West Berkshire Lifestyle Jul - Aug 2021

info@kennetradio.com

Contents 

A Note 

from the EDITOR 

12 

Amazing 

A Culinary Journey through 

slow cooker recipes 

Northern Ireland 

Isn’t it funny how quickly we can go 

from loving the hot weather to doing 

a rain dance - is there anything more 

British? Day one sees us calling every 

available neighbour into the garden 

for a BBQ, making sangria and filling 

up the paddling pool...but by day 

three we are complaining about not 

sleeping in the heat, getting sunburnt 

and worrying about the grass dying 

under said pool. At least the garden is 

looking pretty happy though... 

...and speaking of, we are a nation of 

garden fanatics - never more-so than 

when our patches of earth became 

our social spaces, home gym or just 

general respite from our four walls. 

The amazing 

competition page 

04 

With that in mind, we’ve got a 

wonderful garden feature to help 

inspire you - and to show that no 

space is beyond help! This plot really 

was an eyesore and a challenge given 

its slope and poor access, but the 

owners have made something rather 

special and given us some tips into 

how they did it. 

Time to refresh your 

interior 

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. Front cover courtesy of Steve Haywood 

Key Account Manager Angela Cave 

e angela.cave@minervapublications.co.uk 

d/l 01225 984498 

twitter: @WBLifestyle 

19 

An incredible 

garden glow up 

MINERVA PUBLICATIONS HQ 

Paxcroft Farm, Hilperton 

Trowbridge BA14 6JB 

t 01225 984 550 

visit our website www.minervamagazines.co.uk 

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. 

On the foodie front we have some 

amazing recipes from a book all 

about the humble slow cooker. Once 

consigned as a product of a 70s Good 

Housekeeping cookbook, the slow 

cooker has had an image reinvention 

in recent years - especially because 

its low-cost and minimal fuss cooking 

appeals to the modern, time-strapped 

family cook. They’re as beautiful as 

they are tasty, so we hope you enjoy 

digging in. 

Finally, we are bringing back our very 

popular competition page - this issue 

it has over £1,500 worth of prizes! You 

can enter all the ones listed on the 

page, plus some web-exclusives at 

minervamagazines.co.uk - you can 

also opt into being the first to hear 

about new giveaways when they are 

launched. 

We are looking forward to seeing you 

again in September - hopefully after a 

long hot summer - we will be shining 

our shoes ready for a new school year 

and celebrating the best of autumn’s 

amazing produce. 

Katie 

www.minervamagazines.co.uk | 3

COMPETITION 

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4 | www.minervamagazines.co.uk

Hungerford 

Food & Artisan Markets 2021 

The Croft Field, RG17 0HY 

(near St Lawrence’s Church) 

Servicing & mechanical repairs 

Diagnostics 

Air conditioning / climate control 

Pre MOT checks and repairs service 

Registered MOT testing station 

Fleet management Cars or Vans 

Electric / Hybrid vehicle servicing 

SUNDAY DATES: 

4 July 10.30am - 2.30pm 8 Aug 10am - 1pm 

12 Sept 10.30am - 2.30pm 3 Oct 10am - 1pm 

Lots of great stalls, local producers, live music, 

social distancing. 

Street food in July & September. 

Free entry! 

Well behaved dogs welcome on leads. 


Learning through play 

Katie Paynter - discusses 

the value of play in the 

development of children 

Nothing is as natural as a child at play. It is a 

cherished part of childhood. It is important 

to recognise that it is difficult to give a single 

definition of play. It can be defined as ‘what 

children and young people do when they 

follow their own ideas and interests, in their 

own way, and for their own reasons.’ Play 

has also frequently been described as ‘what 

children and young people do when they are 

not being told what to do by adults’. 

Regardless of definition, the importance 

of play cannot be underestimated. It is 

undeniably instrumental in children’s learning 

and development and is particularly integral 

in a child’s early years, given it indubitably 

supports their foundational social, emotional 

and cognitive growth. 

Anyone spending any time with young 

children will understand that providing them 

with opportunities for play provides so much 

more than a few minutes or hours of ‘fun’. 

Many instrumental skills are developed. It 

develops communication and language skills 

and vocabulary, an understanding of emotion 

and empathy, social skills and creativity. It 

also supports and strengthens co-operation, 

collaboration, sharing and problem solving. 

Children will observe those around them 

and mimic language and behaviour. It 

teaches self-expression, nurtures a sense of 

imagination and simultaneously gives children 

a feeling of adventure. 

Dramatic play is absolutely essential to a 

child’s social and emotional development and 

can enhance their physical development too. 

It is also very closely connected to intellectual 

development. This is when children make 

sense of the world in which they live by 

acting out situations before they experience 

them and by mimicking what they witness 

around them. Most children are innately 

imaginative and will happily chat away to 

someone on their toy telephone or pretend 

to travel to hospital in an ambulance made 

from a cardboard box! This creativity must be 

actively fostered! 

Encouraging young children to embrace 

physically active play is extremely beneficial 

and necessary for their development. It 

helps them to learn about the ever-changing 

environment and gives them the opportunity 

to use their whole body and develop their 

gross motor skills. It can meet their multisensory 

needs and will promote significant 

health and well-being benefits. Whether it 

is messy play, creative or role play, it is an 

essential part of learning. 

Play provides a platform through which 

children are not only able to learn about the 

world around them through interacting with it, 

but it also gives them the opportunity to learn 

about themselves. As play is fun, children’s 

focus tends to be over a sustained period. In 

turn, this helps children to develop the ability 

to concentrate. It is important as parents not 

to push your child too hard. Children develop 

in their own ways and in their own time and, 

rest assured, their levels of focus will steadily 

augment. 

It is imperative that children are given the 

time ‘to be children’ and being able to play 

is essential, if the aforementioned physical, 

social, emotional and cognitive skills are to be 

securely embedded. 

Katie Paynter, head of pre-prep and EYFS at 

Lochinver House School and IAPS pre-prep 

and EY adviser 


kennet radio 

The radio has probably always been a background to 

most of our lives, but the pandemic and the nature of 

lockdown have made it not just a background but a vital 

companion for so many of us. We spoke to Julian at 

Kennet Radio about this - and he shared some exciting 

news with us too....... 

ADVERTISING FEATURE 

You started broadcasting in 2012 - tell us about that... 

In 2011, West Berkshire’s then local commercial radio station was 

swallowed up into The Breeze network (now Greatest Hits Radio). 

That was the end of local radio in West Berkshire. Or so it seemed. 

In September 2012 I called a meeting to see if there was any interest 

in setting up a community radio station, and 41 people came! And 

that was the birth of Kennet Radio. We started broadcasting online 

straight away, and with support from Greenham Trust we established 

our studio in central Newbury. 

We built the studio from second-hand equipment and donations, 

and after a long application process and two trial broadcasts, Ofcom 

granted us a licence to broadcast full-time on FM. We started our 

service on 106.7 FM on 10th March 2018. 

Broadcasting in these challenging times has highlighted how 

important communication on a local level is - how did it affect 

what you do? 

The first problem we faced was how to keep the station broadcasting 

while adhering to lockdown rules. We had to learn very quickly how to 

broadcast from home to keep Kennet Radio on the air. 

Broadband technology played a huge part, as it has done for so 

many businesses and families. Several of us already had home 

studios set up, which was a good start. But that was not enough to 

fill the schedule. Lots of our team are great radio presenters but not 

technical experts, so it was quite a challenge supporting individual 

team members to become sufficiently technically proficient. 

The result was that Kennet Radio has maintained its live schedule 

throughout the pandemic, keeping people informed about what help 

was available locally, thanks to the dedication of our committed team 

of 60 volunteers. 

Speaking of challenges, tell us about your exciting news... 

For the last three years Hungerford has been just out of range of our 

Newbury transmitter. 

With a huge amount of support from the Hungerford community, 

including town and district councillors, local Chamber of Commerce, 

and our MP, we applied to Ofcom to extend our coverage to include 

Hungerford. We’ve just heard that our application has been approved, 

so we are very excited! 

There is still a lot to do before we can switch on our new Hungerford 

transmitter, but I’m hopeful that we can do so before Christmas, just in 

time for the Christmas Lights Switch on celebration in Hungerford. 

‘Why fit in when you 

were born to stand out?’ 

A small and friendly, term time nursery set in 

60 acres of private gardens & woodland 

For children aged 3 months to 5 years old 

Experts in Forest School Learning 

Freshly prepared food 

Funding available 

0118 983 4018 

www.jubileegems.co.uk 

School Road, Padworth, RG7 4JA 

/ JubileeGems 


Man of the sea 

Mitch Tonks 

Mitch Tonks, image courtesy Steve Haywood 

Sally Thomson was 

delighted to catch up with 

chef and entrepreneur - 

Mitch Tonks who she has 

known for over 25 years.... 

SALLY: HOW ARE YOU DOING? 

Mitch: We are doing great! We are looking 

forward to finally getting the restaurant 

open. I think we are going to have a nice 

bounce back, but what a strange time. 

I’m one of the people that has benefited 

and enjoyed it to be honest. Getting to my 

age and not really taking any time off, I’ve 

had lots of time to spend with the kids and 

rethink things to make things better. 

I’D LIKE TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT YOUR 

BEAUTIFUL BOOK THE DISHES LOOK 

MOUTH-WATERING. MY FIRST QUESTION 

HOWEVER, IS HOW 

HAVE YOU ADAPTED TO THE LOCKDOWN? 

I must say that the first 2 weeks were 

scary; I didn’t really know what was going 

to happen, I knew how much money was 

in the bank and how long that would last. 

I had some truly beautiful and humbling 

experiences where my children took care 

of me, cooked for me and said: “Dad, you 

just concentrate on work and we are going 

to look after you and cook for you.” My son 

Ben is a chef and works in The Seahorse 

and so does my daughter along with Ben’s 

partner who is now the general manager. 

FANTASTIC, WHAT A LOVELY FAMILY AFFAIR! 

It is, and it was lovely being at home with 

them. When we started to think about 

survival, “I thought this is it we are going to 

survive this” We had 274 staff and I thought 

we are going to get through this and I’m 

going to take care of every single one of 

you and come out the other side. 

There was a lot to think about and we really 

took care of people. During the time we 

thought about, “How can we make this 

business 

better” and we started 

pulling apart everything that was wrong 

and thought how can we make it better? 

These are things that we couldn’t do when 

we were open, so we did a whole lot of 

things like shortened inventory, better 

shift patterns, closed the restaurant for an 

hour in the afternoon, went down to a 4 

day week in the winter, all the kind of stuff 

that we didn’t have the foresight to do 

previously. 

WHEN SOMEONE IS SO ENGROSSED IN 

MANAGING A BUSINESS IT’S SOMETIMES 

HARD, THIS MUST HAVE GIVEN YOU THE 

OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE A NEW VISION? 

I think it was a bit of that, but I’m always 

very outward looking with my business 

any way but I think one of the challenges 

was trying to get people to go along with 

it as they would be like we’re too busy or 

that’s not the way we do it. Everybody was 

great, and I think I realised that we were 

a lot more capable as I thought we were 

which was great and hugely uplifting, so I 

thought right I’m going to write a book. We 

wrote the book in November after a really 

good summer obviously we didn’t know 

that we were going to be in lockdown the 

first quarter. We were also working hard 

on getting the planning permission for our 

Salcombe restaurant which should be 

ready next year. Then we started sending 


out boxes to people like a seafood meal for 2 

and we suddenly built up to several hundred 

boxes a week which was quite a considerable 

amount. 

What we did was open a fishmongers in 

Brixham just before lockdown, so we ran it 

from there sending out all these boxes. I then 

started to reflect on my own behaviour at 

home, how it had changed and how I was 

buying my toilet roll, my chemicals, my meat 

and things stuff that I had never bought on 

mail order before and subscriptions and I 

was really enjoying it. I started to think about 

how much people had loved our boxes and 

how Sainsbury’s had closed their fish counter 

and I thought why can’t we set up a seafood 

at home business so we completed buying 

our fish supplier, we buy off the fish market 

everyday we have our own boat out there 

fishing so we bought that company and then 

we bought another company that makes 

sauces and things for us but also makes 

things for Fortman & Mason and the big fancy 

retailers. So, we are launching in July a really 

innovated seafood at home business where 

you will be able to buy amazingly fresh fish 

packaged brilliantly, nice and easy recipes 

available nationwide. Hopefully the reputation 

will be great, and people will trust us, they 

can see our fishing boats our restaurants and 

they will want to buy fish from us. 

KNOW YOU ARE EXTREMELY BUSY BUT WHAT 

DO YOU DO TO RELAX? 

I’m a sailor, a big reader so I love to read, 

and I love to cook and entertain at my house 

with the children. I’m a sailor so I love to plan 

voyages I can’t wait to get on the water, and 

we are sailing our boat up to the West Coast 

of Scotland. I’m leaving in 3 weeks and we 

are going to try and live a little bit up there 

and a little bit down here and just take some 

valuable time. 

LETS TALK ABOUT YOUR BOOK WHICH 

LOOKS WONDERFUL. WHEN YOU DO YOUR 

RECIPES WHAT INSPIRES YOU? DO YOU 

DRAW ON YOUR EXPERIENCE OR DO YOU 

LIKE TO CREATE NEW DISHES? 

I think in this book I draw on my love of 

seafood which is really nice and my own 

experiences in the rock fish book there’s quite 

a lot of new dishes things that I mainly cook 

at home. What I really enjoyed about this 

book is there’s no boundaries. This is food 

that I love like Asian food Singapore Chilli 

Crab (pictured top right) and Crispy fried Chilli 

cuttlefish. It’s really great! 

I’VE NEVER WORKED WITH FRESH CRAB SO 

MAYBE WHEN I NEXT COME DOWN YOU CAN 

SHOW ME WHAT TO DO WITH IT. 

I can definitely do that, and you know when 

you eat a wonderful fresh crab it’s a mindblowing 

experience. 

YOU HAVE SOME FABULOUS ACCOLADES 

BOTH ON YOUR WEBSITE AND IN THE LATEST 

BOOK IS THERE ONE IN PARTICULAR THAT 

STRIKES A LIGHT WITH YOU OR IS IT THAT 

THEY ARE ALL GOOD AND YOU ARE PROUD TO 

RECEIVE 

THEM? 

To be honest it’s not one of 

the things I ever think about 

but they are very humbling. 

I think the thing I was most 

proud of was the fact I was a 

council house boy and didn’t 

really excel in education so 

when I got a doctorate from 

Plymouth University, I was 

very proud. I had to stand up 

and do a speech in front of the 

students and I never imagined 

that I would get to university 

and receive an honorary 

doctorate and it was my most 

personal proudest moment of 

recognition. 

THE ROCKFISH COOKBOOK – 

PUBLISHED MAY 2021 

FROM RESTAURANTS & 

THEROCKFISH.CO.UK 


Canned 

sardines 

on toast 

with capers & red onion 

By Mitch Tonks 

I love canned seafood. It becomes something 

different in the canning process. Oily fish like 

tuna, mackerel and sardines are particularly 

delicious. I have always wanted to can seafood 

caught in the UK. Canning seems to be 

something we don’t do much in this country yet 

in ports across Brittany and northern Spain it 

is quite a craft, and the canned anchovies and 

tuna from those areas are revered the world 

over. They’re even more expensive than the fresh 

catch. 

There is a healthy sardine fishery in Cornwall. 

We bought a tonne of the new season’s catch 

in 2019 and worked with a Spanish seafood 

cannery to have the fish popped into cans. 

We tasted them alongside the very best of the 

Portuguese and Spanish rivals and arrived at the 

conclusion that the Cornish sardines set the bar, 

being fat, oily and delicious. 

I’m often asked what you can do with canned 

sardines. This is how I prepare them at home, 

just a simple combination of ingredients. But the 

sardine mayonnaise we make at the restaurants 

is what transforms the dish. 

SERVES 2 

1 x 140g can sardines 

(I recommend Rockfish brand or Ortiz) 

Sardine mayonnaise (see page 130) 

½ red onion, finely sliced 

1 tablespoon capers, rinsed and drained 

1 tablespoon finely chopped curly parsley 

1 dill pickle, finely sliced 

2 slices of sourdough bread 

salt and white pepper 

METHOD 

Drain the oil from the can of sardines and use it 

to make the mayonnaise. 

Put the sardines in a bowl with the onion, capers, 

parsley and pickle. Gently break up the fish but 

leave nice chunks. Season. Toast the bread, then 

heap the sardine mixture on top. 

Serve the mayo on the side. 



Sea bream 

baked in 

paper 

with garlic, olive oil, 

chilli & rosemary 

By Mitch Tonks 

Cooking a fish ‘en papillote’, or in a bag, is an 

excellent way to prepare it. The fish retains its 

moistness and the other flavours that you add 

really get a chance to develop with the flavours 

of the fish to create something quite magical. 

The combination of roasted garlic, chilli and 

rosemary is a good one, as is thyme, lemon and 

cumin. But you will find your own preferences. 

Look for wild gilt head or black bream, or use 

farmed gilt head bream, which are delicious and 

perfectly acceptable. Ask your fishmonger to 

scale and gut the fish and remove the head. 

SERVES 2 

8 garlic cloves 

100ml olive oil 

2 whole sea bream, weighing about 450g each, 

head removed 

1 small fresh bird’s eye chilli, finely sliced 

4 sprigs of rosemary 

50ml white wine 

finely chopped parsley 

salt 

METHOD 

Preheat the oven to 160°C Fan/180°C/Gas 

Mark 4. 

Place your garlic cloves, with the skin on, on 

a small roasting tray, drizzle with a little of the 

olive oil and sprinkle with some salt. Roast for 

10 minutes or until soft – you should be able to 

squeeze the garlic from the skin. If not then just 

cook a little longer. Set aside to cool slightly. 

Turn up the oven to its maximum heat. 

Cut out 2 pieces of baking parchment large 

enough to enclose a fish. Lay the parchment on 

the worktop and place the fish on it. Sprinkle the 

chilli over the fish and place the peeled garlic 

around it. Tuck some rosemary into the belly. 

Sprinkle with salt and pour over the rest of the 

olive oil. Fold the paper up and over the fish, and 

just before you seal it up completely, pour the 

wine into the corner, then finish sealing. 

Place the parchment bags on a baking tray 

and cook for 15 minutes. Cut the paper open, 

sprinkle the fish with chopped parley and serve 

straight from the bag. 



SLOW & 

Steady 

The slow cooker is having a bit of a 

revival, not least because it takes the time 

pressures of home-cooked meals off of 

family life and offers hands-free dishes 

which warm the heart and soul. 

Katrina Meynink is such an advocate of 

the process that she’s created a beautiful 

booked, filled with inspiration for each 

cooking mood. Here we have some 

tasters from her new book, Slow Victories. 

EGGPLANT CHREIME 

This is a bit of a slow cooker riff on the 

traditional Tunisian braised fish dish of 

the same name. But instead, here I’ve 

cooked down eggplant in a harissaspiced 

ragu and added the umami 

heat of urfa biber (Turkish red pepper 

flakes; available from specialist grocers), 

served on top of hummus and finished 

with some cooling coconut yoghurt and 

herbs. This one gets better with age, so 

embrace the leftovers. Serves: 4 

INGREDIENTS 

1 tablespoon olive oil 

2 garlic cloves, finely sliced 

2 medium eggplants (aubergines), 

trimmed, quartered lengthways 

2 teaspoons cumin seeds, 

roughly crushed 

1 teaspoon coriander seeds, 

roughly crushed 

bunch of coriander (cilantro), roots 

trimmed, cleaned and chopped 

2 ox-heart tomatoes, chopped 

2 tablespoons tomato paste 

(concentrated purée) 

1 × 400 g (14 oz) tin chopped tomatoes 

1 tablespoon rose harissa 

1 heaped teaspoon urfa biber 

(Turkish red pepper flakes) 

1 tablespoon brown sugar 

To serve 

150 g (51/2 oz) hummus 

125 g (41/2 oz/½ cup) coconut yoghurt 

fronds from 2 dill sprigs 

chilli flakes, to taste 

METHOD 

Preheat the slow cooker for 15 minutes 

on high. Set the cooker to the sauté 

function and add the oil, garlic, eggplant, 

cumin and coriander seeds. Sauté until 

fragrant and the eggplant starts taking 

on some colour. Add the remaining 

ingredients, give it a gentle stir, then close 

the lid and cook on low for 8 hours. 

To serve, smear the hummus onto the base 

of serving plates. Gently scoop out the 

eggplant and place on top, then finish with 

the coconut yoghurt, dill and chilli flakes. 

Season with salt and pepper to taste. 

FREEKEH WITH KALE, 

CHILLI, YEAST & 

PEPITA SALAD 

I’m just going to say this up front: 

the nutritional yeast in this salad is 

a revelation. It truly adds the most 

phenomenal umami flavour, as well as 

being a superb seasoning mechanism. 

This salad has excellent holding power, 

so it’s always a good one for work 

lunches or those irksome bring-a-plate 

scenarios. Serves: 4 (as a side) 

INGREDIENTS 

200 g (7 oz/1 cup) whole freekeh, rinsed 

500 ml (17 fl oz/2 cups) vegetable stock 

50 g (13/4 oz/1 cup) nutritional yeast 

150 g (51/2 oz/1 cup) salted pepitas 

(pumpkin seeds), roughly chopped 

(see Note) 

125–185 ml (4–6 fl oz/½–3/4 cup) olive oil 

150 g (51/2 oz/2 cups) cavolo nero, 

finely sliced 

1 green chilli, finely sliced 

baby cavolo nero leaves, to garnish 

(optional) 

METHOD 

Heat your slow cooker on the low setting 

for at least 20 minutes. Add the freekeh 

and vegetable stock, give it a good stir, 

then cover and cook on low for 1 hour. 

Check it at the 45-minute mark and 

if there still seems to be quite a lot of 

stock, leave the lid off for the last 15–20 

minutes. Once cooked, fluff with a fork. (It 

should be cooked through, but al dente.) 

Turn out into a bowl and season 

generously with salt and pepper, then 

allow to cool. 

For the salad, add the nutritional yeast, 

pepitas and 125 ml (4 fl oz) of the oil to 

another bowl and stir to combine. If the 

mixture looks too dry, add more oil until 

it reaches a lose pestolike consistency. 

Add the cavolo nero and chilli and toss 

with your hands. Add the freekeh, season 

again with salt and pepper, and garnish 

with baby cavolo nero leaves, if using, 

then serve. If you need to revive this for 

another day, simply slice some more 

cavolo nero and toss it through. 

COOK’S NOTE 

Use unsalted pepitas if you prefer. You 

can even add these to a mortar and 

pestle and give them a rough grind; it 

works wonders. 




LAMB SHAWARMA 

I suggest doing this with a small leg of 

lamb as you get the best results by being 

able to lay the meat as flat as you can in 

the base of the slow cooker. This allows 

the braising liquid to come up the sides 

so that the glorious spicy crust can be 

maintained. Obviously, slow cooking 

a lamb leg is a far cry from roasting it 

on a rotisserie, but the spice-addled 

preparation is the same and the end 

result is freaking delicious. 

I love serving this as part of a spread with 

flatbreads, pomegranate, bundles of mint 

and tahini. 

This works best if you can prepare it 

ahead. The day before you want to serve 

it, rub the spices into the scored meat 

and rest it in the fridge overnight. 

You will need a large, shallow-base slow 

cooker for this recipe. Serves: 4-6 

INGREDIENTS 

2 teaspoons black peppercorns 

6 cloves 

1 star anise 

1 teaspoon cardamom seeds 

½ teaspoon fenugreek seeds 

1½ teaspoons fennel seeds 

1 tablespoon cumin seeds 

1 tablespoon coriander seeds 

½ tablespoon ground cinnamon 

1 teaspoon nutmeg 

1 tablespoon sweet smoked paprika 

½ tablespoon sumac 

4 garlic cloves, crushed 

zest of 1 lemon 

1–1.2 kg (2 lb 3 oz–2 lb 10 oz) lamb leg, 

bone in 

1 litre (34 fl oz/4 cups) chicken or 

vegetable stock, or enough to come 

three-quarters of the way up the side 

of the lamb 

To serve 

tahini 

pomegranate arils 

finely sliced red onion (optional) 

flatbreads 

mint and coriander (cilantro) leaves 

METHOD 

Add the peppercorns, cloves, star anise 

and all the seeds to a frying pan and 

briefly dry-roast over a medium–high heat 

until the spices pop and become fragrant. 

You can also do this in your slow cooker 

if you have it nice and hot. Grind them 

in a spice grinder or using a mortar 

and pestle. Add to a bowl with all the 

remaining ingredients, except the lamb 

and stock, and stir to combine. 

Score the lamb leg in several spots. Rub 

the spices into the skin and top of the leg, 

then set aside to marinate for a minimum 

of 2 hours, but preferably overnight. 

Set your slow cooker to low. Add the 

lamb, then gently pour the stock into the 

bowl, being careful not to pour it over 

the top of the lamb; you want to keep as 

much of the spice mixture on the meat as 

possible to form a crust. Cover and cook 

for 10 hours. Remove the lid for the last 

30 minutes of cooking. 

Let the lamb rest for 10 minutes before 

serving with tahini, pomegranate arils, red 

onion, if using, flatbreads and herbs. 

SPARKLING ROSÉ 

POACHED PEACHES 

The sweetness of white peaches at their 

peak and the pure pink fizz of this 

dessert really encapsulate late summer 

eating at its best. The peaches are 

delightful on their own or with a dollop of 

crème fraîche. Serves: 6 

INGREDIENTS 

500 ml (17 fl oz/2 cups) sparkling rosé 

115 g (4 oz/1 cup) caster sugar 

1 tablespoon rosewater 

1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste 

6 white peaches 

To serve 

organic rose petals 

3 tablespoons roughly crushed 

freezedried raspberries or strawberries 

METHOD 

Combine the rosé, sugar, rosewater and 

vanilla in the bowl of your slow cooker. 

Set to the sauté function and cook for 10 

minutes, stirring to dissolve the sugar. 

Turn the heat to low, add the peaches 

and close the lid. Cook for 2½ hours. 

Allow to cool completely in the syrup. 

Gently remove the peaches and place in 

a large serving dish. Pour over the syrup, 

then scatter over the rose petals and the 

freeze-dried berries to serve. 

You can, of course, cut the peaches in 

half and remove the stones, but I like 

throwing the whole lot in for a more lowmaintenance 

approach. The stones are 

so easily removed once the peaches have 

slow-cooked, and it stops the fruit from 

losing its shape as it cooks. 

Slow Victories by Katrina Meynink 

(Hardie Grant, £16.99) Photography 

©Kait Barker, Katrina Meynink 


Image from Fireclay 

Tiles x Jessica Davis 

Tiles can really reflect your personality, so you 

don’t need to go with trends, but they can 

be inspiring. This season sees a lean toward 

inviting, earthy tones and using floor tiles up to 

half height on the walls. Geometric tiles are still 

hugely popular, and lots of ranges are bringing 

out ceramic versions of en-caustic tiles for 

easier upkeep. 

Fascination kitchen by 

Mowlem & Co 

MIXING 

materials 

1 

4 

TILE 

style 

2 

3 

1 Kyoto Green Wall Tiles, £1.36 per tile 

(304x76mm), www.londontile.co.uk; 2 Kromatika 

Green Tile, £39.95 per sqm, 

www.tilemountain.co.uk; 3 Bella Craquele, 

£35.99, www.tilemountain.co.uk; 4 Priory 

Cross Encaustic Effect, £1.06 

per tile, www.londontile. 

co.uk 

Image from @studiomcgee 

1 

Image from @houselust 

MODERN 

rustic 

3 

2 

1 

INTERIOR 

refresh 

Trends not to be missed... 

1 Zuiver Dendron 

Side Table, £89, 

www.cuckooland. 

com; 2 Cushions from Modern 

Vintage Collection, www.hauslife.co.uk; 

3 Leather Foostool, £1839.50, www. 

darlingsofchelsea.co.uk; 

4 1950s Brass and 

Leather Magazine 

Holder Model 4019 by 

Carl Auböck, Austria, 

£1290.24, www. 

thekairoscollective.com 

This trend combines 

a focus on integrity 

of items (think antiques) 

alongside comfort. It’s a lived-in 

look that envelops - large convivial 

pieces of furniture, paired with lots of 

texture. Hardwood floors are key to 

this style, as is a strong architectural 

framework to the room. 

The colour palette for this look tends 

to be very neutral, focusing on a mix 

of taupes, whites, creams and beiges, 

intermixed with framing black and 

other earth tones, like terracotta and 

wood. Finally, small pops of colour can 

be added in soft furnishings. 

4 

Inventive mixes of different finishes 

have been really evident in lots of 

kitchens this year - choosing surfaces 

which age with a nice patina can also 

add to the depth of the space - think 

about brass and wood, or concrete 

with stainless steel. Natural textures 

should really shine through. 

3 

4 

2 

1 Sione Pendant, £45, 

www.cultfurniture.com; 

2 Raegan Dining Table, £1176, 

www.sweetpeaandwillow.com 

3 Whole Birch Kitchen Door, 

www.thelifeofply.co.uk; 

4 Cement Taupe Concrete 

Effect Tile, £18.95, 

www.wallsandfloors.co.uk 

Image from @amberinteriors 


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AL FRESCO 

living 

Brits are a nation of garden lovers, this much is undeniable, but this 

last year and all its challenges have deepened our appreciation for 

our outdoor spaces. 

This issue we catch up with a remarkable transformation - the 

change in this edition was that of a derelict, unused and overgrown 

space on a steep slope, into a smart, tiered city garden. 

WORDS Katie Thomson 

PHOTOGRAPHY Kiera Williams Photography 


o you have grand transformation plans 

for your garden but don’t know where to 

Dstart? We caught up with the owners of this 

amazing redesign, couple Daniel and Katherine, and 

found out their motivations for the change and how 

they went about the transformation on a budget. 

FIRSTLY, CAN YOU TELL US MORE ABOUT THE 

GARDEN BEFORE AND WHY YOU DECIDED TO 

TAKE ON THE PROJECT? 

Like many people, we were desperate for some 

outside space - our flat had a small courtyard but 

we wanted somewhere we could entertain and 

somewhere for the dogs to enjoy. 

The details surrounding actually buying the land 

were a bit unusual - it was a plot backing on to the 

communal garden of our building and came up 

for sale from a previous owner. Despite the state it 

was in, we snapped it up, knowing we could make 

something special. 

THE BEFORE PHOTOS SHOW THE LEVEL 

OF WORK NEEDED - WHERE DID YOU EVEN 

START? 

We realised early on that we would need 

professionals in - not only was the site overgrown, 

it was steeply sloping and had a strange slab of 

hard-standing in the middle. We enlisted the help 

of a garden landscaper and together devised a 

plan to make a sociable space with lots of room for 

plants but also a big deck. The layout was in part 

influenced by formal Georgian planting - the garden 

backs onto a Regency-era building, so it felt right to 

nod to that heritage. 

First there was a lot of clearance work - an old 

stump had to come out and then years of brambles. 

Then it was on to a mix of excavating and filling the 

various layers. 

BEFORE 

The site also had literally tonnes of stones in it, so it 

made sense for us to use gabions, the metal cages, 

as our retaining walls. We had planned to buy more 

stones for facing them, but in the end we didn’t 

need to. 

We wanted the space to be pretty low 

maintenance, so the bottom section is a material 

called hoggin, which is a self-binding gravel (it’s 

mixed with cement). It creates an even, solid 

surface but it is also free draining, which was 

important as this was the lower section. It’s really 

good value for money too. 

WHAT INSPIRED YOUR PLANTING SCHEME? 

We were aware that we wanted this to be a good 

space for city creatures and insects - the planting 

included lots of pollinator-friendly plants to try and 

encourage them - in turn we have lots of birds which 

is lovely. We filled the raised bed, which was created 

with sleepers, with top soil and got to work planting 

a mix of plants - we have geraniums, cornflowers, 

sedums, geums, sweetpeas, alliums, violas, salvias, 

foxgloves, thistles and some Ravenswing cow 


LANTERNS (ON TABLE, DECK AND 

FENCING) ALL LIGHTS4FUN.CO.UK 

parsley - there is also some interest for early spring with 

lots of daffodils, hellebores, muscari and tulips. 

Either side of the lawn, a more formal, framing effect is 

achieved using boxus - it’s literally instant impact and 

really helps enforce those tidy lines. 

Alongside the borders, we really wanted a tree in the 

mix too - so we ordered a lovely small silver birch from 

primrose.co.uk - it moves in the breeze so beautifully. 

We can pot it on as it grows and eventually plant it in 

the garden of a future home. 

THE DECK LOOKS AMAZING - IS IT A SUN TRAP? 

Absolutely! We were adamant that we wanted 

something low maintenance so we went for composite 

decking from a company called NeoTimber - in essence 

it has the natural look of wood to without the associated 

problems of cracking, splitting, warping and excessive 

maintenance requirements. It also had a 25 year 

residential warranty which was perfect for us as we can 

make the best of it now, but when we move it also gives 

the new owner peace of mind. 

We went for the Essential range which is hollow in the 

centre - it makes it really lightweight and by extension 

really easy to fit. It’s also crazily cost effective at 

£6.25 per linear metre! It has given the space such an 

elevated look. 

THAT FURNITURE IS AMAZING! 

We really lucked out with these! Good garden furniture 

is a little hard to come by at the moment, but as soon 

as we saw the Salone range from Moda Furnishings, 

we knew it was the right one. Its modern lines look 

perfect against the tumbled Bath stone walls and the 

configuration of this set was the perfect size for our 

space. 

Continuing on the low maintenance scheme, it was 

essential this was furniture that could stand up to the 

elements, not lease because we don’t have room inside 


SALONE GARDEN SOFA FROM 

MODAFURNISHINGS.CO.UK 

for the cushions. The frame is powered coated 

aluminium and comes with a 7 year guarantee 

and the cushions are what is called ‘hydrophobic’ 

meaning they repel water - they’re UV resistant 

too. We can leave it out all year - thought we have 

bought a cover to protect it for when it isn’t in use. 

The access for the site is also dreadful! But the 

delivery team made it look effortless and even did 

it with a smile - we were so impressed. 

HOW IS IT LIT? 

We don’t have a direct power source up there so 

lots of installed lights were an issue - so we opted 

for a mixture of options from lights4fun.co.uk - 

mostly their amazing solar-powered lights, which 

have a great output given their diminutive size! We 

also have some festoon lights from there - these 

come in connectable 5m lengths so it’s great to 

have options to make the right size for your space. 

WHAT’S NEXT? 

The craze for fire pits continues and we’d like to 

get our hands on one - we always intended it for 

the hoggin area in the bottom section with some 

more seating around it. That spot also tends to get 

the last of the afternoon rays. 

IMAGES: 

Cushions and throw: All from hauslife.co.uk 

Furniture: Salone Range from Moda Furnishings, 

modafurnishings.co.uk 

Decking: Essential Decking from NeoTimber, 

neotimber.com 

Lights: All from lights4fun.co.uk 

Plants: Primrose.co.uk 


Absolute architecture 

There can have been very few times in modern history when we 

have been forced to spend so much time in our homes. 

As a result of this, and the impact that working from home has had, 

many of us want to change the way we use the space we have to 

reflect the way our lives and our families now work. 

We spoke to Kate Cooper of Absolute Architecture about trends that 

will shape our homes and the way we use them going forward….. 

ADVERTISING FEATURE 

There are so many things to think about when planning a home 

project, from the environmental aspects of future living to 

maximising the space we have – what is foremost in your work 

schedule at the moment? 

The majority of our work has been creating beautiful designs for 

sustainable new build homes, often as replacements for existing 

country houses. We’re working on extension and renovation 

projects for some fantastic period listed buildings and we’re also 

completing contemporary transformations of some 60’s and 70’s 

ugly ducklings! Lots of people are moving from cities in search of a 

more balanced country lifestyle and lots of people are re-evaluating 

what home means to them and how they can combine new live/work 

arrangements. 

What has been your biggest challenge over the last year and 

what has been the thing that has given you most satisfaction? 

There have certainly been challenges but a positive outcome is 

an increasing emphasis on quality of life and connection with the 

outdoors, which are great ingredients for fantastic projects and quality 

design. We’ve always embraced technology and our 3d modelling 

and virtual reality design tools have been really effective at times 

when site visits have been difficult. We’ve also had to employ our 

best project management skills to counteract shortages in supplies 

of building materials. What gives the team and I the most satisfaction 

is being able to enhance the environmental credentials of a design 

in clever ways. We are members of the Passivhaus Trust as well as 

AECB (Association for Environment Conscious Building) and proudly 

include these principals in our designs. 

And finally what would you say to someone with a home project 

in mind? 

Think carefully about your brief on an emotional and practical level 

and seriously consider what sort of budget you are comfortable with. 

The more information you provide an architect, the more focussed 

they can be and you really won’t stifle creativity. If you are thinking of 

a home project in the next two years, start now. Projects can easily be 

12 months in preparation and a further 6 months or more on site. 

The residential construction industry is incredibly busy and it takes 

time to work through planning constraints and to find a great 

builder. Spend the time preparing as much detail as you can with 

your architect before the build. A comprehensive set of designs 

and specifications isn’t cheap but it’s a hugely sensible investment 

- translating to better design, a stress free build on site and control 

over costs. 

GIVE A GIFT that means a little more 

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Every bespoke design begins, as everything does 

with us, with you talking and us listening. 

You sharing your vision, telling us how you see 

yourself living in your new home. 

Whether you are looking to build a new 

sustainable home or transform your existing 

property, we provide crucial strategic 

advice at an early stage and stay by your 

side throughout the design and build 

process. 

ARCHITECTURE 

INTERIOR DESIGN 

PROJECT MANAGEMENT 

LANDSCAPE DESIGN

NISSAN LEAF 

N-Connecta 

Motoring Journalist, Sue Cooke looks at the all new 

electric Nissan LEAF N-Connecta... 

Many of us make car journeys of less 

than ten miles, whether nipping up to 

the shops, transporting kids to school or 

driving in to work. Wouldn’t it be great if 

we could do this drive every day without 

it costing us a penny! An all-electric car 

future is what we are facing and every 

manufacturer’s launch I go to, an electric 

version is in the offing, if not already here. 

One new electric car registration happens 

every nine minutes in the UK according 

to research by OnePoll on behalf of Go 

Ultra Low. 

Nissan’s first venture into the power of 

electricity was the launch of the first 

generation Nissan LEAF in 2011. The 

hatchback has won a long list of amazing 

awards since then and was named ‘Best 

Green Car’ in the 2017 Driver Power 

Survey. In the 2018 Driver Power Survey, 

it won the ‘Gold Electric Car’ award. The 

most recent of it’s awards achieved is 

‘Best Used Electric Car’ in the inaugural 

Electrifying.com Awards 2021 

The main consideration when buying an 

all-electric car is if you have access to 

a private off street charging point and 

many companies are installing them in 

work place car parks. If you make short 

journeys and have overall low mileage, 

then an electric car is a good choice. 

The new Nissan LEAF has stylish good 

looks with distinctive blue lighting and 

signature branding around the exterior. 

Part of the bonnet raises to reveal the 

charging port. 

The interior is luxurious and seats are 

comfortable, while the suspension is firm. 

There is plenty of advanced technology. 

I particularly like the Intelligent Around 

View Monitor which helped me to park 

in a narrow space with a very clear view 

of what was going on around the car. 

There is an innovative and attractive 

large button between the seats with a 

centre ‘P’. It took me a few minutes to 

realise that this is the ‘gear stick’ and 

there is a very helpful little diagram which 

shows the position of drive and reverse. 

Otherwise driving the LEAF is much the 

same as driving any other 

hatchback. 

I was quite surprised at how powerful the 

40kWh electric motor is giving a surge of 

instant acceleration and taking just 7.9 

seconds to reach 0-62mph. 

New owners of the Nissan LEAF can 

choose to have a wall box fitted and the 

car only takes 7 hours and 30 minutes 

to charge. In and around most cities, 

there are many places with a 50kW 

quick charger point which takes 40 to 

60 minutes. To charge overnight on a 

household plug takes between 12-15 

hours until there is a comfortable 173 

miles showing again. 

With a reduction in battery production 

costs and growing competition between 

manufacturers and with the addition of 

the Plug-in Car Grant, electric car costs 

are reducing. To be eligible for the grant, 

cars must cost less than £35,000. This is 

the recommended retail price (RRP), and 

includes VAT and delivery fees. 

The grant will pay for 35% of the 

purchase price for these vehicles, up to a 

maximum of £2,500. 

I enjoyed my week tootling about town 

in the Nissan LEAF, particularly knowing 

that it wasn’t costing me anything. 

Facts at a Glance 

Model: Nissan LEAF N-Connecta 

Price: LEAF prices range from £25,995 

Power: 40kWh electric motor 

Performance: 0-62mph in 7.9 seconds 

and on to a top speed of 89.5 mph 

CO2 emissions: None 


THE NISSAN LEAF 

STARTING FROM £25,995* 

Contact your local Motorline Nissan centre for more information. 

Motorline Nissan Newbury 

01635 911873 www.motorline.co.uk/nissan 

Pinchington Lane, Newbury, Motor Park, Newbury, West Berkshire RG14 7HT 

Contact Daniel Khan: daniel.khan@motorline.co.uk 

Motorline Nissan Reading 

01189 113 816 www.motorline.co.uk/nissan 

Sentinel Road, Reading, Berkshire RG2 0BF 

Contact Mark Siddle: mark.siddle@motorline.co.uk 

Fuel economy and CO2 results for the Nissan range: MPG (I/100km) Combined: 12.0 (23.6) to 53.7 (5.3). CO2 emissions: 0 - 249g/km. Figures 

shown are for comparability purposes only compare fuel consumption and CO2 figures with other cars tested to the same technical procedures. 

These figures may not reflect real life driving results, which will depend upon a number of factors including accessories fitted (post-registration), 

variations in weather, driving styles and vehicle load. 

* Model shown is a Nissan Leaf N-Connecta at £27,995.

ADAPT YOUR HOME FOR SOMEONE WITH 

DEMENTIA The Key Changes to Make a Safer Space 

Maintaining independence is 

important for someone living with 

dementia, as is having a familiar 

living space. Whilst some people 

may move out of their home into 

residential care, some families are 

helping their loved ones remain at 

home. 

With small adaptations to their living 

space, it’s possible for someone with 

dementia to stay in their own home 

both safely and comfortably. Many local 

authorities have funding available to make 

minor adaptations to the home, and for 

those with more acute needs, there are 

also grants available to support with larger 

adjustments. 

Here are some of the key adaptations to 

consider for the home to ensure it’s a safe 

space for someone living with dementia. 

Kitchen 

If your loved one is in the mid to later 

stages dementia, they may need 

additional assistance and may even have 

a carer living with them. If this is the case, 

it’s unlikely they’ll be left unsupervised in 

the kitchen. However, in order to ensure 

the highest safety levels, it’s advisable to 

consider: 

28 | www.minervamagazines.co.uk 

• Fitting cookers and any gas-supplied 

equipment with an automatic cut off 

• Ensuring all smoke detectors and 

carbon monoxide alarms are working 

• Removing any obstacles, such as rugs 

and mats, to avoid trips or falls 

• Clearing out the fridge regularly to 

remove out-of-date food 

• Storing cleaning products, irons, 

knives and sharp equipment in a locked 

cupboard or drawer 

Bathroom 

The bathroom can sometimes present 

challenges for those with limited mobility 

or cognitive challenges. Whilst your loved 

one may have a carer present to help with 

personal hygiene, it’s best to ensure the 

bathroom is a safe and easily navigable 

space: 

• Clearly marking the taps for hot and cold 

• Installing grab rails around the shower 

and toilet 

• Adding textured pads on surfaces which 

may get slippery 

• Removing the lock from the bathroom door 

• Locking away any medication, cleaning 

products, and sharp items 

Bedroom 

In order to ensure the bedroom is a 

calming space where your loved one can 

sleep safely, the following should be of use: 

• Avoiding electric blankets 

• Installing a night light in the bedroom, 

hallway, and bathroom to provide easy 

vision if they get up in the night 

• Making sure the room is a good 

temperature 

• Putting a clock next to the bed that 

indicates whether it is day or night to 

avoid confusion 

Living Room 

This is often where you spend most of 

your time relaxing, so to ensure the space 

is comfortable, familiar, yet safe, try: 

• Removing obstructions which can cause 

trips or falls 

• Ensuring the room is well lit 

• Having a clear path in and out of the 

room - especially if your loved one needs 

mobility aids 

Hallway and Stairs 

• Consider installing handrails up the stairs 

• Making sure the front and back doors 

are locked and car keys are locked away 

- particularly if your loved one is prone to 

wandering, 

• Removing any obstructions such as 

hallway tables or cables from phones 

If you require further information the 

Alzheimer’s Society have a support line 

0333 150 3456

L TITCOMBE & FAMILY 

Independent Funeral Directors 

Personal, respectful and attentive service 

It is usual for people to be unsure of what 

to do in the immediate aftermath of a 

bereavement. We will help guide you through 

the initial steps and provide advice on other 

matters of importance you may need to think 

about when someone you know dies. 

We are here when you need us most 

24 hours a day 

All aspects of Funeral Arrangements undertaken 

8 Swan Street 

Kingsclere 

Newbury RG20 5PJ 

Tel: 01635 299900 

4 Elmwood Parade 

Basingstoke 

RG23 8LL 

Tel: 01256 476366 

www.tmfunerals.co.uk 

Fore more information contact: 01635 254888 | kblwork@tesco.net | www.enbridgehouse.co.uk 

Enbridge House, Church Road, Woolton Hill, Newbury, Berkshire RG20 9XQ 


It’s summertime! 

Living is easy at Falkland Grange 

Our residents and staff have been vaccinated 

against Covid-19, so whether you’re looking for care 

for yourself or for a loved one, you can be confident 

that Falkland Grange is the safe choice. 

Book a visit at Porthaven.co.uk 

or call 01635 926971 

Whole home vaccinations complete 

CQC approved Porthaven 

infection control 

measures 

Falkland Grange, Monks Lane, Newbury, Berkshire RG14 7RW

BOOK NOW TO VIEW OUR SHOW APARTMENT 

Contact us now to find out more about LUXURY INDEPENDENT LIVING in one 

of our new light and spacious one and two-bedroom apartments or penthouses. 

Set in the heart of Newbury, Pearl House is an exclusive gated development 

situated within private landscaped gardens, just a short walk to the station and 

town centre. 

Join a community that cares for your welfare, make new friends and find time to 

do the things you love. Your security and safety is our priority. 

• Landscaped gardens and terraces 

• Restaurant, club lounge and bar 

• Library 

• Undercroft parking 

• Wellbeing and other classes 

• 24/7 concierge and management 

Prices start from £275,000 

(Other charges apply) 

Please contact sales@edenrl.com 

or call 01635 551 229 for information 

or make a personal appointment 

www.pearlhousenewbury.co.uk 

STAMP DUTY EXTENDED PART EXCHANGE AND HELP TO MOVE 

Minerva Publications - April – Half Page Ads - 153x110mm - v1.indd 1 29/03/2021 14:03:52 

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Our stores always welcome visits for consultations regarding advice 

on choosing the right mobility equipment or service. 

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West Berkshire Lifestyle Jul - Aug 2021

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