J'AIME January 2021
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J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 1<br />
J’AIME<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 />
Bossy<br />
Boots:<br />
LOUNGING AROUND -<br />
KEY UPDATES FOR YOUR<br />
LIVING SPACE<br />
YOUR JANUARY<br />
FOOTWEAR SORTED<br />
Win<br />
£100 of soft<br />
furnishings<br />
SUITS YOU, SIR:<br />
MEET BIRMINGHAM’S<br />
CRAFTSMAN TAILOR
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JANE WILL SUPPORT YOU TO:<br />
l Envision a clear solution and enjoy peace of mind<br />
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WITH OVER 20 YEARS’ EXPERIENCE AS A FAMILY LAW EXPERT IN CHILDREN AND FINANCE, CALL JANE TODAY ON: 0121 756 3513<br />
SAME-DAY RESPONSE<br />
To ensure you receive<br />
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HELPING THE LOCAL<br />
NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY<br />
We’re here if you<br />
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WE WORK WITH YOU<br />
A dedicated family<br />
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through the process.<br />
YOU COME FIRST<br />
Find our hundreds<br />
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THE<br />
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Our pledges to you.<br />
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We will keep you<br />
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We are triple-accredited, under<br />
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www.qualitysolicitors.com/davisons<br />
254 Lichfield Road, Four Oaks, Sutton Coldfield, B74 2UH<br />
Offices in Colmore Row l Cotteridge l Edgbaston l Solihull l Stratford-upon-Avon l Sutton Coldfield l Weoley Castle l Wolverhampton
Welcome to J’AIME<br />
Here at J’AIME we’re very excited to be starting a<br />
shiny new year with all the possibilities that brings.<br />
We’re hopeful that life will gradually start to return to<br />
normal this year and that we’ll get some of our muchmissed<br />
freedoms back. Oh for days when we can go<br />
out for dinner with a group of friends, catch a film,<br />
sit in the audience of a brilliant show at the theatre<br />
or even just hug the people we love. Those days will<br />
come.<br />
<strong>2021</strong> brings exciting developments for J’AIME. You’ll<br />
see the address of our website across the bottom of<br />
each page in this magazine and that’s because we’ve<br />
given www.jaimemagazine.com a wonderful<br />
revamp. You can now visit the website to read<br />
everything you see in the magazine plus much, much<br />
more. The website will be updated each day and will<br />
include positive, uplifting lifestyle articles from right<br />
across the Midlands.<br />
As well as being delivered to homes in selected<br />
postcodes J’AIME is now available to pick up free of<br />
charge in major supermarkets around the Midlands.<br />
You can also read a digital version of the magazine<br />
free of charge at read.jaimemagazine.com<br />
Within the <strong>January</strong> magazine you can enter a<br />
competition to win £100 of soft furnishings, read<br />
about Birmingham’s craftsman bespoke tailor and find<br />
out about the best walking spots in the region.<br />
Add to that our usual mix of interiors, property,<br />
fashion, beauty, travel, fitness, what’s on and food and<br />
we hope we have something for everyone.<br />
At the time of going to press we have no idea of when<br />
coronavirus restrictions will ease in the region. We<br />
hope our upbeat, positive content will bring a little<br />
positivity to your life.<br />
Please don’t forget to support your local independent<br />
businesses. When you buy from a small business you’re<br />
supporting your community and helping to keep<br />
people in jobs.<br />
From everyone at J’AIME, may we wish you a very<br />
happy new year. We’re looking forward to sharing<br />
<strong>2021</strong> with you.<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: JENNY AMPHLETT, HOLLY<br />
THOMSON, RAUL ROMERO, DEBORAH MITCHELL<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
CONTENTS<br />
InsideJ’aime this month...<br />
6 Suits you, sir - Meet Birmingham’s craftsman<br />
bespoke tailor<br />
12 Property - Prepare to be stunned by our<br />
property of the month<br />
14 Interiors - Embrace the colour teal<br />
18 Interiors - Give your lounge a new year update<br />
22 Food and drink - Take it easy with a restaurantquality<br />
takeaway<br />
24 Travel - Why a holiday close to home could be<br />
just the ticket<br />
26 Travel - Get your groove on in Cuba<br />
32 Fitness - Why you should be setting your<br />
summer fitness goals now<br />
34 Fashion - New year, new boots<br />
36 What’s on - Great ideas for the month ahead<br />
38 What’s on - Four beautiful gardens to visit<br />
this month<br />
40 What’s on - Our guide to some of the best<br />
walking spots in the region<br />
42 Positive thinking - Why <strong>2021</strong> really can be your<br />
year<br />
44 In the news - Meet the writer and the schoolgirl<br />
who are both winning at life<br />
46 In the news - Meet the award-winning Pakistani<br />
author who chose to publish her book 4,000<br />
miles away, in Staffordshire<br />
48 Competition - Win £100 of soft furnishings<br />
49 Health - The little pill that could kickstart your<br />
weight loss regime<br />
50 Beauty - Why great-looking skin starts from the<br />
inside<br />
SPONSORED BY<br />
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We have 2, 3, 4 and 5 bedroom homes from £199,995<br />
Appointment visits and virtual tours available!<br />
Don’t worry if you don’t feel comfortable to visit us just yet,<br />
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Mortgage Paid for 12 months offer is available on selected homes only, not in conjunction with any other offer. Paid as a cash lump sum upon legal completion and calculated as the cash equivalent of monthly mortgage repayments<br />
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to second homeowners or investor purchasers. We reserve the right to withdraw the incentive at any time without prior notice. ^Flooring is provided from our standard range unless otherwise specified. Photograph depicts a typical<br />
Bovis Home exterior/interior. Elevation may differ to that shown. Internal images may include optional upgrades at an additional cost. Price & availability correct at time of going to print/broadcast. YOUR HOME MAY BE REPOSSESSED<br />
IF YOU DO NOT KEEP UP REPAYMENTS ON A MORTGAGE ORANY OTHER DEBT SECURED ON IT. Ask our sales advisor for details. 5-star home rating based on the independent. Offer ends 31-12-2020. 5-star home rating based on<br />
the independent annual home owner survey conducted by the Home Builders Federation. GDD57897
F E AT U R E<br />
Suits you, sir<br />
MARK PURCELL IS BIRMINGHAM’S LAST REMAINING APPRENTICE-TRAINED<br />
BESPOKE TAILOR. JENNY AMPHLETT WENT TO MEET HIM<br />
A three piece suit handmade by Mark<br />
Purcell using British woven wool is<br />
likely to set you back around £2,800<br />
and take at least three months to be<br />
made - yet he has people queuing up<br />
for them.<br />
The 52-year-old, who works out of a<br />
converted garage at his Handsworth<br />
Wood Home, has made suits for<br />
everyone from pop stars to wealthy<br />
businessmen. He makes plus fours for<br />
the landed gentry and has even made<br />
frock coats for an ancient order of<br />
woodsmen, including leather pouches<br />
to hold their arrows.<br />
His USP is that he’s a true craftsman<br />
in an automated age - doing<br />
everything from measuring to design<br />
concept and from pattern cutting<br />
to sewing personally, often using<br />
traditional methods.<br />
“A lot of people call themselves a<br />
tailor and a lot of people use the work<br />
bespoke, but there aren’t many people<br />
around who are doing what I do,” he<br />
said.<br />
“I’m the only remaining<br />
apprentice-trained bespoke tailor in<br />
Birmingham. I like to think of myself<br />
as a true craftsman, a true tailor.<br />
“I’m first and foremost a coat maker,<br />
although I can do every other part of<br />
what it takes to make a three piece<br />
suit.”<br />
Mark didn’t actually start his tailoring<br />
apprenticeship until the age of 27,<br />
after first training to be an engineer.<br />
It may seem an odd transition, but he<br />
says there are definitely transferable<br />
skills between the seemingly very<br />
different worlds of work.<br />
6 www.jaimemagazine.com
“I spent four years working in a factory, training<br />
to be an engineer and initially thinking that was<br />
what I wanted to do with my life. It was only<br />
later, when my love for tailoring developed, that I<br />
realised that was where my passions really lay.”<br />
Mark was house sharing with friends who were<br />
in a band during his engineering years and found<br />
himself hankering after a taste of their creative<br />
lifestyle.<br />
“I thought it looked like they were having<br />
an awful lot more fun than me. I’d always<br />
wanted to be a craftsman. I decided to pack<br />
in the engineering, do some travelling with my<br />
friends’ band and then look at finding a career<br />
afterwards.<br />
“So I basically did an engineering apprenticeship<br />
then ran away with the circus. When I wasn’t<br />
driving them to gigs I was learning to sew at<br />
night school and making shirts and suits.”<br />
Mark was making clothes for himself and his<br />
friends, sometimes the more flamboyant the<br />
better, and getting involved in the local music<br />
scene.<br />
“A chain of events led to me working with<br />
fashion designer Patti Bell, of the fashion label<br />
and boutique Kahn and Bell opposite the<br />
Hippodrome in Birmingham.”<br />
Patti Bell was at the forefront of New<br />
Romantic fashion and made outfits for many<br />
of the best known pop bands of the day.<br />
“She could call Boy George and the<br />
members of Duran Duran her personal<br />
friends. She was Birmingham’s answer to<br />
Vivienne Westwood. It was very exciting for<br />
me to be a part of that.”<br />
Mark is himself a good friend of Pete<br />
Williams, the bass player from 80s band<br />
Dexys Midnight Runners, and made suits for<br />
a series of shows the band performed at the<br />
Duke of York Theatre in London.<br />
“Pete put in a request for a suit and I<br />
knocked it up for him as quickly as possible.”<br />
He’s also made suits for a member of punk<br />
rock band The Ruts.<br />
Mark set up on his own as Mark Purcell<br />
Bespoke Tailoring in 2013, aiming to use his<br />
experience working for Patti Bell and other<br />
later employers to offer a unique service as a<br />
complete craftsman tailor.<br />
“I just wanted to be a craftsman. I didn’t<br />
want to work in retail or to buy in then sell<br />
ready-to-wear items. I just wanted to use my<br />
www.jaimemagazine.com<br />
7
skills to make coats, suits and other items for<br />
people to invest in and wear for many years.”<br />
As well as working directly for individual<br />
customers he has, over the years, made very<br />
special coats for a luxury brand in the south of<br />
England that supplies none other than Captain<br />
Tom with his coats.<br />
It generally takes Mark at least three months<br />
to make each item, which includes fittings,<br />
pattern cutting and stitching the garment.<br />
A three piece suit made with British woven<br />
wool costs in the region of £2,800, although<br />
Mark says people are less inclined to order<br />
business suits at the moment and more likely<br />
to be looking for bespoke countrywear.<br />
“People aren’t in the office and they aren’t<br />
wearing a suit to work from home, so instead<br />
they’re investing in clothes for outdoor<br />
pursuits.<br />
“At the moment I’m making a naval peacoat<br />
for a gentleman. It’s one key item that<br />
he’s going to be wearing for many years to<br />
come and probably handing down to future<br />
generations.<br />
“It isn’t cheap to have it made but it isn’t until<br />
he’s owned it for 20 years and looks back that<br />
he’ll realise that it’s been a cheap garment<br />
because he’s had so much use out of it.<br />
“A ready-to-wear coat might last you for three<br />
years before the cloth starts to go thin and you<br />
get rid of it. Where’s the economy in that?”<br />
Mark says his customers are drawn from<br />
all walks of life: businesspeople, pop stars,<br />
enthusiasts for a particular era of fashion.<br />
He says they can often be categorised as either<br />
connoisseurs or people with an unusual figure<br />
who buy items to fit them off the peg.<br />
He even has one client who was bitten on the<br />
arm by a shark and needs clothes created to fit<br />
accordingly.<br />
Perhaps because of his interest in the music<br />
scene Mark says his own preference is for<br />
flamboyant clothes, but that he always tries to<br />
gauge what might work best for the customer<br />
rather than himself.<br />
“If you have flamboyant tastes then go for a<br />
suit with a flamboyant lining, but if you don’t<br />
then you should avoid that because it’ll start to<br />
annoy you and you won’t want to wear it.<br />
“People are very critical of what they see. If<br />
someone walks into a room wearing clothes<br />
that don’t fit very well then we critique them,<br />
8<br />
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it’s a natural instinct.<br />
“But if someone walks into a room in perfectly fitting<br />
clothes then it almost gives them an air of mystery,<br />
we don’t immediately feel that we know something<br />
about them.”<br />
Mark mostly creates menswear but he does make<br />
clothes for women too, such as tailored country<br />
pursuits jackets.<br />
He still makes clothes for himself when he has time,<br />
and tries to make sure he treats himself to at least<br />
one Mark Purcell Bespoke Tailoring item each year.<br />
“It reminds me of the days when I used to go to the<br />
fancy silk stall and buy fabric to make a shirt I knew<br />
nobody else would be wearing when I went out.<br />
“Most recently I’ve made myself a nice tweed<br />
bomber jacket. It’s good to be able to show these<br />
things to customers to give them ideas for the sorts of<br />
things they could have made too.”<br />
A far cry from 80s pop bands, Mark says his biggest<br />
style icon was The Duke of Windsor.<br />
“I admired him sartorially. The way he matched his<br />
clothes together was fabulous. When his possessions<br />
were sold off a catalogue was put together, and the<br />
suits were just fantastic. The colours and designs<br />
were fabulous. Such an inspiration.”<br />
Mark Purcell Bespoke Tailoring,<br />
https://markpurcell.co.uk, 07890 003523<br />
10 www.jaimemagazine.com
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P R O P E RTY<br />
Property of the Month<br />
EACH MONTH WE SHOWCASE ONE OF THE MOST LUXURIOUS PROPERTIES<br />
CURRENTLY ON THE MARKET IN THE MIDLANDS. THIS HOUSE HAS TO BE ONE<br />
OF THE MOST SPECTACULAR YOU WILL SEE ALL YEAR.<br />
Wall House, Green Lane, Wall, near Lichfield. Guide price: £4.25 million.<br />
On the market with Aston Knowles: 0121 362 7878<br />
THE AGENT SAYS: Wall House, located in the historic<br />
Hamlet of Wall on the outskirts of Lichfield, is a residence<br />
that’s steeped in history and charm. It offers a rare<br />
opportunity to escape the city and acquire an enviably<br />
located country pile.<br />
The remarkable eight-bedroom, Grade II listed Georgian<br />
property is reported to have been built on the site of a<br />
sixteenth century residence and still contains part of the<br />
structure as well as some of the panelling from the earlier<br />
house.<br />
Wall House stands in beautiful formal gardens with more<br />
than four acres of grounds and commanding views over the<br />
Staffordshire countryside.<br />
Over a century later, Wall House still retains many of its<br />
exquisite original features and has been sympathetically<br />
enlarged and luxuriously appointed by the current owners,<br />
who have also obtained planning permission for a singlestorey<br />
structure of circa 1900 sq. feet in the secret garden,<br />
next to the walled garden. The extension is planned to house<br />
a state-of-the-art leisure complex with swimming pool or<br />
alternatively could be used as a contemporary guest annexe<br />
to the main house.<br />
Wall House really is the perfect home for the discerning buyer<br />
and there is truly very little to rival it as a prime example<br />
of authenticity existing comfortably within the luxurious<br />
modern world.<br />
W E L O V E :<br />
THE MIX OF HISTORIC CHARACTER<br />
FEATURES AND MODERN COMFORTS.<br />
12<br />
www.jaimemagazine.com
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www.bespokekitchensbybroadway.com<br />
Tel: 0121 353 4999<br />
www.kitchensbybroadway.co.uk
I N T E R I O R S<br />
Ocean<br />
hues<br />
AS we head into a brand new year after the<br />
unprecedented chaos that has been 2020, it’s time to take<br />
a moment to reflect and reset. And it’s only natural that we<br />
want our spaces to mirror that need for contemplation and<br />
renewal.<br />
Paint specialists Benjamin Moore have encompassed just<br />
that in their Colour of the Year for <strong>2021</strong> - Aegean Teal.<br />
Intriguing, balanced, and deeply soothing, Aegean Teal<br />
creates natural harmony.<br />
“This year’s Colour of the Year is a balanced and<br />
soothing blue-green hue, softened with a touch of grey to<br />
create spaces with a casual elegance.” says Helen Shaw,<br />
marketing director at Benjamin Moore UK.<br />
This ocean-inspired shade works well in a multitude of<br />
settings, bringing joy to all interior spaces. Adding a fresh,<br />
crisp feel to a decor scheme, it also creates a relaxed and<br />
soothing atmosphere - exactly what we need in the current<br />
challenging climate.<br />
TEAL VELVET THROW, £220, THE FRENCH BEDROOM CO.<br />
WWW.FRENCHBEDROOMCOMPANY.CO.UK<br />
CHEVRON THROW, SHIMU.<br />
WWW.SHIMU.CO.UK<br />
£45<br />
£45<br />
£119<br />
PORTO LINEN LAMPSHADE,<br />
WWW.MADE.COM<br />
£599<br />
CARNABY FOOTSTOOL IN TEAL VELVET,<br />
ATKIN AND THYME.<br />
WWW.ATKINANDTHYME.CO.UK<br />
ARPEN DESK IN TEAL AND BRASS,<br />
WWW.MADE.COM<br />
14<br />
www.jaimemagazine.com
£67 £135 £779<br />
VILLA NOVA SAMI CUSHION, SWEETPEA & WILLOW.<br />
WWW.SWEETPEAANDWILLOW.COM<br />
BROSTE COPENHAGEN AIR LOUNGE CHAIR,<br />
CUCKOOLAND. WWW.CUCKOOLAND.COM<br />
PINEAPPLE GLASS FLOOR LAMP<br />
WITH TEAL VELVET SHADE, AUDENZA.<br />
WWW.AUDENZA.COM<br />
TEAL AND GREEN GLASS MARBLE EFFECT<br />
LAMP, NEEDWOOD LIVING, ALREWAS.<br />
WWW.NEEDWOODLIVING.CO.UK<br />
£495<br />
£449<br />
£125<br />
EICHHOLTZ SET OF TWO COOPER DINING<br />
CHAIRS, SWEETPEA & WILLOW.<br />
WWW.SWEETPEAANDWILLOW.COM<br />
TANDY DRESSING TABLE,<br />
WWW.MADE.COM<br />
FINCHLEY TWO SEATER SOFA, £699,<br />
SOFOLOGY. WWW.SOFOLOGY.CO.UK<br />
SUBMARINE BLUE HERITAGE LOUNGE DESIGN<br />
BY NAOMI STARR AT NAOMI STARR DESIGN.<br />
WWW.NAOMISTARRDESIGN.COM
BENJAMIN MOORE COLOUR OF THE YEAR<br />
<strong>2021</strong> AEGEAN TEAL, FROM £24 FOR 0.94L.<br />
WWW.BENJAMINMOOREPAINT.CO.UK<br />
ACHILLES TEAL MIX FISH SCALE TILES,<br />
£39.95 PER SQM, WALLS AND FLOORS.<br />
WWW.WALLSANDFLOORS.CO.UK<br />
THE REBEL THREE SEATER SOFA IN<br />
A BOX IN TEAL, £899, SNUG SHACK.<br />
WWW.SNUGSHACK.CO.UK<br />
LEO LIGHT TEAL KING SIZE BED, £549,<br />
DANETTI. WWW.DANETTI.COM<br />
DULWICH MMIDI SOFA, £1,218, DARLINGS OF CHELSEA.<br />
WWW.DARLINGSOFCHELSEA.CO.UK
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Home Office<br />
Family Rooms<br />
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require the services of a professional designer.<br />
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info@needwoodliving.co.uk<br />
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Alrewas, DE13 7ED<br />
01283 711 272<br />
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online: www.interiorchoice.net or call 01543 406162<br />
PHOTO ME
I N T E R I O R S<br />
Lounging<br />
around<br />
AS ‘lockdown’ became not only a new buzzword for our<br />
vocabulary but a way of life in 2020, it meant that we<br />
spent a whole lot more time at home. And more time at<br />
home means making sure our spaces are as cosy as can be.<br />
If your living room has been multitasking as an office and<br />
classroom for much of the past nine months, it might just<br />
be time for a little refresh now life is getting a bit more<br />
back to normal.<br />
The sofa is the heart of the living room so choose wisely;<br />
opt for something luxuriously comfortable to ensure you’re<br />
relaxing in style, and because it’s not a piece you’ll want to<br />
replace year in, year out it’s always best to invest in quality.<br />
Elsewhere, small updates can make a big difference; try<br />
switching up your soft furnishings to change your colour<br />
scheme, or add a new lamp to two for some extra ambient<br />
lighting - perfect for creating a cosy vibe.<br />
VIVIAN COCKTAIL CHAIR, £149, MONKEY SIDE TABLE, £149,<br />
AND ACCESSORIES FROM A SELECTION AT DUMELM.<br />
WWW.DUNELM.COM<br />
£999<br />
DION THREE SEATER SOFA, £999,<br />
WWW.MADE.COM<br />
£4.50<br />
AGRA TEALIGHT HOLDER,<br />
HABITAT. WWW.HABITAT.CO.UK<br />
CORDELIA GLASS AND MARBLE<br />
TABLE LAMP, CULT FURNITURE.<br />
WWW.CULTFURNITURE.COM<br />
£10<br />
NESTING SIDE TABLES, FROM<br />
A SELECTION AT AMARA.<br />
WWW.AMARA.COM<br />
WOVEN CUSHION IN CORAL, HABITAT.<br />
WWW.HABITAT.CO.UK<br />
£59<br />
18<br />
www.jaimemagazine.com
£659<br />
£2300<br />
TEDDY SOFABED IN PLUM SMART VELVET,<br />
£2,300, WWW.SOFA.COM<br />
FERM LIVING POUF, AMARA.<br />
WWW.AMARA.COM<br />
£529<br />
£30<br />
LEXON MINA LED LIGHT IN DARK PLUM,<br />
AMARA. WWW.AMARA.COM<br />
£1,924<br />
WARM NORDIC CAPE LOUNGE CHAIR,<br />
WWW.NEST.CO.UK<br />
AUZERA ARMCHAIR IN PLUM AND BRASS,<br />
SWOON. WWW.SWOONEDITIONS.COM<br />
HARRIET SOFA IN BLUSH PINK, £1,050, LIVING IT UP.<br />
WWW.LIVINGITUP.CO.UK
COPPER FALLS COLLECTION BY<br />
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ABACUS SOFA AND GARY FLOOR LAMP<br />
BY PORADA, AVAILABLE FROM CHAPLINS<br />
FURNITURE. WWW.CHAPLINS.CO.UK<br />
AIDA TWO-SEATER VELVET SOFA IN<br />
AUBERGINE, £499, DFS. WWW.DFS.CO.UK<br />
GIGI TABLE LAMP PINK, £35, JUNGLE LUXE<br />
NAVY WALLPAPER, £12, AND ANYA LARGE<br />
SIDEBOARD, £499, ALL DUNELM.<br />
WWW.DUNELM.COM<br />
SONA STORAGE COFFEE TABLE, £195,<br />
HABITAT. WWW.HABITAT.CO.UK<br />
20
Woodburning &<br />
FREE no obligation multifuel design stoves service with our kitchen specialists<br />
16 -18 Britannia Way Britannia Enterprise Park, Lichfield WS14 9UY • 01543 263340<br />
info@lichfieldkitchensandbedrooms.com • www.lichfieldkitchensandbedrooms.com<br />
Opening Hours: Monday - Friday 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Saturday 10:00am - 4:00pm<br />
t he heart of t he home...<br />
Visit our showroom to be amazed by the choice -<br />
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WE OF F ER<br />
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INST ALLA T ION<br />
SERV ICE<br />
Visit our showroom and be amazed by the choice! With such a wide range from traditional to modern, there’s sure to be a style to suit you!<br />
5 Stafford Road, Lichfield WS13 7BZ - Tel: 01543 263 383 • www.thefireplacelichfield.co.uk • Email: sales@thefireplacelichfield.co.uk<br />
Opening hours: Open Tuesday to Saturday 10am - 4pm. Closed Sundays, Monday’s and bank holidays . FREE ON-SITE PARKING.
F O O D & D R I N K<br />
Take it easy<br />
IT MAY STILL BE MORE DIFFICULT TO EAT OUT AT THE MOMENT BUT THAT DOESN’T<br />
MEAN YOU CAN’T ENJOY RESTAURANT QUALITY FOOD. HERE ARE SOME OF OUR<br />
FAVOURITE PLACES TO GET A LUXURY TAKEAWAY THIS MONTH<br />
WHAT: BREAKFAST, BRUNCH AND LUNCH<br />
WHERE: THYME KITCHEN, LICHFIELD<br />
From soups and sandwiches to coffees and cakes,<br />
brunch eaterie Thyme Kitchen is offering a full<br />
takeaway service.<br />
If you’ve been hankering after a full English (but<br />
not the washing up afterwards) then this is the<br />
place for you.<br />
We can heartily recommend their Persian eggs<br />
(the prettiest poached eggs team J’AIME have<br />
ever seen) and the luxury hot chocolate that is so<br />
substantial it’s practically a meal in itself.<br />
WHAT: A TESTING MENU PREPARED BY AN<br />
AWARD-WINNING CHEF<br />
WHERE: SAUCE SUPPER CLUB, DELIVERED<br />
TO YOUR HOME<br />
You don’t even need to step outside your front<br />
door to enjoy amazing food created by one of the<br />
best chefs in the Midlands (and we’re not talking<br />
about your other half).<br />
You can order a Sauce Supper Club menu online<br />
and have it delivered to your doorstep. It’s as<br />
simple as that.<br />
The food, created by chef Tom Shepherd, is<br />
available for home delivery from Thursday to<br />
Sunday each week.<br />
WHAT: DELICIOUS FRESH BAKES<br />
WHERE: ON THE BREAD LINE, FOUR OAKS<br />
The delicious aromas hit your nostrils long before you step into<br />
Sebastian Clough’s independent bakery.<br />
We’re talking seriously fragrant, freshly baked bread, cakes,<br />
pastries and tarts - our mouths are watering just at the thought<br />
of it.<br />
A professionally trained baker with French pastry skills, Sebastian<br />
has been working hard throughout both lockdowns to keep<br />
delicious treats on tables right across the region.<br />
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WHAT: CAKES AND BAKES<br />
WHERE: NOMS FROM TOM, BURNTWOOD<br />
Established just last year as a hobby for keen<br />
home baker Tom, Noms From Tom has quickly<br />
turned into a full-time business.<br />
Tom’s specials include weekly lucky dip sweet<br />
treat boxes containing five randomly selected<br />
slices of brownies, blondies and traybakes. The<br />
postal boxes ‘go live’ every Sunday evening and<br />
usually sell out quickly.<br />
He also makes the sort of special occasion cakes<br />
that are almost too beautiful to actually eat.<br />
WHAT: DELI AND FRESHLY PREPARED FOOD<br />
WHERE: POM’S KITCHEN AND DELI,<br />
LICHFIELD<br />
Not only can you get a take out of delicious<br />
breakfast, brunch or lunch from Pom’s Kitchen,<br />
you can also stock up your fridge and pantry at<br />
the deli.<br />
Fresh, locally sourced produce is the key here -<br />
for both the kitchen and the deli alike.<br />
You can pick up everything from teabags to<br />
ketchup and from luxury dog treats to a bottle of<br />
gin - and buy your lunch and a coffee to go at the<br />
same time.<br />
WHAT: TAKEAWAY MEALS, FRESH<br />
PRODUCE AND MORE<br />
WHERE: STRAWBERRYFIELDS FARM AND<br />
COFFEE SHOP, BURNTWOOD<br />
From pizzas to fish and chips to Sunday roast<br />
baps, the good folk at Strawberryfields have<br />
been cooking up all manner of delicious meals<br />
for people to take away.<br />
The beauty of this place is that you can also<br />
pick up pretty much everything you could<br />
need for a weekly shop at the same time.<br />
There’s always a tempting array of fruit and<br />
vegetables, much of which is grown on the<br />
farm.<br />
You’ll find something new every time you<br />
visit, depending on what’s in season.<br />
www.jaimemagazine.com<br />
23
T R AV E L<br />
Cheshire - where science meets nature<br />
HOLIDAYS CLOSER TO HOME HAVE BECOME THE NORM IN OUR NEW COVID-19<br />
WORLD. JENNY AMPHLETT DISCOVERS THAT YOU NEED GO NO FURTHER THAN<br />
A COUPLE OF COUNTIES TO COMPLETELY GET AWAY FROM THINGS<br />
The moon landings were 200,000<br />
miles away, but there’s a strong link<br />
just a couple of hours up the M6.<br />
It was one small step for man and<br />
one giant leap for mankind when<br />
Neil Armstrong set foot on the<br />
moon, and it’s just a handful of<br />
junctions along the motorway to a<br />
place with serious connections to<br />
that momentous occasion.<br />
On July 20, 1969 the planet’s<br />
population looked skywards as Neil<br />
Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed<br />
on the moon.<br />
More than 200,000 miles away, back<br />
on Earth, their mission was being<br />
unofficially monitored and recorded by telescopes<br />
close to our neck of the woods.<br />
Jodrell Bank Observatory was keeping a close<br />
eye on the Russian and American space race and<br />
monitoring signals from both lunar missions.<br />
Signals intercepted at Jodrell Bank, now a World<br />
Heritage Site, caught the moment the astronauts<br />
touched down on the surface.<br />
I’ve seen endless images of the vast Lovell Telescope<br />
but I’d never been to Jodrell Bank before.<br />
The sheer size and scale of it takes your breath<br />
away in person. We watched engineers who looked<br />
like Lego Minifigures ascend in a lift and then walk<br />
around the structure, like something from a science<br />
fiction film.<br />
Our knowledge of astrophysics extends little further<br />
than watching too many episodes of The Big Bang<br />
Theory, but you don’t need to be an expert to enjoy a<br />
visit to the Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre.<br />
There are lots of interactive exhibits. My young<br />
daughter’s imagination was<br />
captured by rolling balls into a<br />
black hole and sending messages<br />
via the outdoor whispering dishes.<br />
Admission is £8.50 for adults,<br />
£7.50 for concessions, £6.50 for<br />
children and free for under-4s, with<br />
various family tickets available,<br />
making it cheaper than a visit to the<br />
cinema.<br />
It’s so close to home that a visit to<br />
Jodrell Bank combined with time<br />
in one of the woodlands or rural<br />
beauty spots around Cheshire<br />
makes for a well-rounded day out<br />
or short break, with just a short<br />
24<br />
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drive back home afterwards.<br />
Lyme Park, at Disley, is an ideal choice for a stroll<br />
after a visit to Jodrell Bank.<br />
Garden-only admission to Lyme Park is from £8 for<br />
adults and £4 for children, with group and family<br />
offers available.<br />
However we headed to Tatton Park, at Knutsford,<br />
and discovered that rather than an add-on to a<br />
daytrip it was a day out in itself.<br />
Our first port of call was the rare breeds farm where<br />
we were able to pet and coo over donkeys, goats,<br />
reindeer and freshly hatched chicks.<br />
We watched piglets causing mayhem while mummy<br />
pig closed her eyes in a mud bath just out of their<br />
reach.<br />
From the farm it was onto the mansion house, which<br />
held my young daughter’s attention much better than<br />
I had anticipated. Remember to ask for a trail sheet<br />
for any little guests to fill in.<br />
We paid a few extra pounds to ride on the old<br />
fashioned carousel in the stableyard and to ride the<br />
land train between the adventure playground and<br />
farm, which both felt well worth the price.<br />
On another visit we’d hire bikes, which are available<br />
from around £5 per hour.<br />
If you have the time to explore, the 50 acres of<br />
gardens at Tatton and stunning. You’ll find yourself<br />
constantly whipping your phone out for just another<br />
photo.<br />
At Tatton you can buy a discounted admission pass<br />
for all three attractions but then use the tickets on<br />
different days. Combined tickets are £13 for adults,<br />
£7 for children or £33 for a family which could<br />
potentially offer you three separate days out.<br />
It was close enough to drive home, but instead we<br />
headed for dinner at Cottons Hotel in Knutsford. It’s<br />
a four star hotel that’s smart but family friendly.<br />
Cottons has a child-friendly spa which is well worth<br />
a visit with your little people if you’re in the area,<br />
and not just for the mini robes with ‘V I Little P’<br />
embroidered on the back. We spent a happy few<br />
hours in the pool, whirlpool, sauna and steam room.<br />
You don’t have to travel far to enjoy a break.<br />
Sometimes the perfect day out or short break might<br />
be right on your doorstep the whole time.<br />
For more information on the places mentioned in the<br />
article visit:<br />
Cheshire: Where Science Meets Nature,<br />
www.visitcheshire.com/science-meets-nature<br />
Cottons Hotel, 01565 650333,<br />
www.cottonshotel.co.uk<br />
Jodrell Bank, 01477 571766, www.jodrellbank.net<br />
Tatton Park, 01625 374400, www.tattonpark.org.uk<br />
Lyme, 01663 762023, www.nationaltrust.org.uk<br />
www.jaimemagazine.com<br />
25
T R AV E L<br />
Cuba - Get Your Groove On!<br />
HOLLY THOMSON LEAVES RAINY OLD BRITAIN<br />
BEHIND TO EXPLORE VIBRANT CUBA<br />
When choosing a destination to holiday, Cuba may<br />
seem like an odd choice. For those fond of history,<br />
Cuba will be well remembered for the infamous<br />
Cuban Missile Crisis and its tumultuous history<br />
with the USA. Those interested in politics may be<br />
intrigued by the country’s ties to communism and a<br />
way of life unlike our own. Others may know Cuba<br />
for its lucrative rum and cigar trade but maybe only<br />
a few would associate Cuba as a holiday destination.<br />
I also had these varied assumptions of the country<br />
before I set foot on its soil. I had learnt about<br />
the Cuban Missile Crisis at school, its politics at<br />
university and as a result of student life, also became<br />
fond of the rum Cuba supplied as well!<br />
As I boarded my flight to this secretive country,<br />
weighed down with presumptions about what I<br />
would encounter, I wasn’t quite prepared to be<br />
greeted with warm hospitality, rich and vibrant<br />
culture and a zest for life which I haven’t experienced<br />
anywhere else.<br />
Over the course of two weeks I travelled across<br />
Cuba, from Havana to Trinidad, and broadened my<br />
ideas of the world from within this small, secretive<br />
and secluded nation.<br />
My journey across this Caribbean island started in<br />
Havana. I stayed in a guest house a stone’s throw<br />
away from Old Havana and spent four days in the<br />
capital.<br />
The city has expanded, with the outskirts of the old<br />
centre becoming more and more high rise, adapting<br />
to the demands of the 21st century. Whilst this part<br />
of the city may seem cold and lifeless, the larger and<br />
more tempting Old Havana certainly doesn’t lack life<br />
and warmth.<br />
A short stroll through the market streets and squares<br />
will reveal colourful and varied store fronts, selling<br />
everything from original artwork to cigar cases.<br />
Alongside these tourist shops are produce stores,<br />
filled with the tempting colours and aroma of<br />
tropical fruit.<br />
26<br />
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In the rooftops and balconies above the streets sprawl<br />
bars and restaurants, often with live bands, the<br />
collision of these different sounds coming together to<br />
create a vibrant celebration of life.<br />
Amongst the expansive choice of bars that line<br />
and atop Old Havana’s streets there are a few with<br />
history sealed within the walls. One of these is El<br />
Floridita, which was a favourite of the Nobel Prize<br />
winner Ernest Hemingway. Story has it that the<br />
famous author would finish the day with a Daiquiri<br />
here. The atmosphere is always vibrant with<br />
large crowds coming each day to try the famous<br />
Hemingway Daiquiri. Although this bar does get<br />
busy and is perhaps not best suited for your everyday<br />
local, it is a great spot to end your day amongst the<br />
hustle and bustle of the shopping district.<br />
Old Havana is also home to many traditional<br />
squares often inspired by Spanish and European<br />
architecture. Admire the cathedrals and other<br />
historical buildings and take the time to notice the<br />
difference in architecture from one property to the<br />
next. I was amazed at how one property could so<br />
closely resemble a spanish courthouse and the next a<br />
French villa!<br />
Of course, one of the famous images of Cuba and<br />
a must do whilst in Havana is to take a trip in a<br />
classic car. Although the country is slowly beginning<br />
to import more modern cars, the absence of widespread<br />
trade with other countries has meant that<br />
many parts of Cuban life have lagged behind the rest<br />
of the world. Many cars used by locals date back to<br />
the 1950s, as new parts are a lot easier to obtain than<br />
a new car.<br />
Make sure to research a fair price and<br />
enjoy a friendly barter with the many<br />
Havanans offering classic car tours.<br />
On our trip our guide took us through<br />
the streets of Old Havana as well as<br />
along the beachfront and into the more<br />
modern portions of the city where<br />
history is still found. The famous Plaza<br />
de la Revolución was our mid-way<br />
point on our tour where you can witness<br />
the huge steel memorials of the two<br />
most celebrated heroes of the Cuban<br />
Revolution, Che Guevara and Camilo<br />
Cienfuegos.<br />
The capital is certainly the hub of<br />
history and nightlife in Cuba but I was<br />
most surprised by the variety on offer<br />
only a few hours away from the city.<br />
Our first stop after Havana was in<br />
Vinales, a small town nestled within a<br />
countryside of sloping green fields and<br />
dramatic limestone cliffs. This town<br />
and province are most famous for their<br />
tobacco growing and we were lucky enough to visit a<br />
tobacco farm and learn the art of cigar rolling from<br />
the experts themselves.<br />
This is a popular attraction in the area and even as<br />
someone who has no interest in smoking, the process<br />
and craft was fascinating to learn about and watch.<br />
My biggest take away was that nicotine is most<br />
28<br />
www.jaimemagazine.com
prevalent in the stem of the tobacco plant, therefore<br />
it can be removed to create a virtually nicotine free<br />
cigar. After watching the demonstration we were<br />
given the opportunity to purchase cigars directly<br />
from the farm itself which is much preferred as not<br />
only do you get a better price, but also the benefit of<br />
supporting a small local business.<br />
During our evenings in Vinales we were invited to<br />
join the locals for salsa in the square.<br />
This entailed dressing in our best flowing<br />
dresses and hitting the make-shift dance<br />
floor whilst the local band played lively<br />
Latin music. The local townsmen were<br />
keen to show off their moves and give us<br />
impromptu dance lessons in the process. I<br />
was put through my paces by a local salsa<br />
teacher who after dancing with me for<br />
quite some time declared that I needed<br />
more work and I should attend his dance<br />
class the next day.<br />
Cubans love to dance and this was clear<br />
to see as all of the locals took to the dance<br />
floor to show us how Salsa should really<br />
look. I was mesmerised by their flawless<br />
moves and impressive synchronisation<br />
with their dance partners. I was also<br />
impressed by the amount of rum that can<br />
be consumed on a typical salsa evening!<br />
Events like this are a common occurrence<br />
around all of Cuba. Please do join in<br />
if you stumble past a square filled with<br />
dancing and music. I was warmed by<br />
the local’s hospitality and enthusiasm in<br />
introducing us to a fundamental part of<br />
their culture.<br />
Our final stop on our trip was Trinidad.<br />
On the journey to this cultural heart of<br />
the country we spent several nights in<br />
various beach side towns where we were<br />
treated to the warm and clear waters<br />
of the Caribbean. Do make sure to also<br />
make this part of your trip to Cuba, the<br />
beach resorts are untouched and a real<br />
getaway.<br />
Trinidad is the cultural hub of Cuba and<br />
for good reason. Originally home to the<br />
sugar industry in the country, the town<br />
has since left its industrial past behind<br />
and embraced tourism. Due to the city<br />
no longer being seen as a major town<br />
for industry in the region, very few new<br />
buildings have been erected, allowing<br />
the charm and colours of the traditional<br />
buildings to shine. Nowhere is this more<br />
prevalent than in the Plaza Mayor which<br />
is like stepping back in time.<br />
Amongst these buildings are art museums,<br />
restaurants and places of worship. In the evening<br />
the stairs off to the right of the plaza come alive with<br />
dancing and music leading to more magical salsa and<br />
rumba nights.<br />
In the day, walking the streets is enough to simply<br />
soak up the culture and feel of this amazing city,<br />
www.jaimemagazine.com<br />
29
ut the outskirts of Trinidad are<br />
filled with goodies too. I chose to<br />
take a horse ride to a waterfall<br />
nestled in the neighbouring<br />
Escambray Mountains. On the<br />
way, along a rocky path, we were<br />
offered sugar cane juice and<br />
other refreshments. When we got<br />
to the waterfall we were able to<br />
swim, all while surrounded by<br />
tropical jungle - a far cry from the<br />
colourful buildings we had left<br />
behind only a few miles away.<br />
Back in Trinidad we also<br />
discovered more about the way<br />
of life for Cubans all over the<br />
country. Every other evening or so<br />
I would make my way to a local<br />
park, which was always full of<br />
people and life. Although from<br />
the outside this may seem idyllic, the parks are so<br />
busy as for many they are the only source of internet.<br />
A wifi card can be purchased from a shop on the<br />
edge of the park and with this you will get an hour<br />
of internet on one device. The parks were lined with<br />
tourists and locals alike, all trying to update their<br />
friends and social media with what they had been up<br />
to in recent days.<br />
With only an hour of internet, accessible only in a<br />
park, you may be wondering how Cubans manage<br />
to watch movies, TV shows and access other media.<br />
The Cubans are nothing but resourceful and use<br />
their community spirit to make sure everyone has<br />
access to what they want or need. Although shops<br />
are available to buy basic clothing, Cubans often opt<br />
to shop out of their neighbours’ spare bedrooms,<br />
trading clothes or selling items purchased on recent<br />
trips to Mexico.<br />
Life may seem constricted and oppressed from an<br />
outsider’s perspective but after spending some time<br />
on this mysterious island what was apparent to me<br />
was how community spirit and camaraderie can<br />
make anything possible. Cubans are proud of their<br />
country, its industry, politics and people. They are<br />
well educated and are not ignorant of their place in<br />
the world. However, whilst they listen to our stories<br />
of fast-paced lifestyles they remain content with their<br />
lot in life.<br />
Cuba was more than I expected, a breath of fresh<br />
air and full of surprises. The country has attractions<br />
aplenty and makes for a fantastic trip with a fabulous<br />
mix of adventure and relaxation. With the country<br />
only set to become more modernised in the future,<br />
there is no better time to see Cuba than now or in<br />
the near future.<br />
To plan and book your holiday to Cuba call or<br />
WhatsApp RB Collection on 01543 258631 or<br />
email vip@rbcollection.com. Book before<br />
February 28, <strong>2021</strong> and mention J’aime Magazine to<br />
receive a free Cuba guide book with personal hints<br />
and tips added in www.rbcollection.com/cuba<br />
30<br />
www.jaimemagazine.com
Jean Lamb Wealth Consultancy<br />
My offices are situated in the historic city of Lichfield and I have been providing personal<br />
wealth management advice to my clients for more<br />
than 25 years.<br />
I specialise in the following key areas<br />
and welcome your enquiry:<br />
• Investment Planning<br />
• InheritanceTax and Estate Planning<br />
• Pre and Post-Retirement Planning<br />
• Care Fees Planning and Funding for Care<br />
Telephone: 01543 417342<br />
Website: www.jeanlamb.co.uk<br />
Email: jean.lamb@sjpp.co.uk<br />
Office: 6A Market Street, Lichfield, WS13 6LH<br />
Jean Lamb Wealth Consultancy is an Appointed Representative of and represents only St. James’s Place Wealth Management Plc (which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority)<br />
for the purpose of advising solely on the Group’s wealth management products and services, more details of which are set out on the Group’s website www.sjp.co.uk/products.
H E A LT H<br />
Summer Bodies Are Made In Winter<br />
LICHFIELD PERSONAL TRAINER RAUL ROMERO LOOKS AT<br />
WORKING ON A LONG TERM FITNESS PLAN FOR THE NEW YEAR<br />
Bitterly cold weather, short dark days and icy winter<br />
mornings...all perfect excuses to stay at home in front<br />
of a toasty fire with a hot cuppa, binge watching the<br />
latest TV shows and filling our boots with satisfying<br />
comfort food whilst repeating the mantra as old as<br />
time of ‘I’ll start tomorrow’ in reference to our fitness<br />
journey.<br />
Or, another way of looking at it, creating and<br />
envisaging your fitness goal, having the grit,<br />
determination and self motivation to get up and out<br />
especially on those dark, dreary, cold wet days, one<br />
day at a time to make those goals a reality.<br />
Many of our New Year’s resolutions include health<br />
and fitness goals of all types. The start of the New<br />
Year can be such a great opportunity to properly<br />
plan and create a realistic fitness training plan that<br />
suits your individual needs and lifestyle.<br />
The key is sticking to your plan one day at a time<br />
and keeping momentum even on those long, dark<br />
and difficult winter nights.<br />
As straightforward as this sounds, this is not usually<br />
what we see in the glossy magazines. Here we often<br />
find glamorised ‘six week beach body’ type plans that<br />
focus on the short term, usually for those who are<br />
looking for a last minute solution before a holiday or<br />
special occasion. Whilst there is nothing wrong with<br />
this, these types of regimes aren’t usually suitable for<br />
everyone or sustainable for the long term.<br />
There are various reasons for this:<br />
- Our bodies need to build a solid foundation of<br />
fitness before we push ourselves to higher levels.<br />
Some of these short term programmes are extremely<br />
demanding on the body and could do more damage<br />
than good. Preparing our bodies to become stronger<br />
and fitter is key!<br />
- Technique! Training with the correct technique in<br />
the execution of exercises is vital to avoid injuries.<br />
This is something that is learnt and perfected over<br />
32<br />
www.jaimemagazine.com
time, which fits in perfectly with long term goals and<br />
plans.<br />
- If exercises are too demanding for our unprepared<br />
bodies they aren’t usually enjoyable. Naturally<br />
if something is not enjoyable we are going to<br />
lose motivation a lot quicker and usually give up<br />
altogether.<br />
Suffice to say, there is no magic pill or diet that can<br />
transform our bodies in the blink of an eye. Short<br />
term extreme fitness regimes or diets may work for<br />
a while but are almost never sustainable and it is so<br />
easy to regress and be in an even worse fitness state<br />
than before.<br />
Achieving our fitness goals, just like achieving any<br />
other goals worth having, takes planning, hard work,<br />
dedication and time.<br />
The key is finding a way of exercising that we truly<br />
enjoy and that can be incorporated into our daily<br />
lives, and a way of healthy eating that again we enjoy<br />
and can then sustain, thus resulting in a lifestyle<br />
change rather than a short term temporary fitness<br />
stint. Another way of looking at it is keeping in shape<br />
all year round, then having some ‘peak’ times in the<br />
year where we push ourselves even more, maybe in<br />
preparation for a special event or holiday.<br />
In order to achieve our summer bodies we have<br />
to start the hard work now, by planning carefully<br />
and realistically, then maintaining motivation and<br />
dedication and working hard, even through the<br />
winter months.<br />
Seeking professional guidance with the planning and<br />
execution of fitness training and nutrition planning<br />
is a very helpful tool which also helps add a layer of<br />
accountability, thus making it easier not to fall off the<br />
wagon.<br />
I have many clients who start training with me in<br />
<strong>January</strong> after the Christmas binge and who very<br />
often have a holiday booked in July so want to<br />
physically see results by then. That means there are<br />
around 75-80 training days to make the most of<br />
before the holiday. That is enough time to learn and<br />
develop good technique, create strong foundations<br />
and gradually build up the volume and intensity of<br />
training for them to have made noticeable gains by<br />
July.<br />
Training in this structured way, consistently, every<br />
week without any excuses, not only helps achieve<br />
fitness goals but also gives a much lower chance of<br />
developing pain or injuries.<br />
Training with a mid to long term goal like this<br />
eliminates any losses to fitness goals in case you have<br />
to miss a few days of training due to illness.<br />
Similar planning strategies can be applied to our<br />
nutrition habits. Planning and making small, steady,<br />
realistic changes to improve our diet and nutrition<br />
can work hand in hand perfectly with a structured<br />
training regime. Small changes over a period of time<br />
really can help us achieve massive noticeable results.<br />
That leads me on to my top tips to be<br />
successful with your health and fitness goals<br />
in <strong>2021</strong>:<br />
1) Establish a routine.<br />
2) Start with exercises you like. Make it fun.<br />
3) Seek expert support.<br />
4) Join group sessions for that extra support<br />
(if possible).<br />
5) Be kind to yourself.<br />
6) Try and find a training buddy.<br />
7) Track your progress.<br />
Happy New Year to all & happy training! If you<br />
would like any help or advice on anything health and<br />
fitness related please feel free to get in touch with me<br />
at raul@ambitionpt.co.uk or via social media<br />
(@ambitionpersonaltraininguk).<br />
www.jaimemagazine.com<br />
33
FA S H I O N<br />
Bossy boots<br />
WINTER-PROOF YOUR TOOTSIES WITH SOME OF THE HOTTEST BOOTS<br />
STYLES AROUND. AMY NORBURY HUNTS DOWN THE BEST PICKS TO SEE<br />
YOU THROUGH TO SPRING<br />
AFTER the ubiquitous winter coat, boots are the biggest ticket<br />
purchase for any fashionista’s winter wardrobe. An essential<br />
piece of kit to combat the vagaries of the great British weather,<br />
boots are a seasonal must-have; the go-to footwear pick until the<br />
thermometer starts its springtime rise.<br />
In past seasons, boots have become a style statement in<br />
their own right; from sky high and thigh high to full-on<br />
embellishments, there have been some seriously showy offerings<br />
glamming up the catwalks and high streets alike.<br />
But this winter, things are a little more pared back. Throughout<br />
2020, fashion trends have erred towards the practical - after all,<br />
we’ve been lounging through lockdown in our comfiest garb,<br />
and casualwear has replaced office chic for working from home<br />
and Zoom meetings galore.<br />
And that ethos has carried through to footwear; from gum boots<br />
at Christian Dior to hiking boots at Chloé, we’ve all fallen for<br />
footwear with function at its heart.<br />
When it comes to heels, it’s all about taking it low. Sturdy<br />
block heels have taken over, with not a stiletto in sight, and<br />
highly wearable ankle styles have become a firm favourite, with<br />
chunkier biker and combat boots offering the perfect balance of<br />
practicality and attitude.<br />
If you’re looking at knee high or above, opt for an equestrian<br />
vibe with either flats or a sturdy heel in classic black or tan.<br />
For easy everyday chic, a classic Chelsea boot hits the right note,<br />
while the ever-popular Western styles which have been top of<br />
the wishlist for a few seasons remain a solid pick.<br />
And while suede has been having its moment in the fashion<br />
spotlight recently, the tide has once again turned back towards<br />
the practicality and durability of leather. Forget dodging<br />
downpours in your new suede numbers; this season opt for boots<br />
that’ll have you splashing in puddles without a second thought.<br />
PASSO BOOTS, £140, DUNE LONDON.<br />
WWW.DUNELONDON.COM<br />
34<br />
www.jaimemagazine.com
£95<br />
£120<br />
£45<br />
ADJUST BOOTS, OFFICE.<br />
WWW.OFFICE.CO.UK<br />
PAXTONE2 BOOTS, DUNE LONDON.<br />
WWW.DUNELONDON.COM<br />
OLIVIA BLACK ABOVE THE KNEE<br />
BOOTS, MISS SELFRIDGE.<br />
WWW.MISSSELFRIDGE.COM<br />
£145<br />
£55<br />
PICTOR BOOTS, DUNE LONDON.<br />
WWW.DUNELONDON.COM<br />
PER UNA BOOTS, MARKS AND SPENCER.<br />
WWW.MARKSANDSPENCER.COM<br />
£80<br />
A TOUCH OF BOHO SLOUCHY<br />
BOOTS, JOE BROWNS.<br />
WWW.JOEBROWNS.CO.UK<br />
£185<br />
£92<br />
SLOAN ANKLE BOOT, JIGSAW<br />
AT HARVEY NICHOLS.<br />
WWW.HARVEYNICHOLS.COM<br />
ASSERT BUCKLED BOOTS, OFFICE.<br />
WWW.OFFICE.CO.UK<br />
LEIGH HYBRID HIKER BOOTS, £75,<br />
NEWBURY HIKER BOOTS, £85, CROSBY<br />
LINED LACE UP BOOTS, £75, AND<br />
OTHERS FROM A SELECTION AT<br />
FATFACE. WWW.FATFACE.COM<br />
BIKER BOOTS, £45, GREY ANIMAL PRINT<br />
TOP,£38, AND PU LEGGINGS, £32, ALL<br />
WALLIS. WWW.WALLIS.CO.UK<br />
35
W H AT ’ S O N<br />
What’s On Local<br />
START THE YEAR AS YOU MEAN TO GO ON BY GETTING<br />
OUT OF THE HOUSE AND FINDING SOME FUN<br />
WHAT: DRIVE-IN CINEMA<br />
WHERE: SANDON HALL, SANDON, STAFFORDSHIRE<br />
WHEN: DATES THROUGHOUT JANUARY<br />
Drive-in entertainment was able to restart at the end of the national<br />
lockdown, despite many indoor entertainment venues having to<br />
remain closed. It’s seen a resurgence of drive-in cinema screenings<br />
around the country.<br />
The Great British Drive In, at Sandon Hall, is one of our absolute<br />
favourites. Members of the J’AIME team have been paying<br />
customers and heartily recommend it.<br />
It feels very safe and you have the backdrop of a stunning stately<br />
home behind the massive cinema screen.<br />
There’s no need to leave your car at all but if you do you can buy<br />
food prepared by Digbeth Dining Club.<br />
<strong>January</strong>’s films are set to include Grease, The Greatest Showman<br />
and Interstellar.<br />
WHAT: PANTOMIME<br />
WHERE: ALEXANDRA THEATRE, BIRMINGHAM<br />
WHEN: JANUARY 15 TO 31<br />
At the time of going to print, Birmingham is still set to get a good old<br />
fashioned pantomime, Robin Hood, starring Craig Revel Horwood<br />
from Strictly Come Dancing as The Sheriff of Nottingham.<br />
The socially distanced, one-act show has been shortened so that<br />
members of the audience won’t risk mingling during an interval.<br />
The line-up is also due to include Richard Cadell and Sooty, Black<br />
Country favourite Doreen Tipton and Matt Slack who usually<br />
appears in panto at the Birmingham Hippodrome.<br />
Expect traditional panto fun at the end of a very untraditional year.<br />
WHAT: CHINESE NEW YEAR<br />
WHERE: LOCATIONS AROUND BIRMINGHAM<br />
WHEN: JANUARY 24 TO 26<br />
At the time of going to press Birmingham city centre was still set<br />
to play host to elaborate celebrations to mark the Chinese New<br />
Year.<br />
COVID-19 may cause some plans to change, but you can still<br />
anticipate a riot of colour in Birmingham’s Chinatown.<br />
There’s due to be a wish tree in Grand central that visitors can<br />
add their own wishes to.<br />
There are also set to be stalls, street entertainers and<br />
performances.<br />
36<br />
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WHAT: SELF-GUIDED WALK<br />
WHERE: BIRMINGHAM<br />
WHEN: WHENEVER YOU LIKE<br />
You can enjoy a guided heritage walk around Birmingham with<br />
members of your bubble without even needing to interact with<br />
another human.<br />
Curious About has organised two different walks around the city,<br />
both with a treasure hunt theme.<br />
You simply need to download the guide from the website and then<br />
get out and about at a time and day to suit you.<br />
You can find out more by visiting the website at<br />
www.curiousabout.co.uk/birmingham<br />
WHAT: ART EXHIBITION<br />
WHERE: IKON GALLERY, BRINDLEYPLACE, BIRMINGHAM<br />
WHEN: THROUGHOUT JANUARY<br />
Ikon Gallery’s new group show, Faster Than Ever, is an<br />
exhibition invented out of necessity in response to the<br />
challenges arising from the Covid-19 pandemic.<br />
Involving more than 20 artists from across the world, it is<br />
an exercise in capitalising on chance, making the most of<br />
incongruity and happy accidents.<br />
Participating artists include Thomas Bewick, Julie Brook,<br />
Alice Cattaneo, Lee Bul, Edmund Clark, Martin Creed, Kate<br />
Groobey, Graham Gussin, Arturo Herrera, Carmen Herrera,<br />
On Kawara, Lutz and Guggisberg, Haroon Mirza, Ivan<br />
Morison, Nástio Mosquito, Grace Ndiritu, Cornelia Parker,<br />
Navin Rawanchaikul, Noguchi Rika, Shimabuku, Dayanita<br />
Singh, Bosco Sodi, Nancy Spero and Beat Streuli.<br />
Admission is free of charge.<br />
WHAT: LIVE MUSIC<br />
WHERE: LICHFIELD GARRICK<br />
WHEN: SATURDAY, JANUARY 30<br />
At the time of going to press live music was still set to return<br />
to Lichfield Garrick in <strong>January</strong>, including tribute evening The<br />
George Michael Legacy.<br />
International tribute artiste Wayne Dilks and his band pay tribute<br />
to the late George Michael in this show.<br />
Wayne has been a George Michael tribute artiste for almost 20<br />
years, dedicating his professional career to pay homage to the late<br />
pop phenomenon.<br />
He delivers his heartfelt tribute to the global superstar in<br />
a sensitive and spectacular way, receiving five star reviews<br />
nationwide.<br />
www.jaimemagazine.com 37
LO CA L A R E A<br />
Escape into a Garden<br />
WHATEVER THE WEATHER, VISITING SOME GLORIOUS GARDENS WILL STILL BE<br />
WONDERFULLY SOOTHING FOR MIND, BODY AND SOUL THIS MONTH. HERE ARE<br />
SOME OF OUR FAVOURITES, RIGHT ON THE DOORSTEP<br />
Shugborough, Milford, near Stafford<br />
The gardens and parkland of this National<br />
Trust-run property are due to be open between<br />
9am and 4pm every day in <strong>January</strong>. Visitors are<br />
asked to book in advance wherever possible, to<br />
avoid disappointment on the day. Takeaway food<br />
and drink are available and the play area is still<br />
open.<br />
Wightwick Manor and Gardens,<br />
Wightwick Bank, Wolverhampton<br />
The gardens at Wightwick Manor are due to be<br />
open to visitors every day in <strong>January</strong>, but you’ll<br />
need to book your visit in advance. You will also<br />
be able to buy takeaway food and drink from<br />
the tearoom. The gardens at Wightwick were<br />
redesigned by Thomas Mawson in 1904 and<br />
have plenty to discover, even in the depths of<br />
winter.<br />
Birmingham Botanical Gardens,<br />
Edgbaston<br />
The glasshouses are currently closed due to<br />
coronavirus restrictions but you can still visit the<br />
gardens and playground. Booking in advance is<br />
requested and you will be able to buy takeaway<br />
food from the cafe. If you’re very lucky you may<br />
well catch some early flowers in bloom.<br />
Winterbourne House and Garden,<br />
Edgbaston<br />
The house and tearoom may be closed but the<br />
gardens and shop remain open to visitors at<br />
Winterbourne. People are asked to book their<br />
visit in advance and follow the suggested route<br />
around the garden. Winterbourne is one of the<br />
best surviving examples of an Edwardian Arts<br />
and Crafts suburban villa garden in the country.<br />
38 www.jaimemagazine.com
eyond the horizon<br />
Let’s create something to look forward to<br />
Nothing can beat personal advice when you’re looking to put<br />
the last few months behind you and make plans to look<br />
forward, whether that’s a last-minute getaway or you’re<br />
planning ahead to next year.<br />
You will always have the support of a real person,<br />
be it face-to-face, by video, phone or email -<br />
whenever you need me.<br />
Charlotte Mitchell<br />
Travel Counsellor<br />
0121 314 6650 or 07860 944207<br />
charlotte.mitchell@travelcounsellors.com<br />
www.travelcounsellors.com/charlotte.mitchell<br />
www.facebook.com/CharlotteMitchellTC<br />
Proud to be a family run business for over 35 years<br />
HOME IS WHERE THE WARMTH IS<br />
“Fantastic<br />
service and<br />
great products.<br />
Thanks Kieran”<br />
Sam McD,<br />
Whitaker<br />
Heath<br />
1/7 High Street, Erdington B23 6RG Next to Highclare School<br />
Telephone: 0121 384 5251 - www.abbeyfirecentre.co.uk<br />
Open: Mon - Fri: 9am - 5pm (closed Wednesdays), Sat: 10am - 2pm<br />
Suppliers of: Contura, Jotul, Gazco, Paragon, Scan, Town<br />
& Country Fires, ACR Heat Products and many more<br />
Installers and suppliers of gas fires, bespoke limestone<br />
surrounds, and gas and woodburning stoves, since 1981.<br />
For your safety and to observe social distancing we are<br />
asking that you telephone or email to arrange a personal<br />
viewing of our showroom.<br />
abbeyfirecentre @abbeyfirecentre abbeyfirecentreltd
LO CA L A R E A<br />
Walk this way<br />
WHETHER IT’S AROUND THE BLOCK OR UP A HILL, WALKING HAS KEPT SO MANY OF<br />
US GOING THROUGHOUT LOCKDOWNS AND RESTRICTIONS. HERE ARE SOME OF<br />
OUR FAVOURITE WALKING DESTINATIONS TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE INSPIRATION<br />
Birches Valley, Cannock Chase<br />
Birches Valley is the perfect place for a magical<br />
walk in the woods. There are so many different<br />
trails to try, but we particularly love the childfriendly<br />
walk that includes a fairy garden and<br />
Gruffalo statue. There’s no admission fee, but<br />
you will need to pay for parking. There’s a<br />
brilliant free playground, and don’t forget to take<br />
along some money for a takeaway coffee or even<br />
an ice cream.<br />
Downs Banks, Oulton Heath, near Stone<br />
Take a leisurely stroll along Downs Banks brook<br />
and you may be lucky enough to see a kingfisher<br />
catching his lunch. On a clear day there are<br />
brilliant views from the highest point of the<br />
downs and you should be able to make out Mow<br />
Cop and the Wrekin. There’s plenty of parking<br />
at the site, but it can get busy when the weather<br />
is good.<br />
Kinver Edge, Kinver<br />
You’ll find miles of waymarked footpaths at<br />
Kinver Edge, including plenty that are suitable<br />
for all the family. We particularly like the<br />
woodland trail, which has natural play areas<br />
to explore along the way. It’s quite steep in<br />
places but the magnificent views make the effort<br />
worthwhile. Dogs on leads are very welcome too.<br />
Canalside stroll, a towpath near you<br />
A walk along a canal towpath is a walk that<br />
just keeps on giving. You’ll generally find the<br />
paths easily accessible and you’ll see plenty of<br />
interesting things along the way. If you’re lucky<br />
you’ll spot some interesting barges and perhaps<br />
be able to watch a canal lock in action. We<br />
particularly like the stretch of the Trent and<br />
Mersey that runs through Stone, and not just<br />
because a walk can be combined with a trip to<br />
the lovely town itself.<br />
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Sutton Park, Sutton Coldfield<br />
It’s right on our doorstep and it’s free, so make<br />
the most of beautiful Sutton Park. A designated<br />
national nature reserve, it’s one of the largest<br />
urban parks in Europe. Back in the time of<br />
Henry VIII it was a hunting forest but now<br />
you’re more likely to spot great crested grebes.<br />
Tittesworth Reservoir, near Leek<br />
You’ll need to drive to visit this man-made<br />
beauty spot, but it’s well worth the journey. You<br />
can take a 4.5 mile trail which loops right around<br />
the reservoir or a short 1.5 mile walk if needs<br />
be. After all that walking you can refuel with<br />
takeaway food and drink from the on-site cafe.<br />
Sandwell Valley, West Bromwich<br />
If you’re looking for a stroll that isn’t too taxing<br />
then this RSPB nature reserve could be a good<br />
choice for you. There are walking and cycle<br />
routes and you’re almost guaranteed to spot<br />
some spectacular wildlife. Depending on the<br />
time of year you may see kingfishers, skylarks<br />
and lapwings.<br />
Rudyard Lake, near Leek<br />
In decades gone<br />
by a visit to<br />
Rudyard Lake<br />
was the equivalent<br />
of a day at the<br />
seaside for many<br />
families, for very<br />
good reason.<br />
Expect spectacular<br />
scenery and the<br />
opportunity to go<br />
out on a boat or<br />
travel aboard a<br />
miniature steam<br />
train, restrictions<br />
allowing. There<br />
is plentiful on-site<br />
parking.<br />
Chatsworth Estate, Derbyshire<br />
It’s a bit of a drive, but the parkland<br />
at the Chatsworth Estate is among the<br />
most beautiful you will find anywhere<br />
in the country. You can talk a circular<br />
walking route around the Devonshire<br />
family’s stately pile completely free<br />
of charge without even stepping foot<br />
inside the house itself.<br />
www.jaimemagazine.com<br />
41
P O S I T I V E T H I N K I N G<br />
A happy and positive<br />
<strong>2021</strong> really is possible<br />
JENNY AMPHLETT LOOKS ON THE BRIGHT SIDE OF 2020 AND SAYS YOU SHOULD<br />
MAKE IT YOUR NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION TO FIND POSITIVITY IN THE YEAR AHEAD.<br />
I don’t usually make New Year’s resolutions.<br />
Those dark days of <strong>January</strong>, when people are<br />
reining in their social life or counting the cost<br />
of the festive season, can be depressing enough<br />
without denying yourself life’s small pleasures.<br />
The thought of 31 days without a decent night<br />
out might just be bearable if you allow yourself<br />
to finish the rest of the tin of Quality Street and<br />
that bottle of Advocaat from the back of the<br />
cupboard. Or at least that’s the way I usually<br />
look at it.<br />
If you want to start a new health regime then<br />
I reckon you should do it in the middle of<br />
summer when the sun is shining, when it feels<br />
less tortuous and when you actually stand a<br />
fighting chance of sticking to it.<br />
Instead of devising ways to get fit, lose weight<br />
or generally make myself miserable, I tend to<br />
spend some time at New Year looking back over<br />
the previous 12 months and trying to remind<br />
myself of the things I have to be thankful for.<br />
We all have some, even if we need to hunt them<br />
out for what has been a difficult and unusual<br />
year for so many of us.<br />
The list is obviously different for every one of us, but<br />
for me it usually includes the likes of managing not to<br />
lose any loved ones during<br />
the past year, time spent<br />
with close family, having<br />
wonderful friends.<br />
In a more normal year<br />
my list would include<br />
holidays, days out, theatre<br />
and cinema visits, and<br />
particularly memorable<br />
meals. Most of that has<br />
been nigh on impossible to<br />
achieve this year, but I can<br />
still add managing not to<br />
kill any houseplants, books<br />
I’ve read, work projects<br />
42<br />
www.jaimemagazine.com
I’ve felt proud of and things I’d been putting off but<br />
finally got around to doing to that list.<br />
For me it’s been a year of being brave, taking chances<br />
and leaping into the unknown in a way I may well not<br />
have been prepared to do had 2020 been just any old<br />
year.<br />
Unlike most years I can also add a serious amount<br />
of walking to my list of happy moments, getting to<br />
know the village I live in a bit better by pounding its<br />
pavements each day and becoming more attuned to<br />
nature by disappearing into the woods or across fields<br />
whenever the opportunity presented itself.<br />
It’s a year when I’ve picked nettles and turned<br />
them into soup, cooked all manner of puddings<br />
from windfall apples and photographed every wild<br />
mushroom I’ve laid eyes on.<br />
Every single one of us has had low points during the<br />
past 12 months, I know that I certainly have. But look<br />
at them in the right way and they can be reasons to<br />
be thankful too. However tough those things may<br />
have been, and perhaps continue to be for some of us,<br />
we’re still here on the other side of them. And we’re<br />
looking a shiny, hopeful new year in the face; a year in<br />
which we may well be able to get some of our muchmissed<br />
freedoms back.<br />
Looking for the happy moments from the past 12<br />
months and finding ways to have more of the same in<br />
the coming 12 months is a much more positive way of<br />
dealing with the New Year than picking out the things<br />
you don’t like about yourself and deciding how to<br />
change them.<br />
If you’re going to make a New Year’s Resolution,<br />
please make it to embrace all the positive things<br />
that <strong>2021</strong> brings. Resolve to never take the people<br />
in your life for granted again, to support your local<br />
community in any way you can and to realise that<br />
happiness really can be found in the small things.<br />
www.jaimemagazine.com<br />
43
I N T H E N E W S<br />
The write stuff for author Lisa<br />
A STAFFORDSHIRE AUTHOR HAS WON A LITERARY PRIZE FOR HER<br />
BOOK INSPIRED BY STRONG WOMEN FROM THE COUNTY<br />
A collection of short stories inspired by feisty<br />
Staffordshire women has been awarded this year’s<br />
Arnold Bennett Literary Prize.<br />
It’s Gone Dark Over Bill’s Mother’s, written by Lisa<br />
Blower, was revealed as the winner in an online<br />
ceremony.<br />
The book had been shortlisted alongside former<br />
Coronation Street actress Deborah McAndrew’s play<br />
The D Road, Peter Cash’s poetry anthology Pitying<br />
The Planet and academic John Shapcott’s Arnold<br />
Bennett and Frederick Marriott Parallel Lives.<br />
“I’m pleased as punch to win, chuffed to bits, in fact I<br />
did have a little cry,” Lisa said.<br />
“As part of the awards ceremony the shortlisted<br />
writers each read out an extract of their work. I was<br />
so completely mesmerised by the others that I was<br />
convinced I wouldn’t win.<br />
“When they said my name I was so shocked I just<br />
literally hadn’t thought it would be me in the face of<br />
such strong opposition.”<br />
The 46-year-old has received a £500 prize and the<br />
prestige of following in the footsteps of previous<br />
winners such as Guardian culture columnist Charlotte<br />
Higgins, who was awarded last year for Red Thread:<br />
On Mazes and Labyrinths.<br />
Lisa now works as a senior lecturer and course leader<br />
in creative and professional writing at Wolverhampton<br />
University.<br />
After studying at Sheffield, Manchester and Bangor<br />
universities, she began her career lecturing in creative<br />
writing at Bangor University.<br />
She taught the first course in working class fiction at<br />
a UK university and has been a guest lecturer on the<br />
topic at Staffordshire University .<br />
Lisa’s debut novel, Sitting Ducks, was shortlisted<br />
for the inaugural Arnold Bennett Prize in 2017 and<br />
longlisted for The Guardian’s Not the Booker in 2016.<br />
It’s Gone Dark Over Bill’s Mother’s features<br />
strong, working class women including Lisa’s own<br />
grandmother, Nellie Edwards, who died in her 90s<br />
after a lifetime of working as a dipper for various<br />
potteries across Stoke-on-Trent.<br />
Lisa said:<br />
“After she<br />
died I sat<br />
down to write<br />
the eulogy for<br />
her funeral<br />
and began<br />
remembering<br />
all the things<br />
she used to<br />
say to me<br />
when I was a<br />
child.<br />
“She was a<br />
witty and<br />
outspoken<br />
woman. If<br />
she fell out<br />
with a shop<br />
steward at<br />
work she’d walk across the road and start working for<br />
another potbank instead.”<br />
That funeral tribute turned into a short story which<br />
won Lisa The Guardian National Short Story Award<br />
in 2009, was shortlisted for the BBC National Short<br />
Story Award in 2013 and was longlisted for The<br />
Sunday Times Short Story Award in 2018.<br />
It was only natural then that it should form part of a<br />
collection of short tales featuring the likes of Ruthie<br />
the ‘happy hooker’, sleep-deprived Laura and young<br />
mum Roxanne.<br />
“It’s fiction but there are some autobiographical<br />
moments in there, like the journey my family used to<br />
make to Barmouth during the Potters Holidays every<br />
year.<br />
“They’re mostly stories about women but I remember<br />
growing up with a lot of women around me. I was<br />
surrounded by chattering matriarchs who were always<br />
telling stories and gossiping.<br />
“The women of that time didn’t think they were doing<br />
anything interesting or significant or contributing to<br />
history, but of course they were.<br />
44<br />
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“I remember telling my nan that I’d like to write her<br />
life history and she said whatever for as she hadn’t<br />
done anything. Those women were accepting rather<br />
than expecting. They worked their whole lives, they<br />
made armaments during the war – but they didn’t<br />
think they’d done anything interesting.”<br />
The title of the book is a phrase that Lisa’s nan used<br />
to often say to her. It means that it looks like rain is on<br />
the way.<br />
“It’s Gone Dark over Bill’s Mother’s felt like an apt<br />
title for a collection of stories that mine the pits, pots<br />
and poets I grew up with, where I played in the backs<br />
behind the Leek New Road, or sat listening to my<br />
nan’s stories and scruffy wisdom.<br />
“We’d spend weekends walking the towpaths around<br />
Stockton Brook before heading home to tape the<br />
charts, a pan of lobby on the stove.<br />
“It was a peachy childhood, despite the smog, strikes<br />
and Thatcher gunning for the unions back in the early<br />
80s; my mum making us all wipe our feet on a Vote<br />
Conservative board before she put it out for the dog to<br />
do his business on.<br />
“The stalwart citizens of the Potteries working class<br />
owned neither a car, passport or a mortgage but were<br />
the vital participants in its industry. Any potter worth<br />
their salt will flip over a plate seeking Made in Stokeon-Trent<br />
because at least someone in their family<br />
will have had a hand in making it. And that’s what I<br />
wanted to capture.”<br />
It’s Gone Dark Over Bill’s Mother’s is published by<br />
Myriad and priced £8.99. Lisa’s novel Pondweed will<br />
be out in paperback in April <strong>2021</strong>.<br />
Music to her ears<br />
A LICHFIELD TEENAGER HAS WON A NATIONAL COMPOSING AWARD<br />
A Staffordshire schoolgirl has won a national<br />
composing award and had her work broadcast to the<br />
nation on BBC Radio 3 despite it being her very first<br />
choral composition.<br />
Eilidh Owen, 17, says she was surprised and excited<br />
to pick up the Young Composer Award 2020 from the<br />
National Centre for Early Music.<br />
The year 13 pupil at Lichfield Cathedral School will<br />
have her work performed at a concert at the Cadogan<br />
Hall in March. It will then be broadcast on BBC<br />
Radio 3’s Early Music Show.<br />
She said: ““I was so surprised and excited when I<br />
heard my name announced as the winner of the<br />
NCEM Young Composers Award. This was the first<br />
choir piece I’ve ever written and I didn’t expect to do<br />
so well.<br />
“I still can’t believe that Radio 3 played part of my<br />
piece on the In Tune program and the nice comments<br />
made by Katie Derham. I’m really looking forward<br />
to hearing the Tallis Scholars perform my piece in<br />
London in March.”<br />
Her winning<br />
composition was<br />
based on the first and<br />
last verses of George<br />
Herbert’s poem The<br />
Flower.<br />
Dad Richard Owen<br />
said: “It was exciting<br />
for us to see and<br />
hear Eilidh’s piece<br />
performed and a<br />
total shock when she<br />
won. The reaction from friends and family who were<br />
able to watch online has been incredible.<br />
“We just want to say thank you to the NCEM for<br />
organising the competition and for everyone who has<br />
trained and encouraged Eilidh at Lichfield Cathedral<br />
School and Lichfield Cathedral Choir.”<br />
You can see and hear all the finalist’s pieces sung and<br />
the awards being announced here:<br />
www.ncem.co.uk/composersaward2020/<br />
www.jaimemagazine.com<br />
45
I N T H E N E W S<br />
Through The Cracks<br />
A PRIZE-WINNING PAKISTANI AUTHOR HAS CHOSEN TO PUBLISH HER NEW BOOK<br />
IN STAFFORDSHIRE. JENNY AMPHLETT FOUND OUT WHY A COUNTY IN THE<br />
MIDDLE OF A COUNTRY 4,000 MILES AWAY WAS SO APPEALING<br />
An award-winning Pakistani author has chosen to<br />
publish her latest book four thousand miles away - in<br />
Staffordshire.<br />
Bushra Naqi, who lives in the historic city of Lahore<br />
in the Punjab, was awarded the prestigious Patrus<br />
Bokhari Prize by the Government of Pakistan in<br />
honour of her literary contribution to the country.<br />
Her latest book, Through The Cracks, has been<br />
published by North Staffordshire Press and is being<br />
released simultaneously in the UK and Pakistan.<br />
Written in English rather than Urdu, it is a<br />
collection of short stories that give an insight into<br />
Pakistani culture and look at both traditional and<br />
unconventional relationships.<br />
“Pakistan is a very conservative country. Writing in<br />
English gives me more freedom,” she said. “The<br />
majority of people in Pakistan don’t understand or<br />
read English. The people who do read English are not<br />
the conservative types, so you can get away with a lot<br />
more things when you’re writing in English.”<br />
The 69-year-old says that living in what she calls a<br />
traditionally conservative society encouraged her to<br />
‘become a reactionary’ and challenge a ‘stagnant and<br />
static’ way of life.<br />
The book, which Bushra says is partly<br />
autobiographical, gives snapshots into the lives of<br />
everyone from committed spinsters to women fleeing<br />
abusive relationships and from immigrants struggling<br />
to fit into their new country to people engaged in<br />
clandestine love affairs.<br />
“There’s no state censorship in Pakistan,” she said.<br />
“People do write whatever they want to in my country.<br />
I wanted to publish in the UK because I thought there<br />
would be a market for my work there too.<br />
“I found North Staffordshire Press on the internet and<br />
have found them very good to deal with, via emails<br />
and video calls.”<br />
Bushra chose the book’s title, Through The Cracks,<br />
as each of her stories gives an insight into a different<br />
person’s life.<br />
“We never really see people in their wholeness, we<br />
BUSHRA NAQI<br />
don’t get the whole picture, there’s always something<br />
concealed. I’m looking behind that,” she said.<br />
Bushra studied creative writing in New York after<br />
being introduced to classic English literature at a<br />
very young age by her father, who had studied at<br />
Cambridge University.<br />
“My father told us a lot about life in England,” said<br />
Bushra. “I was reading the English classics at a very<br />
young age - Dickens, Shakespeare, Jane Austen, the<br />
Brontes. It helped me to develop a love for literature<br />
and reading.<br />
“I started writing poetry when I was 19 and had my<br />
work published. I then found the medium of short<br />
stories more effective to articulate my observations<br />
about human nature.<br />
“My stories are partly autobiographical - I had all of<br />
these stories inside of me somewhere.”<br />
Through The Cracks is published by North<br />
Staffs Press priced £10. It can be ordered<br />
from all good book sellers using the ISBN<br />
code 978 1 8 380893 9 9.<br />
46<br />
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The first floor showroom above Sure Storage in<br />
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across curtains, blinds and wallpapers with tracks,<br />
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Interior Choice aims to have the largest selection in<br />
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Key brands include Romo, Voyage and Prestigious<br />
Textiles plus ILiv, Bill Beaumont, Curtain Express,<br />
Villa Nova, Luxaflex, Silent Gliss and ILiv Contract<br />
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All budgets are catered for, from entry-level express<br />
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Everything comes with a three year warranty, subject<br />
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If you’ve just moved into a new home or need your<br />
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And if you’re looking for blinds or curtains for a<br />
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Visits to the 512sq ft showroom are currently by<br />
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There is a seven day no-obligation booked<br />
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During the friendly and personal consultation you<br />
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Interior Choice is a family-owned and family-run<br />
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48<br />
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I N T H E N E W S<br />
Kick-start your weight loss<br />
A BALLOON PILL AND A GLASS OF WATER COULD BE THE<br />
ANSWER IF YOU’RE LOOKING TO LOSE WEIGHT THIS YEAR<br />
A slimming ‘balloon pill’ that can be taken with a<br />
glass of water has been introduced to Spire Little<br />
Aston Hospital in Sutton Coldfield.<br />
The Elipse ‘balloon pill’, developed by Allurion,<br />
works by filling the stomach and making the patient<br />
feel full more quickly and so enables them to cut back<br />
on the amount they eat.<br />
Unlike the gastric band, sleeve or bypass there is<br />
no need for surgery, a general anaesthetic or an<br />
overnight stay in hospital.<br />
Instead a small capsule that contains the balloon<br />
is attached to a thin tube and swallowed. Once it<br />
reaches the stomach an X-ray is taken to check it is<br />
in the correct position before the balloon is released<br />
and filled with up to 550ml of saline.<br />
Designed to deflate after four months before passing<br />
naturally through the body, the Elipse is aimed at<br />
people with a BMI of 27 or above in order to help<br />
them kick-start their dieting regime.<br />
The procedure is overseen by Consultant General<br />
Surgeon Mr Amir Khan who explained: “It isn’t a<br />
miracle pill, it still needs the patient to eat less and<br />
choose their foods more wisely, but it is a great aid to<br />
those who are serious about weight loss.<br />
“The balloon will reduce the hunger pangs but the<br />
patient still has to show willpower and determination<br />
in order to get the very best results from the process.<br />
It may be that the patient is advised to stick to a<br />
liquid diet for a couple of days after taking the pill<br />
but they will then be able to move onto solid foods.<br />
“What is really important is that they use the feeling<br />
of fullness provided by the balloon to help them<br />
change their eating habits. Smaller portions and<br />
healthier options really are the key to success.”<br />
Patients lose an average of 10 to 15kgs (1.57 to 2.36<br />
stone) in 16 weeks by using the balloon.<br />
Mr Khan is offering free virtual mini consultations<br />
on Thursday, February 4 between 4pm and 6pm.<br />
Call 0121 514 7034 for more information or to<br />
make an appointment.<br />
www.jaimemagazine.com 49
B E AU T Y<br />
Beauty Is More Than Skin Deep<br />
KICK-START <strong>2021</strong> WITH A RESOLUTION TO GIVE YOUR SKIN A MUCH-NEEDED NEW<br />
YEAR BOOST. WE TALK TO ROYAL FACIALIST AND FOUNDER OF HEAVEN SKINCARE<br />
DEBORAH MITCHELL ABOUT HER LATEST RANGE DESIGNED TO TACKLE SKINCARE<br />
WOES FROM THE INSIDE OUT<br />
Renowned around the world for her<br />
Heaven Skincare saviours, Deborah<br />
Mitchell has been treating countless<br />
famous faces for more than 30 years.<br />
From Tess Daley and Dannii Minogue<br />
to the Duchess of Cornwall, her client<br />
list reads like the ultimate who’s who.<br />
Her sought-after products are sold in<br />
some of the most famous hotels and<br />
spas from New York to Dubai, and<br />
she recently appeared in the Netflix<br />
documentary Un(well) showing how<br />
she makes her renowned Bee Venom<br />
Masks.<br />
Now the celebrity facialist has<br />
unveiled her latest line of defence<br />
for anti-ageing – a range of seven<br />
supplements that work in tandem<br />
with her bestselling skincare essentials.<br />
Each of the carefully selected vitamins<br />
and minerals are designed to tackle a<br />
whole host of complexion issues, from<br />
hair and nail strength to protection<br />
from free radicals.<br />
“In all of the 30 years I have spent<br />
healing and treating anti-ageing from<br />
the outside, I realised through my<br />
extensive research that many of the<br />
skin problems we suffer from are often<br />
caused by what is going on inside our<br />
bodies,” explains Deborah.<br />
“By learning how to match the needs<br />
of the skin on the outside to the needs<br />
of the skin from the inside I discovered I can quickly<br />
treat complexion issues and at the same time provide<br />
much-needed health benefits too.<br />
“As an example, if a client comes to see me because<br />
they suffer from eczema, I know it can often be<br />
blamed on a dairy intolerance or deficient vitamin<br />
absorption on the inside and an overgrowth of<br />
microbes on the outside.<br />
“Now, with the launch of my new supplements range<br />
I can recommend the correct combination for their<br />
skin: my new Inner Nettle Shoots combined with my<br />
Hydro Cleansing Milk and Nettle Venom Cream; or<br />
my Inner Bee-ing and Silver Bee Venom Mask.<br />
“Because these contain the natural amino acids and<br />
vitamins needed to help ease their eczema from the<br />
inside, they will keep their skin in great condition on<br />
the outside too.”<br />
Heaven’s new Inner Beauty supplements are priced<br />
at £37 each and are available online at<br />
heavenskincare.com and from selected Heaven<br />
salons.<br />
50 www.jaimemagazine.com
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 />
FREE<br />
jewellery, watch<br />
and silver valuations<br />
by appointment only<br />
Thursdays 9.30am-4pm<br />
at The Lichfield<br />
Auction Centre<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 3,800 bidders from<br />
all over the world joined our<br />
online auctions last month<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_Jan_<strong>2021</strong>.indd 1 07/12/2020 16:27