Leamington and Warwick Living Nov - Dec 2021

74 PARADE, LEAMINGTON SPA

Contents 

A Note 

from the EDITOR 

35 

Guest 

A Culinary Journey through 

Northern Ireland bedroom perfection 

It’s certainly the challenge of 

publishing that you always have your 

head in the wrong season - each year, 

Christmas begins for us in July, which 

is about the same time as I start to 

ask my friends and family what they’d 

like as a present or if they’re free for a 

meal in December - each year I’m met 

with the same furrowed brows and 

a ‘my god, I haven’t started thinking 

about that yet!’ 

Forward planning aside, it is a rather 

lovely, smug feeling to know that I’m 

mostly sorted for the festivities - my 

only issue being losing said gifts 

between July and December 25th. If 

your industry doesn’t quite prepare 

you in the same way though, we’ve 

got a bevy of festive features to help 

get you prepped. 

Our competition 

page returns 

04 

Alongside Christmas features, 

we’ve got a lovely interview with 

The Yorkshire Shepherdess Amanda 

Owen, plus some delicious recipes 

from her new book. 

If you’re receiving guests this year, 

we’ve got some inspiration on 

creating the perfect guest room 

sanctuary. And if festive madness all 

gets too much, you can always slip in 

there yourself! 

Yorkshire Shepherdess 

Amanda Owen 

21 

Key Account Manager Marion Cassidy 

e marion@minervapublications.co.uk 

d/l 01225 984502 

twitter: @LeamingtonLive 

Editor Katie Thomson 

e katie.thomson@minervapublications.co.uk 

25 

Recipes from 

Amanda’s new book 

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 Rose & Grey roseandgrey.co.uk 

MINERVA PUBLICATIONS HQ 

Unit 21c, 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. 

The news has been all doom and 

gloom of late, but I think it’s important 

that, toy shortage/turkey drama/fuel 

crisis or not, this year’s Christmas is 

looking so much brighter than 2020’s, 

and there’s so much to be thankful 

for. This quote from the legendary Bob 

Hope really captured that for me: 

“My idea of Christmas, whether 

old-fashioned or modern, is very 

simple: loving others. Come to 

think of it, why do we have to 

wait for Christmas to do that?” 

We are looking forward to seeing 

you again in January - we are doing 

away with the New Year, New You 

nonsense and instead focusing 

on what 2022 can offer you. Until 

then, take care, have a very Merry 

Christmas and a peaceful New Year. 

Katie 

www.minervamagazines.co.uk | 3

COMPETITION 

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Find the competition and enter on that post, 

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

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

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4 | www.minervamagazines.co.uk

North Leamington School 

Where will your next journey 

take you? 

NLS welcomes you to our open evenings. 

Come and see our inspiring, nurturing and 

imaginative environment where you can shine. 

Sixth Form Open Evening 

Thursday 4th November 2021 

6pm- 8:30pm 

www.northleamington.co.uk 

Commitment, Opportunity, Respect & Excellence 

for all and in all that we do

CHOOSING A NEW SIXTH FORM 

The Good Schools Guide offers some suggestions to take into consideration when making the change 

Whether you want to change from a 

single sex school to co-ed or from day to 

boarding, private to state, A levels to IB - 

or vice versa there are plenty of reasons to 

move schools post - GCSEs. 

When to start looking 

We’d advise getting the ball rolling 

towards the end of their year 10 in time 

for sixth form open days and applications 

which generally take place the following 

autumn. 

Discussions about post-GCSE options 

will already be taking place at your child’s 

current school by then and looking at 

other sixth forms will widen your options. 

Maybe the broader based curriculum 

of the IB would suit them better than 

specialising at A level? Maybe they want 

to pursue a more practical, less exam 

based, route? Or perhaps your child 

simply feels ready for a fresh start and 

new faces. 

Choosing a new sixth form 

The decision needs to be a joint effort 

between parents and children, based as 

much on personal preference as objective 

research. Your child may have formed 

opinions about other schools via friends 

and social media but however popular a 

particular sixth form may be, it’s no good 

if it doesn’t offer the subjects they want 

to study. 

Guide your child to consider the areas 

of study they genuinely enjoy or find 

interesting. Also bear in mind that the 

demands of some A levels, such as 

maths, are a big jump from GCSE and 

most schools will set higher GCSE grade 

requirements for these. 

It may seem too early when your child 

hasn’t even finished their GCSE courses 

to start talking about university subjects 

and destinations, but if they are going to 

change school for sixth form it’s important 

to at least start thinking about the ultimate 

goal. For instance, if Oxbridge or medical 

school is the aim then A level choices 

need to be made accordingly and a 

potential school’s record of Oxbridge and 

medical school places taken into account. 

If university isn’t part of the plan then you’ll 

need to ask the school or college about 

provision for pupils who are interested in 

alternative post-18 options such as degree 

apprenticeships. 

You can find latest information on a 

school’s Oxbridge, medical school and 

non-university destinations in the ‘Exit’ 

section of The Good Schools Guide 

reviews. 

Day to boarding 

A move to boarding school for sixth form 

- see this article for more - is often said 

to be a good preparation for university. 

But manage your expectations – in our 

experience most sixth form boarding 

accommodation is more luxurious than the 

average university hall of residence! 

Most boarding schools have separate 

provision for sixth formers where they can 

live more independently and with fewer 

restrictions than younger pupils. If you 

are looking at full, as opposed to weekly, 

boarding then find out how many sixth 

formers are in school at weekends and 

what activities are on offer (our writers 

suggest looking at boarding house 

noticeboards to see sign-up sheets for 

weekend activities). 

While it’s usually possible, with 

permission, for boarding sixth formers to 

attend day pupils’ parties for instance, 

it’s unlikely that any school will allow the 

same freedom to socialise (particularly 

with regard to sexual relationships) as day 

school pupils. Discuss school rules and 

regulations frankly with your child - if they 

(or you) are horrified then maybe boarding 

isn’t the right choice. 

Independent to state 

A move from independent to state school 

is often determined by family finances, but 

we wonder whether it could also now be a 

strategic decision. 

State school sixth forms or sixth form 

colleges often have exam results that are 

comparable to independent schools and 

they may also offer a wider range of post- 

GCSE choices. 

And as the UK’s top universities strive to 

rebalance their admissions procedures to 

correct what was (rightly) criticised as an 

independent school bias, will this prompt 

more independent school parents to send 

their children to take A levels at state sixth 

forms? Time will tell. 

State to independent 

If you think your child would benefit from 

taking A levels at an independent school 

but are worried about affording the fees, it 

could be worth checking whether you can 

apply for a bursary. Some schools offer 

bursaries specifically for pupils joining the 

sixth form from the local state sector. 

Entry requirements 

These differ considerably but five or six 

GCSEs including English and maths at 

grade 6 or above, with grade 7 or higher 

in subjects to be studied at A level (can 

be 8 or 9 for maths/further maths), is the 

minimum for most selective schools. 

Many schools set the sixth form entry 

bar much higher and in addition to a 

full set of GCSEs at grades 9-7, also 

expect candidates to sit papers in their 

prospective A level subjects. Schools will 

usually interview prospective sixth formers 

too. 

The Good Schools Guide is the UK’s 

number one school guide, helping 

parents in every aspect of choosing 

the best education for their children 

using their unbiased and impartial 

school reviews, alongside a host of 

articles advising on all aspects of 

school life. Find out more at www. 

goodschoolsguide.co.uk 


Let us help you give 

your home a makeover 

which it deserves! 

We are here to help… 

Our knowledgeable staff have 

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creativity, Whether it’s for a pair 

of curtains, a blind, a design for a 

complete room or even a whole 

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Making your house a home

Looking for a unique 

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Upgrade your gift! 

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Fantastic Holidays 

for the Festive Season! 

Festive and New Year Getaways from £399pp 

What Makes a Johnsons Festive Holiday? 

Home pick up & drop off service 

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High-quality hotels 

Award-winning itineraries 

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Request your FREE brochures 

CALL 0845 421 2724 

View all departures at www.johnsonscoaches.co.uk 

Get yourself 

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My name is Cora and I am a fully qualified 

Aesthetic Practitioner and Non-Medical Prescriber. 

I offer highly skilled treatments for both 

men and women. 

Anti-Wrinkle Injections - Lip and Dermal Fillers 

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07760 431833 

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Gift 

Vouchers 

Available! 

The Health & 

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Leamington Spa, 

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Kaloo Lapinoo Rabbit, 

£17.99, jojomamanbebe.co.uk 

Guide 

The gift 

Unisex Mouse 

Babygrow Set, £45, 

magnetmouse.co.uk 

Woodland Nesting 

Creatures, £22, 

rosaandbo.com 

Help children 

learn to 

code with 

Blockly, Snap!, 

JavaScript, 

Python and 

C++ 

Exploding 

Kittens, £15.99, 

amazon.co.uk 

Artie Max, £110, 

amazon.co.uk 

Pokemon Brilliant Diamond + 

Shining Pearl (Nintendo Switch), 

£89.99, amazon.co.uk 

Nila Nepp Top, 

£22 and Kieran 

Kneepatch 

Joggers, £28, both 

welovefrugi.com 

Organic 

cotton and 

amazing 

colours and 

prints 

FOR KIDS 

GOTS Organic 

Cotton 

Pyjamas, £26, 

polarnopyret. 

co.uk 

Everhot 

Electric Stove 

£1,295, 

everhot.co.uk 

Luigi Starter Course 

Currently priced at 

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amazon.co.uk 

Available 

in a host 

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colours 

WHEN THEY HAVE EVERYTHING 

Le Creuset Evolution 

Oval Deep Teal Casserole 

Currently priced at £241, 

amazon.co.uk 

Aranya Hmong 

Cushion, £32, 

hauslife.co.uk 

Cuisinart Precision Stand Mixer, 

£275, cuisinart.co.uk 

Hand-Sliced Side of 

Smoked Salmon, £54.95, 

formanandfield.com 

Truffle Guys 

Experience Box, 

£119.95, 

truffleguysuk.com 

Gusbourne Brut 

Reserve 2017, £39, 

gusbourne.com 


Christmas Events and Activities 

Stir Up Sunday 

St John’s House Museum - 21st November 10am -12noon 

Make your Christmas pudding in our Victorian kitchen. £20 

Victorian and Christmas Craft Fair 

Market Hall Museum - 25th November – 28th November 

Browse makers stalls for Christmas gifts or treat yourself! Free entry 

Rustic Indoor Wreath Workshop 

St John’s House Museum - 27th November 1.30pm - 4.30pm 

Unleash your inner artist as Lois Golding of Little Garden Flowers 

guides you to craft a decorative indoor wreath. £45 

Quilled Christmas Decorations Workshop 

Market Hall Museum - 7th December 7pm - 9pm 

Learn paper quilling and make Christmas decorations. £20 

Saturnalia 

Market Hall Museum -17th December 7pm - 8pm 

Discover how the Romans celebrated the feast of Saturnalia. £8 

BOOK TICKETS: 

www.warwickshire.gov.uk/heritageboxoffice 

@WarwickshireMuseum @RuairitheFawn 

@heritageandculturewarwickshire

Santa 

Present for 

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Complimentary sweet 

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Trains 

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Feel-good festive favourites featuring the full 

City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, their massed 

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Thursday 16 December, 7.30pm 

Friday 17 December, 7.30pm 

Sunday 19 December, 3pm 

Symphony Hall, Birmingham 

Book now at cbso.co.uk 

Christmas @ CBSO 

CBSO is a registered charity in England (No. 506276) 

14 | CBSO_ChristmasConcert_110x153.indd www.minervamagazines.co.uk 

2 05/10/2021 19:50

Tabitha Ribbed 

Cashmere Socks, £32, 

pantherella.com 

Candle Discovery Set, 

£18, floralstreet.com 

ESPA Jewels of Nature Collection, £195 

(Worth £365), espaskincare.com 

Perfect 

Christmas 

party 

make up 

Star Sheepskin 

Slippers, £39, 

onaie.com 

ILLAMASQUA 

Skyrocket Artistry 

Eyeshadow Palette, 

£39, lookfantastic.co.uk 

Alpaca Super 

Soft Hot Water 

Bottles, £45, 

chilcottuk.com 

FOR HER 

Great for 

deeply cleansing 

the skin and 

soothing 

stressed eyes 

Cashmere Sweatshirt 

in Emerald, £179, 

loopcashmere.co.uk 

Luxury Heavyweight 

Merino Scarf, £90, 

pantherella.com 

Mulo Slippers in Blue Corduroy, 

£124, muloshoes.com 

UBUNA Refresh 

Water Hydration 

Cream, £160, 

net-a-porter.com 

BeGlow Tia All-In-One 

Sonic Skincare System, 

£199, johnlewis.com 

Micro Merlin 

Japanese Knife 

Trio, £99, 

souschef.co.uk 

Eco Sports Cloak 

Long Sleeve, £119.95, 

charliemcleod.co.uk 

The Micro Explorer 

Electric Scooter, 

£349.95, reduced 

from £449.95 

micro-scooters. 

co.uk 

Amazing 

for the 

chef in 

your life 

FOR HIM 

18 mile range, 

foldable and 

ultra light 

weight with 

15mph top 

speed 

Scrivner For 

Men 5 Step 

Skin Strategy 

- £127, 

janescrivner. 

com 

Perfect if 

they love 

outdoor 

pursuits or 

sports 

Andrée Jardin Sneaker Care Kit, 

£33.50, souschef.co.uk 

Off White Sneakers, 

£175, muloshoes.com 


BOOK 

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24 Nov – 8 Jan 

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13 – 23 Dec From £10* 9 – 24 Dec 

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*Ticket price includes a £1.50 booking fee. No fee applies if booking online.

Twelve 

Friends 

Reunited 

Padstow 

12 Guests, 6 Bedrooms, 4 Bathrooms, 2 Pets 

4 full English breakfasts, 5 dramatic sunsets 

3 short little saunters down to the pub 

Then back for a nightcap in your steaming hot tub 

One sensible trip to Botallack tin mine 

(A less sensible lunch in Padstow at Rick Stein ) 

One seal-spotting boat trip out of St Ives 

3 sea swims, 4 beach naps, 2 basking shark dives 

Old friends reunited in the flesh, not online 

Thanks to Original Cottages. Simply Divine! 

Original Cottages. 

The clue’s in the name. 

Staying with us, or letting with us, 

fall in love with local at originalcottages.co.uk

Amanda Owen 

The yorkshire Shepherdess 

Tells us about her life in the Dales 

Known to millions as The Yorkshire 

Shepherdess, Amanda Owen is the author 

of five best-selling books about her life 

on Ravenseat ,one of the most remote 

farms in the country, where she lives with 

her husband Clive and nine children. She 

currently stars in Channel 5’s popular TV 

show Our Yorkshire Farm and her latest 

book is Celebrating the Seasons includes 

stories, recipes and photos from the farm 

and is out now. 

I understand that you had had no 

previous links to farming, may I ask 

how you became so involved in this line 

of work? 

I grew up in Huddersfield and no one in 

my family is from a farming background. 

I loved the James Herriot books when I 

was a child, and watched the TV series. 

Because of James Herriot I loved the idea 

of being a vet, probably like most other 

children of that era, but was told at school 

that I was not academic enough to make 

the grades. One day in the school library 

I picked up a book called Hill Shepherd. 

It was a photographic documentary of 

hill farming in Yorkshire and Cumbria. 

Reading that book was an epiphany for 

me, the pictures of the hill shepherds on 

the moors with the sheep made me realise 

it was where I wanted to be. It ticked the 

box of wanting to work with animals in 

the countryside and importantly it also 

ticked the rebellion box as it was so the 

opposite of my townie life up until then. 

Years later after I had married my husband 

Clive, we realised that there was actually a 

photograph of him in Hill Shepherd! So it’s 

a very important book to me. 

How did you learn your crafts? One of 

the many things I learnt from your book 

was how important it is to get the grass 

in - in good time. 

I started out as a farm hand, and then 

moved on to being a contract shepherd, 

working on different farms all over the 

country. But really, I learnt everything as I 

went along. 

Most of my crafts came through natural 

progression, learning to ride a horse 

by riding it, learning to clip a sheep by 

clipping my first one, learning to work a 

dog, by taking the dog out with me for the 

first time. 

You can only learn what to do by doing it, 

you have to get practical on the ground 

experience. Nothing comes close to 

learning how to be a shepherd, other than 

actually doing the work of a shepherd and 

it’s not just about learning about sheep, 

it’s about learning about the land. 

With the grass it starts with the sheep. 

You’ve got to have your sheep in good 

order - we grow hardy stock through the 

winter, so it’s absolutely vital that you grow 

your crop well, so they have food to eat 

throughout the winter. 

You enjoy sheep shearing - were you 

nervous when you cut your first fleece? 

Of course, but you know, you have to be 

nervous in order to be any good at what 

you’re doing. If you’re lambing sheep you 

are dealing with nature first hand, but 

there is no room for you to have time to 

be nervous as you have to get on with the 

job. It’s you alone in that moment and it’s 

not optional to be nervous. That pressure 

makes you work fast. 

The first time I clipped, I would clip the 

sheep while the professional shearers 

were having their dinner, and they 

would encourage me or discourage me 

depending on what I was doing, and then 

the more you do it you get faster. You 

keep practicing and eventually you will 

get there. 

How do you spread yourself between 

9 children - it must quite a noisy 

household at times? 

It is a noisy household. But we’re very 

privileged to live where we do which 


means that there’s plenty of room for 

everybody to get some space outside. I 

enjoy the busyness and noise of family 

life in the house. But I can get away from 

it by walking out my front door. Plenty 

of people can’t as they leave their front 

door and if they live in a city, it’s still loud 

and busy when they get out. We’re lucky 

here to have the wide open spaces and 

the kids spend a lot of time outdoors. 

We’re working farm and that means that 

everyone mucks in - no matter what 

the age, it could be collecting hen’s 

eggs, feeding the horses, or helping find 

uniforms for everyone, also cooking. Real 

dough is just as good as playdough and 

the kids love learning to cook. The only 

time when we all come together is tea time 

at the farm, when we all come together to 

eat, it’s my favourite time of day, when I 

get to hear what everyone’s been up to on 

the farm and school. 

Your children must have a wonderful 

time and appear to have no fears with 

any of the animals. Do they each have a 

special one? 

I suppose they do. Quite a lot of the girls 

loves the horses. Violet loves the cows, 

she was excited recently that our pet cow, 

Ciara has now come in from the fields. 

Violet hand reared Ciara from a calf, so 

she thinks she belongs inside the house 

and doesn’t like the other cows. Miles is 

very taken with the hens and his flock of 

30 sheep. Through the winter and up to 

lambing time Miles looks after his flock of 

sheep after school. Sidney has his own 

dog, Nell a sheep dog and she runs for 

him, so that’s quite a big thing for a young 

lad to be able to work his own sheep dog. 

It’s a level up from being a pet. The terriers 

are wonderful they are real characters, 

they are source of frustration as they 

will have fights with each other, or they 

wander off from the farm to the local pub 

quite a few miles away! The terriers, are 

Chalky and Sprout, sadly we lost Pippin at 

the beginning of lock down. Tony the pony 

(pictured above right) is loved by Annas, 

Clemmie and Nancy, they look after him, 

feed him, brush him and ride him. They 

also love the bigger horses Josie and 

Princess. Princess is very good with the 

kids and often two of them ride her around 

the fields. They also like to take the horses 

down to the river and give them a bath 

and wash and comb their tails. 

Will any of them follow in your 

footsteps? 

Yeah, I think so, at the moment Miles and 

Sidney are very keen on farming and Edith 

is a good shepherdess. That said I never 

place any expectation on any of them 

to follow me into being a farmer and a 

shepherd. You don’t know where life will 

take you. I’m not sitting here going: “I want 

you to be a shepherd”, because life goes 

through stages, and what you want to do 

changes, so I’d rather they make their own 

choices, they can do whatever they want 

to do. It’s a difficult thing to ask a child 

what they want to do with the rest of their 

life. They’ll figure it out as they go along. 

What is your favourite season and why? 

Summer. But really I mean June. June is 

my favourite month, because all the sheep 

have had lambs and been turned back 

out onto the moor and it’s before hay time 

and clipping, so there’s a lull and a pause 

in the farm work, and at the same time 

everything comes to life - the flowers, the 

birds on the moor. In June, the Curlews 

are back, as are the Lapwings, Golden 

Plover, Black Grouse. All you can hear 

is birds, wherever you’re walking. There 

are woodcock and snipe too - they are 

all ground nesting birds up here on the 

moor, so you get to see their nests as 

well - and it’s just beautiful. The flowers 

you see in June are marsh marigolds, 

globe flowers, all the hay meadow 

flowers, rare orchids - it’s really pretty. 

What made you decide to write this 

book? It is a delightful read and the 

recipes are a treat…. 

Celebrating the Seasons, came about 

because I wanted to answer some of the 

most frequently ask questions, how do 

you cater for such a big family? Tell us 

about the practicalities? What do you 

cook? It was really difficult selecting 

recipes for the book. I wanted to include 

forgiving recipes. Recipes that it was 

totally fine to get distracted in the middle 

of and would still turn out good. Recipes 

that were achievable with the most 

basic of ingredients, simple feel good 

food, that was nutritionally good too. My 

absolute favourite is the Tagine recipe, 

it’s a people pleaser, for me its so easy 

and the smell always brings everyone 

to the kitchen - which is helpful! Every 

time I cook it it’s different, sometimes 

chick peas, sometimes wild rice, some 

times couscous - it always comes out 

slightly different each time. In addition 

to the recipes, people have told me they 

loved my photos and images of the farm 

that I post on twitter and would always 

suggest I do a photograph book. If you 

go back to basics it was a photography 

book - Hill Shepherd - that inspired me 

to become a shepherd. So it’s nice to 

go full circle. I know how inspiring a 

photography book can be - how it can 

really steer you and how a picture can 

tell a thousand words. I really hope that 

when people buy the book, that they 

look at the pictures over and over again 

and still find something new in them, as I 

have with Hill Shepherd. 

What would you like to tell our readers 

about your life? 

I want people to know that Celebrating 

the Seasons is a book about going your 

own way. It’s not a blueprint for how you 

should live your life, it simply says this 

is what we do as a family this is how we 

do it, feel free to follow the recipes, or 

do them your own way. I want people 

to not let themselves to be stereotyped, 

to know that all things are achievable if 

you really want to do it. So many people 

said you won’t have time to write a book, 

you won’t achieve that. But I believe you 

can do anything you just have to start 

doing it. If you want to write a book, 

start writing. I got an E in GCSE English, 

and this is my fifth book. Anything is 

possible. 

Celebrating 

the Seasons with The Yorkshire 

Shepherdess by Amanda Owen by Pan 

Macmillan, £20.

Real Christmas Trees 

Delivered direct to your door 

We are a family run Christmas tree farm & have been 

growing Christmas trees for over 40 years 

Pre order your tree & delivery date from 

1 st November 

All our trees are grown here in the uk 

& harvested to order. 

We offer a Nationwide delivery 

service direct from the grower. 

All our trees 

are cut to order, 

packaged & shipped 

direct from the Farm 

Last year was a very busy harvest for us. 

Please pre order if possible. 

We can deliver up to the 23rd December 

We also have a large 

selection of Christmas tree 

stands & lights in our 

online store 

www.realfreshchristmastrees.co.uk 

office@realfreshchristmastrees.co.uk 

Call the farm office on: 01455 299911

gifts & interiors 

Christmas Collection 

Thank you for your continued custom...... 

We would like to invite you and your 

friends to celebrate 

95 YEARS OF 

HILLERS 

Please join us and 30 of our suppliers 

for a taster day in our Marquee 

Saturday 3rd October 10am-4pm 

the maize maze , trains and sandpit will all be open 

Lots of great gift ideas from stocking fillers 

to something for that special someone. 

Cards • Stationery • Jewellery & Accessories • Toiletries 

Toys & Baby • Kitchenware & Furnishings • Clothing • Men’s Gifts 

Dunnington Heath Farm • Alcester • B49 5PD 

Tel: Dunnington 01789 772771 Heath Farm • www.hillers.co.uk 

• • Alcester • B49 • B49 5PD 5PD 

Dunnington Tel: 01789 Heath 772771 Farm • • www.hillers.co.uk 

Alcester • B49 5PD 

Dunnington Heath Farm • Alcester • B49 5PD 

Tel: 01789 772771 • www.hillers.co.uk 

Hillers Strawberries A5 Ad.indd 1 08/06/2016 19:41 

Tel: 01789 490991 • Email: info@hillers.co.uk • www.hillers.co.uk 

Hillers Strawberries A5 Ad.indd 1 08/06/2016 19:41 

Hillers_DL_Alt_210x99mm.indd 11 08/09/2015 08:19 08:19 

Hillers Taster Day Oct 17.indd 1 06/09/2017 12:44

Dinner is served 

Tasty recipes from Amanda Owen 

Wild Mushroom Soup with 

Wood Sorrel & Hazelnut Pesto 

Prep time 10 minutes 

Cooking time 35 minutes 

Serves 4 

2 tbsp Yorkshire rapeseed oil, plus extra for 

garnish 

1 medium onion, finely chopped 

1 large clove garlic, crushed or grated 

450g wild mushrooms, such as yellow 

chanterelle, roughly chopped 

50ml Madeira or sweet sherry 

850ml hot vegetable stock 

3 sprigs fresh thyme 

200ml double cream 

1 tsp mushroom powder 

Salt and black pepper 

Pesto 

25g chopped toasted hazelnuts 

1 small bunch wood sorrel 

2 tbsp olive oil 

10g Parmesan 

Garnish 

Handful of wild mushrooms 

Heat the oil in a large saucepan, add 

the onion and garlic and fry gently for 5 

minutes, until softened but not coloured. 

Next, add the mushrooms and fry on a 

medium heat for 8 minutes, until they are 

golden. 

Pour the Madeira over the mushrooms and 

cook on a high heat for about a minute until 

the alcohol evaporates. 

Lower the heat and pour in the hot stock, 

then add the sprigs of thyme. Bring to the 

boil then cover and simmer gently for 20 

minutes. 

Remove the pan from the heat, blitz with 

a hand blender or in a liquidizer until the 

soup is smooth. Return the soup to a clean 

pan, stir in the cream and sprinkle over the 

mushroom powder, then season the soup 

and gently reheat over a low heat. 

Meanwhile, place the pesto ingredients into 

a small food processor and blitz for a few 

seconds until combined. Add extra oil if the 

pesto is a little thick and season to taste. 

For the mushroom garnish, drizzle some 

oil in a small frying pan and gently fry the 

remaining mushrooms for a couple of 

minutes until golden. 

To serve, ladle the soup into warm bowls, 

scatter over the whole fried mushrooms, 

and top with a spoonful of pesto. 

Tip 

Try serving with homemade spelt bread. 

Moroccan Lamb Tagine with 

Jewelled Couscous 


Cooking time 1 hour 15 minutes 

Serves 4 

Tagine 

2 tbsp olive oil 

600g lamb shoulder, diced 

1 large onion, sliced 

2 cloves garlic, crushed 

1 tbsp ground cumin 

2 tsp ground coriander 

1 tbsp hot smoked paprika 

40g tomato purée 

400g can cherry tomatoes 

1 cinnamon stick 

50g dried apricots, chopped 

2 large pieces orange peel 

285ml lamb stock 

1 small bunch coriander, chopped 

Jewelled couscous 

200g couscous 

200ml hot vegetable stock 

1 red onion, chopped 

100g pomegranate seeds 

1 small bunch mint, leaves roughly chopped 

1 small bunch coriander, chopped 

3 spring onions 

20g almonds, toasted 

Salt and black pepper 

Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/ gas 4. 

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large 

heatproof casserole dish, then add the 

lamb and sear and brown on all sides for 

about 5 minutes. Remove the lamb from 

the casserole dish with a slotted spoon and 

set aside. 

Return the casserole dish to the heat and 

add the remaining oil. When hot, add the 

onion and fry gently for approximately 8 

minutes until golden. Add the garlic and fry 

for a further minute. 

Sprinkle over the ground spices and stir 

in the tomato purée then fry for a further 

minute. Return the meat and any juices 

to the pan with the remaining Tagine 

ingredients (except the fresh coriander), 

bring to the boil then cover with a lid and 

transfer to the middle shelf of the oven. 

Cook for 1 hour, or until the meat is tender. 

Meanwhile, while the Tagine cooks, put the 

couscous into a bowl and pour over the 

hot vegetable stock. Cover the bowl tightly 

with cling film and set aside for 10 minutes 

until the couscous has absorbed the liquid. 

Season the couscous, then stir through 

the remaining ingredients, saving a few 

almonds and herbs to garnish. 

To serve the Tagine, remove the cinnamon 

stick and check seasoning, then sprinkle 

over the chopped coriander. Serve in warm 

bowls with the jewelled couscous. 

Tip 

This recipe can also be cooked slowly in a 

Tagine over a barbecue. 


And time for pudding... 

More tasty recipes from Amanda Owen 

Rhubarb & Custard Crumble Cake 



Serves 4-6 

Rhubarb 

250g Yorkshire rhubarb, cut into 2cm 

chunks 

50g caster sugar 

Crumble 

50g plain flour 

25g butter, cut into cubes 

40g chopped mixed nuts 

25g demerara sugar 

Cake 

170g butter, softened, plus extra for 

greasing 

85g caster sugar 

85g soft brown sugar 

3 medium eggs, beaten 

1 tsp vanilla extract 

170g self-raising flour 

1 tsp baking powder 

30g custard powder 

Icing sugar to dust 

Custard to serve 

Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas 

Grease and line a 21cm round spring-form 

cake tin. 

Put the rhubarb into a saucepan and 

sprinkle over the caster sugar. Heat very 

gently until the sugar dissolves into a syrup. 

Simmer for 6–8 minutes until the rhubarb 

just begins to soften. Set aside to cool. 

Meanwhile make the crumble. Place the 

flour into a mixing bowl and rub in the 

butter with your fingertips until it resembles 

breadcrumbs, then stir in the chopped nuts 

and sugar. 

Next make the cake. Beat the butter, caster 

sugar and soft brown sugar in a bowl using 

an electric mixer for 2–3 minutes, until light 

and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla extract 

with 2 tablespoons of the flour, beat for 

a minute until combined, then fold in the 

remaining flour, baking powder and custard 

powder. 

Drain any excess juices from the rhubarb 

26 | www.minervamagazines.co.uk 

and discard the syrup, then gently fold the 

cooled rhubarb through the cake mixture. 

Transfer the cake batter to the prepared tin 

and gently smooth the top with a spatula. 

Sprinkle the crumble over the cake and 

press down lightly with the back of a spoon, 

then bake on the middle shelf of the oven 

for 40 minutes, until the cake is golden, firm 

to touch, and when a skewer is inserted it 

comes out clean. Allow to cool slightly in the 

cake tin, then transfer to a plate. 

Dust lightly with icing sugar before serving 

warm with custard. 

Tip 

Also delicious served with ice cream or 

single cream. 

Hedgerow Nutty Crumble 



Serves 4 

Fruit filling 

40g butter 

40g golden caster sugar 

2 Braeburn apples, peeled and sliced 

200g Bramley apples, peeled and sliced 

300g foraged berries or any mixed berries, 

such as blackberries and wild raspberries 

Crumble topping 

125g plain flour 

85g unsalted butter, diced 

85g demerara sugar 

50g rolled oats 

30g chopped toasted hazelnuts 

Custard or ice cream to serve 

Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas 4. 

For the fruit filling, melt the butter in a 

pan, add the sugar and apples and gently 

simmer for 5 minutes. Add the berries and 

simmer for 2 minutes, then transfer to a 

23cm round oven-proof dish. 

Meanwhile prepare the crumble topping. 

Put the flour into a mixing bowl and rub 

in the butter with your fingertips, until the 

mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir 

in the sugar, oats and hazelnuts. 

Sprinkle the crumble topping over the 

fruit, then place the dish on the middle 

shelf of the oven. Bake for 30-35 minutes, 

until the crumb is golden and fruit 

bubbling. 

Allow to cool slightly before serving with 

custard or ice cream. 

Tip 

Try using other seasonal fruits such as 

damsons or gooseberries.

Our Christmas plans 

are in place and we 

can't wait to share this 

Christmas with you. 

Whether you're dining in a large group, 

having a work party, or gathering with 

family and friends to make up for lost 

time, our Bistrots will be ready to 

welcome you. We have a choice of group 

menus available from Thursday 25th 

November until 30th December where 

you can come and enjoy our… 

Festive Menu Pierre 

3 courses £19.95 

Festive Menu Prestige 

3 courses £25.95 

Our all-day menu will also be available 

in December and includes Bistrot classics 

as well as classic Christmas dishes 

(yes that includes Turkey with all the 

trimmings and Christmas pudding!). 

We're here to bring a bit of Bistrot magic 

to your festive plans so take a look at our 

menus and book your Christmas. 

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bistrotpierre.co.uk

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Available 23rd November – 24th December 

Enjoy an elegant 3 course menu, packed full 

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Tis’ the Season! Scan to book now. 

or visit: cote.co.uk/christmas

The Harvester 

An outstanding & relaxed countryside pub 

A PLEASING-EVEN-THE-PICKY-ONES 

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• Kids menu • Book Today! 

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Tel: 01926 812698 l @liharvester 

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You deserve a treat... 

Discover our peaceful retreat in the heart of Warwickshire, our heavenly Elan 

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Membership of our Elan Spa, affords you full use of our spa facilities 

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CONTACT OUR ELAN SPA TEAM TODAY 

MALLORY.CO.UK | 01926 330214 | ELANSPA@MALLORY.CO.UK 

16_09_21 - Leam/Warwick Living - Mallory Court.indd 1 www.minervamagazines.co.uk 14/09/2021 12:21 | 29

putting our pets first 

We may feel as if we have had ‘information 

overload’ when it comes to germ 

prevention and protection, but sometimes 

a product comes along that demands our 

attention - enter Leucillin. This is a skin 

health product for pets that is proving to 

be a product which all of us may well be 

putting in our first aid chests very soon. 

We spoke to Georgina Bashforth (pictured 

right) about the product and its exciting 

potential……. 

First of all, in layman’s terms – what is 

Leucillin? 

Leucillin is a clever antiseptic applied to 

the skin topically to protect against harmful 

germs. Leucillin is a revolutionary fresh new 

take on what an antiseptic is and can be 

capable of. 

Leucillin mimics the body’s own immune 

system, providing you a powerful solution 

which delivers the ultimate shield in 

topical skin protection against harmful 

pathogens. Leucillin’s unique formulation 

does not contain any alcohol, steroids or 

antibiotics, it is the natural choice for safe 

skin sanitising. 

Our pets our so important to us, how 

is Leucillin used and what specific 

applications is it effective for? 

Leucillin has a great reputation for safety 

and efficacy, supported by pet healthcare, 

veterinary and grooming industries, 

this year. It has been awarded human 

approvals and begun an exciting new 

chapter in healthcare. 

Furthermore it can be safely applied in 

any topical application where the skin, 

ears and eyes need care, whether broken, 

red, sore, inflamed, cuts, stings, bites 

or grazes, Leucillin’s powerful antiseptic 

properties eradicate germs on contact 

creating the perfect environment for rapid 

recovery. 

For children, as well as our pets, it’s 

“Ouch Free” formula is kind, it has been 

developed to match the natural pH of skin 

so no more wincing on that grazed knee. 

It seems to be a very gentle solution 

to a number of particularly stubborn 

problems - can it be used long-term? 

Leucillin achieves an unbeatable 

99.99999% reduction in bacteria on 

contact, but how does that compare with 

the 99.99% which we think is good? Well; 

it’s a massive 10’000 times better! 

Fast effective pathogen reduction means 

no resistance therefore long-term usage is 

always effective and no harmful ingredients 

means Leucillin is always safe! 

And finally, how else can it be used and 

what are your hopes for the product 

going forward? 

Our goal is to help alleviate the dependence 

on antibiotics and pharmaceutical 

intervention in the area of germ protection, 

for a more natural, safe, non-invasive and 

most importantly effective alternative. 

During the pandemic Leucillin has been 

proven effective against all coronaviruses 

including SARS-CoV-2 topically and 

has been used by animal care industries 

including Police Dog Handler units for 

reducing risk. 

We have also recently teamed up with The 

Humanimal Trust founded by Professor 

Noel Fitzpatrick - aka The Supervet, we’re 

excited to be supporting mental health and 

raising money for ONE Medicine, so that 

humans and animals can benefit equally 

from all medical progress. 


Tough on all Pathogens 

BACTERIAL, VIRAL & FUNGAL 

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Proudly Supporting 

because Leucillin is alcohol free! It’s 

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At home or away, Leucillin is a 

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suitable for all ages and skin types including 

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300x more effective than most sanitisers YET Leucillin 

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For People AND our Pets, Leucillin is a 

clever, reliable and affordable solution for 

cleansing and sanitising skin safely including 

your face! Leucillin removes germs without 

drying skin, so however species diverse your 

family unit is, Leucillin has you covered.

Christmas with Porsche. 

Gifts from Porsche Driver’s Selection. 

Share your love for Porsche this Christmas with the perfect 

gifts from Porsche Driver’s Selection. Contact Porsche 

Centre Solihull for more details. 

Porsche Centre Solihull 

Highlands Road 

Solihull 

West Midlands, B90 4GT 

0121 745 9911 

info@porschesolihull.co.uk 

www.porschesolihull.co.uk

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GUEST BEDROOM 

perfection 

DON’T: WORRY IF YOU 

DON’T HAVE LOADS OF 

SPACE 

Ultimately you have to work with what 

you’ve got - in the last 18 months, 

many of us have seen our guest rooms 

overhauled into home offices. If you’ve 

ditched the bed don’t worry - how about 

adding an attractive sofa bed that you 

can actually use the rest of the time as a 

break out area from your desk. 

DO: PROVIDE BASIC 

AMENITIES 

The more things you can put in the room 

to make their stay easier, without having 

to ask you for everything, the more 

relaxed everyone will feel. A mirror is 

important, as are fresh towels, tissues, 

and perhaps even a hair dryer. A bedside 

carafe and some glasses means they can 

help themselves to water too. 

DO: INVEST IN 

GOOD WINDOW 

TREATMENTS 

As you might have never 

slept in this space, you 

might not know how 

light behaves or how 

effective the current 

window treatments are for 

blocking out light. For a 

really luxurious look, pair 

blackout blinds or shutters 

with thick, decorative 

drapery. Shutters give a lovely secure feel 

to a space and really finish the room. 

DON’T: SETTLE FOR A 

LUMPY MATTRESS 

The same goes for the mattress as the 

window treatments - spend a night in the 

room and see if the bed is up to scratch. 

DO: PROVIDE GOOD 

LIGHTING 

Multi-level lighting is key for making a 

space feel cosy - make sure there are 

two bedside lamps and then another 

light source in the space, such as a 

standing lamp in the corner or a lamp on 

a dressing table 

DON’T: SKIMP ON THE 

BED LINENS 

Good bed linen really is worth the money 

- and it tends to wash better too. Provide 

a good quality duvet and pillows, linens 

and some additional blankets if your 

guests feel the cold. 

DO: CREATE 

SOMEWHERE THEY CAN 

UNPACK 

We all know it’s a bit stressful trying to 

live out of a suitcase - allowing for some 

hanging space and a few drawers to 

unpack into, can really help guests keep 

on top of things whilst they’re with you. 

DO: MAKE IT SMELL 

LOVELY 

Kit the room out with either fresh flowers, 

a reed diffuser, or room sprays. Pillow 

spray to help deep sleep is also a lovely 

touch to make the space feel homely - we 

love Olverum’s new Restful Pillow Sleep 

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DON’T: BE A 

PERFECTIONIST 

If your guests were hoping for hotel 

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the space is clean, comfortable and 

functional, then relax - there’s enough to 

be worrying about in the festive season 

without adding high expectations on top 

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If you’re looking for a total decorative 

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Limestone Wood Paint, £18 

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HOUSING-WITH-CARE 

Allowing older people to live where they want to live 

Imagine you’re an older person in your 

70s, approaching your later years and 

perhaps in need of more support soon, 

but still with so much to give, so many 

talents to unlock, so many friends to 

make. You’re thinking about moving 

from the family home you’ve lived in 

for years to somewhere which provides 

security and care if and when you need 

it, but which also allows you to keep 

your independence and connections to 

the local community, and which has a 

range of activities and facilities to keep 

you busy. 

It’s this middle ground, this golden 

mean, combining independence with 

care and support, which housing-withcare 

settings across the country are 

offering to older people in increasing 

numbers. Sometimes called retirement 

communities, retirement villages or extra 

care housing, these settings give older 

people the opportunity to rent or own 

a flat or apartment, on a site with 24/7 

staffing, high-quality care provision if 

needed, and facilities like restaurants, 

bars, cafes, gyms, activity rooms and 

much more. 

While long-standing options for older 

people like care homes and traditional 

retirement housing will continue to have 

a vital place, there is a growing need 

for middle options like housing-withcare 

which allow older people to stay 

independent and healthy for longer. 

The evidence is clear: housing-withcare 

improves health and well-being, 

drastically cuts down hospital and GP 

visits, and reduces feelings of loneliness. 

Not only do older people themselves 

benefit, but so too does the NHS and 

whole social care system. 

Housing-with-care settings can be in 

either rural or urban locations, giving 

older people the chance to choose the 

lifestyle they want. Often, they are closely 

connected with the town centre, and 

people of different ages are able to use 

the facilities at the retirement community 

and mix with older residents. Far from 

being ghettos of the elderly, housingwith-care 

settings can be hubs of 

intergenerational connection. 

ARCO’s role as the representative body 

for the housing-with-care sector is to help 

our members provide the best possible 

service to their older residents, and to 

ensure the sector thrives and grows in 

the way that it should. An important part 

of ARCO’s work is helping members 

set high standards through the ARCO 

Consumer Code, a new edition of 

which was launched in September this 

year. The code upholds the principles 

of transparency and fairness, giving 

customers and residents confidence that 

housing-with-care operators achieve 

high levels of consumer protection in 

everything from marketing, sales and 

lettings, and resident relations. 

Because, ultimately, housing-with-care is 

all about the residents. About responding 

to the growing demand from older 

people for housing options that combine 

independent, active living with care 

and support if needed. About allowing 

residents to live the life that they want 

to live. 

For further email please visit 

www.arcouk.org

Trusted to care 

Award winning care homes 

Our dementia specialists take a gentle yet 

proactive approach to care, supporting each 

resident to be as independent as possible. We 

champion innovation through our partnership with 

the Association for Dementia Studies at the 

University of Worcester. 

We’re here to help you and your family at every step 

of the journey. 

If you’re considering care for yourself or a loved 

one, call 01926 679798 or email 

maria.cridge@careuk.com 

Rated 

9.9 

out of 10 on 

carehome.co.uk 

Priors House care home 

Leamington Spa, Warwickshire 

careuk.com/priors-house

Quality care in 

Leamington Spa you 

can trust 

When a family is thinking about care for 

a loved one, they want the best - they want 

to know that the care home they choose will 

put their loved one’s safety, happiness and 

wellbeing first... 

Care UK’s Priors House care home in Blackdown provides 

residential, dementia and nursing care, giving families peace of 

mind that their loved ones can stay living at the home should 

their needs change. 

Living at Priors House is all about quality of life. Every colleague 

in the home is passionate about enabling residents to enjoy 

a fulfilling lifestyle, tailored around their unique needs and 

preferences. The lifestyle team organises a huge variety of group 

and one-to-one activities, with plenty going on each day. 

Often families are so caught up in the day-to-day care of their 

loved ones that the personal relationship they share can take a 

step back. Once their relative has settled into Priors House, they 

are able to focus on spending quality time with them again just 

enjoying each other’s company. 

With the extra support that our care home offers, new residents 

are often surprised at what they can do, whether that’s being able 

to continue with an activity they’ve enjoyed in the past, or even 

discovering new hobbies with our daily activities. 

Whether your loved one enjoys a quiet cup of tea in bed before 

starting the day, loves going for strolls in the landscaped 

grounds, or enjoys a chat over a beer, the team at Priors House 

will spend time to enable them to continue living life the way they 

want to. 

Priors House is part of award-winning provider, Care UK – one 

of the UK’s most successful care home operators* with over 35 

years’ experience of delivering high quality care to older people. 

Priors House care home, Blackdown CV32 6RW 

care.uk.com/priors-house 

Maria.cridge@careuk.com 

01926 679798 

ADVERTISING FEATURE 

*As rated by the Care Quality Commission in England and the Care 

Inspectorate in Scotland. 


Want to make a difference? 

Start your career in care now 

Every day well lived 

Registered charity number 

1012788 

We’re recruiting carers in our 

Warwickshire care homes. 

Benefits include: • a free DBS check • roles start from £9 per hour 

• company sick pay • free workwear • free training • fixed rotas 

• discounts on days out & shopping • free health & wellbeing support 

Apply 

now 

www.wcs-care.co.uk/opportunities 

or call our recruitment hotline 

on 07719 074 810 

for more information.

Leamington and Warwick Living Nov - Dec 2021

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