Henley and Marlow Lifestyle Sep - Oct 2021

Contents 

A Note 

from the EDITOR 

19 

A 

A Culinary Journey through 

Northern 

delicious Ireland 

bake from expert Richard Bertinet 

“There is something so special 

in the early leaves drifting 

from the trees–as if we are all 

to be allowed a chance to peel, 

to refresh, to start again.” 

– Ruth Ahmed 

There is something so special about 

this time of year - it has a grounding 

effect which forces us to consider 

the passage of time and the tangible 

changes around us. As the hues 

of the trees shape our landscape, 

we settle down into the embrace 

of those cooler, darker evenings 

- a sense of quietude before the 

inevitable Christmas rush begins. 

Garden Designer 

Adam Frost 

23 

We hope this edition makes a good 

companion to a cosy evening or 

a peaceful morning with a cuppa. 

We’ve filled it with interviews with 

some titans of their fields - firstly, west 

country expert baker (via France!) 

Richard Bertinet and Chelsea seventime 

gold medal winning garden 

designer Adam Frost. 

Our interview with 

Richard Bertinet 

16 

Editor Katie Thomson 

e katie.thomson@minervapublications.co.uk 

28 

Planning for a 

happy retirement 

Publisher Sally Thomson 

Pre-Press Manager Kate Norris 

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

Angela Cave and Pete Lawrence. Front cover courtesy of Richard Bertinet 

Key Account Manager Ben Hollis 

e ben.hollis@minervapublications.co.uk 

d/l 01225 984503 

twitter: @HenleyMarlow 

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. 

These lovely chats fall alongside 

some delicious recipes and some 

inspiration for the home and garden 

- plus some advice on getting those 

finances in order for retirement - 

it’s never too early to start thinking 

about it, nor to late to make an 

assessment of where you are. 

It wouldn’t be right to have an 

edition without one of our most 

popular pages - the competitions! 

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 November, where we 

will be unapologetically thrusting 

you into the Christmas swing. Don’t 

say I didn’t warn you! Until then, 

take care and enjoy this issue. 

Katie 

Katie 

www.minervamagazines.co.uk | 3

COMPETITION 

Time 

WIN 

A a two-night stay 

for two people at 

Whittlebury Park 

WORTH 

£338 

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. 

Whittlebury Park, a four-star countryside hotel in 

Northamptonshire, is nestled in hundreds of acres of tranquil 

ancient parkland, making it the perfect destination to get away 

from it all. It’s surrounded by a host of local attractions, from 

lakeside walks at Stowe Gardens to designer retail therapy 

at Bicester Village and thrilling history at the Silverstone 

Experience Museum. 

Terms and conditions: The prize is for a winner plus one guest. Prize 

winner and guest must be aged 18 and over. Only one winner will be 

drawn. The prize is non-transferable, non-refundable, non-exchangeable 

and there are no cash alternatives. Cannot be used in conjunction with 

any other offer or promotion. The prize is available Friday – Sunday. Valid 

until 31 December 2021 excluding, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve and 

Bank Holiday Mondays. Full terms and conditions available on website. 

whittlebury.com 

Closes 10/11/2021 - Competition keyword ‘WHITTLEBURY’ 

WIN We are giving one 

lucky reader the 

The Ultimate chance to win 

baby Starter the Ultimate 

Pack! Starter Pack 

from Kit & Kin, 

the eco-friendly 

brand co-founded by 

Emma Bunton. Offering an 

unbeatable bundle of ethical 

baby essentials, the beautiful 

collection of products is 

bursting with everything a 

new parent needs, night and 

day, including the brand’s Eco Nappies, Biodegradable Wipes 

and Nappy Sacks. The standout set also contains the heroes from 

Kit & Kin’s range of 100% organic cotton babywear, including the 

adorable Bunny Hat and super soft Alphabet All-in-One, as well as 

a luxuriously snuggly Knitted Blanket and Sleeping Bag, to ensure 

everyone gets the best ZZZ’s, naturally! 

kitandkin.com 

Closes 10/11/2021 - Competition keyword ‘BABYWEAR’ 

Ramekins & Wine offer 

immersive dining 

experiences where 

the wine takes 

centre-stage, the 

food is designed to 

showcase its character 

and deliver a true taste 

sensation. We are giving readers 

the chance to win a Home 

Tasting Box for two people 

which includes six specially 

selected wines and perfectly 

matched ramekins of food. 

T’s and C’s: Three lucky winners 

will enjoy a Home Tasting Box 

for two people. 

ramekinsandwine.co.uk 

Closes 10/11/2021 - Competition 

keyword ‘RAMEKINS’ 

WIN 

A Home 

Tasting Box 

for two! 

Lifestyle and homewares brand 

Haus have just launched a 

beautiful new textiles 

collection called 

Modern Vintage – 

centred around 

hand-embroidered 

and loomed fabrics 

from Thailand, India 

and Japan. 

The collection features 

some exquisite vintage fabrics, 

all with a focus on fine detail 

and a balanced, neutral palette 

– customers can mix and match 

pieces with confidence as all are 

tonally compatible. 

We have 5 x £50 vouchers to 

give away to be used on the 

website www.hauslife.co.uk. 

T&C’s and exclusions apply. 

Closes 10/11/2021 - Competition 

keyword ‘MODERN VINTAGE’ 

5x 

£50 

vouchers to 

be won! 

Leading flowers and 

gifts delivery service, 

Floward, is delighted 

to offer 8 lucky readers 

the chance to win an 

arrangement from its 

new letterbox collection. 

WIN 

A beautiful flower 

arrangement from 

Floward’s new 

collection 

Established in 2017 by CEO 

Abdulaziz B. al-Loughani, 

Floward is a full-fledged 

e-commerce solution that 

offers prime fresh-cut flowers 

sources from the best growers 

and farmers around the world 

which are arranged locally by an expert team of florists and 

designers. Following a successful launch into London at the 

start of the year, Floward is expanding its distribution across 

the country, to offer a next day delivery service which allows 

customers to place orders by 12pm and guarantees that their 

flower arrangements will arrive the next day. What’s more, as 

part of Floward’s worldwide CSR programme, 1% of all annual 

revenue generated by sales will be donated to the Mental Health 

Foundation. 

floward.com 

Closes 10/11/2021 - Competition keyword ‘FLOWARD’ 

4 | www.minervamagazines.co.uk

REBECCA KINGWELL 

FINANCIAL PLANNER 

Comprehensive, bespoke, financial advice & planning 

Rebecca Kingwell 

BSc (Hons), DipFA 

Would you like to start making 

better provision for your future and 

retirement? 

Do you need help understanding 

your existing pension 

arrangements? 

I offer specialist advice on pension 

planning, investment planning, 

savings, tax efficiency and life and 

critical illness protection. 

e: rebecca.kingwell@sjpp.co.uk t: 0330 053 6797 

www.rebeccakingwell.co.uk 

Oxfordshire . Berkshire 

Rebecca Kingwell Financial Planner is an Appointed Representative of and represents only 

St. James’s Place Wealth Management plc (which is authorised and regulated by the Financial 

Conduct Authority) for the purpose of advising solely on the Group’s wealth management products 

and services, more details of which are set out on the Group’s website at www.sjp.co.uk/products 

win! 

A day of escape and 

decadence at the River 

& Rowing Museum 

Escape into the limitless art of the sky this autumn 

with free entry to their latest exhibition, 

Skyscape: The limitless art of the sky... 

The new exhibition showcases 500 years of artists’ fascination 

with the sky, exploring aerial landscapes as a means of 

emotional expression and escape for both artist and viewer. 

Organised by the Ashmolean Museum, University of Oxford, 

it will feature the masterpieces of some of history’s most 

celebrated artists. 

Also included is Afternoon Tea for 2 (Cream Tea) at the 

Chocolate Café on the beautiful terrace overlooking the 

weeping willows of Mill Meadows. 

PRIZE INCLUDES: 

Entry for 2 to the River & Rowing Museum including the new 

exhibition ‘Skyscape: The limitless art of the sky’ 

(30 Sep 2021 – 16 Jan 2022). 

Afternoon Tea (River & Rowing Museum Cream Tea) for 2 in 

the Chocolate Café at the River & Rowing Museum. 

Visit minervamagazines.co.uk/competitions find the 

competition and enter the keyword ‘Skyscape’. 

Closing date for the competition is 05/10/21. 

Entry is limited to one per person. 

Entries will only be accepted by those 18 years of age or over. 


Wooburn Festival 2021 

Music, Visual Arts, Talks & Film 

Lunchtime Concerts 

Mondays 27 Sept, 4 Oct, 

11 Oct, 18 Oct at 1.10pm 

All Saints Church 

8 Castle Street 

High Wycombe HP13 6RZ 

Come & Sing 

Beethoven 

Missa Solemnis 

Saturday 25 September 

The Beaconsfield School, 

Wattleton Road, Beaconsfield HP9 1 SJ 

Charles Crichfon 

an Illustrated talk 

by Quentin Falk 

about his new book, 

'Charles Crichton', director of films 

from The Lavender Hill Mob to A 

Fish called Wanda 

Monday 27 September at 7.30pm 

Conversation with Hellen 

Cullen 

Helen talks to Quentin about her 

new book 'The Truth Must Dazzle 

Gradually' 

Wednesday 29 September at 7.30pm 

both talks at Bourne End Library, 

Wakeman Road, Bourne End SLB 5SX 

Evening Concert 

Braimah Kanneh-Mason 

violin with piano 

- accompaniment 

Friday 8 October at 8pm 

• · St Paul's Parish Church, 

Wooburn 

HP10 0PW 

Wooburn Singers 

Saturday 16 October at 7.30pm 

All Saints Church, Marlow SU 2AA 

Directed by Tom Hammond-Davies, 

the Wooburn Singers will be 

performing well-known choral pieces 

in this church by the River Thames 

Visual Arts Exhibition 

Featuring Rachel Wright 

raHt-;U!I• Sat 9 Oct to Sat 16 Oct 

=---•-- St Paul's Parish Church, Church Hall, 

Wooburn HP10 0PW 

Oboe 

Monday 11 October 

8pm 

St Paul's Parish 

Church, Wooburn 

HP10 0PW 

ctober 

1- 6pm 

11am to 6p 

11am to 8pm 

11am to 4pm 

Gluck - Orpheus ed Euridice 

Mascagni - Zanetto 

Saturday 2 October at 7.30pm 

Bourne End Community Centre, 

Wakeman Road, Bourne End 

SLB 5SX 

Film Night The Farewell 

BAFTA nomination for best 

foreign language film 

Sunday 10 October at 7.30pm 

(TBC) 

National Film & TV School, Station 

Road, Beaconsfield HP9 1 LG 

Evening Concert 

with 

The Heath Quartet 

Friday 15 October at 8pm 

St Paul's Parish Church, 

Wooburn HP10 0PW 

Jazz Supper 

Christian Garrick - violin David Gordon - piano 

Alec Dankworth - bass Tom Hooper - drums 

Saturday 23 October at 8pm 

The Curzon Centre, Maxwell Road, Beaconsfield HP9 1 RG 

For more information and on line box office visit www.wooburn.com 

You can also book tickets by phoning 07395 649215 from 1 August

WEEDS The beauty and use of 50 vagabond plants - by Gareth Richards 

Weeds are nature’s first responders, healing the wounds that man 

inflicts upon the earth. They valiantly bring life back into even the 

most polluted land, pushing green shoots of raw ecological power 

through tarmac and concrete on abandoned sites. 

The cheerful daisy in the pavement crack - or even, dare it be said, 

the buddleia that turns derelict buildings into butterfly havens. 

Countless plants that we dismiss as weeds have amazing powers. 

Every weed has some redeeming qualities. 

When the chips are down, weeds come to the rescue. You cut 

yourself miles from home on a country walk, there are several 

weeds you can reach for to help stop the bleeding - and they even 

have antibacterial properties too. We might have lost much of our 

countryside but a select band of plants paint the grey concrete 

green again. They are a defiant echo of the wild. 

In an age of extinctions, weeds offer hope: their very existence is 

continual proof of nature’s resilience. Yet we are so often blind to 

their beauty. “The notion that a plant is a weed is the most effective 

barrier for stopping us looking at it closely” wrote acclaimed 

naturalist Richard Mabey first published almost 50 years ago. 

Does being native matter? Our perceptions are very much a 

question of time: many of our most-loved wildflowers such as 

field poppies and cornflowers are technically just as ‘non-native’ 

as Japanese knotweed, yet because they’ve been here for many 

hundreds of years we’ve grown to appreciate and even love them. 

Pinning down the native ranges of weeds is a tricky business. Often 

they’ve been around mankind for so long that their precise origins 

are unknown. Furthermore, the ever-accelerating rate of climate 

change means that in Britain our definition of native and nonnative 

(one that seeks to freeze our flora into what it was like many 

thousands of years ago) is looking more irrelevant by the day. 

Only humans make 

weeds. Nature abhors 

a vacuum. Bare soil 

exists rarely in nature, 

yet we strive to create 

it by ploughing, 

digging our gardens 

and constructing 

buildings and roads. 

If we hadn’t created 

these ecological 

vacuums, these 

empty spaces, 

there wouldn’t be 

nearly so many 

weeds. They are 

simply trying to 

heal our scars on 

Mother Nature’s 

green skin. 

About the 

Author: 

Gareth Richards is 

Digital Features Editor at RHS 

and delivers the RHS podcast. Gareth has provided 

horticulture expertise for a leading nursery, the BBC, ITV and Bauer 

Media. 

The Royal Horticultural Society is Britain’s premier gardening charity, 

promoting horticulture and helping gardeners by providing inspiration 

through its shows, gardens and expertise. 

RHS Weeds - The Beauty and use of 50 vagabond plants is 

published by Welbeck 

Quote Henley & 

Marlow Lifestyle for 

1 x FREE 

LESSON 

Whatever your motive for learning a language – for pleasure, for business, or to get a 

qualification – we can help you progress your language skills to the next level online or 

face to face from our Marlow HQ. 

To book a FREE 30 minute 1 to 1 trial class online or face to face in 

Marlow email info@marlowlanguagecentre.co.uk 

or phone 01628 890516 

www.marlowlanguagecentre.com 


An enriching life like no other 

Which school should my child attend? 

Choosing the right educational 

environment for your child is one of 

the most important decisions you’ll 

ever have to make as a parent. But if 

you’re looking for a boarding school 

for your child, how do you choose 

the right one? Robin Fletcher, CEO 

of the Boarding Schools’ Association 

(BSA), explains. 

‘How do I choose the right boarding school 

for my child?’ That’s a question we’re asked 

more often than any other at BSA. And 

when you consider the UK boarding market 

is one of the largest in the world, with more 

than 450 schools of all sizes and types, in 

all sorts of different locations, there isn’t a 

straightforward answer. 

But having such a wide range of choice can 

really work to your advantage. If you know 

exactly what to look for in a prospective 

boarding school, your child will enjoy a 

first-class education and gain invaluable life 

skills, boost their confidence, become more 

independent, and have the best possible 

preparation for adult life. 

The first key piece of advice I would always 

offer when choosing a school is that it must 

be a joint decision between you and your 

child: they have to be happy with the final 

choice. 

As I’ve mentioned, one thing there isn’t a 

shortage of in the UK boarding sector is 

choice. You need to think about the best 

location for your child: will they be best 

suited to a large school attended by several 

hundred students, or a smaller school 

with fewer pupils? Would a school in the 

middle of a city be better for them, or would 

they prefer somewhere more rural? Would 

they be best suited to a single sex or coeducational 

school? Also, will full boarding 

be the best option for them? Schools can 

offer full, weekly or flexi-boarding, so you’ll 

need to decide which works best for you 

and your child. And is an academic school 

right for them, or one that focuses perhaps 

more on sport, music or more vocational 

subjects? 

Once you’ve considered all those factors 

and you’ve got a shortlist of schools you’re 

interested in, I’d always strongly encourage 

you to visit those schools in person. This 

is the best way to tell if it’s right for your 

child or not, as it will be clear very quickly 

whether they are comfortable there. 

Making that final choice of the right 

boarding school for your child can be a 

lengthy process, but taking the time to get 

your decision absolutely right is crucial. 

Boarding will not suit every child or family 

- but for the right child, in the right school, 

it can offer an enriching life experience like 

no other. 

For further information about the Boarding 

Schools’ Association, or to search for a 

boarding school, please visit www.boarding. 

org.uk. In 2020, BSA also teamed up with 

Bulldog Publishing to launch Schoolplaces. 

org, a dedicated live information resource 

for schools, parents and education agents. 

For more information, please visit www. 

schoolplaces.org. 

Image: Courtesy of Highfield and 

Brookham Schools 


Awarded Best Co-Ed School 

South East England 

An Independent Prep School 

for Boys and Girls aged 3-13 

Transport service available 

Day or weekly & full boarding options 

Learn more at www.leightonpark.com 

co-educational • independent • 11-18 years • Reading, Berks 

Education & Training Awards 

Please visit our website to learn more 

www.dolphinschool.com 

Alternatively, contact Kate Spooner 

admissions@dolphinschool.com 

0118 934 1277 

Waltham Road, Hurst, Berkshire, RG10 0FR 

Herries Co-Ed Preparatory 

School & Nursery from 2 - 11 years 

Promoting 

Sportsmanship 

Opening doors to your child’s future... 

Bucks 11+ tuition in small groups 

from year 5 onwards 

“ 

I have no hesitation in recommending Alison to 

anybody who wishes their children to have private 

“tuition.- Mrs Cindy Bull, Chinnor 

1 Chequers Lane Cottage, Cadmore End, 

High Wycombe, Bucks, HP14 3PG 

01494 883152 Mob: 07951 068966 

alison.taylor@pass11plus.co.uk 

From cheering on the sidelines to leading the pack, 

children at Herries learn good sportsmanship at 

Bisham Abbey’s world class National Sports Centre. 

Skills which last a lifetime. 

To take a tour of Herries visit 

www.herries.org.uk/admissions/make-an-enquiry 

11+ Centre • Music Suite • Weekly outdoor activities at 

Longridge • Wraparound care from 7.30am - 6.00pm 

01628 483350 | admissions@herries.org.uk | www.herries.org.uk 


Opportunities 

galore 

Moulsford is a thriving independent 

day and boarding Prep School for boys 

aged 4-13 years set on the banks of the 

River Thames in South Oxfordshire... 

Moulsford offers boys superb opportunities for learning whilst 

having fun, with a restructured curriculum designed not only to 

prepare boys for senior schools, but also to ensure they have 

the skills for life beyond. The curriculum promotes intellectual 

agility, encourages them to think and analyse critically, makes 

connections across the subjects and gives plenty of opportunity 

for creativity and collaboration. The boys are encouraged to 

build resilience by having a go, taking a well-thought-out risk, 

and, on occasion, failing. Moulsford boys learn much more than 

simply how to score highly in summative tests, and regurgitate 

learned facts. 

Through Moulsford’s Activities programme, the school aims 

to offer opportunities to develop new skills and talents, whilst 

becoming a conscientious citizen. Working towards the 

Moulsford Award, boys can try magic tricks, bike maintenance, 

cookery, bushcraft, photography, climbing, drama, sailing, 

chess, pantomime, parkour, stand-up comedy, geocaching 

and many more activities covering the five key elements of 

performance and arts, community, self-development, adventure 

and healthy living. 

Moulsford’s reputation for sport remains extremely strong with 

all boys in teams A to F regularly playing competitive matches. 

ADVERTISING FEATURE 

Major sports are football, rugby, hockey, cricket and athletics. 

Minor sports have also seen significant successes in golf, skiing, 

fencing and judo. Music and drama remain popular with roughly 

three quarters of the boys from Years 3-8 playing an instrument. 

Boys progress to the UK’s leading independent day and 

boarding schools at 13+ including Abingdon, Eton, Harrow, 

Magdalen College School, Marlborough, Radley, St Edward’s 

Oxford, and Wellington. 

The riverside setting provides a different dimension to prep 

school life with kayaks, canoes, stand up paddleboards and 

sailing dinghies all put to use. At Forest School there are 

opportunities for fire building, whittling and making bows and 

arrows. 

At Moulsford there’s something for everyone with the aim of 

finding that elusive activity that ignites a spark in every child 

beyond the classroom. 

BOYS WILL BE...determined 

at Moulsford Prep day and boarding school of 370 boys aged 4 – 13 years 

OPEN DAY 

FRIDAY 24 SEPTEMBER, 10AM - 12PM AND 1PM - 3PM 

SATURDAY 25 SEPTEMBER, 9AM - 12PM 

To book a place, please email admissions@moulsford.com call 01491 651438 or visit our website 

Moulsford Prep School, Moulsford-on-Thames, Oxfordshire OX10 9HR 

10 | www.minervamagazines.co.uk 

WWW.MOULSFORD.COM

KIND HEARTS FIERCE MINDS STRONG SPIRITS 

Queen Anne’s is an independent day & boarding school for 

girls aged 11 to 18 

OPEN MORNING 

Saturday 11 September 

Local transport network, 

including Henley and Marlow 

Book today: 

qas.org.uk 

Full and flexi boarding 

options available 

SIXTH FORM 

OPEN EVENING 

Thursday 30 September 

London Paddington to 

Reading in 26 minutes 

Abingdon, Abingdon Oxfordshire 

Visit Us 

Individual visits available on request 

Next whole school Open Day 

Saturday 9 October 

Please book via our website at 

www.manorprep.org 

or email admissions@manorprep.org 

Challenge. Cherish. Inspire. 

An outstanding independent day school for boys and girls aged 2-11 


OPEN DAY 

DIARY 

2021 

Attending an open day is an 

important part of choosing 

your child’s school. It is your 

chance to get a feel for the 

school, inspect the facilities 

and chat with pupils and 

staff. It’s useful to visit more 

than one school, even if you 

think you have your heart 

set on one in particular, 

so you can compare and 

contrast. Make sure you 

book your spot today! Here 

we list what’s going on this 

Autumn... 

HERRIES PREP SCHOOL 

Every parent wants their child 

to succeed and be happy. 

Achieving this is a team effort 

between teachers, parents 

and the children. At Herries, 

we work hard to help our 

pupils find an area of strength 

and arm them with the skills 

they will need to work towards 

this. Our lessons reflect the 

Herries Values: Happiness, 

Enthusiasm, Resilience, 

Respect, Independence, 

Excellence and Sincerity. 

OPEN DAY DATES 

Due to the current situation, If 

you would like a private tour 

of Herries Preparatory School 

and Nursery please get in 

touch. 

01628 483350 

herries.org.uk 

MOULSFORD PREP 

SCHOOL 

Moulsford is an independent 

Prep School of 370 boys aged 

4 - 13 years, set in idyllic 

grounds on the banks of the 

Thames near Wallingford. We 

want our boys to receive the 

broadest possible education, 

while remembering that they 

will learn best when happy 

and settled. Our familyfocussed 

approach embraces 

the fact that boys of this age 

should be having fun at the 

same time as learning. 


September 24 th , 10am-12pm 

and 1pm-3pm 

September 25th, 9am-12pm 

01491 651438 

moulsford.com 

DOLPHIN SCHOOL 

Dolphin is a modern and 

forward-thinking independent, 

coeducational school for 

3-13 year olds in Hurst. At 

the heart of our educational 

practice is our Freedom to 

Learn philosophy – the belief 

that children learn best when 

they are happy, confident 

and inspired. At Dolphin, 

individuality is celebrated, 

relationships between teacher 

and child are cherished, 

curiosity about the world 

abounds and children are 

encouraged to discuss, 

question and explore. 


Contact Kate Spooner 

or email admissions@ 

dolphinschool.com to 

arrange a tour, and meet with 

Headmaster, Adam Hurst. 

New Art studio & Library coming soon! 

DAVENIES SCHOOL 

LEIGHTON PARK SCHOOL 

QUEEN ANNE’S SCHOOL 

MANOR PREP SCHOOL 

Davenies is a day preparatory 

school for boys aged 

4-13 situated in affluent 

Beaconsfield, just 30miles from 

London. Our own language of 

learning cultivates a lifelong 

eagerness for learning, whether 

academic, creative, artistic or 

sporting, and enterprises like 

our unique Davenies Award 

Scheme and the permeation 

of technology in our teaching 

and learning ensure a truly 

independent educational 

experience. 


Year 7 Open Evening: 

October 4 th 

Whole School Open Morning: 


Leighton Park is a day and 

boarding school for girls and 

boys aged 11-18 and winner 

of the Best Co-ed School 

2021, South East England. 

The UK Government’s latest 

Sixth Form league tables 

reveal Leighton Park to be 

the best performing School 

in Berkshire. We exist to 

form young people of real 

character and confidence, 

with a determined desire to 

change the world, reflecting 

the school’s Quaker values. 


Annual Open Morning: 

September 25 th 9am - 11am 

Open Mornings: October 12 th 

& November 9 th , 9.15am 

In the heart of Caversham, 

you’ll find Queen Anne’s 

School, a day and boarding 

school for girls aged 11-18. 

The 35-acre site boasts stateof-the-art 

facilities, including a 

recording studio, sports centre 

and award-winning Sixth 

Form Centre. Queen Anne’s 

is a Microsoft Showcase 

School, this prestigious award 

acknowledges the school’s 

digital innovations in teaching 

and learning. 


Open Morning: September 11 th 

Sixth Form Open Evening: 

September 30 th 

Open Morning: November 19 th 

Situated in Abingdon, the 

Manor Preparatory School 

is an independent co-ed 

day school that welcomes 

children aged 2-11. The school 

has a wonderfully happy, 

creative atmosphere where 

every individual is valued 

and nurtured to reach their 

potential. The Manor’s most 

recent ISI Inspection saw the 

school receive the highest 

possible rating of ‘Excellent’ in 

all areas. Inspectors remarked 

that “Pupils approach every 

day with an overwhelming 

passion to learn and develop.” 



November 10 th 

01494 685400 

davenies.co.uk 

0118 987 9600 

leightonpark.com 

0118 918 7333 

qas.org.uk 

01235 858458 

manorprep.org 


A caring and inclusive environment to which all boys contribute and within 

which they thrive. Discover more by registering at www.davenies.co.uk 

YEAR 7 

OPEN EVENING 

Monday 4 October 2021 from 6:00pm 

WHOLE SCHOOL 

OPEN MORNING 

Saturday 16 October 2021 from 9:00am 

01494 685400 • registrar@davenies.co.uk 

Davenies School, Station Road, Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire HP9 1AA 

PREPARE TO PASS 

Our unique small-group tuition courses will maximise 

your child’s potential to pass the 11+ exam 

Dynamic teaching techniques 4 

Year 5 and Year 4 courses 4 

Excellent success rates 4 

Small friendly classes 4 

Established 25 years 4 

Year-round courses 4 

BOOK NOW 

FOR 2021 - 2022 

T 01494 452025 

www.headstarteducation.org 


STRESS-A COMMON 

CAUSE OF HAIR LOSS/SKIN/ 

SCALP DISORDERS 


Stress is recognized as a major causative factor in 

many diseases and ailments, but it is also known 

to play a major role in bringing on premature 

hair loss or baldness... 

As professional experts we totally accept that stress can play a 

huge role in contributing, worsening, to the continuance of almost 

any kind of health problem, the exact way in which this occurs 

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A COUNTRYSIDE ESCAPE 

Overlooking the River Thames from a beautiful 

Buckinghamshire hilltop, Danesfield House Hotel 

& Spa offers the perfect chance to take a break 

from everything that’s happened over the last year 

or so. Ben Hollis samples its delights... 

Reputed to have been the site of 

communities for up to 4000 years, it 

wasn’t until 1750 that the site became 

known as Danesfield, when the property 

was bought by John Morton, son of Mrs 

Morton who had previously rented the 

house, with the name inspired by the 

Danish adventurers who were believed 

to have made an encampment there. In 

1901, the original Georgian building was 

re-designed, demolished and rebuilt in 

the Italian Renaissance style you see 

today. 

Having seen it’s far share of action, 

the site was requisitioned in 1941 

and became a base to develop the 

intelligence section of the Royal Air 

Force. Danesfield House Hotel then 

opened on 1st July 1991, on a site 

already steeped in history. 

Upon our arrival, our first welcome was 

by the hotel cats, Mike & Matthew, 

who peacefully roam the gardens and 

who clearly weren’t put off by the 

unfortunately timed rain which had 

broken up the incredibly sunny day. 

Despite the weather, the unloading of any 

luggage is made much easier by the swift 

access from the car park to the hotel, 

following a fantastically colourful, flowerfilled 

route. 

Once shown to our room, the level of 

luxury was clear. A far cry from our two 

bedroom terraced house in which we’ve 

spent most the last 18 months, the 

spacious and contemporary apartment 

feel was very much overshadowed by 

the excitement at being able to watch 

television in the bath - an array of 

luxury bath products were a welcome 

compliment to a soak, whilst watching 

Antiques Roadshow! 

Our Stable Courtyard room offered 

separate bedroom and sitting room areas 

and a bathroom with bath, shower and 

twin sinks, ensuring enough room for 

everyone, as well an array of lighting 

options for the room. 

Determined to make the most of what 

was on offer, we headed out to our first 

stop. The Spa Illuminata boasts a pool, 

steam room, sauna, jacuzzi, relaxation 

sanctuary and a gym, allowing for all 

tastes in relaxation to be covered, 

whether you fancy going for a swim or 

letting off some steam at one of their 30 

weekly fitness classes. 

After drying off, we headed for dinner 

in The Oak Room. Designed by Modern 

Minimalist Anouska Hempel, the cool 

cream walls, lavish furnishing and 

ornate ceiling offer grandeur and 

decadence. The calm, relaxing 

environment allows you to enjoy your 

food in the way the chefs would want you 

to, with your full focus on the flavours. 

Catering for all diets and boasting a 

children’s menu that keeps things as 

elegant as the standard menu, yet equally 

playful, it’s clear that a lot of thought has 

gone into what is served, whether you’re 

there for dinner, afternoon tea or 

private dining, with seasonal produce 

plentiful. 

Once we’d had our fill, we opted to have 

a slow stroll around the gardens. Still 

bathed in the light of the early Summer 

evening, the garden offers a real chance 

to have a calming walk, experiencing 

beautiful lavender aroma, two waterfalls, 

the River Thames and even some 

Muntjac and Fallow deer if you’re lucky. 

When breakfast time came, The Orangery 

offered us sublime views of the River 

Thames and The Chilterns whilst 

enjoying our poached eggs on toast with 

orange juice and tea. Danesfield’s Head 

Chef, James Bailey and his team pride 

themselves on turning simple produce 

into well executed modern British food. 

Just 5 minutes from Marlow and 10 

minutes from Henley-On-Thames, there’s 

plenty to do locally, including Falconry 

experiences, Clay Shooting, Horse 

Riding, Harleyford Golf Club and even a 

trike tour of the Chilterns. 

Whether you’re staying for one night or 

several, Danesfield House Hotel & Spa is 

a fantastically relaxing spot, set up with 

everything you could possibly need to 

recharge those batteries. And let’s face 

it, after the events of the last 18 or so 

months, you probably deserve it! 

Book a stay at Danesfield House Hotel 

& Spa today: danesfieldhouse.co.uk 

01628 891010 


HIS 

SUSTAINABLE 

BREAD 

HOUSING 

DEVELOPMENT IN 

GLOUCESTERSHIRE REACHES 

KEY MILESTONE 

& BUTTER 

Richard Bertinet is well-loved and well-known for being the 

UK’s baking ‘godfather’. His books about baking and his breadmaking 

courses alike have delighted audiences for many years. 

Sally Thomson talks to Richard to discuss books, baking and 

BBC Maestro, where you can catch him offering the ultimate 

online bread-making course... 

HOW ARE YOU ON THIS GLORIOUS 

DAY? 

Making croissants with this weather! It’s 

a bit hot in the kitchen but it’s nice to be 

open again so all is good. 

YOU ARE DOING WONDERFULLY 

WELL AT THE MOMENT APART 

FROM THE FACT WE HAVE ALL 

BEEN THROUGH THIS RATHER 

INTERESTING YEAR THINGS SEEM TO 

BE GOOD WITH YOU. 

We opened in April and we have just tried 

to push everything we could this year and 

last year. It’s very busy. 

SO, PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO COME TO 

YOUR CLASS NOW? 

Yes, we reopened in April. 

SO, THESE CURRENT RESTRICTIONS 

HAVEN’T CHANGED YOUR PLANS? 

No, we are Covid compliant and can still 

have the same number of people. 

In Bath 40% of the customers come 

from the rest of the World so Japan, The 

States and Australia. Obviously, they 

cannot come to Bath at the moment so 

we have a massive backlog of people 

wanting to come when they can 

travel*. 

YOU NEED TO BE CLONED SO THAT 

THERE IS ANOTHER ONE OF YOU 

AND YOU CAN KEEP UP! 

That’s true but there is only one of me 

I’m afraid. 

WHEN YOU FIRST CAME INTO BATH 

IN 2005 DID YOU EXPECT YOUR 

CAREER TO TAKE OFF AS IT DID? 

I knew the concept we had was good and 

if it worked out, we would have success. 

When I first moved to Bath a lot of local 

businesses gave us 6 months to survive 

but that made me more determined to 

make it. 


You are invited to attend ... ... 

Our Autumn 2021 Bespoke Wedding Fairs 

Hosted by 

Visitor entry and parking free. 

Different Suppliers at each fair. 

All fairs subject to Government 

restrictions/go ahead due to Covid-19. 

Please register your no obligation interest in attending via our website. If there 

are Government restrictions regarding Covid-19 in place at the time of the fair, 

you will be contacted nearer the time to book an arrival time slot. Details correct 

at time of print, please check our website for latest information. 

Sunday 5th September 

Easthampstead Park 

Bakery | Patisserie | Tearoom | Chocolatier 

Family owned craft bakery and 

tearoom since 1942. Hand-crafted 

bread, cakes and pastries are freshly 

made on the premises. 




Sunday 3rd October 

Sunday 10th October 



Sunday 31st October 

Sunday 7th November 

De Vere Wokefield Estate 

Trunkwell House Hotel 

Crowne Plaza Reading 

Bisham Abbey 

Coppid Beech Hotel 

Stanlake Park Vineyard Weddings 

Hillfields Farm Estate 

Fredrick’s Hotel & Spa 

Lillibrooke Manor 

Monday-Saturday: 9.00am-4.00pm 

Sundays: Closed 

www.berkshireweddingfairs.co.uk | info@berkshireweddingfairs.co.uk 

07708 249 440 | 07990 711 444 

berkshireweddingfairs | berkshireweddingfairs 

01628 483389 | info@burgersartisanbakery.com 

f www.burgersartisanbakery.com l 

Burgers of Marlow Ltd, The Causeway, Marlow, SL7 1NF 

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On his baking classes 

for children: “It’s good 

fun and nice to see 

them smile when they 

try something that they 

haven’t done before. I 

think it’s a shame that 

so many schools don’t 

use cooking and baking 

anymore.” 

TELL US MORE ABOUT YOUR 

COOKERY SCHOOL - IT’S GOING 

FROM STRENGTH TO STRENGTH BY 

THE SOUNDS OF IT? 

Well, the school has been going since 

2005 and since then we have won a lot 

of awards, we then sold the bakery and a 

lot of things have happened in 15 years. 

The school is so busy it’s a worldwide 

attraction which means we bring a lot of 

people to Bath. We won the South West 

Tourism Award two years ago due to the 

number of people that we attract to Bath. 

We have a few guest chefs coming in as 

well, but the core classes are with me 

learning about bread making, as well as 

what I write about in my books. 

YOU HAVE SO MANY ACCOLADES 

AND EVERYBODY ENJOYS WHAT YOU 

HAVE BEEN DOING. 

We pride ourselves on the services we 

give our customers and also the way I 

teach is quite unique - I’m very hands on. 

Our school is quite small so it means that 

I can spend time with everybody. 

I SEE THAT YOU OFFER CLASSES FOR 

CHILDREN, HOW DO YOU FIND THAT? 

Teaching children was always very 

important to us and we also work with a 

lot of local schools in the area and teach 

some classes plus talk to the children. 

It’s good fun and nice to see them smile 

when they try something that they haven’t 

done before. I think it’s a shame that so 

many schools don’t use cooking and 

baking anymore. 

I SEE THAT YOU ALSO WORK WITH 

PING COOMBES. 

Yes, Ping does classes for me. She 

teaches Malaysian cooking plus stuff 

from my book. 

YOU HAVE PRODUCED 6 BOOKS SO 

FAR. HAVE YOU GOT ANYMORE IN 

THE PIPELINE OR DO YOU NOT HAVE 

ENOUGH TIME? 

I’ve got a couple of ideas but it’s getting 

the time to do it and I like to write a book 

for the right purpose not just for the sake 

of it so I need to get the time and wait 

until things get back to normal. 

DO YOU FEEL THAT YOU ARE 

GETTING BACK TO NORMAL? 

Until we get all our backlog of people 

who couldn’t attend last year’s classes 

hopefully then we will be back on an 

even keel but not yet I’m afraid. We are 

open and running and there are some 

businesses that can’t do that so in a way 

we are one of the lucky ones. 

I HEAR THAT YOU WILL BE GETTING 

INVOLVED WITH BBC MAESTRO. 

Yes, it’s been amazing. We have just 

finished editing. I absolutely loved it! It’s 

a challenge to do live broadcasts, it’s 

recipe lead and different from how I teach 

in my classes, but it was well done. The 

team were amazing. 

YOU HAVE BEEN ON OTHER 

COOKERY SHOWS SO DID YOU FIND 

THAT THIS WAS A STEP UP? 

Yes, I’ve been on Saturday Kitchen and 

on James Martin’s show so it’s a different 

buzz being filmed live and you have to be 

mindful of what you do and say. 

WHAT IS IT THAT YOU WILL BE 

SPECIALISING IN? 

It’s specifically about bread and things I 

like to do at home. It goes from making 

brioche, sourdough to bagels, all that 

kind of stuff and things to give people 

the confidence to bake at home and feel 

that they learn something. It’s going to be 

good. The production team was amazing, 

and I can’t wait for it to launch. 

YOU ARE FROM BRITTANY HAVE 

YOU HAD THE CHANCE TO GO BACK 

RECENTLY? 

We went to France last year, Provence. 

We have a house down there and 

managed to visit just before lockdown. 

*At the time of the interview there was 

uncertainty regarding travel to the city 

of Bath. 

BBC Maestro with Richard Bertinet 

is available now at bbcmaestro.com. 

The course costs £80 for 23 episodes 

including written class notes for 

each one. An additional bonus festive 

episode is expected to launch later in 

the year exclusively to subscribers. 

thebertinetkitchen.com 


CHOCOLATE, ORANGE 

& PISTACHIO LOAF 

INGREDIENTS 

150g good quality dark chocolate chips 

75g roughly chopped pistachios 

Zest of 2 oranges 

50g mixed peel 

1 tablespoon Cointreau (optional) 

125g unsalted butter straight from the 

fridge 

125g full fat milk 

3 medium eggs 

500g strong white bread flour (plus extra 

for dusting) 

15g fresh yeast 

45g caster sugar 

10g fine sea salt 

FOR THE GLAZE 

2 eggs 

Pinch fine sea salt 

METHOD 

Mix the chocolate chips, nuts zest 

and mixed peel in a bowl and stir in 

the Cointreau if you are using it. Place 

the cold butter between 2 sheets of 

greaseproof and bash it with a rolling pin 

to soften it and break it up into smaller 

pieces (without warming it up). 

Put the milk and eggs into the bowl of a 

food mixer and then add the flour. Break 

up the yeast and add to one side of the 

bowl. Add the sugar and salt on the 

other side of the bowl. 

Mix on a slow speed for 4 minutes. 

Increase the speed to medium for another 

2 minutes then add the butter piece by 

piece until it is all incorporated. Continue 

mixing on medium speed for 10-12 

minutes until the dough comes away from 

the sides of the bowl. 

Stop the mixer. Add the chocolate and 

pistachio mixture to the bowl and mix 

for no longer than 30-40 seconds on 

the slowest speed – you don’t want the 

chocolate and nuts to become mushy. 

Lightly flour your worksurface and turn 

the dough out onto the work surface. 

Form the dough into a ball and then place 

into a lightly floured bowl. Cover and 

rest for about 45 minutes until just under 

double in size. 

Lightly flour the surface again, turn out 

the dough and divide into 10 equal pieces 

of about 110g each. Form each piece 

into a ball and then press gently into 

cake or loaf tins until they are full. In the 

picture I have used tiny tins that only take 

one ball but if you use a larger one you 

will have a finished loaf or two that will be 

perfect to tear and share. Whether you 

have one or two will depend on the size 

of your tins. Cover and leave to prove 

for about 1 hour until just under double 

in size. 

While the dough is proving, pre-heat the 

oven to 190°C and beat the eggs and 

pinch of salt for the glaze. Brush the top 

of each loaf with the egg glaze and use a 

pair of scissors to snip into the dough for 

decoration. 

Place the tins on a baking tray and 

put into the pre-heated oven. Turn the 

temperature down to 180°C and bake for 

15-20 minutes until golden. 


Get Ready to Burn 

this autumn 

When the nights draw in, there’s nothing like 

cosying up in front of a woodburner but knowing 

what fuel to burn is key to creating this ambience 

as well as ensuring the fire burns safely and 

efficiently without smoking, reducing the risk of 

releasing harmful pollutants into the atmosphere... 

New government legislation means that when we’re ready to 

light our fires this year, we need to use wood that’s certified and 

labelled as Ready to Burn. Ready to Burn woodfuel gives a better 

burn because it’s proven to have a lower moisture content of up 

to 20%, so it burns with less smoke than wetter wood, which in 

turn also helps reduce pollution from burning. 

Alternatively, if you use Manufactured Solid Fuel (MSF) - a fuel 

manufactured from coal, wood, plant-derived materials, waxes or 

petroleum products with other ingredients – these must also be 

certified and labelled as Ready to Burn, proving that they meet 

specified limits for smoke emissions and sulphur content. 

The Ready to Burn certified fuel scheme is backed by Defra 

which appointed the non-profit industry organisation HETAS 

to certify Manufactured Solid Fuels (MSF) and its subsidiary 

business, Woodsure, to certify woodfuel. 

Helen Bentley Fox, Director at Woodsure, said: “Using fuel that’s 

Ready to Burn will reduce particulate emissions and improve air 

quality, these fuels will also burn more efficiently and are better 

for your appliance and chimney, helping to reduce maintenance 

and fuel costs.” 

How to fuel a safe, efficient and 

environmentally-responsible burn this autumn: 

1. If you’re buying fuel for immediate use, look for the 

Ready to Burn label. To find a trusted retailer visit 

www.readytoburn.org or www.hetas.co.uk 

2. If you buy a large amount of wood in bulk, suppliers selling 

wood in over 2m3 must provide customers with advice on 

how to store and season the fuel so that is it dry to burn 

3. If you buy woodfuel from a small volume supplier (those 

selling less than 600m3 in a year) they have until 30 April 

2022 to comply with the new rules, so you’ll need to make 

sure the wood is properly seasoned before you use it. 

Advice on how to dry wet wood and measure moisture 

content can be found on www.readytoburn.org 

4. Around 40% of chimney fires take place between January 

and March, reduce the risk by making sure your appliance 

is regularly serviced and chimney is swept. 

Find your local HETAS Registered professional at 

www.hetas.co.uk 


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BREATHING NEW LIFE INTO 

HISTORIC BUILDINGS 

BRICKWORK & MASONRY 

We specialise in the repair and restoration 

of period and listed buildings. 

Established for over thirty five years, we regularly 

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Telephone: 01491 598 898 

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IT’S A 

GARDENERS’ 

WORLD 

Adam Frost is an 

award-winning British 

garden designer, 

television presenter and 

motivational speaker. 

Sally Thomson caught up 

with him to discuss all 

things green... 

TELL ME HOW THE GARDENER’S 

WORLD EVENT WENT AT BEAULIEU? 

I had a lovely weekend! I’d be lying if I 

didn’t say I was a bit nervous. I had just 

had my 2nd injection It was the first time 

I had done anything in a public arena for 

about 18 months! You realise that all the 

shows are now your general catch up. 

WITH THE PANDEMIC DID YOU FIND 

IT STRANGE NOT BEING OUT & 

ABOUT WITH THE GENERAL PUBLIC? 

Definitely, We run a school as well so 

we had to close that. I did some stuff on 

zoom like most people but that’s a very 

strange experience. I’ve never spent 

so much time at home or in the garden 

through the summer months with my wife 

and kids which was a mixed blessing and 

gave me time to stop which I don’t think 

I’ve done since I was 16. 

HOW DO YOU GO ABOUT BUILDING A 

GARDEN FOR CHELSEA? 

It can be 12 months to 2 years planning 

but at one point I was doing them back to 

back finishing one then moving straight 

onto the next one. But it’s fascinating, it’s 

how I built my career. 

HOW DID YOU FEEL ABOUT YOUR 

FIRST CHELSEA GOLD? 

If I’m honest, I think I was slightly 

oblivious to what they actually meant. 

My dad was a landscaper and he built 

early John Brooks gardens in the 70s. I 

recently met Professor David Stevens, 

garden designer, who also worked for 

John Brooks. We were talking about 

Chelsea and he said that my dad would 

have been a few gardens along from 

where we were. David also taught me a 

lot about design in that sense. 

WHEN YOU START A DESIGN IS IT 

FROM A THOUGHT OR ARE YOU 

PLANNING IT IN ADVANCE? 

It depends on whether its for a client. 

I think ultimately gardens are about 4 

things people, space, plants and place. 

It’s normally one of those that I tap into 

first and it might be a bit of landscape, it 

might be an individual picture I’ve seen, 

it might be the shape of something, 

whatever it is that gives me an insight 

into a person or if it’s a show garden what 

particular design will drive it. 

DO YOU THINK BEAULIEU WILL BE A 

REGULAR EVENT NOW? 

I think so, I walked in and thought 

what a glorious piece of landscape 

and the moment I walked in the gate it 

had a good feel. People really enjoyed 

themselves and as a setting it had quite a 

lovely intimate feel to it, even the stages 

had an open canopy, and everybody was 

sensible and had plenty of space. The 

standard of the displays was really good 

and Hilliers had gone there and built 

a garden, so it was great that you had 

something there of Hilliers quality. 

I think a positive out of the last 15 months 

is that people have slowed down have 

connected or reconnected with what’s 

outside their back door or in the area. 

I’ve seen a report saying we now have 

3 million new gardeners. Everybody 

you talk to in the industry says that the 

hunger from last year is still there which is 

great. I just hope in a way that stays. 

I FIND IT VERY THERAPEUTIC AND 

GOOD FOR THE SOUL 

It’s interesting that we are seeing 

statistics people moving out of cities 

and into the countryside and are wanting 

bigger gardens it wasn’t that long-ago 

people were downsizing and didn’t want 

a big outdoor space and this time has 

now changed that. 

I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU ARE AN 

RHS AMBASSADOR? WHAT DOES 

THAT ENTAIL? 

Yes, I’ve done that for quite a few years 

now. Basically, I help them with stuff 

looking at helping youngsters to engage 

more through events and I did a lot 

of work a while back with Homebase 

creating apprenticeships so that’s how it 

started. I also do a lot of community stuff 

with RHS and I’m just about to start a 

new project which I can’t say too much 

about which will be good. I have travelled 

all over to schools, events for them. I 

was brought up just outside London and 

wasn’t the best behaved, I’m dyslexic 

and obviously I’ve done OK and I think 

that’s why they wanted me to help. 

YOU ARE AT THE NEC IN THE 

SUMMER WHAT WILL THAT INVOLVE? 

I normally go from stage to stage and 

talk all things gardening and there’s 

different themes on different stages from 

talking about ‘Grow your Own’, ‘Unusual 

edibles’, ‘soil and compost’ so all sorts 

really. What I love about that show is you 

have the gardens and displays but it also 

interlinks with food and because its at the 

NEC if we do have poor weather people 

can get inside. Because it’s such a large 

venue everything will feel alright. 

SO, AT CHELSEA FOR EXAMPLE ARE 

YOU THERE WHEN THE JUDGES 

COME AROUND? 

You have a 2 minute conversation the day 


to do some presenting as they think I’m 

half decent”. He said “Are you sure that’s 

what you want to do?”. And I said “I don’t 

know but I’ll give it a go!”. And here we 

are now. 

before to explain if anything has changed 

or there have been any adjustments 

to the design. They then arrive at your 

garden anytime between 7:30 and 

9:30am on the day and you must be away 

from your garden. Then you have another 

24 hours until you find out the result. 

WHEN DID YOU REALISE THAT 

YOU HAD AN APTITUDE FOR 

PRESENTING? 

I don’t think I did really, I love what I do I 

think it just happened. I was talking to a 

Robert Hillier at Chelsea and I said “Can 

you remember the conversation we had 

in 2015 where you said the BBC want me 

WHAT WOULD YOU ADVISE OUR 

READERS TO DO TO THEIR GARDENS 

BEFORE AUTUMN? 

Don’t disengage with the garden, I think 

we get to September the kids go back to 

school and people pack up their gardens. 

I think our environment has changed 

so much that you cant month to month 

garden anymore you have to react to the 

month you are in. September, October 

and even going into November we can 

still have some cracking days and only 

have our first frosts going into December 

so I would say to anybody there is so 

much glorious flower colour foliage 

colour stem colour to be had and the light 

is different so the atmosphere is different 

you can still wrap up and enjoy it just 

don’t disengage. Don’t chase perfection 

just enjoy the moments. 

Adam Frost, along with other gardening 

celebrities, will be appearing at the NEC 

in Birmingham from Thursday August 26 

to Sunday August 29. 

For ticket information, please visit 

www.bbcgardenersworldlive.com 

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Thinking about Lasting Powers 

of Attorney? 

B P Collins clears up the most common areas for confusion 

when appointing someone... 

It can be daunting to think about your 

future, but it is prudent to plan ahead 

and think about who could look after 

your affairs if you lose the capacity to 

do so. One way of doing this is through 

Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPA), which 

are important documents that can confer 

considerable powers to your attorneys. 

LPAs for health and welfare can cover 

decisions, after you have lost mental 

capacity, ranging from where you might 

live and your daily routine through to life 

sustaining treatment decisions. LPAs for 

property and finances can cover a wide 

range of financial decisions, such as 

managing your bank accounts or selling 

your home. 

Although it is possible to draft LPAs 

yourself, given the significance of the 

documents, it is important to get them 

right. A lawyer can help guide you 

through the process and make sure 

that the finished document does what 

you intended. B P Collins’ private 

client team can assist with the making 

and registration of LPAs, including the 

following common areas for confusion: 

1) HOW TO APPOINT ATTORNEYS 

An LPA can appoint both primary and 

replacement attorneys. Where the LPA 

appoints more than one attorney to act 

at the same time, a decision needs to be 

made about how they are to act: either 

jointly or jointly and severally. 

A lawyer should discuss the options and 

explain the implications for each type 

of appointment to make sure that your 

wishes translate into the document. 

2) PREFERENCE AND INSTRUCTIONS 

LPAs can include preferences, which are 

non-binding wishes, and instructions, 

which are binding on attorneys. A lawyer 

can advise on any specific instructions 

that need to be included for your 

individual circumstances. It is important 

to be careful when drafting preferences 

and instructions as overly complicated 

or poorly drafted preferences and 

instructions can make the LPA difficult 

to use. 

3) SIGNING 

LPAs must be registered before they 

can be used, and registration takes 

around 15 weeks. However, LPAs have 

to be signed in a specific order. If they 

are not signed in the correct order, they 

can be rejected from registration by 

the Office of the Public Guardian. The 

error would then need to be corrected, 

which may cause significant delay to the 

registration process. This could have a 

serious impact if the person making the 

LPA is losing their mental capacity. A 

lawyer can ensure that the document is 

correctly signed before submission to 

the Office of the Public Guardian to make 

the registration process as smooth as 

possible. 

4) CERTIFICATE PROVIDER 

A certificate provider is required to 

sign the LPA to confirm that the person 

making it understands what they are 

doing and that no one is forcing them 

to do it. While you do not have to use a 

professional as a certificate provider, B P 

Collins has the knowledge of the correct 

legal test for mental capacity, which 

can help to demonstrate that the LPA 

has been correctly completed. We can 

also identify situations where a medical 

professional would be best placed to act. 

5) BUSINESS LPAS 

It is possible to make more than one 

LPA for property and finances. This 

is particularly useful for dealing with 

businesses. A lawyer can advise whether 

a business LPA is needed, and at B P 

Collins, we can liaise with our corporate 

team to make sure that your business 

can continue to flourish if you lose mental 

capacity. 

If you would like to make an LPA, please 

contact the private client team for 

more information on 01753 889995 or 

enquiries@bpcollins.co.uk. 


www.bpcollins.co.uk | 01753 889995 

Rule no. 9 

Do what you love. 

by your side 

Corporate & commercial | Dispute resolution | Employment | Family | Property | Wills, trusts & probate| Brexit | Business immigration | Criminal | Environment

RETIREMENT 

PLANNING: 

A GUIDE 

Katie Thomson shares tips 

for getting your financial 

ducks in a row for a happy 

retirement... 

Retirement planning is a multi-faceted 

process which evolves over time - to 

have a comfortable and secure future, 

you have to have the means to fund 

it. Fewer people have access to the 

guaranteed income that comes with a 

final salary pension, and with longer to 

wait until eligibility for the state pension, 

it’s pertinent to start planning as early as 

possible for the retirement you want. The 

better prepared you are now, the better 

your retirement will be. 

There are many strands to retirement 

planning, and much of it depends on 

your stage of life. It’s important to seek 

advice from a registered financial planner 

who can help you make the most of your 

unique circumstances. 

There are some handy way points to help 

you get a grasp on where you are and 

what you will need - here’s a checklist of 

things to consider: 

Understand what your retirement 

income is likely to be: 

You will be adding to your pension fund 

during your working life, but it’s important 

you get a handle on your various pension 

pots to forecast the actual figure you will 

have access to. 

Check your state pension: 

The rising state pension age can have a 

real knock-on effect to your retirement 

planning - a state pension forecast will 

help you to gauge how much you’re on 

course to get from the government. 

Get an understanding of your 

expenditure: 

Having an idea of your expenditure will 

help you plan longer-term. Your living 

costs are likely to be a lot lower than 

in other phases of life - you might be 

mortgage-free and you don’t have the 

same costs for commuting, recreation or 

childcare for example. 

You may wish to improve your home 

or go on some amazing trips, so it’s 

important you know you have the 

financial reserves to do this. 

When should you start drawing a 

pension? 

You don’t have to stop working to draw 

down your pension - as long as you 

are over the age of 55 - but be aware, 

the sooner you start dipping into it, the 

sooner the pot will deplete. 

How much will retirement cost? 

This is the golden question, and really 

depends on the level of comfort or luxury 

you are looking for in your autumn years. 

A recent Which? study found that the 

average retired household (those living 

alone or as couples) spent an around 

£2,170 per month - this is covering all 

the basic areas of expenditure and some 

luxuries like European holidays. Those 

looking for a more luxurious lifestyle 

including longer-haul trips and new cars 

every five years would need to allow 

for approximately £3,400 per month, or 

£41,000 per year. 

Once you have a framework for the 

amount you’ll need, and what you are 

on track for saving, you also need to 

consider how you will access your 

pension pots - these might be state 

pension, a final salary pension and a 

money purchase/defined contribution 

pension. 

With your defined contribution pot, 

such as the one you might get in the 

government employee scheme, you can 

draw the entire pension pot in one go, 

but this will mean it’s entirely down to 

you to make the money last and you’ll 

invariably pay a substantial tax bill. Most 

people with these pensions will opt for 

income drawdown or an annuity, or a 

combination of both when it comes 

taking money out of their pension. 

With careful planning and accurate 

forecasting, your retirement can be 

something to really look forward to, but 

it is essential to make an assessment of 

your position as early as possible and 

use the advice of experts to make your 

money work harder for you. 


821 626 

01491 

| contactus@watersedgeuk.co.uk 

www.watersedgeuk.co.uk 

Plumbing and Heating Services 

Based in Crowmarsh, fully qualified and insured. 

Contact our friendly office team for a quick response 

to your requirements or to arrange your FREE QUOTE 

General Plumbing 

Shower Installations 

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Powerflushing 

Central Heating 

Gas Safety Services 

Boiler Repairs & Installs 

Underfloor Heating 

Ground Source 

Estate Agent/Landlord Services 

LPG 

Energy Saving 

Oil 

Boiler Servicing 

Our easy access showroom is located at 

Cross Court, Downley, High Wycombe, Bucks HP13 5UW 

Call us on 01494 443 933 

or visit www.independentlivingconsultants.co.uk 

Let's Get Together 

We are social creatures. We thrive in the 

company of others – talking, laughing, 

playing… being. At Henley Manor, a Hallmark 

care home, relationship-centred care is at the 

heart of everything we do. Not only will our 

team members form strong relationships with 

each resident, we also encourage residents to 

form bonds with each other... 

Marine 

Solar Thermal.....And much more! 


Through the range of activities we offer at a Hallmark care 

home – from cooking classes to singing sessions, days out and 

gardening – friendships are formed and new memories made. 

Our social spaces are also abuzz with game-playing, chatting 

and cake-eating – both with family members visiting and those 

residing with us. 

Of course, we understand the importance of ‘me time’ as well, 

which is why there’s always the option for residents to opt for 

some peace and quiet – either in our tranquil gardens, in their 

stylishly decorated room or in a quiet nook. 

You know your loved one best and we recognise that selecting 

the right care home for them is an emotional decision. Will 

they be safe? Will they be stimulated? Will they be happy? If 

our multiple Hallmark awards and our own current residents’ 

smiles are anything to go by, the answer is a resounding YES. 

Every resident is unique, with their own needs, interests and 

personality, which is why we ensure we get to know them 

properly – by spending time with both them and their family. 

We ask questions and, more importantly, we listen to the 

answers, so that we are able to fulfil each person’s medical, 

physical, emotional and social requirements. We want each 

resident to feel comfortable in their new home, without having to 

give up the things they enjoy. As such, your mum can still enjoy 

her weekly trip to the hairdresser in our on-site salon and your 

dad can still have his Friday-night pint at our bar. 

When it comes to the health and wellbeing of our residents, the 

company of like-minded companions cannot be underestimated. 

Our relationship- centred care encourages friendships both inside 

the care home and in the wider community, which can both open 

up new opportunities and allow residents to continue with a 

much-loved hobby or pastime. 

We can’t wait to meet – and get to know – your loved one. After 

all, we’re in this together. 

If you’re looking for the highest quality care for your loved 

one, let’s get together and talk. We’d be delighted to arrange 

a family visit and answer any questions you may have. 

01491 455 204 

www.hallmarkcarehomes.co.uk 


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Henley and Marlow Lifestyle Sep - Oct 2021

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