Banbury Living Oct - Nov 2022

We are free thinkers. 

We are courageous. 

We are kind. 

An extraordinary Pre-Prep and Prep School in Oxford where children discover 

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www.dragonschool.org

C O N T E N T S 

A NOTE 

from the editor 

12 

RECIPES FOR AUTUMN FEASTS 

I write this editor’s note under 

the sober shadow of the 

passing of our monarch. After 

over 70 years on the throne, 

our nation takes pause to 

honour the memory of Queen 

Elizabeth II. 

The past few weeks have 

held mourning, reflection and 

celebration of a remarkable 

life. Personally, I was a little 

surprised by the truly profound 

sense of loss I felt on her 

passing. Conversations with 

friends have revealed a similar 

depth of feeling - I’m not sure 

many of us realised what an 

impact losing her would have 

- a person who many of us 

have never met, but who we 

will miss as though we knew 

her. 

22 

GUEST BEDROOMS 

Editor Katie Thomson 

e katie@minervapublications.co.uk 

Assistant Editor Kate Norris 

Publisher Sally Thomson 

Pre Press Manager Rebecca Rose 

Contributors 

Matthew Biggs, Angela Cave, 

Louise Thomson, Pete Lawrence 

FOR ADVERTISING 

Account Manager Steve Davies 

e steve.davies@minervapublications.co.uk 

t 01225 984506 

Cover image courtesy of Waitrose 

04 

COMPETITIONS 

WINTER HOME PREP 

20 

MINERVA PUBLICATIONS 

Unit 21c, Paxcroft Farm, 

Hilperton BA14 6JB 

t 01225 984 550 

www.minervamagazines.co.uk 

Printed on sustainably sourced paper. 

Please recycle this copy or pass it along 

when you are finished for someone else 

to enjoy. 

Disclaimer: The publishers shall not be 

held liable for any loss occasioned by 

failure of an advertisement to appear, or 

any damage or inconvenience caused by 

errors, omissions and misprints. No part of 

this publication may be reproduced without 

prior permission from the publishers. 

The opinions expressed within are not 

necessarily those of the publishers. 

She has been in all our 

lives, for all of our lives - 

subconsciously there, each 

and every day. She was 

the face of our nation, an 

inspirational and revered 

figure across the world. 

She led the country through 

immense challenges, and is 

perhaps the greatest female 

role model to ever have lived. 

How blessed we were to have 

such a stoic figure on our 

throne, so dedicated to public 

service and to her people. We 

loved her, and we are proud to 

be represented by her. 

When we get caught up with 

the trivial moments of every 

day life, moments of collective 

grief and recollection can 

bring us back to centre - to 

reflect instead on what is 

really important, help us 

remember those we’ve lost 

and to cherish the ones we 

love even more. 

Thank you, ma’am, for 

everything. 

Katie 

www.banburyliving.co.uk | 3

COMPETITION 

To enter any (or all!) of our competitions, head to 

www.minervamagazines.co.uk/competitions. 

Find the competition and enter on that post, 

using the appropriate keyword. 

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

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

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Book with your personal travel agent. 

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We deliver to your door free of charge on a Friday 

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This looks great worn as 

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WORK FROM: 

ANYWHERE 

With more of us embracing flexible working, 

having the right kit to help you WFH and 

transport your tech is essential. Here are some 

of our must-haves... 

STM Myth Backpack with 

built-in laptop protector 

and cable tidies, £99.95, 

amazon.co.uk 

Prop up your phone to 

take video calls or watch 

videos hands free with 

this handy device, 

STM Goods MagPod £44.95 

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The Hot List 

OUR FAVOURITE LIFESTYLE TRENDS 

A gimbal 

stabalises video 

footage by rotating the 

phone to keep your scene 

in balance. It also has 

face tracking and panning 

ability for professional 

looking videos 

This has lots of segments to protect 

lenses, plus space for your laptop 

or tablet and of course your camera, 

Manfrotto Manhattan Mover 30, 

manfrotto.co.uk 

If you are transporting a laptop or 

camera equipment regularly, it is 

important to invest in protective carrying 

equipment. Backpacks with inbuilt 

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CURATED CONTENT 

More of us are creating content from home than ever - 

but if you want videos to look professional 

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as is a slider or a gimbal to create 

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Outfit from Matalan 

The pros at Joby have a range of pieces of kit, but we wouldn’t be without: 

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product shots 


STYLISH 

stays 

CARROSSA HOTEL, 

SPA & RESORT 

Artà, Mallorca 

Katie Thomson visits the Carrossa Hotel, Spa & Resort for a 

moment of quiet, breathtaking island sunsets and the chance 

bask in the sun surrounded by rugged natural beauty… 

Sitting atop rocky hilltops with panoramic 

views over the neighbouring town of 

Artá and the glittering Bay of Alcúdia, 

the Carrossa Hotel, Spa & Resort is a 

stunning place to experience a taste of 

Balearic life. With landscaped gardens 

filled with fragrant lavender and ancient 

olive trees, the hotel beautifully blends 

classic Mallorcan style with contemporary 

comforts. 

STYLE 

The site centres around a 400 year 

old farmhouse, restored and artfully 

converted to house a range of rooms and 

suites, alongside villas and fincas. Think of 

floor to ceiling windows, exposed beams 

and fresh interiors - all making the most of 

the incredible views available from every 

angle. 

The rooms are spacious and elegant, with 

marble vanity units, ample storage and 

an airy feel. Our suite had beautiful high 

ceilings and exposed beams - the rooms 

are luxurious but unfussy - perfect for 

making you feel immediately relaxed. 

ACTIVITIES 

Relaxation is the order of the day at 

Carrossa - but if you do like to beat that 

holiday inertia, there are some great 

activities right on the doorstep. 

Despite its more remote location, this area 

has a huge pull for golfers, with a range 

of courses within a short drive. Capdepera 

Golf, Pula Gold Resort and Alcanada are 

superb courses, all within an hour of the 

hotel. 

New and experienced riders alike will 

love the option to ride horses in this 

charming area. The hotel also has details 

on a selection of morning hike trails, local 

cycling routes, and even yacht rental. 

FOOD 

The Carrossa is a foodie’s delight - with 

the option to dine in either the eponymous 

main restaurant or the more relaxed 

Badia Bistro available with half board 

pricing. Restaurant Carrossa serves up 

an ambitious classical menu with modern 

touches, all centred around seasonal 

ingredients. Each evening brings a new 

and exciting daily set menu, alongside 

options to interchange dishes from the a 

la carte menu. 

Badia Bistro is perfect for a burger or 

fresh fish dishes, plus a selection of tapas 

- it also enjoys wonderful sunset views 

across the bay. 

If after dinner drinks are in order, a trip to 

the Bar Oro is a memorable (well, depends 

on the number of drinks…) experience. 

This modern bar sits within historic vaults, 

creating an atmospheric space to enjoy a 

range of classic and more experimental 

cocktails. 

RELAXATION 

Carrossa is not short of lovely places to 

relax - each of the suites is complete with 

its own patio - the perfect place to unwind 

with a glass of wine whilst you watch 

the wild goats forage amongst the olive 

groves. 

Yogis can take part in the twice-weekly 

yoga classes on site, or those looking 

to ease out more muscle tension should 

head straight to the spa. 

The resort caters for all seasons - with a 

glorious infinity pool soaking in the best 

of the views for the summer months, and 

a large spa, complete with steam room, 

sauna and a relaxation area to soothe the 

muscles after a day of activity - or a day of 

reading your book in resplendent peace, 

we won’t judge! 

Standard rooms from £198, Suites from 

£288 per night. Find out more and book 

your stay at www.carrossa.com 

Camí de Carrossa | 07570 Artà 

Mallorca | Spain 

T: +34 971-835647 

8 | www.banburyliving.co.uk

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ADVERTISING FEATURE 

A HISTORY OF 

Queen Elizabeth II 

Queen Elizabeth II was queen regnant of 32 sovereign states during her lifetime 

and 15 at the time of her death. Her reign of 70 years and 214 days is the longest of 

any British monarch and the longest recorded of any female head of state in history 

– she became a much loved and respected figure across the world. We look back at 

some of the most remarkable moments in her reign to celebrate her remarkable life 

lived in public service. 

1. QUEEN ELIZABETH II’S 

CORONATION - JUNE 2, 1953 

Held at Westminster Abbey, Elizabeth’s 

coronation ceremony was the first to be 

broadcast live on television. Some 27 

million people in the United Kingdom 

(out of a total population of 36 million) 

watched the ceremony, and 11 million 

more listened on the radio. Afterward, 

some 3 million people lined the route as 

the queen and her entourage made their 

slow procession back to Buckingham 

Palace. 

2. FIRST STATE VISIT TO WEST 

GERMANY - 1965 

In the midst of a decade marked by 

social and political changes, the queen 

kept to a busy schedule of diplomatic 

duties, including a 10-day visit to the 

Federal Republic of Germany (or West 

Germany) that was the first official visit 

there by a British royal since 1913. Her 

visit marked the 20-year anniversary 

of the end of World War II, helping to 

symbolize the reconciliation between the 

two countries and recognize Germany’s 

reemergence as a power in Europe and 

on the world stage. 

3. MINING DISASTER IN WALES - 1966 

On October 21, 1966, an avalanche of 

mud, water and debris from a coal mine 

buried an elementary school in the South 

Wales village of Aberfan, killing 116 

children and 28 adults. Though Prince 

Philip arrived in Aberfan a day after the 

disaster, the queen herself delayed her 

visit for over a week, fearing her presence 

would distract from rescue and recovery 

efforts. Some of those close to Elizabeth— 

including her former private secretary, 

Lord Charteris—have said she regretted 

the decision not to visit Aberfan sooner. 

© V&A Images 

4. FIRST ‘WALKABOUT’ - 1970 

During a royal tour of Australia and New 

Zealand with Philip and Princess Anne in 

1970, Elizabeth bucked centuries of royal 

tradition when she took a casual stroll to 

greet crowds of people in person, rather 

than wave to them from a protected 

distance. Now a regular practice for 

British royals both abroad and at home, 

the first “walkabout” in Sydney was 

proposed by Sir William Heseltine, an 

Australian who served as the queen’s 

private secretary and was the driving 

force behind a 1969 TV documentary 

featuring the royal family, which attracted 

a global audience of some 40 million 

people. 

5. SILVER JUBILEE - 1977 

On June 7, Elizabeth and Philip rode in 

the Gold State Coach from Buckingham 

Palace to St. Paul’s Cathedral to officially 

celebrate her 25th year on the throne. 

Wearing a bright pink outfit, including a 

hat decked out with 25 fabric bells, the 

queen repeated her long-ago pledge 

to devote her life to service, saying that 

“Although that vow was made in my salad 

days when I was green in judgement, I do 

not regret nor retract one word of it.”

6. PRINCE CHARLES’ WEDDING TO 

LADY DIANA SPENCER - 1981 

On July 29, 1981, an estimated 750 

million people in 74 countries around the 

world tuned in to watch Prince Charles, 

Elizabeth’s eldest son, marry Lady Diana 

Spencer, at St. Paul’s Cathedral. The 

romance between the heir to the British 

throne and the young “Shy Di” had 

attracted massive media attention, and 

their lavish nuptials were considered the 

“wedding of the century.” But while Diana 

earned the adoration of the public, her 

marriage to Charles (and her relationship 

with the royal family) was troubled from 

the beginning. 

7. VISIT TO CHINA - 1986 

In late 1984, Prime Minister Margaret 

Thatcher’s government agreed to return 

sovereignty over Hong Kong to China 

beginning July 1, 1997. In 1986, Elizabeth 

became the first British monarch to 

visit the Chinese mainland, touring the 

terracotta warriors in Xi’an, the Great Wall 

in Beijing and other sites. 

8. ‘ANNUS HORRIBILIS’ - 1992 

Charles and Diana’s marriage continued 

to deteriorate, and in 1992 they 

announced their decision to separate. 

Prince Andrew, the queen’s second 

son, and his wife, Sarah Ferguson, 

also separated, while Anne divorced 

her husband, Mark Phillips. Late that 

year, a fire broke out in Windsor Castle, 

destroying more than 100 rooms. In 

a speech delivered to mark the 40th 

anniversary of her succession, Queen 

Elizabeth remarked that 1992 “has turned 

out to be an ‘Annus Horribilis’”: Latin for 

“a horrible year.” 

9. RESPONSE TO PRINCESS DIANA’S 

DEATH - 1997 

Public criticism of the royal family grew 

more intense after Charles and Diana’s 

divorce in 1996 and especially after 

Diana’s death in a car crash in Paris the 

following summer. The queen initially 

remained at her estate in Balmoral, 

Scotland, and refused to allow the flag to 

fly at half-mast over Buckingham Palace 

or address the grieving nation. 

At the urging of her advisers, she soon 

revised her stance on the flag, returned 

to London to greet crowds of mourners 

and delivered a rare televised address 

to a nation devastated by the loss of the 

“People’s Princess.” 

10. GOLDEN JUBILEE - 2002 

The queen’s celebration of her 50th 

year on the throne was marred by a 

double loss, when her younger sister, 

Princess Margaret, and their mother died 

within weeks of each other. As the first 

British monarch since Queen Victoria to 

celebrate a Golden Jubilee, Elizabeth 

traveled more than 40,000 miles that 

year, including visits to the Caribbean, 

Australia, New Zealand and Canada. She 

also visited 70 cities and towns in 50 

counties in the United Kingdom. 

Compared with the tumultuous 1990s, 

the start of Elizabeth’s second halfcentury 

as queen coincided with the 

beginning of more positive relations 

between Britain and its royal family: In 

2005, a majority of the British public 

supported Charles’ wedding to his 

longtime love, Camilla Parker-Bowles. 

11. VISIT TO REPUBLIC OF IRELAND 

- 2011 

In May 2011, Elizabeth and Philip visited 

the Republic of Ireland at the invitation 

of President Mary McAleese. Though the 

queen had frequently visited Northern 

Ireland over the course of her reign, this 

was her first to the Republic of Ireland, 

and the first by a British monarch in 100 

years. Elizabeth’s visit, during which she 

expressed her “sincere thoughts and 

deep sympathy” for the victims of the 

troubled Anglo-Irish past, was widely 

celebrated as the beginning of a new era 

of friendship. 

12. BIRTH OF PRINCE GEORGE - 2013 

In July 2013, the queen welcomed a new 

great-grandson, Prince George Alexander 

Louis of Cambridge, the first child of 

Prince William and the former Kate 

Middleton, who married in 2011. Second 

in the line of succession after his father, 

George is widely expected to become 

king one day. His birth marked the first 

time since Victoria’s reign that three 

generations of direct heirs to the British 

throne were alive at the same time. 

13. PRINCE HARRY & MEGHAN 

MARKLE’S WEDDING - 2018 

Perhaps no other event during Elizabeth’s 

reign symbolized the modernizing 

monarchy more than the wedding 

of Prince Harry to Meghan Markle, a 

divorced, biracial American actress. 

Though the queen reportedly gave 

her quick approval to the match, the 


relationship between the couple and the 

British media—as well as the rest of the 

royal family—grew increasingly tense 

after their marriage. In 2020, the Duke 

and Duchess of Sussex announced 

they were stepping back from their role 

as senior royals. They later moved to 

Markle’s native Southern California. Their 

son, Archie, was born in 2019, followed 

by their daughter Lilibet in 2021. 

14. PRINCE PHILIP’S DEATH - 2021 

On April 9, 2021, Prince Philip, Elizabeth’s 

husband of 73 years, died at the age 

of 99. The British monarchy’s longestrunning 

love story began just before 

World War II, when 18-year-old Prince 

Philip of Greece met his third cousin, 

Princess Elizabeth, during her family’s 

visit to the Britannia Royal Naval College 

at Dartmouth, where Philip was studying. 

On November 14, 1947, the couple 

were married in Westminster Abbey, 

and King George VI named Philip as 

Duke of Edinburgh shortly after that. For 

more than a half-century, Prince Philip 

supported his wife in her royal duties and 

took on an ambitious slate of obligations 

of his own. Philip’s funeral was held on 

April 17, 2021. Because of coronavirus 

restrictions, only 30 guests were invited 

to attend. Photos of the queen sitting 

alone in St. George’s Chapel struck many 

as a symbol of her loneliness and grief. 

15. PLATINUM JUBILEE - 2022 

In February of 2022, England began a 

series of celebrations marking Queen 

Elizabeth II’s 70 years on the throne. On 

June 2, a military parade featuring 1,400 

troops in bearskin caps, musicians and 

240 horses, a Royal Air Force flyover 

and an 82-gun salute were staged to 

honor the 96-year-old monarch, whose 

birthday was on April 21. One section of 

London even featured a parade of corgis 

(Elizabeth’s favorite dog breed), with 

more than 30 of the short-legged canines 

“marching” in a procession. 

The queen watched the pageantry from 

the balcony of Buckingham Palace and 

was joined by four generations of her 

heirs, including her eldest son, Prince 

Charles; his eldest son, Prince William; 

and William’s eldest son, Prince George. 

Despite her age and having just sustained 

a case of COVID-19, the Queen, dressed 

in pearls and a light blue dress, coat and 

hat, wore a broad grin. 


BONFIRE delights 

Perfect sharing recipes to serve fire-side 

HOT DOGS WITH PICKLED CARROT 

AND SPICY MAYO 

Preparation time: 10 minutes 

Cooking time: 15 minutes 

Serves: 4 

INGREDIENTS 

2 tsp black sesame seeds (or a mixture of 

white and black) 

3 tbsp Cooks’ Ingredients Japanese Rice 

Vinegar 

1 tsp clear honey 

1⁄2 tsp toasted sesame oil 

300g carrots, scrubbed and julienned, 

shredded or grated 

4 Unearthed Bavarian Frankfurters 

3 tbsp mayonnaise 

1 tbsp Cooks’ Ingredients Gochujang 

Chilli Paste 

4 hot dog rolls 

METHOD 

Put the sesame seeds in a dry frying 

pan and toast over a medium-high 

heat, stirring from time to time, until 

fragrant; tip out of the pan and set aside. 

Meanwhile, mix the vinegar, honey, 

sesame oil and a large pinch of salt in 

a bowl and add the carrot; cover and 

chill in the fridge, allowing the mixture to 

quick-pickle until ready to serve. 

Heat a griddle pan over a medium-high 

heat and cook the frankfurters for 7-8 

minutes, turning regularly, until piping 

hot throughout. While they’re cooking, 

mix the mayonnaise and gochujang chilli 

paste in a small bowl; set aside. 

Split open the rolls and spread a little of 

the spicy mayo inside each one. Lift the 

carrot from its pickling liquor and arrange 

in the rolls, then top with the frankfurters. 

Drizzle over the remaining spicy mayo 

and sprinkle over the sesame seeds to 

finish. Serve any leftover carrot on the 

side. 

All recipes and images courtesy of 

Waitrose. You can find thousands more 

recipes at www.waitrose.com/recipes 

COOK’S TIP 

Gochujang (Korean chilli 

paste) makes a wonderful 

rub for meats, and is 

delicious in vegetable 

stews or bakes. It’s very 

spicy though, so use 

sparingly. 


SPICY TARKA 

DAAL WITH 

ROASTED 

AUBERGINE 



Serves: 2 

INGREDIENTS 

2½ tbsp vegetable oil 

1 clove garlic, finely grated 

1 tbsp lemon juice 

½ tsp ground cumin 

½ tsp ground coriander 

1 aubergine, cut into 8 wedges 

1 echalion shallot, sliced into 

0.3cm-thick rings 

400g pack The Spice Tailor Spicy 

Tarka Lentil Daal 

2 tbsp natural yogurt (or dairy-free 

alternative) 

Handful coriander leaves 

Naan breads or steamed brown rice, 

to serve (optional) 

METHOD 

Preheat the oven to 160°C, gas mark 

3; grease a 900g loaf tin and line with 

baking parchment. Shake the seeds 

out of the cardamom pods into a 

pestle and mortar. Grind to a powder, 

then mix with the cinnamon, ginger 

and salt; set aside. Finely slice 1⁄2 

an apple, then dice the rest into 1cm 

cubes; set aside. 

Using electric beaters, cream 

together the butter and sugar in a 

large mixing bowl for 2-3 minutes 

until light and fluffy. One at a time, 

beat in the eggs, making sure each 

one is fully incorporated before 

adding the next. Use a spatula to stir 

in the flour, almonds and spice mix 

until evenly combined. 

Stir the diced apple into the mixture, 

then spoon into the tin. Smooth the 

top with the back of a spoon, then 

scatter over the sliced apple. Bake for 

1 hour 10 minutes-1 hour 15 minutes 

until risen and a skewer inserted into 

the centre of the cake comes out 

clean. Leave to cool in the tin for 10 

minutes, then transfer to a wire rack 

to cool completely. 

For the drizzle, mix the vanilla bean 

paste and milk into the icing sugar to 

make a thick, smooth paste. Drizzle 

over the cake and scatter with rose 

petals before serving. 


CHILLI, BEEF AND BUTTERNUT STEW 

Preparation time: 20 minutes + standing 

Cooking time: 1 hour 20 minutes 

Serves: 4 

INGREDIENTS 

350g butternut squash, cut in 2cm cubes 

2 tbsp olive oil 

1 large Dried Ancho Chilli 

1 large red onion, finely chopped 

3 cloves garlic, crushed 

400g pack Waitrose Lean Diced British 

Beef Braising Steak 

1 heaped tbsp tomato purée 

1 tsp ground cumin 

½ tsp ground cinnamon 

400g can chopped tomatoes 

400g can kidney beans, drained and 

rinsed 

1 lime, juice of ½ and ½ cut into wedges 

METHOD 

Preheat the oven to 

220°C, gas mark 7. 

Toss the squash 

with 1 tbsp oil; 

season and 

spread 

out on a 

baking 

tray. 

Roast for 20 minutes, stirring halfway; 

set aside. Meanwhile, cut the stem off 

the dried chilli; shake out the seeds and 

discard. Tear the chilli into 3 or 4 pieces, 

put in a jug and cover with 300ml justboiled 

water from the kettle; set aside 

to soak. 

Heat the remaining 1 tbsp oil in a large 

casserole dish over a medium-high 

heat, and fry the onion and garlic for 3-4 

minutes until starting to soften. Push 

the onion and garlic to one side and 

add the beef to the pan. Season, leave 

for a minute to sear, then stir with the 

onion and garlic and cook for another 

2-3 minutes until browned all over and 

cooked through. Stir in the tomato purée, 

cumin and cinnamon. 

Lift the chilli pieces from the soaking 

liquid and chop them very finely. Stir into 

the pan with the soaking liquid (avoiding 

any sediment at the bottom) and the 

canned tomatoes, then season. Lower 

the oven temperature to 160oC, gas 

mark 3. Cover the casserole dish and 

bake in the oven for 30 minutes. 

Uncover the pan, stir in the kidney 

beans and roasted squash, and bake, 

uncovered, for another 30 minutes. 

Leave to stand for 10 minutes, then stir 

in the lime juice. Serve with the lime 

wedges. Sliced avocado, soured cream 

and brown rice or tortillas are also great 

accompaniments, if liked. 

COOK’S TIP 

Dried Ancho chillies are a mellow, 

fruity variety used in Mexican cooking. 

If time is short when making this dish, 

use 350g Cook’s Ingredients diced 

sweet potato and butternut squash, in 

place of the squash 


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CONCHIGLIE WITH MUSHROOMS AND SPINACH 



Serves: 4 

INGREDIENTS 

½ x 30g pack Cooks’ Ingredients Dried 

Porcini Mushrooms 

235g bag Ready-Washed Spinach 

300g De Cecco Conchiglie Rigate No 50 

pasta 

1 tbsp olive oil 

2 Echalion Shallots, finely diced 

250g Chestnut Mushrooms, wiped clean 

and sliced 

2 cloves garlic, crushed 

6 tbsp double cream 

60g Parmigiano Reggiano, coarsely 

grated 

METHOD 

Preheat the grill to high; put an oven shelf 

in the top third of the oven. Fill a large 

kettle with water and put it on to boil. Put 

the dried mushrooms in a heatproof bowl 

and cover with 300ml just-boiled water; 

set aside. Meanwhile, put the spinach 

in a large mixing bowl and pour over 

enough just-boiled water to wilt. Drain 

through a sieve then rinse under the cold 

tap. Squeeze out the excess liquid, then 

pat dry with kitchen paper and set aside. 

Bring a large saucepan of water to the 

boil and cook the pasta for 1 minute less 

than pack instructions. In a separate 

large, shallow casserole, heat the oil 

over a medium-high heat. Add the 

shallots, chestnut 

mushrooms, garlic and a pinch of salt. 

Cover with a lid and sweat for 5 minutes, 

stirring occasionally. Uncover and fry for 

another 5 minutes. 

Lift the dried mushrooms from the liquid 

and squeeze any excess liquid back into 

the bowl (reserve the liquid). Finely chop 

the soaked mushrooms and roughly chop 

the spinach, then stir into the casserole. 

Add 200ml mushroom soaking liquid 

(leaving out any sediment) and the cream. 

Drain the pasta and tip into the casserole 

along with 2⁄3 of the cheese. Season and 

stir together over the heat for 1 minute. 

Scatter over the remaining cheese and 

grill for 2-3 minutes until golden. Stand 

for 2 minutes before serving in bowls. 


CHAI SPICED 

APPLE CAKE 


Cooking time: 1 hour 15 minutes 

Serves: 10 

INGREDIENTS 

175g unsalted butter, softened, 

plus extra for greasing 

7 cardamom pods, cracked open 

1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon 

1 ½ tsp ground ginger 

½ tsp fine salt 

2 Waitrose Jazz Apples, peeled 

and cored 

150g light brown soft sugar 

3 Medium British Blacktail Free 

Range Eggs 

150g self-raising flour 

100g ground almonds 

¼ tsp vanilla bean paste 

1 tsp whole milk 

2½ tbsp icing sugar, sifted 

Cooks’ Ingredients Pretty Rose 

Petals, to decorate 

METHOD 

Preheat the oven to 160°C, gas 

mark 3; grease a 900g loaf tin and 

line with baking parchment. Shake 

the seeds out of the cardamom 

pods into a pestle and mortar. 

Grind to a powder, then mix with 

the cinnamon, ginger and salt; set 

aside. Finely slice 1⁄2 an apple, 

then dice the rest into 1cm cubes; 

set aside. 

Using electric beaters, cream 

together the butter and sugar in a 

large mixing bowl for 2-3 minutes 

until light and fluffy. One at a time, 

beat in the eggs, making sure each 

one is fully incorporated before 

adding the next. Use a spatula to 

stir in the flour, almonds and spice 

mix until evenly combined. 

Stir the diced apple into the 

mixture, then spoon into the tin. 

Smooth the top with the back of 

a spoon, then scatter over the 

sliced apple. Bake for 1 hour 10 

minutes-1 hour 15 minutes until 

risen and a skewer inserted into 

the centre of the cake comes out 

clean. Leave to cool in the tin for 

10 minutes, then transfer to a wire 

rack to cool completely. 

For the drizzle, mix the vanilla bean 

paste and milk into the icing sugar 

to make a thick, smooth paste. 

Drizzle over the cake and scatter 

with rose petals before serving. 

COOK’S TIP 

You can vary the spice mix in this 

cake. Try swapping the ginger 

for ground allspice or crushing a 

couple of cloves instead of grinding 

the cardamom seeds. 


CONVERSATIONS WITH A 

RUGBY 

GIANT 

Martin Bayfield is an English actor, 

broadcaster, and former rugby union player 

who played lock forward for Northampton 

Saints, Bedford Blues and England. Now 

the former England international embarks 

on his ‘Rugby Legends’ 2022 UK Tour. Sally 

Thomson catches up with him to find out 

what we can expect from the tour... 

You are hitting the road soon on tour, 

are you looking forward to it? 

I am! I’ve never done it before, well not 

on this scale. I do a lot of public speaking 

but I’m not the main act for this one. This 

is mildly terrifying but very exciting. 

It is so different to what you have done 

before. You are turning up at different 

venues and putting on a performance 

for people who love rugby. 

I can imagine the breakdown of the 

audience will be people who love rugby, 

so recognise the names of the people 

who are coming. But I would love those 

people who are just curious to come 

along and enjoy it and get involved and 

walk away at the end feeling like ‘they are 

a good bunch and that was good fun’. 

What would you say your story is then? 

I think the story is ultimately one of 

friendship. But also one of trust, a fair 

degree of nonsense and a huge amount 

of hard work and pain. But it is ultimately 

about your own personality and how 

it fits with everyone else’s personality 

and how you make it work. Sometimes 

it works well, sometimes it fails. But 

increasingly, in a world which seems to 

be more and more divisive, discovering 

and remembering what happens when 

a group of individuals, men or women, 

come together and do something quite 

special. There’s some great characters 

there! 

I’m a rugby fan and some of the 

names you’ve got lined up look very 

interesting! 

It will be a lot of fun. All of them are 

busy people, so I haven’t got everyone I 

wanted in every place but that’s just the 

way that it is. 

Have you got anyone from Bath 

appearing? 

For Bath we’ve got Brian Moore and 

Andy Nichol. Andy used to play for 

Bath and has got some great stories 

to tell about going on the Two Lions 

tours when he was brought along on 

both as a late replacement. It’s hilarious 

when he goes through that selection 

process. And then Brian Moore; one 

of the games great thinkers, one of 

the games great competitors. He was 

my England teammate for pretty much 

every game bar three that I played for 

England. He is a great character, and he 

has a powerful story to tell, so it could 

get quite emotional too. We’ll have an 

idea of where we want to go with the 

conversation, but it will be very much 

a case of it goes where it goes, and no 

topic is off-limits. We want the audience 

to get involved and ask questions. You’ve 

got some of the great names of the game 

up there. 

You are obviously the circus master, so 

to speak. What will your initial direction 

be? 

I’ll be up first to welcome people and 

get the chat going. I’ll get the guys up 

on stage and start talking with them and 

then just let them tell their stories, and as 

much as possible, allow the audience to 

ask questions. We’ll have some questions 

that we will receive from people 

attending, or via social media but we will 

take live questions on the night too. I’m 

sure there will be a suggested timescale 

for the show, but I can imagine it will end 

up running over! 

Have you been to any of the venues 

that you are visiting before? 

I haven’t! It’s all very new for me. 

I’ve done a lot of public speaking at 

conference hotels and various places but 

standing on a stage in front of people all 

facing your direction will be lively! 


“I WOULD ALSO LOVE 

PEOPLE WHO DON’T 

KNOW ANYTHING 

ABOUT RUGBY TO COME 

ALONG, WHO ARE JUST 

CURIOUS. 

I imagine the majority of people 

coming to see you will love their 

rugby. They are going to want to hear 

something that makes them go ‘Oh, I 

didn’t know that!’. 

Oh they’ll get plenty of that! But I 

would also love people who don’t know 

anything about rugby to come along, who 

are just curious. 

I have a thirteen-year-old grandson 

who eats, breathes and sleeps rugby. 

Did you always love rugby as a child? 

I did. It kind of grounded me because I 

was very tall and very skinny. I was 5.4ft 

when I was eight, 6ft when I was eleven 

and 6.4ft when I was thirteen. 

How tall are you now? 

I’m 6.10ft 

Tiny then! 

Ha ha! I just found that rugby was a sport 

I was good at, it was a sport that my 

physique allowed me to be good at and 

then I worked at it. But also, it provided 

me with almost a second family. You 

suddenly have a load of guys around you 

who are and little younger than you, a 

little bit older, they all come from different 

professions. You grow up and mature and 

you realise that you all rely on each other 

and it’s just a huge amount of fun. 

They are supportive of each other, 

aren’t they? It’s not like the egos that 

can exist within football. 

If you turned around to rugby players 

when they are eighteen and gave them 

£50,000 or £100,000 a week then the 

attitude of rugby players would be very 

different. Money has a weird way of 

changing you. But I’m sure ultimately that 

the support network is there, and we saw 

the incredible work of some footballers 

through lockdown, so we must remember 

that they’ll be some things that they do 

that we never see. But one of the ideas 

for this tour came about in lockdown. 

I know myself and lots of other rugby 

players were approached by people 

saying ‘can you record a message for 

my mum or my dad or my grandad as 

they are struggling and they would love a 

message from you’. So we would do that. 

My friend and former England Captain 

Will Carling got in contact with a load of 

us and asked if we could start recording 

some messages for people and use him 

as the hub and he would send them out 

to people. Just because so many people 

were getting in touch saying things 

like ‘my dad is really struggling with 

dementia…’, but when they hear one of 

the rugby players they come to life again. 

Oh how lovely! But also heart-breaking 

at the same time. 

It is. But storytelling is one of our great 

gifts, and it goes back centuries. And 

rugby players, for whatever the reason 

is, seem to be really good storytellers. It 

is one of the things that I fell in love with 

about that game straight away. Whether 

they are a seasoned international or just 

play for the junior 5th team, as soon as 

they tell a story, they either have you 

weeping or howling with laughter. It is a 

special thing, the ability to tell a story. I 

think it is a gift. 

Why do you think rugby players have 

that ability? 

If you look at where rugby is played 

around the world, it is where we as the 

British traded or settled. So all the great 

rugby playing countries such as Australia, 

New Zealand, South Africa and France. 

But then the areas that the game starts 

to develop that you would necessarily 

think is in places such as Hong Kong 

and the Far East. And this is down to the 

fact that we settled where we traded, 

it’s the ex-pat community. It is similar in 

many ways to cricket. If you couldn’t find 

rugby where you lived, then you moved 

somewhere else and someone would say 

‘yeah you can come and play here’. I just 

think that there’s this slightly nomadic 

existence which sort of encouraged the 

storytellers where maybe fifty percent 

of the story is true and fifty percent is 

entirely embellished but it doesn’t matter 

because it makes for a great story. 

“ 

WHETHER THEY 

ARE A SEASONED 

INTERNATIONAL OR JUST 

PLAY FOR THE JUNIOR 

5TH TEAM, AS SOON 

AS THEY TELL A STORY, 

THEY EITHER HAVE YOU 

WEEPING OR HOWLING 

WITH LAUGHTER. IT IS 

A SPECIAL THING, THE 

ABILITY TO TELL A STORY. 

You’ve been all around the world 

playing rugby. Is there one particular 

place that you would to revisit or are 

you quite happy being here in the UK? 

I love New Zealand. I think it is the most 

incredible country and their passion for 

rugby is phenomenal and I can’t think 

of any other nation that has dominated 

the sport for so long as New Zealand. 

The consistent success of the All-Blacks 

is amazing. As a player, I love the idea 

of playing in the South of France and 

enjoying life there. But I do really enjoy 

New Zealand. 

When was the last time you put on 

your rugby boots? 

Oh crickey. I haven’t played since 1998. 

That’s when I retired. 

Do you miss it? 

I don’t miss it at all. It is far too painful 

looking now. 

I don’t know what your thoughts are 

but it seems like it is slightly tougher 

than it was. 

It is. They are bigger and stronger, faster 

and more powerful. The slight regret 

of the tour is that it is going to clash 

with the Women’s World Cup. There 

are so many of the England stars that 

I would of loved to of gotten involved, 

like Emily Scarratt. But of course she’s 

going to be, hopefully, winning a World 

Cup. But in regards to the Women’s 

game, I was watching the Lionesses 

dismantle Norway in the football, and I 

just love now that the sports are coming 

together, with women’s cricket, women’s 

rugby, women’s football, and they are 

the same. There was a sign around the 

pitch I spotted that said ‘They don’t play 

Women’s Football. They are women who 

play football’. And I just thought that 

was really important. We’ve got that with 

rugby, and it’s going to look different, 

because of the power element of it, but 

I just think that it is fantastic now that 

the two sexes are coming together and 

playing the same sport. 

Do you think that they should play 

together? 

No. you couldn’t have men and women 

playing together on the same pitch. It’s 

just too dangerous. Although there are a 

lot of female players that would size us 

down, without a doubt. But when you’ve 

got potentially five or six stone difference, 

that’s not right. And there is no reason 

to bring them together. There are a few 

sports where you can but you don’t need 

to do that in rugby. 

CATCH MARTIN ON HIS RUGBY 

LEGENDS TOUR IN A TOWN OR CITY 

NEAR YOU: 

FRIDAY 30TH SEPTEMBER 2022 

Royal and Derngate, Northampton 

SATURDAY 1ST OCTOBER 2022 

The Albany Theatre, Coventry 

WEDNESDAY 5TH OCTOBER 2022 

Komedia Bath, Bath 

THURSDAY 6TH OCTOBER 2022 

Corn Exchange, Exeter 

FRIDAY 7TH OCTOBER 2022 

St David’s Hall, Cardiff 

TUESDAY 18TH OCTOBER 2022 

Studio Theatre , Edinburgh 

FRIDAY 4TH NOVEMBER 2022 

Richmond Theatre, Richmond 

SATURDAY 5TH NOVEMBER 2022 

Cheltenham Town Hall, Cheltenham 

SUNDAY 6TH NOVEMBER 2022 

The Lowry Lyric Theatre, Manchester 

Visit myticket.co.uk to purchase tickets. 


PREPARE YOUR HOME 

FOR WINTER 

Taking on some basic maintenance can 

help prepare your home for winter as the 

changing weather conditions can cause 

costly damage. With a few easy steps you 

can be winter ready for the long, cold 

months ahead. 

1. SERVICE YOUR BOILER 

Your boiler should be serviced annually 

to make sure that it’s still safe to use and 

works efficiently. Ideally this should be 

done before the heating season. This 

will give you some time to make sure 

everything is still working before the days 

get too cold! 

There are other ways to ensure your 

central heating is efficient. Bleeding 

radiators, to release trapped air, is a DIY 

task. While power flushing, a job best left 

to the plumbers and heating engineers, 

can ensure a build up of sludge is 

removed from radiators. 

2. INSULATE YOUR LOFT SPACE 

If you haven’t already insulated this 

space, or you have poorly performing 

insulation that has slumped over time, 

tackling this project will quickly pay 

dividends over the colder months. 

3. CHECK YOUR GUTTERING 

An essential task when preparing your 

home for winter — look for leaves, moss 

and other debris and clear gutters and 

downpipes to prevent blockages in heavy 

rain and snow. 

Cracked, missing or damaged rainwater 

goods or brackets should ideally be 

replaced, too. Leaky rainwater goods, 

can, over a period of time lead to damp, 

so it’s important to make these cheap 

fixes now — rather than making costly 

remedial work at a later date. 

4. GET YOUR CHIMNEY SWEPT 

The winter weather can cause damage to 

your chimney, so the pre-winter months 

are a great time to get your chimney 

professionally swept. Sweeping will 

improve the efficiency of your chimney by 

ensuring any potential blockages, such 

as nests or a build up soot, are removed 

before you start using your open fire or 

log burning stove. 

5. INSULATE YOUR PIPES 

Insulating (or lagging) your pipes can 

reduce the loss of heating and also 

prevent them freezing and bursting. This 

is particularly important when plumbing 

is located in cold areas such as in 

uninsulated loft spaces and garages. 

Keep the heating at a low level (above 

4°C) even when you’re away from the 

property, as this will help maintain a 

consistent temperature around the pipes. 

Just in case of emergencies, know where 

your stopcock is to enable you to turn 

the cold water system off and limit further 

damage. The stopcock is usually located 

under your kitchen sink and normally 

looks like a tap/lever. 

6. MAKE SURE YOUR OIL TANK IS 

TOPPED UP 

If your property has an oil tank, make 

sure it’s topped up for winter. Doing so 

will help you avoid peak winter prices 

and make sure you don’t run out of oil 

through the colder months. 

7. GET YOUR OUTDOOR SPACE 

READY 

Making sure your garden is clear, clean 

and ready for winter is a good idea. 

Secure anything that could be swept 

away by the wind such as greenhouses, 

plant pots and wheelie bins. 

8. GET YOUR ROOF CHECKED 

Roof slates/tiles can become loose 

throughout the year and this could lead 

to leaks through the winter. It may be a 

good idea to get your roof inspected by 

a professional to make sure there are no 

areas that need fixing before the colder 

months. 

9. DRAUGHT PROOF WINDOWS, 

DOORS AND FLOORS 

With current energy prices rises, 

undertaking draught proofing measures 

can be a relatively simple and costeffective 

way of improving your home’s 

thermal performance. 

Measures include insulating loft hatches, 

adding draught proofing strips to doors, 

and blocking up unused chimneys. 

Some tasks can take minutes — others, 

such as insulating beneath timber 

suspended ground floors, are more 

invasive and will require considerably 

more work. 

10. MAKE SURE YOUR PROPERTY IS 

INSURED 

One of the most important things to 

consider when heading into winter is 

whether you have home insurance. The 

winter months bring darker nights which 

lead to higher crime rates, plus the UK 

weather obviously starts declining in the 

winter. Not only will most home insurers 

provide cover for things like theft, but 

also fire and flood too. 


CHIPPING 

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Tel: 01608 646453 

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BE OUR 

‘Tis (nearly) the season for hosting visitors - we’ve got top 

Guest 

tips on creating a sumptuous guest bedroom, plus tips to 

improve all areas of the home 

Left: Caitlin Marie Design, 

caitlinmariedesign.com 

Above: Annabel Grimshaw 

Interior Design (image from Chris 

Snook), annabelgrimshaw.com 

THE BEDROOM 

DON’T: WORRY IF YOU 

HAVEN’T GOT LOTS OF 

SPACE 

Ultimately you have to work with what 

you’ve got - in the last 2 years, many of 

us have seen our guest rooms overhauled 

to become home offices. If you’ve 

ditched the bed don’t worry - how about 

adding an attractive sofa bed that you 

can actually use the rest of the time as a 

break out area from your desk. 

DO: PROVIDE BASIC 

AMENITIES 

The more things you can put in the room 

to make their stay easier, without having 

to ask you for everything, the more 

relaxed everyone will feel. A mirror is 

important, as are fresh towels, tissues, 

and perhaps even a hair dryer. A bedside 

carafe and some glasses means they can 

help themselves to water too. 

DO: INVEST IN GOOD 

WINDOW TREATMENTS 

As you might have never slept in this 

space, you might not know how light 

behaves or how effective the current 

window treatments are for blocking out 

light. For a really luxurious look, pair 

blackout blinds or shutters with thick, 

decorative drapery. Shutters give a lovely 

secure feel to a space and really finish 

the room. 

DON’T: SETTLE FOR A 

LUMPY MATTRESS 

The same goes for the mattress as the 

window treatments - spend a night in the 

room and see if the bed is up to scratch. 

DO: PROVIDE GOOD 

LIGHTING 

Multi-level lighting is key for making a 

space feel cosy - make sure there are 

two bedside lamps and then another 

light source in the space, such as a 

standing lamp in the corner or a lamp on 

a dressing table 

DON’T: SKIMP ON THE 

BED LINENS 

Good bed linen really is worth the money 

- and it tends to wash better too. Provide 

a good quality duvet and pillows, linens 

and some additional blankets if your 

guests feel the cold. 

DO: CREATE 

SOMEWHERE THEY CAN 

UNPACK 

We all know it’s a bit stressful trying to 

live out of a suitcase - allowing for some 

hanging space and a few drawers to 

unpack into, can really help guests keep 

on top of things whilst they’re with you. 

DO: MAKE IT SMELL 

LOVELY 

Kit the room out with either fresh flowers, 

a reed diffuser, or room sprays. Neom 

candles have range of wonderful relaxing 

scents, which can fragrance the room 

even when they are not lit (Complete 

Bliss Scented Candle, 3 Wick, £48). 

Pillow spray to help deep sleep is also a 

lovely touch to make the 

space feel 

homely. 


Skimmia japonica 

DON’T: BE A 

PERFECTIONIST 

If your guests were hoping for hotel 

standards, then that’s where they should 

have stayed. Just aim to make sure 

the space is clean, comfortable and 

functional, then relax - there’s enough to 

be worrying about in the festive season 

without adding high expectations on top 

of that. 

THE REST OF 

THE HOUSE 

DO: ASSESS YOUR KERB 

APPEAL 

We can all become a little immune to the 

scenes we see every day, so taking a bit 

of time to objectively assess how things 

look can be really helpful. Give the area a 

sweep and a clear out, check wall lights 

are working, that your doormat is in good 

condition, and that any glass has had a 

good clean. Clean the door itself too - it 

really does help things look more up and 

together. If your door is on its last legs, 

now is the time to get a new one ordered 

- as a bonus it could save you money on 

heating your home too. 

Then, really set off your door with a 

classic wreath - you could make your 

own to really make it tie in with the 

setting, or to your personal tastes - go 

ultra-traditional with orange slices 

and berries or something a bit more 

contemporary with feathers or dried 

grasses. 

DON’T: FORGET TO 

REPAIR DAMAGE 

Last summer was exceptionally hot and 

dry, resulting in lots of hairline cracks 

from the humidity in the air. These are 

easy to fine fill, sand and repaint - it’s a 

quick job but makes such a difference. 

DO: REFRESH YOUR 

PLANTERS 

There are lots of great options for you to 

add some winter colour to pots at the 

front of your home. The little bobbing 

heads of cyclamen are gorgeous, as 

is the structure from winter heather. 

Skimmia japonica is a super winter 

shrub - glossy leaved and just the right 

size for pots, when winter is over and the 

container display has come to an end, 

you could plant them out in the garden 

to grow on. They come in a variety of 

shades - covered in clusters of longlasting 

buds during autumn and winter 

which eventually open to delicate flowers 

in spring. 

DO: RESTOCK 

CUPBOARDS 

Make sure your guests know where 

tea and coffee are kept and that they 

can help themselves - this is especially 

important if your morning routine is 

different to theirs. Some mince pies or 

other freshly baked goods are a lovely 

treat, especially if your guests have 

travelled far to see you. 

DO: KEEP SPARES 

It’s a nice gesture to make sure there 

are spares for those commonly-used, 

and often forgotten, items - toothpaste 

and other travel-sized toiletries and a 

phone charger. It makes people feel more 

comfortable if they can be self sufficient, 

without having to constantly ask to 

borrow things. 


PROVIDE SEATING 

Think about where you are likely to 

congregate together and make sure 

there is enough seating to accommodate 

everyone at once. This might be at the 

kitchen table or the living room. Pouffes 

and ottomans make great occasional 

seating which can be tucked out the way 

when not in use. We love classic leather 

Moroccan designs, or storage ottomans 

which can be used for blanket storage. 


RELAX 

For most of us, Christmas affords some 

rare time to relax in the company of those 

we hold dearest. Don’t 

forget to enjoy the 

company of those 

you are hosting 

- and don’t 

sweat the 

small details 

- your guests 

are just happy 

to see you! 

A festive wreath creates 

a warm welcome 

Moroccan Leather Pouffe, £99, hauslife.co.uk 

Macedon Storage Ottoman 

£92.99, wayfair.co.uk 


DESIGN DILEMMAS... 

Thinking about buying a kitchen from an online retailer but 

concerned about the process? We spoke to Dawn Filkins, Head 

of Creative at Smile Kitchens about their top three objections and 

how they seek to solve them... 

VIRTUAL SHOWROOM: 

HASSLE-FREE 

When shopping for kitchens in high 

street stores, products are often more 

expensive due to the additional costs that 

come with running a showroom. Instead, 

consumers who consider shopping from 

a company that operates entirely digitally 

can save money from the outset. 

We were founded as an online-only 

business, without showrooms, as we 

didn’t want to pass on the cost of 

overhead expenses to our customers. 

We work hard to make sure that our 

customers get all the benefits of a 

showroom, without the inconvenience 

of inflated prices. We do this by sending 

out samples that allow customers to 

see how the colours and finishes work 

in the space and appreciate the quality 

of our products. We also invest deeply 

in animations that actually show how 

the kitchens are going to look in the real 

space and show details such as how pullout 

larders work. By providing detailed 

design work our customers can see how 

everything fits together in a wider space. 

Plus, we don’t take payment until after 

the kitchen has been delivered so that 

customers can see the product in their 

own home before they pay a penny. 

Another benefit of being virtual is that 

customers no longer need to travel to 

a showroom and can instead design 

their kitchen from the comfort of their 

own home. Your designer can be there 

when you need them, instead of being 

restricted by showroom opening times. 

FINDING YOUR 

FITTER: CONVENIENT 

Going directly to the fitter means that the 

customer can often save money whilst 

finding someone local to them so that 

they aren’t paying extra for travel costs. 

We are, however, always on hand to give 

advice on ‘what to look for in a fitter’ and 

answer questions. 

As well as sending out detailed installation 

packs where everything is explained 

clearly, we will also speak to your fitter 

before, during and after the installation to 

make sure that everything goes smoothly. 

We also do no-quibble corrections 

so if anything does go wrong on the 

installation, we will send out replacement 

items free of charge, which we find that 

fitters love. We also have a database of 

fitters, which we can recommend. 

YOUNG COMPANY: 

INNOVATIVE 

Although we are a fast-growing company, 

we do understand that we are relatively 

young in comparison to many of our 

competitors. However, this does not 

mean that we’re inexperienced. Our team 

aren’t new to the industry and we have 

made sure to handpick the best there is 

to offer you in terms of design expertise, 

we employ designers not sales people 

like most of the bigger brands do. 

We want to ensure that customers are 

confident when working with us. Our 

10-year guarantee and completely 

free design service are all there to help 

customers feel at ease when starting 

their journey with us. We are also 

continually looking for ways in which 

we can improve, making sure to ask all 

our customers for continuous feedback 

throughout the process which is reflected 

in our 4.9 Trustpilot score. 

No matter where you find yourself in 

your project, our team of designers are 

on hand to walk you through the whole 

process and provide you with a free, 

no-obligation design and quote. Simply 

fill in the form at smilekitchens.com/ 

contact-us to request a call back or call 

us on 0161 509 1010. 


PROPAGATING 

NOW IS THE TIME TO MAKE THE 

MOST OF PROPAGATING YOUR 

HERBACEOUS PLANTS 

101 

Propagating through stem cuttings is a 

form of cloning because the new plant 

will be an exact genetic match to the 

parent plant. That’s not always the case 

with the other popular way to propagate 

plants—collecting seeds, germinating 

them, and planting. Many hybrid plants 

produce seeds that don’t “grow true” 

to the parent plants, so rooting stem 

cuttings is the most reliable way to 

propagate hybrid plants. 

Rooting stem cuttings is most often used 

to propagate houseplants, but there 

are many garden plants that you can 

propagate using this method. In cold 

climates, cuttings from tender garden 

plants, such as coleus or impatiens, can 

be taken in late autumn, rooted indoors 

during the winter, and then planted 

outdoors in spring. And though it’s a bit 

more difficult, many woody plants can 

also be propagated by snipping stem 

cuttings and rooting them. 

Stem cuttings can be taken and rooted 

at almost any time, but the technique 

is more successful when the plant is 

not in full bloom. When your goal is to 

propagate outdoor garden plants over 

winter, take your cuttings after the plant’s 

bloom period is over in fall, or trim off 

any flowers or flower buds from the stem 

TOP TIP 

There are two ways to root stem 

cuttings: placing them in water or 

embedding them in potting soil or 

another growing medium. Many plants, 

such as coleus, spider plant, and 

pothos, will readily root in water. But the 

water method can cause the roots to 

be quite fragile, and some plants resist 

rooting in water altogether. It’s generally 

best to root your cuttings in some type 

of potting medium if possible. 

you are snipping off. A stem cutting that 

contains flowers or flower buds is putting 

too much energy into flower production 

to allow for good root development. 

For shrubs and other woody plants, 

rooting via stem cuttings is most likely 

to succeed if you take cuttings from new 

growth that has not yet become woody. 

April through June is usually the best 

time to take cuttings from woody plants. 

Moreover, using a rooting hormone 

is essential when attempting to root 

cuttings from woody plants. 

Do a little bit of research on any plant you 

want to propagate from stem cuttings. It’s 

easy to learn what experts recommend 

as the best growing medium to use for 

propagation. 

TAKE THE CUTTING 

Cut a 3- to 6-inch-long piece from a 

healthy portion of the parent plant’s stem, 

using a sharp knife or pruners to cut the 

stem at a 45-degree angle. This angled 

cut will maximize the area available for 

roots to develop. If possible, take cuttings 

from the newest growth on the plant 

Each cutting should have at least two 

or three sets of leaves along its length. 

Make sure the cutting includes at least 

one growth node (a bump on the stem 

from which leaves or flowers sprout) that 

can be buried in the growing medium. 

Roots will sprout from this node, as well 

as from the cut end of the stem. 

It’s not uncommon for some attempts 

at propagation to fail, so it’s best to 

take at least three cuttings to ensure 

success. Woody plants can be especially 

temperamental, so taking six or more 

cuttings is a good idea. 

TOP TIP 

Prevent your cuttings drying out whilst 

you work by keeping them in a plastic 

sandwich bag until you are ready to plant 

up. Also try to work in a shady area. 

REMOVE LEAVES 

Remove the leaves from the bottom node 

of the stem cutting. Usually, you can 

simply snap off the leaves. Make sure to 

retain at least three to four leaves on the 

stem cutting. If the leaves are large, trim 

them in half to reduce the stress on the 

plant and excessive evaporation of liquid. 

If using, now is the time to put your rooting 

hormone on the end of the cutting. 

PLANT THE CUTTINGS 

Either using small pots, or planting at the 

edge of a larger container, use a pencil to 

make a small hole and place the cutting 

in there, burying at least one node. 

TEND TO PLANTS 

Most plants will not root well in full sun, 

so place the cuttings in a location where 

they will receive a 50/50 ratio of shade 

to dappled sunlight. For most plants, 

cuttings thrive on warmth and humidity, 

and the growing medium should be kept 

evenly moist but not drenched while roots 

develop. 

Inspect the cuttings every two weeks, 

looking for new leaf growth and root 

development. If flower buds or blooms 

develop, pinch them off. New leaves will 

assist with root growth, but flowers divert 

energy away from root development. 

When you see that new leaf growth 

is developing along the stem of the 

cutting, it usually means that healthy 

new roots are established. Once you 

feel resistance when slightly tugging 

on the cutting, it means the roots are 

sufficiently developed. At this point, you 

can transfer the cutting to a new pot 

with fresh potting soil. 


MACHINE 

DROP-OFF POINT 

The Fat Quarter, 

Cherwell Business Village, 

Banbury OX16 2SP 

01295 981057 

www.thefatquarter.co.uk 

JENNY FEENEY 

Banbury 07706 731002 countryclovercompany@gmail.com 

www.countryclovercompany.com 

Quality doors. 

Great Service. Free Fitting. 

Example shown: 

• 3.6m wide opening 

• 77” Anthracite grey slats 

Only £1,990 

Price on this door style can range 

from £1,440 - £2,740 depending 

on the width of door opening. 

It’s time to upgrade your garage door to 

a Garolla electric door. Not only are they 

strong and secure, they are also thermally 

insulated. So if you’re transforming the 

garage into a home gym, office or even a 

garden bar, Garolla is perfect for you. 

Give us a call today and we’ll come 

and measure up FREE of charge. 

TWO REMOTE CONTROLS 

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www.garolla.co.uk 


GIVING COUNT 

With Christmas around the corner, our 

regular contributor Matt Biggs gives us some 

tips on what to buy the gardener in your life... 

Giving gifts at Christmas is always both a pleasure and a puzzlewe 

want the recipients to enjoy what we give and, perhaps this 

year more than most, we want the gifts to be both valued and 

valuable. Thoughtful gardening gifts can fulfil both of these 

criteria, so here are a few suggestions: 

A subscription to a gardening magazine is a terrific gift for 

either a keen gardener or a new gardener – it lasts all year, has 

seasonal tips and ideas and is something to look forward to each 

month, what’s not to like! 

Membership of a local gardening club, or a gardening course 

or day is a really good idea too – there are lots of options from 

learning how to prune to a whole bee keeping course, just ensure 

you know the particular interest of the person concerned and the 

choice is yours. 

For people who may be house bound or less mobile, how about 

giving them a card with a little message in to the effect of –‘ This 

card entitles you to a day out at a garden centre, perhaps with 

coffee or lunch added to be taken during the next 6 months, and 

sign it – that way it can be taken in better weather or when the 

person is feeling up to going out and gives something to look 

forward to. 

Trees – fruit trees, ornamental trees, big trees, little trees – we 

know how important they are, and we know we need them so 

either a gardening gift voucher or indeed a tree in a pot to grow 

on, just ensure the trees eventual size is suitable for the space 

and give a gift that really will last. 

Thinking slightly outside of the box but for someone who maybe 

is having trouble keeping up with the basic garden tasks, how 

about buying them a few hours of a professional gardener in 

their area. That way the big tasks such as the autumn clear up, 

planting up of pots, grass maintenance etc can be done for them, 

allowing them to do the things that they can do and enjoy. 

There are magazines, there are books, there are tools, there are 

trugs and mugs and gloves – the list is endless so enjoy choosing 

and giving a gardening gift this year. 

To find out more about Matt visit his website 

matthewbiggs.com 


For more than twenty years, Dr 

Lucy Pollock has specialised 

in treating and caring for older 

people. More recently, she has 

written a book, The Book About 

Getting Older, to help everyone 

better understand the challenges 

older people face. 

Lucy hopes that the book will give honest 

answers to tough questions, so that 

everyone can support their loved ones 

and themselves to lead long, happy, 

healthy lives. 

“Older people are just the rest of us 

grown up,” says Lucy simply. “But I 

think most people have an older person 

in their life – be it a spouse, neighbour, 

parent or grandparent – who they may 

be worried about.” 

“Information is power. So, for me, the 

best thing I can possibly do is to give 

readers the words and confidence they 

need to tackle difficult questions and 

situations. Later life can be complicated. 

If I’ve helped just one reader with that, 

then I’ll have done my job.” 

When did you become more personally 

aware of the challenges for older people? 

“Before I became a medical student, 

I hadn’t spent a lot of time with older 

people. My remaining two grandparents 

lived far away, and we didn’t have a very 

close relationship. But my father was 

a geriatrician, so I think I was always 

subconsciously drawn to practising 

medicine for older people because of 

that. I quickly learned that older people 

are so interesting, but they can be 

challenging to treat and diagnose – it’s 

very easy to get treatment wrong, but it’s 

enormously rewarding to get it right.” 

“Younger people can be awkward or naïve 

about older people, especially if they 

haven’t spent much time around them 

THE WORRIES & WONDERS 

OF AGEING 

before. I know I was guilty of this at the 

start of my medical career. But an older 

person is still a person. I’ve learned loads 

from my patients – not just about medicine, 

but about life. One of the greatest rewards 

of my job is simply listening and realising 

what’s important to somebody.” 

How can we debunk the 

misconceptions about older people 

and change their position in society? 

“What’s interesting is that even in countries 

like Japan where older people have 

historically been respected and revered, 

attitudes have been shifting recently and 

some of that respect has been slipping 

away. Respect is a very vulnerable concept, 

and it can be lost quite easily. So, I think 

what’s important instead is to develop 

honesty and clarity. It’s so crucial that we 

recognise that older people are as diverse 

as any other group of people. 

“Living a good later life also doesn’t mean 

that you need to be contented every day. 

For some reason, it’s often assumed 

that older people have a very bland set 

of emotions, but it’s just not the case. 

Many older people have been through 

some terrible things in their life, and it’s 

perfectly okay for them to have sad days. 

“As a society we need to be realistic 

and honest about older people, and this 

change in attitude needs to influence the 

decisions made by politicians and policy 

makers too.” 

You mention in your book that the 

‘goalposts of ageing’ have moved over 

the years. How do you define that? 

“Life expectancy has increased year-onyear 

until very recently, but ‘healthy life 

expectancy’ just hasn’t kept up at the 

same rate. This means that older people 

are – on average – living four years longer 

than 20 years ago, but they’re also living 

a bigger proportion of their lives with a 

disability. In some cases, this disability 

may not greatly affect their independence 

or ability to enjoy life, but for others it has 

a huge impact. 

“However, it’s important not to make 

assumptions. Assuming that someone 

doesn’t have a good quality of life just 

because they’re housebound is wrong. 

In the same way, an older person who 

appears to be happy and healthy may 

actually be very tired and ready for their 

life to come to an end. It’s nuanced, and 

we need to realise that our goals, wishes 

and expectations for our life evolve as we 

get older.” 

What are your hopes for the future of 

ageing? 

“Something I’ve been thinking very hard 

about over the last few years is how do 

we make ageing better. Most recently, the 

pandemic has obviously had a massive 

impact on people in later life. As well as 

the fear of coronavirus itself, many older 

people have been affected by physical 

and mental deconditioning from not 

getting outdoors, not being active and 

not seeing their families. So it’s important 

that we restore their confidence, because 

isolation can be incredibly damaging. 

“That’s where we all need to get better at 

solving these challenges. On an individual 

level, older people and their families 

must get better at talking to each other 

honestly about their problems and wishes. 

On a societal level, we need to prioritise 

making changes to healthcare systems 

and government policies to improve older 

people’s lives. I’m currently working on 

a local project to provide some hospital 

services at home, which will allow older 

people to access care in their own 

environments. This would be a game 

changer, but more needs to be done. And 

many staff are so tired and overwhelmed 

at the moment, so it’s very difficult. 

“There’s a long way to go but I believe 

things can change. Good care is cheaper 

than bad care. And listening to someone’s 

needs is more resource-effective than 

applying standard health guidelines. We 

must listen to every individual.” 

Having written the book, what is your 

top advice for a more positive outlook 

as we age? 

“Make time for humour and fun! Old 

age can be full of joy and laughter, but 

sometimes it’s easy to get busy or sink 

into a routine. Even if you have to plan 

a fun activity, make sure you regularly 

do something that gives you a lift. It’s 

vital to enjoy the small things and keep 

connecting to others.” 

Article from 

AgeUk - you can 

volunteer to help 

the organisation, 

plus find a wealth 

of advice and 

resources at 

ageuk.org.uk 

“Older people are accustomed to facing very difficult situations. 

In later life, your day-to-day existence can move from being 

relatively untroubled to quite complicated quickly.”

Bicester Care Home 

Gardens 'Pristine' 

Thanks To Conservation 

Volunteers 


Staff and residents from Launton Grange 

care home, operated by Ideal Carehomes, 

were recently visited by self-run group, 

Bicester Green Gym. 

Bicester Green Gym, supported by The Conservation Volunteers, 

is a free group who aim to promote mental and physical fitness 

through working outdoors, and improving the environment. 

Upon visiting Launton Grange, the group offered to do some 

gardening for the home, tidying the outdoor spaces ready for 

Ideal Carehomes’ annual gardening competition, Gardens in 

Bloom. 

Grateful for the generous act, staff and residents at Launton 

Grange thanked the group with sandwiches, cakes and other 

refreshments. Bicester Green Gym member, Beatrice Foster, said, 

‘We love coming to Launton Grange care home, and the 

refreshments are always fantastic! The grounds here are lovely, 

and it was so nice to see the residents happy once we were 

done.’ 

Anna Gordon, the Care Manager at Launton Grange, said, ‘This 

great relationship with Bicester Green Gym means that our 

outdoor areas are kept looking pristine for our residents to enjoy. 

It also allows us to be involved with the community and we’ve 

formed a lovely friendship.’ 

To find out more about Launton Grange, please visit 

www.idealcarehomes.co.uk, call 01869 227150 or email 

launton.grange@idealcarehomes.co.uk 

Launton Grange is a residential and dementia care home located 

in Bicester. With 66 ensuite bedrooms, attractive décor and freely 

accessible gardens, Launton Grange delivers person-centred 

care in a dignified manner, promoting independence as far as 

possible. 

Will 

£ 

£ 

£ £ 

LPA 

Living 

Will 

£ 

Banbury Wills & Probate 

Part of Bicester Wills Ltd 

 

Standard Single Will - £225 

 

Standard Mirror Wills - £325 

 

Bloodline Wills - £625 

 

Lasting Power of Attorney 

Property & Financial Affairs - £325 

 

Lasting Power of Attorney 

Health & Welfare - £325 

 

Both Lasting Powers of Attorney - £500 

Paul and the Team 

offer a friendly 

estate planning 

service 

Phone us on 

01295 237400 

Home visits 

no extra 

charge!! 

 

Probate Assistance from - £1,500 

www.banburywillsandprobate.co.uk 

Telephone: 01295 237400 

paul@banburywillsandprobate.co.uk 


ALL INCLUSIVE FEES 

ALL INCLUSIVE FEES 

Launton Grange Luxury Care Home 

Residential 

Residential 

and 

and dementia 

dementia 

care 

care 

Feel Feel part of of a friendly new community ... ... 

With With exceptional exceptional standards of of 24 24 hour residential and dementia care care and and an an all all inclusive inclusive fee, fee, 

Launton Launton Grange Grange makes makes a a real real difference to to the lives of our residents, assisting them them to to remain remain independent 

and and ensuring they enjoy an active lifestyle with likeminded people. 

Expect more ... ... 

9 Purpose built built home 

with spacious, en-suite 

bedrooms and and plenty plenty of of 

social social areas areas 

9 All All inclusive inclusive fee fee for for 

complete complete peace peace of of mind mind 

9 Full 

Full 

and 

and 

varied 

varied 

daily 

daily 

programme of activities 

programme of activities 

9 Nutritious food, daily 

9 Nutritious food, daily 

laundry and housekeeping 

laundry and housekeeping 

Launton Grange Care Home 

Launton Grange Care Home 

Skimmingdish Lane, Bicester, OX26 4AE , (Sat Nav OX26 4XJ) 

Skimmingdish Lane, Bicester, OX26 4AE , (Sat Nav OX26 4XJ) 

01869 227150 

01869 227150 



idealcarehomes.co.uk

CHRISTMAS IS 

COMING... 

DISCOVER OUR CHRISTMAS MENU AT BATON... 

USE 'BATON10' FOR A COMPLIMENTARY GLASS 

OF PROSECCO PER PERSON. T'S AND C'S APPLY. 

01869 934740 

WWW.THEHEYFORDOXFORDSHIRE.CO.UK 

@THEHEYFORDOXFORDSHIRE

Banbury Living Oct - Nov 2022

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