J’AIME MARCH 2022

J’AIME
Y O U R L O C A L L U X U R Y L I F E S T Y L E M A G A Z I N E
M A R C H 2 0 2 2
Festival
fever:
win tickets to
Lichfield Literature
Festival
THE
SUPERMODEL
FAVOURITE:
rocking a
jean-ius look
HE’S A
STAR!
Michelin award
for Lichfield’s
Tom Shepherd
FRESHEN UP YOUR HOME WITH
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Welcome to J’AIME
He’s only gone and done it!
Here at J’AIME HQ we awaited the news of the new
Michelin Guide with baited breath as, for the first time,
there was the very real possibility of a star arriving a little
closer to home. And when the announcement was made,
it was jubilation for Lichfield as Upstairs, the stunning
restaurant by acclaimed chef Tom Shepherd, was
awarded the one star accolade - just four months after
opening. It’s a tremendous achievement for Tom, gaining
not only the first star in Lichfield, but in Staffordshire
as a whole. And with Birmingham retaining its five
Michelin stars too, it was a very good day for our neck of
the woods indeed.
And the foodie treats keep on coming in this issue; we
chat to talented young Lichfield chef Jack Dubberley
about taking a chance during lockdown to set up a
fine dining concept of his own, as well as catch up
with David and Anette Taylor about their immersive
walled garden dining experience, Grace and Savour, at
Hampton Manor.
Elsewhere, Lichfield Literature Festival takes over the city
this month; we chat to author and art historian Dr Amy
Jeffs ahead of her appearance at the festival, plus you
can win tickets to a special Cornish cream tea afternoon
with bestselling Lichfield author Phillipa Ashley.
And ahead of Mother’s Day, inspirational local mum
and business owner Melissa Bettson talks to us about
adapting to the pandemic and motherhood, plus we
round up so great gift ideas for the mums and motherfigures
in your life.
If you enjoy what you read in this issue, then why not
help us to spread the word? As well as being delivered
directly to homes in selected postcodes across the
area, you can pick J’AIME up free of charge in major
supermarkets around the Midlands, as well as read the
whole thing - and plenty more! - online at
www.jaimemagazine.com
EDITOR: AMY NORBURY
EDITOR@JAIMEMAGAZINE.COM
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CONTRIBUTORS: KATY EDGINGTON,
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CO N T E N T S
InsideJ’aime this month...
6 Lichfield Literature Festival - Author and art
historian Dr Amy Jeffs comes to Lichfield this
month
10 Tuppenhurst Barn - Inspirational mum and
business owner Melissa Bettson on fulfilling
ambitions and juggling motherhood
14 Property - Property of the month
16 Property - A family pad from Chosen Home
18 Interiors - Bright and breezy with Bright Skies
24 Interiors - Embracing those curves
28 Mother’s Day - Gift guide
32 Movie magic - The Force is strong for Richard
Winterton’s specialist auction
34 Food and drink - Talented chef Jack Dubberley
on his culinary ambitions
38 Food and drink - A spicy delight from Thyme
Kitchen
40 Food and drink - The exciting opening of Grace
and Savour at Hampton Manor
46 Food and drink - A new dining concept at
Swinfen Hall
48 Food and drink - A star is born in Lichfield
50 Travel - An historical trip to Greece
54 Competition - Win tickets to A Cornish Cafe
Cream Tea Afternoon at Lichfield Literature
Festival
56 What’s On - Events around the Midlands this
month
60 Wealth Matters - The world of finance with
Jean Lamb
62 Fashion - A jean-ius combination
64 Beauty - What’s your skin type?
66 Health - A weight loss revolution at Spire
Little Aston
SPONSORED BY
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F E AT U R E
A new mythology
of Britain
AHEAD OF HER LICHFIELD LITERATURE FESTIVAL APPEARANCE THIS MONTH, DR AMY JEFFS TELLS
KATY EDGINGTON ABOUT HER FIRST BOOK, STORYLAND: A NEW MYTHOLOGY OF BRITAIN
After a turbulent 2020 and 2021, Lichfield Literature
Festival returns to its usual place in the calendar this
year and will take place between Thursday, March
24 and Sunday, March 27 at venues around the city.
“In my new role as Literature Programmer, I really
wanted this year’s programme to offer something for
everyone,” says Anna Millward in her introduction to
the Festival guide, and she’s certainly managed to tick
a huge number of boxes, pulling together a packed
programme of in-person literary events over the long
weekend. They run the gamut from historical nonfiction
to crime stories and novels to a draw-along for
the kids with award-winning author and illustrator
Rob Biddulph.
One of the many titles that will come under the
Literature Festival’s spotlight is Storyland: A New
Mythology of Britain (riverrun), which was published
last September. To mark the occasion, J’AIME
caught up with author Dr Amy Jeffs, an art historian
specialising in the Middle Ages as well as an artist.
In 2019, Amy earned her PhD in Art History from
Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, after studying
for earlier degrees at the Courtauld Institute of Art
and the University of Cambridge. During her PhD
she co-convened a project researching medieval
badges and pilgrim souvenirs at the British Museum.
She then worked in the British Library’s department
of Ancient, Medieval and Early Modern manuscripts
and is currently a Fellow at the Paul Mellon Centre
for Studies in British Art. It was her undergraduate
degree that forged Amy’s passion for art history and
specific interest in the Middle Ages.
“When I was 18, the University of Cambridge gave
me a place to read Anglo-Saxon, Norse and Celtic.
It offers a mixture of language, literature, art history
and more obscure subjects like codicology (the study
of manuscripts, especially how they are made) and
palaeography (script history). I just loved it and from
BA to PhD I have rarely ventured beyond the 16th
DR AMY JEFFS WILL BE AT LICHFIELD
LITERATURE FESTIVAL THIS MONTH
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AMY’S INCREDIBLE LINOCUT ILLUSTRATIONS
BRING STORYLAND TO LIFE
century,” said Amy.
Despite being described first and foremost as an
art historian, as an artist, a regular contributor to
Country Life magazine, and now an author, Amy’s
work defies attempts at pigeon-holing. Her writing
is often accompanied by her own linocut and woodengraved
prints. Amy started producing linocuts of
Britain’s medieval origin myths when she was living
in Somerset and writing up her thesis.
“These turned into 24 illustrations for a series of
Country Life articles about medieval legends set
in Britain, which in turn became a proposal that
helped me find Georgina Capel, my agent, and then
Quercus, my publisher. I had thought for a long time
that the stories could make a beautiful book.”
Storyland was the result and is her first book.
Steeped in magic and vividly reimagined for modern
readers, it is a beautifully written and illustrated
mythology that revives some of the oldest legends
set in some of the wildest landscapes of medieval
Britain. From ancient origin stories through sections
entitled ‘Prehistory’ and ‘Antiquity’ and right up
to the Middle Ages and the Norman Conquest,
Storyland treads in the footsteps of Brutus and
Scota, Lear and Cordelia, Arthur and Merlin,
Edward the Martyr and the giant Gogmagog - each
illuminated by Amy’s dramatic linocuts. Of course,
it was this series of artworks that came first, but
there were several aspects to the creative process that
worked together towards the end product.
“For me, making the art and writing the text, as well
as travel and composing songs, helped me home
in on the aspects of each story that captivated me
most,” explains Amy.
Each story is positioned with a historical
commentary, where Amy makes clear where she’s
used dramatic and artistic licence and what her
primary source material was. But why did she choose
this route when she could have simply stuck to the
retelling of each legend?
“My first answer is that when I read retellings of
myth, I’m often eager to know more about the
author’s process,” she answers. “I wanted to offer
a commentary that was clearly separate from the
stories, as well as a primary source reading list at
the end, so that readers could stay in the fiction if
they wanted to or journey deeper into the medieval
material.
“My second answer is that these wonderful stories
are common property but little known. If readers
want to write their own retellings, then a way into the
original material could be helpful. I wanted to write
a useful book, as well as an engaging one.”
For the layperson, many of the myths and legends
may not be familiar, although certain names, places
and landmarks will ring a bell. For Amy, it’s tricky to
say what exactly she hopes readers will find in these
stories and what they should take away.
“I know readers will bring all sorts of brilliant
perspectives to the stories that I could never dream
up,” she says. “But I’d love readers to recognise the
places described in the book that are local to them,
whether it’s the red earth of the Clent Hills or the
toadflax that grows on the north Cornish coast.
STORYLAND IS
AMY’S FIRST BOOK
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7

“Likewise, writing this book deepened both my
love of places that I might not otherwise have paid
attention to. I hope Storyland helps foster a sense of
wonder at the antiquity and mystery of our collective
relationship with these islands.”
Although these ancient stories deal with emotive
human themes like extinction, parenthood, defiance,
love, loss and the yearning to belong, many of
them draw links between Britain and the rest of the
world that go back thousands of years. This is no
coincidence, as Amy explains.
“These myths were not seen as myths in the Middle
Ages. They were deep histories that often served
political functions, including connecting their patrons
with the illustrious societies of the Old Testament
and Classical worlds. It’s important to acknowledge
that we still emphasise historical narratives of which
we are proud: that emphasis is always political.
“We all belong in the world, but that reality is too
often blurred by myths of domination and exclusion.
Perhaps old stories can help us spot modern mythmaking
and think about it more critically.”
Her personal favourite among the myths included in
the book is also the subject of her favourite linocut,
and it happens to be the same one that was used for
the cover.
“It shows the goddess Diana appearing to the exiled
Trojan, Brutus, who will come to found and give his
name to Britain. By telling him where to go and what
to do, she gives the exiled Brutus a sense of vocation.
I love that idea: of being adrift and then suddenly full
of purpose. Diana has become the personification
of vocation in my
mind.”
The critical response
has been positive;
Storyland has
become a Sunday
Times bestseller, the
Times’ Historical
Fiction Book of
the Year, and was
shortlisted for
Waterstones Book of
the Year. So, how is
Amy feeling about
the way it has been
received and the
public reaction to it
so far?
“Bringing the tales
in Storyland to a
wider readership was like introducing a new friend
or partner to my family; I hoped they’d get on, but
it was out of my hands,” she says. “The reaction
to Storyland has been disarmingly positive and as
readers have started forming their own relationships
with and creative responses to its stories I’ve felt huge
relief and pleasure.”
The future is certainly looking full of promise for
the multi-talented Dr Jeffs. At the moment, Amy is
working on two new book projects inspired by the
Middle Ages, which she says she “can’t stop thinking
about”. The first is just about to be announced as
we go to press, while the other is still waiting in the
wings for now. I wondered, is she looking forward to
engaging with the public during her appearance at
Lichfield Literature Festival?
“After the seclusion of the past couple of years, it’s a
privilege to meet people face to face,” Amy replies.
“I’ve learned so much from people’s questions
and ideas about Storyland and when I go back to
my desk and start writing again, those affirming
interactions put wind in my sails.”
To follow and find out more about Amy’s work,
find her on Twitter @amy_historia, Instagram @
historia_prints and at amyjeffshistoria.com. Prints
of her artwork are available for purchase via art-ofillustration.co.uk.
You can catch Amy at Lichfield Literature Festival
on Saturday, March 26 at 3.30pm at The Hub at St
Mary’s on Market Street. Tickets are priced at £10.
To book, visit lichfieldliteraturefestival.org
8
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F E AT U R E
Passion, pushing
and asking for help
KATY EDGINGTON CHATS TO INSPIRATIONAL BUSINESS OWNER MELISSA
BETTSON, WHO RUNS TUPPENHURST BARN B&B AND CAFE JUST OUTSIDE
LICHFIELD, ABOUT ADAPTING TO THE PANDEMIC AND TO MOTHERHOOD
March is the month we
celebrate not only Mother’s
Day but also International
Women’s Day, so when
better to catch up with an
inspirational female local
business owner and mum,
Melissa Bettson?
When she finished her degree,
Mel was set on coming home
but not to farm at Tuppenhurst
as several generations of
her family had before her.
Searching for a way to make
her own contribution to the
farm, she was out with her
German Shepherd, Bear, who
she sadly lost last year, when
she had the idea to transform a
listed 17th century outbuilding
into a dog-friendly café and
boutique bed and breakfast.
After a painstaking restoration and renovation
process, Tuppenhurst Barn B&B and Café opened
in June 2019, with four spacious ensuite bedrooms
including an accessible ground floor room.
The farm is also home to an equine arena, available
for hire and membership, where Bea of Houndspeak
Dog Training also runs her puppy classes and
evening classes. As well as running both businesses
and baking all the cakes for the café, Mel lets out
the family’s 500 acres of land for sheep and arable
farming.
Located just outside Handsacre and a stone’s
throw from the Trent and Mersey Canal, the café
offers a menu of light breakfasts, light lunches and
homemade cakes which go down a treat with the
many walkers and cyclists who visit each week. The
MEL BETTSON, WITH
DAUGHTER MAISIE AND
PARTNER JORDAN
impact of Covid-19 has inevitably been felt across
the business. The breakfast menu now focuses on
the most popular items, like bacon and sausage
sandwiches, croissants and pancakes, and previously
long opening hours have been reduced.
“We’re now open Thursday to Sunday, 10am until
3pm, which has worked really well throughout
winter,” Mel explains. “Maybe in summer we’ll
expand those hours, but it gives the staff a break,
especially because the B&B was almost fully
booked from the time we were able to reopen until
Christmas. It’s been very full-on, but it’s been great.”
The café also serves afternoon teas and is available
for private hire. With capacity at a comfortable
25 indoors, it’s proving a popular venue for baby
showers and other small parties. Another effect of
the pandemic has been to expand the offering into
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private catering as people look to host in
their own homes. Mel’s partner Jordan
was furloughed at the outset, so they
worked together in the café for a while
when Mel was unable to have staff in.
“There are definitely more people who
will sit outside now at any time of year
and whatever the weather,” she’s noticed.
“If we are full inside, quite often people
will choose to sit outside even in the rain
and the cold!”
This Mother’s Day, the team will be
offering afternoon tea to eat in or take
away. The demand for takeaway options
has continued despite the lifting of
restrictions, and the business has adapted
accordingly.
“A lot of people want an afternoon tea to
have at home, or they might have older
parents that don’t want to come out,” Mel
notes. “It’s something a bit different to
coffee and cake - a bit of a celebration.”
Mel will be celebrating this Mother’s Day with her
own daughter, Maisie, who arrived in September
2020. Since then, she has mostly been fitting in
farm-related office-based work in the evenings and
spending as much quality time as possible with
Maisie. I wondered how becoming a mum has
affected Mel’s outlook on her businesses and life in
general?
“I think Jordan would say that when we met I was
very career-focused and wanted to compete with
my horse and do this and do that, and kids weren’t
really in the mix,” she says. “When we started talking
about having a baby and our future together she very
quickly came along. I didn’t realise how much having
BAKING DELICIOUS CAKES AND TREATS FOR THE CAFE
HAS BEEN ONE OF MEL’S MANY JOBS
MEL’S MISSION TO DIVERSIFY HER
FAMILY’S FARM SAW THE OPENING
OF A CAFE AND B&B
her would change everyday life, but now every
day is about her and fitting everything around her.
Having her around is brilliant. She comes with me
everywhere. She walks into the cafe and she knows
where everything is. ”
With baby number two - a boy - due at the end of
April, Mel is keen for the family business to support
them to be able to go and do what they want to
do - whether they want to be involved, to take it in
their own direction, or whether it’s just there in the
background.
“They’ll do what they want to do and very much
be who they want to be, but having this there is a
way that they can do that,” she explains. “There is
something here if they want to come back to it. It
will be absolutely lovely if they
do want to come back to it, but I
know myself that if I was pushed
to do something I wouldn’t want
to do it!”
One of the great lessons Mel
shares from becoming a business
owner and becoming a mum
is the importance of a strong
support network. Zoe Niven,
owner of Daisy’s Kitchen in
Rugeley, baked for the café when
it first opened, before Mel took on
the baking herself. When she fell
pregnant, Mel asked if Zoe would
consider taking it on again so that
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11

THE BUSY B&B IS JUST ONE OF THREE
BUSINESSES MEL RUNS
she could step back a bit when the time came.
“It’s been great to have that support,” Mel says.
“Because there’s a lot of work involved that I won’t
stop doing - all the bookings, admin and office work
for all three businesses - and I won’t have maternity
leave so to speak. The baking front is where I can
actually get help from somebody else. Zoe’s bakes
are great, so I spoke to her after Christmas when I
was ready to take a step back, and she’s now doing
our baking for the next few
months.”
For other young women or
mums who have or want to start
their own business, Mel believes
you should do something that
makes you happy and have
the courage to do it even if it’s
years in the making. It may not
always go the way you planned,
but it might develop into
something else.
“I think you need to do
something you’re passionate
about and something that has a
strong feeling behind it that will
push you forward,” she stresses.
TUPPENHURST BARN’S CAFE HAS
BEEN A HIT SINCE OPENING IN 2019
“When I was thinking about the cafe and B&B, I
wanted to build a place where I would walk to with
the dog and where I would take my family.
“You have to have something pushing you. For me
it was wanting to build a dog-friendly place and
wanting to do something here was very important
to me, especially after my dad passed away. I had
a sense of responsibility and, I suppose, a sense of
duty. But it had to be something I wanted to do,
where I would wake up every day and think ‘I love
doing this’. I love running my own business. It’s hard
work but I love it.”
Mel counts herself lucky to have a great team of
people on hand to help in different ways. She works
closely with her café manager, as well as having a
very supportive and understanding partner in Jordan.
“He has his own full-time job, but he’ll be the one
out there at 6am harrowing the arena or unloading
the wholesale orders,” she says. “I think it’s very
important to remember that you can’t do it all
by yourself. I thought I could at the start - but
you can’t, and you definitely can’t when you have
children because your children come first. I got quite
disheartened when I couldn’t do it all. I thought
I was doing something wrong. You’re not doing
anything wrong; you do need that support and you
shouldn’t be afraid to ask for help.
“Before I would kick myself and not want to ask for
help - I would see it as a weakness. But now I realise
it’s not. We’re all human. You need to be passionate
and be your own driving force, but you also need
someone behind you putting a bit of fuel in every
now and again.”
For more details visit
www.tuppenhurstfarm.co.uk
12 www.jaimemagazine.com

will be exhibiting a collection of
original 19th & 20th century paintings
by recognised British and European artists.
Exhibition runs from Jan 22nd to Mar 31st 2022.
Prices from £1,000 to £18,000
Jonathan Armigel Wade (British b. 1960)
‘The New Arrival’
Jonathan Armigel-Wade (British b. 1960) The New Arrival Oil on board Signed (lower
right); further signed, titled and numbered 1930 (verso)20 x 29cm (7¾ x 11¼ in.)
Particularly noted for his ‘curvispective’ style of oil painting, often of interiors,
hunting/sporting scenes, coastal and harbour views, quiet rural scenes and distorted
perspectives. His paintings are often described as ‘little excursions for the mind’.
William Oliver (1823-1901)
‘A failed Romance’ 1888
William Oliver Williams was born in Worcester. He moved to London and enrolled at the Royal academy in 1848.
He became a very successful figurative and genre artist.
He regularly exhibited at the Royal Academy, the Royal Society of Artists and British institution in London.
Examples of his work can be found in the Royal Collection and the V&A museum London, as well as the
Manchester Art Gallery, Russel Cotes Gallery and Sheffield Museum. His work is also popular in North America
This painting is in remarkable condition and looks as though it could have been painted a few years ago. it is the best
painting by Oliver that we have ever seen.
George Chambers (1803-1840)
‘The merchant barque Crown and
Paddle Steamers off Folkestone’ 1826
Born in Whitby, from the age of 10 George Chambers started working as a cabin boy
and was later apprenticed to the master of a brig trading in the Mediterranean
He proved to have an exceptional innate talent for art and so impressed local captains
with his decoration of their ships that the owner released him from his apprenticeship
so he could devote himself full time to painting.
In 1825 Chambers worked his way on a trading vessel to London where he was greatly
helped by Christopher Crawford, Landlord at the Waterman’s Arms Inn in Wapping.
King William IV and Queen Adelaide who bought a number of his
paintings to add to the Royal Collection. Three of his paintings are in
the National Maritime Museum
The Midlands leading gallery for original paintings, designer jewellery,
handmade ceramics, glass and bespoke furniture.
www.artifex.co.uk - 0121 3233776
The Mitchell Centre, Weeford Road, Sutton Coldfield B75 6NA
Open 7 days a week. 10am to 5pm (4pm Sundays)

P R O P E RTY
Property of the Month
EACH MONTH WE SHOWCASE ONE OF THE MOST LUXURIOUS PROPERTIES CURRENTLY ON THE
MARKET IN THE MIDLANDS. THIS MONTH’S SELECTION IS A STUNNING FOUR-BEDROOM FAMILY
HOME WITH PRIVATE GATED DRIVEWAY SITUATED ON THE SOUGHT-AFTER FOUR OAKS ESTATE
1A Wentworth Road, Four Oaks Estate, Sutton Coldfield: £925,000
On the market with Aston Knowles: 0121 362 7878
THE AGENT SAYS: As you enter the property through
the porch, you are welcomed into the impressive reception
hall. It provides access to the utility space and WC as well
as the dining room with front aspect, featuring an exposed
beam and fireplace with surround, making this the perfect
place for entertaining or more formal dinners with family.
The study is a bright generous sized space with a front
aspect, perfect for those who are working from home. The
drawing room is flooded with light from the patio doors
either side of the feature chimney breast.
The kitchen is accessed through double doors from the
reception hall; with tiled floor, island unit, AGA and open
plan area to the rear with views over the garden, it provides
a great space for families and could be adapted for more
informal dining.
The first floor features the principal bedroom with en-suite
shower room with his and hers sinks and sky light; the
impressive dressing area also has a sky light. The guest
bedroom is located at the front of the property and has
an en-suite and built-in wardrobes. Two further bedrooms
and a family bathroom with stand alone bath and separate
shower cubicle complete the first floor accommodation.
The property is set back from the road with a gated gravel
driveway which provides ample parking.
The rear garden features established shrubs and trees and
a well-kept lawn area. The patio immediately to the back
of the property is perfect for outdoor seating. A summer
house to the rear of the garden provides great storage
space.
W E L O V E : T H E H O M E ’ S G E N ER O US P R O P O R T I O NS
14 www.jaimemagazine.com

0121 362 7878
astonknowles.com
GEORGIAN PINES, TALBOT AVENUE - Sutton Coldfield
GUIDE PRICE £1,500,000
A spacious four-bedroom property providing tremendous
potential to create a stunning family home.
Situated in the highly regarded area of Little Aston, well
placed for access to Streetly village, Sutton Coldfield and
Birmingham City Centre. There is a good selection of everyday
amenities in Streetly village and the property is located
close to Sutton Park; one of Europe’s biggest urban parks.
The area provides an excellent range of schooling for both
primary and secondary education in the state and private
sector.
The property features an extensive driveway with parking
for multiple vehicles, complemented by the two separate
garages at either side of the property.
ACCOMMODATION
Ground floor: reception hall, drawing room with access to
conservatory, dining room, study, kitchen/breakfast room, WC,
utility.
First floor: principal bedroom with fitted wardrobes and en-suite,
bedrooms two and three with fitted wardrobes, fourth
bedroom with dressing room, family bathroom.
Gardens and Grounds: integral garage, second garage,
beautifully presented landscaped gardens with pond,
driveway with ample parking.
THE DETAILS
4 BEDS 2 BATHS
Approximate gross internal floor area including garages
3,373 square feet (313 square metres). EPC Rating: C
ASTON KNOWLES 8 High Street, Sutton Coldfield B72 1XA 0121 362 7878 enquiries@astonknowles.com www.astonknowles.com
@astonknowles

P R O P E RTY
A wonderful family home
A SPACIOUS FAMILY HOME WITH BAGS OF POTENTIAL IN A SOUGHT-AFTER
LOCATION IS CHOSEN HOME’S PICK OF THEIR PROPERTIES FOR SALE THIS MONTH
Talbot Avenue, Little Aston, Sutton Coldfield: offers in the region of £1,300,000
On the market with Chosen Home: 0121 222 1180
THE AGENT SAYS: Located at this prestigious address
in Little Aston, this deceptively spacious family home has
tremendous potential to extend and further improve, subject to
planning.
Close by is the stunning 2,400 acre Sutton Park as well as
Streetly Tennis Club and both Little Aston golf club and Aston
Wood golf club. Nearby Streetly and Mere Green offer a host
of high street and independent shops, cafes, restaurants and
bars as well as a Sainsbury’s and Marks and Spencer Food Hall.
On entering the property, you are greeted with a bright and
welcoming reception hall with stairs rising to the first floor and
doors opening into the ground floor accommodation. A bright
living room to the rear offers delightful views over the mature
and private rear garden and opens into the defined dining area
which again enjoys views over the garden.
To the front, a spacious home office with fitted furniture is a
relaxing place to work or study looking out over the fore garden
and mature trees. The breakfast kitchen to the rear opens via
double doors into a superb garden room with large windows
and benefiting from the addition of a log burner. Completing
the ground floor accommodation is a guest wc, utility room, a
large pantry, gardeners wc and a generous double garage.
To the first floor, you will find four double bedrooms and a
modern re-fitted family bathroom. The main bedroom features
fitted wardrobes, a modern re-fitted en-suite and enjoys views
over the rear garden. The three further bedrooms all feature
fitted wardrobes with two of them enjoying views to the rear
with one to the front.
The mature rear garden is a triumph, having a large patio area
perfect for entertaining and large expanses of lawn with mature
borders and a plethora of fauna and flora. Areas of hard
standing offer spaces for sheds and outbuildings while secure
gated side access leads to the front of the property with parking
for several vehicles, lawned fore garden and mature borders.
Regional manager, Rob Shotton says: “Award winning Chosen
Home are delighted to offer this lovely family home for sale
at this prestigious and sought after address. The current
owners have maintained the property to a high standard but
reluctantly, it is now time for them to move on. Already offering
spacious accommodation, there is tremendous potential for the
new owners to remodel and extend to create a most wonderful
home.”
To organise a viewing, please call Chosen Home on
0121 222 1180 or email team@chosenhome.com.
16 www.jaimemagazine.com

Excellent
“ If you are planning on
moving home in the future,
definitely use Chosen Home.
You will not be disappointed.”
Mrs P of Sutton Coldfield
Trustpilot review February 2022
chosenhome.com
Call 0121 222 1180

I N T E R I O R S
Bright
and breezy
EVERY year, Dulux colour experts translate global design
trends into the new Colour of the Year. The shade for
2022 is Bright Skies, an airy and fresh tone that opens up
and breathes new life into any space.
Described as “a light, airy and optimistic blue that’s good
for the soul,” Bright Skies is a shade which can revitalise
any room of the home, bringing a bright and breezy vibe
to your interior decor.
Combine with a vibrant palette to create an uplifting space
perfect for kids’ bedrooms or play spaces, or embrace
nature by pairing with trend-led greens for a harmonious
feel.
The experts at Dulux said: “Over the past 18 months, our
lives have been turned upside down, but we’ve also had
time to rethink the way we live and reassess what’s really
important. It’s these discussions that led to our key themes,
open skies and a breath of fresh air.”
Inject a splash of Bright Skies into your home by
revamping your walls, or add a touch of that freshness
with carefully chosen accessories.
JONATHAN ADLER ETHER CHAIR IN BERGAMO
ICE, £1,750, SWEETPEA & WILLOW.
WWW.SWEETPEAANDWILLOW.COM
£425
£275
£30.50
£58
DARCEY SWIVEL ACCENT CHAIR IN
LAGOON, PEPPERMILL INTERIORS,
BURNTWOOD BUSINESS PARK.
WWW.PEPPERMILLINTERIORS.COM
TALL HAND PAINTED BLUE VASE,
NEEDWOOD LIVING, ALREWAS.
WWW.NEEDWOODLIVING.CO.UK
HORIZON PENDANT IN SKY BLUE,
PEPPER SQ. WWW.PEPPERSQ.COM
BLUE LINEN FLORAL DRUM
LAMPSHADE, FROM THE GARDEN
COLLECTION BY HELEN ROUND.
WWW.HELENROUUND.COM
18 www.jaimemagazine.com

WELCOME TO BAYLISS BATHROOMS,
THE LARGEST INDEPENDENT LUXURY
BATHROOM SPECIALIST IN THE REGION.
OUR UNRIVALLED ONE STOP PROJECT
MANAGED SERVICE, FROM DESIGN
THROUGH TO INSTALLATION, IS FOCUSED
ON TURNING YOUR DREAM BATHROOM
INTO REALITY.
WHATEVER YOUR REQUIREMENTS,
WE CAN PROVIDE YOUR BATHROOM
SOLUTION. WE WELCOME YOU TO VISIT
OUR NEW WEBSITE OR SHOWROOM TO
EXPLORE THE BAYLISS EXPERIENCE AND
ALL THE OPTIONS AVAILABLE TO YOU
We offer a complete ‘One Stop’ process to turn your bathroom dreams into reality, which includes:
• A bespoke 2,500 sq ft showroom with over 20 bathroom displays located in Sutton Coldfield
• A specialist design team to create designs to match your every need
• Expert knowledge of our partner brands giving you access to superb products and tiles.
• In-house installation teams working to the highest possible standards
• Management of all aspects of the Project, providing you with a single point of contact, every step of the way
• For those customers who require a Supply Only service, access to all leading brands at competitive cost.
BAYLISS BATHROOMS, 23 GATE LANE, BOLDMERE, SUTTON COLDFIELD B73 5TR
0121 362 1800 - www.baylissbathrooms.co.uk

ALLERTON VELVET ACCENT CHAIR,
PEPPERMILL INTERIORS,
BURNTWOOD BUSINESS PARK.
WWW.PEPPERMILLINTERIORS.COM
£199
£285
ANDERSON FOOTSTOOL IN DUCK EGG BLUE,
CULT FURNITURE. WWW.CULTFURNITURE.COM
£49.95
HUCKLEBERRY BLACK THREE WAY OVER
TABLE LIGHT WITH BLUE SHADES, ICONIC
LIGHTS. WWW.ICONICLIGHTS.CO.UK
BEPUREHOME POTTERY GLASS
PENDANT LIGHT, CUCKOOLAND.
WWW.CUCKOOLAND.COM
DULUX BRIGHT SKIES, FROM
£17.50/2.5L. WWW.DULUX.CO.UK
£70
£79
£650
ELINORE MEDIUM CANDLE HOLDER,
SWEETPEA & WILLOW.
WWW.SWEETPEAANDWILLOW.COM
MIRREN VELVET SEATING RANGE IN AQUA, FROM PEPPERMILL INTERIORS,
BURNTWOOD BUSINESS PARK. WWW.PEPPERMILLINTERIORS.COM
ABSTRACT ART PRINTS, FROM £30,
FROM CLAUDE & LEIGHTON.
WWW.CLAUDEANDLEIGHTON.COM
20 www.jaimemagazine.com

BLUE TICKING STRIPE DUVET COVER, £135,
CHALK PINK LINEN COMPANY.
WWW.CHALKPINKLINENCOMPANY.CO.UK
LAZY LINEN BEDDING BUNDLE IN
CORNFLOWER BLUE, £45, LOAF.
WWW.LOAF.COM
EZRA UPHOLSTERED SINGLE BED IN
BLUE, £299, CUCKOOLAND.
WWW.CUCKOOLAND.COM
WILD BLUE MEADOW MURAL BY SIR EDWARD,
FROM £35/M2, WALLSAUCE.
WWW.WALLSAUCE.COM
DULUX BRIGHT SKIES, FROM
£17.50/2.5L. WWW.DULUX.CO.UK
52

HIGH-END PATIO FURNITURE FROM A PROFESSIONAL OUTDOOR FURNITURE
SUPPLIER WITH OVER 30 YEARS COMBINED EXPERIENCE IN SUPPLYING
PRODUCTS TO THE TRADE AND RETAIL MARKET PLACE. RATTAN, MYANMAR/
BURMA TEAK AND ALUMINIUM FURNITURE ALL GUARANTEED BY CE, FSC, SGS
AND OTHER CERTIFICATIONS OF WICKER FURNITURE.
£1,645.00
£1,445.00
WE AIM TO SUPPLY THE BEST QUALITY
PRODUCTS AT THE LOWEST PRICE AFFORDABLE.
WARRANTY
All products carry a 12
months manufacturer’s
warranty.
WEATHER RESISTANT
Resistant to all weathers
with a durable robust powder
coated finish. High Quality
Aluminium is used.
FAST DELIVERY
Prices quoted on the site
are for single deliveries.
For any questions please
call our team.

Spring Sale
£200 OFF & FREE DELIVERY ON ALL ORDERS
£1,545.00
£1,345.00
£1,845.00
£1,645.00
ALL PRODUCTS ARE MAIL ORDER BUT YOU CAN VISIT OUR SHOWROOM
AT SHENSTONE WS14 OEA TO SEE THE QUALITY OF THE PRODUCTS.
£1645.00
£1,445.00
£1,575.00
£1,375.00
FOR MORE INFORMATION OR ASSISTANCE
PLEASE CONTACT OUR FRIENDLY TEAM:
Telephone: 0121 759 6000
Email: sales@aluminiumpatiofurniture.co.uk
Website: www.aluminiumpatiofurniture.co.uk
Showroom address: Unit 1, Shenstone Storage Estate,
Shenstone, Staffordshire WS14 0EA

I N T E R I O R S
Embrace
those curves
OUR homes are our sanctuaries, and making them feel
as cosy and welcoming as possible is key, especially in the
light of the pandemic highlighting the importance of our
surroundings on our wellbeing. And one trend which is on
the radar for 2022 is all about embracing the most cosy
aspects of design.
Curvature has made a huge comeback within interiors,
with curves popping up on everything from furniture and
accessories to the very fabric of our homes; the walls and
windows in particular. Soft, feminine and graceful, curves
are found repeatedly in nature, making them naturally
easy on the eye and soothing to the heart.
Offering a cocooning, cosy feel, these fluid forms create a
playful and fun aesthetic as opposed to the static rigidity
of straight lines.
From the soft, round edges of a sofa to the meandering of
an art feature - no matter what room of the house, this
soothing trend is one to keep up with.
FAUX LEATHER HANDLE ROUND LOG HOLDER, £125,
COX & COX. WWW.COXANDCOX.CO.UK
DEEP SAGE AND BRASS ROUNDED
DESK LAMP, COX & COX.
WWW.COXANDCOX.CO.UK
£225
WHITE AND GREY CERAMIC LAMP,
NEEDWOOD LIVING, ALREWAS.
WWW.NEEDWOODLIVING.CO.UK
£225
£238
£75
GOLD ROUND LUXE DRINKS TROLLEY,
AUDENZA. WWW.AUDENZA.COM
LORIENT RETRO DINING CHAIR, PEPPERMILL
INTERIORS, BURNTWOOD BUSINESS PARK.
WWW.PEPPERMILLINTERIORS.COM
24
www.jaimemagazine.com

Family Business Est. 1974
TWO OF OUR MOST RECENT INSTALLATIONS
VISIT OUR NEW, LARGER SUTTON COLDFIELD SHOWROOM TO SEE AND FEEL THE QUALITY
Call to discuss your kitchen project and book a FREE, no-obligation design consultation today
128-138 Hardwick Rd, Sutton Coldfield B74 3DP
Tel: 0121 353 4999 - www.kitchensbybroadway.co.uk
Email: enquiries@kitchensbybroadway.co.uk

£249 £25
OLBIA ROUND STONEWARE VASE,
CULT FURNITURE.
WWW.CULTFURNITURE.COM
ELLIOT ROUND COFFEE TABLE IN WHITE
MARBLE AND BRASS, CULT FURNITURE.
WWW.CULTFURNITURE.COM
TALL CURVED AMBER VASE,
NEEDWOOD LIVING, ALREWAS.
WWW.NEEDWOODLIVING.CO.UK
£70
£42
£1,350
CASSINI TWO WAY GOLD CEILING SHADE,
ICONIC LIGHTS. WWW.ICONICLIGHTS.CO.UK
ROXY REAL LEATHER SOFA, PEPPERMILL
INTERIORS, BURNTWOOD BUSINESS PARK.
WWW.PEPPERMILLINTERIORS.COM
£4,500
ONZA EASY FIT PENDANT,
DAR LIGHTING GROUP.
WWW.DARLIGHTING.CO.UK
JONATHAN ADLER ETHER CURVED SOFA IN
BERGAMO AZURE VELVET, SWEETPEA & WILLOW.
WWW.SWEETPEAANDWILLOW.COM
£138
LUELLA OFFICE CHAIR, £149, AND ALL ACCESSORIES
FROM DUNELM. WWW.DUNELM.COM
VALANCE ROUND WHITE SUNBURST MIRROR, £95,
ROSE & GREY. WWW.ROSEANDGREY.CO.UK
26

ANASTASIA BLACK GLASS AND BRASS
SIDEBOARD, £1,319.99, MY FURNITURE.
WWW.MY-FURNITURE.COM
ARIEL UPHOLSTERED BED, £2,410, SWEETPEA &
WILLOW. WWW.SWEETPEAANDWILLOW.COM
MAYFIELD RATTAN STOOL, £145, GARDEN
TRADING. WWW.GARDENTRADING.CO.UK
GRACE PAINTED PATTERNED GLASS TABLE LAMP
WITH SHADE, £150, LAURA ASHLEY AT DAR
LIGHTING. WWW.DARLIGHTING.CO.UK

G I F T G U I D E
Mum’s the word
CIRCLE SUNDAY, MARCH 27 IN YOUR DIARY - IT’S TIME TO HONOUR ALL THOSE MUMS AND
MOTHER-FIGURES OUT THERE FOR EVERYTHING THEY DO, ALL YEAR ROUND. AND UNLIKE THE
PAST TWO YEARS, WHEN THE UK WAS IN THE GRIP OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, THIS YEAR THERE
ARE NO RESTRICTIONS ON SPENDING TIME TOGETHER. SO SHOW YOUR MUM JUST HOW MUCH
SHE MEANS TO YOU AND CELEBRATE THIS SPECIAL DAY IN STYLE.
£93
£32.50
£515
ENVY NECKLACE, NEEDWOOD
LIVING, ALREWAS.
WWW.NEEDWOODLIVING.CO.UK
9CT WHITE GOLD SQUARE DIAMOND
STUD EARRINGS, JOHNSONS JEWELLERS.
WWW.JOHNSONSJEWELLERS.CO.UK
‘MY MUM’ HAND SCULPTED ONE OFF
CERAMIC SCULPTURE ON CANVAS,
ARTIFEX GALLERY, MITCHELL CENTRE.
WWW.ARTIFEX.CO.UK
£19.95
£51
DUSTY PINK AND GREEN ORCHID
PHALAENOPSIS PLANT,
NEEDWOOD LIVING, ALREWAS.
WWW.NEEDWOODLIVING.CO.UK
ANGELS AND VEGANS CHOCOLATE SELECTION BOX,
HARVEY NICHOLS. WWW.HARVEYNICHOLS.COM
£5.50
£245
HOT DIAMONDS SILVER AND WHITE TOPAZ
MEMORIES LOCKET, JOHNSONS JEWELLERS.
WWW.JOHNSONSJEWELLERS.CO.UK
£114
EAST OF INDIA CERAMIC HEART, CURBOROUGH GIFT
SHOP AT CURBOROUGH COUNTRYSIDE CENTRE
LA PERLA NOURISHING BODY BALM,
HARVEY NICHOLS.
WWW.HARVEYNICHOLS.COM
28 www.jaimemagazine.com

£13.99
£89
CLOGAU SILVER BEADED HEART
BRACELET, JOHNSONS JEWELLERS.
WWW.JOHNSONSJEWELLERS.CO.UK
LIFE CHARMS ‘MUM’ BRACELET IN PRESENTATION
BOX, CURBOROUGH GIFT SHOP AT CURBOROUGH
COUNTRYSIDE CENTRE
£12.50
OXIDISED SILVER, 18CT YELLOW GOLD
AND DIAMOND PENDANT, ALLEN BROWN
JEWELLERY AT HEART OF THE COUNTRY
SHOPPING VILLAGE.
WWW.ALLENBROWNJEWELLERY.CO.UK
£85
£162
ROSIE MADE A THING ‘MUM’ MUG,
CURBOROUGH GIFT SHOP AT
CURBOROUGH COUNTRYSIDE CENTRE
‘POPPIES’ INDIVIDUAL HANDMADE WALL GLASS
PANEL, ARTIFEX GALLERY, MITCHELL CENTRE.
WWW.ARTIFEX.CO.UK
£288
£30.50
£59
SET OF FOUR ROSE TINT CHAMPAGNE FLUTES,
NEEDWOOD LIVING, ALREWAS.
WWW.NEEDWOODLIVING.CO.UK
TI SENTO SILVER DOUBLE ENTWINED
CZ SET EARRINGS, JOHNSONS JEWELLERS.
WWW.JOHNSONSJEWELLERS.CO.UK
SILVER AND BAROQUE PEARL EARRINGS,
ALLEN BROWN JEWELLERY AT HEART OF
THE COUNTRY SHOPPING VILLAGE.
WWW.ALLENBROWNJEWELLERY.CO.UK
£390
£12.50
£76
VALENTINO PINK LOGO SILK-BLEND
SCARF, HARVEY NICHOLS.
WWW.HARVEYNICHOLS.COM
ST EVAL BAY AND ROSEMARY CANDLE,
NEEDWOOD LIVING, ALREWAS.
WWW.NEEDWOODLIVING.CO.UK
ROSE AND MAGNOLIA COLOGNE,
JO MALONE LONDON AT HARVEY NICHOLS.
WWW.HARVEYNICHOLS.COM
30 www.jaimemagazine.com

Curborough
Gift Shop
GIFTS & CARDS FOR ALL OCCASIONS
Image Credits: Linwood Fabric
Home accessories • Furniture • Lamps • Rugs
Dinner & Glassware • Clothing • Jewellery
Giftware • Soft furnishings made to order
Full interior design service
136 Main Street
Alrewas, DE13 7ED
01283 711 272
7A High Street,
Tutbury, DE13 9LP
01283 813 322
info@needwoodliving.co.uk
needwoodliving.co.uk
CURBOROUGH COUNTRYSIDE CENTRE
WATERY LANE, LICHFIELD WS13 8ES
TEL: 0843 289 4525 OR 07885 387640
OPENING HOURS: 10AM – 4PM TUESDAY TO SUNDAY
WWW.CURBOROUGHGIFTSHOP.CO.UK
FOLLOW US
Refreshingly Different
Treat yourself to a new door for 2022
Visit our Stylish Showroom
11 Belwell Lane, Sutton Coldfield, B74 4AA - Tel: 0800 996 1241
Visit our fantastic website www.jmiwindows.co.uk - enquiries@jmiwindows.co.uk
Windows | Doors | Bi-Fold Doors | Garage Doors | Conservatories | Orangeries | Secondary Glazing | Window Repairs

F E AT U R E
The Force is strong in Lichfield
ICONIC MOVIE PARAPHERNALIA WILL BE UP FOR GRABS THIS MONTH AT A
SPECIAL STAR WARS-THEMED AUCTION BY RICHARD WINTERTON AUCTIONEERS
Toys from a galaxy far, far away are to
go under the hammer at a special Star
Wars auction in Lichfield.
Richard Winterton Auctioneers is
offering free valuations of items to
be consigned in the March 17 sale
celebrating the iconic film series.
The auction is planned to take place
at The Hub at St Mary’s in Market
Street, Lichfield, in conjunction with
the ongoing Star Wars exhibition May
The Toys Be With You, which closes on
Sunday, March 20.
Billed as an ‘absolute must see for fans
of Star Wars’, the exhibition features
one of the UK’s finest collections of
vintage Star Wars toys and original
cinema posters, celebrating the vintage
toy line as well as the iconic design and art of the
movies.
Back when the movie Star Wars broke box office
records in 1977 no-one could have predicted that the
merchandising would go on to earn even more than
the film itself. The toys of Star Wars took the world
by storm and became the must-have playthings for
an entire generation.
From 1977 to 1985 an estimated 300 million action
figures were sold, allowing children to re-enact the
adventures of Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia and
Han Solo.
May The Toys Be With You is both a celebration of
the now highly collectable vintage toy line and also
of the iconic design work and art of the Star Wars
movies. From X-Wing Fighters to lightsabers, these
fantastical designs have fired our imaginations and
stamped their place on our cultural landscape.
For little kids and ‘big kids’ alike, this is an
unmissable opportunity to view many rarely seen
Star Wars treasures. This exhibition has broken
visitor attendance records at a host of museums
around the country and is currently delighting movie
fans from Lichfield and beyond.
The Hub creative director, Anthony Evans said:
“Star Wars is a massive cultural phenomenon, loved
by children, parents and grandparents alike so it’s
32 www.jaimemagazine.com

super exciting to bring May The Toys
Be With You to Lichfield. As well as the
exhibition, we’ve also included Star Wars
themed shows and events in our spring
line-up.”
Auctioneer Richard Winterton said: “As
a lifelong Star Wars fan, The Force is
certainly with this spectacular exhibition
which is already inspiring people to
hunt out their old Star Wars toys and
memorabilia.
“Now with three film trilogies and
numerous spin-offs, Star Wars is more
popular than ever and the Force is
especially strong for original toys and
memorabilia.
“It’s a perfect time to see what they might
make under the hammer, so we’re deploying our own
Imperial Probe Droid to join in the search!”
Viewing for the Star Wars auction is expected to be
held at The Hub on Wednesday, March 16, the day
before the sale. More information will be released
nearer the date.
The Hub will benefit from a percentage of the
proceeds from the auction and Richard Winterton
Auctioneers also sponsored a private viewing of the
exhibition in February.
Anyone wishing to book an appointment to discuss
their Star Wars items should call The Lichfield
Auction Centre at Wood End Lane, Fradley Park
WS13 8NF, on 01543 251081 or email
office@richardwinterton.co.uk.
THE STAR WARS EXHIBITION IS CURRENTLY
TAKING LICHFIELD BY STORM
Richard Winterton Auctioneers has a long
association with The Hub at St Mary’s and holds free
valuations of watches, jewellery and silver there on
Tuesdays from 9.30am to 11am.
Free tickets for May The Toys Be With You must be
booked for weekends, where timed entry slots are
available every 30 minutes; however on weekdays
people can just turn up.
The exhibition is open on Mondays to Saturdays
from 9.30am to 3pm, and Sundays from 10am to
4pm, with an Autism-Friendly viewing time on
Sundays from 100am until 11am, with visitors being
asked to keep noise levels to a minimum and the
lights turned down.
For more details and to book weekend tickets visit
www.thehubstmarys.co.uk
RICHARD WINTERTON WILL BE
AUCTIONING SOME ICONIC
MOVIE MEMORABILIA
www.jaimemagazine.com
33

F O O D & D R I N K
Taking a chance
TALENTED LICHFIELD CHEF JACK DUBBERLEY TOOK A HUGE GAMBLE TO LAUNCH HIS UNIQUE FINE
DINING EXPERIENCE IN THE MIDST OF A GLOBAL PANDEMIC - BUT IT’S A RISK WHICH HAS PAID OFF
AS DINERS HAVE EMBRACED HIS CULINARY CONCEPT. AMY NORBURY DISCOVERS MORE
Starting a new business is always somewhat of a
risk. But starting a new business in the middle of
a global pandemic - and into one of the worstaffected
industries - could be said to be bordering
on madness. But, for talented Lichfield chef Jack
Dubberley, it has been a brave move which has paid
off in spades.
Jack’s love of fine dining, passion for the freshest and
most seasonal produce, and skills in the kitchen have
seen Dubberley Delicious, his unique ‘chef ’s table’
concept, go from strength to strength since launching
last year.
Situated just outside the city in a cabin at The Plant
Plot garden centre, it may not be the first place you
think of when it comes to discerning dining. But
Jack’s whole ethos is about defying expectations.
Once you step inside the cabin, the garden centre
location is irrelevant as you are greeted by a smart
dining room facing the open kitchen. With just one
table seating up to ten diners, the place is yours as
Jack becomes your own private chef for the evening.
The idea behind Dubberley Delicious came about
while Jack and his sister Lucy were shopping for
a Mother’s Day present at The Plant Plot, shortly
LICHFIELD CHEF
JACK DUBBERLEY
before the pandemic hit proper and the country went
into the first of three lockdowns which changed the
hospitality industry for good.
“We joked that we should rent a cabin to start a
food business because the overheads would be
manageable,” says 28-year-old Jack.
Jack was sous chef at acclaimed hotel Swinfen Hall
but, having spent most of his career on-and-off in
the Swinfen kitchen, he longed for a place to call his
own. Then when Covid-19 hit, he - alongside chefs
up and down the country - found himself stuck at
home as restaurants and hotels closed for months on
end.
“We didn’t go back until the end of July, and things
had obviously changed a lot in that time,” says Jack.
“I’d also had a lot of time to think about what I
really wanted to do.”
Remembering his and Lucy’s conversation, Jack
got in touch with the owners of The Plant Plot and
pitched the idea of a fine dining chef ’s table-slashcookery
school. It was proposed to be a setup unlike
anything else in or around Lichfield - and the owners
jumped at the idea.
“I wanted to do something different, more intimate,”
34
www.jaimemagazine.com

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says Jack. “People come here and they have their
own space for as long as they want, and they can
help to design everything about their event.
“If you want a certain thing on the menu, you can
have it. You can have your own drinks and even your
own music.
“And it’s a complete experience; you get to see
everything that goes on in the kitchen, and if you
want to get involved with things like plating up, you
can.”
Jack and his family spent months transforming the
cabin into a working kitchen and stylish dining room.
With the pandemic still raging and the opening
delayed, Jack adapted by offering design-yourown
dine-at-home boxes, then outdoor fine dining
barbecue events as the weather warmed up.
Finally, as restrictions eased and indoor dining was
once again allowed, Jack welcomed his first diners to
Dubberley Delicious in May last year.
Jack runs every aspect of the operation himself,
going from chef to waiter, sommelier and pot wash
throughout the course of each event. On busier
nights, sister Lucy - a full time teacher - pitches in, as
well as helping Jack with his social media.
“It’s a family business, and we’re excited by every
single booking we get,” says Jack. “It makes us happy
knowing that people want to come here.
“We want people to feel like they’re getting a special
experience, and go away happy. Luckily, our reviews
speak for themselves, and we get people coming
through word-of-mouth recommendations. Also,
we’ve found that most of our guests so far have
already come back. And we’ve got regulars who have
been four or five times.”
Jack’s passion for what he does is the driving force
behind Dubberley Delicious, and his love of cooking
JACK HAS TRANSFORMED A
GARDEN CENTRE CABIN INTO
A UNIQUE ‘CHEF’S TABLE’
EXPERIENCE
started at a young age: “I’ve always enjoyed cooking
with my mum, and baking,” he says. “I’d always
watch famous chefs like Gordon Ramsey on the TV
too.”
It was at Lichfield’s Friary School, studying for his
GCSEs, where Jack’s food technology class saw
him spend a day in a professional kitchen, receiving
tuition from chefs and honing his skills by cooking
for his family and teachers later that evening. The
experience sparked Jack’s interest in the culinary
world and, with his exams done, he decided to apply
to UCB’s College of Food in Birmingham.
“I passed the first year really well and I enjoyed it;
there were a few rough patches, like seeing a whole
fish being gutted for the first time, but it
showed me a lot about what to expect,” says
Jack.
As part of his course, Jack had to find work
experience in a professional kitchen, so
he approached the team at the prestigious
Swinfen Hall Hotel, who offered him a stint
in the kitchen.
During Jack’s second year at college he
contacted Swinfen again about a part time
job to complement his studies - only to be
offered a full time role.
“It was a bit of a shock,” says Jack. “I was
halfway through my NVQ Level Three, but I
went away and thought about it, weighed up
my options and decided that taking the job
was the best way to go, to get a start in the
36 www.jaimemagazine.com

industry.
“It’s a job unlike any other, and while college
was great, there’s no replacement for the
experience of working in a kitchen.”
Jack swiftly worked his way up through
the Swinfen kitchen, the head chef quickly
spotting his passion and potential.
“We built a strong team of chefs, and we
were really busy, both with weddings and
with the restaurant,” says Jack. “I was there
for four or five years to begin with, and it was
a great place to learn the trade.”
A brief interlude at Dormy House Hotel in
the Cotswolds was cut short when the head
chef who recruited Jack left the business. He
decided to return to Lichfield and Swinfen
Hall jumped at the chance to take him back, where
he worked his way up to sous chef, helping the team
to earn a coveted three AA rosettes.
When the opportunity came along to help set up a
new restaurant in Lichfield, Larder, Jack decided to
embrace the challenge. It was a risk, to go from a
well-established set-up to something completely new,
but the prospect excited the ambitious young chef.
“The aim was to get started and earn rosettes, and
within six months we’d got two AA rosettes,” says
Jack. “It was good, and we were the best restaurant
in Lichfield on TripAdvisor.
“The passion was there, I was second in command
working closely with the head chef and we were all
working well as a team.”
But a change in management curtailed Jack’s
ambitions, and when Swinfen came calling once
again, he returned to their kitchen for a final stint.
“I’m all about fine dining, doing the higher end of
the food scale because that’s where the challenge is,
and you always need to be challenging yourself. I like
JACK’S COOKING IS
SOPHISTICATED AND SEASONAL
JACK CREATED WILD GARLIC
POPCORN TO USE SOME OF THE
FRUITS OF HIS FORAGING
to push myself and I want my food to represent the
very best of what I can do.”
A keen forager, Jack loves working with local
ingredients and making the most of the abundance
of wild plants on his doorstep.
“I like going to pick wild garlic; every year in
February I’ll be scanning the local area to see
when it’s ready and how much is there. I’ll pick a
load then spend time making wild garlic oils and
pestos, thinking of what else I can do and how I can
preserve it to use throughout the year instead of just
using the leaves when they’re in season,” says Jack.
“One of the chefs who really inspired me is Tommy
Banks; his book is fantastic, and it talks about the
hunger gap, when fresh, local produce is harder to
come by.
“It’s about preserving things throughout the year so
you have them available when you can’t get local
produce. It’s great in the summer but then there
are periods that are very limited. And I want to use
ingredients which are as local as possible.”
While Jack’s table can be booked seven days a week
to fit in with customers’ requirements, he also
offers cookery classes, covering things like
butchery, knife skills, baking and bread-making.
He hopes to bring his popular barbecues back
for summer too.
“The long term aim is to move out of the cabin
and do something along the same lines, but
a little bit bigger,” says Jack. “It’s just about
getting to the point where we can take the risk
again.
“But this is just the beginning.”
For more information visit
www.dubberleydelicious.co.uk or find
Dubberley Delicious on Instagram and
Facebook @dubberleydelicious
www.jaimemagazine.com
37

F O O D & D R I N K
An eggs-cellent idea
JACK GOULD, BRUNCH CHEF AT CURBOROUGH’S THYME KITCHEN,
SHARES A DELICIOUS NEW DISH FROM THEIR ALL-DAY MENU WHICH
IS SURE TO SPICE UP YOUR LUNCHTIME
Thai green curry eggs with jasmine rice
INGREDIENTS
For the sauce:
1 stalk lemongrass
2 green chilis
1 red onion
5 cloves garlic
2” piece of ginger
1 tsp brown sugar
1 tin coconut milk
1 lime
1/2 bunch coriander
1/2 bunch basil
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp white pepper
1/2 tsp ground
coriander
3 tsp fish sauce
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
Salt to taste
For the garnish:
2 eggs
100g jasmine rice
1/2 stalk lemongrass
2 kaffir lime leaves
20g cashews
1 tbsp natural yoghurt
1 lime
Salt
For the sauce, dice the onion, garlic and chilli.
Fry in oil for two minutes then add the spices and
fry for a further three to five minutes. Add the
fish sauce, rice wine vinegar and sugar and cook
out for a further two to three minutes. Add in the
coconut milk and simmer for five to ten minutes.
Remove from the heat and blend together with
the fresh herbs until smooth, adding the lime and
salt to taste.
Wash the jasmine rice for ten to 15 minutes until
the water runs clear then add to a saucepan with
the lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves. Place your
index finger on top of the rice and add water
until it reaches your first knuckle. Boil the rice for
five to ten minutes until almost all the water is
gone, then cover the pan and leave to steam for a
further five minutes.
Heat a frying pan with a small amount of oil and
toss the cashews until golden brown. Add salt to
taste. Make the lime yoghurt by adding the zest
juice of half a lime to the yoghurt and mixing
well.
Break the eggs into a pan of simmering water
with a tablespoon of white wine vinegar and
poach for two minutes, then remove and drain.
Serve the eggs on top of the sauce with the rice
on the side - spoon the yoghurt on the rice and
finish with a sprinkle of cashew nuts.
38 www.jaimemagazine.com

Celebrate Mother’s Day at Moor Hall Hotel & Spa
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SUNDAY LUNCH IN THE OAK ROOM
SUNDAY LUNCH IN THE COUNTRY KITCHEN
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Mothers Day
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A T T H Y M E K I T C H E N
Are you looking to treat your Mum
on Mother’s Day?
Maybe she’s a fur baby Mum, a step Mum or even
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Whatever your relationship, come along to Thyme Kitchen
and spoil your special Mama on Sunday March 27th!
Book a table for Sunday lunch and your ‘Mum’ will receive
a complimentary glass of fizz and a floral suprise from
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#everyoneiswelcome
If you would like to book please call 01543 264050
or via our website www.thymekitchen.co.uk
Curbourough Countryside Centre, Watery Lane, Lichfield, WS13 8ES

F E AT U R E
Inside the secret garden
GRACE AND SAVOUR AT HAMPTON MANOR IS A NEW IMMERSIVE WALLED GARDEN DINING
EXPERIENCE. KATY EDGINGTON FINDS OUT MORE FROM DAVID AND ANETTE TAYLOR
PHOTOS BY FJONA HILL
Hampton Manor Estate’s eagerly
anticipated third destination
restaurant, Grace & Savour, finally
opened its doors on February 25. Led
by husband and wife team head chef
David Taylor and house manager
Anette Taylor, we spoke to the couple
about what to expect from the new
walled garden restaurant, cookery
school and luxury accommodation.
After spending the last year visiting
farms, meeting craftspeople, potters,
fishermen, and fine-tuning the
experience, the pair were excited for
the opening and the chance to share
and develop that experience further.
David started at 16 years old at a little bistro called
Pierre Victoire, before moving to study Culinary Arts
Management at University College Birmingham. He
landed a second-year placement at Gordon Ramsay’s
Maze under Jason Atherton. Working brutally long
hours in his first Michelin starred kitchen taught
him a lot, and at the end of the placement Jason
connected David with Glynn Purnell of Purnell’s in
Birmingham, where he headed next.
THE WALLED GARDEN GROWING
PROGRAMME OVERSEEN BY DR
SALLY BELL PRODUCES AN ACRE OF
ORGANIC PRODUCE
GRACE & SAVOUR IS BUILT INTO THE
FABRIC OF THE WALLED GARDEN
“Glynn really nurtured my confidence, taught me to
believe in myself as a cook - which I struggled with -
and taught me the importance of always improving
my craft. I was there for seven years, five as sous chef.
I loved and always will love my time being a part of
the Purnell’s family. Glynn built the foundation of
how I cook and gave me the confidence to step out
and go abroad to cook.”
David went on to complete stages at Grace in
Chicago, Momofuku KO and Atera in New York,
and Relae in Copenhagen before
a job opportunity came up at
Maaemo in Oslo. During his
time there the restaurant won
three Michelin stars. He was
head chef at the five star Thief
Hotel on Oslo’s harbourfront for
three years, but with a hunger to
get back into restaurant cooking,
David called James Hill, one of
the directors at Hampton Manor,
who made him and Anette an
offer they couldn’t refuse.
Anette, by contrast, came quite
late into hospitality. With a
degree in sign language, she
40 www.jaimemagazine.com

worked as an interpreter for many
years before going into project and
leadership roles in organisations
from the Salvation Army to one
of the biggest music festivals in
Norway.
“It’s not exactly your typical way
into hospitality, but at the same
time I would say that it is what
has shaped my heart for it,” she
says. “For me, hospitality is all
about people. To make people feel
seen, that there is room for them,
that they belong. A guest’s time
is precious, and for a night they
will be trusting us with that time,
and nothing is more exciting than
making those moments special.”
Grace & Savour was the couple’s dream scenario:
a purpose-built small restaurant with rooms where
they’re able to put extra effort into the finer details.
“Sustainability has always been in our hearts, so to
create something that not only looked inwards but
outwards too is really special,” adds David. “James
and Dr Sally Bell, Hampton Manor’s directors, gave
me an insight into how broken our supply chains are
and as we delved deeper it became so much more
than just a restaurant; it’s an opportunity to help
make things better than the way we found them.”
The restaurant and development kitchen with five
adjoining garden bedrooms are built into the very
walls of the historic Victorian Walled Garden on the
45-acre family-run West Midlands estate, providing
guests an opportunity to relax and reconnect with
nature.
Overnight guests arrive at 3pm for a garden tour and
THE BEDROOMS OVERLOOK THE
WALLED GARDEN
menu introduction with David. Before dinner, estate
maps and wellies are to hand for those wanting to
explore, or you’re welcome to relax in your bedroom
lounge from where you can glimpse the chefs at work
in the open kitchen.
The evening’s 15 course tasting menu celebrates a
revolution in growing and farming where the focus is
on soil health, biodiversity and sustainability. David
constructs the menu season to season, reflecting
what’s available at the time of harvest: protein-heavy
in the winter and more vegetable and wild flora
focused in the spring and summer.
“The broth that currently starts the menu is meant to
be warm and inviting after coming in from the cold,
whereas in the summer I might start with a bright
and refreshing raspberry, yoghurt and rose filled
nasturtium flower.”
David and Anette have spent the past 12 months
seeking out and forging partnerships with likeminded
suppliers who are working sensitively in their
environments, using a range of
practises including re-wilding,
diversification, agroforestry,
organic principles, and
biodynamic farming.
Solely focusing on British
organic produce and British
heritage, the 15 courses are a
journey through various UK
farms. Dish by dish, David
is trying to tell their stories.
Although he won’t always give
away every detail for fear of
weighing down your evening, if
you ask he promises there will
always be more stories to tell.
“The pumpkin seed butter in
www.jaimemagazine.com
41

the fish dish, for example, I made
because the pumpkin farmer is trying
to make a pumpkin seed oil to fry
with,” he says. “Pumpkin seed oil is
much healthier and an even better
frying oil than rapeseed, vegetable
or sunflower, which are all highly
processed, so supporting him in this
task is really important to me.”
Plymouth-based fish supplier Sole
of Discretion only uses boats 10m
or under and supports the local
fishermen with good pricing, buying
them new nets to help lower by-catch,
and only taking fish caught in the
most sustainable way.
“When I call Sole of Discretion, I order what is
best and plentiful and so that means we have a fish
dish that’s ever-changing, reflecting the season and
the natural unpredictable circle of the sea. We are
currently serving it with mussels in pumpkin pickle,
that pumpkin butter and a mussel cream sauce.”
Paviland’s Farm on the Gower Peninsula is a
2,000 acre farm which is attempting to go fully
regenerative. Their Welsh Black cattle graze on
more than 300 different varieties of wild plants and
herbs, giving the beef a wonderful deep flavour and
tenderness.
“We are also working with Ram Hall Farm where
they make Berkswell Cheese,” David adds. “The
family are fifth generation cheesemakers, pig farmers
and crop growers. The jump to regenerative is a big
risk for them, but we are trying to take what we can
to support them in their journey. Ram Hall were
previously using their whey to water their plants,
THE WALLED GARDEN IS A
PLAYGROUND FOR THE KITCHEN
TEAM TO TEST WHAT THEY LEARN
FROM OTHER GROWERS
which is great, but we now buy it from them for our
caramelised whey dish and it’s delicious!”
The Walled Garden itself produces an acre of food
using organic principles. The growing programme
is overseen by Dr Sally Bell, a specialist in lifestyle
medicine. As well as being part of the GRFFN
Project (Growing Real Food for Nutrition), a UKwide
initiative that looks at how growing methods
affect nutrient density, the garden is a playground for
the kitchen team to test what they learn from other
growers. The aim is for 50 per cent self sufficiency as
they still want to support local producers. Soft fruits
will be a focus.
“We have plans for a beautiful timber fruit cage,”
David shares. “Berries are often heavily sprayed with
chemicals and they never travel well. They’re often
picked under-ripe to make sure they survive the back
of a bouncing lorry, but this heavily impacts quality
and flavour. Ripe soft fruit tastes completely different
picked in the late afternoon compared to first thing
in the morning, and so
picking time is everything.
I’m really looking forward to
what we’ll create from these
delicious berries.”
Each of Grace & Savour’s
five beautifully designed
garden suites looks out across
the garden to the kitchen.
Decorated in a muted palette
of clay, mud, and earth
tones, each has their own
luxurious en-suite bathroom
and is bathed in natural
light from the floor to ceiling
windows. At the heart of the
rooms is a bespoke bath time
42 www.jaimemagazine.com

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itual that celebrates the scent of
the garden, designed by King’s
Heath organic skincare brand,
Harvest.
Although a small number of
tables are available to nonresidents
for dinner Wednesday
to Saturday, Anette heartily
recommends that guests book
the full experience and stay
overnight in one of the luxurious
garden suites.
“It is something special to allow
yourself to get away from the
hustle and bustle of everyday
life: to just immerse yourself in
the beauty of our garden, the
tranquillity you will find in our bath time ritual, and
to have the time with your loved one to have those
conversations that go a bit deeper than the ones over
the dinner table at home with the kids. But to be fair,
it can also be summed up in one word: bathtubs. Any
one of the gorgeous handmade concrete bathtubs
in five different colours from Warrington + Rose is
worth a stay on its own.”
After breakfast the following morning, the cookery
experience in the test kitchen invites guests to learn
the stories of the farmers and the creation of the
garden through a light-hearted, fun exploration of
how to work with nature, culminating in a gardeninspired
lunch that each guest plays their part in
preparing.
“The test kitchen will be all about connecting
guests with the produce and where it comes from,
overlooking our walled garden in a laid back
atmosphere,” Anette adds. “We will change the
classes regularly to reflect the season, so it could be
all about hand dived scallops where we will show
guests how to open them, go over some simple
preparations and taste them, or it could be a table
full of different foraged items and we will create a
selection of infusions for them. It’s to give guests the
opportunity to really get under the skin of Grace &
Savour.”
Anette is hoping guests will feel ‘optimistic and
relaxed’ after immersing themselves in this unique
environment.
“By optimistic, I mean that you can go away feeling
you are on a journey, knowing a little bit more than
you did yesterday. Sharing knowledge is something
that should be fun and interesting! We often have
a very all or nothing mentality when it comes to
sustainability but we’re on a journey ourselves, and
we’re inviting our guests to join us. Relaxed because
it’s impossible not to be when you’re in that garden,
experiencing it with someone you love.”
Bookings are open now for dinner (£135pp for the
15 course tasting menu), or for overnight experiences
(from £360pp, inclusive of dinner, breakfast, garden
room and test kitchen experience).
For more information, visit
www.hamptonmanor.com/grace-savour
44 www.jaimemagazine.com

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F O O D & D R I N K
Staying in the dark
AN INNOVATIVE DINING CONCEPT WHERE GUESTS ENJOY A SURPRISE MENU COMPLETELY
IN THE DARK IS COMING TO SWINFEN HALL HOTEL, NEAR LICHFIELD, THIS MONTH
They say that, when you enjoy a
meal, you eat with your eyes before
you eat with your mouth. But what if
you couldn’t see what you were being
served?
That’s the idea being an innovative
dining concept which comes to
Lichfield’s Swinfen Hall Hotel this
month, in partnership with Dans Le
Noir?
Dine in Darkness is an immersive
culinary experience where diners taste
gourmet, creative and seasonal cuisine
in complete darkness, accompanied
and served by unexpected guides.
Experiencing heightened flavours,
aromas, textures and temperatures as you enjoy an
unknown - and unseen - menu, this is an original
culinary journey where your senses are fully
awakened. Focusing your attention on taste, losing
the colour of a wine and instead smelling, touching
and tasting amplifies a range of sensations that
stimulate your emotions.
Guided and served by a blind or partially sighted
person, this unusual dining experience is a moment
of positive empathy that breaks our preconceived
ideas of disability.
Diners don’t choose what they’re going to enjoy in
THE MENU IS A
COMPLETE SURPRISE
THE EXPERIENCE TAKES PLACE
COMPLETELY IN THE DARK
the dark; however, dietary requirements are taken
on board and the menu is adapted to ensure the
experience is complete and safe.
After experiencing your meal in the dark, the team
will present you with the menu so that you can
discover the dishes and drinks that you have been
served.
Dans le Noir? is a unique sensory, convivial, and
human experience, created by Ethik Investment,
an independent European group founded in 2003
and specialised in social innovations. This successful
international project where guests enjoy a 100 per
cent surprise menu in complete darkness, served and
guided by a team of visually impaired guides, is now
in seven countries and 11 cities. Whether as
permanent venues or pop up concept, Dans
le Noir? offers a powerful, gourmet and
meaningful adventure, already experienced
by two million people worldwide.
This special pop up restaurant will be open
throughout March, with seatings from 6pm
until 9.45pm Wednesday to Saturday, and
12pm until 3.45pm on Sundays, priced at
£95 per head for a delicious surprise threecourse
menu all perfectly paired with wine.
For more information and to book your place
visit www.swinfenhallhotel.co.uk
46 www.jaimemagazine.com

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F O O D & D R I N K
A star is born
LICHFIELD HAS LANDED FIRMLY ON THE MIDLANDS CULINARY MAP AFTER
ACCLAIMED CHEF TOM SHEPHERD EARNED THE CITY ITS FIRST COVETED MICHELIN
STAR WITH HIS RESTAURANT UPSTAIRS - JUST FOUR MONTHS AFTER OPENING
It’s the day chefs around the country wait for with baited
breath; to see who’s in, who’s out, who’s gained, who’s
lost - and if their name appears in the coveted Michelin
guide.
While Birmingham is the most awarded area outside
of London, with some five starred eateries in the latest
iteration of the culinary bible, the wider Staffordshire
area has not made it onto Michelin’s radar. Until now.
Upstairs by Tom Shepherd, on Lichfield’s Bore Street,
has earned rave reviews and been booked solidly since
its launch in October last year. The new Michelin
guide announcement awarding Upstairs a star just four
months after opening makes it the only restaurant in
Staffordshire to have ever received the honour.
In the guide, inspectors noted that, ‘like the chef himself,
the cooking is confident yet restrained. Tom’s experience
shines through in the detailed yet unfussy dishes, which
are beautifully presented and come with well-thoughtthrough
flavour combinations. Perfectly pitched service
from a cheerful young team completes this enjoyable
dining experience.’
Named due to its position above his father Paul’s
family-run jewellery shop, City Jewellers, in the heart
of Lichfield, Upstairs promises a contemporary British
fine dining experience, with Tom and his team creating
flavour-led, produce-driven menus inspired by the
seasons and surroundings.
Tom said: “I’m absolutely elated that we’ve been
awarded a Michelin star, especially given we’ve only
been in operation for four months. In addition, being
the first ever Michelin starred restaurant in Staffordshire
only adds to the enormity of the achievement.”
Sutton Coldfield-born Tom is no stranger to Michelin,
having previously retained Birmingham eatery Adams’
star - as well as three AA Rosettes - during his tenure as
head chef. He also worked at Nottingham’s two Michelin
starred Restaurant Sat Bains as development chef,
as well as being sous chef to Michael Wignall at The
Latymer, a two Michelin starred restaurant in Bagshot,
Surrey.
Before opening Upstairs, Tom made a name for himself
in Lichfield with his innovative Dine at Home box
collaboration with Sauce Supper Club, serving sellout
CHEF TOM SHEPHERD
weekly fine dining menu boxes to discerning diners
around the city and beyond throughout the Covid-19
lockdown.
Speaking to J’AIME ahead of Upstairs’ opening last
year, Tom said: “We want to create a restaurant which,
in my opinion, is yet to be seen in Lichfield. We really
want to bring a new experience, and we hope that when
people walk through the door they notice that difference
in delivery.
“They can sit down, have some incredible food, because
how we source and how we cook is what I’ve learned
throughout my whole career and that’s not going to
change, it’s going to be elevated even here.
“We want to produce a restaurant that will fulfil, and
hopefully exceed, people’s expectations.
“I’ve worked in some incredible restaurants and with
some incredible people, and it’s time now to go it alone.
And the fact that it’s here in Lichfield, above my dad’s
shop, couldn’t be more perfect.”
And now, with the news of the industry’s most
prestigious accolade, Tom has certainly exceeded every
expectation, cementing Lichfield’s growing reputation as
a culinary hotspot.
Upstairs by Tom Shepherd is at 25 Bore Street,
Lichfield. For more details visit
www.upstairs.restaurant or email
reservations@upstairs.restaurant for booking
enquiries.
48 www.jaimemagazine.com

Food & Drink + Assems Advert_2780.qxp_Layout 1 14/02/2022 16:00 Page 1
Explore the new Food & Drink Trail
You can find them on the brand new
Tamworth Food and Drink Trail.
for a real taste of Tamworth
There’s so much to see and explore in the historic market town
of Tamworth including one of the best preserved motte and
bailey castles in England, extensive pleasure grounds with
tennis, cycle hire and new adventure playground, major edge of
town retail park, bowling alley, theme park, ski centre and a
traditional town centre.
The heart of Tamworth is home to more than 50 food and drink
establishments, including a wide array of independent bars,
restaurants and cafes.
From locally-brewed ale to
homemade ice-cream,
handmade burgers to the
freshest bagels, British bistro
to Japanese sushi…and
everything in between.
Find out more at: www.visittamworth.co.uk/food-and-drink-trail
At the newly refurbished Tamworth Assembly Rooms.
Tenors Unlimited -
That's Amore! Fri 11 Mar
Top Secret: Science
of Magic Sunday 13 March
Dark Side of the Wall
Saturday 12 March
Revenge
Thursday 17 March
Box Office: 01827 709618 www.tamworthassemblyrooms.co.uk
Corporation Street, Tamworth, Staffordshire. B79 7DN
*Please note that these events were correct at time of print and are subject to government guidelines, please check our website for latest updates.
Sleeping with Beauty
Saturday 19 March

T R AV E L
Following in ancient footsteps
IF THE RECENT WINTER OLYMPICS HAVE WHET YOUR APPETITE FOR A LITTLE SPORTING
COMPETITION, WHY NOT INCORPORATE THIS INTO YOUR NEXT HOLIDAY? SUE OCKWELL
TRAVELS TO NEMEA, ON GREECE’S PELOPONNESE PENINSULA, TO FOLLOW IN THE
FOOTSTEPS OF THE ANCIENT GREEKS FOR A MODERN TAKE ON THE PANHELLENIC GAMES
THE SEASIDE RESORT OF TOLON MAKES A GREAT
BASE FOR VISITORS TO THE NEMEAN GAMES
Part of the original four-year cycle of the Panhellenic
Games, which were designed to stop tribes from
warring with one another for at least two weeks a
year by encouraging them to compete in the sporting
arena instead, Ancient Nemea is a must-see, mustexperience
ancient sporting arena. After all, where
else can you run on the earth trodden by Ancient
Greeks more than 2,000 years ago?
The original Games went from Olympia in the first
year, to Isthmia and Nemea in the spring and summer
of year two, then to Delphi for year three, before
moving on to Isthmia and Nemea again for the fourth
year. Then it was back to Olympia to begin the cycle
all over again – hence today’s Olympic Games being
held every four years.
If you want to relive the excitement of the Games and
become an Ancient Greek for a day, you can take part
in the Modern Nemean Games.
Everyone can run in the Modern Nemean Games, no
matter their age - the oldest runners have included a
97-year-old man and a woman of 100! - or ability.
My husband and I took part in 2012 and 2016 and
were due to do it again in June 2020, but the Seventh
Modern Nemean Games was, understandably,
postponed due to Covid-19. The Games were again
postponed in 2021 but – hurrah! – they are returning
in 2022, now scheduled for Friday, June 24 to Sunday,
June 26, with the races themselves being held on
50 www.jaimemagazine.com

THE ANCIENT TEMPLE OF ZEUS IN NEMEA
Saturday, June 25.
The story of the Nemean Games is such a great, lifeaffirming
story. The site was discovered by Professor
Stephen Miller, an archaeologist from California’s
Berkeley University, in 1974. He had seen aerial
photographs which clearly revealed an oblong shape –
the stadium floor.
He bought the site from several local owners including
a young Greek man who wanted to pay for his
education; at the point of signing, the young man
said that he felt guilty as he’d never been able to grow
anything on the land. Professor Miller reassured him
that this did not matter – he wished to dig for ancient
remains.
Professor Miller made Nemea his
home, and continued for many
decades to fight hard to ensure that
the site was kept open year-round for
interested visitors. He masterminded
the concept of the Modern Nemean
Games and organised the four-yearly
event with a team of locals and
other supporters, both from Greece
and internationally. Sadly Professor
Miller died last year after a period
of ill health – but, importantly to
him and to many others, his legacy
lives on.
The Modern Nemean Games see
some 1,500 people run in the 90m
“race” on the ancient stadium floor
– barefoot, as the Ancient Greeks
would have run - towards more
than 100 flags fluttering behind the
eternal flame; one flag for every
nationality running. There is also a
7.5km run, following In the footsteps
TRADITIONAL COSTUMES ARE
A HUGE PART OF THE GAMES
of Herakles, for those who seek
more of a challenge.
The Modern Neman Games
are held over a weekend in
late June - normally every four
years, although the sequence
was of course disrupted by
Covid. On Friday evening, there
is an opening ceremony at the
nearby Temple of Zeus, with its
wonderful pillars. There were
just three standing back in 1974
but Professor Miller and his
archaeological workers pieced
together a further six columns
and there are nine now standing,
which is hugely impressive.
A choir sings dressed in Greek costume of wonderful
pleated, flowing robes, the ‘goddess’ speaks and lights
a torch from the eternal flame, Spartan soldiers clad
in 40kg of armour are commanded to lay down their
arms - the purpose of the original Games - which
they do with a big clank, and the procession walks the
short distance to the arena itself, via an ancient tunnel
complete with 2,000 year old graffiti to light the flame
at the stadium itself.
On the Saturday morning and afternoon, runners
arrive at their appointed time (you run in approximate
age groups and female and male runners are grouped
www.jaimemagazine.com
51

separately), change on the
ancient changing room floor
where a canvas tent is erected
over the ancient flagstones,
anoint themselves with oil as
the ancients did to prevent
dehydration and dress in a
simple cotton chiton supplied
by Nemea at no charge – this
is a pretty much free-of-charge
event and no commercialisation
is allowed, making it very
different from the Olympics
these days.
Participants then take an oath
to uphold the spirit of the
Nemean Games, walk barefoot
through the 36m tunnel and emerge blinking into the
daylight and the stadium itself.
A trumpeter, clothed in the robes of the time, two
millennia ago, announces each runner’s name and
their city and country. An official, similarly clothed -
as are all organisers, from judges to slaves - proffers
a helmet containing marble chips engraved with the
A RIBBON AND PALM FROND AWAITS
THE WINNERS OF EACH RACE
TOLON BEACH, GREECE
track number in which you will run; you select a chip
and walk to the starting point of the 90m race.
There, the starting mechanism of rope and wood,
with two rows of rough-hewn grooved limestone, one
groove for toes, the other for your heel, awaits. Blackrobed
judges with birch twigs ensure that your feet are
in the correct position.
“Ready, steady, go!” is announced in Greek,
the starting mechanism falls forward and
the race commences, towards the flags and
the eternal flame. The spectators shout
encouragement, cheer and clap. It’s like a
fascinating and very exciting grown-up sports
day, and is hugely enjoyable and wonderful, in
equal measure.
The winner of each race is awarded, as in
antiquity, a ribbon tied around their head, and
a palm frond. The traditional ancient wild
celery crown, dug freshly from nearby fields,
comes at the end of the day. All bask in the
simple pleasure of winning – but everyone
is a winner, as this is such a heart-warming
event. Being part of ancient history and
becoming an Ancient Greek for a day is such a
wonderful experience.
To travel to Nemea for a holiday at the time
of the Nemean Games in June, book with RB
Collection for a week’s hotel or self-catering
accommodation in nearby Tolon, a lovely
seaside family resort set on a sandy beach
facing a wide bay. We will also arrange a
transfer for the 40-minute drive there and
back to Ancient Nemea, which is much better
than driving yourself after a long day in the
sun and saves a huge amount of hassle in
terms of trying to find a parking space.
52 www.jaimemagazine.com

The apartments overlook the
lovely bay, and are within an
easy barefoot beach walk of
numerous small-scale tavernas,
ice cream parlours and so on;
Tolon is a buzzy little seaside
town, popular with the Greeks.
Register to run in the Nemean
Games by visiting www.
nemeangames.org – for
2022, there is a modest €5
charge, payable on the day.
It used to be totally free of
charge, but the tiny €5 charge
is more than justified, even
if it simply buys the many
volunteers who work their
socks off a celebratory beer at the end of the day.
The number of runners is of necessity limited to
circa 1,500 people, so reserve your place now via the
Nemean Games website, as I have just done!
What else can you do during your holiday to
Greece apart from visiting Nemea and, if you wish,
participating in the Modern Nemean Games?
Tolon is set on a huge sandy bay, perfect for swimming
and watersports. And Ancient Assini, from where
ships sailed to Troy centuries ago, is a ten-minute walk
from Tolon and is definitely worth a visit, with a wellsignposted
walk, picnic seats with a great view, and an
interpretation centre.
Ancient sites abound nearby – from Epidavros and
Mycenae to Tiryns and Nemea itself, and also Corinth
and its famous canal together with the site of the
Isthmian Games; the Peloponnese is where civilisation
began.
THE STADIUM OF THE NEMEAN GAMES
RELIVE ANCIENT HISTORY
AT THE NEMEAN GAMES
Nafplion, the first capital of Greece postindependence,
before Athens, is a 20-minute bus ride
or an hour’s boat trip along the coast. It boasts marble
pavements, Venetian buildings, a castle high above the
city, and a ‘floating’, very photogenic, castle in the bay.
Best of all, after running the 90m race, and watching
and cheering on other participants for as long as you
wish, return to your base in Tolon, sit at a taverna
table on the beach with a well-earned drink, wriggle
your feet in the sand, watch little flying fish on the
edge of the gentle waves and dream of history…
while your excellent meal is prepared and served al
fresco.
I can’t wait to run (not very fast…) again this June,
and I hope you’ll be tempted to give it a try too. And
why not become a member of the Nemean Games to
receive early announcements and more information?
It’s a very modest €15 per annum per person, and
supports an excellent idea,
enjoyed by many, in a
very practical way.
Hoping to see you
there, to celebrate a
very unusual way of
understanding just a little
about ancient history in
Greece.
To book your holiday
to Greece call RB
Collection on 01543
258631 or email vip@
rbcollection.com.
Visit us at our office on
Boley Park, Lichfield by
appointment, free parking
is available.
www.jaimemagazine.com
53

CO M P E T I T I O N
Win tickets for a Cornish Café
Cream Tea Afternoon
LICHFIELD LITERATURE FESTIVAL IS BACK WITH A BANG THIS YEAR, RUNNING A BUSY
PROGRAMME OF EVENTS AT VENUES AROUND THE CITY FROM THURSDAY, MARCH 24
UNTIL SUNDAY, MARCH 27 - AND WE HAVE A PAIR OF TICKETS UP FOR GRABS
We’ve teamed up with the Festival organisers to offer
two tickets to a very special Mother’s Day event taking
place at The Hub at St Mary’s on Sunday, March 27.
One winner and their lucky companion will join the
audience for a Cornish Cream Tea Afternoon with bestselling
local author Phillipa Ashley.
The ticket includes your very own taste of Cornwall - a
scone with cream and jam, and a choice of tea or coffee
- to enjoy while you listen to Phillipa’s talk.
Phillipa is a Sunday Times and Amazon Top 10
best-selling author of lively and uplifting romantic
fiction including the Cornish Café series. Her first
novel, Decent Exposure won the Romantic Novelists
Association New Writers Award and was filmed as a
US TV movie. She has sold over a quarter of a million
ebooks and 100,000 paperbacks with publisher Avon.
Her most recent books include An Endless Cornish
Summer, the beginning of a brand new series also set in
Cornwall, and A Special Cornish Christmas, published
at the end of 2021. Her 2020 Christmas release, A
Surprise Christmas Wedding, was a Top 10 Sunday
Times bestseller.
For more information and to book tickets for
Lichfield Literature Festival events, visit
www.lichfieldliteraturefestival.org.
Competition!
For your chance to win a pair of tickets to the
opening day of the show, simply answer the
following question:
Which English county is the setting for
Phillipa’s best-selling ‘Café’ series?
• Devon
• Cornwall
• Dorset
Send your answer, along with your contact
details, by email to competitions@
jaimemagazine.com with the subject
‘Lichfield Literature Festival competition’,
by 5pm on Sunday, March 21. Terms and
conditions apply. Visit www.jaimemagazine.
com for details.
AUTHOR PHILLIPA ASHLEY WILL BE TALKING
AT LICHFIELD LITERATURE FESTIVAL
TERMS AND CONDITIONS:
• The event runs on Sunday, March 27, 2022 from
3.30pm-5.00pm.
• Prize includes 2x tickets – no travel, parking, expenses or
accommodation is provided.
• Winners will be picked at random and notified via email on
Monday, March 22.
• Contact information will be supplied to a third party who will
send your winning tickets electronically via email.
• The prize is for one pair of tickets, so there will be one winner.
• Prize cannot be swapped for cash or sold on.
• Details correct at time of print.
• The promoter of this competition is J’AIME Magazine.
54 www.jaimemagazine.com

N E E D A
S P E C I A L
E S C A P E ?
I N V E S T I N Y O U R H O L I D A Y W I S E L Y
Holistic Centre for Body, Mind & Spirit
Confused?
Hurting?
Stuck?
Need Help?
Ask Sonia, a highly
skilled and experienced
counsellor and
psychotherapist, and
founder of the Anam
Cara Holistic Centre
R B C O L L E C T I O N . C O M - 0 1 5 4 3 2 5 8 6 3 1
For more information
Call: (Confidential line) 0121 353 1508
Visit: www.anamcaraholisticcentre.co.uk
STEP INTO
Spring!
Shop
Dine
Relax
Enjoy
heartofthecountryvillage.com
Swinfen, Lichfield. WS14 9QR

W H AT ’ S O N
What’s on in March?
READY TO GET OUT AND ABOUT THIS SPRING? THERE’S THEATRE, MUSIC, LITERATURE
AND MORE TO ENJOY IN LICHFIELD, SUTTON AND BEYOND THIS MARCH…
WHAT: DISNEY’S BEAUTY AND THE BEAST
WHERE: BIRMINGHAM HIPPODROME
WHEN: MARCH 3 TO 26
The most enchanted musical of all time, Beauty and the Beast returns
to the stage for a new, completely reimagined UK and Ireland tour,
stopping off in Birmingham for a run of shows this month.
Spectacularly reimagined using the latest theatrical innovations,
Disney’s beloved ‘tale as old as time’ has been brought to life on stage
like never before, with all the charm and elegance audiences expect
from Belle and her Beast.
Disney first debuted Beauty and the Beast on Broadway 26 years ago.
Members of the original creative team have reunited on this new
production that features all of the spellbinding songs of Alan Menken,
Howard Ashman and Tim Rice ​including Belle, Gaston, Be Our Guest
and, of course, Beauty and the Beast.
For more details and to book tickets visit
www.birminghamhippodrome.com
WHAT: THE TIGER WHO CAME TO TEA
WHERE: LICHFIELD GARRICK
WHEN: MARCH 5 AND 6
Direct from the West End, the Olivier Award nominated smash hit
show The Tiger Who Came to Tea is celebrating over 10 years on stage
and appears on tour in Lichfield this month. When the doorbell rings
just as Sophie and her mummy are sitting down to tea, they wonder
who it could possibly be? What they certainly don’t expect to see at the
door is a big, stripy tiger! Join the tea-guzzling tiger in this delightful
family show, packed with oodles of magic, sing-along songs and clumsy
chaos! Tickets for this stunning stage adaptation of the classic tale of
teatime mayhem are priced at £16. For more details visit
www.lichfieldgarrick.com
WHAT: MAD HATTER’S AFTERNOON TEA
WHERE: MOOR HALL HOTEL AND SPA
WHEN: MARCH 6
Enjoy a curiouser and curiouser afternoon tea with the Mad Hatter,
Alice, the White Rabbit, Tweedle-dum and Tweedle-dee at Moor Hall
Hotel and Spa on Sunday, March 6. It’s the perfect treat for any Alice in
Wonderland fan, young or old, and there is guaranteed to be craziness,
fun and even some singing and dancing. You’ll want to make sure you’re
on your best behaviour, otherwise the Queen of Hearts might declare
it’s “off with their heads”!
Tickets for the afternoon tea experience are priced at £32 per adult and
£22 per child, although bear in mind this event may not be suitable for
very young children if they are easily frightened. Arrive from 12.30pm
for a 1pm start. For more details visit www.moorhallhotel.co.uk
56 www.jaimemagazine.com

WHAT: DITA VON TEESE: GLAMONATRIX
WHERE: THE ALEXANDRA, BIRMINGHAM
WHEN: MARCH 14 AND 15
The ever-dazzling International Queen of Burlesque, Dita Von Teese,
returns to the stage with the most lavish touring burlesque show in
history with her all-new revue, Dita Von Teese: Glamonatrix.
The Glamonatrix burlesque revue takes audiences on a stunning visual
journey with one show-stopping performance after another. The uberglamorous
variety show presents extravagant new production numbers
from Dita and the cast, with costumes created by famed corset maker
Mister Pearl, British designer Jenny Packham, French couturier Alexis
Mabille, burlesque icon Catherine D’Lish, Brooke Brothers and more.
Shoe aficionados will delight in the extraordinary bespoke footwear by
Christian Louboutin.
The Glamonatrix tour follows Von Teese’s The Art of the Teese
which is the most successful burlesque tour of all time, playing to sold
out theatres in cities across the United States, Canada, Europe, and
Australia.
For more details visit www.atgtickets.com/birmingham
WHAT: REMI HARRIS JAZZ & BLUES PROJECT
WHERE: CATHEDRAL HOTEL, LICHFIELD
WHEN: MARCH 16
Acclaimed guitarist Remi Harris and his band present an eclectic
show featuring music from the acoustic jazz of the ‘30s and ‘40s to the
electric blues of the ‘60s and ‘70s. Influenced by such greats as Django
Reinhardt, Jimi Hendrix, Peter Green and Wes Montgomery, Remi
has dedicated himself to a life of guitar since the age of seven. His
playing has taken him from busking on the streets of his local towns
to performing at prestigious events and venues around the world,
including the Montreal Jazz Festival, Buckingham Palace, BBC Proms
at the Royal Albert Hall with Jamie Cullum, and on national radio and
television.
The show will feature a mix of jazz and blues standards, original
compositions, improvisations and new arrangements of familiar tunes.
Remi will play a variety of acoustic and electric guitars and will be
joined on stage by Tom Moore on double and electric bass and Shane
Dixon on drums. Doors open at 7.45pm and tickets are just £12. For
more details visit www.lichfieldarts.org.uk
WHAT: REVENGE BY ROBIN HAWDON
WHERE: TAMWORTH ASSEMBLY ROOMS
WHEN: MARCH 17 AND 18
Directed by Louise Jameson (EastEnders, Doc Martin, Doctor Who,
Bergerac), the national tour of this cat and mouse stage-thriller stops off
in Tamworth for two nights only.
Bill Crayshaw MP, leads a charmed life, hailed in the corridors of
Parliament, lauded in business, and loved at home. That is until he
returns from a business trip to find his party agent has been killed in a
terrible, tragic accident - or was it?
Mary Stewart isn’t so sure and arrives at his door asking some awkward
questions - in reality, is his success founded on murder, corruption and
double-dealing?
But how does she know so much about his private life - a jealous
journalist peddling seedy lies? This one seems prepared to go to
extraordinary lengths to ensure his political, business and personal
lives are ruined. Is her motive journalism, blackmail, seduction… or
revenge?
As the tension mounts and suspense increases, shots ring out and the
initial game of cat and mouse turns into a deadly battle, twisting and
turning between truth and lies, to reach a thrilling climax that will keep
audiences guessing until the final curtain.
Tickets are priced from £19.50, visit www.
tamworthassemblyrooms.co.uk for details.
www.jaimemagazine.com
57

WHAT: LICHFIELD LITERATURE FESTIVAL
WHERE: VARIOUS
WHEN: MARCH 24-27
This month brings a packed programme to town for the Lichfield
Literature Festival, with something for every bookworm. History fans
will enjoy events with leading UK historians, including Simon Thurley
discussing the Stuarts, Tristram Hunt on ‘the radical potter’ Wedgwood,
and Tracy Borman reflecting on the British monarchy. Magiciancomedian
Ian Keable explores the 18th-century hoax, Jay Rayner
performs his hit show about killer dishes, and Amy Jeffs - who we spoke
to for this issue - journeys through mythological Britain.
On Saturday, expect an evening of crime with mortician Carla
Valentine dissecting the forensics of Agatha Christie followed by crime
writers Nadine Matheson and Vaseem Khan exploring a brand new
collection of short stories. Festival favourite Alison Weir serves up tales
from the Tudor Court while Nikki May celebrates her sizzling debut
novel Wahala, and poetry performance comes from new Staffordshire
indie publisher Fawn Press.
For those with a nose for non-fiction, there’s Anita Sethi’s brave and
brilliant book of nature-writing; former soldier Harry Parker at the
frontiers of man and machine; BBC Radio 4 presenter Justin Webb
reflecting on his childhood; former BBC R4 Today programme
producer Sarah Sands taking inspiration from monasteries around
the world; and researcher Yen Ooi exploring the ancient Chinese
philosophy of Rén.
Children will love hearing from Christopher Lloyd how Nature operates
in a world without humans, as well as drawing with official World Book
Day Illustrator Rob Biddulph. For full programme details and to book
tickets, visit www.lichfieldliteraturefestival.org
WHAT: SUTTON COLDFIELD VINTAGE & ARTS FAIR
WHERE: SUTTON COLDFIELD TOWN HALL
WHEN: MARCH 27
Now in its tenth year, the “biggest and best vintage fair in the
Midlands” returns to Sutton Coldfield Town Hall this March. With
70 stalls of vintage fashion, arts, crafts, homewares, style and tasty
treats brought to you by traders from across the UK, there’s plenty of
browsing and delights to discover. Lovers of vintage style and fashion
won’t want to miss out on this extra special event. Head along to
explore three whole rooms of great atmosphere and unique finds, full
of colour and creativity. Plus, there is live entertainment livening up
the Hall throughout the day, and a wonderful selection of cakes and
refreshments if you need some sustenance for all that shopping! Entry
to the Fair is £1 per person, with entry between 11am and 4.30pm. For
more details visit www.suttoncoldfieldtownhall.com
WHAT: AN AUDIENCE WITH WAYNE SLEEP
WHERE: TAMWORTH ASSEMBLY ROOMS
WHEN: MARCH 30
Wayne Sleep invites you to join him as he looks back over a glittering
career spanning five decades. Using his own rare film footage and
photos, Wayne will describe how he became a Principal Dancer at the
Royal Ballet before going on to starring roles in the West End, founding
his own dance company, and touring the world with his own show. His
first steps into the world of film and TV are illustrated with rarely seen
clips and cover his TV series The Hot Shoe Show, being a special guest
on The Morecambe and Wise Show, starring alongside Sean Connery,
and off-camera gossip from The Real Marigold Hotel.
Wayne will talk about everything from his celebrity reality show
appearances to his relationship with Princess Margaret and close
personal friendship with Diana, Princess of Wales. Finally, any evening
with Wayne wouldn’t be complete without a dance step or two and the
audience won’t be disappointed. Doors open at 6pm for a 7.30pm start.
Tickets are priced at £20.50-£22.50. For more details visit
www.tamworthartsandevents.co.uk
58 www.jaimemagazine.com

MR ASH GULATI
CONSULTANT
HIP AND KNEE
SURGEON, AND
ROBOTIC SURGERY
SPECIALIST.
MBBS, MS ORTH, DNB
(ORTH), AO FELLOW
(TORONTO), PHD (OXFORD),
FRCS (TR & ORTH)
LEAVE JOINT PAIN BEHIND
Based in Sutton Coldfield, Mr Ash Gulati specialises in hip & knee
replacements, sports injuries management, and cutting edge,
high-precision minimally invasive robotic-assisted surgery, reducing
post-operative pain and facilitating a quicker recovery.
I AM TOTALLY FREE FROM PAIN AND
WALK BETTER THAN I HAVE DONE IN
YEARS, I HAVE MY LIFE BACK
Knee replacement patient of Mr Gulati
APPOINTMENTS
ARE AVAILABLE
EVERY WEEK
AT SPIRE LITTLE
ASTON HOSPITAL.
If you think you would benefit from an outpatient consultation to
discuss your joint pain, or to plan ways to solve your orthopaedic
problems, why not book an appointment today:
Private Secretary: Nikki Thomas - Telephone: 07985414676
Email: nikki.thomas24@btinternet.com - Visit: www.agulati.co.uk

F I N A N C E
ADVERTISING FEATURE
Wealth Matters
A MONTHLY REVIEW OF THE WORLD OF FINANCE FROM
LICHFIELD FINANCIAL ADVISER JEAN LAMB DipPFS
This month I thought we should look at “the cost
of living”. I’m actually referring to our country’s
infrastructure groaning under the strain of an evergrowing
and ever-ageing population.
IN DENIAL
Many Britons are in denial about the challenges of
later life care and simply adopt the “it won’t happen
to me” approach. To quote Clint Eastwood in his
Dirty Harry persona; “You’ve got to ask yourself one
question ‘Do I feel lucky?’”
Unfortunately for many, being lucky in this scenario
could be defined as not outliving your capital which
is a rather downbeat definition. Nowhere is this
more acutely felt than in the area of long term care
funding.
A lack of forward planning in this area is especially
concerning given longevity estimates. Today, a
65-year-old male can expect to live for another 20
years and a 65-year-old woman 22 years, and 25
percent of those are likely to add a further seven
years onto those figures (Source: Office for National
Statistics, National Life Tables – United Kingdom,
January 2022).
THE ISSUES
For those already in or about to go into care the
issues for them and their family tend to revolve
around whether they have enough resources to fund
the care home that they actually want to be in until
the end of their life, and whether this may decimate
the legacy that they want to leave behind for their
family.
For most people, paying for care requires creating
income from their capital and assets. There are
several ways of achieving this; probably more than
you may at first think, and it is important to assess
how each fits the individual set of circumstances.
It is likely that the best solution may actually be a
combination of options.
HELP IS AT HAND
The good news is that there is a wealth of
information, practical help and professional advice
out there to help individuals and their families tackle
later life planning issues. For instance, Age UK is
an excellent source of factsheets covering many
scenarios and common areas of concern.
Later life advice is recognised within my own
profession as a specialism requiring distinctive
expertise and attributes from those who advise in
this area. Indeed, a requirement for membership
of SOLLA, the Society of Later Life Advisers of
which I am myself a member, is an explicit later
life advice accreditation. Therefore, given that this
level of specialist advice is available, I would urge
anyone who may need to use their assets to help fund
care fees to seek professional, accredited advice at
the earliest opportunity which could make all the
difference.
I firmly believe later life should be a greater life; a time for
celebration and enjoying life in the way that you want and
that best suits your needs. And if your health is not all it
could be, it should also be a time that you feel comfortable and
financially secure. So perhaps it’s time to think about it, talk
about it and plan for it sooner rather than later.
Jean Lamb is Principal of Jean Lamb Wealth Consultancy
6A Market Street, Lichfield, WS13 6LH - Tel: 01543 417342
Email: jean.lamb@sjpp.co.uk - Website: www.jeanlamb.co.uk
Jean Lamb Wealth Consultancy is an Appointed Representative of and represents only St. James’s Place Wealth Management Plc (which is
authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority) for the purpose of advising solely on the Group’s wealth management products
and services, more details of which are set out on the Group’s website www.sjp.co.uk/products.
60 www.jaimemagazine.com

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supported to live a fulfilled and enjoyable life.
Rosemary Lodge Care Home is family run home and has
Rosemary Lodge Care Home is a family run home and has
been highly regarded part of the community for over 30
been a highly regarded part of the community for over 30
years. Offering 24 hour care, our fully trained staff work
years. Offering 24 hour care, our fully trained staff work
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together to communicate with residents and ensure
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personal care needs are met in a person centered
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approach, thus building an important relationship of trust
and friendship.
and friendship.
All rooms are on-suite, and are designed to comfortably
All Rosemary rooms are Lodge on-suite, Care Hoe is and a family are run designed home and to has comfortably
been a highly
regarded part accommodate of the community individuals for over 30 years. and Offering couples. 24 hour care, our
fully trained accommodate staff work together individuals to communicate and with couples. residents and ensure
persoal There care is needs full Wi-Fi are met connectivity in a person centred throughout approach, thus to building allow an
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to allow
residents the opportunity of keeping in touch with family
residents the opportunity of keeping in touch with family
All rooms are en-suite, and friends and are designed with video to comfortably calls. accommodate
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with Regular activity activities timetables and entertainment distributed are always weekly, available but with activity privacy
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is privacy also ensured and peace weekly, and in this quiet but
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and peace and quiet is also ensured in this beautiful
'home from home'.
'home from home'.
Our commitment to offering just the right amount of care
Our commitment to offering just the right amount of care
and support has led to an excellent reputation in the
and support has led to an excellent reputation in the
community and with the care professionals who work
community and with the care professionals who work
with us. We value our staff highly and recognise that their
with us. We value our staff highly and recognise that their
care and commitment are great part of our success.
care and commitment are a great part of our success.
We also offer respite care, holiday stay and limited day
We also offer respite care, holiday stay and limited day
care. To arrange visit or to learn more about us please
care. To arrange a visit or to learn more about us please
get in touch using the contact details below.
get in touch using the contact details below.
ALSO AVAILABLE FOR FREE PICK UP IN LEADING
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in this beautiful ‘home from home’
Our commitment to offering just the right amount of care and support has led
to an excellent reputation in the community and with the care professionals
who work with us. We value our staff highly and recognise that their care and
commitment are a great part of our success.
We also offer respite care, holiday stay and limited day care. To arrange a visit
or to learn more about us please get in touch using the contact details below.
Rosemary Lodge Residential Care Home
Rosemary Lodge Residential Home
Rosemary 191 Walsall Lodge Road, Residential Lichfield. Staffs. WS13 Care 8AQ. Home
191 Walsall Road, Lichfield, Staffordshire, WS13 8AQ
In the 191 first Walsall instance Road, please Lichfield, contact Jane Staffordshire, Evans - Registered WS13 Care Manager 8AQ
Please contact or Shirley the Registered Kent - Administration Care Manager. Jane Evans
Please contact the Registered Care Manager Jane Evans
Tel: 01543 01543 415223 415223 E-mail: - Email: contact@rosemarylodge.co.uk
roselodgehome@aol.com
Tel: 01543 415223
Website: www.rosemarylodgecarehome.co.uk
E-mail: contact@rosemarylodge.co.uk
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CQC RATING GOOD

FA S H I O N
A jean-ius combination
EFFORTLESSLY CHIC FOR ANY OCCASION, THE JEANS AND BLAZER COMBO
WILL ALWAYS BE A SARTORIAL WINNER, SAYS AMY NORBURY
WHEN it comes to fashion, there are those flash-in-the-pan
trends whose moment in the fashion lexicon is up before quicker
than you can say ‘curtain drape top’, and there are those trends
which just don’t translate from the designer catwalks onto the
high streets.
And then there are trends which stand the test of time; trends
which we can rely on season after season for a splash of sartorial
style, and which become our go-to, failsafe, wardrobe staples.
For a reliable outfit formula, jeans and a blazer are hard to beat.
Simple, classic style with enough iterations to suit just about any
occasion, this is a wardrobe game-changer which will never let
you down.
Immortalised by the supermodels of the Nineties - it was pretty
much Kate Moss’s uniform for at least a decade - the jeans-anda-blazer
combo continues to be emulated by their contemporary
counterparts to this day. As well as, well, just about everyone
else.
It’s the ultimate dress-up/dress-down combo which can be
switched up at the drop of a hat by a quick change of footwear
and some carefully chosen accessories.
So revive your own favourite jeans with a stylish blazer for a
supermodel-approved uniform which will stand the test of time.
For the ultimate in chic off-duty casual, pair a crisp tailored
blazer with relaxed, boyfriend cut jeans and white trainers;
combining comfort with style, it’s the perfect weekend look.
If you’re steadfastly refusing to ditch the skinny jeans, opt for an
oversized blazer to balance your silhouette and add an on-trend
touch to your outfit. Pair with a slim-fit T-shirt and Cuban
heeled boots for day, or opt for a silky cami top and strappy heels
for play.
Or try a cropped blazer teamed with high waisted jeans to offset
the raised hemline if you’re after a more fashion-forward twist.
Look for a cropped boucle style for that Chanel vibe - oversized
sunglasses are a must here.
When it comes to your denim, remember there’s life beyond
black and navy. Flip the look on it’s head with pale jeans and a
dark blazer. Or if you’re looking for the most elegant iteration of
the trend, a pure white blazer with smart, well cut indigo jeans
always offers a sophisticated outcome.
CROPPED BLAZER, £68, LIPSY.
WWW.LIPSY.CO.UK
62 www.jaimemagazine.com

£49.50 £1,750 £90
CHESHAM GIRLFRIEND JEANS IN PALE
WASH, FATFACE. WWW.FATFACE.COM
BROWN DOUBLE-BREASTED WOOL
BLAZER, BALMAIN AT HARVEY NICHOLS.
WWW.HARVEYNICHOLS.COM
JAYDE BLACK FLARED JEANS,
FREE PEOPLE AT HARVEY NICHOLS.
WWW.HARVEYNICHOLS.COM
£209
£185
£25
SHAWL COLLAR BLAZER,
IVY & OAK AT HARVEY NICHOLS.
WWW.HARVEYNICHOLS.COM
NINA INDIGO SKINNY JEANS,
RAG & BONE AT HARVEY NICHOLS.
WWW.HARVEYNICHOLS.COM
SIENNA BLAZER, PRIMARK.
WWW.PRIMARK.COM
LIME OVERSIZED BLAZER, £65, RIVER ISLAND.
WWW.RIVERISLAND.COM

B E AU T Y
What’s your type?
FROM SIGNS OF AGEING TO AN OILY T-ZONE, IT’S ESSENTIAL TO
UNDERSTAND YOUR COMPLEXION WHEN PICKING THE MOST EFFECTIVE
PRODUCTS. DEBORAH MITCHELL, FOUNDER OF HEAVEN SKINCARE,
SHARES HER MUST-HAVES TO TACKLE YOUR SPECIFIC ISSUES
Mature Skin:
As we age, so too does our skin. We start to
notice fine lines and wrinkles, our faces may
feel dryer and we lose that youthful plumpness
we took for granted in our 20s. Added to that,
sun-exposure, lifestyle factors such as smoking,
diet, and maybe not having kept up with that
daily skincare routine and it’s no surprise we
start to look our age.
But all is not lost and boosting your collagen
levels can really help. Collagen is found in
abundance in our skin when we’re younger
but as we get older the amount diminishes –
in fact, by the time we’re 50 we’ve already lost
up to a third. Try adding a few drops of my
new Collagen Drops to supercharge your
favourite moisturiser or apply directly to the
skin and massage in to tackle blemishes and
break-outs.
Oily Skin:
Oily skin can be difficult to cope with... no sooner have you
washed your face that you notice it starts to look greasy
again. The problem is caused by excess sebum, the oily
substance that protects and hydrates our skin and is vital
to keep it looking healthy. However when we produce too
much, our pores become clogged and this is often more
noticeable during teens, pregnancy and the menopause due
to hormonal changes.
While it may sound strange, using oil on your face actually
helps because it stops your skin thinking it needs to produce
any more so add a serum to your daily routine. My
Clarifying Serum is perfect for those who suffer with
excess oil and brings the skin back to equilibrium. Apply
one or two drops after your cleansing routine or add to your
favourite moisturiser.
64 www.jaimemagazine.com

Sensitive Skin:
If you suffer from redness, blotchy patches and itchiness then you have sensitive
skin – and you’ll know that a whole host of factors exacerbate the problem.
Typically, weather conditions, air pollution and diet play their part in making
the issue worse, but harsh chemicals often found in beauty products and
makeup don’t do you any favours either. I would advise you to ditch anything
that contains irritants and replace them with products that are made using
natural ingredients because these will soothe and calm your complexion. I also
recommend you deeply cleanse skin every day to remove pollutants.
Heaven’s silky soft Hydro Cleansing Milk has been created using organic
jojoba, which is the closest match to our own natural oil, to balance and
conditions. Simply apply to your face and neck in the morning and night and
massage in a circular motion before rinsing with warm water.
Normal Skin:
I get asked a lot what exactly is normal skin, and the easiest way to explain it is to
take you back to those pH tables you learned about in your school science lessons.
The pH level of our skin – measured on a scale of 1-14 – refers to how acidic or
alkaline it is. Your complexion is healthiest, or normal, when it is slightly alkaline,
at 6.5 to 7.5. Put simply, this means your skin is performing as it should.
Just because your skin is balanced and calm certainly doesn’t mean you should
rest on your laurels; you still need to have an effective daily routine, morning
and night, to ensure your complexion remains where it is happiest. To maintain
great skin use Peppermint Hydrogel to minimise oil secretion, balance the pH
levels, refine pores and diminish blemishes.
Heaven Skincare by Deborah Mitchell is available at Heaven Health & Beauty, 13a Market
Place, Shifnal, Shropshire. You can also shop online at heavenskincare.com.
www.jaimemagazine.com
65

H E A LT H
Weight loss could start with
‘balloon pill’ and a glass of water
A SLIMMING ‘BALLOON PILL’ THAT CAN BE TAKEN WITH A GLASS OF WATER IS THE NON-INVASIVE
WEIGHT LOSS TREATMENT OF CHOICE AT SPIRE LITTLE ASTON HOSPITAL IN SUTTON COLDFIELD
The Allurion ‘balloon pill’ works by filling the
stomach and making the patient feel full more
quickly and so enables them to cut back on the
amount they eat.
But, unlike other slimming aids available - such as
the gastric band, sleeve or bypass - there is no need
for surgery, a general anaesthetic or an overnight stay
in hospital.
Instead, a small capsule that contains the balloon
is attached to a thin tube and swallowed. Once it
reaches the stomach an X-ray is taken to check it is
in the correct position before the balloon is released
and filled with up to 550ml of saline.
Designed to deflate after 16 weeks and pass naturally
through the body, the Allurion balloon is aimed at
people with a BMI of 27 or above in order to help
them ‘kick-start’ their dieting regime.
The procedure is overseen by consultant general
surgeon Mr Amir Khan, who explained: “It isn’t a
‘miracle pill’; it still needs the patient to eat less and
choose their foods more wisely but it is a great aid to
those who are serious about weight loss.
“The balloon will reduce the hunger pangs but the
CONSULTANT GENERAL
SURGEON MR AMIR KHAN
patient still has to show willpower and determination
in order to get the very best results from the process.
It may be that the patient is advised to stick to a
liquid diet for a couple of days after the procedure
but they will then be able to move onto solid foods.
“What is really important is that they use the feeling
of fullness provided by the balloon to help them
change their eating habits. Smaller portions and
healthier options really are the key to success.”
KICK START YOUR WEIGHT LOSS WITH
THE ALLURION GASTRIC BALLOON
YOU CAN LOSE AN AVERAGE OF 10 TO 15KGS (1.57 TO 2.36
STONE) IN 16 WEEKS THANKS TO THE BALLOON.
How to go private:
Pay for treatment directly – You can simply pay for your
treatment as and when you need it with our fixed price package which
covers all your treatment costs.
Pay for treatment with a loan – Our finance partner offers a
range of repayment plans, including interest-free finance, to help you
spread the cost.
Mr Khan is offering free virtual mini consultations on
Thursday, March 17 from 6.30pm. Call 0121 514 7034 for
more information or to make an appointment.
66 www.jaimemagazine.com

Established – Professional – Transparent
The Winterton family name has been synonymous
with auctioneering in Staffordshire since 1864
Probate and formal valuations for
inheritance tax purposes
Our reliable and sympathetic
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we handle everything
Comprehensive, bespoke
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We handle clearance of an entire
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Pictures, Antiques & Collectables
The Lichfield Auction Centre
Fradley Park (close to the A38)
Wood End Lane, WS13 8NF
Discover that hidden gem with your local auctioneer
We specialise in:
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Watches, pens and designer gear
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9.30am - 11am
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By appointment only - with our team on Thursdays from 9.30am - 4pm Call 01543 251081
The Lichfield Auction Centre
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01543 251081
office@richardwinterton.co.uk
The Tamworth Auction Rooms
34-35 Church Street, Tamworth B79 7BX
01827 217746
tamworth@richardwinterton.co.uk
J'Aime Ad 190x280_June 2021.indd 5 11/02/2022 16:27