Solihull Living Sep - Oct 2020

Contents 

A Note 

from the EDITOR 

A Culinary ingredients Journey and through recipes from 

Northern 06Hero James Martin’s Ireland Islands to Highlands 

19 

Transform your 

home, inside and out 

Editor Katie Thomson 

e katie.thomson@minervapublications.co.uk 

Publisher Sally Thomson 

Pre-Press Manager Kate O’Connell 

Contributors Peter Thomson, Sue Cooke, Matthew Biggs, Angela Cave, 

Front Cover courtesy of James Martin’s Islands to Highlands 

Key Account Manager Marion Cassidy 

e marion@minervapublications.co.uk 

d/l 01225 984502 

twitter: @LivingSolihull 

Celebrating 

harvest time 

Edcation 

COVID 

post-11 

MINERVA PUBLICATIONS HQ 

Unit 21c, Paxcroft Farm, Hilperton 

Trowbridge BA14 6JB 

t 01225 984 550 

visit our website www.solihullliving.co.uk 

04 

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

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

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

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

Don’t tell the other magazine issues, 

but the September/October is often 

one of the most fun editions to 

pull together in the year, and that 

must have something to do with 

September being a favourite month. 

Perhaps it is my love of watching 

the changing of the seasons in 

full swing, with the leaves turning 

burnished shades of gold and amber 

as summer makes way for autumn. 

Or maybe it is autumn’s bounty of 

produce filling the farm shops and 

the menus of my favourite local 

spots. We try to make this edition 

evocative of this lovely time and 

hope this one is no exception. 

Good food is usually top of the 

list in this magazine, and we’ve 

been spoiled with some wonderful 

recipes from James Martin. You 

might have caught his latest series, 

Islands to Highlands, on TV and 

this selection of recipes is straight 

from the accompanying book. These 

were so tasty that I went out to buy 

the book and have been happily 

cooking up a best of British menu 

ever since. 

We’ve all gotten to know the four 

walls we call home rather well over 

the last six months, and maybe 

we’ve discovered that things aren’t 

as we’d like them. If you’ve decided 

to stay put, we’ve got a lovely piece 

on making your home work better 

for you, through extensions, glazing 

and even using the garden as an 

extra room. 

Education in the face of COVID 

has certainly changed - there won’t 

be a need for snow days anymore 

with the trialled and tested Zoom 

classrooms proving so successful. 

The Independent Schools Council 

gave us their insights into this longlasting 

change. 

Finally, lockdown might have given 

you a new perspective on retirement 

- we get our resident later life 

representative (aka my dad Peter) 

to give his reflections of life after 

lockdown. 

Next time we see you it will be... 

*whispers* the Christmas issue! 

Until then, stay safe, stay well! 

Katie 

www.solihullliving.co.uk | 3

BRITISH FOOD FORTNIGHT 2020 

Why there’s never been a better time to support the British 

food industry and buy seasonal, local produce 

British Food Fortnight will take place 

this year from 19th September - 4th 

October. The campaign was created by 

Love British Food, the leading national 

promoter of British food and the only 

organisation that encourages retailers 

and the caterers responsible for sourcing 

food in our schools, hospitals and 

food outlets to make British food their 

preferred supplier of choice. 

British Food Fortnight is THE 

opportunity for everyone to come 

together and promote the benefits of 

buying and eating from our homeproduced 

British larder. 

WHY CHOOSE BRITISH? 

Choosing British means supporting 

British farmers whose work helps to keep 

the British countryside the way we want 

it to look: no sheep, or cows, or fruit, or 

vegetables – no countryside! 

• You will be supporting the economy 

– everyone from the farmer, to those 

who work in food processing and 

the retailers selling the food. 

• British food travels less far from 

farm to shop so has a lower carbon 

footprint than most imported foods. 

• British meat is produced to some 

of the highest welfare standards 

in the world: no growth-promoting 

hormones are allowed and any 

antibiotics are administered only 

under veterinary direction. 

• Britain’s pig farmers operate by UK 

law to standards of welfare that are 

some of the highest in the world. 

• Britain’s beef and sheep industries 

are the envy of the world; breeding 

livestock and genetics from our 

native breeds are much sought 

after by farmers in other countries. 

Protect our great native livestock 

industry by buying the real thing, 

not an imported substitute. 

• Britain’s cattle passport system 

means that each animal can be 

uniquely traced to its dam (mother) 

and place of birth. 

• British chicken is reared to some of 

the highest standards in the world. 

EAT SEASONALLY 

Eating British fruits and vegetables in 

season is good for you. Foods in season 

contain the nutrients, minerals and 

trace elements that our bodies need at 

particular times of the year. British food 

travels less far from farm to shop so 

regardless of how carbon footprints are 

calculated it self-evidently has a lower 

carbon footprint. 

Storming into season over the coming 

months are: 

AUTUMN 

Meat: Chicken – Grouse – Ham 

– Heather-fed Lamb – Pies Pork – 

Sausages – Venison 

Vegetables: Field Mushrooms – Lettuce 

– Marrow – Potatoes – Pumpkin – Rocket 

– Squashes – Sweetcorn – Watercress 

Fruit: Apples – Blackberries – Damsons – 

Elderberries – Pears – Plums – Sloes 

Fish: Brill – Dabs – Dover Sole – 

Flounders – Oysters – Skate 

WINTER 

Meat: Chicken – Gammon – Goose 

– Partridge – Pheasant – Sausages – 

Turkey – Venison – Wild Duck 

Vegetables: Bay Leaves – Brussels 

– Sprouts – Cabbage – Carrots – 

Cauliflower – Celeriac – Curly Kale 

– Fennel – Leeks – Parsnips – Potatoes – 

Red Cabbage – Swede – Turnips 

Fruit: Apples – Pears – Quince 

Fish: Grey Mullet – Mussels – Scallops 

“British food travels less far from farm 

to shop so has a lower carbon footprint 

than most imported foods.” 

It’s easy for anyone to take part in 

British Food Fortnight, whether in your 

community, online, or simply your own 

home. Even the smallest thing makes a 

big difference. Visit lovebritishfood.co.uk 

for lots of inspiration. 

4 | www.solihullliving.co.uk

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ISLANDS TO 

highlands 

CLAM VONGOLE 

Good clams can be found year-round on 

the coast all around Britain, but are at their 

best in the colder months. Clam vongole is 

simply the best pasta dish, in my opinion, 

but when made properly like Francesco 

Mazzei showed me, it’s on a different level 

entirely. Serves: 4 

INGREDIENTS 

2 tablespoons olive oil 

3 garlic cloves, chopped 

1 shallot, diced 

100ml dry white wine 

1kg clams, cleaned (see tip) 

sea salt and freshly ground 

black pepper 

1 red chilli, diced 

zest of 2 lemons, plus juice of 1 lemon 

small bunch of parsley, chopped 

50g parmesan, grated 

METHOD 

Bring a large pan of salted water to the 

boil and cook the pasta, following the 

packet instructions, until al dente. 

While the pasta’s bubbling away, start the 

sauce. In a large saucepan with a lid, heat 

the oil over a medium heat, add the garlic 

and shallot and cook for 2 minutes, stirring 

often. Pour in the wine and clams, season 

well, then put the lid on the pan and bring 

to the boil. Reduce the heat a little and 

cook for a further 4 minutes. 

Resting a colander over a bowl, use a 

large slotted spoon to lift the clams out of 

the sauce into the colander, then bring the 

sauce to the boil and simmer, uncovered, 

until reduced by half. 

Drain the spaghetti and add it to the pan 

with the sauce and cook for a further 2 

minutes. Add the chilli, lemon zest and 

juice and parsley and season well. 

Stir everything together, then pop the 

clams back into the pan along with any 

of the juices caught in the bowl. Give 

everything a really big stir again to mix it 

all in, then scatter over the parmesan and 

drizzle in a little more olive oil, if you like. 

Serve immediately. 

JAMES’S TIP 

Fresh clams need to be alive before you 

cook them. To clean the clams of sand or 

grit, soak them for 20 minutes in a bowl 

of cold salty water. Drain, then transfer 

to a bowl of clean cold water to soak for 

a further 10 minutes, so they don’t taste 

too salty. 

STEAK WITH 

WHISKY BRAISED 

ONIONS 

Every chef becomes obsessed with certain 

ingredients at some point in the year and 

right now, my obsession is onions. These, 

combined with steak and a simple mustard 

sauce, were a favourite dish of Johnny on 

Camera Two when we were filming the 

show. Serves: 2 

INGREDIENTS 

4 onions, peeled 

50ml whisky 

600ml beef stock 

100g salted butter 

1 garlic clove, crushed 

a few pine sprigs, washed and patted dry 

1–2 tablespoons olive oil 

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 

400g rump steak, 5cm thick 

150g long-stem broccoli 

FOR THE SAUCE 

2 tablespoons Scottish grainy mustard 

½ teaspoon English mustard 

2 tablespoons salted butter 

25ml whisky 

75ml double cream 

METHOD 

If using, light your BBQ. When the coals 

are silvery in colour, it’s ready to cook on. 

Place the whole onions in a pan with the 

whisky and beef stock. 

Cover and bring to the boil then reduce 

the heat slightly and simmer for 40 

minutes. Use a slotted spoon to lift the 

onions out of their cooking liquor and set 

aside to cool a little. Reserve the liquor. 

Meanwhile, place the butter, garlic and 

pine sprigs into a separate pan and place 

over a low heat to melt the butter. If not 

cooking on the BBQ, preheat a griddle pan 

over a high heat. 

Cut the onions in half horizontally, then 

drizzle over the oil and season well. Cook 

on the griddle pan or on the BBQ, flatside 

down, for a couple of minutes until 

charred. Lift onto a plate and set aside. 

Season the steak all over, then brush with 

some of the melted pine butter. Cook on 

the hot griddle pan or on the BBQ for 2 

minutes, then brush with more butter, flip 

over and cook for another 2 minutes. 

Add the long-stem broccoli to the pan or 

BBQ for the last 2 minutes of cooking, 

again brushing with pine butter. Lift the 

steak onto a board and rest for 4 minutes. 

To make the sauce, put both types of 

mustard in a pan with 1 tablespoon of the 

butter and 200ml of the reserved onion 

cooking liquor. Pour in the whisky, then 

flambé to burn off the alcohol, tipping the 

pan gently and carefully to ignite. Place 

over a medium heat and simmer until the 

liquid has reduced by half, then stir in 

the cream and season well. Whisk in the 

remaining 1 tablespoon of butter to finish. 

Slice the steak into 3-cm thick slices and 

place on a platter with the broccoli, then 

spoon over the sauce. Pull the onions into 

petals and dot around before serving. 

TARRAGON AND 

WILD GARLIC 

RISOTTO 

with mushrooms and baked 

kombu potatoes 

In essence, this is of course two separate 

dishes. I wanted to serve the potatoes 

separately on the show, but little Sammy 

Head – the legend of the food team – 

couldn’t be bothered to walk back down 

the mountain to get another bowl, so it 

became one dish! A great, simple risotto 

should be packed full of flavour; watch the 

seasoning as it usually needs more salt 

than you think and, whatever you do, don’t 

make it too thick. Serves: 4 

INGREDIENTS 

50g salted butter 

1 garlic clove, chopped 

1 shallot, diced 


CHEF JAMES MARTIN 

WAS KIND ENOUGH TO 

SHARE SOME FABULOUS 

RECIPES FROM HIS BOOK 

ISLANDS TO HIGHLANDS, 

CELEBRATING THE BEST OF 

THE BRITISH ISLES 

Recipes and words from 

James Martin’s Islands to Highlands: 

80 fantastic recipes from around the 

British Isles. Published by Quadrille 

Publishing Ltd. RRP £25 and 

available from all good book shops 

and online 

200g risotto rice 

50ml dry white wine 

500ml vegetable stock 

200g wild mushrooms, roughly torn 

50g mascarpone 

25g parmesan, grated 

small bunch of tarragon, chopped 

a few wild garlic leaves 

sea salt and freshly ground 

black pepper 

FOR THE POTATOES 

150g new potatoes 

1 parmesan rind 

1 tablespoon kombu dried seaweed 

pinch of sea salt 

TO SERVE 

2 tablespoons crème fraîche 

a few micro herb sprigs or 

a few chives, chopped 

METHOD 

If using, light your BBQ. When the coals are 

silvery in colour, it’s ready to cook on. 

Heat the butter in a deep non-stick pan over 

a medium heat. Once the butter is melted 

and foaming, add the garlic, shallot and 

rice, stirring until the rice is well coated in 

the butter. Stir in the wine and around threequarters 

of the stock, bring to the boil, then 

simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

Stir through the mushrooms and cook for a 

further 5 minutes until the rice is cooked and 

just tender. 

Put the potatoes in a saucepan and cover 

with water, then add the parmesan rind, 

kombu seaweed and pinch of salt. Bring to 

the boil, then simmer for 15 minutes. Drain 

the potatoes, then put them directly onto 

the grill bars of the BBQ and cook for 2–3 

minutes, turning occasionally, until charred. 

Carefully lift out of the barbecue and set 

aside. 

To finish the risotto, stir in the mascarpone, 

parmesan, tarragon (reserving a few sprigs 

for garnish), wild garlic and remaining stock, 

then season to taste. The texture should be 

slightly runny. 

To serve, spoon the risotto onto 4 plates 

and garnish with a few extra sprigs 

of tarragon and micro herbs. Split the 

potatoes, top them with crème fraîche, 

micro herbs or chives and either serve on a 

separate plate alongside or place directly on 

top of the risotto. 


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Come and see our small classes and nurturing 

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How has 

covid 

changed 

education? 

What positives can 

we take from this 

pandemic? 

Teaching during these 

difficult times has created a 

blended learning approach, 

meaning a school has had 

to develop a multi-faceted 

approach to education. 

Andy Perryer, Digital 

Learning Adviser for 

Cognita, reflects on how 

teachers and pupils have 

embraced online learning 

during the pandemic in this 

piece for the Independent 

Schools Council. 

Last week, a teacher at Breaside Prep, 

one of the Cognita schools just outside 

London, showed me how her class had 

taken to using collaborative documents. 

It sounds ordinary but is anything but. It 

started with a blank screen. Then a sprout 

of an idea appeared, followed by one 

branch and another; images were added, 

giving life and colour to the initial thinking, 

and a stream of comment boxes popped 

over the screen. All within the space of a 

minute: an explosion of creativity. 

Online teaching under Covid-19 

restrictions has been a hothouse for 

EdTech in the independent sector. 

Sometimes painful necessity has seen 

schools’ digital wizardry advance two+ 

years in mere weeks, as online tools once 

viewed as ‘nice to have’ additions become 

everyday necessities. So the future has 

arrived early, with lasting implications for 

what it means to be a teacher. 

But the story of the last few months is not 

a chronicle of the wonders of technology 

– rather the value of good teachers who 

are flexible, adaptable and committed. 

Evidence has shown that just giving 

children digital devices and software 

leads nowhere. The technology is an 

engine of education, but it’s the quality 

of the teacher’s guidance, motivation, 

feedback and interaction that are the allimportant 

wheels. 

Our schools in the UK were able to learn 

key lockdown lessons early on due to 

experiences shared by our sister schools 

in Asia, where the pandemic hit first. 

Chief among these was that well-being 

and a sense of security had to be the 

initial foundation. Pupils had to see their 

teachers and classmates, albeit virtually, 

and have time to re-establish feelings of 

being part of a community - before the 

impetus for learning was unlocked. 

There’s no doubt it’s been a trial by fire. 

Before Covid-19, teachers tended to 

fall into two camps: those who were 

comfortable with IT anyway, and those 

who couldn’t wait to turn off their 

laptop and get back into the classroom. 

Either way, the transition to online has 

prompted an incredible groundswell of 

teacher collaboration as peers share the 

challenges they’re feeling in this brave 

new world - along with ideas, support 

and handy hacks for overcoming them. 

Out went normal routines and mindsets 

as the realisation soon set in that an 

element of freewheeling agility is what’s 

needed. For example, as soon as we 

learned how to set up outward-facing 

webinars on Microsoft Teams in April, we 

had live online events up and running for 

parents from the following week on how 

to support children through lockdown. 

Before, this would have likely involved 

months of planning. 

We’ve been fortunate at Cognita in that the 

UK pandemic restrictions came towards 

the end of our national initiative to refresh 

how EdTech was being used, introducing 

mobile technology and wireless screen 

sharing as standard in the classroom. We 

were already encouraging teachers to be 

more mobile around classrooms, making 

their teaching practice more flexible and 

intuitive. They could take a snap of a 

student’s piece of work for instantaneous 

sharing and peer feedback, and teach 

from where they were needed rather than 

be tethered to the corner of the room 

where the tech used to sit. We showed 

them how digital tools could transform 

learning, not just substitute what is done 

without them. That’s what lockdown 

brought into sharp focus. 

As per the opening example of children 

using collaborative documents, 

we’ve seen how difficult times have 

opened eyes to how learning can be 

enhanced: the limits to collaboration 

and participation while working on 

paper in a classroom; the benefits of 

personalisation and student agency, 

when students get to choose how and 

when they study and who they learn 

with. Feedback has been transformed. 

Teachers have more options, from the 

simple text box, to a short piece of 

audio or a fully interactive video that 

encourages more depth and variety in 

responses; if a group of students are 

experiencing the same issue, they can 

provide group face-to-face feedback; 

and most importantly the feedback is on 

record, something that can be returned 

to rather than advice in a classroom that 

can’t always be remembered. 

The 2020 pandemic won’t be remembered 

as a blip for education but a step change, 

the opening up of the box to genuinely 

blended learning - the best of both online 

and face-to-face. And that will mean 

more flexibility and freedom for teaching 

professionals, no longer rooted in the 

classroom but able to move between the 

physical and virtual 

worlds, marshalling 

stores of resources 

and collaboration in 

ways that provide 

a more engaging, 

innovative education 

experience for our 

children. 

The Independent Schools Council (ISC) 

brings together seven associations and 

four affiliate associations to represent over 

1,300 independent schools. These schools 

are amongst the best in the world, and 

educate more than half-a-million children. 


a message from 

the head 

When we look to September, schools 

should ensure children return to 

an environment that is filled with 

kindness, culture and values... 

ADVERTISING FEATURE 

Learning during lockdown has been a steep curve for everyone. 

When we look to the full return to school for September, it is only 

natural that parents will wonder how their child’s school will help 

them to ‘catch up’. 

Though so much emphasis is being placed on academic 

intervention, in the short term, this is the wrong thing to worry 

over. Schools are full of data and so we can confidently asses 

how the knowledge and skills that children have has shifted 

against their expected progress. Excellent teachers are trained 

to deliver academic content. Children, particularly those in small 

class sizes and with high quality teaching, will naturally catch up 

on the learning they may have missed during lockdown. 

When children do return to school, there should not be a focus 

on the ‘academic loss’ children may have suffered. If you speak 

to children, their sense of what they have missed most will be 

so much broader than that; in years to come, when children look 

back on the weeks in lockdown, it is the loss of their relationships 

they will remember most keenly. Cancelled football matches. 

Missing gymnastics. Birthday parties in isolation. Sunday 

afternoons with Grandad. Children have had more access to 

‘academic learning’ than they have had opportunities for personal 

Headteacher David Preston 

and social development during the pandemic. If schools go 

chasing ‘academic recovery’, we risk ignoring the aspects of the 

child that really will need long-term intervention. 

We must, first and foremost, look at the holistic recovery that 

children will need to help them be better learners in the longterm. 

We must help children to find their sense of self again, to 

re-establish friendships and to ensure that children feel safe to 

resume learning. If we focus immediately on ‘academics’ we 

run the risk of dismissing the impact of the pandemic on our 

children’s readiness and ability to learn effectively. We must 

begin gradually to allow children to reconnect with themselves as 

classroom learners, their friends and their school. We must act 

with empathy and seek to rebuild routines in the ‘new normal’. 

Helping children to be happy in school must be our priority. 

North Leamington School 

Where will your next journey take you? 

NLS welcomes you to join us at one of our Virtual open evenings, where you will see 

our inspiring, nurturing and imaginative environment for you to shine. 

Main School Open Evening 

6:00pm – 8:30pm on Thursday 1st October 2020 

Sixth Form Open Evening 

6:00pm – 8:30pm on Thursday 12th November 2020 

Join our virtual tour and visit our state of the art ‘campus style’ site, with specialised 

Sixth Form area and first class educational and recreational facilities 

For more information call: 01926 338711 or email: nls@northleamington.co.uk 

www.northleamington.co.uk 

North Leamington School, Sandy Lane, Blackdown, Leamington Spa, Warwickshire CV32 6RD 


Ruckleigh. A magical 

school with a unique 

atmosphere and endless 

possibilities 

We are co-educational, catering for children 

aged between three and eleven years old 

Our school is an inspirational, joyful learning environment where 

children have been given the opportunity to shine brighter, reach 

higher, and go further for over a century. Family owned and 

fully independent, Ruckleigh consistently achieves great things. 

Both in terms of academic success and nurturing happy, fulfilled 

children, it excels. 

The small school… That’s BIG on results. 

We are unashamedly academic, and recognise the importance of 

examinations. Our children routinely achieve outstanding results 

and scholarships into the region’s top selective grammar and 

secondary schools. This years’ Year 6 excelled, achieving 15 

Academic Scholarships and an outstanding 23 Grammar School 

passes! 

The small school… That’s one BIG family. 

Joining Ruckleigh means you are not only a pupil at the school, 

you are part of a close-knit, caring family. The school itself is 

surrounded by a hidden garden with ancient trees, which lend 

an almost Narnian magic to break times and are supplemented 

by play areas aplenty. From the classroom to the playground, 

the spirit of generosity, kindness and respect for others shines 

through in every setting, and the happiness of all our pupils is 

clear to see. 


The small school… That’s BIG on ideas. 

Established in 1909, Ruckleigh was innovative in its insistence 

on co-education and its commitment to encouraging intellectual 

curiosity, confidence and a readiness in pupils to think differently. 

That aspect of our character is still prevalent today and being 

family owned means we can be agile and quick to respond to the 

changing needs of individuals and the wider community. 

So that’s us! There is so much more to say about our fantastic 

school, but the best way to get a ‘feel’ for what we are about 

is to come along and see for yourself. We are sure you will 

love what you see. Ruckleigh is a non-denominational school, 

accepting children of all faiths and none. The COVID pandemic 

has changed how we do things, but we are still working towards 

Open Day events on the 3rd October 2020. Contact us or keep 

an eye on our social media and website to see how to join 

us. Clearly the safety of our community will be of paramount 

importance. If you can’t make the open day events on 3rd 

October, don’t panic. We would be happy to organise 1 to 1 

tours. 

We may be small. But we are BIG on heart and we can’t wait for 

you to see for yourself. Visit www.ruckleigh.co.uk 

or call 0121 705 2773. 

Fuel their 

imagination 

We’re open! Check the website for 

opening hours and visitor information, 

pre-booking essential. 

Book tickets online at 

britishmotormuseum.co.uk 

Lola, 9. 

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LOVING 

home 

With holiday plans scuppered and moves delayed, we 

look at the ways you can transform your home into the 

perfect, functional family space you need 

Image from Lights4Fun.co.uk 


STYLE TIP 

Looking to replace your French doors? 

Crittall-style aluminium doors look wonderful 

in a whole host of properties - including 

period rooms where they complement the 

grandeur and scale of the space. 

Image from Ideal Glass 

CONSERVATORY CONVERSION 

Replacing a glass or polycarbonate conservatory roof with an insulated 

solid composite roof will match it up to the house and make it look like 

a natural extension with a sense of permanence. There’ll be no more 

problems with sun glare, leaks or a build-up of condensation, transforming 

your old conservatory into a more usable living space that is 

also more sound-proof. Composite roofs are also ideal for home office 

spaces, home studios, garden rooms, and orangeries. 

Image from Ultraframe 


Image from Herringbone Kitchens 

EXTENDING LIVING 

SPACE 

If a move is off the cards but your house is bursting at 

the seams, first consider where you can make the most 

of unused space - it’s generally the most cost-effective 

way to gain those extra square feet. 

Loft conversions will require professional drawing plans 

and, in some cases, planning permission too. If you live 

in a flat, a semi-detached, or terraced property, then a 

party wall agreement will also be needed. And if you 

live in a conservation area as well, there are additional 

hoops to jump through. Lastly, loft conversions need to 

adhere to building regulations. As a rule of thumb, you 

need a minimum height of 2.1 metres over 50% of the 

room after the new floor has been put in. 

Image from Ideal Glass 

There are many different types of loft conversion 

available including: skylight, rear dormer, double dormer, 

mansard, double mansard and hip-to-gable. So, giving 

an estimate of costs is tricky as it also depends on 

where you live in the UK. But once you’ve decided 

to invest and upgrade your loft space, you can take 

comfort in knowing you’ve created that 

beautiful extra room you and your family 

have been looking for. And, of course, 

you’ll have added several thousand 

pounds to the value of your home. 

STYLE TIP 

Indecision costs! Before starting your conversion of any space, make sure 

your plans are fully spec’d out. Make the most of all storage space - that’s 

often at a premium in smaller homes. The addition of a bathroom is great in a 

loft conversion, but don’t add one at the expense of making the bedroom too 

small. Keep decor light and breezy and invest in roof insulation to help control 

temperature in the space, as well as sufficient wall coverings. 

If a loft conversion won’t satisfy your 

needs, then you might want to consider 

a reconfiguration or extension in your 

living space. Rules, known as ‘permitted 

development’ rights, allow you to extend 

a house without needing to apply for 

planning permission if specific limitations 

and conditions are met - check your local 

authority website to find out the specific 

details. Usually, even an extension of 

a few square metres can make a huge 

difference to how you can use and 

configure living space - creating more 

convivial, conversational zones which 

appeal to modern ways of living. 


Collection from bridgman.co.uk 

Large Antique 

Brass Lantern, £95, 

ellajames.co.uk 

GARDEN ROOMS 

Those blessed with larger gardens have probably 

made the most of a lockdown in the sunshine... 

but larger gardens can also house garden rooms. 

These purpose-built structures can be fully 

plumbed in and have electricity installed, making 

them a viable space if your new work from home 

regime looks likely to stay in place - anyone who 

has been working balanced on the edge of the 

dining table with the family running riot around 

them will know it is not conducive to a happy 

working environment, so utilising space outside 

of the house is an excellent solution which 

causes no major interior upheaval. Unless you 

live in a conservation area or your home is listed, 

you will generally not need planning permission 

for these structures. 

Even with a smaller garden, utilising the space 

and making it feel like one homogeneous zone 

will make your living space feel amplified. 

Consider using matching or tonally similar 

flooring from the kitchen out to the patio, and if 

budget allows, opt for large panes of glazing or 

bi-fold doors to really allow the spaces to flow 

between each other. 

When setting up your outside space, the key is 

layering soft furnishings and lighting to make the 

seating area feel inviting. Use similar tones and 

textures in the adjoining room to make the spaces 

flow between each other. Al fresco entertaining 

will never have been so stylish! 

STYLE TIP 

Light and dress your outside space with the same care and 

attention you would your dining table when hosting. Will 

there be enough light after sunset, from the side, the table 

and maybe overhead like these fabulous string lights form 

lights4fun.co.uk. Dress the table too with lovely linens and 

have provisions like small throws over the backs of chairs 

just in case the temperature drops. 

Turkish Cotton 

Throw, £26, 

hauslife.co.uk 

Antique Brass 

Tray, £75, 

ellajames.co.uk 

Hampstead Bench, £290, 

gardentrading.co.uk 

Savannah Grey Liftup 

Garden Daybed, 

£649, danetti.com 

Ennial Outdoor Rug, from 

£49, escapologyhome.com 

Mai Cotton 

Cushion Cover, 

£40, hauslife.co.uk 


Whether you need a multi-fuel stove or an 

electric fireplace for your home, I will be able 

to assist you. From an initial home survey 

through to installation and the associated 

works, I will take care of everything for you. 

I employ a personal approach to provide 

my customers a great value supply and 

installation service, ensuring that they are 

completely happy with their new stoves and 

fireplaces. 

You can count on me for: 

• Wood burning stove installations 

• Fireplace installations 

• Flue liner installations (chimney lining) 

• Gas fire servicing and repairs 

Enhance the look and 

value of your home with 

luxurious stoves and 

fireplaces 

Call The Stove and Fireplace 

Installation Specialist on: 

07966 169 194 | 0121 647 7166 

stove-and-fireplace-installation-specialist.co.uk 


SPECIALISTS IN BLOCK PAVING, TARMACING AND LANDSCAPING 

Clay & Block Paving • Tarmacing (red or black) • Patios • Brickwork • Slabbing • Gravel 

Landscaping • Fencing • Property Repairs • Roofing Repairs • Driveway Maintenance 

Fascias • Soffits • Guttering (Pressure cleaning & Sealing - weed free) 

CALL US NOW FOR YOUR FREE NO OBLIGATION QUOTE 

ALL WORK FULLY GUARANTEED FOR 5 YEARS 

No deposit taken - No subcontractors used 

Check out samples of our work on our website 

www.centraldrivewayslimited.com 

T: 0120 702 1456 M: 07748 577 687 Email: michael.central@icloud.com 

1310 Solihull Parkway, Birmingham Business Park, Solihull B37 7YB - 75 Station Road, Kenilworth CV8 1JD 

0800 046 7291 

ARMOUREDROOFINGLTD.CO.UK 

Based in Nuneaton, we welcome all 

enquiries from a large area including 

Birmingham, Coventry, Hinckley, Market 

Bosworth, Solihull, Sutton Coldfield, 

Tamworth and all surrounding areas. 

We are a family run business with a wealth 

of experience working in the roofing 

industry. With a combined 15 years, our 

team have undertaken many new roofing 

installations as well as repairs for both 

private and commercial customers. 

NEW PITCHED ROOFS IN SLATES AND TILES | REPLACEMENT ROOFS 

ROOF REFURBISHMENTS | NEW FLAT ROOFS | ALL TYPES OF ROOFING 

REPAIRS, LARGE AND SMALL | CHIMNEY AND LEADWORK REPAIRS 

GUTTERING INSTALLATIONS AND REPAIRS | MOSS CLEANING AND 

GENERAL ROOF CLEANING 


Home Instead Senior Care Solihull 

Phone: 01564 330 395 | 01212 704 615 

www.homeinstead.co.uk/solihull 

The best home to be 

in is your own... 

We believe clients should be able to stay 

at home for as long as possible, surrounded 

by their memories and belongings. 

Each Home Instead Senior Care© franchise office is independently owned and operated. Copyright © Home Instead 2017. 

Lady Katherine Housing & Care 

RESIDENTIAL CARE 

SHELTERED HOUSING 

RESPITE CARE 

(now taking Autumn and Winter Respite bookings) 

If you would like to pay us a visit or discuss our current availability contact: 

Chris Mundell on 01564 772415 or 07593 552136 


We’re welcoming you back 

to our development… 

MAKE 

THE MOST OF 

STAMP DUTY 

SAVINGS 

ELEANOR LODGE 

New Retirement Apartments 

FOR SALE in KNOWLE 

We are delighted to announce that as Covid-19 restrictions start to relax, we’ve now 

reopened our Show Complex by appointment only. Your wellbeing remains our priority, so 

we have put in place a number of measures to keep everyone safe during your visit. 

One thing we are proud of at Churchill is our strong sense of community and 

companionship, which has really come to life during these difficult times. This has been 

summed up so perfectly by one of our Owners: 

“For me during lockdown, I may have been alone but never felt lonely.” 

ELEANOR LODGE 

Station Road, Knowle. 

Open Tuesday to Saturday, 10am- 5pm. 

Call us TODAY to find out more 

or to book an appointment 

01564 757454 

churchillretirement.co.uk 

OUR HERITAGE. YOUR FUTURE 

BUILT ON INTEGRITY AND TRUST

Later life... 

Let the fun begin !.? 

Here Peter Thomson takes stock of time during lockdown and how 

many older people benefitted from their time at home 

The past few months have been 

remarkable in mainly a bad way but 

thankfully with a few positives thrown in. 

Wishing to avoid adding to the negative 

bombardments we have been receiving 

daily, I am going to concentrate on some of 

these positives and how they might interact 

with ‘later life’. 

Enforced lockdowns have afforded many 

of us the ‘luxury’ of decoupling from the 

daily grind and given us a time to take 

stock. With no workday commuting nor 

competing activities to get in the way we 

have been able to undertake projects 

that have remained on the back burner 

or indulge ourselves with new hobbies or 

fitness regimes. 

It has in effect been a form of preretirement 

when people approaching 

their golden age get a chance to taste 

the future without having to make the 

big decision. Retirement used to be at 

a fixed age whereby a suitable present 

was bought and a venue booked so that 

everyone could give their soon to be 

former colleague a good send-off. If you 

are having to make this decision yourself 

do you soldier on whatever or call it a day 

28 | www.solihullliving.co.uk 

half dreading a retirement with nothing to 

do. You can only bake so many cakes and 

the garden is not a 7 day a week job. At 

this point anxieties can be awakened in as 

the old adage ‘use it or lose it’ cuts in and 

people become fearful for their future. 

But what has the lockdown taught us? 

Without getting on an ecological soapbox, 

we have all had time to appreciate the 

environment we live in. With much less 

travel and industry taking place the world 

gently began to heal itself. Seemingly bluer 

skies and more birdsong have been truly 

gladdening. Hopefully all this good will 

not be undone as we begin to return to 

the new normal. There has been a huge 

upswing in the amount of walking and 

cycling that has been taking place. People 

have discovered some beautiful locations 

within a short distance of their homes as 

well as getting exercise. 

It has also taught that the business of living 

is very important for people of all ages. 

If you do not nurture these processes 

and realise their importance you will 

miss out on many uplifting and enriching 

experiences. In a funny way it should not 

be called’ later life’, but just ‘life’!

Mockley Manor Care 

Home in Warwickshire 

gets a luxury makeover 

and innovative personcentred 

software. 

If it is good, make it better. When it is better, 

make it the best. That commitment to continuous 

improvement underpins everything we do at Coate 

Water Care, a philosophy that’s currently on show 

at Mockley Manor Care and Nursing Home where 

we have invested £4 million in a major renovation 

and new care suites and facilities. Mockley Manor 

is set in beautiful, well-maintained grounds in 

the heart of the Warwickshire countryside. 

It is a privileged location now mirrored by a 

premium makeover that has increased the home’s 

capacity from 46 to 63 bedrooms, including a range 

of spacious 20 square metre suites (compared to 

the industry standard 12 square metres) with direct 

access to the home’s lovely gardens. Each room 

is newly equipped with infrared technology that 

transmits a signal if a person falls over, a factor that 

provides real peace of mind for residents’ loved ones. 

Last Few Remaining, 75% Reserved 

To secure a place at Mockley Manor 

book today! 

Limited availability remaining 

Fully Secure Home 

Home Cooked Meals 

Friendly Helpful Staff 

CQC Regulated 

Full Activity Programme 

Specialist Care Services 

Specialist Trained Staff 

Barbarella’s Hair & Beauty Salon 

Luxury Cinema 

Coffee Lounge 

Secure Landscape Gardens 

Beautiful Landscape Views 

If you would like to visit or have any questions, 

please contact our welcome team 

Call: 01793 821200 or 

Email: enquiries@coatewatercare.co.uk


Mockley Manor gets a £4 million 

makeover but is still very much ‘a 

home from home’ 

After a meticulously planned and splendidly executed 

renovation the Warwickshire care home really does 

have the wow factor. 

Five minutes into a conversation with 

anybody connected with Mockley 

Manor – carers, managers or residents’ 

relatives - and the word ‘home’ inevitably 

crops up. And that’s not just home as in 

care home, it’s home in the sense of the 

place where we feel most comfortable 

and secure, as in ‘a home from home’ or 

‘home sweet home’. 

Part of that is down to the impressive 

surroundings. In terms of layout, 

furnishings, colour schemes and signage 

every last detail of the renovation has 

been designed according to best practice 

when it comes to elderly residents and 

people living with dementia. 

After a £4 million investment by owners 

Coate Water Care, the surroundings 

are truly state-of-the-art, with high-end 

facilities, bespoke individual suites and 

the latest technology that care homes can 

offer to keep their residents safe and well. 

A new reception, coffee shop, cinema 

suite, hairdressers and laundry service 

boast luxury hotel standard interiors and 

furnishings, while new person-centred 

software allows carers to input data on 

residents in real time, reducing paperwork 

and giving carers more time to care. 

But home is not just about fixtures 

and fittings, it’s about the people that 

surround you, and Mockley Manor is 

immensely proud of the contribution 

made by its carers, whose empathy, 

individual attention and sheer 

professionalism is what really makes 

the residents feel ‘at home’ and also 

makes residents’ family and friends both 

satisfied and comfortable with the levels 

of care. 

As one relative of residents puts it: “In 

2018 we were looking for a place for 

my mother and Warwickshire Social 

Services gave us a list of places to look 

at. We tried a couple and then came to 

Mockley Manor, where my brother and I 

immediately said ‘This is the one, it just 

feels absolutely right, it’s not a home, it’s 

home’. That’s why we chose it and we 

would recommend it wholeheartedly. In 

fact, my wife had to come into care in 

December 2019 and I didn’t hesitate to 

contact Mockley Manor and say please, 

please can you take her.” 

Sue Houldey, Coate Water Care’s longstanding 

Operations Manager, puts it 

“After a £4 million investment by owners Coate 

Water Care, the surroundings are truly stateof-the-art, 

with high-end facilities, bespoke 

individual suites and the latest technology” 

this way: “Coate Water Care is a family 

run business and we try to operate 

each home – no more so than Mockley 

Manor - like a family home. It’s about 

being professional but also about making 

people feel as comfortable as they can 

possibly be within a care environment.” 

Testament to Coate Water Care’s high 

standards is the fact that they were voted 

National Care Association Member of the 

Year 2019. 

The events of the past few months 

have been immensely challenging for 

everybody involved with care homes, 

including at Mockley Manor. However, 

they closed their doors a week before the 

official lockdown was announced and the 

management team took proactive steps 

to make sure the home was set up and 

ready for COVID-19 in order to make sure 

residents were safe and secure. 

Mockley Manor Care and Nursing Home 

is set in beautiful, well-maintained 

grounds on the outskirts of the pleasant 

village of Ullenhall, near Henley in Arden. 

The home is situated in the heart of the 

Warwickshire countryside only 7 miles 

from Redditch town centre and is easily 

accessible from Stratford, Solihull and 

the M42. 

Mockley Manor Care & Nursing Home, 

Forde Hall Lane, Ullenhall, B95 5PS 

Tel: 01564 742325 

rachael@mockleymanorcare.co.uk 


We’re welcoming you back 

to our development… 

MAKE 

THE MOST OF 

STAMP DUTY 

SAVINGS 

WOOLMANS LODGE 

New Retirement Apartments 

FOR SALE in SHIRLEY 

We are delighted to announce that as Covid-19 restrictions start to relax, we’ve now 

reopened our Show Complex by appointment only. Your wellbeing remains our priority, so 

we have put in place a number of measures to keep everyone safe during your visit. 

One thing we are proud of at Churchill is our strong sense of community and 

companionship, which has really come to life during these difficult times. This has been 

summed up so perfectly by one of our Owners: 

“For me during lockdown, I may have been alone but never felt lonely.” 

WOOLMANS LODGE 

Solihull Road, Shirley. 

Open by appointment only. 

Call us TODAY to find out more 

or to book an appointment 

0121 514 9798 

churchillretirement.co.uk 

OUR HERITAGE. YOUR FUTURE 

BUILT ON INTEGRITY AND TRUST

Solihull Living Sep - Oct 2020

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