s chocolate<br />
is very much modern chocolate.<br />
“We want to change how people perceive chocolate,”<br />
explains Luke. “For us, labelling it as modern<br />
chocolate is our way of saying it’s well-sourced, both<br />
environmentally and ethically, and that there’s no<br />
forced labour, slavery or child labour in the origins<br />
of the beans we use. Sadly, it’s a widespread problem<br />
in the chocolate industry and big companies have<br />
been trying to tackle it for the past 20 years with little<br />
success, although things are definitely changing.<br />
“But we don’t want to be preachy or take any of<br />
WNDER CHOCOLATE<br />
FOUNDER LUKE PEARSON<br />
the fun out of chocolate at all; it’s an everyday treat,<br />
a little pick-me-up and a great way to escape for a<br />
moment.”<br />
Wnder Chocolate’s home is on the picturesque<br />
Thorpe Constantine Estate, just outside Tamworth.<br />
Adjoining the small factory room, where Luke works<br />
his magic, is the Saddle Room, a beautiful space<br />
where Luke plans to hold chocolate tastings and<br />
workshops.<br />
Food, and particularly chocolate, has long been a<br />
passion for Luke.<br />
“I’m a bit of a geek at heart,” laughs Luke. “I’ve<br />
always loved food and drink, and as a kid I used to<br />
try to skive days off school so I could stay at home<br />
and watch cooking channels.”<br />
After a stint at catering college, where Luke realised<br />
that, while he loved that world, formal education<br />
wasn’t for him, he started working at a restaurant in<br />
Birmingham, first waiting tables before finding his<br />
calling behind the bar.<br />
“I was seeing so much creativity on the bar side of<br />
things, as well as that instant customer reaction that<br />
6
LUKE SOURCES THE COCOA<br />
BEANS FOR HIS FIRST TWO<br />
RELEASES FROM NICARAGUA<br />
AND PAPUA NEW GUINEA<br />
you get from that face-to-face moment,” explains<br />
Luke. “I wasn’t that great at being locked away in a<br />
kitchen, but being able to play with ingredients and<br />
have that interaction with customers at the same time<br />
was a real buzz. I was hooked.”<br />
After quickly working his way up to become head<br />
bartender, Luke spent a few years in Birmingham<br />
working at various high-end cocktail bars and<br />
Michelin-starred restaurants, being a part of the<br />
team opening The Edgbaston Hotel, before the<br />
bright lights of London came calling.<br />
“My dream was very much to work in five-star<br />
hotels; I’ve always loved that luxury element and<br />
that ability to really create a moment,” says Luke. “I<br />
wanted to work for the best, and be the best.”<br />
After embracing the London lifestyle for a couple<br />
of years, Luke began to pine for the Midlands.<br />
And when the opportunity came up to become the<br />
manager of The Edgbaston Hotel, he grabbed the<br />
chance. But after a while, Luke began to question his<br />
future in the industry as a whole.<br />
“It’s a hard industry, and being in that line of work<br />
eventually takes its toll on you,” he says. “You’re<br />
working 70-hour weeks, and while you’re engaging<br />
with a lot of people it’s actually quite isolating at<br />
times. There were lots of elements that I loved about<br />
the work, but there were lifestyle things I needed to<br />
change.<br />
“I also loved the creativity, but alcohol was very<br />
much a key part, and often people were just looking<br />
for the side-effects of drinking alcohol, rather than<br />
the flavours and ingredients of the drink itself.”<br />
It was then that Luke met Ben Branson, the founder<br />
of non-alcoholic spirit company Seedlip.<br />
“It captured my imagination that I could work in<br />
this world, and have that creativity and innovation,<br />
but without any alcohol. These drinks weren’t<br />
about getting you drunk any more, it was about the<br />
experience of flavour - much like a great plate of<br />
food.”<br />
After starting out as an ambassador for the brand<br />
before moving into a research and development role,<br />
Luke spent two years stretching his creative muscles<br />
coming up with delicious cocktail ideas, as well as<br />
gaining a valuable insight into how a young brand is<br />
created and developed.<br />
“Ben has always been a person who is passionate<br />
about allowing young people to develop their skills<br />
before going on to start their own businesses,” says<br />
Luke.<br />
“Running my own business is something I’ve always<br />
wanted to do, and after two years it felt like the right<br />
time to move away and start something of my own.<br />
“The luxury elements and the creativity are<br />
something I’m really passionate about, and I<br />
wanted something to bring together these elements.<br />
Originally I wanted to create a box of chocolates;<br />
I’m a bit obsessed with boxes of chocolates, I think<br />
there’s something so magical about them. And they<br />
have a lot of synergy with cocktails, they’re seen as<br />
a luxury, they have intense injections of flavour and<br />
you can have a lot of fun with them.<br />
“But looking at the raw materials, you’re only as<br />
good as the chocolate you use - and to be honest<br />
I wasn’t blown away by what was available. More<br />
importantly, I started to understand the procedures<br />
WNDER VINEYARD AND CAMPFIRE ARE THE<br />
FIRST TWO CHOCOLATES LUKE IS LAUNCHING<br />
7
and processes of making<br />
chocolate from beans. And<br />
I was instantly hooked.”<br />
Luke started experimenting<br />
with making chocolate at<br />
home, with friends and<br />
family as his willing taste<br />
testers. And as his time at<br />
Seedlip came to an end,<br />
it seemed like a natural<br />
progression to develop his<br />
chocolate obsession into<br />
something more.<br />
Luke got the keys to the<br />
Saddle Room in February,<br />
and has spent the past<br />
few months honing his<br />
chocolate-making skill and<br />
perfecting his recipes.<br />
“Throughout this time I’ve been able to do lots<br />
of recipe testing and development; I’m so used to<br />
cocktails, and with them, if the balance of acidity or<br />
sweetness isn’t quite right you can instantly change<br />
it,” says Luke. “With chocolate you don’t have that<br />
privilege. Essentially you have to spend another five<br />
days to even get close to where you want it to be, and<br />
if it needs another tweak it takes another five days.<br />
“I get excited by the raw ingredients of chocolate,<br />
but it can be an extremely laborious process. We<br />
literally sort our cocoa beans by hand to get rid<br />
of any bad ones and ensure we’re happy with the<br />
quality!<br />
“The hardest thing in terms of making chocolate<br />
is sourcing; sourcing beans from the right<br />
origins, which do the right things ethically and<br />
environmentally, as well as hitting the flavour profiles<br />
you’re looking for, and in the right quantities.<br />
“Receiving the beans is a really exciting moment<br />
for any chocolate-maker. There’s not much you can<br />
do in terms of altering the flavours as such, we’re<br />
definitely guided by the raw product, so sourcing the<br />
right beans is the way to get the flavour profile we<br />
want.”<br />
For Wnder’s launch this month, Luke has<br />
developed two distinctly different bars, both with<br />
a characteristically light roast and sweetened with<br />
a small amount of Brazillian cane sugar from<br />
pioneering company Native. The high cacao content<br />
of both bars enables the beans to do the talking,<br />
while the bars have been aged for between five and<br />
six weeks to round out all the flavours and prevent<br />
any bitterness.<br />
Vineyard is 76 percent cacao using beans from<br />
THE SADDLE ROOM, WHERE<br />
LUKE WILL BE HOLDING<br />
TASTING WORKSHOPS<br />
Nicaragua, and has notes of grape skin, citrus<br />
blossom and fig, while Campfire, at 80 percent cacao,<br />
is from Papua New Guinea and offers slightly richer<br />
flavours with subtle elements of smoke and spice.<br />
“We don’t want to be too pretentious with it; we<br />
want people to take from it what they experience,<br />
but what we’re trying to achieve is a moment and an<br />
element of escape,” says Luke.<br />
“Vineyard is designed to be very approachable,<br />
whereas Campfire is a bit more akin to what I’m<br />
used to doing in the cocktail world, challenging<br />
people’s understanding of what certain things are.<br />
We’ve been going camping every year for the past<br />
ten years and, for me, there’s nothing better than<br />
building a campfire and gazing at the stars. It’s a<br />
memory I wanted to capture and when I tasted these<br />
beans I was instantly transported to that moment.<br />
“It’s not a quick turnaround, with five days of<br />
making and then the aging process, but it’s hopefully<br />
worth the while in terms of the flavour at the end of<br />
it. We just try to be respectful of the origins of the<br />
beans and where they come from. That’s where the<br />
mastery is, on the plantations.<br />
“And I think our chocolate can offer that needed<br />
moment of escape, a little midweek pick-me-up<br />
which takes you somewhere that’s not your couch on<br />
a Wednesday evening. You can taste the landscape<br />
and where the cocoa is grown, and be transported<br />
around the world, all without having to get on a<br />
plane.”<br />
For more information and to preorder your bar of<br />
Wnder Vineyard or Campfire chocolate, priced<br />
£6.95 for 65g including delivery, visit<br />
www.wnderchocolate.com and you can also find<br />
Wnder on Instagram at<br />
www.instagram.com/wnder_chocolate<br />
8
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P R O P E RTY<br />
Property of the Month<br />
WE TAKE A SNEAKY PEEK AT SOME OF THE HOTTEST PROPERTIES ON THE MARKET IN THE<br />
AREA EACH MONTH. THIS MONTH’S SELECTION IS A STUNNING FIVE-BEDROOM DETACHED<br />
FAMILY HOME IN ALDRIDGE WITH A SUPERB BASEMENT ENTERTAINMENT SUITE<br />
1 Chester Wood, Aldridge: £1,050,000<br />
On the market with Aston Knowles: 0121 362 7878<br />
THE AGENT SAYS: Built by Friel Homes, the property has<br />
been constructed to a high specification with a classic theme<br />
and comprises the entrance porch, which is approached<br />
through the mature front garden, lined with various shrubs.<br />
The tiled reception hallway provides access to the drawing<br />
room, dining room, kitchen/breakfast room, and a study,<br />
as well as a guest cloakroom, basement and first-floor<br />
accommodation.<br />
The contemporary kitchen/breakfast room is perfect for<br />
family living. With contrasting cream and walnut faced<br />
wall and floor cupboards and complimentary floor tiles, the<br />
kitchen has been finished to the highest standard. With space<br />
for an additional informal dining area, this is the perfect area<br />
for family dinners and elaborate weekend breakfasts.<br />
The master bedroom features views of the rear garden<br />
beyond and benefits from an en suite bathroom with Jackand-Jill<br />
washbasin and a dressing area. A sliding wardrobe<br />
discreetly leads to a home gym with a sauna.<br />
The first floor also features a guest bedroom with en suite<br />
shower room, two further double bedrooms, a family<br />
bathroom, and an additional study/playroom<br />
The superb basement leisure suite can be accessed from the<br />
reception hallway and comprises a spacious entertainment/<br />
games room with bespoke bar, perfect for hosting parties,<br />
watching movies as a family or relaxing with friends. This<br />
room can also be accessed independently via stairs at the side<br />
of the house.<br />
The property benefits from a beautifully landscaped rear<br />
garden with various patio areas, ideal for summer barbecues<br />
and enjoying the various shrubs, trees, and the pond beyond.<br />
There is also a lawned area enclosed with private close board<br />
fencing.<br />
The fore garden is established with shrubs and trees and<br />
enjoys the fabulous open greenbelt views in front of the<br />
house; one of the main features of this property.<br />
W E L O V E :<br />
THAT BASEMENT ENTERTAINMENT<br />
SUITE BRINGS THE WOW FACTOR<br />
10
BRAND NEW<br />
PORCELAIN<br />
PAVING RANGE<br />
IN-STORE NOW<br />
1200MM X 600MM X 20MM<br />
DUPLOCEM RANGE IN GRIS £48.99<br />
PER M 2 | PLUS VAT<br />
EUROPA WAY, LICHFIELD, WS14 9TZ<br />
01543 440000 | TIPPERS.COM<br />
WEEKDAYS<br />
7.30AM - 5.00PM<br />
SATURDAY<br />
8.00AM - 4.00PM
I N T E R I O R S<br />
Mixed<br />
messages<br />
WE’RE always in the mood for metallics; adding a touch<br />
of glamour to any interior decor scheme, hues of copper,<br />
gold, brass and nickel have long vied for supremacy in the<br />
interior design world.<br />
The bold tones of copper, gold and brass add a warming,<br />
luxurious feel to your space, while also pairing perfectly<br />
with the trend for darker shades in bathrooms and kitchens<br />
to create a welcome contrast. On the other hand, the<br />
cooler nickel and pewter hues bring a more modern<br />
aesthetic with their minimalist vibe, as well as been the<br />
original cornerstones of industrial chic.<br />
But for <strong>2020</strong>, there’s no need to pick a favourite. This year,<br />
when it comes to metallics, more is most definitely more -<br />
and the more tones, the better.<br />
Warmer toned metals pair perfectly with their cooler<br />
counterparts as their different undertones create an<br />
authentic and unique interior. When you mix warm hues<br />
with cool, it creates a luxurious yet minimalistic look.<br />
From chair legs and artwork, to large furniture pieces,<br />
wall coverings and decorative pots and planters, it’s time<br />
to make metallics rule supreme in every corner of your<br />
home.<br />
CUPID COPPER TABLE IN LARGE, £79,<br />
CUCKOOLAND. WWW.CUCKOOLAND.COM<br />
£119<br />
£79<br />
£49<br />
BUDE 16 MIXED METALLIC PIECE<br />
CUTLERY SET, WWW.MADE.COM<br />
£59.99<br />
INTERNOITALIANO TURI WALL CLOCK,<br />
WWW.NEST.CO.UK<br />
£399<br />
MASTERCLASS 5-PIECE BRASS-<br />
COLOURED STAINLESS STEEL<br />
KNIFE SET, KITCHEN CRAFT.<br />
WWW.KITCHENCRAFT.CO.UK<br />
ORION COFFEE TABLE, ATKIN AND THYME.<br />
WWW.ATKINANDTHYME.CO.UK<br />
12<br />
DEXTER CEILING PENDANT IN<br />
BURNISHED COPPER, ATKIN AND THYME.<br />
WWW.ATKINANDTHYME.CO.UK
£99<br />
£579<br />
£35<br />
ZIGGY CABINET, SWOON EDITIONS.<br />
WWW.SWOONEDITIONS.COM<br />
GOLD PLANT POT TUB ON<br />
STAND, OLIVER BONAS.<br />
WWW.OLIVERBONAS.COM<br />
£85<br />
£275<br />
HUTTON TRIPOD FLOOR LAMP<br />
IN COPPER, CULT FURNITURE.<br />
WWW.CULTFURNITURE.COM<br />
LA FORMA PHIL METAL SIDE TABLE<br />
IN COPPER, CUCKOOLAND.<br />
WWW.CUCKOOLAND.COM<br />
COPPER ROUND TABLE WITH<br />
BRASS LEGS, BOMBAY DUCK.<br />
WWW.BOMBAYDUCK.COM<br />
£449<br />
FAROE CONTEMPORARY TV STAND IN BLACK,<br />
BRASS, NICKEL AND COPPER, SWOON EDITIONS.<br />
WWW.SWOONEDITIONS.COM<br />
GASTON WALL LIGHT IN BRASS AND<br />
PEWTER, £85, LOAF. WWW.LOAF.COM
PASCALI BRASS BEDSIDE DRAWERS,<br />
£269, ATKIN AND THYME.<br />
WWW.ATKINANDTHYME.CO.UK<br />
GARDEN TRADING ROUND WALL<br />
PLANTER IN ANTIQUE PEWTER, £8.<br />
WWW.GARDENTRADING.CO.UK<br />
JONATHAN ADLER ALPHAVILLE COCKTAIL TABLE IN<br />
BRASS, £1,995, SWEETPEA AND WILLOW.<br />
WWW.SWEETPEAANDWILLOW.COM<br />
BROOKLYN KING SIZE BED, £579.99.<br />
OAK FURNITURELAND.<br />
WWW.OAKFURNITURELAND.CO.UK<br />
14
OPEN<br />
FOR NEW<br />
RESIDENTS<br />
WE<br />
REMAIN<br />
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Rosemary Lodge Care Home for elderly ladies and gentlemen offers a level<br />
of care, community and comfort that is second to none. Situated a short way<br />
from the bustling City Centre of Lichfield and set in landscaped gardens,<br />
Rosemary Lodge is light, spacious and beautifully decorated, offering residents<br />
just the right combination of activity and relaxation. Residents are encouraged<br />
to retain their independence and individuality whilst being fully supported to<br />
live a fulfilled and enjoyable life.<br />
A family run concern that has been a highly regarded part of the community<br />
for almost 30 years. Offering 24- hour care, fully trained staff work together<br />
to communicate with residents to ensure that personal care needs are met in<br />
a fully person-centred approach, thus building an important relationship of<br />
trust and friendship.<br />
Two qualified chefs offer a nutritionally balanced and varied menu, catering<br />
for any dietary requirement, using fresh, locally sourced produce, served in<br />
a spacious dining room that offers views out towards the Orangery and the<br />
gardens and fountain.<br />
The Orangery offers the perfect space for residents, family and friends to<br />
meet up, chat enjoy coffee and snacks at any time of the year.<br />
Inspirationally French<br />
All rooms are en-suite, and are designed to comfortably accommodate<br />
individuals and couples. Full wi-fi throughout to allow residents to keep in<br />
touch with family and friends through video link or FaceTime.<br />
Regular activities and entertainment include movement to music, musical<br />
theatre groups, pet therapy, pub lunches, and visits to local events are regularly<br />
organised. However, privacy and peace and quiet is also ensured. There is also<br />
an on-site hairdressing and beauty salon.<br />
Rosemary Lodge also offers respite care, holiday stay and limited day care.<br />
Rosemary Lodge Residential Home<br />
191 Walsall Road, Lichfield. Staffs. WS13 8AQ.<br />
In the first instance please contact Jane Evans - Registered Care Manager<br />
or Shirley Kent - Administration Manager.<br />
01543 415223 - Email: roselodgehome@aol.com<br />
www.rosemarylodgecarehome.co.uk<br />
CQC RATING GOOD<br />
La Maison Bleue, Heart of the Country Village, WS14 9QR<br />
Tel: 01543 481414 - Email: info@lamaisonbleue.co.uk<br />
www.lamaisonbleue.co.uk
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granny’s<br />
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F O O D & D R I N K<br />
Time to eat out<br />
WITH THE GOVERNMENT’S ‘EAT OUT TO HELP OUT’ SCHEME COMING INTO<br />
EFFECT FOR THIS MONTH, WE TAKE A LOOK AT SOME OF THE PARTICIPATING<br />
TASTY DINING-IN OPTIONS AROUND THE AREA<br />
There’s no doubt that the coronavirus pandemic<br />
and subsequent lockdown restrictions have had a<br />
devastating effect on the hospitality industry. Forced<br />
closures saw many canny restaurant owners turn<br />
their hand to delivery and collection services to keep<br />
business ticking over - and to keep us in an array of<br />
tasty dining options to be enjoyed from the comfort of<br />
our own homes.<br />
But since lockdown easing measures last month have<br />
allowed eateries to reopen - albeit with stringent<br />
Covid-19 protection measures in place - it seems our<br />
appetite for eating out has returned with a vengeance.<br />
And from August 3 to 31, diners will be able to<br />
benefit from the government’s new Eat Out to Help<br />
Out scheme, which sees a 50% discount on food<br />
or non-alcoholic drinks to eat or drink in, up to a<br />
maximum of £10 discount per diner, every Monday,<br />
Tuesday and Wednesday this month at participating<br />
establishments. Those establishments will then be able<br />
to claim a reimbursement from the government for the<br />
discount they’ve given.<br />
Here we take a look at just some of the local,<br />
independent eateries which have signed up for the<br />
scheme. Why not pay some of these a visit and help to<br />
get the hospitality industry back on its feet.<br />
POM’S KITCHEN<br />
AND DELI<br />
20
With the promise that your holiday plans are in the safest<br />
possible hands.<br />
Remember how easy taking a holiday used to be? When someone<br />
else took care of everything?<br />
As your local Four Oaks Travel Counsellor, I believe everybody<br />
deserves their own expert to deliver such a personal service.<br />
Coming top twice in the customer MoneySavingExpert poll, I care<br />
about your individual needs, wants & aspirations. So if you’re<br />
looking for a holiday to remember, that is stress free , with full<br />
financial protection, and a personal service you won’t find<br />
anywhere else - I’m here to help!<br />
CHARLOTTE MITCHELL<br />
Travel Counsellor<br />
0121 314 6650 or 07860944207<br />
charlotte.mitchell@travelcounsellors.com<br />
www.travelcounsellors.com/charlotte.mitchell<br />
www.facebook.com/charlottemitchelltc<br />
LOGO<br />
DESIGN<br />
SIGNS &<br />
GRAPHICS<br />
DISPLAYS &<br />
PROMOTIONS<br />
GRAPHIC<br />
DESIGN<br />
TARGET YOUR AUDIENCE > JAMES@IKEW-DESIGN.CO.UK > 07514 461762
CASUAL EATS:<br />
Bean Green Kitchen: 297 Lichfield Road, Sutton<br />
Coldfield - A deli sandwich and salad bar in the<br />
heart of Mere Green, serving classic cafe favourites<br />
with some healthy twists and tasty alternatives. From<br />
the fresh fruit, vegetables and locally sourced freerange<br />
meats to their specially selected coffee and the<br />
community ethos, Bean Green Kitchen is a true feelgood<br />
eatery.<br />
Windowbox Cafe: 418 Birmingham Road, Sutton<br />
Coldfield - A local high street cafe, serving simple,<br />
freshly made, wholesome food and a variety of teas<br />
and coffees. Offering an array of tasty options for<br />
breakfast, brunch and lunch - their pancake stacks are<br />
a firm favourite.<br />
Cigno: Ammnet House, 3 Lichfield Road, Burntwood<br />
- This family-run cafe is a real gem in Burntwood.<br />
The perfect place to meet friends and family in relaxed<br />
surroundings, where you can grab a locally roasted,<br />
hand-crafted coffee and delicious breakfast or lunch.<br />
It’s a popular spot though, so booking is advised.<br />
The Hub at St Mary’s: The Guild of St Mary’s<br />
Centre, Market Square, Lichfield - Who wouldn’t<br />
want to while away an hour in this stunning building,<br />
sipping on a perfectly barista-brewed coffee? The Hub<br />
coffee shop is a social enterprise, meaning the profits<br />
from everything you buy goes back into subsidising<br />
outreach activities for the whole community. You don’t<br />
just drink good, you feel good too. Closed on Mondays.<br />
The Bureau: 34-36 Market Street, Lichfield - A<br />
new addition to Lichfield’s dining scene, The Bureau<br />
offers delicious food from morning to night, as well as<br />
their own blend coffee. Evenings during August will<br />
see a grill night on Monday, Eastern night on Tuesday<br />
and Bureau Bites on Wednesdays - and although not<br />
included in the scheme, their cocktail range is certainly<br />
impressive.<br />
Pom’s Kitchen and Deli: 20-22 Bird Street,<br />
Lichfield - Pom’s Kitchen has long been a firm<br />
favourite with Lichfield diners. Offering a plethora<br />
of tasty breakfast, brunch and lunch options, their<br />
daytime menu is a real feast, focusing on fresh produce<br />
and local suppliers, while the deli shop sells a range<br />
of local and award winning products from fresh<br />
vegetables, meats, eggs, jams, chutneys, beer and more.<br />
Pear Tree Creperie: Heart of the Country<br />
Shopping Village, Swinfen - Situated at The Heart of<br />
the Country shopping village, The Pear Tree Crêperie<br />
is an authentic French crêperie with bags of character<br />
and a relaxed, informal atmosphere. The crepes<br />
and galettes are always a hit, with sweet and savoury<br />
variations to tickle all taste buds. Booking is essential.<br />
DINING TREATS:<br />
The Bracebridge Restaurant: Sutton Park<br />
- Enjoying the most beautiful setting overlooking<br />
Bracebridge Pool at the heart of Sutton Park, The<br />
Bracebridge is the perfect place for a tranquil bite to<br />
eat. While the restaurant itself remains closed, the<br />
Terrace and the Kiosk are open, serving a delicious<br />
menu of first class food from breakfast til early evening.<br />
Moor Hall Hotel: Moor Hall Drive, Sutton<br />
Coldfield - A Sutton Coldfield stalwart, Moor Hall<br />
Hotel offers a warm welcome, whether you’re staying<br />
the night or just popping in for a bite to eat. The<br />
reduced menu is small but perfectly formed, with main<br />
dishes, light bites and scrummy desserts all on offer.<br />
Choose to dine in the socially distanced restaurant,<br />
lounge bar or outside on the terrace. Booking is<br />
essential for non hotel guests.<br />
The Fig and Olive: Coppice Garden Centre,<br />
Coppice Lane, Middleton - Situated at the Coppice<br />
Garden Centre in Middleton, The Fig and Olive offers<br />
a great spot for dining from breakfast until dinner.<br />
Treat yourself to a dry-aged steak from their own<br />
butcher, or try a freshly made pizza, sharing board or<br />
more.<br />
Sorriso: 28 Bird Street, Lichfield - Authentic<br />
Italian fayre is the name of the game at this Lichfield<br />
favourite. Freshly made pasta, tasty risottos, pizzas,<br />
steaks, seafood… it’s a veritable feast for the taste buds.<br />
Sorriso is closed on Mondays but diners will be able<br />
to take advantage of the scheme on Tuesdays and<br />
Wednesdays, from the a la carte menu only.<br />
MOOR HALL HOTEL IS<br />
A SUTTON COLDFIELD<br />
STALWART<br />
22
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Simple - £2,300<br />
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16 - 20 North Street, Cannock, WS11 0BA<br />
01543 529813 (Anytime)<br />
Visit our web and Facebook sites to see our reviews<br />
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Proud to be a family run business for over 35 years<br />
HOME IS WHERE THE WARMTH IS<br />
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Heath<br />
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F O O D & D R I N K<br />
Indian cuisine redefined<br />
ACCLAIMED CHEF AKTAR ISLAM, HEAD OF BIRMINGHAM’S NEWEST MICHELIN STARRED<br />
RESTAURANT OPHEEM, SHARES A DELECTABLE DISH SHOWCASING CRAB THREE WAYS<br />
Birmingham born and bred, Aktar Islam started out in the<br />
restaurant industry aged just 16 at his father’s restaurant. His<br />
mission from a young age has been to showcase the flavours of<br />
the Indian subcontinent in dishes fit for kings and emperors,<br />
and his hard work received the ultimate accolade last year when<br />
Opheem was named as the newest Brummie star in the <strong>2020</strong><br />
Michelin Guide.<br />
Aktar says: “The kitchen was the only place that I experienced<br />
ultimate freedom. With my knives, pans, meat, fish, vegetables,<br />
herbs, spices and creativity, I felt free from constraints. The more<br />
I learned, the more I realised there was to discover, and the more<br />
I cooked, the more barriers I broke, both personal and culinary.<br />
And that’s where you’ll find me. No duty. All pleasure.<br />
“When you come to Opheem, you get an insight into the inner<br />
workings of my mind. We’re striving to push the boundaries with<br />
Indian flavours, but with cooking techniques from all over the<br />
world, some traditional, and some very modern. At Opheem,<br />
I’ll be using the same paints as I’ve always done, to create a very<br />
different picture, on a very, very different canvas.”<br />
Soft shell crab | Dressed crab | Crab cake<br />
For the soft shell crab:<br />
8 soft shell crabs, cleaned<br />
3 tbsp yoghurt<br />
1tbsp garlic and ginger paste<br />
1/2 tsp ajwain seeds, lightly<br />
toasted and coarsely crushed<br />
3/4 tsp black salt<br />
1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder<br />
Juice of 1/2 lemon<br />
50ml sparkling water<br />
handful of finely chopped<br />
coriander<br />
100g gram flour<br />
100g corn flour<br />
salt for seasoning<br />
Chaat masala for dusting<br />
For the dressed crab and<br />
crab mayo:<br />
1 large cock crab<br />
1 egg yolk<br />
1 big pinch salt<br />
1 tbsp dijon mustard<br />
1 tbsp white-wine or cider vinegar,<br />
or lemon juice<br />
250ml crab oil (see ingredients below)<br />
25ml extra-virgin olive, walnut or<br />
rapeseed oil<br />
For the crab oil:<br />
1 kg crab shell<br />
1 onion, brunoise<br />
1 carrot, brunoise<br />
1 celery, brunoise<br />
2 bay leaf<br />
4 lemon thyme<br />
1tsp tomato puree<br />
1ltr veg oil<br />
For the crab cake:<br />
450g white crab meat<br />
400g brown crab meat<br />
400g potatoes boiled and mashed<br />
75ml coconut oil<br />
1 1/2 tbsp of black mustard seeds<br />
20 curry leaves, coarsely chopped<br />
2 onion, finely chopped<br />
3 tsp red chilli powder<br />
1 tsp turmeric<br />
3 tsp garlic, finely minced<br />
3 tsp ginger, finely chopped<br />
3 tsp green chillies, finely chopped<br />
2 tsp chaat masala<br />
Potato flour if needed<br />
24
METHOD<br />
Wash the soft shell crabs and dry on some kitchen<br />
towel. Make a smooth batter with the rest of the<br />
ingredients and adjust the seasoning. Dip the crabs in<br />
the batter and deep fry in corn oil at 160ᵒc for 5-6<br />
minutes. Remove from oil and dust lightly with chaat<br />
masala.<br />
For the dressed crab, steam the large cock crab and<br />
pick the white meat. Make the crab oil by breaking the<br />
shells into pieces. Sauté the carrot, onion and celery<br />
until soft in a saucepan. Add shells, tomato puree and<br />
cook for a further 5-8 minutes. Pour in the remaining<br />
oil, add the bay leaves and thyme. Reduce to low and<br />
allow to cook for at least three hours. Cool, and strain<br />
through chinois.<br />
To finish, bind the crab with crab mayo, fine brunoise<br />
of chilli, shallot and chopped coriander, finish with salt<br />
and lemon. Place a quenelle on the plate and dress with<br />
julienne apple.<br />
For the crab cakes, heat the coconut oil, add the<br />
mustard seeds, curry leaves and chopped onion and<br />
sauté until the onion turns translucent. Add the<br />
chopped garlic, ginger and green chilli to the pan<br />
and sauté briefly, then add the red chilli powder and<br />
turmeric. Add crab meat and cook till dry.<br />
Season with chaat and salt to taste. Once cool, add to<br />
the potato, make patties. Deep fry - if they don’t hold<br />
add some potato flour to the mix.<br />
Aktar serves his crab three ways with green mango<br />
chutney and tomato chutney.<br />
AKTAR ISLAM HAS<br />
WON A MICHELIN<br />
STAR AT OPHEEM<br />
25
F O O D & D R I N K<br />
Food for thought<br />
SUTTON COLDFIELD TOWN HALL’S FOOD BANK PROJECT HAS RECEIVED A BOOST<br />
FROM SUTTON COLDFIELD MUSICAL YOUTH THEATRE’S FUNDRAISING APPEAL<br />
Sutton Coldfield Musical Youth Theatre has<br />
launched an appeal to help Sutton Coldfield Town<br />
Hall’s food bank donation point, which has been<br />
running at the venue since the start of lockdown.<br />
The town hall, in King Edward’s Square, switched<br />
from hosting entertainment to helping those who<br />
have been struggling to put food on the table once<br />
shows were closed in March.<br />
The entrance hall of the heritage building is being<br />
used to collect donations from locals on a Monday<br />
and Friday. New features of the project include free<br />
coffee or tea for donors, a ‘support local businesses’<br />
idea and charity stalls on a Friday.<br />
While unable to rehearse, SCMYT decided to help<br />
the town hall in its efforts with a campaign to raise<br />
as much money as possible for the food bank. Food<br />
bank leaders have indicated that local centres could<br />
be under more pressure in the coming weeks and<br />
months, as more families are hit by the economic<br />
impact of the virus. The town hall has been a major<br />
support to the award-winning youth theatre since it<br />
started almost two years ago, and it is the venue for<br />
both SCMYT’s performances and rehearsals. Now<br />
SCMYT wants to do something to support those<br />
that support it. They have launched a JustGiving<br />
page to raise money for food and toiletries for local<br />
foodbanks.<br />
Sarah Clarke, SCMYT chairman, said: “What<br />
the town hall has done to help people in Sutton<br />
Coldfield through the current pandemic is fantastic<br />
and demonstrates how much it truly cares about the<br />
local community. The town hall and its patrons have<br />
always been so supportive of our youth theatre and<br />
we cannot thank them all enough. Knowing what the<br />
town hall was doing during lockdown, and following<br />
a suggestion from one of our youth theatre parents,<br />
we decided to launch a fundraising campaign to give<br />
something back to the community by giving the food<br />
banks a boost.”<br />
The youth theatre appeal has already raised more<br />
than £100 and the group thanks people for their<br />
generosity so far. It plans to shop for the food banks<br />
once it has raised £300 and hopes that the money<br />
will enable them to buy essentials for Sutton families<br />
who really need assistance.<br />
Town Hall managing director Julie Rennison added:<br />
“This gesture is typical of this group, who create<br />
such magnificent work on stage. To put their energy<br />
into helping others at a time they are not performing<br />
is a really positive thing to do. We’d ask anyone who<br />
can help to donate to the page.”<br />
Anyone who would like to donate to SCMYT’s<br />
appeal to help Sutton Coldfield Town Hall’s food<br />
bank can do so through JustGiving at<br />
www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/scmyt-townhall<br />
For those wanting to donate long-life food or<br />
toiletries in person, the entrance hall is open on a<br />
Monday and Friday, 10am to 2pm. Donations are<br />
collected by two centres in Erdington and two in<br />
Sutton Coldfield. Fresh produce, including allotment<br />
produce, is used by a further Foodbank canteen in<br />
Four Oaks. For further information, a short film<br />
about the project can be found on the Town Hall’s<br />
Facebook page<br />
www.facebook.com/suttontownhall<br />
SCMYT’S BEN HAYFIELD AND<br />
ANNEKA HORNE FUNDRAISE<br />
FOR FOODBANKS<br />
26
End of<br />
Season<br />
Clearance!<br />
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From brands<br />
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Coppice Lifestyle & Garden Centre<br />
Coppice Lane, Middleton B78 2BU<br />
T:0121 308 7338 - E:shop@boutiqueeleven.co.uk<br />
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Open Wed - Sat 11am - 4pm<br />
SALE NOW ON<br />
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T R AV E L<br />
Staycations with a difference<br />
NATHAN COLLINS, JOINT MD AT LICHFIELD LUXURY TRAVEL EXPERTS RB COLLECTION,<br />
TAKES A LOOK AT SOME UNIQUE AND MEMORABLE STAYCATION IDEAS<br />
A BIRD-WATCHER’S PARADISE<br />
IN THE ISLES OF SCILLY<br />
While many know us for luxury and specialist<br />
holidays to exciting far flung destinations, we have<br />
always enjoyed recommending unique and special<br />
trips to our clients closer to home too. Here, we have<br />
pulled together some of our top tips for a special<br />
‘Staycation’ which can help create unique, long<br />
lasting memories for all involved.<br />
From an Aston Martin 007 Experience to luxury<br />
tree houses, Harry Potter inspired train rides and<br />
UK small island escapes, we have some great<br />
suggestions and will be here to help take care of the<br />
arrangements for you.<br />
Let’s start with a wonderful trip that captures the<br />
style and glamour of the timeless Bond films. This<br />
break lets you enjoy the thrills of driving a stylish<br />
Aston Martin through stunning Scottish scenery and<br />
around key locations associated with the films. You’ll<br />
pass by Faslane Naval Base, featured in The Spy<br />
Who Loved Me, and the loch by Crinan, the scene<br />
of a boat chase through the Bosphorus in From<br />
Russia with Love.<br />
What screams Bond more than staying on a private<br />
island? Here you’ll learn how to make the ultimate<br />
Martini! This very special short break includes an<br />
exclusive speedboat trip past Duart Castle, family<br />
seat of the real-life inspiration of 007. And who<br />
could resist powering through Glencoe, setting for<br />
the dramatic finale of Skyfall?<br />
Pick up your Aston Martin in Edinburgh and head<br />
off on a route which will take you past some of the<br />
most famous 007 Scottish sights. For two nights you<br />
will stay on your own private island on the west coast<br />
of Scotland, near to Oban. Cross the rickety bridge<br />
from the west coast mainland to this idyllic five-star<br />
28
THE ISLES OF SCILLY OFFER A<br />
TIMELESS, MAGICAL BREAK<br />
hideaway and you enter a different world – a world<br />
of luxury, seclusion and a little eccentricity! You’ll<br />
find intriguing contrasts and pleasant surprises at<br />
every turn. Choose to stay in a characterful room<br />
in the castle-style baronial mansion or splash out<br />
– literally – on a spa suite, complete with private<br />
conservatory, patio, large lounge and outdoor<br />
Jacuzzi.<br />
Get really into the spirit of the<br />
Bond lifestyle with a pre-dinner<br />
Vesper Martini – very definitely<br />
shaken, not stirred. It’ll whet<br />
your appetite perfectly for the<br />
delights which await in the<br />
acclaimed Michelin-starred<br />
restaurant. The young head<br />
chef designs a daily-changing<br />
menu to reflect the best<br />
available seasonal produce,<br />
with fish and seafood from<br />
surrounding waters and meat<br />
and game from local estates.<br />
Leisure facilities at the Stables<br />
Spa are a testament to<br />
streamlined modernity with a<br />
ENJOY A LUXURY GROUP<br />
GETAWAY AT FARLEIGH WALLOP<br />
17-metre indoor heated swimming pool<br />
and full range of ESPA treatments. The<br />
rooftop terrace, overlooking the water, is a<br />
tranquil spot for leisurely lunches. There’s<br />
even a challenging nine-hole golf course,<br />
with superb views from its greens and<br />
fairways, plus a croquet lawn where you<br />
can try your hand at the most refined –<br />
and competitive – of British past-times.<br />
Be whisked by speed boat around Lismore<br />
island and past Duart Castle on Mull,<br />
traditional home of the MacLeans. The<br />
castle fell into ruins but was restored<br />
early in the 20th century and is once<br />
again the seat of the clan chief. The<br />
exploits of soldier and diplomat Fitzroy<br />
Hew MacLean, who parachuted into<br />
Yugoslavia to assist the resistance in<br />
WW2, are said to have been the origins<br />
of Ian Fleming’s James Bond and 007.<br />
Your return journey saves the best for last,<br />
with a spectacular drive through Glencoe,<br />
setting for the dramatic finale of Skyfall.<br />
What more could any Bond fan ask for!<br />
Continuing in Scotland and still with a<br />
movie theme, how about a trip on board<br />
the now infamous Jacobite Train made<br />
famous from the Harry Potter films?<br />
Breath-taking scenery and fantastic<br />
journeys by mainline and steam railways,<br />
this tour takes in the very best of northern<br />
Scotland from your base in Inverness - the gateway<br />
to your Highland adventure. This five-day tour also<br />
takes in a journey on the Kylie line, the Strathspey<br />
Steam Railway plus visits Eilean Donan Castle and<br />
the Culloden Battlefield and visitors centre.<br />
Our final stop in Scotland continues our railway<br />
29
THE ULTRA LUXURIOUS BELMOND<br />
ROYAL SCOTSMAN<br />
theme onboard the ultra-luxurious Royal Scotsman<br />
train. Embark on a Grand Highland Fling; riding<br />
Belmond Royal Scotsman is one of those pinchme<br />
moments. Ranking amongst the world’s most<br />
luxurious trains, the mahogany-clad cars marry<br />
Edwardian elegance with the comforts of a country<br />
house. Ten intricately designed carriages, including<br />
the sublime Bamford Spa, form a palace on wheels.<br />
Over in Ireland you can also taste luxury onboard<br />
the Grand Hibernian, one of Belmond’s<br />
more recent additions to their collection of<br />
famous trains which also features the Venice-<br />
Simplon Orient-Express.<br />
Crisscross acres of patchwork fields and<br />
craggy coasts, stopping in some of Ireland’s<br />
most storied cities. Belmond Grand<br />
Hibernian gets right to the green and gallant<br />
heart of the Emerald Isle. The elegant<br />
sleeper carriages are inspired by Dublin’s<br />
Georgian architecture. The Observation Car<br />
offers all the warmth of a classic saloon, with<br />
live musicians and animated storytelling.<br />
The UK is home to stunning islands<br />
including Jersey, Guernsey, Isles of Scilly,<br />
Sark, Herm and Alderney. Islands are special<br />
places, with a totally distinct feel, sparkle,<br />
and local community charm that sets them<br />
apart from anything you will find in a<br />
mainland destination holiday resort.<br />
When you travel to any one of these islands,<br />
you get the feeling that you have arrived<br />
somewhere truly unique, and in the Isles of<br />
Scilly is there a better way to arrive than by<br />
helicopter? With flights from many regional<br />
airports throughout the UK as well as many<br />
ferry crossings, accessing these hidden gems<br />
is becoming easier.<br />
The Isles of Scilly are an archipelago around<br />
30 miles off the south-western<br />
tip of England. Though<br />
numbering more than 50<br />
islands in total, only five are<br />
inhabited. The total population<br />
of St Mary’s, Tresco, Bryher,<br />
St Martin’s and St Agnes is<br />
just over 2,000, contributing<br />
to that special ‘step-back-intime’<br />
feeling and providing<br />
a taste of the timeless magic<br />
of childhood holidays. Amid<br />
wonderful scenery, younger<br />
children can explore rock pools<br />
and endless sandy beaches,<br />
while the older ones – and the<br />
adults – can hike nature trails,<br />
hire bikes, or ride horses along<br />
the shore.<br />
The Isles of Scilly are a bird-watcher’s paradise,<br />
with approximately 435 species of birds, including<br />
cormorants, gannets, oystercatchers, manx<br />
shearwaters and puffins to name but a few. On Scilly,<br />
everything revolves around the sea, so why not take<br />
the opportunity to spot some Atlantic grey seals?<br />
Eating out in the Isles of Scilly is often just that: an<br />
alfresco delight. What could be better than enjoying<br />
THE JACOBITE TRAIN WAS MADE<br />
FAMOUS IN THE HARRY POTTER<br />
FILMS<br />
30
fresh fish and chips on<br />
the beach, gazing out at<br />
waters the same colour as<br />
those in the Caribbean, or<br />
a delicious freshly-caught<br />
lobster salad in one of the<br />
local restaurants.<br />
If you are looking for a<br />
unique place to spend a<br />
night or two for a special<br />
occasion how about<br />
wonderful luxury tree<br />
houses in Hampshire? They<br />
vary in size, from studios to<br />
a completely private escape<br />
sleeping 12! Consider it<br />
the most secluded abode to<br />
nestle in the tranquil New<br />
Forest; the private treehouse<br />
CHANNEL JAMES BOND WITH AN<br />
ASTON MARTIN EXPERIENCE IN<br />
SCOTLAND<br />
is a place where you can gather those closest to<br />
you and immerse yourself in the trees together for<br />
the most extraordinary experience. Equipped with<br />
a wood burner in the heart of the living space,<br />
beautiful rich tones of green and grey echo the<br />
environment beyond the balconies. The owners have<br />
carefully considered the interior design to create a<br />
real sense of luxury that still has an essence of earthy<br />
tranquillity to compliment the idyllic surroundings.<br />
If you need a private estate to hire for a group or<br />
family occasion, then Farleigh Wallop in Hampshire<br />
is a great find. An hour from London, Farleigh<br />
Wallop is perfect for private events, house parties,<br />
corporate gatherings and exclusive use holidays. It<br />
sits at the heart of a 4,000-acre Hampshire estate,<br />
down a tree-lined avenue. Set back from the road,<br />
it is a classic English home whose interior has<br />
been recently redesigned and fitted with modern<br />
amenities. A luxurious retreat, it is completely<br />
private. The house has eight reception rooms, all<br />
adaptable in format. The dining room is ideal for<br />
grand dining or a reception for 40. Eleven bedrooms<br />
and nine bathrooms provide beautifully appointed<br />
accommodation. A bespoke marquee area, adjacent<br />
to the house, caters for larger parties.<br />
As you can see, there is plenty to discover closer to<br />
home and we look forward to helping create those<br />
special travel memories.<br />
Call RB Collection on 01543 258631 or email<br />
vip@rbcollection.com to book your next unique<br />
or luxury staycation.<br />
THIS HAMPSHIRE TREE<br />
HOUSE PROVIDES A UNIQUE<br />
DESITNATION FOR A SPECIAL<br />
OCCASION<br />
J’AIME<br />
READER OFFER<br />
Book any of these mentioned<br />
holidays or hotels before the end of<br />
September <strong>2020</strong> for any date in the<br />
future and receive a complimentary<br />
bottle of British sparkling wine from<br />
Hattingley Estate, winner of this year’s<br />
International Wine Challenge. Simply<br />
mention J’AIME magazine when you<br />
first enquiry to qualify, applicable to<br />
new bookings only.<br />
31
FA S H I O N<br />
Pretty practical<br />
IT’S FAST BECOMING THE STREET STYLE STAPLE OF SUMMER - THE DRESS<br />
AND TRAINERS COMBO IS THE ONE TO ROCK FOR EFFORTLESSLY LAID-BACK<br />
DRESSING, SAYS AMY NORBURY<br />
LOCKDOWN has had an effect on every part of our lives - and<br />
our wardrobes are no exception. With loungewear overtaking<br />
tailoring as the work attire du jour, and our ‘going out’ outfits<br />
eschewed in favour of home comfies, we’ve had a serious rethink<br />
about how we approach daily dressing.<br />
And thanks to lockdown, the words ‘heel’, ‘stiletto’, and ‘wedge’<br />
have been noticeably absent from the fashion lexicon for the past<br />
few months. Because who would opt to wear sky-high stompers<br />
when flats have become more than acceptable all-day wear?<br />
This summer’s ‘effortless chic’ award goes to a daily uniform<br />
which embraces comfort all the way, while still looking perfectly<br />
put-together. That’s right, the trusty dress and trainers combo is<br />
the top choice for those whose only opportunity to show off their<br />
breezy summer garb has been on the supermarket dash. Now,<br />
with picnics in the park the height of social activity, adding our<br />
sportiest trainers to our floatiest dress is a foolproof approach to<br />
dressing for a park outing.<br />
Having perfected the art of the ‘sunny mini-dress worn with<br />
trainers’, Hollywood starlet - and self-confessed sneaker<br />
obsessive - Emily Ratajkowski is a poster girl for the look. The<br />
supermodel has long had her Nike Cortez, Air Force 1s and<br />
Keds on pretty much permanent rotation.<br />
So how to work the combo? Thankfully, it’s one which doesn’t<br />
require much forethought - simply throw on your favourite<br />
summer dress, add your comfiest trainers and you’re good to go.<br />
The classic Converse Chuck Taylor All Stars are a footwear<br />
go-to for myriad occasions and outfits - this timeless canvas<br />
shoe comes in enough colour variations to match pretty much<br />
anything in your wardrobe. Opt for crisp, clean white - or<br />
even white leather for a smarter look - to pair seamlessly with<br />
patterned and floral dresses, or try one of the cool prints to add<br />
a fun touch to a plain sundress.<br />
Elsewhere on the trainer front, Adidas Originals’ go-to Stan<br />
Smiths, or the aforementioned Nike Air Force 1s so beloved by<br />
Emily Ratajkowski, are a worthy investment for optimum dresspairing.<br />
Every wardrobe needs a good shirtdress or three, and while they<br />
can be dressed up effortlessly with heels, they look just as stylish<br />
teamed with a sporty pair of trainers for a touch of everyday<br />
elegance.<br />
Whatever your style, the dress and trainers combo is one that<br />
can be worked with very little effort - and we’re hoping this<br />
comfortable approach to dressing sticks around long after<br />
lockdown ends.<br />
DRESS, £30, TRAINERS, £32, BAG,<br />
£22, AND SUNGLASSES, £10, ALL<br />
MISS SELFRIDGE.<br />
WWW.MISSSELFRIDGE.COM<br />
32
£55<br />
CHUCK 70 MINT CANVAS<br />
HI TOPS, CONVERSE.<br />
WWW.CONVERSE.COM/UK<br />
£35<br />
£70<br />
£70<br />
WHITE AND DUSKY PINK STAN<br />
SMITHS, ADIDAS ORIGINALS.<br />
WWW.ADIDAS.CO.UK<br />
£39<br />
£220<br />
PRINTED OFF-THE-SHOULDER DRESS,<br />
RIVER ISLAND. WWW.RIVERISLAND.COM<br />
TIE DYE KNITTED DRESS, RED<br />
HERRING AT DEBENHAMS.<br />
WWW.DEBENHAMS.COM<br />
£85<br />
BRODERIE BARDOT DRESS, RED<br />
HERRING AT DEBENHAMS.<br />
WWW.DEBENHAMS.COM<br />
INES TAUPE SEERSUCKER DRESS, BIRD<br />
AND KNOLL AT HARVEY NICHOLS.<br />
WWW.HARVEYNICHOLS.COM<br />
£70<br />
ELECKTRO TRAINERS, DUNE LONDON.<br />
WWW.DUNELONDON.COM<br />
CHUCK 70 MARBLE PRINT CANVAS SNEAKERS,<br />
CONVERSE. WWW.CONVERSE.COM/UK<br />
KHOST CLOTHING YELLOW BELTED SHIRT<br />
DRESS, £49, M&CO. WWW.MANDCO.COM<br />
DRESS, £39, AND TRAINERS, £25, MISS<br />
SELFRIDGE. WWW.MISSSELFRIDGE.COM<br />
33
B E AU T Y<br />
What’s the fuss about serums?<br />
SO YOU KNOW YOUR MOISTURISERS FROM YOUR TONERS BUT DO YOU KNOW WHAT<br />
SERUMS ARE FOR? AND, MORE IMPORTANTLY, HOW THEY CAN BENEFIT YOUR COMPLEXION?<br />
ROYAL FACIALIST AND FOUNDER OF HEAVEN SKINCARE DEBORAH MITCHELL EXPLAINS<br />
PUT simply, a serum is a product that you apply to<br />
your face and neck straight after cleansing and before<br />
you moisturise. Perfect for tackling fine lines and<br />
dehydration, they deliver a potent shot of ingredients<br />
directly into your skin. In fact, while cleansers and<br />
moisturisers usually contain between five and ten per<br />
cent of active ingredients, serums can boast up to 70<br />
per cent. And unlike traditional face creams they have<br />
smaller molecules so can penetrate the epidermis.<br />
That might make you think you should replace your<br />
regular moisturiser and use a serum on its own, but<br />
this isn’t the case. A daily moisturiser is still essential<br />
as it is richer and may have the added benefit of SPF.<br />
Instead, using one in tandem with a serum – and<br />
trust me, you only need a few drops – means your<br />
skin is getting a much better level of care.<br />
If you have multiple concerns – say fine lines and<br />
wrinkles or dry skin – you can layer your serums for<br />
multiple benefits in one application. To determine<br />
what order to use them start with the one that targets<br />
your main concern first and then layer the others<br />
order of priority, allowing 30 seconds in between for<br />
the ingredients to soak in. You can even add a few<br />
drops to your foundation for an added beauty boost.<br />
Heaven’s LIA Oil Serum works to reduce redness<br />
and rosacea, and rejuvenate dull skin. The addition<br />
of organic rose and neroli repair helps prevent<br />
broken capillaries and reduce scarring.<br />
Perfect for people with eczema or sensitive skin, the<br />
microbes in my Clarifying Oil Serum kill bacteria<br />
and condition skin to bring it back to equilibrium.<br />
My SOS Oil Serum is designed to balance oil levels,<br />
hydrate and feed the skin while its vitamin content<br />
can help to repair acne, scars and damaged skin. It<br />
can even be used on dry hair and nails to soften and<br />
repair.<br />
Use my Dream Oil Serum in tandem with your<br />
overnight cream to balance oil levels, hydrate and<br />
feed the skin; its combination of organic jasmine<br />
promotes relaxation and induces sleep.<br />
All products featured are available from<br />
www.heavenskincare.co.uk<br />
34
Millarde Fashions<br />
of Sutton Coldfield<br />
CLOSING DOWN SALE<br />
EVERYTHING MUST GO<br />
396 Birmingham Road, Wylde Green, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands B72 1YJ<br />
0121 373 4834 - www.millardefashions.co.uk - enquiries@millardefashions.co.uk
H E A LT H<br />
Bye bye bingo wings!<br />
THIS MONTH, LICHFIELD’S SPANISH PERSONAL TRAINER RAÚL ROMERO<br />
TALKS BINGO WINGS, AND HOW TO BLAST THEM FOR GOOD!<br />
Bingo wings; the bane of many of my clients’ lives.<br />
Over the years I have had this question posed to me<br />
more times than I can remember, on the whole by<br />
female clients...how to get rid of bingo wings and<br />
achieve strong, toned arms for good?<br />
Despite there being no magic quick fix, the great<br />
thing is that with only a few small daily changes,<br />
effort and consistency, it is very much possible to<br />
achieve from the comfort of your own home without<br />
any specialist equipment. In fact, the only thing<br />
needed for the below workout to blast those bingo<br />
wings is an ordinary household object: a chair!<br />
Here I will share with you some simple yet extremely<br />
effective exercises that can be done from the comfort<br />
of your own home in only five minutes everyday with<br />
simply a chair. The key is consistency and planning<br />
in those all-important five minutes in your daily life<br />
in order to achieve and really notice results. It is<br />
possible for EVERYONE!<br />
Do the following exercises for only five minutes<br />
everyday to get results:<br />
1. Triceps press-ups<br />
Kneel on the floor and place your hands a narrow<br />
width apart, palms down, in front of you. Keep your<br />
bottom tucked in and your body straight. Then,<br />
slowly drop your body down to the floor bending<br />
only your elbows and maintaining a straight posture.<br />
If you can, do two sets of 10-15 repetitions to begin<br />
with, then you can slowly build it up as you get<br />
stronger.<br />
2. Triceps dips using a chair<br />
Place the chair against the wall or something firm<br />
for safety. Then sit down on the floor directly in front<br />
of the chair with the chair behind you. Place your<br />
palms on the chair, still facing forward and lift your<br />
bottom up from the floor, straightening your arms.<br />
Your body weight should be exerted into your arms,<br />
specifically your tricep muscles as they hold your<br />
weight as your bottom is lifted off the floor. Then<br />
slowly bend your arms and drop your bottom back<br />
down to the floor, then push up again to repeat. If<br />
you can, do two sets of 10 repetitions to begin with,<br />
then again you can slowly build it up as you get<br />
stronger.<br />
To see the correct technique of how to complete<br />
these two exercises, you can view a specific video on<br />
it that I have recorded and uploaded onto Youtube<br />
- just search my Youtube channel Hola Healthy<br />
Life, or contact me and I will be happy to talk you<br />
through it.<br />
TRICEP DIPS<br />
TRICEP PRESS UPS<br />
36
As well as these two simple exercises, other daily<br />
activities that can help get rid of excess fat, not only<br />
in the arms, but all over are:<br />
1. Getting a good night’s sleep: When we lack<br />
sleep, our bodies go through changes that can lead<br />
to weight gain. Sleep deprivation can cause changes<br />
to hormones that regulate hunger and appetite.<br />
We have a hormone leptin that suppresses appetite<br />
and encourages the body to expend energy. Sleep<br />
deprivation reduces leptin. The hormone ghrelin,<br />
on the other hand, triggers feelings of hunger - and<br />
ghrelin increases when we are short on sleep.<br />
2. Healthy eating: As obvious as this sounds,<br />
eating plenty of fibre in the form of vegetables<br />
and fruits (avoiding sugary fruits), avoiding ultra<br />
processed foods with high amounts of trans fats,<br />
cutting back on unnecessary carbs and sugars, and<br />
not drinking too much alcohol, can all help blast<br />
excess fat.<br />
3. Controlling stress levels: Again another<br />
obvious one that doesn’t always affect everyone.<br />
If,however, your stress levels do tend to increase, it<br />
is important to find strategies and activities to help<br />
you control and reduce them (for example yoga or<br />
meditation).<br />
4. Include cardio or hiit workouts into your<br />
weekly routine: This will undoubtedly help blast<br />
the excess fat as it will enable your body to expend<br />
more calories.<br />
Good luck to all of you who manage to give the<br />
above exercises a go. I would love to hear how you<br />
get on! For any questions or more information on<br />
blasting those bingo wings, please contact me via<br />
social media or email raul@ambitionpt.co.uk<br />
INCORPORATING CARDIO<br />
OR HIIT SESSIONS INTO<br />
YOUR WEEKLY WORKOUTS<br />
WILL HELP TO BLAST FAT<br />
37
H E A LT H<br />
Spotting the signs of emotional abuse<br />
WITH INCIDENCES OF DOMESTIC ABUSE ON THE INCREASE DURING LOCKDOWN, DIETER<br />
JANSONS, MSC PSYCHOLOGY, FROM WORKING MINDS, TACKLES THE OFTEN-HIDDEN<br />
SUBJECT OF EMOTIONAL ABUSE; WHAT TO LOOK OUT FOR AND WHERE YOU CAN GET HELP<br />
“You wouldn’t have that if it weren’t for me.”<br />
Constant criticism? Never good enough? Walking on<br />
eggshells? It’s often phrases like this above, where an<br />
emotional, abusive partner would utter derogatory<br />
comments to wear down a person’s self-esteem.<br />
Whether the contents are subtle and insidious or<br />
overt and manipulative; emotional abuse is one of<br />
the challenging forms of abuse to recognise and can<br />
severely impact your mental health.<br />
In general, mental abuse is often used as a way<br />
to maintain power and control over someone;<br />
invisible to others, a victim may begin to doubt their<br />
perceptions and sense of self. Research indicates<br />
that the consequences of an emotional abusive<br />
relationship is just as severe, and damaging, as a<br />
physical abusive one.<br />
How to spot emotional abuse<br />
When examining your own relationship, remember<br />
that emotional abuse is often subtle. As a result, it<br />
can be very hard to detect. If you are having trouble<br />
identifying whether or not your relationship is<br />
abusive, stop and think about how the interactions<br />
with your partner, friend or family member make<br />
you feel.<br />
If you feel aggrieved, frustrated, confused,<br />
misunderstood, depressed, anxious or worthless at<br />
any time, chances are high that your relationship<br />
is emotionally abusive; even if your partner only<br />
does a handful of these things, you are still in an<br />
unhealthy relationship.<br />
Some examples may include:<br />
• Being dissatisfied no matter how hard you try or<br />
how much you give<br />
• Accusing you of being “too sensitive,” “too<br />
emotional,” or “crazy-psycho”<br />
• Refusing to acknowledge or accept your opinions<br />
or ideas as valid<br />
• Accusing you that your perceptions are wrong<br />
38
“you’re blowing this out of proportion,” or “you<br />
exaggerate”<br />
• Accusing you of being selfish, needy, or<br />
materialistic if you express your wants or needs<br />
(the expectation is that you should not have any<br />
wants or needs)<br />
• Constant remarks at your clothes, your hair, your<br />
work, and more<br />
• Manipulating and controlling you by making you<br />
feel guilty<br />
• Exaggerating your flaws or pointing them out<br />
in order to deflect attention or to avoid taking<br />
responsibility for their poor choices or mistakes<br />
• Denying that an event took place or lying about it<br />
• Treating you like you are inferior<br />
• Blaming you for their mistakes and shortcomings<br />
Do not fall into the trap of telling yourself “it’s<br />
not that bad” or “could be worse” to minimise<br />
their behaviour. Remember, everyone deserves to be<br />
treated with kindness and respect.<br />
Seeking help and recovery<br />
It is important for a person who is currently<br />
experiencing, or who has ever experienced,<br />
emotional abuse to know that the abuse is never<br />
their fault. In some cases, a partner may even be<br />
using emotional abuse to prevent the person from<br />
leaving or seeking help. The first step in dealing with<br />
an emotionally abusive relationship is to recognise<br />
that it is happening; make yourself a priority,<br />
establish boundaries, stop blaming yourself, realise<br />
you can’t change them, avoid engaging, build a<br />
support network, and work on an exit plan.<br />
According to gov.uk: “the household isolation<br />
instruction as a result of coronavirus does not apply<br />
if you need to leave your home to escape domestic<br />
abuse.”<br />
If you need to talk to someone for free and<br />
confidential advice you can call…<br />
National Domestic Abuse Helpline – 0808 2000 247<br />
www.nationaldahelpline.org.uk<br />
The Men’s Advice Line, for male domestic abuse<br />
survivors – 0808 801 0327<br />
The Mix, free information and support for under<br />
25s in the UK – 0808 808 4994<br />
National LGBT+ Domestic Abuse Helpline – 0800<br />
999 5428<br />
Samaritans (24/7 service) – 116 123<br />
Alternatively, you can text the police on 61016 for all<br />
non-emergency incidents. In an emergency, always<br />
dial 999.<br />
EMOTIONAL ABUSE IS<br />
OFTEN SUBTLE, SO CAN BE<br />
DIFFICULT TO DETECT<br />
39
B U S I N E S S<br />
Well travelled<br />
AS THE LOCAL TRAVEL COUNSELLOR FOR FOUR OAKS, INDEPENDENT TRAVEL<br />
AGENT CHARLOTTE MITCHELL SPECIALISES IN TAILOR-MADE HOLIDAYS<br />
Charlotte says: “I started my travel journey studying<br />
travel and tourism at Worcester College aged 17,<br />
and worked part-time at a local independent Travel<br />
Agency, Atlas Travel, until I finished my studies.<br />
“In 2006, when my husband finished university,<br />
we moved to Bristol, where I joined Thomas Cook<br />
as a sales consultant, becoming a customer service<br />
manager and staying for over four years. Many of<br />
the holidays I worked on here were packaged by<br />
Thomas Cook and were the days of when clients<br />
would come into the shop armed with brochures and<br />
we would go through the options the customer had<br />
marked, one-by-one.<br />
“I needed a new challenge and an opportunity<br />
became available for me to work as a business<br />
development manager for an independent travel<br />
agency, Travel Solutions. Working on business travel<br />
is very different to leisure travel and I missed the<br />
excitement created when clients came in with their<br />
ideas for holidays. So, in 2011, I moved within the<br />
same company to Oxford to become manager of the<br />
Summertown branch. Here I organised our amazing<br />
wedding in Cyprus at the fabulous Aphrodite Hills,<br />
Paphos and our multi-centre honeymoon to Hawaii.<br />
“The types of holidays I started to create changed.<br />
Customers wanted to go off and explore; they didn’t<br />
just want to sit by a pool for two weeks but wanted<br />
to really engage and visit as many destinations as<br />
possible. Having the same passion, tailor-made<br />
holidays became my thing – road trips are the best!<br />
“For many years I had a dream of starting my own<br />
travel business, but the timing was never right, or<br />
the thought of doing it was too huge. But in 2016<br />
we moved to Four Oaks and the following year I<br />
took the leap and started my own franchise business<br />
with Travel Counsellors. With a 24/7 duty office<br />
across seven countries, access to thousands of<br />
trusted suppliers and full financial protection, Travel<br />
Counsellors ensure every holiday is created with care<br />
and protection. All you need to worry about is the<br />
happy holiday memories.<br />
“Starting my own business has seen many challenges,<br />
both personal and professional; from creating new<br />
relationships with clients and business peers, but also<br />
reaching so far out of my comfort zone by public<br />
speaking and networking. The help and support of<br />
local businesses has been incredible as the majority<br />
of my business is via personal recommendations.<br />
“<strong>2020</strong> has been the biggest shock to the travel<br />
industry that I have ever experienced. However, I<br />
am extremely confident that we will bounce back – it<br />
may take some time to find the new ‘normal’, but we<br />
will get there! And when that time comes, I will be<br />
ready for the new challenges ahead. No matter what,<br />
I will always go above and beyond to deliver a service<br />
that exceeds expectations. Take comfort in knowing<br />
that you are booking with someone you can trust,<br />
and who will be with you every step of the way.”<br />
For more details, visit Charlotte’s website at<br />
www.travelcounsellors.co.uk/charlotte.mitchell<br />
or find Charlotte on Facebook at<br />
www.facebook.com/CharlotteMitchellTC<br />
CHARLOTTE IN SINGAPORE<br />
40
B U S I N E S S<br />
Intelligent creativity<br />
GRAPHIC DESIGNER JAMES WILSON, FOUNDER OF IKEW DESIGN LAUNCHES HIS NEW<br />
DESIGN STUDIO IN MERE GREEN, OFFERING A COMPLETE DESIGN AND SIGNAGE SERVICE<br />
James says: “I created Ikew Design four years ago, as<br />
a self-employed graphic designer and have worked<br />
from home until now, so I’m excited to announce the<br />
imminent launch of my new studio in Mere Green,<br />
offering a vast array of promotional and marketing<br />
tools to all businesses large and small, and a place for<br />
inspiration, ideas and solutions to promote businesses<br />
to their next level.<br />
“As a sole trader, I offer my design skills from<br />
drawing to brand and logo creation and stationery;<br />
and my professional experience of signs and<br />
graphics, from exhibitions, promotional graphics,<br />
banners to shop, office and building signage. I have<br />
many suppliers who I collaborate with providing<br />
the perfect solutions to businesses design needs and<br />
requirements.<br />
“My appreciation of design came from my art<br />
teacher in primary school, who told me to keep<br />
growing and learning, and that to do what you love<br />
is one of the most important things in life. For me to<br />
remember that, shows how important I felt it was,<br />
and I have kept in the forefront of my life, especially<br />
as I wasn’t allowed to do art and design at secondary<br />
school, due to lack of interest. Nevertheless, I<br />
continued to get qualifications in design technology<br />
at school and graphic design at college.<br />
“I then went on to summer work experience at a sign<br />
and graphics company, which I loved, where they<br />
employed me, continuing through and gaining much<br />
knowledge with several sign and print businesses,<br />
exhibition design and business signage companies.<br />
I then trained in advertising and marketing and<br />
became marketing manager for a children’s book<br />
company in Birmingham, where I also perfected<br />
my skills on all major design software packages.<br />
Following redundancy from this position, I felt a<br />
good time to be my own boss, and four years later, I<br />
haven’t looked back.<br />
“This recent pandemic forced me to look at what<br />
was right going forward in this ever changing world,<br />
as I’m sure many reading this have, and made me<br />
refocus on what my unique skills are that I can<br />
offer to my customers to help and enjoy watching<br />
them grow. To many of my customers, I’m their<br />
on-call graphic designer, their ideas factory (soon to<br />
physically visit) and go-to sign and graphics company<br />
for any visual communications and promotions,<br />
whether print or online.<br />
“I look forward to welcoming you to my studio<br />
very soon, to share ideas and designs for you to be<br />
inspired and hopefully take the next step in your<br />
business development. Here’s to exciting times<br />
together, looking good, getting noticed and being<br />
better and brighter than ever. Let’s re-open…. the<br />
next chapter. Ikew - designing your intelligence.<br />
Graphic design with flare - signs and graphics with a<br />
bit more style.”<br />
ikew (IQ) ‘Creativity is Intelligence having<br />
fun’ – Albert Einstein<br />
For more details visit Ikew Design’s website at<br />
www.ikew-design.co.uk or email<br />
james@ikew-design.co.uk<br />
SOME OF JAMES’<br />
RECENT SIGN WORK<br />
41
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