North Hampshire Lifestyle Mar - Apr 2021

AUDLEYS WOOD 

HOTEL 

BASINGSTOKE, HAMPSHIRE 

Close-Knit Weddings 

 

Bigger isn’t always better - a 

small but perfectly formed 

wedding can be just as special. 

Embrace an intimate celebration 

and welcome married life in the 

best possible way. 

From £159 per person* 

*Subject to availability and terms and conditions apply. 

Based on a minimum of 10 adults. 

Package includes: 

Live stream video link for guests unable to attend the ceremony 

Champagne reception drink & individually plated canapés 

Seasonal 5 course wedding meal 

Half a bottle of house wine and bottled water 

Champagne toast drink 

Evening snacks – served to private lounge or delivered as room service* 

Room hire for ceremony, meal & private lounge 

Overnight stay for the happy couple in a superior room with early check 

in to get ready and a late check out 

Upgrade your celebration 

Let us home deliver a toast to your loved ones, so they can raise a glass 

to you! Half a bottle of Champagne - £42 per delivery 

Indulge in a 7 course meal with wine flight (3 x 125ml glasses to match 

your chosen menu) 

Photographer & musician 

Guest accommodation 

Audleys Wood Hotel Alton Road, Basingstoke, Hampshire RG25 2JT 

01256 817555 audleyswood@handpicked.co.uk handpickedhotels.co.uk 

HOTELS 

BUILT FOR PLEASURE

Contents 

A Note 

from the EDITOR 

10 

Glorious 

A Culinary Easter Journey recipes through to 

Northern celebrate Ireland the spring 

I was hoping we would be 

approaching this edition with a bit 

more of a certain outlook, but at the 

time of going to press, the shape 

of the next few months still looks 

rather…fluid. Time to call on some of 

that British resilience and adaptability 

– and wait for the joys of spring to 

flow forth. After all, there’s nothing 

that a big old wedge of cake can’t fix, 

so that’s what we are providing! 

This edition is still a celebration of 

my favourite season – a time of 

fabulous food, spring cleans and 

new beginnings. We hope you enjoy 

reading it as much as we have 

enjoyed putting it together! 

The competition 

page returns 

04 

Whilst Easter might yet again not take 

its usual form, we still have some 

celebratory and seasonal recipes to 

help you take joy in the preparation 

and flavour of good food - no matter 

how much company you have to 

share it with. 

On the home front, we have a 

wonderful kitchen before and after 

feature to inspire. If lockdown has 

seen you improve instead of move or 

you love your home but the space is 

no longer working the way it should 

for you, take a look at what can be 

done with a bit of imagination! 

A real-life before and 

after kitchen renovation 

16 

Editor Katie Thomson 

e katie.thomson@minervapublications.co.uk 

Publisher Sally Thomson 

Pre-Press Manager Kate O’Connell 

Contributors Rebecca Rose, Peter Thomson, Sue Cooke, Matthew Biggs 

Angela Cave and Pete Lawrence. Front cover courtesy of Clarence Court Eggs 

Key Account Manager Ben Hollis 

e ben.hollis@minervapublications.co.uk 

d/l 01225 984503 

twitter @NorthHampshireL 

Spring clean tips 

from the experts 

MINERVA PUBLICATIONS HQ 

Paxcroft Farm, Hilperton 

Trowbridge BA14 6JB 

t 01225 984 550 

visit our website www.minervamagazines.co.uk 

22 

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

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

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

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

Spring is a traditional time for a 

good clean and clear out - given 

we are bursting out of the seams of 

our homes, we should be making 

the most of the storage we have 

and reduce the clutter - so we’ve 

got some expert tips to banish the 

baggage and some cleaning hacks to 

make your house shine. 

Our ever-popular competition page is 

back with a bumper crop of amazing 

prizes - don’t forget to enter - I always 

bemoan the fact I can’t as there are 

some exceptional goodies to be had! 

All that’s left is to wish that the next 

time we see you, we are firmly on 

the road back to normality - there’s 

a palpable good feeling in the air and 

long may it continue! 

Katie Katie 

www.minervamagazines.co.uk | 3

COMPETITION 

SnüzPod 

bundle worth 

over 

£250 

Time 

To enter any (or all!) of our competitions, head to 

www.minervamagazines.co.uk/competitions. 

Find the competition and enter on that post, 

using the appropriate keyword. 

T&C’s apply and no cash alternatives available. Winners chosen at 

random - entries made after closing date will not be accepted. 

There’s no doubt about it, when it comes to a happy parent 

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

ethos you can see running through every one of their products. 

SnüzCloud: SnüzCloud is the super stylish baby sleep aid 

that promises more ZZZ’s every parent needs! With super soft 

plush fabric, 4 soothing sounds and two light options; the cute 

and cuddly sleep aid will help comfort and settle baby day and 

night – it’s a must! 

SnüzPouch: An award-winning baby sleeping bag with a 

genius nappy change zip to limit all disturbances for babies 

(and parents)! Available in a range of stylish designs, bedtime 

couldn’t get any cosier (or more convenient)! 

SnüzPod4: An effortlessly stylish first bed for baby, keeping 

them close by mum and dad always, whilst also promising 

more sleep for the whole family! 

Closes 20/04/2021 - Competition keyword ‘SNUZ’ 

Win Gtech’s new 

Power Tools 

collection worth 

£280 

Gtech, award winning specialists in home 

technology, have added a brand new 

selection of cordless power tools to help 

you tackle home DIY with ease. 

The cordless 20V Combi 

Drill was designed for the 

most popular DIY tasks. It 

offers three modes of operation 

so you can switch between 

drill, hammer and screwdriver 

modes with 21 different torque 

settings for driving jobs requiring 

precision. 

The cordless 20V Impact Driver 

makes driving screws, nuts and 

bolts a breeze, helping you handle 

larger screws, thicker materials and 

remove tight fittings easily to take 

the strain out of DIY. Both available from 

gtech.co.uk Closes 20/04/2021 

Competition keyword ‘GTECH’ 

The Alcatel 3T 10 

comes with an Audio 

Station, so you can 

dock your tablet and 

enjoy crystal clear sound 

whether that’s to sit back 

with your favourite shows 

while the living room is 

occupied or keeping the 

kids entertained! 

You can host virtual parties, 

movie nights and more. 

The tablet also comes with 

built-in Google Assistant 

too meaning it can be 

voice-controlled and you 

won’t have to lift a finger. 

Available at jdwilliams.co.uk 

Closes 20/04/2021 

Keyword ‘ALCATEL’ 

Tablet and 

speaker worth 

over 

£199 

Win a stylish Milo console table 

from Zurleys 

Are you working from home but 

using a cluttered kitchen table? 

Online furniture store Zurleys is 

giving away a stylish Milo console 

table, so that you can create a 

dedicated workspace at home. 

This sleek, 

Scandinavianstyle 

table in 

grey and white, 

features two 

roomy drawers. 

Ideal as a home 

office desk, the 

Milo is equally 

well-suited to a 

modern-style 

living room or 

bedroom. 


- Competition 

keyword ‘ZURLEYS’ 

Console table 

worth over 

£160 

Win a beautiful pair 

of unisex, vintage 

Christian Dior 

sunglasses. 

With a beautiful 

collection of pre-loved 

and vintage glasses 

and sunglasses, Queen 

of Specs offers a more 

sustainable option when it 

comes to choosing your 

next pair of glasses. 

Based in Cheltenham 

and with over 50 

years in optics, Queen of Specs have curated a 

collection of eyewear that includes designs from 

leading fashion houses such as Prada, Gucci, 

Cazal, Christian Dior and Hugo Boss for quality 

conscious people. They offer worldwide 

delivery and prescription lenses for any of 

their glasses frames are available from £29 

per pair. queenofspecs.com 


Competition keyword ‘SPECS’ 

Win a pair of 

unisex, vintage 

Christian Dior 

sunglasses worth 

£99 

4 | www.minervamagazines.co.uk

HAVE AN ELTON POWER HOUR 

Put I’m Still Standing on at full blast 

and tell us you don’t feel better after a 

boogie to all his classics 

BAKING KITS DELIVERED 

We love these adorable kits from Craft 

and Crumb - from safari muffins, pizza 

cookies and even birthday bakes in a box 

craftandcrumb.com 

KEEP ON 

STEPPING 

As well as having 

an enormous 

benefit to our 

physical health, 

getting out for a walk 

can do wonders for the mind too. Even a 

short, 15-minute walk can help clear your 

mind, improve your mood, and boost your 

energy level. 

BREAK FREE FROM 

LOCKDOWN 

lethargy 

LITTLE LIFTS 

DURING LOCKDOWN 

EXPERT SKINCARE AT HOME 

The Personal Microderm Elite Pro is a revolutionary at-home 

microdermabrasion device that provides the same brilliant 

results as professional, spa and salon treatments. Using the 

PMD device on a once-weekly basis will reduce the appearance 

of fine lines, light scarring and wrinkles, improve the overall skin 

tone by fading uneven pigmentation, sun damage, age spots, 

and skin blemishes and microdermabrasion helps to reduce 

the formation of acne as it helps to clear out clogged pores and 

release trapped dirt and oil. £279 uk.pmdbeauty.com 

Why not double-up the mental benefits by 

tuning into a podcast whilst you walk? We 

love Feel Better, Live More from Dr Rangan 

Chatterjee, which covers a whole raft of 

health changes which are easy to adopt. 

To get the most from your listen, we 

recommend the new Indy ANC wireless 

earbuds from SkullCandy, with their 32 

hour battery life and noise-cancelling 

technology. £99, skullcandy.co.uk 

MAGIC IN EACH DAY 

The set of 25 magical pens allows 

you to write secret messages, create 

stunning 3D lettering, change colours 

and make your art vanish, all an 

instant and with no mess or no fuss. 

£14.99, MarvinsMagic.com 

Flavours: White Chocolate and 

Salted Caramel, Dark Choc Chip 

and Triple Chocolate 

Whilst tracking steps isn’t essential, it 

does help to focus the mind on getting 

moving. Smart watches today can do 

much more though - even giving us an 

insight into how often we are showing 

signs of stress. The Fitbit Sense is the first 

smart watch in the world with an inbuilt 

EGA Sensor which measures physical 

stress or the ‘fight or flight’ mode. This is 

all on the premise that if we understand 

stress, we can manage it better. Use 

the app to track how you’re feeling, and 

together, your reflections and Stress 

Management Scores on Sense give you a 

holistic picture of how well you’re handling 

stress. The watch also has a raft of other 

features like an oxygen saturation counter, 

voice assist, 20+ goal based exercises 

and guided breathing sessions to help you 

feel calmer. £299.99, fitbit.com/global/uk 

UNBELIEVABLE BAKES 

These might be the best cookies we’ve ever 

tried. Don’t let the name fool you, the English 

Cheesecake Company make exceptional 

desserts of every kind - the cookie dough 

arrives in frozen rolls, ready to cut and cook 

at home. And, whilst stocks last, all orders will 

come with a free mystery pack of cheesecake 

slices. £10 per roll, englishcheesecake.com 


Image courtesy Heathfield School 

FAMILY LIFE IN LOCKDOWN by Jane Prescott 

We all know how limiting, frightening, and 

all-consuming the impact of the Covid-19 

pandemic continues to be on our lives. 

But there have also been positives, and 

in many households, enforced lockdown 

has been an opportunity to re-engage with 

family life and reclaim relationships and 

values. 

As a head teacher, I speak to other Heads 

as well as the staff and children in my own 

school. While there are always concerns 

and individual struggles, what I repeatedly 

hear is how many of us are now doing 

things together as a family. 

Many of us are eating more healthily 

and cooking with our children, dining 

together around the table, rather than in 

front of the TV. This is such a valuable 

lesson for children, preparing meals from 

basic ingredients and enjoying the social 

benefits of family mealtimes. 

Families are taking walks and gardening 

together. For teenagers, walking can be 

an opportunity to enjoy one-to-one time 

with a friend whose company they might 

previously have enjoyed only in a group. 

This is when friendships can deepen and 

flourish. 

Indoors, we’re digging out old board 

games and jigsaws, and reading books 

with younger children has become a joy 

rather than something to shoehorn in 

at the end of a frantic day. Parents are 

brushing up and passing on their knitting 

and crocheting skills. It’s as if lockdown 

has given us permission to slow down, be 

creative, and talk to one another instead 

of being hunched over our mobiles all 

evening. 

Of course, screen time remains important. 

School moved online during lockdown and 

technology helps children to stay in touch 

with friends. Nevertheless, it seems we 

now use technology together to contact 

extended family and grandparents. I 

regularly hear about online quiz nights 

for all generations of the family. You 

could argue that some families are more 

in touch than ever, as the grim reality of 

the pandemic makes us more inclined to 

reach out to those we love. 

Time plays tricks on us. When we have 

less of it, we try to recapture it with ready 

meals and gadgets. When we have more 

of it, we often squander it. But when we 

are forced to embrace day after day at 

home, we bake bread, play games, and 

take walks. In fact, the amount of time 

available is always the same, it’s simply 

that lockdown has demonstrated what can 

happen when we choose to enjoy it with 

our families. 

I want all my students back in school, 

where unhappy children are less likely to 

fall through the net. But lack of family time 

can also impoverish a child, and it’s my 

hope that children who have flourished 

during lockdown are able to carry on 

enjoying those valuable, whole-family 

experiences. 

Image courtesy Westfield School 

Jane Prescott is President (2020/21) 

of the Girls’ Schools Association and 

Headmistress of Portsmouth High 

School GDST. www.gsa.uk.com 


St Nick's is making the very 

best of the lockdown: 

taking it all in our stride. 

Less than twelve hours after the Prime Minister 

announced we would be working from home for at 

least this half term, we had set up all of our lessons, 

assemblies, tutor time, PSHE, DEAR time (drop 

everything and read), challenges, activities and 

parents’ evenings. 

ADVERTISING FEATURE 

As a school dedicated to the use of Microsoft’s software, we 

are all familiar with its functionality for providing seamless 

communication between us when working remotely and also 

for providing the very best experience for all of our pupils. Our 

Nursery is open but from Reception up to Year 11, all pupils are 

having a full timetable of lessons and extra-curricular activities 

via the Teams platform. 

Teams has evolved since our first foray into remote learning but 

with the dedicated input and support of our Head of IT, who 

happens to be a Microsoft Innovative Expert Educator, there is 

nothing we can’t embrace if we think it will help the girls. We are 

particularly enjoying the use of ‘breakout’ rooms this time round! 

We know that the wellbeing of the whole school community 

is every bit as important as the content of lessons, so we 

have a number of challenges, activities and competitions with 

which everyone can 

get involved - and 

with dedicated time 

to do so now part 

of the timetable. For 

example, this week 

we’ve got ‘Round The World’ with the PE Department’; ‘Life In 

Lockdown’ with the Art Department; ‘Bake Off’ with the Food 

Tech Department and a ‘Bugsy Malone Dance Challenge’ with 

the Drama Department to keep us all busy! We also have an 

on-going ‘Happiness Challenge’ that is running throughout this 

half of term. 

We are all looking forward to the moment when we can be 

back in school and seeing one another again, but until then, St 

Nick’s is making the very best of the lockdown: taking it all in 

our stride. 

Virtual Open Morning – Saturday 6 th March 

Simply 

Outstanding 

St Nicholas’ School 

fleet • hampshire 

St Nicholas’ School ranked 3rd position in the Sunday Times 2021 Parent Power 

(The top independent schools with small or no sixth forms) 

An independent day school for boys aged 3-7 and girls aged 3-16 

• Excellent virtual learning for all pupils, throughout the school 

• Brand new Interactive 4K UHD classroom screens 

• Online concerts, private music lessons and assemblies 

T. 01252 850121 | E. registrar@st-nicholas.hants.sch.uk 

• Wide range of after-school activities, challenges and competitions 

during lockdown 

• Outstanding Pastoral Care: newly appointed Director of Pastoral 

Care and Key Stage 3 and 4 Phase Leaders 

@stnicholasschool | @stnicholasfleet | stnicholasfleet 

www.st-nicholas.hants.sch.uk

WIN A READING EGGS 

PRIZE BUNDLE! 

We’ve teamed up with Reading Eggs, the homeschooling 

hero to provide the ultimate family 

bundle! Reading Eggs is offering one lucky winner 

an All-Access Family Subscription and a Reading 

Eggs Mega Book Pack... 

The All-Access plans allows up to four children use of; Reading 

Eggs; Reading Eggs Junior; Reading Eggspress; Fast Phonics; 

and access to Mathseeds, which teaches children aged 3-9 the 

core maths and problem-solving skills needed to be successful at 

school with fun, highly interactive and rewarding lessons. 

The Mega Book Pack is the ultimate activity book bundle for 

children learning to read and is suitable for ages 4–7. Bursting 

with fun and colourful activity books, game flashcards, reading 

books and more, the Mega Book Pack is designed to supplement 

the award-winning Reading Eggs programme, allowing your child 

to practise essential reading and writing skills offline. 

Reading Eggs was created in 2008 by expert educators at Blake 

eLearning with over 30 years of experience. The multi-awardwinning 

early learning resource focuses on a core reading 

curriculum of skills and strategies essential for sustained reading 

success. 

It has been designed for kids aged two to thirteen and is an 

invaluable resource in helping them build essential reading skills. 

The programme covers the five components of reading which 

all children need to become proficient readers: phonemic 

awareness, phonics, vocabulary, reading comprehension and 

fluency. 

Reading Eggs’ results speak for themselves with over 91% 

of parents reporting a noticeable improvement in their child’s 

reading ability within weeks. It is currently used by over 10 million 

children worldwide. Highly trusted by UK teachers, Reading Eggs 

is aligned to the National Curriculum and is being used in over 

16,000 primary schools and counting. 

From March, Reading Eggs will be offering 35% off the All 

Access 12-Month combined subscription for up-to four children, 

now £54.99 down from £83.99. Reading Eggs is also offering 10 

per cent off all book packages throughout March. 

To enter this competition, head to: 

www.minervamagazines.co.uk/competitions 

Use the keywords ‘Reading Eggs’ on the form 

Competition closes 20th April 2020. 

For more information visit: www.readingeggs.co.uk 

APPLY NOW 

TO START IN 

SEPTEMBER 2021 

A LEVELS 

T LEVELS 

VOCATIONAL 

APPRENTICESHIPS 

APPLY ONLINE 

hsdc.ac.uk/apply 


EASTER 

Though it is still not Easter as 

we know it, it doesn’t mean you 

can’t celebrate with some special 

dishes and delightful bakes. 

These fabulous recipes all come 

from Clarence Court Eggs 

Bites 

SIMPLE HERBY 

ASPARAGUS OMELETTE 

WITH FETA AND RADISH 

Preparation time: 10 minutes 

Cooking time: 10 minutes 

Serves: 1 

INGREDIENTS 

150g British asparagus spears 

A small handful radishes 

Juice of half a lemon plus a wedge for 

serving 

½ teaspoon honey 

Extra virgin olive oil 

½ small bunch fresh dill, leaves picked 

A few sprigs parsley, leaves picked 

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 

2 Clarence Court Hens Eggs 

A knob of butter 

40g feta cheese 

METHOD 

Click the woody ends from the asparagus 

and place a medium frying pan on a 

medium/high heat. Add all but one spear 

of asparagus and dry fry for about 5 

minutes or until starting to soften, turn 

occasionally. 

Use a speed peeler to peel strips of 

radish and the raw asparagus. Add to a 

bowl, with the lemon juice, honey and a 

drizzle of olive oil. Toss together and add 

a few of the herb leaves and a pinch of 

salt and pepper. 

When the asparagus spears are cooked, 

remove from the pan and place to one 

side on a plate. Return the pan to a low/ 

medium heat. Beat the eggs well with the 

remaining herbs and a good pinch of salt 

and pepper. Add the butter to the pan 

and swirl it around, once melted tip in 

the eggs and use a spatula to draw lines 

through the mixture and make sure any 

raw mixture gets contact with the pan. 

Cook to your liking arrange the asparagus 

on one side of the omlette, scatter over 

the feta and fold the omelette over. 

Gently transfer the omelette to a serving 

plate, top with the salad and serve with a 

lemon wedge. 

PEA AND PECORINO 

QUAIL EGG ARANCINI 

Preparation time: 10 minutes, plus time 

for cooling 


Serves: 6 

INGREDIENTS 

6 Clarence Court quail eggs 

1 white onion, diced 

1 garlic clove, minced 

A splash of white wine 

200g of pearl barley 

600ml of vegetable stock 

50g frozen peas, thawed and roughly 

chopped 

50g of butter 

50g of Pecorino, grated 

2 tablespoons plain flour 

1 Clarence Court egg, whisked 

4 tablespoons breadcrumbs 

Vegetable oil for frying 

METHOD 

Boil the quail eggs for 2 minutes, peel 

and set aside. 

In a pan over a medium heat, sweat down 

the onion in a little oil until softened but 

not browned, add the garlic and cook for 

a further minute before adding the barley 

stirring well. 

Add the wine and stock one ladle at a 

time until all the liquid has been absorbed 

and the barley is cooked through. Add in 

the chopped peas, butter and Pecorino 

and season to taste. Spread the mixture 

onto a tray and allow to cool. 

Lay out the flour, beaten egg and 

breadcrumbs in 3 separate bowls. Take 

a handful of barley risotto and with 

wet hands, gently lay a quail egg into 

the middle and mould into a ball. Roll 

in flour, dip into egg and roll into the 

breadcrumbs. Cook two at a 

time in oil at 160ºC for 3-4 minutes until 

golden brown. 

Drain onto kitchen paper and serve warm. 


PEA AND PECORINO 

QUAIL EGG ARANCINI 

Preparation time: 10 minutes, plus time 

for cooling 


Serves: 6 

INGREDIENTS 

6 Clarence Court quail eggs 

1 white onion, diced 

1 garlic clove, minced 

A splash of white wine 

200g of pearl barley 

600ml of vegetable stock 

50g frozen peas, thawed and roughly 

chopped 

50g of butter 

50g of Pecorino, grated 

2 tablespoons plain flour 

1 Clarence Court egg, whisked 

4 tablespoons breadcrumbs 

Vegetable oil for frying 

METHOD 

Boil the quail eggs for 2 minutes, peel 

and set aside. In a pan over a medium 

heat, sweat down the onion in a little 

oil until softened but not browned, add 

the garlic and cook for a further minute 

before adding the barley stirring well. 

Add the wine and stock one ladle at 

a time until all the liquid has been 

absorbed and the barley is cooked 

through. Add in the chopped peas, 

butter and Pecorino and season to taste. 

Spread the mixture onto a tray and allow 

to cool. 

Lay out the flour, beaten egg and 

breadcrumbs in 3 separate bowls. Take 

a handful of barley risotto and with 

wet hands, gently lay a quail egg into 

the middle and mould into a ball. Roll 

in flour, dip into egg and roll into the 

breadcrumbs. Cook two at a time in oil 

at 160ºC for 3-4 minutes until golden 

brown. Drain onto kitchen paper and 

serve warm. 


EARL GREY AND GINGER 

SIMNEL CAKE 

The Simnel Cake is buried deep in the traditions of England. It 

signals the start of new beginnings with the coming of Spring. 

It often now served around Mothering Sunday. This zesty 

version includes the not too traditional addition of warming 

ginger and citrus Earl Grey tea. 

Preparation time: 40 minutes (plus soaking fruit overnight) 

Cooking time: 2 hours 

Serves: 10-12 

INGREDIENTS 

6 pieces of stem ginger in syrup 

50g dried apricots 

50g glace cherries 

100g sultanas 

50g dried cranberries 

125g currants 

60g chopped mixed peel 

Zest of 2 oranges 

200ml earl grey tea (made with 3 tea bags and cooled) 

250g unsalted softened butter 

250g soft light brown sugar 

230g self-raising flour, sieved 

4 large Clarence Court Hens Eggs 

½ teaspoon mixed spice 

1 teaspoon ground ginger 

3 tablespoons apricot jam 

Icing sugar for dusting 

300g marzipan 

Mini eggs and edible flowers to decorate 

METHOD 

The night before you bake the cake, chop the stem ginger, 

apricots and cherries and add them to a bowl with the 

remaining dried fruit, orange zest and cooled tea. Cover the 

bowl and set aside to soak overnight. 

The following day drain the fruit and discard any tea that 

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

round baking tin with baking parchment. It’s often useful to 

wrap a sleeve of foil wrapped in baking parchment around 

the outside of the tin and secure it with string. This prevents 

the cake from browning too much as its baked for around 2 

hours. 

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

sugar, sieved flour and spices into the bowl of a free-standing 

mixer. Whisk for a minute or two until beaten into a smooth 

cake mix. Alternatively, you can do this by hand with a 

wooden spoon. Fold through the tea-soaked fruit. 

Spoon the mixture into the lined tin and level out evenly. Place 

the cake in the oven to bake for 2 hours or until golden and 

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

cake. If any mixture remains on the skewer, cover the cake 

with tin foil and bake in the oven for a further 10 minutes. 

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

on a cooling rack, then carefully turn it out and allow to cool 

completely. 

Melt the apricot jam and brush it on to the top of the cake. 

Roll out half of the marzipan to a 20cm circle on a clean work 

surface dusted with icing sugar and place on top of the cake. 

Roll out 11 balls and arrange them around the edge of the 

marzipan circle. Use a blow torch or place on a hot grill for a 

minute or two to achieve a golden-brown finish. Top with mini 

eggs and edible flowers if using. 


Set in the heart of the beautiful Wellington Estate, 

The Wellington Arms is a stunning, newly 

refurbished events venue, country pub and hotel in 

Hampshire, offering an idyllic setting amongst the 

picturesque English countryside for your 

ceremony and reception. 

Private tours can be booked on request, offering you an 

exclusive look at our beautiful events suite, outdoor ceremony 

and reception area, honeymoon suite and guest hotel rooms. 

Alternatively, come along to one of our upcoming Wedding 

Open Days to experience our venue fully dressed for a wedding 

celebration. Collect ideas and inspiration for decor and layouts, 

while sipping on a complimentary glass of bubbles, taste some 

delicious canapés and meet our fantastic 

recommended suppliers. 

- UPCOMING OPEN DAYS - 

Sunday 21 st March: 12pm - 4pm | Sunday 4 th July: 12pm - 4pm 

Sunday 12 th September: 12pm - 4pm 

Please email events@wellingtonarmshampshire to book 

a private tour or register for one of our Open Days. 

www.wellingtonarmshampshire.co.uk 

Basingstoke Road, Stratfield Turgis, Hampshire, RG27 0AS

HOT CROSS BUNS 

Preparation time: 2 hours, 20 minutes 

Cooking time: 15-20 minutes 

Serves: 12 

INGREDIENTS 

500g strong white bread flour 

10g fine salt 

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 

2 teaspoons ground mixed spice 

1 orange zest, finely grated 

1 lemon zest, finely grated 

300ml semi skimmed milk 

60g unsalted butter 

10g fast action yeast 

1 large Clarence Court Hens egg, beaten 

150g sultanas 

50g dried cranberries 

50g chopped mixed candied peel 

Vegetable or flavourless oil 

75g plain flour 

100g Bonne Maman Apricot Conserve 

METHOD 

Place the strong white bread flour in a large 

mixing bowl. Stir in the salt, mixed spice, ground 

cinnamon, orange and lemon zest. Make a well in 

the centre. 

Gently heat the milk until lightly steaming and stir 

in the butter until melted. Pour the milk and melted 

butter into a jug (check that’s it’s lukewarm) and 

stir in the yeast. Mix until frothy then pour into the 

well and add the beaten egg. Mix with a dinner 

knife at first bringing the flour slowly into the milk 

mixture and forming a rough dough. 

Transfer to a free-standing mixer with dough hook, 

spoon in the mixed fruit and knead to a smooth 

dough for about 5 - 10 minutes. Tip into a lightly 

oiled large bowl and cover with clingfilm. Place 

in a warm cupboard or by a radiator for 1 hour or 

until double in size. 

Meanwhile line two baking trays with greaseproof 

paper. When the dough is ready turn out on to a 

clean lightly floured work surface and ‘knock back’ 

divide the dough into 12 equal sized balls, using a 

weighing scale helps make sure they are all even. 

Place 6 balls on each tray fairly close to each 

other. Place each tray in a large food safe bag 

(large roasting bags work well) and secure with an 

elastic band making sure the bag doesn’t touch 

the buns. Place the trays back in the warm place 

and allow the buns to double in size (about 45 

minutes). 

Pre-heat the oven to 200ºC/Gas Mark 7. Mix the 

flour with 75ml water and spoon the paste into a 

small icing or piping bag. 

When the buns are ready, remove them from bags 

and pipe a cross over each bun. Place the trays 

in the oven and bake for 15 - 20 minutes or until 

golden brown. Turn the trays halfway. 

Meanwhile, melt the jam in a pan and pass 

through a sieve. Once the buns are cooked 

remove from the oven, brush over the glaze 

and allow to cool a little. Serve fresh or toasted 

with butter. You can freeze the buns, just cool 

completely and glaze after defrosting and 

reheating. 


CHERRY, BERRY AND ALMOND 

CLAFOUTIS 

This classic clafoutis with a twist is a great pudding for 

entertaining a crowd. Using minimal effort, it makes for quite 

the showstopper when placed in the middle of the table in the 

beautiful deep teal Le Creuset shallow casserole dish it’s cooked 

in. Cherries, mixed berries and little pieces of marzipan are 

encased and baked in a delicious, rich almondy batter made 

with Clarence Court eggs. Top with flaked almonds and icing 

sugar and serve with cream. You can change the fruit to the 

season, try apricots, peaches, apples, strawberries, plums or 

even grapes. 

Preparation time: 20 minutes 


Serves: 8 

INGREDIENTS 

Unsalted butter for greasing 

500g mixed de-stoned cherries and berries (raspberries and 

blueberries work well) 

100g golden marzipan, chopped into 2cm pieces 

100g ground almonds 

4 tbsp plain flour 

150g caster sugar 

4 Clarence Court Burford Brown eggs 

4 Clarence Court Burford Brown egg yolks 

500ml double cream plus extra for serving 

20g toasted flaked almonds 

Icing sugar for dusting 

This based on a 30cm Le Creuset Casserole Dish 

METHOD 

Preheat oven to 180ºC/ gas mark 4. 

Grease the inside of a 30cm shallow casserole dish with butter. 

Settling family issues 

calmly with mediation 

Separation and divorce usually involve a 

major crisis for a family where emotions can 

run high, especially if there are children to 

consider... 

Scatter the fruit and chopped marzipan evenly in the dish. Whisk 

the remaining ingredients together in a large mixing bowl and 

pour over the fruit. 

Bake in the oven for 50-55 minutes or until golden and risen. 

Remove from oven, dust with icing sugar, scatter over the 

almonds and serve immediately with cream. 


However, with mediation it can be handled calmly, where both 

sides work together to find the best solution for them and their 

children. 

Sheila Parkes, who heads Haymarket Family Mediation at 

Phillips Solicitors, believes mediation is one of the most sensible 

and cost-effective ways of resolving family problems when 

a relationship has broken down as it provides clients with a 

safe environment for them to meet with a neutral experienced 

mediator who will assist them in finding a resolution that works 

for them both. 

In fact, for the majority of people, mediation is a quicker and 

cheaper option for resolving family difficulties than going to 

court, where the outcome can never be accurately predicted. 

Sheila believes separating couples are the best people to make 

the decisions that will affect their future and that of their children 

rather than a judge imposing a decision. 

Sheila said “In my experience mediation is an effective way of 

resolving issues in a dignified, respectful, constructive and cooperative 

manner. Mutually acceptable solutions can be found 

even in the most difficult cases, whether the disagreement is 

about child-care arrangements or how the family assets should 

be divided.” 

Prior to the coronavirus restrictions, mediation meetings were 

mostly conducted face-to-face, however we are very adept at 

doing this via video such as with Zoom. 

Haymarket Family Mediation is approved by the Legal Aid 

Agency to offer Legal Aid for those who qualify financially. This is 

a welcome benefit to clients who may otherwise have nowhere 

else to turn to for help. Mediation can also be used for cross 

generational issues such as grandparents. 

If you feel that mediation is right for you or to find out more 

information, please contact Sheila by emailing 

sheila.parkes@phillips-law.co.uk or by calling 01256 854652. 

To find out more about Haymarket Family Mediation and the wide 

range of legal services offered by Phillips Solicitors, please visit 

www.phillips-law.co.uk 

When contacting Phillips, please mention the North Hampshire 

Lifestyle magazine. 


FAMILY 

FOCUSED 

living 

As well as shaping our lives and plans, the last year of intermittent 

lockdowns has certainly changed the way we need our homes to 

function. With kitchen tables shared between home schooling and 

home-working, or living spaces packed with exercise kit, many of 

us have gotten to know our four walls very well - but found them 

falling short in terms of how they work for us... 

This was the case with homeowners 

Lisa and Phil, who had to put off a more 

significant move in March 2020, “we 

had had our offer accepted on a period 

property that needed lots of work, but 

right as we were about to exchange, 

our buyers pulled out. In a way, it was a 

blessing in disguise, as whilst our house 

isn’t our dream home, we were glad to 

not have to live in a full-house building 

site during lockdown. All this did make us 

reconsider our space and how to make it 

work better for us in the present.” 

With two young children, like many 

homes, the kitchen and dining areas 

were the heart of the action, “I suppose 

our layout was a fairly standard one – a 

kitchen looking over the back garden, 

then a separate dining room which had 

an opening into the sitting room. We also 

had a conservatory which was just never 

used – it was either very cold or upwards 

of 50ºC in the summer months. It just 

seemed like a huge waste of space and 

created this awkward, multi-door access 

to the garden, with about 1,000 trip 

hazards for my two-year-old.” 

Many of us have spaces like this, which 

don’t fit with how we want to live – often 

the kitchen is separate and leaves one 

family member away from all the action. 

The old conservatory (right) transformed 

into a modern extension and new 

French doors from the kitchen. 

“The kitchen had only wall units too and I 

really wanted a breakfast bar area where I 

could have friends over for coffee but have 

eyes on the kids playing at all times too.” 

Lisa and Phil wanted to create a ‘broken 

plan’ space – that is, an open-plan 

kitchen/diner with some seating and 

a play area for the kids, then closing 

off the sitting room to have more of a 

cosy retreat. “Rather than having a full 

extension, we found out that we could use 

the existing conservatory foundations and 

half wall to create a whole new room with 

a skylight – then, by removing the existing 

wall between the kitchen and dining room, 

we could create a large L-shaped space, 

with a snug for the kids and a peninsula 

- we didn’t have the clearance room for 

BEFORE 


an island, but this gives us a lot of the feel 

without making the walkways feel cramped” 

says Lisa, “this reconfiguration also allowed 

us to have French doors direct from the 

kitchen to the garden – something I’ve always 

wanted for summer dining outside. 

“We decided to seal up the opening between 

the dining area and sitting room so we had a 

separate space - a retreat from the kids and 

all their stuff!” 

The couple went to a local kitchen supplier 

who suggested they look at the Lifestyle 

Kitchen range by Crown Imperial – they 

loved the sleek simplicity of a modern shaker 

style called Avio and the colour options 

were fantastic. “I’ve always loved the look 

of dark kitchen units, so we went with a 

mix the Graphite shade on the bulk of the 

cabinets and white on the storage around 

the banquette seating area. I was worried 

the dark colour might overwhelm the space, 

but it’s gorgeous – there’s such a depth to it 

which shifts in the light and the simple lines 

keep it timeless. The doors and drawers 

have such a feeling of quality, they’re really 

robust and easy to clean - important with 

sticky kids about – and they have the soft 

close function, which is just amazing when 

you’ve not had it before! We opted for a 

mix of conventional cupboards, a larder 

BEFORE 

“MANY OF US HAVE SPACES LIKE THIS, 

WHICH DON’T FIT WITH HOW WE WANT TO 

LIVE – OFTEN THE KITCHEN IS SEPARATE 

AND LEAVES ONE FAMILY MEMBER AWAY 

FROM ALL THE ACTION.” 


BEFORE 

“THE PENDANT OVER 

THE DINING TABLE IS 

CALLED THE ‘ALANA’ 

AND I WAS ATTRACTED 

TO ITS STYLISH FORM 

AND FUNCTIONALITY - IT 

LOOKS AMAZING IN SITU.” 

Table, vase, tray, sculpture and 

candle all jysk.co.uk 

Mudcloth Throw, hauslife.co.uk 

Amtico Flooring in 

Honey Oak 

DAR Lighting 

Alana Pendant 


Frayed linen cushion and mudcloth 

cushion, both hauslife.co.uk 

DAR Lighting Osaka Track 

and Dynamo Pendants 

“IT HAS COMPLETELY 

TRANSFORMED THE WAY 

WE LIVE. WE OPTED FOR 

THE BEST QUALITY WE 

COULD AFFORD AND I’M SO 

GLAD WE DID” 

GROHE Minta Tap and 

K700 Stainless Steel Sink 

cupboard around the fridge, a curved one for the 

breakfast bar and of course the full height ones 

on the banquette seating – great for housing the 

hoover and large kitchen appliances!” 

Peg Board and Imitation 

Coral from jysk.co.uk 

Lighting was a huge consideration for this newly 

zoned, multi-function room. Lisa wanted the 

lights to help define each space - with functional 

track spotlights in the kitchen, pendants over the 

breakfast bar and a beautiful statement light over 

the dining table. “To save on costs, instead of 

having a raft of new spotlights installed, we chose 

these beautiful ‘Osaka’ track spots from DAR 

Lighting. Then we chose the ‘Dynamo’ pendant 

lights for the breakfast bar - they have a diffuser 

on the bottom which stops the light from having 

that stark, interrogation appearance - they create 

a fabulous ambiance. The pendant over the dining 

table is called the ‘Alana’ and I was immediately 

attracted to its stylish form and functionality - it 

looks amazing in situ. Despite choosing lights from 

three different collections, they work together really 

well and all have a stunning antique chrome finish, 

which tied the metallic finishes on the handles and 

tap together.” 


Cabinets from Crown Kitchens 

Tap and Sink from GROHE 

Accessories from jysk.co.uk 

Whilst you may not consider it, the sink and tap are some of the most 

important purchases in the kitchen - especially with our heightenedawareness 

of the importance of regular hand washing. This beautiful 

GROHE Minta SmartControl kitchen mixer tap is perfect for the 

hygiene-focused and budding chefs alike with its button-controlled 

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

with water or have handled raw meat, you can start the tap with the 

touch of an elbow or wrist. You can adjust the flow of the water with 

the button too - the spout can also pull out so you can rinse down the 

whole sink with ease. We paired it with the GROHE K700, which has 

an undermount design - it’s so sleek and looks amazing against our 

composite worktop.” 

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

cope with water but also resist damage from dropped pans or knives. 

The obvious answer was luxury vinyl, so Lisa and Phil went straight to 

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

fan of a classic herringbone pattern. Our concern was that this floor had 

to run into the hallway too, but that’s too narrow to support this pattern 

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

whole host of different configurations – ours has a transition from straight 

planks in the hallway to my beautiful herringbone. We went for the colour 

Honey Oak, but you can even mix and match shades in the range to 

create some lovely tonal variations and patterns. They also come with an 

amazing 25 year guarantee which gives real peace of mind.” 

Having now completed the project, would they change anything? 

“Honestly, it’s surpassed our expectations - it was a relatively painless 

process which has completely transformed the way we live. We opted 

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

beating heart of our home and now it works for all of us.” 

STOCKIST DETAILS: Sink: K700 undermount sink, £591.13 excl. VAT and Minta 

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

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

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

Cabinets: Lifestyle Kitchens by Crown Kitchens, crown-imperial.co.uk 


SPRING 

Spring cleaning and 

organisational tips 

refresh 

CLEANING HACK 

Regular vacuuming may leave carpets looking spotlessly 

clean but lurking within the fibres of the household 

carpet is a layer of bacteria that cannot be removed 

by vacuuming alone. Regularly washing your carpets 

will keep bacteria at bay, and ensure they keep their 

appearance for longer and smell fresh and clean. 

LAUNDRY HACK 

To make laundry 

smell amazing, 

soak a thick 

sponge in 5 parts 

water to 1 part 

fabric softener, 

wring it out until 

damp and then 

add it to the drying 

cycle - your laundry 

will smell amazing 

and it’s more ecofriendly 

than using 

dryer sheets 

New VAX Platinum SmartWash 

Our carpets have to stand up to a lot of action, but 

sometimes vacuuming just isn’t enough. Wage war 

on dirt, bacteria and odours in the home with the new 

Vax Platinum SmartWash, the UK’s first carpet washer 

with motion sense technology that removes over 

99% of bacteria trapped in your carpet fibres that can 

cause bad smells.The clever solution for home carpet 

washing also outperforms the UK’s leading rental and 

leaves carpets dry in as little as just one hour. 

Carpet washing has never been easier. Just add 

warm water and VAX Platinum Antibacterial Solution, 

turn on and push forward to start washing. The 

advanced FlexForce brush bars set to work agitating 

the carpet to remove tough stains, dirt 

and spills, delivering a deep clean 

seven times more effective than 

vacuuming alone. If time is short, 

simply activate the ‘dry only mode’ 

after washing and pass over your 

carpets again; to dry them in as 

little as one hour. 

Where to buy: Direct from 

www.vax.co.uk priced 

£299.99 including 2 x 250ml 

VAX Platinum Antibacterial Solution 

and 1 x Pre-Treatment Spray, free delivery and a free steam 

cleaner worth £59.99.*only when purchasing direct from VAX. 

Which Interior Personality Are You? 

With The Home Edit and 

Marie Kondo sparking a 

generation of interior and 

organisation obsessives, 

Brabantia is working 

with organiser to the 

stars Vicky Silverthorn 

Set of Four Square 

to reveal the personality 

Stacking Canisters, 

£31.50, brabantia.com types when it comes to 

home organisers 

In response to the 

decluttering trend, 

Brabantia and Vicky Silverthorn have 

identified five personality types when it comes 

to how we keep our homes. 

WHICH PERSONALITY ARE YOU? 

THE PRACTICAL: tidying up is a breeze 

for this person, within 10 minutes the house 

is looking spotless without what looks like 

any effort 

THE SHOW HOME: their home is clean 

and shiny at all times, and the pride in their 

immaculate space is clear. It’s just so! 

THE TRY HARD: this person really wants 

to be tidy; the intention is there but there’s 

always too much ‘stuff’ they’re buying! 

THE NATURAL: they don’t live with much 

stuff, so organising their belongings is easy. 

THE THROW AWAY: how this person’s 

house looks depends on the day. They like to 

shop, but equally like to have a mass clear out 

every few months, but it always fills back up. 

TOP TIPS 

START WITH THE KITCHEN: Clear your 

food cupboards, give to the food bank and 

get the food looking like a shop shelf so you 

can see exactly what you have. Food which 

needs using up at the front and surfaces clear 

ready for healthy prep time. 

CHARITY SHOP BOX: Place a box or bag 

in your hallway (or hang on door handles) so 

when you spot something you don’t want / try 

something on you no longer want, you have 

somewhere to put it before it heads to the 

charity shop. Not having this often means we 

put things back and think ‘I’ll do it later’ and it 

often never happens. 

THROW THE RULEBOOK OUT THE 

WINDOW: Ignore any unnecessary rules 

such as have I worn it in the last year and 

ask yourself the most powerful question of all 

(if you are decluttering to give yourself more 

space) ‘Can I live without this?’. 

THINK CONSCIOUSLY: More sustainable 

living – this is a valuable reason to be more 

conscious of what you are buying. The 

throwaway culture we have lived in needs to 

come to an end and placing appreciation on 

long lasting good quality items needs more 

focus and attention. 

DECLUTTER FIRST, STORAGE 

SECOND: You need to declutter before you 

buy storage which is too big and not actually 

needed. Often once you’ve got rid of things 

you no longer want you’ll find your storage 

problem isn’t as bad as you first thought. 

BE PRACTICAL: Get rid of what isn’t 

working for you and replace it with practical 

equipment. This could be anything from a 

bin that is too small or a clothes dryer that 

annoys you every time you try and put it up! 

The right equipment will make life easier and 

reduce stress! 

Organister to the stars 

Vicky Silverthorn 

Bo Touch Bin, from £158, 

brabantia.com 


haus 

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SELL HIGH, SELL FAST 


Experienced home staging expert, 

property professional and director of 

Lemon and Lime Interiors Elaine Penhaul 

has launched her first book – ‘Sell High, 

Sell Fast - How to sell your home for the 

best possible price, in the quickest 

possible time’... 

The book, which was written with 

vendors in mind, equips sellers with the 

skills and knowledge they need to get 

their homes ready for sale. It helps them 

to understand their market, find their ideal 

buyer and demonstrates how to create a 

home that will sell quickly, using tried and 

tested home staging techniques. 

Elaine said: “This book explains what 

I have learned about the ‘whys’ and 

‘hows’ of selling a home as quickly as 

possible for the maximum financial gain. 

For most of us, selling a home represents 

far more than simply a bricks and mortar 

transaction.” 

Covering topics such as marketing 

property in the 21st century, the 

importance of presentation, home 

staging, decluttering, and decorating 

– the helpful guide gives well-rounded 

insight into all the elements of a property 

sale. The book also includes Elaine’s 

expertise and knowledge gained since 

setting up Lemon & Lime Interiors in 

2012. Here, Elaine gives us some handy 

tips from the book to get your property 

on the right track for sale… 

• Buyers decide very quickly if they 

are interested in buying a home, 

perhaps even within the first ten 

seconds or so. These days, those 

precious first seconds are spent 

looking at your photos online. 

These comprise your shop window 

for prospective buyers, your 

chance to catch their attention. 

They need to be the best you 

can possibly achieve. Hiring a 

professional photographer and a 

videographer is one step, but the 

best photographer in the world can 

photograph only what’s in front of 

them. Achieving the perfect photos 

will depend a lot on the work you 

do before they arrive with a camera. 

(start of chapter 2) 

• Creating the win-win-win - Selling 

a home is a partnership – and in 

any partnership, every stakeholder 

needs to feel they’re getting the 

best deal possible. Thinking about 

the sale of your home in this way 

will help you think through what 

you’re bringing to the market. If you 

can get into the headspace of your 

agent and your buyer, you’re going 

to get the best deal for yourself as 

the vendor too. (p.17) 

• Why can’t people see past my 

stuff? - I explain to vendors daily 

that while many people find it 

hard to visualise a house without 

clutter and with their own furniture 

installed, even more people simply 

don’t understand why they should 

have to see past someone else’s 

clutter if that person is serious 

about selling their house. This is 

a generation of people who have 

grown up with television and 

digital advertising. They’re used 

to businesses competing for their 

money, and they spend only on 

products they believe are the best 

for the task in hand. A property 

which is cluttered, dated or dirty 

sends a strong message that the 

vendor doesn’t care about the 

buyer. They will quickly suspect 

that the house is probably not well 

maintained and that the vendor 

won’t be interested enough in them 

as a buyer to progress the sale 

quickly and efficiently. You can see 

how this will rapidly translate into a 

potential buyer saying no. (p.60) 

• Viewers often find it hard to 

visualise a room with a function 

it doesn’t have in that moment. 

You will significantly increase your 

chances of attracting your buyer 

if every room in your home has a 

clear, logical function. Ask your 

agent, a friend or a professional 

stager for advice if you don’t 

know what function a particular 

room should have for the market 

you’re aiming for. A second or third 

reception room may need to be 

transformed into a home office or a 

gym. Or perhaps a sixth bedroom 

could become a dressing room or 

even a cinema room. (p.94) 

• If there’s no serious interest in your 

home in the first six weeks or so, 

it’s time to take stock. There are a 

few options. 

Should you change your estate agent? 

This decision will usually depend on 

whether you feel the agent has been 

proactive or whether the lack of interest, 

at least in part, is due to the agent listing 

the property and then sitting back and 

waiting for buyers to come along. 

Should you drop the price? The estate 

agent will likely suggest this. It’s always 

an interesting conversation. ‘Well if it 

isn’t worth that much now, why did you 

list it at that in the first place?’ against 

‘You wanted me to list it high, saying 

you’re not in a rush. I did explain that the 

guide price was aspirational.’ It’s often 

difficult to work out whether an agent 

has been overambitious in their valuation 

or whether they’ve felt pressured by a 

vendor to list high in order to get the 

instruction. Be honest with yourself as 

the vendor. Did you pressure your agent 

to put your property onto the market at 

a valuation they described as ‘hopeful’? 

If so, now is the time to listen to more 

realistic advice. 

Or should you take a serious look at 

your home’s presentation? Did you 

launch before addressing the outstanding 

issues you were hoping you wouldn’t 

have to spend any time or money on? 

If so, now is the time to address them. 

It’s entirely possible that changing the 

presentation will make enough difference 

and you won’t need to change the price 

at all. (p114) 


NOTES FROM THE GARDEN 

SPACE STATION 

Our regular contributor Matt Biggs is currently away, 

meanwhile we talked with our in-house gardening expert 

Angela Cave and discussed how we may wish to consider 

making the most of our gardens... 

Whatever we have been doing, or not doing, over the last year 

most of us will have spent quite a lot of time at home. For those of 

us with gardens there may have been a reappraisal of how we use 

the space we have, and many people will be feeling that the space 

they do have in the garden might be up for a re-think. Working 

from home may have been temporary for some, others might be re 

assessing how they work and wanting to work from home on a more 

permanent basis or starting a new venture which needs just that bit 

more overflow and storage space. 

Enter the garden building. This option is becoming increasingly 

popular as it adds space without the need, usually, for planning 

AWAKEN THE SENSES 

& SOOTHE THE SOUL 

with Art house 

london collection 

Art House London have teamed up 

with us to offer two lucky readers the 

chance to win an Art House bundle 

worth over £100... 

Art House London offer the finest range of natural home and 

body care products designed to stimulate the senses and soothe 

the soul. Lovingly made in England and expertly blended with 

100% natural ingredients which create deep and long-lasting 

rich aromas. Two lucky readers can win a sumptuous Art House 

London collection worth £100; relax with a three-wick candle, a 

diffuser, plus a handwash and body lotion twin pack in a stylish 

hessian sack. 

The Art House London brand is the brainchild of Australian, 

Rosemarie McGrath who has lived in England for over 25 years. 

She owns a boutique hair salon chain and a career spent in 

beauty, together with her experience working on luxury cruise 

liners inspired her diversification into the home scents market. 

She understood the importance of providing a relaxed and 

comfortable environment for her clientele and initially burned her 

candles simply while she worked. However, as more and more 

customers asked to buy them, Rosemarie decided to make them 

permission and it can be achieved relatively quickly too. There are 

other perks apart from a shorter commute - why not install a home 

cinema so that your office can turn into a place of recreation once 

the working day is over, add a bar and have a home pub, add some 

gym equipment and get the abs you have always wanted, there are 

so many great things about new space! For those just starting a new 

business, it can be a workshop, production area, packing space, 

even a studio to film those all-important blogs and vlogs - the more 

you think about the options the more essential it becomes! 

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

company who can advise on the options, make yourself a mood 

board and a list of what you want your space to do, how big you 

want it, how it is going to blend into your existing space and the 

style of your home - there are many things to consider, but whatever 

you decide, the anticipation and realisation of having your own new 

space is definitely something to look forward too. 

more widely available. Today they and all the Art House London 

range are on sale from the two Art House Boutique Salons in 

Richmond and Kew in London but also online from 

www.arthouselondon.com. 

TO ENTER THIS COMPETITION, HEAD TO: 

www.minervamagazines.co.uk/competitions 

Use the keywords ‘Art House’ on the form 

Competition closes 20th April 2020. 


standing the 

test of time 

Oak framed buildings continue to increase 

in popularity, standing the test of time as an 

aesthetically pleasing and durable addition 

to any home. Oakcraft are proud to be market 

leaders in the design, manufacture and 

construction of these timeless buildings... 

Operating from our century old Timber Mill in the heart of the 

New Forest we maintain the standards of past craftsman and 

combine them with modern construction techniques to deliver 

beautiful projects for our discerning clients. 

Oakcraft designs and produces a wide range of bespoke and 

standard projects. Whether a Full House Frame or a simple Porch 

we will help you bring your vision to life, ensuring attention to 

detail and the highest levels of service for every client. 

Our range of Oak Framed Garden rooms and extensions can 

provide beautiful additional space to any home. These rooms 

bring the outside in during the summer months and are a warm 

retreat during winter. Many can be constructed under permitted 

development negating the need for planning permission. Please 

speak to our team for more details. 

In the last thirty years we have completed countless outbuildings, 

stabling, pool houses and so on. Our garages remain popular, 

particularly those with an upper floor, a great space for a home 

office or hobby room. Our entire range can be tailored to meet 


your needs. Talk to the team and let us see how we can help. 

Our mill surrounded by the beautiful Oaks of the New Forest 

serves as an ever-present reminder of the need to protect our 

environment. All our timber is sourced from sustainable suppliers 

under the watchful eye of the Forestry Stewardship Council and 

we recycle waste timber wherever possible. 

Our team are well versed in operating within government Covid 

guidelines, so please do not hesitate to get in touch to arrange a 

virtual consultation or a socially distanced site visit. 

What our customers say: 

“I am exceedingly happy with your building. The quality of your 

building is excellent, and it looks amazing. It was wonderful to see 

people taking such pride in their work. Overall, it has far exceeded 

my expectations and I will have no hesitation in recommending 

you in the future.” 


COPING WITH DEMENTIA 

Across the world, 44 million people live 

with dementia. Hundreds of millions of 

people are affected by the dementia of 

parents, partners, siblings or friends. 

And as much of the world struggles with 

an aging population, dementia is set to 

become ever more of a challenge for 

societies and individuals. 

But most people who are diagnosed, or 

who are dealing with the diagnosis of a 

loved one, feel as though they are alone. 

This book fills the gap, providing practical 

information and support for living with, or 

caring for, Alzheimer’s and other forms of 

dementia. 

With clear and sensible information about 

recognising symptoms, getting help, 

managing financially, staying at home, 

treatment, being a carer and staying 

positive, this guide will help those with 

dementia and their families to make sure 

that they can stay well and happy as long 

as possible. 

To find out more about this condition we 

would recommend that you read Professor 

June Andrews’ book: Dementia: 

What You Need to Know. 

Professor June Andrews RMN, RGN, 

FRCN is an inspirational woman whose 

impact on healthcare in the UK, and 

further afield, is profound. 

28 | www.minervamagazines.co.uk 

She is a refreshing force of nature - smart, 

politically astute, amusing and possessed 

of a razor-sharp intellect. A Scot, she 

trained as a nurse in Nottingham, 

England before taking up a series of 

posts that moved from practice to policymaking 

and strategic management and 

influencing. 

As Director of the University of Stirling’s 

Dementia Services Development Centre, 

Professor Andrews makes ambitious 

things happen all the time: she recently 

conceived of a new online design 

guide for care homes and hospitals, 

ensuring wall-to-wall media coverage 

and heightened public and professional 

awareness of the practical things you 

can do to make life better for people with 

dementia. 

Working to make change internationally 

Not content with revolutionising dementia 

care in the UK, Professor Andrews is 

simultaneously working to make change 

internationally. She has worked in many 

countries including the Netherlands, 

Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, Ireland, 

Canada, New Zealand, Australia, the 

USA, Saudi Arabia and Hong Kong; she 

has been an adviser to the Canadian 

Knowledge Translation Network, 

and judged awards for the European 

Foundations in Dementia and the NHS/ 

Design Council. In 2011 she gained 

recognition for her international work 

through 

the Robert Tiffany Award, and 

was presented in Philadelphia with the 

first-ever Founders’ Award of the British 

American Project, of which she is a Fellow 

and advisory Board member. 

June supports other health and social 

care teams as a coach and mentor, 

and has led successful teams for three 

decades. Because of her considerable 

achievements as a nurse leader, she 

received the Chief Nursing Officers’ 

Lifetime Achievement Award in 2012. 

Fellow of the Royal College of Nursing. 

In 2014 she was made a Fellow of the 

Royal College of Nursing of the United 

Kingdom, the highest honour that the 

RCN can bestow. In 2013 she was listed 

in the Health Services Journal as one 

of the fifty most inspirational women in 

health care and separately as one of the 

100 most influential clinicians in England. 

To find out more visit 

www.juneandrews.net

The Covid Vaccine 

Arrives at Forest Care 

Starting 2021 the right way, Forest Care 

is delighted to announce that all of their 

staff and residents have now received 

their 1st Covid-19 vaccine... 


Jean, resident at Rowan Lodge Care Home said “I feel incredibly 

grateful to receive a Covid vaccine so soon into 2021 and I’m 

quite happy to do my bit to help the UK cope a little better with 

this horrible virus”. 

Along with residents, staff were also pleased to receive the 

vaccine. Jayne, a Care Assistant at Holly Lodge, commented 

“It’s the right thing to do for our residents, ourselves and the 

general public. We need to work together to move away from the 

challenges we faced last year”. 

Forest Care would like to thank all of the NHS employees who 

have helped roll out the vaccines to residents and staff. Nenita, 

Care Home Manager at Cedar Lodge says “It’s a step in the right 

direction. We are fortunate to have Covid-safe visiting rooms at 

each of our care homes for residents and their relatives to use. 

But we can’t wait to openly welcome relatives back into our care 

homes again, when it is safe to do so. The visits and participation 

of relatives in care homes is fundamental to the holistic care of 

residents”. 

Each Forest Care home in Hampshire and Surrey is carefully 

accepting new admissions ensuring they are there for those in 

need of care and support. Building internal Covid-safe visiting 

rooms, filming online virtual tours, purchasing electronic devices 

for video calling and implementing a whole-home approach to 

activities; the family-owned and managed care group has heavily 

invested in the holistic welfare of their residents throughout 2020. 

If you or your loved one is in need of respite or residential care, 

visit the Forest Care website to find out more information about 

these multi award-winning care homes www.forestcare.co.uk or 

call 0333 305 1785. 

1-2-1 Guided 

Virtual Tours at 

Forest Care 

Taking virtual tours of their care 

homes one step further, Forest 

Care are now able to offer 1-2- 

1 personalised virtual tours to 

enquirers... 

For 30 minutes, an enquirer can video call a member of the 

Forest Care team while exploring the care home within the same 

virtual tour. This exciting extension to their virtual tours means 

that enquirers can familiarise themselves with the care homes 

while also being able to ask questions directly to the team. 


To protect residents and staff from the ongoing pandemic, Forest 

Care is continuing to prohibit non-essential visitors inside their 

homes. However, they understand that choosing a care home 

can be a difficult and emotional process. Therefore, the familyowned 

and managed care group tries to make it a little easier by 

providing a personalised enquiry process, along with a level of 

care and homely environment that our residents and their loved 

ones would wish for. This multi-award-winning care group is still 

safely accepting new admissions in order to be there for those in 

need of care and support. 

To book a 1-2-1 virtual tour at any of their award-winning care 

homes, visit www.forestcare.co.uk/virtual-tours/ 

or contact chesca@forestcare.co.uk. 


living life just the way 

Continue 

want with a flexible care plan 

you 

all need a little help sometimes and if you're 

We 

that it's getting harder to manage day-to- 

finding 

tasks, you may want to consider getting extra 

day 

and assistance. 

support 

premier care at home service gives you the 

Our 

flexibility of building the right care package 

ultimate 

assistance 

Elderly 

Companionship 

care 

Emergency 

care 

24-hour 

health needs 

Mental 

and sensory 

Physical 

impairments 

disabilities 

Learning 

have been brilliant and are great at 

Nurseplus 

my continuously changing needs, even at 

meeting 

LEADING PROVIDERS OF NURSING & CARE SERVICES 

There can be few things more stressful than not 

being able to see our loved ones, so many people 

have been separated over the last year and there is 

so much to concern us going forward. However, it 

provides great peace of mind knowing that there 

are businesses that provide care for our loved 

ones, meeting their needs in every way that we 

would want... 

We spoke to Andrea Morgan from 

Nurseplus Care at Home, about the 

support they provide to those in need, as 

well as the very special qualities it takes to 

become a carer. 

We have all seen news features over 

the past year showing the amazing and 

dedicated people who care for those who need it the most, even 

to the point of moving into care homes to ensure they can be 

there for those they look after. 

How do Nurseplus recruit carers and what does it take to 

become one? 

At Nurseplus, we have outstanding in-house trainers who equip 

our carers with all the knowledge they need, from dementia care 

to epilepsy training. When recruiting Carers, we are lucky enough 

to be able to look more at people’s personal attributes rather 

than experience as we can give them all the support they need to 

become excellent caregivers. We look for individuals who have 

a kind, considerate nature and those who have a real passion 

for helping others; these are the fundamental qualities needed to 


become a carer. Of course you also need to be resilient, it can be 

a challenging job at times, but a positive outlook can make all the 

difference to both you and your clients. 

For some people, staying at home for as long as possible is 

the most important thing; how do you match your carers to 

their clients to ensure that the relationship is supportive and 

equitable? 

We understand that choosing the right homecare can be 

overwhelming, which is why it’s important for us to make the 

process as seamless as possible. This starts with identifying the 

type of care our clients need as well as understanding the things 

they love to do, enabling us to tailor the service we provide to 

ensure they are able to carry on doing the things they enjoy. For 

us to be able to provide each client with a unique package, it is 

imperative for us to match our clients with a team that they truly 

feel comfortable with to give them and their relatives’ peace of 

mind that they are living a full and independent life at home. Our 

first priority will always be to ensure that we match our clients 

with carers and nurses who have the skills required for those 

needing medical support, but we also take into account our 

clients’ likes and dislikes, hobbies and interests to match them 

with compatible personalities. We understand how important 

human interaction is for mental health and overall wellbeing and 

that’s why we aim to match our clients with people they can 

genuinely connect with. 

If you could sum up in one sentence the rewards of a career 

in care, what would that be? 

It can be so interesting working in care; you get to know all kinds 

of people, learning all about their life, interests and family, but the 

most rewarding part is going home at the end of the day knowing 

that you have made a difference to someone’s life. 

that's as individual as you are. 

for you or your loved one. 

We can provide support for: 

Respite care 

Brain and spinal injuries 

short notice. 

01264 335007 

30 | www.minervamagazines.co.uk 

nursepluscareathome.com

Residential | Nursing | Respite 

Award-Winning Private Care 

Our all-inclusive fee starts from £1,400 

and includes complimentary physiotherapy, 

chiropody, hairdressing, days out & more. 

All-Inclusive Fees 

& No Deposits 

at Rowan Lodge 

Now welcoming new 

admissions at our luxury 

residential & respite care home. 

“We are so grateful that we found Rowan 

Lodge. Mum is well supported, known for the 

individual she is, and the staff really care about 

helping her keep in touch with us. Staff are 

responsive and helpful, and it feels like we are 

all part of the same “team” caring for mum.” 

Daughter of resident 

Rowan Lodge, carehome.co.uk 

Virtual Tour Now Available 

Call 01256 762757 

or visit Caring forestcare.co.uk 

since 1981 

Rowan Lodge 

Crown Lane, Newnham 

Basingstoke, RG27 9AN 

Caring since 1981

North Hampshire Lifestyle Mar - Apr 2021

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