Mendip Living Dec 2021 - Jan 2022

RESTAURANT & BAR WITH ROOMS 

Bed & 

Breakfast 

£80 

from 

per night 

Famous 

Cocktails 

from 

C 

M 

Y 

M 

Y 

Y 

MY 

K 

WINTER LIKE NO OTHER 

Snuggly rooms, hearty dining 

and fabulous cocktails. 

Winter is here. Spend it in the most glorious 

of surroundings enjoying hearty dining made 

with amazing local ingredients and fabulous 

cocktails. Then hideaway in the snuggliest 

of rooms. (at least ‘til winter’s blown over) 

BOOK A TABLE or ROOM 

01373 456 111 

hello@archangelfrome.com 

archangelfrome 1 KING STREET FROME SOMERSET BA11 1BH www.archangelfrome.com

Contents 

A Note 

from the EDITOR 

36 

The 

A Culinary Journey through 

Northern 

Home Ireland 

Hit List of jobs 

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 - her new book has some of 

the most stunning photography and 

amazing anecdotes from her life. 

We’ve also got a festive gift guide 

to get the ideas flowing and some 

delicious new ideas for special festive 

food from the experts of flavour - 

Maldon Sea Salt. 

16 

The Yorkshire Shepherdess 

Amanda Owen 

Editor Katie Thomson 

e katie.thomson@minervapublications.co.uk 

Publisher Sally Thomson 

Pre-press Manager Kate Norris 

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

Front cover courtesy of Hydeaway Frome 

Key Account Manager Ade Hill 

e adrian.hill@minervapublications.co.uk 

t 01225 984 496 

twitter: @MendipLiving 

38 

Interior Designer 

Julia Kendell 

MINERVA PUBLICATIONS HQ 

Paxcroft Farm, Hilperton, Trowbridge 

BA14 6JB t 01225 984 550 

w www.minervamagazines.co.uk 

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 February - 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 

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. 

WIN 

A Laundry 

Bundle from 

Brabantia 

worth over 

£500 

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’ 

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: 

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 

4 | www.minervamagazines.co.uk 

copasturkeys.co.uk 

Closes 10/12/2021. Competition keyword 

‘TURKEY’ 

HURRY! 

CLOSING SOON! 

WIN 

2x GOLD 

PLUS tickets 

to see Paloma 

Faith worth 

£180 

Looking for the perfect excuse to get 

away? The outstanding Paloma Faith is 

touring the UK in the Summer of 2022 

for her “Summer of Optimism” Tour 2022 

and we are giving you the chance to win 

2 x GOLD PLUS tickets (worth £180) to 

see her live at any of the following venues: Parc 

Y Scarlets, Llanelli – Saturday 18th June, Central Park, 

Plymouth – Saturday 9th July, Darlington Arena – Saturday 

16th July, Bitts Park, Carlilse – Saturday 24th July, Slessor 

Gardens, Dundee – Sunday 24th July, Leicestershire County 

Cricket Club – Sunday 31st July. The winning gold plus 

tickets will grant the lucky winners early entry (no queuing!), 

premium bar and toilet facilities, and are situated in the Golden 

Enclosure, which is the closest area to the stage. If you win, 

you can choose from any of the locations above and make a 

weekend of it! 

lizhobbsgroup.com 

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

WIN 

an overnight 

stay and 

dinner worth 

£299 

Win a luxury stay at the Charlecote Pheasant in the historic 

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

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

dinner or a 3 course Sunday lunch. 

charlecotepheasanthotel.co.uk 

Closes 15/01/2022 - Competiton keyword ‘CHARLECOTE’. 

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. Their 

apartments comprise of a kitchen, bedroom and living area 

with flat screen smart TV - great for lounging after a busy day of 

activities. T&Cs available online. 

WIN 

A City 

Break with 

Aparthotel 

Adagio! 

adagio-city.com 

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

COCKTAIL COVER STAR! 

We find out more about Frome’s new 

secret bar... 

ADVERTISING FEATURE 

Just who are Hydeaway? 

The HydeAway is a 5 strong family run business, a small 

collective of passionate people. Adam Way is behind the 

creation of the HydeAway. He is responsible for every fine 

detail; including the build, the exquisite decor and the guest 

experience, with partner Charlie driving the back of house and 

social aspects making this a truly family experience. Then we 

have Giles our bar manager, aka mad scientist, who’s creative 

mind and knowledge for flavour knows no bounds! 

How long have you been open? 

We opened mid August this year and have been overwhelmed 

with the local response. 

Tell us more about your fabulous cocktails? 

Our cocktails are bespoke, hand crafted and made lovingly 

to order. The focus is on balance, using fresh produce and 

seasonal ingredients, and we make a lot of flavours and blends 

in house. 

What is the cocktail you’re making on our cover Adam? 

The cocktail on the cover was my signature Martinez, a long 

standing favourite of Adam’s. This boozy little number comes 

right out of the golden age of cocktails, sweet but punchy, 

delectable and very delicious!! 

Can I dress up for an evening of cocktails with you? 

We encourage sharp and dapper dress, but most of all we just 

hope for people to feel comfortable whatever they choose to 

wear when they join us. 

How do I find you? 

We are a hidden bar, so to find us we suggest ‘searching Frome 

for the eagle’. 

Do I need to book? 

Booking is highly recommended as we cannot guarantee entry 

without, we get booked up in advance especially at weekends. 

You can book via table agent. 

When are you open? 

We are open from 5pm Thursday - Saturday, and Mondays from 

5pm also. We also offer a discount for hospitality workers on a 

Monday and we will be extending our hours through December. 

What cocktail would you recommend I try for a first visit Adam? 

I would recommend the corpse reviver #2 as an ideal first cocktail 

to try. The blend of citrus and sweetness is a great way to 

experience how we balance our drinks! 

07906731573 

INFO@THECOCKTAILWAY.COM 

FROME, SOMERSET 

HYDEAWAY 

HYDEAWAYFROME 


CHRISTMAS A T 

COMING THIS WINTER: 

01373 455420 

www.cheeseandgrain.com 

CARA DILLION | ALEXIS TAYLOR 

EAST 17 & S-CLUB PARTY | WALTER TROUT 

THE LONDON AFRICAN GOSPEL CHOIR 

MARK ‘BILLY’ BILLINGHAM | MUNGO’S HIFI 

DAVE PEARCE DANCE ANTHEMS | ABSOLUTE BOWIE 

SOS ABBA TRIBUTE NEW YEARS EVE PARTY 

THE UNRAVELLING WILBURYS 

Cheese & Grain is a not for profit social enterprise and registered charity 

MADDY PRIOR & THE CARNIVAL BAND | PLUS MUCH MORE... 

Annie Sloan Annie Chalk Sloan Chalk Paint Paint Stockist and beautiful home home accessories accessories 

FARM SHOP | BUTCHERY | DELI 

ORDER NOW FOR CHRISTMAS 

Via www.farringtons.co.uk 

ORDER BY SUNDAY 19TH DECEMBER 

Farrington's Farm Shop, Farrington Gurney, BS39 6UB 

Annie Sloan Stocklist 

Chalk | Wall Paint | Fabrics 

1 Bath Street, Frome, Somerset, BA11 1DG 

01373 764 472 Annie | hello@matthewpaulinteriors.co.uk 

Sloan Stockist 

Chalk Paint | Wall Paint | Fabrics 

fi Matthew Paul Interiors 

1 Bath Street, Frome, Somerset, BA11 1DG 

01373 764 472 | hello@matthewpaulinteriors.co.uk 

fi Matthew Paul Interiors 

6 | www.minervamagazines.co.uk

MEET THE 

Fromies 

We talk to businesses 

in and around Frome 

who are passionate 

about what they do... 

MATTHEW PAUL INTERIORS 

Catley Chilled Foods Frome 

- Troy Catley 

Who are Catley chilled Foods? 

We are a family run business which started 

in 1978 by our father. We are a wholesaler of 

chilled and ambient frozen foods which we 

sell across the southwest at local markets 

and town centres. 

You stock a wide range of chocolate 

and confectionery perfect for Christmas, 

right? 

Don’t forget Catley’s this Christmas for all 

those festive choccy treats at wholesale 

prices, as well as a wide range of ham and 

cheeses. 

Where are you? 

We have our food warehouse at Commerce 

Park in Frome, BA11 2FD. 

Can anyone visit you? 

Yes. We are open to everyone twice a 

week on a Thursday 7am – 5.30pm and on 

Sundays 7am – 2pm. 

Where can I find out more about the 

weekly stock? 

We have hundreds of weekly bargains. 

No two weeks are the same. We post 

promotional videos on our facebook twice 

weekly on Wednesday and Friday evenings. 

What do you love about Frome? 

We wouldn’t be here with our loyal and 

faithful customers new and old. 

Thank you Frome! 

Tell us about Matthew Paul Interiors? 

We are an official Annie Sloan Stockist so 

we sell everything Annie Sloan including 

her incredible Chalk Paint which Annie 

developed to upcycle furniture without the 

need to sand or prime first. We also sell her 

waxes, brushes, books and stencils. We also 

stock a large range of interior accessories 

including rugs, cushions and throws all 

made from recycled plastic bottles by British 

company Weaver Green. Stoneglow candles 

and diffusers and the beautiful British made 

toiletry range by Bramley as well as picture 

frames, vases, plant pots, ceramics and a 

large selection of greetings cards. 

What’s new in store Matt? 

Annie Sloan has just launched a brand-new 

wall paint range consisting of 32 fabulous 

colours. 

Where abouts are you in Frome? 

We are situated in a beautiful listed building 

at 1 Bath Street, on the corner opposite 

Barclays Bank. 

What do you like most about Frome? 

Frome is a wonderful friendly town with so 

many interesting people living here but most 

of all I love the fact that we are about 80% 

independent businesses which makes us so 

unique I think. 

What is the best part of your day? 

I love meeting customers new and old 

and helping them choose things for their 

home whether it be a new paint colour or 

just a picture frame. I also love listening to 

customers chuckle as they read some of 

the funny greetings cards we sell, it always 

makes me smile. 

Westway Cinema 

How does it feel to be back open with the 

return of 007? 

It feels so good to be open again with 

James Bond. It has been doing very well 

after so many delays! 

Other cinemas are charging double the 

price of a £4 ticket right? 

Yes we still have our tickets at £4. Being 

affordable is very important at the moment 

as people are feeling the pinch with all the 

price rises. 

Do you do popcorn and sweets deals at 

the cinema? 

We have several deals on. There is a kids 

deal which is mini popcorn, small drink 

and mix up bag sweets for £3. A small deal 

which is small popcorn and small drink for 

£3.60. A medium deal which is medium 

popcorn and medium drink £5.75 and also 

a large deal which is a large popcorn and a 

large drink £8.00 

Can I watch a film with a beer? 

You can have a drink with your film. We 

serve ciders, beers and wines. 

What films have you got coming over 

Christmas? 

We have Ghostbusters: Afterlife, Boss Baby, 

The Addams Family 2, House of Gucci 

Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City, 

West Side Story, amongst others. 

Can I book online? 

Booking can be done online, by phone or by 

popping in to the Cinema. 


This much is 

TRUE 

ADE HILL CAUGHT UP WITH 80’S 

POP STAR AND ACTOR MARTIN KEMP 

WHO DISCUSSES GETTING BACK 

ON STAGE, LIVE AID AND MUSICAL 

INFLUENCES! 

Image credit: 

Chris Bailey Photography 

WELCOME TO FROME AND OF 

COURSE OUR BELOVED CHEESE 

AND GRAIN. TELL US MORE ABOUT 

TONIGHT’S 80’S EXTRAVAGANZA DJ 

SET? 

Tonight, is something I’ve been doing 

for the last few years. We’ve been doing 

in the region of about 135 DJ sets up 

and down the country. Of course, we 

had to stop due to the pandemic. This 

is probably the most euphoric thing I’ve 

ever done. 

You’ll see tonight people who want to 

be transported back to being 17 years 

old again and they absolutely play the 

part. I’ve never seen people sing to every 

single song I play. You know it’s very 

different to listening to 80’s music on 

the radio and listening to it through giant 

speakers. 

HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE BACK ON 

THE ROAD AND PLAYING TO PACKED 

AUDIENCES ONCE AGAIN? 

You know I remember during the 

pandemic the one thing I missed was 

doing this. Getting that adrenaline and 

that buzz. You know what I like about it 

most? I’m not up there separate from the 

audience. The audience and me are just 

one and we are all having a great time. 

YOU’VE VISITED FROME ON SEVERAL 

OCCASIONS, RIGHT? 

Yeah. It’s a lovely little town and you 

know I absolutely love coming back. 

Frome is quite the place to be. 

I’VE GOT TO ASK YOU ABOUT THE 

CONCERT OF THAT DECADE AND 

36 YEARS AGO. OF COURSE, I’M 

TALKING ABOUT LIVE AID! WHAT 

WAS THAT DAY LIKE FOR YOU AND 

YOUR BAND SPANDAU BALLET? 

It was an amazing thing. You know like 

when something becomes historical in 

retrospect when you look back at it. We 

knew Live Aid was going to be historic on 

the day. There was like two billion people 

watching it that day around the world, so 

you knew how big is was going to be. It 

was a different day to anything we’d ever 

done. 

The special moment about Live Aid for 

me, wasn’t about doing our thing that 


day. It was of course watching Freddie 

Mercury and Queen. That was probably 

the best moment I have ever seen on 

stage in Rock & Roll in my life. 

HAVE YOU NOTICED HOW MANY 

PARENTS WHO GREW UP THE 

1980’S ARE NOW BRINGING THERE 

TEENAGERS TO YOUR SHOWS AND 

DISCOVERING CLASSIC 80’S POP? 

Oh absolutely. You know it it’s a 

generation thing. I used to do the same 

thing with my mum and dad who were 

really into the sounds of the 1960’s and 

they spoke about it as the best time ever. 

Now everybody looks back at the 1980’s 

and thinks what a great time that was. 

You know in a few years’ time I promise 

you everybody will be saying the same 

thing about the the 90’s and the 2000 

years. 

THE 1980S WAS SUCH A 

GROUNDBREAKING TIME FOR NEW 

SOUNDS AND MUSIC. WHO DID YOU 

ADMIRE BACK THEN? 

You know I was into all sorts really. I was 

into Glam rock, Punk rock, Prog rock, 

Electric rock like Kraftwerk, Gary Numan 

and early stuff from the Human League 

so I’ve been through the whole lot you 

know. I suppose the bands that were 

really groundbreaking were Spandau 

Ballet and Duran Duran. We were the 

ones opening the doors for everybody 

else. We were making it happen in 

London and Duran Duran were making it 

happen in Birmingham. 

WHEN SPANDAU BALLET FIRST 

STARTED, WHO WERE YOU AND 

YOUR BOTHER GARY INFLUENCED 

BY? 

Without shadow of a doubt for us it 

was Early Kraftwerk, you know when 

sympathizers came out and took over 

from guitars. Instead of having a guitar 

solo you had a Sympathizers solo. It 

wasn’t really about what bands were 

doing in the 80’s it was more about what 

instruments were doing it because the 

sounds of keyboards changed everything 

and had come a long way. You suddenly 

had producers like Trevor Horn who was 

producing ABC, Grace Jones and Frankie 

goes to Hollywood. They were coming 

out with the most incredible sounds 

and that was more groundbreaking than 

opening doors for any band. I guess it 

was a bit of everything really. 

“ON HIS FIRST DATE 

WITH HIS NOW 

WIFE: GEORGE 

MICHAEL CAME ON 

OUR FIRST DATE. I 

SPENT ALL NIGHT 

TRYING TO GET RID 

OF HIM. 

WHAT OR WHO IS THE GREATEST 

LOVE OF YOUR LIFE? 

My wife. We’ve been married 30 years 

and our relationship gets stronger every 

day – well, it does for me; I haven’t asked 

her. George Michael came on our first 

date. I spent all night trying to get rid of 

him. 

MARTIN THANK YOU AND BY THE 

SOUNDS OF IT THE AUDIENCE IN 

FROME TONIGHT ARE READY TO 

PARTY 1980’S STYLE! 

Oh, absolutely I love it here. Thank 

youand I can’t wait. 

For further details and forthcoming tour 

dates go to www.martinkempdj.com 


THE STRAND PALACE 

The rooms are clean and modern, with all the amenities you could need 

- but the real speciality of this hotel is its location - few hotels can boast 

of such a spot - truly in the heart of the West End - ready for a glittering 

evening of theatre entertainment and a cornucopia of dining options. Covent 

Garden is steps away, as is the buzzing Trafalgar Square. 

MONDRIAN 

SHOREDITCH 

With its very own bar and restaurant and on-site complimentary gym, you 

have all you need without leaving the building. There are few places to stay 

for this value, this location and such well-appointed rooms - it’s the perfect 

pit stop for your next visit to London. 

Rooms from £199 per night | 372 Strand, London WC2R 0JJ 

strandpalacehotel.co.uk | 020 7379 4737 

Mondrian, a leading brand within the Accor 

group, has expanded into Europe with the 

launch of Mondrian Shoreditch London. The 

lifestyle hotel, owned by The Reuben Brothers, 

opened its doors in August 2021, following 

a major overhaul and complete redesign by 

award-winning London interior design studio 

Goddard Littlefair. 

The 120-bedroom property - 

including 13 suites - sits in the midst 

of Shoreditch, East London’s creative 

and cultural hub. Hosting elevated 

dining experiences at the property, 

Mondrian Shoreditch houses worldfamous 

chef Dani García’s BiBo - a 

Spanish kitchen serving tapas with 

courtyard seats - and Christina’s - a new 

all-day café and cocktail bar serving Katsu 

sandos. 

STYLISH stays 

Available on 24 and 25 December, Mondrian 

Shoreditch’s Christmas offering includes: 

• Welcome festive treats for all guests in 

Christina’s; the hotel’s cocktail and allday 

sando bar 

• Special festive amenities in-room 

• Christmas feast at either Bibo - the 

hotel’s Spanish tapas restaurant headed 

by renowned Michelin Starred Chef, Dani 

Garcia - or on the rooftop overlooking 

the stunning views of East London; 

Altitude at The Curtain 

Guests can also stay longer for less when 

booking 3 nights or more (up to 20% off). 

Rooms from £230 per night 

45 Curtain Rd, Shoreditch, London EC2A 3PT 

sbe.com | 0203 988 4455 

MARSON PARK 

After a sell out summer in 2021, the iconic UFO-shaped Futuro House 

at Marston Park, Somerset, is now available to book overnight from May 

to October 2022. Located between Frome and Bruton, this beautiful 

destination offers an exhilarating Pandora’s box of unique cultural 

experiences and a chance to spend quality time with loved ones in jawdroppingly 

picturesque surroundings. 

Designed for leisure and pleasure by artist Craig Barnes, this is one of the 

only Futuros in the world where you can spend the night. Set in a leafy 

glade by the lake, it has a flexible living space, complete with a kitchenette 

area, vintage lighting, round dining table and reclining chairs upholstered in 

groovy mustard, plus two curtained-off sleeping cabins with double beds. It 

also comes with exclusive private bathroom facilities, including a piping hot 

shower and outdoor seating with a fire pit. 

Prices start from just £400 per night, based on two adults sharing, 

depending on date. Book this once-in-a-lifetime experience via the website: 

www.marstonpark.co.uk. 


CEDARS HALL GETS 

FESTIVE... 

Mendip Living’s Ade Hill meets Sue Bartucca 

and discovers more about Cedars Hall and 

what’s on this festive season! 


Tell us a little bit about Cedars Hall? 

Opened in 2016 as a state-of-the-art performance venue, Cedars 

Hall is a modern and acoustically magnificent building, only 5 

minutes’ walk from the centre of Wells. 

Of course, the last year has been tough for everyone. How 

pleased are you to see the hall open again? 

We are delighted to be able to run events again – although we 

successfully hosted the Wells Festival of Literature in 2020 before 

the second lockdown. 

How is Glastonbury founder Michael Eavis associated with 

the hall? 

Michael Eavis was a pupil at Wells Cathedral School and officially 

opened Cedars Hall in 2016 – the main auditorium is named after 

him. We have hosted several events for him and he is a regular 

visitor and supporter. 

You’ve got some fabulous events planned this December, 

including an ABBA tribute band? 

Yes – ABBA Sensation played in the hall in the summer and were 

so popular that we asked them back for a Christmas special. We 

also have the Alex Western-King Quartet – a modern jazz group 

performing a new album – and the infectious enthusiasm of world 

music star Kanda Bongo Man, who will get the party going! 

If I want to book tickets, what covid precautions do I need to 

be aware of? 

Cedars Hall has a fresh air ventilation system so the air constantly 

refreshes. We are operating as normal; however, we are asking 

our audience to wear masks when moving around, we have extra 

cleaning measures in place and we are encouraging people to 

test themselves before they attend an event. 

How is 2022 looking like in terms of events? 

We have an exciting line-up planned for 2022 – with jazz (Tom 

Ollendorff Trio), classical (Imogen Cooper), country (Katy Hurt) 

and folk (The Gigspanner Big Band) music, as well as talks and 

family events. 

How can I find out more about Cedars Hall? 

You can check out our current website at cedarshall.events - we 

will be launching our new website in January. 


STARTERS 

CREAM OF CAULIFLOWER SOUP (V) 

COQUILLES ST JACQUES 

Scallop, mornay sauce & pomme puree 

HAM HOCK TERRINE 

Served with celeriac remoulade & toasted 

sourdough 

RADICCHIO, ROQUEFORT, PEAR & 

WALNUT SALAD (V) 

BEETROOT & ORANGE CURED 

SALMON 

Served with wholegrain potato salad 

FRIED PANKO-COATED BRIE 

with orange, cranberry & rosemary confit 

VEGAN STARTER OF SAUTÉED 

WILD MUSHROOMS & POLENTA 

ARTICHOKE HEARTS AVAILABLE ON 

REQUEST 

Christmas Menu 

£32.95 per head 

MAIN COURSES 

All are served with frites, dauphinois 

potatoes, savoy cabbage & petit pois 

7oz RUMP STEAK & PINK 

PEPPERCORN SAUCE 

CASSEROLE OF VENISON 

with red wine & sweet cherry 

FILLET OF SALMON 

with seafood & Lobster bisque 

POUSSIN 

with roasted apple cream & calvados 

DUCK BREAST 

with pomme puree, red cabbage cassis & 

blackberries 

PORTABELLO MUSHROOM, 

SAGE, CHESTNUT & SPINACH 

served in brick pastry with redcurrant & 

port sauce 

DESSERTS 

PRUNE & ARMAGNAC 

CRÈME BRULEE 

STEM GINGER ICE CREAM 

BLOOD ORANGE SORBET 

CHOCOLAT TORTE 

with blackforest fruits & Chantilly cream 

PROFITEROLES 

ASSIETTE DU FROMAGE 

Our meat is from next door; the wonderful 

Crayford Butchers, who source from local 

farms. 

Our food is prepared in a kitchen where 

allergens may be present. Please ask the 

front of house team if you have concerns. 

(V) - VEGETARIAN (VG) • VEGAN 

01373 300646 | info@bistrolottefrome.co.uk I 

Jude’s 

Frome's C hristmas Destination Store 

COME AND 

HAVE YOUR 

PICTURE TAKEN 

IN OUR SLEIGH! 

(Beautifully 

demonstrated by 

Murphy!) 

A HUGE SELECTION OF CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS AND ACCESSORIES 

AS WELL AS GIFTS, HOMEWARE, TOYS AND GAMES FOR ALL AGES 

OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK | LATE NIGHT SHOPPING FROM 20TH DECEMBER - OPEN UNTIL 7PM 

www.judesoffrome.co.uk 

1 Stony Street, Frome, Somerset BA11 1BU 


NOW 

OPEN ALL DAY 

SUNDAYS 

from 12pm - late 

NEW MENU 

food served 

all day 

WINTER AT BAR LOTTE… 

MUSIC NIGHTS 

Bar Lotte is excited to announce the launch of 

Wednesday’s Music Nights. Through the winter there will 

be live bands and other musical performances on most 

Wednesday evenings - check social media for updates. 

Expect ripping piano solos, flamboyant guitar playing 

& copious amounts of jive. Local legend Iain Ballamy, 

well known Jazz Saxophonist, will also be making an 

appearance; alternating with some of the guys from 

Rosco Shakes, who have already been hugely popular 

when they played at the bar last month. 

Also join Bar Lotte for Christmas carols and mulled 

wine on Wednesday 22nd December. 

SUNDAYS AT BISTRO AND BAR LOTTE 

Bar Lotte will now be open all day on Sundays. 

Lunch served from 12 in the Bistro, bar opening 

from 4pm serving until 8. Offering a brand new 

Sunday menu that includes some of the classic 

Bistro favourites, expect moules & steaks, croque 

monsieur and garlic prawns. 

The Bloody Mary station is set to become a 

permanent fixture; either choose from the Bloody 

Mary menu or choose from what’s on offer to make 

your own Bloody Mary. The perfect way to spend a 

Sunday with a hang over! 

01373 300646 info@bistrolottefrome.co.uk 6a Badcox. Frome BA11 5BQ

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 Ravensea, 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. 

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 

is available from Pan Macmillan, £20.

We look forward to 

welcoming you back to 

our modern shop & cafe 

to enjoy a warm welcome, 

home cooked food, buy 

local produce and goods. 

Full Catering • Banquets • Buffets • Canapes 

Bar • Event Planning and Management 

01373 830321 

Open Monday - Saturday 

32a High Street, Rode, BA11 6PA 

For 25 years Hope Farmhouse has been our much-loved 

family home. After a busy first Summer as a holiday 

hideaway for families and friends, the house is ready for 

a warm winter hosting cheerful gatherings and some 

festive celebrations. 

Surrounded by fields and hills, and just a few minutes’ 

drive from the centre of the medieval marked town of 

Frome, we invite you to bring the kids, bring the dog, 

light the woodburner and soak up the cosy comfort of 

the countryside. 

Buy your copy now 

Visit www.bit.ly/yorkshireseasons 

You can find us on social media using 

@homefarmfrome, online at 

www.hopefarmfrome.com and email us at 

charlotte@hopefarmfrome.com 

For the latest titles, bestsellers, 

and hidden gems choose 

Winstone’s Hunting Raven Books in Frome 

01373 473111 

winstonebooks3@gmail.com 

shop.winstonebooks.co.uk 


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.

QUALITY, 

SUSTAINABLE 

PRODUCE 

with honesty at the heart 

Where it all started: 

Penleigh is a small family run farm 

situated on the Wiltshire/Somerset 

border and has been farming for 

four generations; it truly is a family 

affair. A traditional working farm, 

you’ll find a whole host of crops 

alongside handraised pigs and 

sheep. Penleigh Farm & Butchers 

began with selling their own pork 

and lamb to family and friends, 

growing over the years until today 

where they have taken the plunge 

to open their first independent 

butchers shop in Frome. 

The best produce: 

As well as selling the home-grown 

produce, Penleigh supports local 

farmers who use traditional and 

free-range farming methods and 

producers that are passionate 

about quality, fresh produce. At 

the farm, home-grown rare breed 

pork and lamb is produced and 

sold alongside the very best grass 

fed local beef, poultry and game, 

sourced locally. 

Their ethos: 

Simple, but rings true - local, 

sustainable, slow-growing, wellbred, 

quality and overall yummy! 

THE Shop: 

5 Stony Street, Frome, Somerset, 

BA11 1BU 

TALK TO THE EXPERTS: 

Owen Singer (Director) 

01373 472331 

facebook /penleighfarmbutchers 

twitter @penleighfarm1 

www.penleighfarm.co.uk 

This Christmas, visit Penleigh 

Butchers. Our expert butchers 

can advise you on the best cuts 

for the festive season. Put your 

order in today! 

Local, Sustainable, Slow Growing, 

Well Bred, Quality and Overall Yummy 

5 STONY STREET, FROME, SOMERSET, BA11 1BU 

01373 472331 | www.penleighfarm.co.uk 


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 


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 


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.

BBQ PRAWNS, 

LOBSTER AND 

CRAYFISH WITH 

HERB BUTTER 

AND SIRACHA 

MAYONNAISE 

Lobster, prawns and crayfish are often considered 

delicacies for a special occasion, so this BBQ recipe with 

smoky siracha mayonnaise and herbed butter is perfect 

for a showstopping Christmas feast. 

Loved by professional chefs and home cooks the world over, 

Maldon Salt has been hand harvested by the same family since 

1882. It’s unique pyramid flakes and tactile texture continues 

to inspire chefs and cooks to this day. The choice of the 

passionate and the adventurous to elevate flavours and create the 

extraordinary! 

Serves: 6 people 

Prep time: 10 minutes 

Cook time: 15 minutes 

INGREDIENTS: 

2 lobster, sliced in half lengthways 

450g king prawns 

300g crayfish 

150g unsalted butter, softened 

1 tsp Maldon salt 

Cracked black pepper 

10g parsley, finely chopped 

10g coriander, finely chopped 

2 lemons, halves 

100g mayonnaise 

1 tbsp siracha 

METHOD: 

Begin by mixing together the herb butter for your seafood. In a 

small bowl mix together the softened butter with Maldon salt, 

cracked black pepper, the chopped parsley and coriander. Set 

aside. 

The perfect way to cook your seafood is on a hot BBQ, however 

if you don’t have one then a griddle pan will work too. Make sure 

it has reached a medium to high temperate, and start by grilling 

your lobster halves. Cook flesh side down on the griddle until 

the meat has turned pink and has some lovely charring on it. 

The shells will turn orangey pink too, and this is when you know 

your lobster are cooked. Do the same with the king prawns and 

crayfish, although these will take less time to cook. 

While your seafood is cooking, it is also nice to griddle some 

lemon to serve alongside. Simply add your lemon halves cut 

side down onto the grill and allow them to cook and char for 3 

minutes. 

Once your seafood is all cooked, pile onto a large serving platter 

and using a pastry brush, brush all across the flesh with your 

delicious herb butter – letting it melt in. Place your griddled lemon 

onto the serving platter too. 

In a small bowl mix together the mayonnaise and siracha. Serve 

this alongside the platter of BBQ seafood and allow everyone to 

tuck in! 


A range of Festive Christmas fish boxes availible. Please call us to enquire 

about our range of bespoke Christmas fish boxes, Oyster Gift boxes and 

shucking knives and our Hesperian at home dinner parties. 

HESPERIAN 

FISH STORES 

& KITCHEN 

Supplying fresh & 

smoked fish & shellfish 

sustainably caught 

from around the UK as 

well as small plates of 

delicious, simple fish 

dishes. 

Special Occasion? 

Get in touch to pre order from the counter or the 

kitchen. We are very much looking forward to 

opening our doors again and seeing you soon. 

Find us at UNIT 1, STATION APPROACH, FROME, BA11 1RE 

Tel: 01373 800250 info@hesperianfish.co.uk www.hesperianfish 

THE THREE SWANS 

Corporate Christmas Lunches and Dinners 

Make sure your Christmas plans are complete by booking a celebratory lunch or dinner 

at The Three Swans in Frome. We offer superb meals, prepared with flair and care, 

by James Morrison and his talented kitchen team. 

Our festive three course menu, with vegan options, is just £25 per person. 

Tables available: 

L Friday 3rd December - 1pm and 8pm 

L Thursday 9th December - 1pm and 8pm 

L Thursday 16th December - 1pm and 8pm 

Call now on 01373 452009 to make your reservation. 

www.thethreeswans.com 


NOW TAKING 

BOOKINGS NOW TAKING FOR 

BOOKINGS CHRISTMAS FOR 

CHRISTMAS 

OW TAKING 

OOKINGS FOR 

CHRISTMAS 

OOK YOUR TABLE EARLY TO 

AVOID DISAPPOINTMENT. 

NOW TAKING 

BOOKINGS FOR 

CHRISTMAS 

BOOK YOUR BOOK TABLE YOUR EARLY TABLE TO AVOID EARLY DISAPPOINTMENT 

TO 

AVOID DISAPPOINTMENT. 

01373 AVOID DISAPPOINTMENT. 

01373 461400 

461400 

01373 461400 

BOOK YOUR TABLE EARLY TO 

Mendip Christmas 

01373 461400 Tree Farm 

The Authentic Christmas Tree Experience 

Choose and cut, or freshly cut 

T: 07508 399 366 W: mendipchristmastrees.co.uk 

Located between Frome and Shepton Mallet at Dean on the A361 

Sat Nav: BA4 4RZ 

Open: Open from the last weekend in November to the last weekend before Christmas. 

Opening Hours: Mon-Fri 10.00am-6.00pm | Weekends 9.00am until 6.00pm 

Last Entry for Choose and Cut: 3.30pm 

£2.00 OFF with this voucher 

Members of the British Christmas Tree Growers Association 


SPICED 

GINGERBREAD 

CHRISTMAS 

COOKIES 

These sweet festive cookies are 

a wonderful treat to gift to friends 

and are great fun to make with 

children. They are spiced with the 

Christmas flavours of cinnamon, 

ginger, nutmeg and cloves and 

then iced with pretty patterns to 

decorate. The cookies should last in 

an airtight container for 1 week. 

Serves: makes 30 cookies 

Prep time: 45 minutes, plus chilling 

Cook time: 15 minutes 

INGREDIENTS: 

225g unsalted butter, softened 

180g soft light brown sugar 

300g molasses 

2 tsp vanilla extract 

2 tsp bicarbonate of soda 


1 tsp Maldon Salt 

1 tsp ground cinnamon 

½ tsp ground nutmeg 

½ tsp ground ginger 

½ tsp ground cloves 

500g icing sugar 

METHOD: 

Using an electric whisk or stand mixer, 

start by creaming together the butter 

and brown sugar (ensure your butter is 

softened to room temperature before 

you attempt to do this). Once the mixture 

is pale and fluffy add the molasses and 

vanilla extract and mix again. 

In a separate bowl mix together the 

dry ingredients; the plain flour, Maldon 

salt, bicarbonate of soda, cinnamon, 

nutmeg, ginger and cloves. Add the dry 

ingredients into the butter mixture in 

stages and then mix until it forms a soft 

dough. Wrap the dough in clingfilm and 

chill in the fridge for an hour. 

Preheat the oven to 170C°. 

After the dough has chilled, remove it 

from the fridge and on a lightly floured 

surface roll out the dough until it is 

roughly ½ cm thick. Use any cutters you 

like to cut out shapes – gingerbread men, 

stars, Christmas trees, candy canes – 

have fun with it! Place the biscuits onto a 

baking sheet lined with parchment paper, 

keeping the biscuits a few cm’s apart 

(you may need to do this across a couple 

of trays). Put the trays into the preheated 

oven and bake for 14 – 15 minutes until 

the biscuits are slightly darker and baked 

through. Remove from the oven and allow 

to cool slightly before lifting onto a wire 

rack to cool fully. 

To make the icing place the 500g icing 

sugar into a bowl and add 1 tbsp water, 

mix until it forms a paste. Keep adding 

a small amount of water at a time till 

you reach your desired consistency. You 

want the icing to still be thick enough to 

pipe and hold its shape. Once you have 

the correct consistency, pour the icing 

into a piping bag with a small nozzle 

attachment and decorate the cooled 

biscuits anyway you like. 


MEET THE HEAD... 

We talk to Alastair Tighe - Head Master 

of Wells Cathedral School 

Wells Cathedral School is over a thousand years old – how 

do you balance a sense of reverence for history with a 

progressive curriculum? 

You can’t help feel you are part of an extraordinary history as a 

member of the Wells Cathedral School community. History and 

tradition is evident everywhere, enhancing not only the beauty 

of our environment but also our sense of being guardians of 

something so much larger than ourselves. But although our past 

gives us confidence and firm foundations, we also ensure we are 

forward-looking and innovative. Our state-of-the-art performance 

venue, Cedars Hall, is a very visible demonstration of this, 

alongside other facilities such as our astro pitch and brand new 

Multi Use Games Area. But it is innovation in the classroom 

which really counts; all our Senior School pupils have devices 

with which to access the internet and other learning resources; 

we provide our pupils with cloud based classroom platforms 

which permit flipped learning and easy access to lesson 

worksheets and notes; and we frequently ask our pupils to tell us 

what they would like to see in terms of curriculum developments 

and enhancements. 

The last 18 months has been an unprecedented time for our 

learning institutions – what have you taken away from it? 

Never take what you have for granted! I think pupils at Wells 

were good before Covid at understanding the privilege and 

opportunities available to them, but the experience of remote 

learning periods and the inability to engage in so many things 

we would normally have been able to do has helped everyone - 

teachers and pupils - better appreciate the value of what we offer 

here, the joy they gain from engaging with the opportunities here 


both in and outside the classroom, and the supreme importance 

of friendships and mutual support. 

Can you tell us a little more about your ‘whole child’ 

educational principles? 

Wells Cathedral School champions a holistic education; we value 

academic and cocurricular endeavours equally, and want all our 

pupils to nurture and discover passions here which will last a lifetime. 

We are unique in the UK as being both a Specialist Music School 

and an all-round School, which means creativity and the Arts have a 

particularly important role to play in our School ethos, but this is not at 

the expense of the very many valuable things schools should provide, 

including sport, charitable service and outdoor learning. 

How would you like each pupil to look back on their time 

at Wells? 

I want every pupil who has been educated at Wells to be able 

to say they were happy and safe here. That they made life-long 

friendships with people of diverse talents and backgrounds. That 

they were challenged and encouraged to be as open-minded, 

aspiring and responsible as possible. And that they were given 

the skills to go out into the world confidently, but humbly, to 

pursue the things they love and to make a positive difference 

both for themselves and the world around them. 

3-19TH 

DECEMBER 

THE BISHOP'S PALACE, 

WELLS PRESENTS 

CHRISTMAS 

at the 

PALACE 

2021 

GARDEN ILLUMINATIONS 

Wander the rooms of the Medieval Palace to enjoy 

beautiful festive decorations, and be wowed by 

the illuminations in the formal Gardens 


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 


165x240.qxp_Layout 1 03/11/2021 13:53 Page 1 

DAY AND 

BOARDING 

AGES 

2-18 

EVERY DAY IS AN OPEN DAY AT BSG 

COME AND JOIN US 

We prepare girls for life beyond education. They are confident, resilient and, 

most importantly, free to be themselves. Whatever age children come to us, 

we ensure that they receive a broad and well-rounded experience. 

SATURDAY 

15 th 

JANUARY 2022 

9.30am to 12 noon 

OPEN MORNING 

PRE-PREP AND PREP 

SATURDAY 

22 nd 

JANUARY 2022 

9.30am to 12 noon 

OPEN MORNING 

SENIOR 

For further information on our upcoming events or to arrange an individual tour please contact 

Tessa Howard-Vyse, Director of External Relations on 01749 814400 

or via email admissions@brutonschool.co.uk 

www.brutonschool.co.uk 

BELONG • SUCCEED • GROW

Choosing the right 

Sixth Form 

We ask Mrs Xavière Harvey, Head of Sixth Form & Careers 

and Head of Languages at Bruton School for Girls... 


What makes your curriculum at BSG so unique? 

Our Sixth Form curriculum is both traditional and innovative. 

We equip girls with the advanced knowledge that derives 

from their academic interests and - perhaps more 

importantly - the skills they will need for further study or 

the world of work. Whilst they may be able to develop their 

understanding of the finer points of Chemistry, History or 

German in their lessons, it is through the experience of all 

the valuable extras we offer that they will develop crucial 

skills such as independence, creativity, self-reliance or team 

work, to name a few. This will allow them to apply their 

knowledge in any new context. Extra qualifications, such as 

the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) or the Advanced 

Certificate in Spoken English (ESB), marry knowledge and 

skills to excellent effect and give our girls a head start for 

undergraduate study. Whilst these are popular for our more 

academic pupils, we develop a range of other skills through 

our more practical courses such as the Leiths Certificate 

in Food & Wine, or the Diploma in Childcare & Education, 

which offer a wealth of useful life skills as well as a ready 

qualification to undertake a successful gap year or start a 

career after Sixth Form. Ultimately, our offer is bespoke so 

girls are able to choose anything they like out of our broad 

curriculum. 

How would you like each pupil to look back on their time at BSG? 

With enormous affection and a sense of unquestionable belonging. 

BSG is a hugely special place; I challenge anyone to set foot here 

and not feel the unique vibe of the school. It is an indescribable 

mix of warmth, creativity and ambition, with core human values 

that equip pupils with individuality of thought, empathy and 

undeniable humanity. This creates a sense of community that is 

hard to leave behind. I genuinely believe that friendships formed 

here are for life. 

How do you think you achieve such outstanding A Level results? 

We set out to be excellent in all we do - and it works! The staff 

at the school are hugely dedicated as well as being talented 

individuals in their own right. It is this level of care and attention 

to detail with every individual which means that our pupils 

achieve the very best results that they can in their chosen 

fields. We are committed to developing all girls, regardless of 

background or ability, to be the very best version of themselves, 

both personally and academically; the two go hand in hand. What 

allows this is our tailored pastoral support and mentoring each of 

our pupils so they develop and find fulfilment in their chosen field. 

Outstanding results follow on from that. 

For more information visit our website www.brutonschool.co.uk 

63% of our students 

progressed to Russell 

Group universities, 

including Oxbridge, 

in 2021 

Sexey’s Sixth is rated in the top 1% nationally based on 

students’ results 2021 (ALPS) 

Based in Bruton, Somerset | Email admissions@sexeys.somerset.sch.uk | Visit www.sexeys.somerset.sch.uk 


DISCOVER 

BRILLIANCE 

millfieldschool.com/open-days 

NEXT 

OPEN DAY 

SATURDAY 

5 MARCH 

2022 

#DISCOVER BRILLIANCE 

Millfield Pre-Prep_MendipLiving_Oct21_153x110_Noah.indd 1 26/10/2021 15:16 

PRIVATE STAGE & SCREEN 

ACTING TUITION 

with 

Mark McGann 

GIFT 

VOUCHERS 

AVAILABLE 

Use as part or complete 

payment for any Mark/ 

Drama Direct Ltd product 

including 1-2-1 tuition 

or group film or theatre 

classes. 

Award winning Actor, Director and Filmmaker Mark McGann is offering private Acting 

Tuition and Presentational Skills/Media Training to suit all budgets and objectives 

via 90min, 2 hour, 3 hour and full-day 1-to-1 sessions at venues including the Merlin 

Theatre, Cooper Hall and Rise, in Frome, Somerset. 

Suitable for all levels of experience, Mark’s exceptional tuition is delivered with real 

sensitivity and is supported by a vast knowledge gained from life at the highest 

levels of the Performance Arts Industries. Whether you are looking to boost personal 

confidence or expand your professional skillset and possibilities, Mark is here to help! 

Since becoming a Frome resident in 2007 Mark’s Creative Arts company Drama 

Direct Ltd has consistently delivered high quality vocational training for budding 

and established actors via perennially popular Stage and Screen Acting Classes, 

supporting the development of local performers and mentoring many through the 

challenging transition into our top UK drama schools and the Entertainment Industry. 

Twice Oliver Award nominated, he is a proud patron of the Arts and a passionate 

supporter of Frome’s unique creative community, with over 35 years of professional 

experience in the UK Film/TV and Theatre Industries. An international award-winning 

filmmaker and educator, Mark truly understands the importance of improved selfconfidence 

in the realisation of our personal dreams and creative ambitions. 

For the very best in private and personalised tuition call 

01373 471486 or email mark@dramadirect.net 

to discuss and arrange your session plans. 

(All sessions fully Covid-19 considered and prepared) 


THE POWER of BURSARIES 

Levelling up – the transformative power of bursaries and how we might level up rather 

than dumb down... 

If a random sample of British 

adults were to play a game of 

word association when the chosen 

words were ‘prep’, ‘independent’ or 

‘private school’, the results would 

be predictable. ‘Posh’, ‘exclusive’ 

and ‘expensive’ might make an 

appearance, although so might 

‘excellence’, ‘results’ and ‘success’. 

Placed against these pre-conceptions 

of independent education, it is easy to 

see why some politicians feel the days 

of independent schools’ charitable 

status to be numbered. 

Even as a Headmaster of an 

independent prep school, I sometimes 

struggle, morally, to reconcile the 

opportunities that we can create with 

the reality for many children across 

the country, despite the best efforts 

of so many fellow professionals in 

maintained schools. Having started my 

career in the state sector, I only made 

the switch because I felt I would have 

the freedom to design an education 

that worked in the fullest sense and 

the ability to create something unique 

and bespoke for every child is a 

joy. The moral tension comes from 

considering why this is only available 

for those who can afford it, although 

surely it can never be right to knock 

excellence and reduce everything to 

the lowest common denominator in 

the quest for equality. 

The charitable status of most 

independent schools hides, from 

some, our need to balance the books. 

This is particularly challenging in 

prep schools where the fees are 

lower and the margins tighter: the 

preconceptions of wealth held by 

many are simply incorrect in most 

cases. Competition between prep 

schools can be fierce and the need 

to demonstrate relative strength and 

quality over rival schools is essential. 

This need creates a tension between 

the school as a business and the 

school as a charity, and it would 

be easy for Heads and Bursars to 

prioritise the former at the expense 

of the latter. Not only would this be 

morally wrong, it is also a short-term 

and blinkered course of action and 

schools, even small prep schools, 

need to factor creating inclusivity into 

their business plans so that they are a 

charity in action as well as in name. 

I can’t describe the satisfaction to be 

gained from watching a child benefit 

from support from the school as a 

charity. It feels right, is transformative 

for those involved, and justifies the 

charitable status of the school. All 

involved benefit. Given appropriate 

levels of financial and strategic 

planning, it is possible, even for small 

independent schools, to provide 

their brand of education to a wider 

cross-section of society and this 

broadening of access to the best of 

British education is something to be 

celebrated. In senior schools, the level 

of bursary support is greater again, 

with many schools actively seeking to 

broaden access with bursaries of up to 

100% of the fees and some even work 

with prep schools to create a pathway 

from prep school entry through to the 

end of their secondary education. 

The provision of bursaries 

demonstratively levels up society in 

some small way but the scale of what 

is possible is, of course, not enough. 

There is no philosophical barrier to 

opening our doors to the whole of 

society. I know of no Head of an 

independent school who would not 

leap at the chance to open their doors 

and provide an education for free, and 

any blockage to this is caused by pure 

economics. 

What is the answer? Well, we can look 

to the rest of the world for examples 

of how state and private education 

co-exist far more equitably than 

they do in the UK. In this country, all 

taxpayers fund state education but 

only some are using it, the others 

choosing to pay extra for their children 

to be educated privately. In other 

countries, the money follows the child 

and parents may choose to top this 

sum up to have their child attend an 

independent school. This broadens 

access, meaning that there is no need 

for charitable status tax perks and the 

gap between private and state is much 

narrower. 

I can’t think of an argument against 

making this a reality, other than it may 

be politically inconvenient to do so. 

We need to find ways of providing 

the best possible education to all 

children in the UK and, whilst there 

is a moral imperative on schools to 

offer bursaries and broaden access, 

there must surely also be a duty for 

government to be more creative and 

forward thinking in finding ways to 

level up without dumbing down. 

Charlie Minogue, Headmaster, 

Moor Park, Ludlow, Shropshire 


CALL TO 

ARTISTS 

Submissions open from 

January 2nd - February 27th 

TO REGISTER ONLINE GO TO 

www.frome-open-art-trail.co.uk 

Open 

* ART * 

TRAIL 2022 

JULY 2nd-10th (11am-5pm) 

THE WOOLVERTON GALLERY 

The Woolverton Gallery near Bath opened on 1st June this year and is rapidly establishing itself 

as a top private gallery with over 100 works of art displayed in the 5 stunning exhibition rooms. 

We represent the work of 30 fine artists, with a wide variety of styles and price range: there is 

something for even the most discerning. 

Ray Jones, the gallery owner/curator says “We are delighted with our first half year, it has been a 

privilege working with such a wonderful group of artists, being able to provide them with a venue 

to exhibit their work and, in particular, to finalise a good number of sales.” 

The gallery is open 7 days a week, and Ray is always inhouse to give visitors personal attention 

and information about all the artworks. 

www.bathartsales.com info@bathartsales.com Tel. 07843 448956 


Welcome Back! 

Mendip Living chats with Farès K Moussa 

who’s returned to Strode Theatre and tells us 

more about his exciting plans for Christmas 

and the New Year! 

Mendip Living chats with Farès K Moussa who’s returned to Strode Theatre and tells us more about 

his exciting plans for Christmas and the New Year! 


Welcome back Farès. How does it feel to be back here in the 

west country? 

Thank you –it’s great to be back! People from throughout Somerset 

and beyond come to use the theatre in one way or another – it’s 

really great to be part of it again! 

really excited about the new Improvised Panto on the 3rd and 4th 

How good does it feel to be back open? 

December, which should be great fun for all the family. On the 15th 

It’s fantastic to be open again –and it’s so nice to see so many Welcome back December Farès. How Rebecca does it feel Vaughan to be back stars here in Dyad in the Production’s west country? Christmas 

people feeling confident to come out, relax and enjoy themselves. Gothic, for a celebration of Christmas to put your hairs on their 

Of course, like so many other organisations, we’re struggling Thank a you –it’s end!; great and to be on back! 17th People December, from Strode throughout College Somerset is putting and beyond its own come to use the 

bit to cover everything with enough staff, so if you’re reading theatre this in one Concert way or another of Christmas! –it’s really Something great to be for part everyone! of it again! Although I never really left 

and you’re interested in working for us in front of house, duty the southwest: I live in Castle Cary and – until Covid times – had been commuting to London. 

management, technical or administration, please do get in touch! What about for early 2022? 

We have so much going on! To mention a few of our live offerings, 

What films are you showing in the cinema? 

in January we have Can’t Sit Still’s family stage adaptation of Chris 

How good does it feel to be back open? 

Strode is really unique in the southwest for having one of the Haughton’s children’s book Oh no, George! We have tribute shows 

most diverse film programmes. So, for example, coming up, It’s of course fantastic from Stayin’ to be Alive open (The again Bee –and Gees) it’s so in nice February to see and so many The Sound people of feeling confident 

just before Christmas we have the adaptation of Graham Swift’s to come out, relax Springsteen and enjoy in themselves. March; Folk Of from course, Jon like Boden so many and Remnant other organisations, Strings we’re 

Mothering Sunday with a classic all-star cast of Glenda Jackson, 

struggling a bit 

in 

to 

and 

covering 

the first 

everything 

Strode Literature 

with enough 

Festival 

staff, 

in 

so 

April; 

if you’re 

and 

reading 

Dom Joly 

this 

will 

and you might be 

Olivia Coleman and Colin Firth and the new Ghostbusters Afterlife; be joining us to talk about his travels around the world. 

interested in working for us in Front of House, Duty Management, technical or administration, 

and, early in the new year, Steven Spielberg’s new adaptation of 

please do get in touch! 

Westside Story. 

How can I find out more about what’s on and how can I book? 

To find out more and book visit our website at 

With the festive season fast approaching, what’s on this 

www.strodetheatre.org or see our Facebook and Instagram 

Christmas? 

What plans do pages. you have You for can the call Theatre? or visit our box office on Mondays between 

Besides from live broadcasts from the Bolshoi Ballet and the 10am and 1pm or on Saturdays between 3pm and 6pm, or one 

Royal Ballet of the Christmas favourite The Nutcracker; we’re 

There are many 

hour 

great 

before 

plans 

a 

afoot. 

show/screening! 

We’re really excited about the theatre taking on more of an 

‘academy’ model in the future; integrating more performing arts and technical education and 

training with the ongoing theatre operations. 

Sun 16 Jan 

NEW AMEN CORNER & GLEN LEON 

Sat 29 Jan 

OH NO, GEORGE! 

Fri 11 Feb 

STAYIN’ ALIVE 

Fri 11 March 

THE SOUND OF SPRINGSTEEN 

Thu 31st March 

THE THREE DEGREES 

Upcoming Live Events 

at Strode Theatre 

Wed 7th April 

JON BODEN & THE REMNANT STRINGS 

Fri 13 May 

DOM JOLY’S HOLIDAY SNAPS 

What films have you showing in the cinema? 

Strode is really unique in the southwest for having one of the most diverse film programmes, 

apart from the Watershed in Bristol; from blockbuster favourites to international and indie films. 

Tel. 01458 442846 www.strodetheatre.org.uk 

Church Road, Street, Somerset, BA16 0AB 


THE HOME 

hit list 

JOBS TO TACKLE THIS AUTUMN 

SEASONAL 

REFRESH 

PROPERTY MOT 

Home maintenance is a year-round 

endeavour, but these are the top jobs 

to get sorted before the worst of the 

winter weather sets in: 

CHECK ALL DOOR/WINDOW 

SEALS FOR DRAUGHTS 

Check that existing seals are still 

intact and repair any cracks or holes 

that have formed. For a quick and 

easy solution, fit doors with draught 

excluders to keep rooms warm and to 

prevent energy wastage. 

CHECK YOUR BOILER 

Have a boiler service and check the 

system is running efficiently. Many 

people put off replacing older boilers, 

but you will save money in energy with 

more efficient models. If you have one, 

make sure your external condenser 

pipe is well insulated. 

CLEAR GUTTERS 

Clear gutters and drainpipes of leaf 

debris to reduce the chance of leaks. 

Also be sure to check drains for 

blockages - prevention is better than 

fixing it on a cold night! 

CHECK THE OUTSIDE 

Look over all external masonry, 

checking for cracks, gaps around 

windows or issues with roof. Make 

sure your front door closes snugly (and 

make sure your property is secure 

whilst you’re at it). 

INSULATION 

Insulate your pipes (burst pipes cause 

huge damage). Make sure your loft 

insulation is adequate and look into 

cavity wall insulation, which can 

save hundreds ££ on energy bills. 

If you can, look into upgrading the 

efficiency of your windows with triple 

or secondary glazing. 

Why is it that we save all the 

property redecoration for when we 

are getting ready to move? How 

about giving your rooms some 

TLC with a fresh lick of paint and 

swapping in some new accessories 

to update the palette. 

Try switching out cooler grey tones 

for warmer neutrals and introducing 

more natural materials like linen, 

leather and wood - this means you 

can use your base furniture pieces, 

and just give them a lift with new 

decorative items. 

DIY panelling is another huge 

trend which is helping people give 

rooms a completely new look for 

less - why not try adding a wall to a 

bedroom in a strong contrast colour 

for maximum impact? 

PRACTICAL 

HOME-WORKING 

It looks as though working from home, 

or at least a hybrid, flexible model is 

here to stay. With that in mind, many 

of us are choosing to carve out proper 

working spaces instead of balancing on 

the end of the kitchen table. 

Investing in a proper desk and chair 

are fundamental - it’s well known that 

sitting for long periods on chairs not 

specifically designed for desk work can 

cause long-lasting pain. 

For desks, there are lots of options for 

built-in models into wall space or even 

stand up desks. If you don’t have the 

space for a full office room, you can 

still find inventive ways to incorporate a 

desk into wardrobe areas or even into 

cupboards, meaning the workspace 

can be neatly tucked away at the end 

of the day and the space can resume 

its original purpose. Storage is another 

essential element to stop work admin 

spilling out into home life. 

Finally, take some time to make your 

work space look homely - it stops it 

from feeling transitory. Hang some 

prints, invest in some greenery or buy 

some soft furnishings like cushions 

or blankets to make it feel like an 

extension of your home. 

Boston Fern from £9.99, hortology.co.uk; 

Hathai Cushion, £34, hauslife.co.uk 


Station Approach, Frome, Somerset, BA11 1RE 

01373 474817 | info@dimensionstiles.co.uk | www.dimensionstiles.co.uk 

Tiles | Showers | Bathrooms | Accessories | Design | Serving Frome for over 20 years

KITCHEN DESIGN ADVICE 

FROM AN EXPERT 

We speak to Julia Kendell, interiors and 

decorating expert from ITV’s ’60 Minute Makeover’ 

and ‘Rebuild Our Home’ and spokesperson for The 

National Homebuilding & Renovating Show... 

THE KITCHEN IS THE UNDISPUTED 

HEART OF THE HOME - AS WELL 

AS FEEDING EVERYONE, IT’S 

BECOME THE SOCIAL HUB, HOME- 

SCHOOLING AREA AND MUCH 

MORE – HOW DO YOU START YOUR 

DESIGN PROCESS WITH CLIENTS? 

Yes absolutely, the kitchen has had 

to really take the strain in the past 18 

months and now more than ever my 

clients are eager to find ways to ensure 

their new kitchen spaces are flexible 

enough to cope with whatever might be 

round the corner. 

The design process starts with 

understanding my client’s functional 

needs for the room, both now and as far 

into the future as we can determine (after 

all, a good quality kitchen should last 

20-30 years). My design principles centre 

on wellbeing in the home and creating 

spaces that fully support the family to 

ensure everyone can be organised and in 

harmony with one another. This involves 

spending time working out the each 

individual’s daily movements around 

the kitchen, their needs and what they 

enjoy doing. If there’s a keen baker in 

the household, I will suggest a dedicated 

‘baking cabinet’ where everything 

you need is in one place, stand-mixer 

plugged in ready for use and no excuses 

not to achieve ‘Star Baker!’ I believe 

good design ensures we can be the best 

versions of ourselves and take obstacles 

out of the way of our daily successes. 

MANY OF US ARE LOOKING TO 

SAVE THE COST OF MOVING AND 

INSTEAD IMPROVE OUR HOMES – 

ARE THERE SIMPLE CHANGES WE 

COULD MAKE TO IMPROVE THE 

LOOK AND FLOW OF OUR HOMES? 

It sounds obvious, but a total de-clutter, 

removing as much as possible from a 

room to be able to view the room with 

‘fresh-eyes’ is a great start to make 

meaningful changes. One of the simplest 

yet most effective improvements is 

to increase the levels of daylight into 

the home. Texture, whether fabrics or 

carpeting absorbs a huge amount of 

daylight and it can be transformational to 

swap out curtains for shutters/ blinds and 

hard flooring such as engineered wood 

to replace carpet. Instantly the rooms will 

feel larger and brighter and any increase 

in daylight in the home can only improve 

your mood and wellbeing. 

WHEN DESIGNING A KITCHEN, 

WHERE SHOULD YOU SPLURGE 

AND WHERE SHOULD YOU SAVE? 

Areas that receive the most use should 

be prioritised in the overall budget. Most 

kitchen units are well constructed these 

days so choosing an affordable unit with 

a good quality worksurface is a good 

option. It’s amazing the difference adding 

expensive handles can make to uplifting 

an otherwise ‘standard’ kitchen. I caution 

my clients to think carefully about their 

appliance choices too. It’s very easy to 

get excited about the latest gadget, but 

with appliances a large proportion of 

the overall cost of a kitchen, be realistic 

about how useful an appliance will be. 

Do you really need an oven with 42 

functions?! 

WHAT HAVE BEEN THE KEY 

LESSONS YOU’VE LEARNT ABOUT 

INTERIOR DESIGN IN YOUR 

EXPERIENCE IN THE INDUSTRY? 

Without doubt, the most important lesson 

is to design holistically and to engage 

all of the senses. It’s not enough just to 

create a pretty, ‘instagrammable’ room. 

The way we experience our homes and 

workplaces is crucial to our mental 

health and performance and shouldn’t be 

underestimated. From choosing a colour 

palette to reflect your personality and 

emotional needs to providing good air 

quality, creating a harmonious space that 

‘feels’ and functions as good as it looks is 

key to good design. 

SINCE THE PANDEMIC, HAVE YOU 

NOTICED ANY CHANGES IN THE 

WAY PEOPLE WANT THEIR HOMES 

TO FUNCTION – A MOVE AWAY 

FROM FULLY OPEN PLAN FOR 

EXAMPLE? 

There is still a strong appetite for openplan 

living as it provides the space, 

light and connection to one another we 

all crave. That said, to mitigate some 

of the issues with open-plan such as 

noise, privacy issues and cooking-smell 

transference from the kitchen, ‘brokenplan’ 

is becoming a useful design tool. 

Broken-plan essentially incorporates 

vertical divides within the open-plan 

space using glazing, open-backed 

shelving, or sliding doors to delineate 

areas without closing off the visual impact 

of the space. This is also a great way to 

bring some architectural interest to an 

otherwise ‘large box’ that can too often 

feel like an airport lounge! I think anyone 

with shares in garden offices will have a 

good year ahead… 

WHAT TRENDS FOR 2022 ARE YOU 

EMBRACING THE MOST? 

Houzz are reporting a huge increase in 

interest in dedicated activity spaces such 

as art rooms, home bars, home gyms and 

cinema rooms. I am very excited to see 

this as it shows that we are choosing to 

design our interests and passions into our 

homes. It’s refreshing to feel such a sense 

of optimism when chatting with clients 

and I am working with warmer colour 

palettes and being asked to incorporate 

planting and natural texture into room 

schemes. There seems to be a continued 

need to connect with nature after the past 

18 months and I’m loving it! 

Julia Kendell will be the design expert 

at the Farnborough Homebuilding & 

Renovating Show, 15-16 January 2022 

farnborough.homebuildingshow.co.uk 


Soundasleep 

Speaker Pillow 

44 Westfield Road, Wells, Somerset BA5 2HS (Nr Halfords) 

Email: sales@wellsbedshop.co.uk Website: wellsbedshop.co.uk 

FREE LOCAL DELIVERY Special offer 

FREE LOCAL DELIVERY 

£349 

FEBRUARY OFFER 

Ceasar Mattress 

Single £120/ Double £120 

Includes Free local delivery 

Free pack of silentnight pillows 

throughout February/March with every 

bed purchased Amelia Honey over £300 Oak 

Bedstead Kingsize 

Great range of Beds & Mattresses • Friendly and reliable service... 

Great Christmas present as 

seen on the gadget show 

£32.99 

Lots of beds in stock for Christmas delivery! 

Grey £565Shaker Bedstead Double 

Deco Bed in Grey Velvet Kingsize 

£489 

Tel: 01749 670555 

Delivery times to suit you, assembly service available and disposal old beds 

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Special offer 

Ceasar Mattress 

Single £120/ Double £120 

Includes Free local delivery 

FEBRUARY OFFER 

Free pack of silentnight pillows 

throughout February/March with every 

bed purchased over £300 

Great range of Beds & Mattresses • Friendly and reliable service... 

Tel: 01749 670555 

Delivery times to suit you, assembly service available and disposal old beds 

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Need more storage space? 

Make use of your loft and create more space in your home 

Loft Ladders Raised Loft Storage 

Loft Lighting Insulation 

Loft storage solutions for period and new build homes 

that don’t void your warranty 

01373 813 438 

www.loftboardingsouthwest.co.uk 


SHOP ONLINE VISIT SOPHA.CO.UK 

CREATE 

SOMETHING 

GREAT AT SOPHA 

AS ORIGINAL AS YOU ARE, FOR EVERY ROOM IN YOUR HOME... 

BEDS 

SOFAS 

FURNITURE 

| hello@sopha.uk | 01278 55 77 55 | 2-4 Church Street, Highbridge, Somerset, TA9 3AE

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 


CAROLS 

IN AID OF WELLS CATHEDRAL 

wellscathedral.org.uk 

Get Winter Ready 

Chimney and ductwork cleaning company. 

Servicing domestic and commercial, wood, biomass, oil, 

solid fuel, pizza ovens, coffee roasters, kitchen extract 

and HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning). 

• Insurance recognised certificates issued 

• Full public liability insurance 

• Private and commercial work carried out 

COMICS AND GAMES 

COMICS • GRAPHIC NOVELS • TOYS • D&D 

BOARDGAMES • WARHAMMER • YU-GI-OH 

MTG • POKEMON • FNAF • FUNKO POP! 

ACTION FIGURES • AND MORE 

01373 836986 | 07508 907892 

waldronlee@yahoo.co.uk 

www.thesweepingcompany.co.uk 

Based in Nunney, Frome, Somerset 

5 BATH PLACE, TAUNTON, TA1 4ER 

krackerstaunton@live.co.uk 

Tel: 01823 335057 

www.krackers.com 

f 


Kaloo Lapinoo Rabbit, 

£17.99, jojomamanbebe.co.uk 

Guide 

The gift 

Help children 

learn to code with 

Blockly, Snap!, 

JavaScript, 

Python and 

C++ 

Artie Max, £110, 

amazon.co.uk 

Designed by 

AndaSeat, who 

previously 

manufactured 

race car seats. 

with lumbar 

and head 

pillows 

Leather Gaming 

Chair, £369.99, 

andaseat.com 

GOTS Organic 

Cotton 

Pyjamas, £26, 

polarnopyret. 

co.uk 

Unisex Mouse 

Babygrow Set, £45, 

magnetmouse.co.uk 

Woodland Nesting 

Creatures, £22, 

rosaandbo.com 

Everhot 

Electric Stove 

£1,295, 

everhot.co.uk 

Organic cotton 

and amazing 

colours and 

prints 

Nila Nepp Top, 

£22 and Kieran 

Kneepatch 

Joggers, 

£28, both 

welovefrugi.com 

Lindt Bear and 

Styorybook Set, £10, 

Waitrose 

WHEN THEY HAVE EVERYTHING 

Aranya Hmong 

Cushion, £32, 

hauslife.co.uk 

Stunning photobooks on high quality 

paper with helpful autofill options 

Soft, Fabric or Hardcover 

Photobooks, from £18.99, 

rosemood.co.uk 

FOR KIDS 

Veloce Coffee Machine, £600, 

cuisinart.co.uk 

Lattes flat whites and 

more! Get those coffee 

shop style drinks in a 

flash at home with this 

bean to cup coffee machine 

Master Lock Biometric Padlock - with up to 

10 saved fingerprints, £89, masterlock.eu 

Gusbourne Brut Reserve 2017, £39, 

gusbourne.com 

Cuisinart Precision Stand Mixer, 

£275, cuisinart.co.uk 


A personalised softcover 

notebook is a thoughtful gift 

Polaar Polar Night 

Revitalizing Cream 

with Boreal Algae, 

£42, polaar.com 

Lavender 

Eye Pillow 

Made from sustainably 

harvested natural cork bark 

with a non-slip surface 

which increases grip with 

perspiration 

Cork mat and block set, £75, 

bullfrogbottles.com 

Heatable Lavendar 

Eye Pillow, £11.99, 

hauslife.co.uk 

FOR HER 

Softcover Printed Notebook, 

£16.99, rosemood.co.uk 

Build the perfect bar 

cart with Dartington’s 

Limelight Mitre champagne 

saucer, £55 for set of two or 

pair of Margarita glasses, 

£20, dartington.co.uk 

Luxury Heavyweight 

Merino Scarf, £90, 

pantherella.com 

T3 Curl ID, £189, 

t3micro.co.uk 

The ultimate curler which 

adapts to your hair type 

and damage level 

Cashmere Sweatshirt 

in Emerald, £179, 

loopcashmere.co.uk 

BeGlow Tia All-In- 

One Sonic Skincare 

System, £199, 

johnlewis.com 

Micro Merlin 

Japanese 

Knife Trio, £99, 

souschef.co.uk 

FOR HIM 

The Micro 

Explorer Electric 

Scooter, £349.95, 

reduced from 

£449.95 

micro-scooters. 

co.uk 

18 mile range, 

foldable and 

ultra light weight 

with 15mph 

top speed 

Andrée Jardin 

Sneaker Care 

Kit, £33.50, 

souschef.co.uk 

ONESONIC® BXS-HD1 

True Wireless Stereo 

Earphones, £57.99, 

onesonic.co.uk 


Eco Sports 

Cloak Long 

Sleeve, £119.95, 

charliemcleod.co.uk 

Perfect if they love outdoor 

pursuits or sports 

Scrivner For Men 5 Step 

Skin Strategy - £127, 

janescrivner.com

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laundry soap. Brilliant 

stain remover without any 

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A fabulous A fabulous range range of over of over 100 100 types of of 

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If you don’t A fabulous catch us range at the of many over 100 types of 

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Highlights 

from 

previous 

sales 

Highlights 

from 

previous 

sales 

in Bath 

SPECIALISING IN CHINESE AND ASIAN WORKS OF ART 

Right: Chinese 

Marbled globular jar. 

12th century. SOLD 

£7800 incl. premium 

Next 

Auction in 

February 

2022! 

Above: Chinese blue and 

white porcelain spittoon 

‘zhadou’, 

tongzhi period 

or earlier, 19th 

century. SOLD 

£2860 incl. 

premium 

Accepting 

consignments 

for future 

sales! 

Above:Chinese underglaze blue and 

copper-red porcelain water dropper, 

Kangxi Period, 17th century. 

SOLD £4420 incl. premium 

Left: Chinese Liao 

Dynasty (907- 

1125ad) Sancai 

glazed pottery 

pillow – Oxford 

tl tested. 

SOLD £4550 

incl. premium 

Above: Chinese green-glazed bottle 

vase, Tang Dynasty (618-907ad). 

SOLD £4160 incl. premium 

2 Princes Buildings, George Street, Bath, BA1 2ED Tel: 01225 318587 

www.masanauction.com 

Right: Rare 

Chinese stawglazed 

figure 

Of a foreign 

dancer, Tang 

Dynasty (618- 

907ad). SOLD 

£4160 incl. 

premium 

Antiques Bazaar 

A Great Centre for Antiques and Collectables 

A GREAT CENTRE FOR ANTIQUES AND COLLECTABLE 

OVER 95 TRADERS AT ONE LARGE VENUE 

Over TRADING 95 traders 7 DAYS A WEEK at one - FREE large PARKING venue 

TRADING 7 DAYS A WEEK 

The Old Textile Mill, South Street, Crewkerne. TA18 8AG 

Tel: 01460 77121 

@Antiques Bazaar 

www.antiquesbazaar.co.uk 


Langport 

Vintage Market 

All you need to know about 

Langport Vintage Market... 


Tell us more about the market? 

Langport Vintage Market is an eclectic 

monthly market with a variety of interesting 

traders. There’s a friendly vibe and a French Brocante feel with traders 

selling their wares under the shade of the trees. 

A local Wiltshire shop specialising in vintage 

furniture, lifestyle and west country gifts. 

How long has the market been going Kim? 

I started the market in 2017. I’d been looking for somewhere to run 

an event like this and Langport Town Council were very helpful and 

amenable to the idea. It’s a great town to have it in, plenty of things 

to do to make a whole day out, the River Parrett, lovely walks, and 

independent shops and cafes. 

What types of traders can I expect to see? 

The focus of the market is sustainability, reduce, reuse, recycle. Why 

buy brand new when there’s so much good quality old stuff around? 

We have all sorts of traders from people upcycling furniture, fantastic 

vintage clothing, industrial and country house style interiors. 

When and where can I find the vintage market? What have you 

got planned for the Christmas Market? 

The market runs on the second Saturday of every month, there’s a list 

of dates on our website www.langportvintagemarket.co.uk. It’s held 

in the heart of Langport, at the entrance to Cocklemoor Car Park. The 

last market before Christmas is on Saturday 11th December. 

How can get in touch, if I would like to trade with you Kim? 

We are always on the look out for new traders. Pitch fees are very 

reasonable and you can find an application form on the website. 

29 High St, Warminster BA12 9AG 

07733 265795 www.numberteninteriors.com f 

« 

LANGPORT 

VINATGE MARKET 

Since 2017 

Second Saturday Monthly 

Cocklemoor Car Park, Whatley, Langport TA10 9RA 

ALSO 

The Vintage Quarter 

in The Undercroft 

Fridays & Saturday 

10am - 4pm 

www.langportvintagemarket.co.uk 

www.etsy.com/uk/shop/kimwoodsvintage 


Blue 

INTO THE 

Emily Baker takes in ultimate luxury 

in the inimitable Maldives 

I 

t’s difficult to write about the Maldives 

without descending into clichés - it 

is every bit as beautiful as you 

imagined, the ocean suites with their 

glass floor hatches are equal parts 

luxurious and mesmerising, and of course 

the combination of sand, sea and allinclusivity 

really are a winner - so, I’ll try 

and limit myself to only using the word 

crystalline a handful of times, but what 

can I tell you that you don’t already know? 

I think I could start with the journey - 

though travelling is my bread and butter, 

long haul can test even the most excited 

of voyagers. There are a few different 

routes to the mainland of Male, but for 

those looking to fly in the lap of luxury 

(and if you’re heading to the Maldives, 

who isn’t) then Qatar Airways is the 

best choice - with a short layover in the 

ultra-plush Doha airport, it’s enough to 

make the journey an event, rather than 

a task. Their internationally-celebrated 

Qsuite experience is unlike any other 

I’ve experienced in the air - your own 

private suite with partitioned doors offers 

ambient mood lighting, fully lie-flat beds 

and generous storage space. You can 

open up the space to enjoy meals and a 

glass of fizz with your travel party, before 

slipping back into ultimate comfort and 

privacy. The food is exceptional too - 

both on board and in the Doha Business 

Class lounge. It’s easy to see why it’s 

consistently rated the best in the world. 

If you’ve been nervous to travel since the 

pandemic, the in-flight team are so highly 

professional, you can relax in complete 

safety and start your holiday off in the 

most wonderful way. 

Once in Male, the final leg of the journey 

begins - and for us, it was by seaplane. 

There is something other-worldly about 

seeing this string of atolls from the air for 

the first time. The inky-blue sea stretches 

out like a vast blanket, punctuated by 

bursts of green, framed by the turquoise 

necklace of each island’s reef. Even 

whilst feeling weary from the long flight, I 

pressed myself to the window like a child, 

completely mesmerised by the views 

below along the 40 minute hop. If you’re 

looking for that international-traveller ‘I’ve 

made it’ feeling, then arriving by seaplane 

has to tick all the boxes. 

The welcome on arrival at the spectacular 

Sun Siyam Iru Fushi Resort was the 

first taste of the the Sun Siyam group’s 

trademark hospitality - a gleaming small 

army in white uniforms and glowing 

smiles awaited, festooning us with flower 

garlands and introducing each guest to 

their own dedicated villa butler - they 

are your go-to whilst on the resort, for 

everything from booking restaurant tables 

to helping you hitch a ride on one of the 

golf buggies that transport guests around 

the 52 acre island. 

There are a handful of different 

accommodation options for guests - 

either stays on those quintessential 

oceanic villas, decked with their steps 

straight into the water, or a series of 

beach villas, either with direct access to 

the beach or with oceanic views and their 

own private infinity pools. Whilst some 

of the fixtures and fittings are looking a 

little tired in places, the sheer delight of 

the location more than makes up for any 

shortcomings inside, as does the wealth 

of activities, both in the water and out, 

available from your doorstep. 

This brings me on to my other 

assumption - one I think many travellers 

make - that the Maldives is a destination 

for loved-up couples to fly and flop in 

luxury. And whilst there’s definitely scope 

for that, I wasn’t overcome by a raft of 

couples acting amorously by the pool, 

but instead greeted by a huge breadth 

of guest profiles - there were, of course, 

couples, but also groups of friends on 

a girls getaway and families - taking 

advantage of the total safety of the 

island to let little ones run around freely. 

Though, unlike other family-friendly 

resorts, the children are seen but not 

heard - there’s space for everyone, so 

adults can still find their escape. Kids 

and adults alike can partake in aquatic 

adventures, with guided reef swimming, 

“If the term barefoot luxury is 

banded about too much, it’s very 

much found its true definition here” 


“There’s not much I can say that you 

might not already know, but that 

shouldn’t be a reason to stop you 

getting into the Maldivian groove 

and discovering it for yourself” 


paragliding, and options to learn 

to dive in the resorts PADI and DDI 

Diamond certified diving school. 

If the term barefoot luxury is banded 

about too much, it’s very much 

found its true definition here - this 

is a place of relaxation, aided by 

that extra oomph that only an allinclusive 

stay can offer. In all there 

are 15 venues for drinking and dining 

- offering a mixture of worldwide 

cuisines. Where the food really 

shines is in the bevy of freshly grilled 

reef fish and Maldivian curries - there 

are fine dining options available, but 

it was the Bamboo restaurant with 

its tables in the sand and menus of 

fresh salads and Pan-Asian cuisine 

which really hit the right notes in the 

afternoon heat. 

Knowing as they do that tourism in 

these areas have hugely adverse 

effects on the local environment, 

Sun Siyam as a group continually 

look for ways to reduce their 

footprint. Being an archipelagic 

state, the Maldives does rely on a 

significant array of food imports, but 

the group has its own farm island 

which grows a variety of produce, 

limiting the carbon impact. Guests to 

the resort can visit too, for a unique 

farm to plate experience. 

I suppose the other big question for 

everyone tentatively dipping their 

toes back into international travel, 

is, is it safe? The major advantage 

of the Maldives is the sheer space 

between the islands, meaning that 

they can isolate cases as and when 

they occur. How this landscape will 

change as more vaccines are rolled 

out across the globe is still unknown, 

but its clear that each resort is doing 

their part. As it currently stands, to 

change resorts you are still required 

to take a PCR test - whilst some 

might consider this an unnecessary 

expense, I think it’s a sensible and 

safe practice to make sure you can 

enjoy your stay fully. 

Now, if there is a spa to be found 

in a resort, you will generally find 

me ensconced inside it. Within a 

humble-looking bungalow off one 

of the jungle tracks, lies Iru Fushi’s 

- a world-leading spa by French 

brand Thalgo - don’t be fooled by 

initial appearances though - knock 

on the heavy black-lacquered doors 

and you’ll be whisked into an exotic 

oasis, where pebble-lined paths 

snake through bubbling koi ponds. 

Massages here are on the expensive 

side, but hey, you’re in the Maldives 

- lean in to the luxury and enjoy your 

slice of paradise, it really is worth it. 

I suppose the thing that really sets 

the tone for any trip, and indeed the 

make or break, are the staff within 

the resort, and Sun Siyam really do 

have a spectacularly good team. 

Throughout the stay, nothing was 

too much trouble. Want a pinch-me 

romantic dinner on your own stretch 

of beach, surrounded by the twinkle 

of candles? You’ve got it. In our little 

quintet of ladies holidaying together, 

we mentioned we would like to have 

a meditation session on the beach - 

what we got was a heart shape handdug 

into the sand, punctuated with 

tea lights and frangipani flowers, with 

yoga mats rolled out and a selection 

of oils from the spa to aid relaxation. 

This beautiful scene was all the 

work of our dedicated butlers and 

could not have been more special. 

This attention to detail extends 

everywhere - even my own very 

British sensibilities about having a 

butler were eased, as the service they 

offered was completely unobtrusive 

and very intuitive. 

There’s not much I can say that you 

might not already know, but that 

shouldn’t be a reason to stop you 

getting into the Maldivian groove and 

discovering it for yourself - flawless 

hospitality, great food, a wealth of 

activities and the unrelenting joy of 

the location, I think Sun Siyam could 

make even the most cynical resortsnob 

fall under its spell. 

www.sunsiyam.com 

Travelling admist COVID Restrictions 

means you must be fully aware 

of conditions for travel prior to 

your journey - you must follow the 

restrictions for both your destination 

country and your transit country. 

Should you need to test on return 

to the UK, we recommend Eurofins 

for both the Test to Fly and Test to 

Release service - they are reliable 

and competitively priced. They have 

postal kits available from £44.90, and 

special VIP concierge services for 

£150 where a test will be couriered 

to you, collected and tested on the 

same day to ensure quick results. 

Find out more at www.eurofins.co.uk/ 

pcr-testing-kits 


HORIZON WATER VILLA 

HOW TO BOOK 

ECONOMY 

Sun Siyam Iru Fushi Maldives - 5 

7 nights from £2719 pp (1 Nov’21 – 16 

Dec’21) , +£400 pp (11 Jan’22 – 31 Mar’22) 

Includes return Qatar Airways flights from 

London Heathrow, Deluxe Beach Villa (lead 

in room category), All Inclusive, domestic 

flight & speed boat transfers. Includes a 

booking discount - saving over £1560 per 

couple. Prices are per person based on a 

twin/double share for travel on selected 

departure dates from November’21 – 

March’22 | www.southalltravel.co.uk 

BUSINESS 

Sun Siyam Iru Fushi Maldives - 5 

7 nights from £6279 pp (1 Nov’21 – 16 

Dec’21) , +£400 pp (11 Jan’22 – 31 Mar’22) 

Includes return Qatar Airways flights from 

London Heathrow, Deluxe Beach Villa (lead 

in room category), All Inclusive, domestic 

flight & speed boat transfers. Includes a 

booking discount - saving over £3340 per 

couple. Prices are per person based on a 

twin/double share for travel on selected 

departure dates from November’21 – 

March’22 | www.southalltravel.co.uk 

Qatar Airways 

You can book flights directly with Qatar 

Airways online at www.qatarairways.com 

Please be sure to check any travel 

requirements for your journey ahead of 

booking. 


HOW TO PROTECT YOUR PET 

Here Martin James gives some valuable advice 

Though the UK has changed dramatically 

in recent years, we still have national 

obsessions that are quintessentially 

British. A big chunk of the population 

feel the pull of the open road, jumping 

in a caravan or motorhome at every 

opportunity. Others spend small fortunes 

down at the garden centre or heading out 

to hike in somewhere that’s green. But 

above all else, as a nation we’re obsessed 

with our pets. 

Over lockdown, an astonishing 3.2 million 

households purchased or adopted a pet 

- and a huge and evolving industry has 

grown up around them, from daycare to 

specialist food providers. According to 

the latest research that brings us up to 34 

million pets in the UK, including 12 million 

dogs, 12 million cats, 1 million rabbits and 

600,000 hamsters! 

This demand has led to spiralling prices 

and a worry trend of pet theft - to such a 

degree that the Government is considering 

much tougher penalties for pet thieves. 

And from the complaints I see, cost is 

clearly a worry for many pet owners. 

As people start to go back to the office, 

there’s a huge demand for dog walkers 

and pet daycare. Many people are starting 

to report anxiety in their pets after the 

months of unadulterated attention they’ve 

experienced suddenly ending. Bet therapy 

classes are apparently booming. 

Which brings us to the most important 

pet expenses you’ll encounter - pet 

insurance and vet’s bills. Though many 

more policies have come on to the market 

in recent years, lots of people are put off 

by high prices or confusing contracts. 

Pet insurance varies considerably like all 

insurance products but it makes sense to 

buy the best one you can afford - but that 

doesn’t always mean the most expensive. 

The best policy you can buy is a ‘lifetime’ 

policy, which covers your pet for treatment 

for life, though only for a set amount each 

year. These are the priciest policies but 

make the most sense for pet lovers. You 

can also buy ‘maximum benefit’ policies 

that will pay up to a set ‘cap’ for each 

illness. Finally, there are ‘time limited’ 

policies which only cover your pet for a 

set period (your standard 12 month policy) 

and ‘accident only’ policies. 

If you’re on a budget, an accident only 

policy is worth considering. As the name 

suggests, the policies will only cover you 

for genuine accidents not illnesses. But 

if money is tight, they can really help out 

if your pet is injured. Take time to read 

the policy though so understand what is 

being defined as an accident – and get the 

insurer to explain anything that isn’t clear. 

Pet theft cover is a new type of insurance 

and usually you have to purchase it 

separately. 

A lot of the people I speak to don’t want 

to think about their pet getting ill, so 

leaving aside some basic injections and 

treatments, many people avoid speaking 

to a vet until something bad happens. I’d 

really encourage anyone with a pet to get 

to know their vet. The security of knowing 

that the surgery is there, its opening hours 

and where to go if you need emergency 

treatment is priceless – though I hope you 

never need to use it. 

Speak to your vet before signing up to 

see if their fees are likely to be covered. 

There’s quite a lot of variation with vet’s 

fees - and if yours is pricey, check with 

the insurer how much they’d be willing to 

cover. 

And finally, if you need to make a claim, 

speak to the insurer and tell them 

about the costs asap. Some vets may 

recommend ‘experimental’ treatments 

that aren’t recognised and might not 

be covered. I’ve seen dogs sent for 

hydrotherapy treatments that turned out to 

be frolicking in a paddling pool in a shed – 

for hundreds of pounds. So make sure you 

look into what every treatment involves 

and how it helps the underlying medical 

condition. 

Martin is head of Media at Resolver 

Resolver can help you sort out complaints 

including pets, vets and every pet service 

you can imagine. Check out www.resolver. 

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. 


Tough on all Pathogens 

BACTERIAL, VIRAL & FUNGAL 

Yet skin pH Neutral, Gentle to Skin 

Reasons to 

5LOVE LEUCILLIN 

33% 

OFF 

for all 

Readers 

Proudly Supporting 

because Leucillin is alcohol free! It’s 

gentle HSE approved formula 

matches our natural pH meaning kind 

to skin and safe for all. 

At home or away, Leucillin is a 

effective essential for all skin 

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 

friendly. 

Available in stores and online 

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

PROMO CODE: LEUCILLINTOTHERESCUE 

www.leucillin.co.uk 

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.

NAVIGATING THE 

FUTURE TOGETHER 

ON YOUR SIDE, AT YOUR SIDE FOR: 

For Businesses 

For Individuals 

• Land & Rural Estates 

• Mergers & Acquisitions 

• Lasting Powers of Attorney 

• Residential Property 

• Farm Succession Planning 

• Commercial Contracts 

• Family 

• Wills & Inheritance 

• Commercial Property 

• Employment & HR 

• Later Life Support 

• Tax & Trust Advice 

• Business Start Up 

• Dispute Resolution 

• Dispute Resolution 

• Financial Planning 

• Probate & Estate Planning 

Our experts are here to help – get in touch today. 

mogersdrewett.com | 01749 342323 | enquiries@mogersdrewett.com


Buying residential 

property 

Alison Treble discusses more about 

buying a residential property... 

What does purchasing a property 

involve? 

Purchasing property, whether freehold 

or leasehold will involve two main 

stages - Exchange of Contracts (the legal 

commitment) and Completion (when you 

actually move). 

What is the difference between 

freehold and leasehold? 

Most houses are freehold which means 

your ownership is not limited in time and 

you will usually be buying the physical 

structure, walls, the roof, foundations of 

the house, the site on which the house is 

built and any garden. 

Flats or apartments are leasehold which 

means, you will be buying the right to 

live in the property for a specific period 

of years, often 99, 125 or 999 years. In 

the Lease the property owner (you) will 

be required to reimburse the Landlord 

(who owns the Freehold title in the land) 

an annual rent and by way of a service 

charge pay your share of the costs 

incurred by the Landlord for upkeep of 

the property. 

How long does the process of 

purchasing a property take? 

On average between 8-12 weeks but this 

can vary particularly if there is a chain 

involved. While solicitors are used to 

co-ordinating multiple chains sometimes 

delay is out of their control as they focus 

on protecting you and your investments. 

What is the role of a solicitor in the 

process of buying a house? 

Your solicitor will assist you with your 

decision on whether or not to buy a 

property, as they will review the title 

documentation and carry out searches 

on the property with various authorities 

and then prepare a report in which 

they will highlight any issues relating 

to the property. They are also required 

to provide source of funds information 

as well as proof of identity and proof 

of address as part of the Anti-Money 

Laundering checks. 

At what stage can I change my mind 

and withdrawal from a purchase? 

Up until the exchange of contracts, both 

you and the Seller can change your mind 

and withdraw, with each party bearing his 

or her own costs. 

What happens at the exchange of 

contracts stage? 

If you are happy to proceed with the 

purchase and both parties have approved 

the contract, you can instruct your 

solicitor to proceed to exchange of 

contracts. 

You and the Seller will each sign one part 

of the contract and you will pay a deposit 

(usually 10% of the purchase price). Once 

exchange of contracts has taken place, 

a legally binding agreement is created. 

Both you and the Seller must complete 

the transaction on the agreed completion 

date. If you fail to complete the purchase, 

you could lose your 10% deposit. 

What happens at Completion? 

On the completion date you must pay the 

Seller the balance of the purchase price 

and you must provide your solicitors with 

sufficient funds to pay Stamp Duty Land 

Tax (SDLT) and Land Registry fees. 

Completion will take place when the 

Seller’s solicitors confirm receipt of the 

completion funds, and they arrange for 

the keys of the property to be released 

to you. 

If you are planning on buying or selling 

a residential property, it is important to 

appoint a specialist residential property 

lawyer to act for you to ensure your 

interests are protected. 

Get in touch today with our Residential 

team on 01225 750000 or email 

Alison.treble@mogersdrewett.com and 

let us help you get moving today. 


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 


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Mendip Living - 165mm (w) x 240mm (h) +3mm bleed.indd 1 05/03/2020 12:25

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Mendip Living Dec 2021 - Jan 2022

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