The Lifestyle Nov - Dec 2021

THE 

LIFESTYLE 

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 

WIN 

A LUXURY 

CHRISTMAS 

HAMPER, LAUNDRY 

GOODIES 

& MORE 

+ 

THE YORKSHIRE 

SHEPHERDESS 

AMANDA OWEN 

CREATING A BEAUTIFUL 

GUEST BEDROOM 

ADVICE ON CHOOSING 

A SIXTH FORM 

CHRISTMAS 

GIFTS, RECIPES AND 

DECORATIONS GALORE 

all wrapped up 

TRAVEL | HOME & GARDEN | FOOD & DRINK | BEAUTY | INTERVIEWS

“Retirement 

for me means 

time to enjoy 

beautiful surroundings” 

ENTERPRISE 

RETIREMENT 

LIVING 

RETIREMENT 

Photography shown is at 

Mount Battenhall, Worcester 

CHESTER - RIPON - WORCESTER - YORK 

ERL’s vibrant retirement villages 

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located within easy reach of a 

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Call 0800 135 7578 

or visit erl.uk.com 

• Luxurious properties 

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• Excellent social amenities, 

clubs and activities 

• Acres of gardens and 

landscaped open space 

• 24-hour on-site staff 

• Gated settings

Creating a 

beautiful guest 

bedroom - p48 

EDITOR’S NOTE 

the holidays are comin’ 

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. 

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! 

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. 

i minervapublications | www.minervamagazines.co.uk 

MINERVA PUBLICATIONS 

Paxcroft Farm, Hilperton BA14 6JB | T 01225 984 550 

Front Cover courtesy of Cox & Cox 

Would you like to find out about the cost of advertising? 

Simply email ben.hollis@minervapublications.co.uk or call 

Ben on 01225 984 503. 

www.minervamagazines.co.uk | 3

CONTENTS 

48 

06 COMPETITIONS 

Fabulous goodies 

to be won, from art 

prints to food 

15 EDUCATION 

Advice on choosing 

a sixth form 

22 CALENDARS 

Alternative advent 

calendars to count 

down to Christmas 

32 AMANDA OWEN 

We catch up with the 

Yorkshire Shepherdess 

35 RECIPES 

Wonderful festive 

dishes - including 

Christmas cakes 

48 GUEST ROOM 

Creating a stunning 

guest bedroom 

54 XMAS DECS 

Decking the halls with 

festive decorations 

and table settings 

41 CARE HOMES 

Housing-with-care 

advice from ARCO 

4 | www.minervamagazines.co.uk

BOTANICALS 

COLLECTION 

N O W O N L I N E 

32 

06 

www.minervamagazines.co.uk 

STERLING SILVER AND GOLD 

VERMEIL JEWELLERY WITH 

SEMI-PRECIOUS STONES - 

FROM £10 | hauslife.co.uk 

| 5

COMPETITION 

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. 

Looking for the perfect gift this Christmas? Delight your friends 

and family with a selection box of delicious treats. One lucky 

reader will win a ‘Decadent Christmas in a Box’ containing the 

following: 

WIN 

A Laundry 

Bundle from 

Brabantia 

worth over 

£500 

6kg Free Range Whole Turkey | 4.5kg Unsmoked Ham | 1kg 

Side of Smoked Salmon | 1kg Organic Cheddar | 1kg Cropwell 

Bishop Stilton | Christmas Pudding | Harrow & Hope Brut 

Reserve (750ml bottle) | Classic Cranberry Sauce | Granny’s 

Apple Chutney | Artisan Coronation Sauce | British Goose 

Fat | Luxury Bread Sauce | Traditional Roast Gravy | Sage & 

Onion Stuffing | Pigs In Blankets | 200g Smoked Chicken 200g 

Smoked Duck 

WIN 

Christmas in 

a box! Worth 

£375 

copasturkeys.co.uk 

Closes 10/12/2021 

Competition keyword ‘TURKEY’ 

For most of us, laundry is a bit of a chore, so to lighten the load, 

we’re giving away a luxury laundry bundle from Brabantia worth 

over £500. 

The prize includes Brabantia’s new Bo Laundry Bin Hi, which 

will blend effortlessly into your decor with its sleek finish and 

has two 45L compartments for easy separating your whites 

from your colours. When spring comes around again, you 

can then hang your washing out on Brabantia’s Rotary Dryer 

Lift-o-Matic Advance which can easily be adjusted to your 

ideal height. For those grey days, Brabantia’s 23m Drying Rack 

Tower is the perfect inside solution. Finally, prep your fresh 

laundry for the wardrobe with a Brabantia Ironing Board. ThisXL 

model is designed for easy ironing of any outfit! 

brabantia.com 

Closes 15/01/2022 - Competition keyword ‘BRABANTIA’ 

WIN 

2 prints 

each worth 

£250 

Eliza Southwood practiced 

as an architect for ten years 

before deciding to take 

up a career as an artist 

and illustrator full-time in 

2010. Eliza’s speciality is 

silk screen printing, but she 

also works in mixed media, 

watercolour and acrylic. As a keen 

cycling fan, she is known particularly for her 

cycling themed artwork, but she also produces 

work on a wide range of subjects such as 

cityscapes, dogs, sports and people. We have 

two prints worth £250 each to give away. 

Adagio, the European leader in aparthotels is giving one lucky 

winner a two-night stay for two at one of their amazing UK 

properties in London, Birmingham, Edinburgh or Liverpool. 

Adagio is the perfect option for that much needed getaway this 

year, providing all the services of a hotel with the freedom of an 

apartment. The apartments comprise of a kitchen, bedroom and 

living area with flat screen smart TV - great for lounging after a 

busy day of activities. 

WIN 

A City 

Break with 

Aparthotel 

Adagio! 

adagio-city.com 

T&Cs available online. Closes 

15/01/2022 - Competition keyword 

‘ADAGIO’ 

elizasouthwood.com 

Closes 15/01/2022 

Competition keyword ‘ELIZA’ 


12 Old Market Way 

Moreton-in-Marsh 

GL56 0AJ 

01608 650001 

We have just moved to bigger and better 

premises!! 

Contemporary jewellery, designed and made 

on the premises. Commissions undertaken. 

Tel: 01584 810085 

18 Market Square | Tenbury Wells | Worcs | WR15 8EA 

www.georginafranklin.co.uk 

Wide selection of Belgian beers & UK craft ales 

(draught and bottled) 

Specialists in Trappist Beers 

Drink in or take away 

Also: 

Wines and a large range of cocktails 

WORCESTER’S ONLINE TOY STORE! 

A family business in Worcester we have been selling children’s traditional and 

innovative toys and games online for many years on Ebay and on our website, offering 

our customers a wide and varied selection of toys and games to suit all pockets. 

www.theshopoftoys.co.uk 


ProCook are giving one lucky reader the chance to win a 

fantastic stainless steel 20cm stockpot with generous 3.8L 

capacity with steamer insert, worth £79. 

• Made from highest quality 18/10 stainless steel with 4mm 

base for even heat distribution 

• Silicone stay-cool handles 

• Suitable for most hob types incl. induction; oven safe to 

260C, and dishwasher safe 

• 10 year guarantee - ProCook design, manufacture 

and supply innovative quality products and cut out the 

middleman to bring you unbeatable prices 

For your chance to win, simply head to our website, find this 

competition and use the keyword ‘PROCOOK’. 

Competition closes 14/12/21 

WIN 

a steamer 

worth £79 

WIN 

an overnight 

stay and 

dinner worth 

£299 

Win a luxury stay at the Charlecote Pheasant in the historic 

Stratford-upon-Avon.Your prize incluces an overnight stay in 

a Suite with breakfast, bottle fizz in your room and a 3 course 

dinner or a 3 course Sunday lunch. 

For your chance to win, simply head to our website, find this 

competition and use the keyword ‘CHARLECOTE’. 

Competition closes 14/12/21 

CONSCIOUSLY 

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ADVERTISING FEATURE 

GOING, GOING GONE! 

Loddon Auctions, the specialist collectables 

auctioneers from Berkshire, have just held 

another successful auction... 


Their interesting portfolio of sale 

items include cigarette & trade cards, 

postcards, toys, sporting memorabilia, 

film & entertainment collectables, beer 

labels and much more. The highlights 

from the October auction included some 

spectacular prices for vintage cards. 

In the sale four single cards issued by 

The Capitol Picture House of Bolton, 

featuring the famous American golfer 

Bobby Jones, made prices ranging from 

£1900 to £2600 each. A set of sports 

cards issued by the A&BC Chewing 

Gum Company in the late 1950’s, were 

also very popular at £680. Cards don’t 

have to be English to attract bidders as 

all of the sales are fully illustrated on the 

internet and bidders are attracted from all 

over the world. A part set of Ice Hockey 

Players issued by the Canadian Company 

Maple Crispette Co soared away at 

£2000. 

A more unusual collecting area is the 

ever-popular beer label section and the 

highlight of the sale was a single label 

issued by the Richmond Brewery Co 

for Oatmeal Stout which sold for £900. 

Prices can vary greatly but as can be 

seen high figures can be achieved for 

scarce single items. 

A collection of James Bond books were 

offered for sale at just the right time as 

it coincided with the latest Bond film 

release & first editions of The Spy Who 

Loved Me & Goldfinger sold for £1000 & 

£1500 respectively. 

The regular postcard section didn’t fail to 

disappoint as many single cards attracted 

competitive bidding. A collection of Art 

Nouveau cards by the artist Raphael 

Kirchner reached prices ranging from 

£50 to £85 each. Suffragette images are 

always popular and a single card showing 

the Suffragette Office in Reading made 

an impressive £420. Advertising cards, 

usually with colourful artist drawn images, 

are a well collected area and in this sale 

cards advertising Cycle Companies, 

Fry’s Chocolate, Meat Extract & others all 

achieved good prices. 

The Company’s next auction will be held 

in December when another interesting 

range of lots will be on offer. 


Loddon Auctions Ltd 

The collectables specialist 

Specialists in the sale of Collectable Cards, 

Postcards, Beer Labels, Sporting Memorabilia 

and Ephemera, also Stamps, Militaria, Music & 

Entertainment, Transport related items and all 

manner of Collectables. 

Why Choose us? 

Experts in Collectables 

Low Commission Charges 

Frequent Sales 

Free Catalogue 

Free Valuations 

Live Internet Bidding Available 

0118 976 1355 

info@loddonauctions.co.uk 

Unit 3 Ducks Nest Farm, Eversley Road, 

Arborfield Cross, Reading, Berkshire. RG2 9PJ 

www.loddonauctions.co.uk

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. 

GIVE A GIFT 

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because Leucillin is alcohol free! It’s 

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At home or away, Leucillin is a 

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concerns, it is soothing and calming 

to; Red, Sore, Itchy skin, Minor Cuts 

and Grazes, Bites, Stings and Burns. 

suitable for all ages and skin types including 

highly sensitive, ears and eyes. Leucillin is 

your germ protection, antiseptic care and 

daily cleanser. 

300x more effective than most sanitisers YET Leucillin 

is passed by the Organic Soil Association, has recyclable packaging, is cruelty free and vegan 

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Available in stores and online 

For promotional 500ml product offer please visit: www.leucillin.co.uk/promotions 

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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.

EDUCATION 

Advice from the Good Schools Guide 

on choosing the right sixth form 


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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 


Exceptional Breadth | Individual Focus 

Application Deadlines for 2022 entry 

Senior School 

First Form (11+) 31 December 2021 

Third Form (13+) 31 December 2021 

cokethorpe.org


Historic Malvern School gets a 

Facelift and Opens its Doors to 

Local Pupils 

Schools and pupils alike have faced a time of incredible change and 

challenge in the past year and a half. Now more than ever, sending 

your children to a school where these challenges have been well-met 

and both a safe environment and an excellent education are on offer 

is paramount... 

Students going into sixth form will 

particularly find huge benefits from 

studying at The Abbey College 

in Malvern due to the doors that 

independent education can open in 

regards to moving on to University or 

the career of their choice. 

Tucked away right here in the Malvern 

Hills is our very own historic Abbey 

College, a residential boarding school 

set on a gorgeous 70-acre campus. The 

picturesque setting provides a peaceful 

place for students to focus on achieving 

their full academic potential, while 

allowing the school to provide a large 

range of sporting and social activities on 

campus and a high level of residential 

and personal care to each student. 

The site of the Abbey College has been 

used for education since 1874. The 

main building was built in 1863 and the 

original Abbey School moved to the site 

in 1908 from two previous locations in 

Worcestershire. Having developed our 

high-quality education and boarding 

with a family atmosphere over more than 

half a century, today’s school welcomes 

students from around the world onto 

British academic courses (IGCSEs and 

A Levels). 

In the past three years, large parts of 

the campus have been upgraded and 

dynamic leadership has ensured that 

even through Covid19, the students 

have not only stayed safe and thriving, 

but also achieved exceptional results. 

Just under 80% of the school’s A-level 

student’s achieved A* and A’s in 2020, 

a testament to the small class sizes 

and individual attention on offer. 

Local students whose families cannot 

afford independent school fees 

can nonetheless have access to an 

independent education at Abbey College 

in Malvern. 

The school is offering the opportunity of 

a lifetime to the region’s pupils, making 

independent education more accessible 

to a wider range of pupils across the 

Three Counties area. 

Daniel Booker, Headteacher at Abbey 

College, said, “We are really delighted to 

be able to offer these opportunities for 

local students who have big dreams and 

are keen on a global and independent 

education. Our ethos is to help mould 

students into great citizens of the future 

and one way to do that is through first 

class education.” 

Abbey College is set to offer one free 

place and four additional reduced fee 

spaces (at £400 per term for years 8 

and 9; and £700 per term for years 10 

to 13) to local students. In addition, 

the school is offering a further five 

scholarships to children of NHS staff. 

To enquire about these places or to apply 

for a scholarship, contact Abbey College 

in Malvern on 01684 892 300 and speak 

to Mr Booker or e-mail enquiries@ 

abbeycollege.co.uk. 


CHRISTMAS 

Our big gift guide, advent calendar alternatives 

and festive foodie favourites 


TEA ADVENT CALENDAR, 

£39, BIRDANDBLENDTEA.COM 

Spread kindness and happiness this 

year - there is not one but two tea 

bags in each box. You can share 

your advent experience with 

a special someone, gift it or 

experiment with it. 

THE AMAZON 

BEAUTY ADVENT 

CALENDAR 2021, 

£70, AMAZON.CO.UK 

A superb beauty advent calendar 

featuring 24 full or deluxe-size 

products from beauty brands 

such as Foreo, Max Factor, 

John Frieda, Elemis, 

Neal’s Yard and L’Occitane 

worth nearly £260. 

Alternative 

ADVENT 

CALENDARS 

PORK CRACKLING& BEER 

ADVENT CALENDAR, 

£65, SNAFFLINGPIG.CO.UK 

Three delicious flavours of pork 

scratching, paired with three 

specially brewed beers - perfect 

if you’re more on the 

savoury side. 

MIXED WINE 

ADVENT CALENDAR 

£89.99, 

VIRGINWINES.CO.UK 

It’s back! The ultimate alcohol filled 

calendar boasting 25 reds, whites, 

rosé and bubbly...with a full-size 

bottle for you to enjoy on Christmas 

Day. Expect customer favourites 

and best-selling wines from around 

the world including exclusive and 

limited-edition bottles. 

ORGANIC DARK CHOCOLATE 

CALENDAR,£9.99 

MONTEZUMAS.CO.UK 

TERRE EXOTIQUE 

SPICE DISCOVERY 

CALENDAR, £25, 

SOUSCHEF.CO.UK 

Up your cooking game with a fabulous 

new spice to try each day - spices, 

herbs, salts and peppers in a mix of 

sweet and savoury finishes. 

Also available in milk, white and absolute black 

100% dark chocolate 

VERY MERRY CALENDAR, £45, 

SHOP.TOUCANBOX.COM 

7 Christmas Crafts (including a juggling bear 

bauble and snowman puppets), 4 Festive 

Recipes, 5 STEAM Team Story Books, 8 Elf 

Challenges and 1 adorable Merry Mischief 

Elf plushie 



The Dolly Wrap 

We hear from Pip Willamson, the 

creator behind the brilliant ‘Dolly 

Wrap’ - the perfect gift for doll-lovers 

this Christmas! 

In early January 2020 my granddaughter 

was playing on my quilted mat with all her 

Barbies® and she didn’t want to go out 

and leave them all behind at “The Party”. 

So I made a special quilt with pockets 

for six dolls so she could wrap up “The 

Party” and take it with her! 

Since then I have spent many happy hours 

designing and testing, and the result is a 

beautiful quilted wrap which fits six dolls 

and rolls up easily. The Wraps have turned 

into a beautiful product which all dolllovers 

will enjoy. They also provide a great 

play mat and promote creativity. 

PRICING 

The Wraps are surprisingly tricky to make. 

I have to machine sew on the slowest 

speed, and every step is critical. I topstitch 

using Mettler Polysheen thread, and the 

bindings have mitred corners. I have 

chosen to make the Wraps in expensive 

pure cotton with minimal quilting, which 

produces a beautiful, soft, luxurious wrap. 

Early versions are available. 

HOW THEY WORK 

Open the Wrap, pop the dolls in the 

pockets, roll it up from left to right, put the 

ribbon through the tab from left to right, 

turn the wrap 180 degrees. Tie the pretty 

ribbon, and It’s a Dolly Wrap! 

AGE RANGE 

Play has no age limit of course! 

But I would say these Wraps are suitable 

for children from two to eight years old. 

BESPOKE ORDERS 

I would love to make a unique Wrap for 

your special child using your fabrics. Pop 

into your local fabric shop and choose the 

materials you would like me to use and 

send them to me. Contact me and I will 

let you know how much fabric I will need. 

CARE 

I recommend hand washing and line 

drying, followed by steam ironing. The 

ribbon should be kept away from small 

children. 

PRIVACY 

Your information will not be passed on to 

third parties. 

STOCK 

There are also several less expensive 

prototypes available. Please email me for 

details. Designs are only available while 

stocks last. Colours may differ slightly 

from those shown. 

SHIPPING TIME 

The Farmyard Animals Wraps are made to 

order and will take up to two weeks. Earlier 

versions should be with you in five days. 

All Wraps are posted Royal Mail Second 

Class. The Wraps are only available in the 

UK at present. 

THE WRAPS 

Shown are the Henny Wrap and the 

Unicorn Pink Wrap 

All wraps are Made by Pip using a 

Husqvarna Viking Epic sewing machine 

and Mettler Polysheen thread. 

Order 

yours today! 

@dollywrap 

www.thedollywrap.co.uk 

thedollywrap@btinternet.com 


An exclusive collection of beautiful, bespoke 

hats, headpieces and fascinators available to 

hire, purchase and commission. 

View the range available at the studio - By Appointment Only 

Award winning Hiorns Hats are made and designed by Lucy at her studio in Dorsington, Warwickshire 

Tel: 07743 195 199 lucy@hiornshats.co.uk www.hiornshats.co.uk 

Add some extra sparkle this Christmas... 

Deco Interiors, High Street, Moreton in Marsh, GL56 0AH. 

Antique & Vintage Jewellery. Objets de Luxe. 

Luxury 

Chic 

Fashion 


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 

£46.98, 

amazon.co.uk 

Available 

in a host 

of fab 

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 


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 


EAT, DRINK 

...AND BE MERRY 

this 

Caramelised 

Nuts in a Gift 

Box – what 

is Christmas 

without a 

delicious 

Festive nut 

selection! £35, 

farhi.co.uk 

CHRISTMAS 

Single Barrel 

Peerless Rye 

Whisky, £79.95 

thewhiskyexchange.com 

Pommery 

Brut Royal 

Champagne, 

£40, Waitrose, 

Ocado & 

Majestic 

Festival Spiced Orange Gin, 

£39.99, virginwines.co.uk 

Johnnie Walker Blue Label 

Blended Scotch Whisky, Currently 

priced at £54.84, amazon.co.uk 

Pigs in Blankets Pork 

Crackling Jar, from £8.50, 

snafflingpig.co.uk 

Moore House Cocktail Co. 

– ready made cocktails – 

from £11, 

moorehousecocktails.co.uk 

June Peach 

& Wild 

Summer 

Fruits Gin 

Liqueur, £36 

fenwick.co.uk 

La Quintinye 

Vermouth 

Royal, 

£26.65 

masterofmalt.com 


SharE le 

Joyeux 

de Noël 

Available 23rd November – 24th December 

Enjoy an elegant 3 course menu, packed full 

of French-inspired festive flavour. 

£29.95 

Tis’ the Season! Scan to book now. 

or visit: cote.co.uk/christmas

F O O D 

& DRINK 

The Yorkshire Shepherdess, Amanda Owen, plus 

fabulous festive recipes 


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. 


SWEET 

treats 

CHRISTMAS 

COOKIES 

Prep time: 15 mins 

Cooking time: 10 mins 

Serves: 20 

INGREDIENTS 

300g brown sugar 

175g butter 

1 egg 

300g plain flour 

1 tsp baking powder 

1 tbsp M&S Christmas Spice 

100g dried mixed fruit 

icing sugar 

METHOD 

Heat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas 6 

(180°C for fan ovens). 

Line 2 baking trays with greaseproof 

paper. 

Beat together the sugar and butter, then 

stir in the egg. Add the flour, baking 

powder and spice mix, then stir in the 

mixed fruit. 

Roll out the dough on a floured surface 

and cut out about 20 cookies using starshaped 

cutters. 

Place on the lined baking trays and bake 

in the oven for 8-10 minutes, until golden. 

Leave to cool completely on a wire rack, 

then dust with icing sugar. 

SPICED HOT 

CHOCOLATE WITH 

WHISKY 


Serves: 4 

INGREDIENTS 

150g plain chocolate 

4 tbsp whisky 

grated chocolate or cocoa to decorate 

1 litre semi-skimmed milk 

200ml double cream 

4 cardamom pods 

1 cinnamon stick 

PREPARATION 

Break the plain chocolate into pieces. 

Bruise the cardamom pods. 

METHOD 

Heat the milk, half the cream and the 

spices in a saucepan until almost boiling. 

Set aside to infuse for 20 minutes, then 

strain the liquid into a clean pan. 

Add the chocolate pieces to the pan and 

whisk over a medium heat, until melted. 

Remove from the heat and stir in the 

whisky. 

Pour into 4 heatproof glasses. 

Softly whip the remaining cream and 

spoon over. 

Sprinkle with grated chocolate and serve 

immediately. 

BOOZY MINCE 

PIE CREAM HOT 

CHOCOLATE 


Serves: 6 

INGREDIENTS 

900ml whole milk 

300ml double cream 

150g dark chocolate 

3shots mince-pie cream liqueur 

marshmallows (to garnish) 

whipped cream 

chocolate 

PREPARATION 

Roughly broken the dark chocolate. 

METHOD 

Heat the milk and cream in a pan over a 

medium heat with the chocolate. Whisk 

well until the chocolate has melted and 

the mixture is smooth. 

Pour into four mugs and add a shot 

of mince-pie cream liqueur into each. 

Finish with marshmallows, cinnamonstick 

stirrers, whipped cream and grated 

chocolate. 


Enjoy all the flavour of a rich, 

traditional Christmas cake in half 

the time with our clever time-saving 

shortcuts, like raisins already 

soaked in rum and aromatic festive 

spices, measured and blended for 

you. We suggest you make this cake 

around four weeks before Christmas 

however the longer you leave it, the 

more delicious it will be! Just stir it 

all up and let the magic begin! 

PART 1 



Serves: 20 

Cake 

the sides of the tin, and two and a half 

times the depth. 

Fold this strip in half lengthways, then 

make snips at 2.5cm intervals along the 

fold. 

Grease the base of the tin and put in one 

circle of parchment. 

Grease the sides of the tin and insert the 

folded strip of paper, pressing down the 

snipped edges on the base. 

Finally, place the second disc on top, to 

secure the snipped edges in place. 

Spoon it into the prepared tin, using the 

back of the spoon to level the top. 

Bake on the bottom shelf of the oven for 

4-4½ hours, until the top is dark golden 

and from, and a skewer inserted into the 

cake comes out clean. 

Leave to cool on a cooling rack, then 

remove from the tin. 

Use a skewer to pierce the top of the 

cake at regular intervals, but try not to 

go all the way through the cake. This will 

help the brandy to soak into the cake. 

INGREDIENTS 

750g mixed sultanas and currants 

200g dried apricots 

100g glacé cherries 

100g dried cranberries 

2 oranges 

150ml brandy/ sweet sherry/ Marsala 

325g unsalted butter 

225g light muscovado sugar 

100g golden caster sugar 

5medium eggs 

300g plain flour 

75g ground almonds 

0.5 tsp bicarbonate of soda 

1 tsp mixed spices 

1 tsp ground ginger 

100g whole almonds 

1 tbsp golden syrup 

PREPERATION 

Chop the dried apricots. Rinse and chop 

the glacé cherries. Zest both and juice 1 

of the oranges. For feeding use extra of 

the brandy/ sweet sherry/ Marsala. Soften 

the unsalted butter. Finely chop the whole 

almonds. 

METHOD 

In a medium-sized, non-metallic bowl, 

mix together the dried fruit, orange zest 

and juice, and brandy. 

Cover the bowl with clingfilm, then leave 

in a cool, dark place to soak overnight. 

Take a deep, 23cm cake tin, and double 

line to protect your cake throughout its 

long cooking time. 

Cut 2 circles of baking parchment to ft 

the base of the tin. 

Measure the circumference of the tin with 

a piece of string, then use it as a guide to 

cut a strip of paper long enough to line 

Heat the oven to 140°C/120°C fan/ gas 1. 

Beat together the butter and sugars with 

an electric whisk until light and fluffy. 

Beat in the eggs, one at a time. 

Combine the four, ground almonds, 

bicarbonate of soda, mixed spice and 

ground ginger, then fold into the butter 

mixture. 

Add the chopped almonds and syrup to 

the soaked fruit, then fold this into the 

mixture. 

Carefully spoon over 2 tbsp of brandy, so 

that it soaks into the holes. 

Wrap the cake in 2 layers of fresh baking 

parchment, then in foil. 

Feed it with alcohol every two weeks 

(up to three times before Christmas), but 

don’t overdo it or your cake will go soggy. 

It’s also best not to feed it for a week 

before you ice it. 

It will keep for up to 3 months if stored in 

an airtight tin in a cool, dark place. 


It will keep for up to 3 

months if stored in an 

airtight tin in a cool, 

dark place. 

PART 2: DECORATION 

INGREDIENTS 

750g ready-to-roll marzipan 

2 tbsp apricot jam 

icing sugar 

1kg ready-to-roll fondant icing 

METHOD 

You can ice your cake up to 1 week 

before Christmas – it takes 24-48 hours. 

Start by placing it on a cake board or 

stand. 

If it has a bumpy top, carefully slice 

across it to even it out, then turn it over 

so that you have a smooth surface to ice. 

Put the apricot jam into a small saucepan 

with 2 tsp water and warm it until it 

loosens. 

Strain it through a sieve into a small bowl, 

then brush a thin layer over the top and 

sides of the cake. 

Measure over the top and sides of the 

cake with string. 

Lightly dust a clean work surface and 

rolling pin with icing sugar. 

Knead the marzipan for 2 minutes until 

pliable. 

Using the string as a guide, roll out the 

marzipan into a circle to cover the cake, 

plus a little extra. 

Turn the marzipan every few rolls so that 

it doesn’t stick to the surface, and use a 

little more icing sugar if you need to. 

Fold the marzipan onto the rolling pin and 

lift it onto the cake. 

Working from the top, carefully smooth 

it over the sides of the cake with your 

hands, trying not to make creases. 

With a small, sharp knife, cut away the 

excess marzipan. 

Leave the cake uncovered for 24-48 

hours, to let the marzipan dry out a little. 

When you are ready to ice, brush a small 

amount of water over the marzipan. 

Knead the fondant icing until pliable. 

Lightly dust the work surface and rolling 

pin with icing sugar – not too much or the 

fondant icing may dry out and crack. 

Using string as a guide as before, roll out 

the icing into a large circle to cover the 

cake, plus a little extra. 

Keep turning it as you roll to stop it 

sticking, and dust with a little more icing 

sugar if needed. 

Use the rolling pin to lift the icing onto the 

marzipan, then smooth it in place. 

Trim off any excess. 

Find more fabulous festive recipes at: 

www.cookwithmands.com 


FESTIVE 

CRISP AND GOLDEN 

ROAST POTATOES 



Serves: 6 

INGREDIENTS 

sea salt and black pepper 

1.5kg Maris Piper potatoes 

100ml olive oil 

8 garlic cloves 

2 sprigs thyme or rosemary 

PREPERATION 

Separate the leaves and stalks of the 

thyme or rosemary and discard of the 

stalks. 

METHOD 

Pre-heat oven to 200C. 

Peel the potatoes and cut each into large, 

even-sized pieces (halves or quarters, 

depending on size of potatoes). 

Place the potatoes into a large saucepan, 

cover with water and add a pinch of salt. 

Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the 

heat slightly and leave to simmer for 2-3 

minutes, or until a sharp knife pierces the 

potatoes with some resistance. 

As the potatoes are cooking, pour oil into 

the roasting pan to heat up in the oven. 

Drain the potatoes in a colander, shaking 

the colander a bit as you go (this will 

rough up the edges, to give a nice crisp 

finish). 

Carefully add the potatoes to the 

roasting tray, along with the garlic cloves 

(spreading them around so they are 

evenly covered). 

Roast for 20 mins. 

Remove the tray from the oven long 

enough to move and turn the potatoes 

around (so they evenly cook). 

Return tray to the oven and roast for a 

further 20 mins, or until the potatoes are 

crispy and golden. (You may want to turn 

them one more time.) 

Scatter the fresh herbs, salt and pepper 

to season, and serve immediately. 


SPICED APPLE- 

BRAISED RED 

CABBAGE 


Serves: 6 

PREPERATION 

Peel, core and chop the bramley apples. 

Chop the red onions. Core and shred the 

red cabbages. 

INGREDIENTS 

pinches of salt and pepper 

50g butter 

150ml dry cider or water 

4 tbsp cider vinegar 

100g caster sugar 

0.25 tsp ground nutmeg 

2 tsp ground allspice 

2 bramley apples 

2 red onions 

1kg red cabbages 

METHOD 

Melt the butter in a large non-stick pan 

over medium heat. 

Add the onions and cook for 

3 or 4 minutes, until they start to 

soften. 

Turn the heat down to low. 

Add the spices to the onion, and stir. 

Then add the sugar, cabbage, apple, 

cider vinegar and cider orwater. 

Mix well. 

Cover with a lid and leave to cook slowly 

on a low heat for about 1 hour or until 

the cabbage is tender and the liquid 

absorbed. 

Make sure the bottom of the pan does 

not burn and stick during cooking; stir 

contents and top up with a little water as 

you go, if necessary. 

When the cabbage is ready, season to 

taste with salt and pepper. 


BERKSHIRE 

ENGLAND 

Very Very Special Turkeys 

“CHRISTMAS ISN’T CHRISTMAS 

WITHOUT A COPAS TURKEY” 

Alison Mackey, Ecstatic Customer 

• 01628 499980 • 

BERKSHIRE 

ENGLAND 

COPASTURKEYS.CO.UK 

Very Very Special Turkeys 

Online • Farm • Butchers 

FREE FINE 

CHINA MUG 

with every order over £50 

Simply add a China Mug 

to your basket & use the 

discount code 

HENLEY21

BREAD SAUCE 


Serves: 6 

INGREDIENTS 

125g fresh white breadcrumbs 

570ml whole milk 

40g butter 

1 onion 

2 bay leaves 

2 sprigs thyme 

1 tsp whole peppercorns 


PREPERATION 

Peel and quarter the onions. 

METHOD 

Place the milk, onion, peppercorns and 

herbs into a saucepan, and bring to a 

boil. 

Reduce the heat to very low, and leave to 

simmer gently for 15 minutes. 

Remove from heat and strain, then return 

the strained liquid to the saucepan. 

Discard the onion, etc. 

Add the breadcrumbs and simmer 

for a further 5 minutes or so, stirring 

occasionally, until the breadcrumbs have 

absorbed the liquid and your sauce has 

the desired consistency. 

Stir in the butter, and season with salt 

and pepper to taste. 

Serve warm, sprinkled with nutmeg. 

PORK, SAGE, 

CHESTNUT AND APPLE 

STUFFING 



Serves: 6 

PREPERATION 

Chop the chestnuts. Peel and chop the 

onions. Peel, core and dice the cooking 

apples. Discard the stalks and chop the 

fresh sage. 

INGREDIENTS 

800g pork sausage meat 

200g chestnuts 

1 large onion 

1 cooking apple 

10g fresh sage 

25g butter 

100g breadcrumbs 


METHOD 

Heat the butter in a large frying pan. 

Add the onion and fry for 3-4 minutes 

until softened. 

Set aside to cool down. 

Once cool, mix the onion with the rest of 

the ingredients. 

Refrigerate until ready for use. 



Rural Retreats presents The 

Old Mission Church 

Set within the beautiful Cotswold village of Paxford, and 

just across the road from the award-winning Churchill 

Arms Gastro pub, The Old Mission Church is an extensively 

renovated and lovingly restored holiday retreat... 

Located within a conservation area and 

dating back to 1866, the many original 

features of this historical building are 

perfectly complemented by the stunning, 

architect-designed open plan interior. 

You are sure to be wowed by the original 

doors, stained glass windows, vaulted 

ceilings and exposed beams, to name 

but a few. 

Upon entering the property, you will be 

greeted by the designer kitchen and its 

large central island, flowing into the living 

and dining areas. The first bedroom can 

be found on the ground floor, where you 

will be sure to enjoy a good night’s sleep 

in the king-sized bed and fluffy pillows. A 

modern freestanding bath adds a touch 

of decadence to this beautiful room. 

Climb up the bespoke glass and steel 

staircase to the floating mezzanine 

bedroom, where a glazed screen provides 

a striking view into the church interior. 

Boasting a king-sized bed and en suite 

shower room, stylish contemporary 

furnishings adorn the bedroom. 

Outside, you and your four-legged friend 

can sit back and drink in the breathtaking 

views over the rolling hills of this Area 

of Outstanding Natural Beauty, from the 

privacy of the south facing, beautifully 

landscaped seating area. 

Prices from £1,180 for 3 nights 

ruralretreats.co.uk 

01386 897 959 


Letting your holiday home 

has never been easier 

At Rural Retreats our team is dedicated to managing your holiday home 

with the same care and attention you would, ensuring it fulfils its potential. 

With a range of tailored services to suit your needs, you can be involved as much 

as you like, knowing that you and your guests will be well looked after. 

We’re always looking to expand our portfolio, so why not get in touch today? 

newowners@ruralretreats.co.uk 

01386 898 658 

ruralretreats.co.uk

• Official Contura Dealer 


HOME & 

GARDEN 

Creating a beautiful guest bedroom and 

decorating for Christmas 


Express your 

EXTRAORDINARY 

WITH THE NEW 2022 COLLECTION 

BoConcept Guildford | 89 Woodbridge Road, Guildford GU1 4QD | 01483 565027

Discover Discover brand brand new statement new statement furniture furniture and accessories and accessories in-store, in-store, along along with with new seasonal new seasonal 

fabrics fabrics and colours. and colours. Customise Customise our collection our collection with with the help the help of our of Interior our Interior Designers Designers and and 

find find the perfect the perfect match match for your for your style. style. Change Change the size, the size, colours, colours, finishes, finishes, configurations 

and more. and more. Call Call us today us today book to book your your free free interior interior design design consultation in-store in-store or the in the 

comfort comfort of your of your own own home. home. For further For further inspiration inspiration explore explore our new our 2022 new 2022 lookbook lookbook online. online. 

IN-STORE IN-STORE NOW NOW AND AND AT AT BOCONCEPT.COM

www.anboise.com 

www.norsu.com.au 

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 

Mist, £25, olverum.com 

DON’T: BE A 

PERFECTIONIST 

If your guests were hoping for hotel 

standards, then that’s where they should 

have stayed. Just aim to make sure 

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 

of that. 

If you’re looking for a total decorative 

overhaul, check out our moodboards! 

www.frenchbedroomcompany.co.uk 



REUNION LIFESTYLE 

Inspirational Home Lifestyle Products... 

Reunion Lifestyle are official stockists’ of the Lay-Z-Spa inflatable hot tub range, the UK’s 

best selling inflatable hot tubs. Enjoy Autumn and Winter just as much as Spring and 

Summer with Lay-Z-Spa’s innovative Freeze Shield technology making your at home 

experience an all year round one. 

We have various models IN STOCK ready for immediate FREE mainland U.K. delivery 

direct to your door. At www.reunionlifestyle.co.uk check out the Lay-Z-Spa CANCUN 

AIRJET, VEGAS AIRJET, ST MORITZ AIRJET, MILAN AIRJET PLUS, PALM SPRINGS 

AIRJET, HAWAII AIRJET, HELSINKI AIRJET and MALDIVES HYDROJET PRO models! All 

models include up to 2 years extended FREE warranty. 

Enders, a quality German outdoor cooking and heating brand is a welcome addition to 

our product range. The Enders Nova LED range of patio heaters feature a dancing central 

flame accompanied by a round red LED light, while the ground around the base of the 

elegant column shimmers with an indirect light. Suitable weather protection covers are 

available in varying sizes to provide lasting protection against the weathering conditions. 

Checkout the new Enders range at www.reunionlifestyle.co.uk along with our vast range 

of outdoor lifestyle products including Lifestyle Appliances BBQs, Patio Heaters, Fire Pits, 

Coolers, Picnic Hampers and bespoke Home Bars. 

www.reunionlifestyle.co.uk 

sales@reunionlifestyle.co.uk 

Tel. 01905 754209 

FLII

Pembridge Pendant 

Size 3, £1319, 

www.originalbtc.com 

B O H O 

COASTAL 

Dulux Paint in ‘Paper Chain’ 

Natural Ceramic Table Lamp, 

£99,barkerandstonehouse.co.uk 

Kilby Bedside 

Table, £229, 

made.com 

Design by Studio McGee 

Fingal 3 Seat 

Sofa, £1210, 

sofa.com 

Navy Seigaiha Wave Cushions £32 and Kayla Woven Cushion £31, hauslife. 

co.uk, Weeping Palm Tree Velvet Cushion Cover, £32.95, audenza.com 

Malibu Print, from £6.99, www.juniqe.co.uk 

Tulana Double Bed, 

£599, made.com 

Elowen Throw, 

£75, hauslife.co.uk 


Bromley Chest, £399, 

Made.com 

Black Branches Print, from £6.99, 

www.juniqe.co.uk 

Jute Effect Daylight Roller 

Blind, from £22, John Lewis 

Bedroom by Pure Salt Interiors 

BRIGHT 

& CRISP 

Off-White Linen Bed Set. 

£170.99, www.truelinen.co.uk 

Limestone Wood Paint, £18 

750ml, thorndown.co.uk 

Dar Lighting 

NUS422, from £82, 

wtlighting.co.uk 

Furn Contra Olive Cushion, 

£25, www.persora.com 

London Bench, from £499, 

www.boconcept.com 

Mala Pile Rug, 

200x290cm, £299, 

Made.com 

Reims, Iron/Metal Four Poster Bed Frame, from 

£649, www.obc-uk.net 

Black Bud Vase, £29, 

room356.co.uk 

Achieve this look by 

layering different 

neutral textures, and 

adding structural 

touches of black and a 

few strong accent colours 

Juna Striped 

Cushion, £34, 

hauslife.co.uk 


Century 1 Light 

Chandelier in Rich 

Auerelia Gold with Clear 

Heritage Crystal, £906.12, 

weybridgelights.co.uk 

Design by Turner Pocock 

Clemence Mirror, £174, 

sweetpeaandwillow.com 

So’Home Lamp, 

£139, laredoute.co.uk 

Rustic Apricot Blossom 

Wallpaper, £44 for 10m 

roll, litfad.com 

MODERN 

REGENCY 

Porthallow Footstool, from 

£746, sofasandstuff.com 

Botticelli Demi Lune 

Console Table, £495, 

perchandparrow.com 

Country Living Linen 

Pom Pom Cushion, £20, 

homebase.co.uk 

Estella Headboard from £545, 

headboardsbydesignonline.co.uk 

400cm Core-Edo 

Coordonne mural, £470, 

thebestwallpaperplace.com 


Gifts for gardeners and the garden too! 

Matt Biggs, the gardening expert, gives us some excellent ideas on Christmas presents for your 

green-fingered friends... 

It is that time of the year again, only this year hopefully we can be 

with our loved ones and celebrate Christmas as we want to. 

Whilst the past 18 months have been difficult and challenging for 

so many of us, one good result is the interest in gardening that 

spending so much time at home has created. 

Bee-keeping is a great hobby - 

and there is no better way to help 

nature than to help our bees - 

check out local bee keeping clubs 

and societies - and do buy local 

honey too! 

New gardeners, born again gardeners, there are many ideas to 

bring a Christmas morning smile - so here are a few, and not only 

good for gardeners but good for the garden too. 

Horticulture courses - from the RHS courses to local college 

courses and even garden club activities, there are many ways to 

learn from those in the know - and gardeners are great sharers. 

The gift of a course, a membership or a good book is a great way 

to encourage budding gardeners and assist those who want to 

fulfil a gardening wish. 

Older people who can no longer garden may be able to do a little 

more in their gardens if the beds are raised so that they can sit and 

garden or do so from a wheelchair . If housebound, planting a small 

but beautiful tree or shrub so that it can be seen from the house is a 

great idea, and a bird feeding station will offer hours of entertainment 

and be great for the birds too! 

From locally made hand creams and soaps to really good tools, 

books, vouchers for the local garden centre and bird tables there 

is plenty to keep a gardener happy - and give nature a bit of a 

hand too! 

This is Living. 

Create magical evenings around 

a warm and glowing firepit... 

Ideal for creating tasty comfort 

dishes, toasting fireside nibbles, 

or even enjoying the perfect 

mulled treat. 

Available online or in store. 

kadai.com 01694 751747 

HEATHER BRAE, CHURCH STRETTON, SY6 6LU 


Wooden Ice Lolly Plate, £18.99, 

bluebrontide.com 

DECK THE 

HALLS 

Decorations, from left to right: 

Glass Glitter Bauble, £7, hauslife.co.uk; Ice Cream Four Decroation Set, 

£15.50, coxandcox.co.uk; Felt Dalmation, £9, sophieallport.co.uk; Glass 

Toucan, £6 and Glass Bunny Tail Grass Filled Bauble £7, hauslife.co.uk 

Lights and LED Candles 

from lights4fun.co.uk 

Wooden Stag Head 

Bunting, £5.99, 

gingerray.co.uk 

Extra Large Zinc Lined Rattan Planter, £85 

Open Log Carrier Basket, £38 

Mixed Eucalyptus Berry Wreath, £85 

All marquisanddawe.co.uk 

Sausage Dog Placecard, £3.99 for six, gingerray.co.uk; 

Christmas Dogs Nibbles Bowl, £13, sophieallport.com 


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 


Let’s Get Together 

The highest quality care starts 

with a connection 

Every member of our team gets to know your loved one 

as an individual when they move in, so we can support 

them to live a life they love. 

We call it relationship-centred care. 

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

loved one, let’s get together and talk. 

hallmarkcarehomes.co.uk 

Residential Care I Nursing Care I Dementia Care I Respite Care

TREAT 

YOURSELF 

TO SOME 

COMFORT FOR 

CHRISTMAS 

Massive reductions 

on British-made 

bespoke furniture 

• 1/2 price quality chairs & 

beds made to measure 

• Designed to suit individual 

needs, complementing 

the body’s natural position 

• Specifically designed 

to give extra support, 

improve posture, & help 

with pain relief 

• Hundreds of top quality 

fabrics & leathers to 

choose from 

• Heat massage, matching 

sofas, & many extras 

• FREE Luxury mattresses & 

padded headboards in all 

sizes 

• Improve your quality of life 

CALL TODAY FOR YOUR 

HOME ASSESSMENT 

& FIND YOUR 

ULTIMATE COMFORT 

Mrs Wilson of Evesham says: “I 

am delighted with my purchase, 

The chair is so comfortable 

and I am glad I chose to have 

the massager as this has really 

helped to ease my arthritis, I can 

now look forward to a better 

standard of life” 

FREEPHONE 

0800 533 5099 

newlifemobility.co.uk 

LINES OPEN 7 

DAYS A WEEK

This is where 

we’ll put down roots 

Bridle Meadows, 

Luddington 

Set within the peaceful village of 

Luddington, Bridle Meadows is a stunning 

collection of spacious two, three and 

five-bedroom executive homes. 

Surrounded by countryside overlooking the River Avon, 

each home is sympathetically designed to take advantage 

of its beautiful, natural setting and idyllic views. 

Attractive brick exteriors, premium internal fi nishes and 

exacting build standards, weave together to create 

beautifully fi nished executive homes. 

Our showhome is now available to view by private 

appointment. Book your appointment today. 

bridlemeadows@cameronhomes.co.uk 

camerongalliers.co.uk

The Lifestyle Nov - Dec 2021

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