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Malvern Living Mar - Apr 2021

Spring has arrived and this edition is a celebration of the best of it - great food, Easter bakes, spring cleaning and, an amazing home transformation.

Spring has arrived and this edition is a celebration of the best of it - great food, Easter bakes, spring cleaning and, an amazing home transformation.

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GOSPEL PLACE<br />

MALVERN<br />

A CHOICE OF OPTIONS FOR<br />

MODERN LIVING IN MALVERN<br />

Gospel Place offers a selection of 14 new homes at Ranelagh<br />

Road, <strong>Malvern</strong>. The range includes 2-bedroom apartments<br />

(standard or duplex), 3 and 4-bedroom semi-detached houses<br />

and 4-bedroom detached townhouses.<br />

AVAILABLE NOW!<br />

Prices start from<br />

£245,000<br />

Contact Cathy Styler in our on site Show Home for a COVID safe inspection - Call: 01684 892282<br />

To book an appointment or receive more information and updates:<br />

Call: 01386 55 24 17 Visit: www.gospel.place<br />

GOSPEL PLACE Ranelagh Road, <strong>Malvern</strong> Link, Worcestershire, WR14 1BQ<br />

BEAUTIFUL HOMES IN THE FINEST TRADITION<br />

Call: 01684 892 892 Call: 01905 426 000


Contents<br />

A Note<br />

from the EDITOR<br />

12<br />

Glorious<br />

A Culinary Easter Journey recipes through to<br />

Northern celebrate Ireland the spring<br />

I was hoping we would be<br />

approaching this edition with a bit<br />

more of a certain outlook, but at the<br />

time of going to press, the shape<br />

of the next few months still looks<br />

rather…fluid. Time to call on some of<br />

that British resilience and adaptability<br />

– and wait for the joys of spring to<br />

flow forth. After all, there’s nothing<br />

that a big old wedge of cake can’t fix,<br />

so that’s what we are providing!<br />

This edition is still a celebration of<br />

my favourite season – a time of<br />

fabulous food, spring cleans and<br />

new beginnings. We hope you enjoy<br />

reading it as much as we have<br />

enjoyed putting it together!<br />

The competition<br />

page returns<br />

04<br />

Whilst Easter might yet again not take<br />

its usual form, we still have some<br />

celebratory and seasonal recipes to<br />

help you take joy in the preparation<br />

and flavour of good food - no matter<br />

how much company you have to<br />

share it with.<br />

On the home front, we have a<br />

wonderful kitchen before and after<br />

feature to inspire. If lockdown has<br />

seen you improve instead of move or<br />

you love your home but the space is<br />

no longer working the way it should<br />

for you, take a look at what can be<br />

done with a bit of imagination!<br />

A real-life before and<br />

after kitchen renovation<br />

16<br />

Editor Katie Thomson<br />

e katie.thomson@minervapublications.co.uk<br />

Publisher Sally Thomson<br />

Pre-Press Manager Kate O’Connell<br />

Contributors Rebecca Rose, Peter Thomson, Sue Cooke, Matthew Biggs<br />

Angela Cave and Pete Lawrence. Front cover courtesy of Next<br />

Key Account Manager Steve Davies<br />

e steve.davies@minervapublications.co.uk<br />

d/l 01225 984506<br />

ttwitter: @<strong>Malvern</strong><strong>Living</strong><br />

Spring clean tips<br />

from the experts<br />

MINERVA PUBLICATIONS HQ<br />

Unit 21c, Paxcroft Farm, Hilperton<br />

Trowbridge BA14 6JB<br />

t 01225 984 550<br />

visit our website www.minervamagazines.co.uk<br />

24<br />

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

advertisement to appear, or any damage or inconvenience caused by errors, omissions and<br />

misprints. No part of this publication may be reproduced without prior permission from the<br />

publishers. The opinions expressed within are not necessarily those of the publishers.<br />

Spring is a traditional time for a<br />

good clean and clear out - given<br />

we are bursting out of the seams of<br />

our homes, we should be making<br />

the most of the storage we have<br />

and reduce the clutter - so we’ve<br />

got some expert tips to banish the<br />

baggage and some cleaning hacks to<br />

make your house shine.<br />

Our ever-popular competition page is<br />

back with a bumper crop of amazing<br />

prizes - don’t forget to enter - I always<br />

bemoan the fact I can’t as there are<br />

some exceptional goodies to be had!<br />

All that’s left is to wish that the next<br />

time we see you, we are firmly on<br />

the road back to normality - there’s<br />

a palpable good feeling in the air and<br />

long may it continue!<br />

Katie Katie<br />

www.minervamagazines.co.uk | 3


COMPETITION<br />

SnüzPod<br />

bundle worth<br />

over<br />

£250<br />

Time<br />

To enter any (or all!) of our competitions, head to<br />

www.minervamagazines.co.uk/competitions.<br />

Find the competition and enter on that post,<br />

using the appropriate keyword.<br />

T&C’s apply and no cash alternatives available. Winners chosen at<br />

random - entries made after closing date will not be accepted.<br />

There’s no doubt about it, when it comes to a happy parent<br />

and child, it all starts with a good night’s sleep. At Snuz, it’s an<br />

ethos you can see running through every one of their products.<br />

SnüzCloud: SnüzCloud is the super stylish baby sleep aid<br />

that promises more ZZZ’s every parent needs! With super soft<br />

plush fabric, 4 soothing sounds and two light options; the cute<br />

and cuddly sleep aid will help comfort and settle baby day and<br />

night – it’s a must!<br />

SnüzPouch: An award-winning baby sleeping bag with a<br />

genius nappy change zip to limit all disturbances for babies<br />

(and parents)! Available in a range of stylish designs, bedtime<br />

couldn’t get any cosier (or more convenient)!<br />

SnüzPod4: An effortlessly stylish first bed for baby, keeping<br />

them close by mum and dad always, whilst also promising<br />

more sleep for the whole family!<br />

Closes 20/04/<strong>2021</strong> - Competition keyword ‘SNUZ’<br />

Win Gtech’s new<br />

Power Tools<br />

collection worth<br />

£280<br />

Gtech, award winning specialists in home<br />

technology, have added a brand new<br />

selection of cordless power tools to help<br />

you tackle home DIY with ease.<br />

The cordless 20V Combi<br />

Drill was designed for the<br />

most popular DIY tasks. It<br />

offers three modes of operation<br />

so you can switch between<br />

drill, hammer and screwdriver<br />

modes with 21 different torque<br />

settings for driving jobs requiring<br />

precision.<br />

The cordless 20V Impact Driver<br />

makes driving screws, nuts and<br />

bolts a breeze, helping you handle<br />

larger screws, thicker materials and<br />

remove tight fittings easily to take<br />

the strain out of DIY. Both available from<br />

gtech.co.uk Closes 20/04/<strong>2021</strong><br />

Competition keyword ‘GTECH’<br />

The Alcatel 3T 10<br />

comes with an Audio<br />

Station, so you can<br />

dock your tablet and<br />

enjoy crystal clear sound<br />

whether that’s to sit back<br />

with your favourite shows<br />

while the living room is<br />

occupied or keeping the<br />

kids entertained!<br />

You can host virtual parties,<br />

movie nights and more.<br />

The tablet also comes with<br />

built-in Google Assistant<br />

too meaning it can be<br />

voice-controlled and you<br />

won’t have to lift a finger.<br />

Available at jdwilliams.co.uk<br />

Closes 20/04/<strong>2021</strong><br />

Keyword ‘ALCATEL’<br />

Tablet and<br />

speaker worth<br />

over<br />

£199<br />

Win a stylish Milo console table<br />

from Zurleys<br />

Are you working from home but<br />

using a cluttered kitchen table?<br />

Online furniture store Zurleys is<br />

giving away a stylish Milo console<br />

table, so that you can create a<br />

dedicated workspace at home.<br />

This sleek,<br />

Scandinavianstyle<br />

table in<br />

grey and white,<br />

features two<br />

roomy drawers.<br />

Ideal as a home<br />

office desk, the<br />

Milo is equally<br />

well-suited to a<br />

modern-style<br />

living room or<br />

bedroom.<br />

Closes 20/04/<strong>2021</strong><br />

- Competition<br />

keyword ‘ZURLEYS’<br />

Console table<br />

worth over<br />

£160<br />

Win a beautiful pair<br />

of unisex, vintage<br />

Christian Dior<br />

sunglasses.<br />

With a beautiful<br />

collection of pre-loved<br />

and vintage glasses<br />

and sunglasses, Queen<br />

of Specs offers a more<br />

sustainable option when it<br />

comes to choosing your<br />

next pair of glasses.<br />

Based in Cheltenham<br />

and with over 50<br />

years in optics, Queen of Specs have curated a<br />

collection of eyewear that includes designs from<br />

leading fashion houses such as Prada, Gucci,<br />

Cazal, Christian Dior and Hugo Boss for quality<br />

conscious people. They offer worldwide<br />

delivery and prescription lenses for any of<br />

their glasses frames are available from £29<br />

per pair. queenofspecs.com<br />

Closes 20/04/<strong>2021</strong><br />

Competition keyword ‘SPECS’<br />

Win a pair of<br />

unisex, vintage<br />

Christian Dior<br />

sunglasses worth<br />

£99<br />

4 | www.minervamagazines.co.uk


Image courtesy Heathfield School<br />

FAMILY LIFE IN LOCKDOWN by Jane Prescott<br />

We all know how limiting, frightening, and<br />

all-consuming the impact of the Covid-19<br />

pandemic continues to be on our lives.<br />

But there have also been positives, and<br />

in many households, enforced lockdown<br />

has been an opportunity to re-engage with<br />

family life and reclaim relationships and<br />

values.<br />

As a head teacher, I speak to other Heads<br />

as well as the staff and children in my own<br />

school. While there are always concerns<br />

and individual struggles, what I repeatedly<br />

hear is how many of us are now doing<br />

things together as a family.<br />

Many of us are eating more healthily<br />

and cooking with our children, dining<br />

together around the table, rather than in<br />

front of the TV. This is such a valuable<br />

lesson for children, preparing meals from<br />

basic ingredients and enjoying the social<br />

benefits of family mealtimes.<br />

Families are taking walks and gardening<br />

together. For teenagers, walking can be<br />

an opportunity to enjoy one-to-one time<br />

with a friend whose company they might<br />

previously have enjoyed only in a group.<br />

This is when friendships can deepen and<br />

flourish.<br />

Indoors, we’re digging out old board<br />

games and jigsaws, and reading books<br />

with younger children has become a joy<br />

rather than something to shoehorn in<br />

at the end of a frantic day. Parents are<br />

brushing up and passing on their knitting<br />

and crocheting skills. It’s as if lockdown<br />

has given us permission to slow down, be<br />

creative, and talk to one another instead<br />

of being hunched over our mobiles all<br />

evening.<br />

Of course, screen time remains important.<br />

School moved online during lockdown and<br />

technology helps children to stay in touch<br />

with friends. Nevertheless, it seems we<br />

now use technology together to contact<br />

extended family and grandparents. I<br />

regularly hear about online quiz nights<br />

for all generations of the family. You<br />

could argue that some families are more<br />

in touch than ever, as the grim reality of<br />

the pandemic makes us more inclined to<br />

reach out to those we love.<br />

Time plays tricks on us. When we have<br />

less of it, we try to recapture it with ready<br />

meals and gadgets. When we have more<br />

of it, we often squander it. But when we<br />

are forced to embrace day after day at<br />

home, we bake bread, play games, and<br />

take walks. In fact, the amount of time<br />

available is always the same, it’s simply<br />

that lockdown has demonstrated what can<br />

happen when we choose to enjoy it with<br />

our families.<br />

I want all my students back in school,<br />

where unhappy children are less likely to<br />

fall through the net. But lack of family time<br />

can also impoverish a child, and it’s my<br />

hope that children who have flourished<br />

during lockdown are able to carry on<br />

enjoying those valuable, whole-family<br />

experiences.<br />

Image courtesy Westfield School<br />

Jane Prescott is President (2020/21)<br />

of the Girls’ Schools Association and<br />

Headmistress of Portsmouth High<br />

School GDST. www.gsa.uk.com<br />

6 | www.minervamagazines.co.uk


What did you<br />

learn at school<br />

today?<br />

Pose that question to a child at<br />

The Downs <strong>Malvern</strong> and you’re likely<br />

to receive some very interesting<br />

unusual answers from excited young<br />

learners… including how they<br />

learned to drive a railway engine or<br />

design a spare part for it.<br />

ADVERTISING FEATURE<br />

As well as a host of sporting and leisure activities and hobbies<br />

that keep day-children and boarders alike busy when they’re not<br />

studying, the school is extremely proud of its unique learning<br />

resource: the world’s oldest privately-owned miniature steam<br />

railway.<br />

The “Downs Light Railway” – with its own charitable trust to fund<br />

and guide its community teaching work – has just been entered<br />

for a national heritage award, and for 92 years it has been<br />

imparting a rich range of skills to pupils. The importance for their<br />

later careers cannot be underestimated, with the nation facing<br />

growing skills shortages in science, technology and engineering.<br />

“Our railway really brings engineering to life,” says Headmaster<br />

Alastair Cook, “inspiring generations of pupils. It acts as an<br />

outdoor classroom, encouraging young people to develop<br />

practical skills that will not only act as a foundation should<br />

they go on to careers in technology or the sciences, but also<br />

prepare them for the world of work.<br />

“We teach them about design and workshop practice and<br />

often find that the children are more interested in this than<br />

actually driving the trains! They also develop life skills such as<br />

leadership, teamwork, risk awareness, time management and<br />

responsibility which will last them a lifetime.”<br />

That’s an awful lot that children can learn from just one<br />

activity!<br />

Inspired.<br />

Individual.<br />

Independent.<br />

PART OF<br />

THE MALVERN COLLEGE<br />

FAMILY OF SCHOOLS<br />

Inspiring children to<br />

reach new heights<br />

“I love the way that the children are prepared for the bigger world.<br />

It’s wonderful to watch them flourish in such a beautiful<br />

environment with such supportive staff.” Current Pre-Prep Parent<br />

www.thedownsmalvern.org.uk<br />

Want to learn more? Call the Registrar +44 (0)1684 544108<br />

CO-EDUCATIONAL PREP SCHOOL 3-13YRS. DAY & BOARDING OPTIONS.<br />

#inspiredtolearn<br />

www.thedownsmalvern.org.uk


Take On Charity's<br />

Challenge To Save Lives<br />

In Worcestershire<br />

The lifesaving crew of Midlands Air<br />

Ambulance Charity is challenging the<br />

people of Worcestershire to help raise vital<br />

funds for critical care missions in <strong>2021</strong>,<br />

as part of the organisation’s 30th<br />

anniversary year...<br />

The Air30 Airbase Challenge is based on four distance options,<br />

ranging from 27 – 121 miles, which represent the distance<br />

between the charity’s three airbases. Participants can select<br />

how they complete the chosen mileage as an individual or a<br />

group. Any method can be used; run, jog, walk, swim, cycle (or a<br />

combination of), or even by pogo stick! Once started supporters<br />

will have 30 days to complete the activity.<br />

The Air30 Airbase Challenge starts on 1st January <strong>2021</strong> and will<br />

end on Monday 31st May <strong>2021</strong>, when the charity first formed.<br />

All participants can choose their 30-day window for completion.<br />

As well as setting themselves a physical challenge, participants<br />

are also being tasked with raising funds for the rapid response,<br />

pre-hospital emergency service in a bid to increase donations<br />

following the difficulties of 2020.<br />

There will be four challenge options in total, representing three<br />

operational airbases across the Midlands – RAF Cosford in<br />

Shropshire, Tatenhill Airfield in Staffordshire and Strensham<br />

Services on the M5 in Worcestershire.<br />

ADVERTISING FEATURE<br />

These distances include:<br />

Tatenhill to RAF Cosford: 27 miles – route helimed09<br />

RAF Cosford to Strensham: 40 miles – route helimed03<br />

Strensham to Tatenhill: 54 miles – route helimed06<br />

Or participants can take on the Helicopter Challenger, the full 121<br />

miles, which is the distance between all three airbases as the<br />

helicopter flies.<br />

Each of the distances will benefit from a member of Midlands Air<br />

Ambulance Charity’s aircrew allocated as a team leader, who will<br />

be sending regular emails to keep participants motivated in their<br />

challenges.<br />

A small sign-up fee is required in addition to any sponsorship<br />

monies raised. Registering as an individual will cost £5, or £10 for<br />

a team registration, with a maximum of four participants.<br />

To register your interest and for more information on Midlands<br />

Air Ambulance Charity’s Air30 Airbase Challenge, visit<br />

midlandsairambulance.com/air30-airbase-challenge and<br />

follow the organisation on social media. Participants complete<br />

the activities at their own risk.<br />

en?<br />

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8 | www.minervamagazines.co.uk


R<br />

Challenge yourself<br />

and help save lives<br />

in your area<br />

To kickstart our 30th anniversary year in <strong>2021</strong>, join the aircrew<br />

on our New Year - New You challenge.<br />

Take on one of four distances to raise vital funds to<br />

support our lifesaving service. It’s a great way to<br />

help our charity and get fit at the same time!<br />

£5 for individuals £10 for a team of four<br />

Sign up now at: midlandsairambulance.com/air30-airbase-challenge<br />

Help make our next mission possible


FORD FIESTA<br />

Vignale H ybrid<br />

Motoring Journalist Sue Cooke test drives the ever-popular<br />

Ford Fiesta, the Vignale Hybrid model...<br />

Despite lockdown it seems that people<br />

are still buying cars and in 2020, the Ford<br />

Fiesta was the most popular choice.<br />

Figures released by independent car<br />

retailer, Motorpoint revealed that the<br />

hatchback was the most delivered car<br />

to people’s homes in England, Scotland<br />

and Wales.<br />

Ford sold nearly 78,000 Fiestas in the UK<br />

in 2019 and it’s hardly surprising that the<br />

award winning compact car is so popular<br />

when there is an edition that suits most<br />

driving requirements. For the first time the<br />

Fiesta is now available with an electrified<br />

powertrain. Drivers can go even further<br />

on a tank of fuel, as power is delivered by<br />

the 1 litre Ecoboost petrol engine, a belt<br />

driven integrated starter/generator which<br />

replaces the standard alternator and will<br />

store energy when the car is coasting and<br />

which charges the 48 volt lithium ion air<br />

cooled battery pack.<br />

So, there is the technical stuff out of<br />

the way. While driving the hybrid, I<br />

didn’t notice any difference to driving<br />

a traditionally powered car. There are<br />

various displays which are interesting<br />

to watch as energy trickles into an<br />

icon battery and out of it again. As an<br />

owner what I would notice is the 5%<br />

improvement in fuel efficiency over the<br />

petrol engine on its own.<br />

The 17” alloys and LED headlamps<br />

with daytime running lights add to the<br />

five-door exterior good looks. The model<br />

I road tested was the Vignale, so front<br />

fog lamps have cornering lights and<br />

automatic high beam which really helped<br />

when I was driving at night. The Vignale<br />

model is easily recognisable with its<br />

unique front grille and body styling and<br />

rear and wing badges.<br />

In the interior, there is a range of colours<br />

and materials in different contrasts,<br />

dark gloss surfaces and high-tech<br />

metallic accents. The Vignale premium<br />

seats are comfortable and heated.<br />

The most striking feature is the centre<br />

console which says Ford, is a mobile<br />

phone inspired entertainment system,<br />

completely different to any other car.<br />

For ease of parking there are front and<br />

rear parking sensors and a very clear rear<br />

view camera. For the icy weather which<br />

reared its ugly head during my week of<br />

road testing, there is a quick clear heated<br />

windscreen.<br />

Sophisticated new driver assistance<br />

technologies include Adaptive Cruise<br />

Control with Stop & Go and Speed<br />

Sign Recognition, designed to deliver<br />

less stressful driving experiences on<br />

motorways and around town.<br />

On the Vignale there is a very long list<br />

of features which help with everyday<br />

life, such as Keyless entry when I was<br />

juggling shopping bags. The boot will<br />

swallow 292 litres of luggage and folding<br />

the seats creates up to 1093 litres of<br />

space.<br />

You will pay £400 extra for the ‘Magnetic’<br />

body colour and £600 for the full LED<br />

headlamps. Safety features include<br />

electronic stability programme with hill<br />

start assist. Safety isn’t just exclusive to<br />

the inside occupants either as there is an<br />

array of pedestrian protection features.<br />

Ford is committed to offering an<br />

electrified version of every passenger<br />

vehicle it brings to market in Europe and<br />

says it will grow its range of electrified<br />

vehicles in Europe to 18 on sale before<br />

the end of <strong>2021</strong>. And, when it comes to<br />

the choice of brand for home delivery<br />

Motorpoint says Ford leads the way<br />

in terms of popularity with the Fiesta,<br />

Focus, Kuga and Transit all in the Top 20.<br />

Facts at a Glance<br />

Model: Ford Fiesta Vignale Hybrid<br />

Price: £23,505otr without the options<br />

Engine: 1litre EcoBoost Hybrid 155PS<br />

Performance: 0-62mph in 8.9 seconds<br />

and on to a top speed of 136mph<br />

CO2 emissions: 116g/km<br />

Combined fuel consumption: 43.5-<br />

64.2mpg (WLTP with options)<br />

10 | www.minervamagazines.co.uk


EASTER<br />

Though it is still not Easter as<br />

we know it, it doesn’t mean you<br />

can’t celebrate with some special<br />

dishes and delightful bakes.<br />

These fabulous recipes all come<br />

from Clarence Court Eggs<br />

Bites<br />

SIMPLE HERBY<br />

ASPARAGUS OMELETTE<br />

WITH FETA AND RADISH<br />

Preparation time: 10 minutes<br />

Cooking time: 10 minutes<br />

Serves: 1<br />

INGREDIENTS<br />

150g British asparagus spears<br />

A small handful radishes<br />

Juice of half a lemon plus a wedge for<br />

serving<br />

½ teaspoon honey<br />

Extra virgin olive oil<br />

½ small bunch fresh dill, leaves picked<br />

A few sprigs parsley, leaves picked<br />

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper<br />

2 Clarence Court Hens Eggs<br />

A knob of butter<br />

40g feta cheese<br />

METHOD<br />

Click the woody ends from the asparagus<br />

and place a medium frying pan on a<br />

medium/high heat. Add all but one spear<br />

of asparagus and dry fry for about 5<br />

minutes or until starting to soften, turn<br />

occasionally.<br />

Use a speed peeler to peel strips of<br />

radish and the raw asparagus. Add to a<br />

bowl, with the lemon juice, honey and a<br />

drizzle of olive oil. Toss together and add<br />

a few of the herb leaves and a pinch of<br />

salt and pepper.<br />

When the asparagus spears are cooked,<br />

remove from the pan and place to one<br />

side on a plate. Return the pan to a low/<br />

medium heat. Beat the eggs well with the<br />

remaining herbs and a good pinch of salt<br />

and pepper. Add the butter to the pan<br />

and swirl it around, once melted tip in<br />

the eggs and use a spatula to draw lines<br />

through the mixture and make sure any<br />

raw mixture gets contact with the pan.<br />

Cook to your liking arrange the asparagus<br />

on one side of the omlette, scatter over<br />

the feta and fold the omelette over.<br />

Gently transfer the omelette to a serving<br />

plate, top with the salad and serve with a<br />

lemon wedge.<br />

PEA AND PECORINO<br />

QUAIL EGG ARANCINI<br />

Preparation time: 10 minutes, plus time<br />

for cooling<br />

Cooking time: 6 minutes<br />

Serves: 6<br />

INGREDIENTS<br />

6 Clarence Court quail eggs<br />

1 white onion, diced<br />

1 garlic clove, minced<br />

A splash of white wine<br />

200g of pearl barley<br />

600ml of vegetable stock<br />

50g frozen peas, thawed and roughly<br />

chopped<br />

50g of butter<br />

50g of Pecorino, grated<br />

2 tablespoons plain flour<br />

1 Clarence Court egg, whisked<br />

4 tablespoons breadcrumbs<br />

Vegetable oil for frying<br />

METHOD<br />

Boil the quail eggs for 2 minutes, peel<br />

and set aside.<br />

In a pan over a medium heat, sweat down<br />

the onion in a little oil until softened but<br />

not browned, add the garlic and cook for<br />

a further minute before adding the barley<br />

stirring well.<br />

Add the wine and stock one ladle at a<br />

time until all the liquid has been absorbed<br />

and the barley is cooked through. Add in<br />

the chopped peas, butter and Pecorino<br />

and season to taste. Spread the mixture<br />

onto a tray and allow to cool.<br />

Lay out the flour, beaten egg and<br />

breadcrumbs in 3 separate bowls. Take<br />

a handful of barley risotto and with<br />

wet hands, gently lay a quail egg into<br />

the middle and mould into a ball. Roll<br />

in flour, dip into egg and roll into the<br />

breadcrumbs. Cook two at a<br />

time in oil at 160ºC for 3-4 minutes until<br />

golden brown.<br />

Drain onto kitchen paper and serve warm.<br />

12 | www.minervamagazines.co.uk


HOT CROSS BUNS<br />

Preparation time: 2 hours, 20 minutes<br />

Cooking time: 15-20 minutes<br />

Serves: 12<br />

INGREDIENTS<br />

500g strong white bread flour<br />

10g fine salt<br />

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon<br />

2 teaspoons ground mixed spice<br />

1 orange zest, finely grated<br />

1 lemon zest, finely grated<br />

300ml semi skimmed milk<br />

60g unsalted butter<br />

10g fast action yeast<br />

1 large Clarence Court Hens egg, beaten<br />

150g sultanas<br />

50g dried cranberries<br />

50g chopped mixed candied peel<br />

Vegetable or flavourless oil<br />

75g plain flour<br />

100g Bonne Maman <strong>Apr</strong>icot Conserve<br />

METHOD<br />

Place the strong white bread flour in a large<br />

mixing bowl. Stir in the salt, mixed spice, ground<br />

cinnamon, orange and lemon zest. Make a well in<br />

the centre.<br />

Gently heat the milk until lightly steaming and stir<br />

in the butter until melted. Pour the milk and melted<br />

butter into a jug (check that’s it’s lukewarm) and<br />

stir in the yeast. Mix until frothy then pour into the<br />

well and add the beaten egg. Mix with a dinner<br />

knife at first bringing the flour slowly into the milk<br />

mixture and forming a rough dough.<br />

Transfer to a free-standing mixer with dough hook,<br />

spoon in the mixed fruit and knead to a smooth<br />

dough for about 5 - 10 minutes. Tip into a lightly<br />

oiled large bowl and cover with clingfilm. Place<br />

in a warm cupboard or by a radiator for 1 hour or<br />

until double in size.<br />

Meanwhile line two baking trays with greaseproof<br />

paper. When the dough is ready turn out on to a<br />

clean lightly floured work surface and ‘knock back’<br />

divide the dough into 12 equal sized balls, using a<br />

weighing scale helps make sure they are all even.<br />

Place 6 balls on each tray fairly close to each<br />

other. Place each tray in a large food safe bag<br />

(large roasting bags work well) and secure with an<br />

elastic band making sure the bag doesn’t touch<br />

the buns. Place the trays back in the warm place<br />

and allow the buns to double in size (about 45<br />

minutes).<br />

Pre-heat the oven to 200ºC/Gas <strong>Mar</strong>k 7. Mix the<br />

flour with 75ml water and spoon the paste into a<br />

small icing or piping bag.<br />

When the buns are ready, remove them from bags<br />

and pipe a cross over each bun. Place the trays<br />

in the oven and bake for 15 - 20 minutes or until<br />

golden brown. Turn the trays halfway.<br />

Meanwhile, melt the jam in a pan and pass<br />

through a sieve. Once the buns are cooked<br />

remove from the oven, brush over the glaze<br />

and allow to cool a little. Serve fresh or toasted<br />

with butter. You can freeze the buns, just cool<br />

completely and glaze after defrosting and<br />

reheating.<br />

www.minervamagazines.co.uk | 13


EARL GREY AND GINGER<br />

SIMNEL CAKE<br />

The Simnel Cake is buried deep in the traditions of England. It<br />

signals the start of new beginnings with the coming of Spring.<br />

It often now served around Mothering Sunday. This zesty<br />

version includes the not too traditional addition of warming<br />

ginger and citrus Earl Grey tea.<br />

Preparation time: 40 minutes (plus soaking fruit overnight)<br />

Cooking time: 2 hours<br />

Serves: 10-12<br />

INGREDIENTS<br />

6 pieces of stem ginger in syrup<br />

50g dried apricots<br />

50g glace cherries<br />

100g sultanas<br />

50g dried cranberries<br />

125g currants<br />

60g chopped mixed peel<br />

Zest of 2 oranges<br />

200ml earl grey tea (made with 3 tea bags and cooled)<br />

250g unsalted softened butter<br />

250g soft light brown sugar<br />

230g self-raising flour, sieved<br />

4 large Clarence Court Hens Eggs<br />

½ teaspoon mixed spice<br />

1 teaspoon ground ginger<br />

3 tablespoons apricot jam<br />

Icing sugar for dusting<br />

300g marzipan<br />

Mini eggs and edible flowers to decorate<br />

METHOD<br />

The night before you bake the cake, chop the stem ginger,<br />

apricots and cherries and add them to a bowl with the<br />

remaining dried fruit, orange zest and cooled tea. Cover the<br />

bowl and set aside to soak overnight.<br />

The following day drain the fruit and discard any tea that<br />

hasn’t been soaked up. Grease and line a deep, heavy, 20cm<br />

round baking tin with baking parchment. It’s often useful to<br />

wrap a sleeve of foil wrapped in baking parchment around<br />

the outside of the tin and secure it with string. This prevents<br />

the cake from browning too much as its baked for around 2<br />

hours.<br />

Pre-heat the oven to 150ºC/gas mark 2. Place the butter,<br />

sugar, sieved flour and spices into the bowl of a free-standing<br />

mixer. Whisk for a minute or two until beaten into a smooth<br />

cake mix. Alternatively, you can do this by hand with a<br />

wooden spoon. Fold through the tea-soaked fruit.<br />

Spoon the mixture into the lined tin and level out evenly. Place<br />

the cake in the oven to bake for 2 hours or until golden and<br />

risen. To check it’s ready, insert a skewer into the centre of the<br />

cake. If any mixture remains on the skewer, cover the cake<br />

with tin foil and bake in the oven for a further 10 minutes.<br />

When it’s ready, allow the cake to sit in the tin for 20 minutes<br />

on a cooling rack, then carefully turn it out and allow to cool<br />

completely.<br />

Melt the apricot jam and brush it on to the top of the cake.<br />

Roll out half of the marzipan to a 20cm circle on a clean work<br />

surface dusted with icing sugar and place on top of the cake.<br />

Roll out 11 balls and arrange them around the edge of the<br />

marzipan circle. Use a blow torch or place on a hot grill for a<br />

minute or two to achieve a golden-brown finish. Top with mini<br />

eggs and edible flowers if using.<br />

14 | www.minervamagazines.co.uk


This isn’t<br />

just leftover<br />

Sunday roast<br />

This is<br />

tomorrow’s<br />

lunch


FAMILY<br />

FOCUSED<br />

living<br />

As well as shaping our lives and plans, the last year of intermittent<br />

lockdowns has certainly changed the way we need our homes to<br />

function. With kitchen tables shared between home schooling and<br />

home-working, or living spaces packed with exercise kit, many of<br />

us have gotten to know our four walls very well - but found them<br />

falling short in terms of how they work for us...<br />

This was the case with homeowners<br />

Lisa and Phil, who had to put off a more<br />

significant move in <strong>Mar</strong>ch 2020, “we<br />

had had our offer accepted on a period<br />

property that needed lots of work, but<br />

right as we were about to exchange,<br />

our buyers pulled out. In a way, it was a<br />

blessing in disguise, as whilst our house<br />

isn’t our dream home, we were glad to<br />

not have to live in a full-house building<br />

site during lockdown. All this did make us<br />

reconsider our space and how to make it<br />

work better for us in the present.”<br />

With two young children, like many<br />

homes, the kitchen and dining areas<br />

were the heart of the action, “I suppose<br />

our layout was a fairly standard one – a<br />

kitchen looking over the back garden,<br />

then a separate dining room which had<br />

an opening into the sitting room. We also<br />

had a conservatory which was just never<br />

used – it was either very cold or upwards<br />

of 50ºC in the summer months. It just<br />

seemed like a huge waste of space and<br />

created this awkward, multi-door access<br />

to the garden, with about 1,000 trip<br />

hazards for my two-year-old.”<br />

Many of us have spaces like this, which<br />

don’t fit with how we want to live – often<br />

the kitchen is separate and leaves one<br />

family member away from all the action.<br />

The old conservatory (right) transformed<br />

into a modern extension and new<br />

French doors from the kitchen.<br />

“The kitchen had only wall units too and I<br />

really wanted a breakfast bar area where I<br />

could have friends over for coffee but have<br />

eyes on the kids playing at all times too.”<br />

Lisa and Phil wanted to create a ‘broken<br />

plan’ space – that is, an open-plan<br />

kitchen/diner with some seating and<br />

a play area for the kids, then closing<br />

off the sitting room to have more of a<br />

cosy retreat. “Rather than having a full<br />

extension, we found out that we could use<br />

the existing conservatory foundations and<br />

half wall to create a whole new room with<br />

a skylight – then, by removing the existing<br />

wall between the kitchen and dining room,<br />

we could create a large L-shaped space,<br />

with a snug for the kids and a peninsula<br />

- we didn’t have the clearance room for<br />

BEFORE<br />

16 | www.minervamagazines.co.uk


an island, but this gives us a lot of the feel<br />

without making the walkways feel cramped”<br />

says Lisa, “this reconfiguration also allowed<br />

us to have French doors direct from the<br />

kitchen to the garden – something I’ve always<br />

wanted for summer dining outside.<br />

“We decided to seal up the opening between<br />

the dining area and sitting room so we had a<br />

separate space - a retreat from the kids and<br />

all their stuff!”<br />

The couple went to a local kitchen supplier<br />

who suggested they look at the Lifestyle<br />

Kitchen range by Crown Imperial – they<br />

loved the sleek simplicity of a modern shaker<br />

style called Avio and the colour options<br />

were fantastic. “I’ve always loved the look<br />

of dark kitchen units, so we went with a<br />

mix the Graphite shade on the bulk of the<br />

cabinets and white on the storage around<br />

the banquette seating area. I was worried<br />

the dark colour might overwhelm the space,<br />

but it’s gorgeous – there’s such a depth to it<br />

which shifts in the light and the simple lines<br />

keep it timeless. The doors and drawers<br />

have such a feeling of quality, they’re really<br />

robust and easy to clean - important with<br />

sticky kids about – and they have the soft<br />

close function, which is just amazing when<br />

you’ve not had it before! We opted for a<br />

mix of conventional cupboards, a larder<br />

BEFORE<br />

“MANY OF US HAVE SPACES LIKE THIS,<br />

WHICH DON’T FIT WITH HOW WE WANT TO<br />

LIVE – OFTEN THE KITCHEN IS SEPARATE<br />

AND LEAVES ONE FAMILY MEMBER AWAY<br />

FROM ALL THE ACTION.”<br />

www.minervamagazines.co.uk | 17


BEFORE<br />

“THE PENDANT OVER<br />

THE DINING TABLE IS<br />

CALLED THE ‘ALANA’<br />

AND I WAS ATTRACTED<br />

TO ITS STYLISH FORM<br />

AND FUNCTIONALITY - IT<br />

LOOKS AMAZING IN SITU.”<br />

Table, vase, tray, sculpture and<br />

candle all jysk.co.uk<br />

Mudcloth Throw, hauslife.co.uk<br />

Amtico Flooring in<br />

Honey Oak<br />

DAR Lighting<br />

Alana Pendant<br />

18 | www.minervamagazines.co.uk


COUNTRY CORNER<br />

Your local Outdoor store and stove specialist<br />

Country Corner is situated in the quaint market town of<br />

Newent in Gloucestershire.<br />

We are an independent family business with 40+ years of retail experience, and<br />

we pride ourselves in offering excellent customer service.<br />

As a stove specialist we stock the full range of Arada and ACR stoves,<br />

which are British built. Arada our main supplier pride themselves<br />

with over 40 years of experience of<br />

setting new standards in their excellent<br />

craftsmanship and stylish range in fires.<br />

We have our own Hetas Fitter and can<br />

arrange whatever your requirements<br />

and needs are.<br />

23 Broad Street, Newent, Glos GL18 1AQ | Tel: 01531 822460<br />

Open Mon - Fri 9am - 5pm | Sat 9.30am - 4.30pm<br />

WWW.COUNTRYCORNERNEWENT.COM<br />

haus<br />

HOME | LIFESTYLE<br />

ARTISANAL SOFT<br />

FURNISHINGS FOR<br />

THE MODERN HOME<br />

HANDMADE<br />

RESPONSIBLY<br />

SOURCED<br />

ONE OF<br />

A KIND<br />

Use code LIVE15 for<br />

an exclusive 15% off<br />

your order<br />

NEW COLLECTIONS OF MUDCLOTH<br />

AND KILIM PILLOWS AND LEATHER<br />

POUFFES COMING SOON -<br />

AVAILABLE TO PRE ORDER NOW<br />

FREE UK P&P ON ALL<br />

ORDERS<br />

www.hauslife.co.uk<br />

Image courtesy of cityfarmhouse.com<br />

www.minervamagazines.co.uk | 19


Frayed linen cushion and mudcloth<br />

cushion, both hauslife.co.uk<br />

DAR Lighting Osaka Track<br />

and Dynamo Pendants<br />

“IT HAS COMPLETELY<br />

TRANSFORMED THE WAY<br />

WE LIVE. WE OPTED FOR<br />

THE BEST QUALITY WE<br />

COULD AFFORD AND I’M SO<br />

GLAD WE DID”<br />

GROHE Minta Tap and<br />

K700 Stainless Steel Sink<br />

cupboard around the fridge, a curved one for the<br />

breakfast bar and of course the full height ones<br />

on the banquette seating – great for housing the<br />

hoover and large kitchen appliances!”<br />

Peg Board and Imitation<br />

Coral from jysk.co.uk<br />

Lighting was a huge consideration for this newly<br />

zoned, multi-function room. Lisa wanted the<br />

lights to help define each space - with functional<br />

track spotlights in the kitchen, pendants over the<br />

breakfast bar and a beautiful statement light over<br />

the dining table. “To save on costs, instead of<br />

having a raft of new spotlights installed, we chose<br />

these beautiful ‘Osaka’ track spots from DAR<br />

Lighting. Then we chose the ‘Dynamo’ pendant<br />

lights for the breakfast bar - they have a diffuser<br />

on the bottom which stops the light from having<br />

that stark, interrogation appearance - they create<br />

a fabulous ambiance. The pendant over the dining<br />

table is called the ‘Alana’ and I was immediately<br />

attracted to its stylish form and functionality - it<br />

looks amazing in situ. Despite choosing lights from<br />

three different collections, they work together really<br />

well and all have a stunning antique chrome finish,<br />

which tied the metallic finishes on the handles and<br />

tap together.”<br />

20 | www.minervamagazines.co.uk


Cabinets from Crown Kitchens<br />

Tap and Sink from GROHE<br />

Accessories from jysk.co.uk<br />

Whilst you may not consider it, the sink and tap are some of the most<br />

important purchases in the kitchen - especially with our heightenedawareness<br />

of the importance of regular hand washing. This beautiful<br />

GROHE Minta SmartControl kitchen mixer tap is perfect for the<br />

hygiene-focused and budding chefs alike with its button-controlled<br />

start technology, “it’s so convenient - if you have a heavy pot to fill<br />

with water or have handled raw meat, you can start the tap with the<br />

touch of an elbow or wrist. You can adjust the flow of the water with<br />

the button too - the spout can also pull out so you can rinse down the<br />

whole sink with ease. We paired it with the GROHE K700, which has<br />

an undermount design - it’s so sleek and looks amazing against our<br />

composite worktop.”<br />

It’s no secret that kitchens require robust flooring – it has to be able to<br />

cope with water but also resist damage from dropped pans or knives.<br />

The obvious answer was luxury vinyl, so Lisa and Phil went straight to<br />

the experts at Amtico, “we knew we wanted wood effect and I am a huge<br />

fan of a classic herringbone pattern. Our concern was that this floor had<br />

to run into the hallway too, but that’s too narrow to support this pattern<br />

– but the beauty of these Amtico planks was that they can be laid in a<br />

whole host of different configurations – ours has a transition from straight<br />

planks in the hallway to my beautiful herringbone. We went for the colour<br />

Honey Oak, but you can even mix and match shades in the range to<br />

create some lovely tonal variations and patterns. They also come with an<br />

amazing 25 year guarantee which gives real peace of mind.”<br />

Having now completed the project, would they change anything?<br />

“Honestly, it’s surpassed our expectations - it was a relatively painless<br />

process which has completely transformed the way we live. We opted<br />

for the best quality we could afford and I’m so glad we did - this is<br />

beating heart of our home and now it works for all of us.”<br />

STOCKIST DETAILS: Sink: K700 undermount sink, £591.13 excl. VAT and Minta<br />

SmartControl kitchen tap in Supersteel £395.97 excl. VAT, both grohe.co.uk;<br />

Lights: Osaka, £134.40, Alana, £96 and Dynamo, £132, all darlighting.co.uk;<br />

Flooring: Amtico in Honey Oak part of the Amtico Spacia Collection, amtico.com;<br />

Cabinets: Lifestyle Kitchens by Crown Kitchens, crown-imperial.co.uk<br />

www.minervamagazines.co.uk | 21


An Escape From<br />

Lockdown<br />

Ok well not quite an escape…but Reunion<br />

Lifestyle was born out of the first UK<br />

national lockdown in spring 2020 when<br />

Jason & Vicky Rammell were searching<br />

for ideas to ‘escape’ from lockdown...<br />

ADVERTISING FEATURE<br />

Like all of us, this couple from north Worcestershire were<br />

suddenly thrust into this new situation with their usual travel<br />

activities completely curtailed.<br />

Being fortunate enough to travel extensively for work within<br />

the International Exhibition & Event industry and with regular<br />

trips to Spain and Florida they enjoyed a very mobile lifestyle.<br />

When work came to an abrupt stop in <strong>Mar</strong>ch 2020 and finding<br />

themselves at home more so than in the prior 15 years, they set<br />

about creating an enhanced home lifestyle to ‘escape’ lockdown.<br />

First up was a small summer-house built in the garden finished<br />

in a retro-industrial bar theme. The interior is bright and airy<br />

and the bar itself is bespoke, made from re-claimed floorboards<br />

sourced locally. Optics were a must and the refrigerator inside<br />

the base a cool addition.<br />

Next, the garden space around the ‘Let’s Get Shedded’ bar<br />

needed an upgrade to make it a perfect alfresco space. Over the<br />

following weeks exactly the right outdoor sofa, barbecue, patio<br />

heater and of course hot-tub were sourced to complete this new<br />

outdoor sanctuary.<br />

Finally, as the autumn set in, attention was turned to a spare<br />

room that would be perfect for creating an indoor entertaining<br />

space complete with pool table, large screen, comfy seating and<br />

of course a bespoke black and white Gin bar.<br />

Reunion Lifestyle was born out of Jason & Vicky’s desire to<br />

have an oasis at home. The meticulous effort that was put into<br />

sourcing the right home products for their own home was just<br />

the inspiration they needed to embark on their new business<br />

manufacturing & sourcing the right luxury products & gifts to<br />

make their customers’ homes the ultimate retreat.<br />

Visit www.reunionlifestyle.co.uk, email<br />

vicky@reunionlifestyle.co.uk or give us a call on 01905 754209<br />

for Outdoor <strong>Living</strong>, Cooking & Heating products and Indoor<br />

Entertaining, Heating, Homewares & Gifts.<br />

Check out our spring offers at<br />

www.reunionlifestyle.co.uk<br />

Inspirational Home Goods and Gifts<br />

Call us on<br />

flii<br />

01905 754 209<br />

Email us at sales@reunionlifestyle.co.uk<br />

22 | www.minervamagazines.co.uk


SPRING<br />

Spring cleaning and<br />

organisational tips<br />

refresh<br />

CLEANING HACK<br />

Regular vacuuming may leave carpets looking spotlessly<br />

clean but lurking within the fibres of the household<br />

carpet is a layer of bacteria that cannot be removed<br />

by vacuuming alone. Regularly washing your carpets<br />

will keep bacteria at bay, and ensure they keep their<br />

appearance for longer and smell fresh and clean.<br />

LAUNDRY HACK<br />

To make laundry<br />

smell amazing,<br />

soak a thick<br />

sponge in 5 parts<br />

water to 1 part<br />

fabric softener,<br />

wring it out until<br />

damp and then<br />

add it to the drying<br />

cycle - your laundry<br />

will smell amazing<br />

and it’s more ecofriendly<br />

than using<br />

dryer sheets<br />

New VAX Platinum SmartWash<br />

Our carpets have to stand up to a lot of action, but<br />

sometimes vacuuming just isn’t enough. Wage war<br />

on dirt, bacteria and odours in the home with the new<br />

Vax Platinum SmartWash, the UK’s first carpet washer<br />

with motion sense technology that removes over<br />

99% of bacteria trapped in your carpet fibres that can<br />

cause bad smells.The clever solution for home carpet<br />

washing also outperforms the UK’s leading rental and<br />

leaves carpets dry in as little as just one hour.<br />

Carpet washing has never been easier. Just add<br />

warm water and VAX Platinum Antibacterial Solution,<br />

turn on and push forward to start washing. The<br />

advanced FlexForce brush bars set to work agitating<br />

the carpet to remove tough stains, dirt<br />

and spills, delivering a deep clean<br />

seven times more effective than<br />

vacuuming alone. If time is short,<br />

simply activate the ‘dry only mode’<br />

after washing and pass over your<br />

carpets again; to dry them in as<br />

little as one hour.<br />

Where to buy: Direct from<br />

www.vax.co.uk priced<br />

£299.99 including 2 x 250ml<br />

VAX Platinum Antibacterial Solution<br />

and 1 x Pre-Treatment Spray, free delivery and a free steam<br />

cleaner worth £59.99.*only when purchasing direct from VAX.<br />

Which Interior Personality Are You?<br />

With The Home Edit and<br />

<strong>Mar</strong>ie Kondo sparking a<br />

generation of interior and<br />

organisation obsessives,<br />

Brabantia is working<br />

with organiser to the<br />

stars Vicky Silverthorn<br />

Set of Four Square<br />

to reveal the personality<br />

Stacking Canisters,<br />

£31.50, brabantia.com types when it comes to<br />

home organisers<br />

In response to the<br />

decluttering trend,<br />

Brabantia and Vicky Silverthorn have<br />

identified five personality types when it comes<br />

to how we keep our homes.<br />

WHICH PERSONALITY ARE YOU?<br />

THE PRACTICAL: tidying up is a breeze<br />

for this person, within 10 minutes the house<br />

is looking spotless without what looks like<br />

any effort<br />

THE SHOW HOME: their home is clean<br />

and shiny at all times, and the pride in their<br />

immaculate space is clear. It’s just so!<br />

THE TRY HARD: this person really wants<br />

to be tidy; the intention is there but there’s<br />

always too much ‘stuff’ they’re buying!<br />

THE NATURAL: they don’t live with much<br />

stuff, so organising their belongings is easy.<br />

THE THROW AWAY: how this person’s<br />

house looks depends on the day. They like to<br />

shop, but equally like to have a mass clear out<br />

every few months, but it always fills back up.<br />

TOP TIPS<br />

START WITH THE KITCHEN: Clear your<br />

food cupboards, give to the food bank and<br />

get the food looking like a shop shelf so you<br />

can see exactly what you have. Food which<br />

needs using up at the front and surfaces clear<br />

ready for healthy prep time.<br />

CHARITY SHOP BOX: Place a box or bag<br />

in your hallway (or hang on door handles) so<br />

when you spot something you don’t want / try<br />

something on you no longer want, you have<br />

somewhere to put it before it heads to the<br />

charity shop. Not having this often means we<br />

put things back and think ‘I’ll do it later’ and it<br />

often never happens.<br />

THROW THE RULEBOOK OUT THE<br />

WINDOW: Ignore any unnecessary rules<br />

such as have I worn it in the last year and<br />

ask yourself the most powerful question of all<br />

(if you are decluttering to give yourself more<br />

space) ‘Can I live without this?’.<br />

THINK CONSCIOUSLY: More sustainable<br />

living – this is a valuable reason to be more<br />

conscious of what you are buying. The<br />

throwaway culture we have lived in needs to<br />

come to an end and placing appreciation on<br />

long lasting good quality items needs more<br />

focus and attention.<br />

DECLUTTER FIRST, STORAGE<br />

SECOND: You need to declutter before you<br />

buy storage which is too big and not actually<br />

needed. Often once you’ve got rid of things<br />

you no longer want you’ll find your storage<br />

problem isn’t as bad as you first thought.<br />

BE PRACTICAL: Get rid of what isn’t<br />

working for you and replace it with practical<br />

equipment. This could be anything from a<br />

bin that is too small or a clothes dryer that<br />

annoys you every time you try and put it up!<br />

The right equipment will make life easier and<br />

reduce stress!<br />

Organister to the stars<br />

Vicky Silverthorn<br />

Bo Touch Bin, from £158,<br />

brabantia.com<br />

24 | www.minervamagazines.co.uk


NOTES FROM THE GARDEN<br />

SPACE STATION<br />

Our regular contributor Matt Biggs is<br />

currently away, meanwhile we talked<br />

with our in-house gardening expert<br />

Angela Cave and discussed how we may<br />

wish to consider making the most of<br />

our gardens...<br />

Whatever we have been doing, or not doing, over the last year<br />

most of us will have spent quite a lot of time at home. For those<br />

of us with gardens there may have been a reappraisal of how<br />

we use the space we have, and many people will be feeling that<br />

the space they do have in the garden might be up for a re-think.<br />

Working from home may have been temporary for some, others<br />

might be re assessing how they work and wanting to work from<br />

home on a more permanent basis or starting a new venture which<br />

needs just that bit more overflow and storage space.<br />

Image courtesy of Gpod<br />

Enter the garden building. This option is becoming increasingly<br />

popular as it adds space without the need, usually, for planning<br />

permission and it can be achieved relatively quickly too. There<br />

are other perks apart from a shorter commute - why not install<br />

a home cinema so that your office can turn into a place of<br />

recreation once the working day is over, add a bar and have a<br />

home pub, add some gym equipment and get the abs you have<br />

always wanted, there are so many great things about new space!<br />

For those just starting a new business, it can be a workshop,<br />

production area, packing space, even a studio to film those allimportant<br />

blogs and vlogs - the more you think about the options<br />

the more essential it becomes!<br />

It would be a good idea at this stage, to get in touch with a local<br />

company who can advise on the options, make yourself a mood<br />

board and a list of what you want your space to do, how big<br />

you want it, how it is going to blend into your existing space and<br />

the style of your home - there are many things to consider, but<br />

whatever you decide, the anticipation and realisation of having<br />

your own new space is definitely something to look forward too.<br />

Gain a space to work or play with<br />

your own bespoke garden pod<br />

that perfectly fits modern life.<br />

the gardenpod company<br />

Visit our team and on-site<br />

showrooms at Blackwell,<br />

Warwickshire or contact<br />

us for more information:<br />

www.gpod.company<br />

enquiries@gpod.company<br />

01608 544096<br />

www.minervamagazines.co.uk | 25


COPING WITH DEMENTIA<br />

Across the world, 44 million people live<br />

with dementia. Hundreds of millions of<br />

people are affected by the dementia of<br />

parents, partners, siblings or friends.<br />

And as much of the world struggles with<br />

an aging population, dementia is set to<br />

become ever more of a challenge for<br />

societies and individuals.<br />

But most people who are diagnosed, or<br />

who are dealing with the diagnosis of a<br />

loved one, feel as though they are alone.<br />

This book fills the gap, providing practical<br />

information and support for living with, or<br />

caring for, Alzheimer’s and other forms of<br />

dementia.<br />

With clear and sensible information about<br />

recognising symptoms, getting help,<br />

managing financially, staying at home,<br />

treatment, being a carer and staying<br />

positive, this guide will help those with<br />

dementia and their families to make sure<br />

that they can stay well and happy as long<br />

as possible.<br />

To find out more about this condition we<br />

would recommend that you read Professor<br />

June Andrews’ book: Dementia:<br />

What You Need to Know.<br />

Professor June Andrews RMN, RGN,<br />

FRCN is an inspirational woman whose<br />

impact on healthcare in the UK, and<br />

further afield, is profound.<br />

26 | www.minervamagazines.co.uk<br />

She is a refreshing force of nature - smart,<br />

politically astute, amusing and possessed<br />

of a razor-sharp intellect. A Scot, she<br />

trained as a nurse in Nottingham,<br />

England before taking up a series of<br />

posts that moved from practice to policymaking<br />

and strategic management and<br />

influencing.<br />

As Director of the University of Stirling’s<br />

Dementia Services Development Centre,<br />

Professor Andrews makes ambitious<br />

things happen all the time: she recently<br />

conceived of a new online design<br />

guide for care homes and hospitals,<br />

ensuring wall-to-wall media coverage<br />

and heightened public and professional<br />

awareness of the practical things you<br />

can do to make life better for people with<br />

dementia.<br />

Working to make change internationally<br />

Not content with revolutionising dementia<br />

care in the UK, Professor Andrews is<br />

simultaneously working to make change<br />

internationally. She has worked in many<br />

countries including the Netherlands,<br />

Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, Ireland,<br />

Canada, New Zealand, Australia, the<br />

USA, Saudi Arabia and Hong Kong; she<br />

has been an adviser to the Canadian<br />

Knowledge Translation Network,<br />

and judged awards for the European<br />

Foundations in Dementia and the NHS/<br />

Design Council. In 2011 she gained<br />

recognition for her international work<br />

through<br />

the Robert Tiffany Award, and<br />

was presented in Philadelphia with the<br />

first-ever Founders’ Award of the British<br />

American Project, of which she is a Fellow<br />

and advisory Board member.<br />

June supports other health and social<br />

care teams as a coach and mentor,<br />

and has led successful teams for three<br />

decades. Because of her considerable<br />

achievements as a nurse leader, she<br />

received the Chief Nursing Officers’<br />

Lifetime Achievement Award in 2012.<br />

Fellow of the Royal College of Nursing.<br />

In 2014 she was made a Fellow of the<br />

Royal College of Nursing of the United<br />

Kingdom, the highest honour that the<br />

RCN can bestow. In 2013 she was listed<br />

in the Health Services Journal as one<br />

of the fifty most inspirational women in<br />

health care and separately as one of the<br />

100 most influential clinicians in England.<br />

To find out more visit<br />

www.juneandrews.net


ENTERPRISE<br />

RETIREMENT<br />

LIVING<br />

MOUNT<br />

BATTENHALL<br />

MOUNT BATTENHALL<br />

Discover<br />

companionship<br />

and comfort in a<br />

vibrant community<br />

Mount Battenhall offers independent<br />

living within a friendly community<br />

of like-minded people, with the<br />

assurance and convenience of<br />

24-hour on-site staff.<br />

Featuring an exquisite Grade II* Listed<br />

mansion surrounded by beautifully<br />

landscaped gardens, this luxurious<br />

retirement village is just minutes from<br />

the centre of Worcester.<br />

An excellent choice of both new build and<br />

converted apartments and houses will<br />

be complemented by superb community<br />

facilities including a restaurant, bar, gym,<br />

salon and guest suite for visitors.<br />

Call to find out more.<br />

“There can’t be anywhere more perfect<br />

to be at a time like this. The weeks just<br />

seem to fly and there is no feeling of<br />

loneliness.”<br />

Sylvia F - Property owner at ERL<br />

retirement village, The Red House<br />

Call 01905 630490 or visit mountbattenhall.co.uk<br />

The <strong>Mar</strong>keting Suite, Mount Battenhall, Battenhall Road, Worcester WR5 2BS<br />

Show home viewings by appointment only. Exterior image shown is computer generated.


01684 562087<br />

Do you need live-in care?<br />

For short or long term care<br />

call us to discuss our friendly,<br />

professional service.<br />

WORCESTERSHIRE • GLOUCESTERSHIRE • HEREFORDSHIRE<br />

Email: broomhillgroup@aol.com<br />

www.broomhill24.co.uk<br />

93 Barnards Green Road, <strong>Malvern</strong>, WR14 3LT<br />

Regulated by the Care Quality Commission<br />

28 | www.minervamagazines.co.uk


What is your equity<br />

in your home doing<br />

for you?<br />

“I’d love a holiday home somewhere<br />

warm” – this is one of the many starts to a<br />

conversation where the solution could be a<br />

lifetime mortgage...<br />

What is your equity in your home doing for you?<br />

It’s always been the dream of many homeowners to make that<br />

last payment to live mortgage free in their home for life but is this<br />

actually the best option for you or your family?<br />

For a surprisingly low interest rate with no monthly payments to<br />

make and no upfront costs you could release some of the money<br />

tied up in your home to<br />

• Repay an outstanding mortgage to reduce monthly costs<br />

• Enhance your retirement income and therefore your lifestyle<br />

• To help your children with a deposit for a house<br />

• To go on that holiday of a lifetime<br />

• To buy a holiday home in the UK or abroad<br />

• Or a multitude of other reasons<br />

Interest rates on lifetime mortgages are at an all-time low with<br />

many providers offering a fixed rate for life making it a great<br />

solution for people who would like to make more use of their hard<br />

earned equity.<br />

Most lifetime mortgage providers are offering inheritance<br />

guarantees so you can be reassured that you are able to leave a<br />

proportion of your property value as an inheritance.<br />

ADVERTISING FEATURE<br />

Putting any kind of mortgage on your house is not a decision to<br />

be taken lightly so we will always look at your specific situation to<br />

ensure you have considered all options. We will encourage your<br />

family to be involved in the discussions so that you are able to<br />

draw on opinions of your loved ones too.<br />

We are a family team regulated by the Financial Conduct<br />

Authority specialising in Financial Advice, Retirement Planning,<br />

Mortgages and Protection Insurance. We have a wealth of<br />

knowledge enabling us to make sure that you are comfortable<br />

that you’re making the right choices for your situation.<br />

Aged 55 and over and in need of more information, please give<br />

us a call or email on 07577 921 992 or dom@midasfp.co.uk and<br />

we can have a no obligation initial conversation.<br />

This is a lifetime mortgage which may reduce the value of your<br />

estate and may affect your entitlement to means-tested benefits.<br />

To understand the features and risks ask for a personalised<br />

illustration. Midas Financial Planning Services Ltd is authorised<br />

and Regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority<br />

Enjoy your life….<br />

What is your equity in your home doing for you?<br />

Enhance your income Help a family member Fund a dream holiday<br />

Clear an existing mortgage<br />

Dom Whitehouse CeRER, CeMAP<br />

Peter Whitehouse CeRER, DipFA<br />

Worcestershire Whole of <strong>Mar</strong>ket<br />

Equity Release Specialists<br />

To find out more and book a no obligation appointment, call:<br />

07577 921 992 or email dom@midasfp.co.uk<br />

This is a lifetime mortgage which may reduce the value of your estate and may affect your<br />

entitlement to means-tested benefits. To understand the features and risks ask for a personalised<br />

illustration. Midas Financial Planning Services Ltd is authorised and Regulated by<br />

the Financial Conduct Authority<br />

www.minervamagazines.co.uk | 29


Ledbury<br />

Nursing<br />

Home<br />

We Have Respite<br />

Spaces Available.<br />

Vaccinations<br />

PPE<br />

Stringent<br />

Hygiene<br />

COVID<br />

Compliant<br />

2m<br />

Accepting<br />

New Residents<br />

Social<br />

Distancing<br />

Risk Assessment<br />

Shaw healthcare is welcoming new residents<br />

to ensure that we are there for those that<br />

require care and support.<br />

The home is located right in the centre of Ledbury allowing easy access<br />

to shops and local amenities as well as the opportunity to ‘watch the<br />

world go by’ from one of the numerous lounges.<br />

Contact us today to book a virtual tour<br />

or find out more about our services on 0800 902 0092<br />

@shawhealthcare shawhealthcare www.shaw.co.uk<br />

a care home<br />

full of life<br />

ADVERTISING FEATURE<br />

Owned and operated by leading care provider<br />

Avery Healthcare, winners of the 2020 Health<br />

Investor award for Residential Care Provider<br />

of the Year, Droitwich Mews is one of the<br />

latest additions to a portfolio of over fifty care<br />

homes nationwide and provides a stunning<br />

environment in which to enjoy<br />

retirement within...<br />

Avery’s approach is to deliver ‘Care with a Difference’. Resident<br />

well-being is their primary concern, and they will ensure that<br />

residents have the highest quality of support tailored to their<br />

individual needs. A wide range of healthy exercises, well<br />

balanced and freshly prepared fine dining, along with daily<br />

activities and outings all help residents enjoy life to the full. A<br />

dedicated team of Well-being and Activities staff will also be on<br />

hand to provide a daily calendar of events.<br />

All of Avery Healthcare’s homes are run to exacting standards.<br />

They are some of the safest places to live, meaning within local<br />

and national guidelines they can facilitate family visits, not only<br />

in the gardens but also inside the home. It is an important matter<br />

now for everyone to consider when a loved one is supported in<br />

care. To help maintain contact with family and friends and the<br />

wider community, tablet PCs will be available for residents to use<br />

video calling and social media, with Wi-Fi for internet access free<br />

to all.<br />

There is a private dining room where residents can host a private<br />

lunch or celebration with family and friends, and they will be able<br />

to enjoy freshly brewed coffee and tea with home-baked cakes<br />

in the café, or relax in one of the quiet lounges. Residents will<br />

be able to experience hair and beauty treatments in the salon or<br />

catch a film in the cinema too, making Droitwich Mews a happy<br />

and memorable experience every day.<br />

Call 01905 934184<br />

or visit averyhealthcare.co.uk<br />

30 | www.minervamagazines.co.uk

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