Surrey Homes | SH97 | February 2023 | Education Supplement inside
The lifestyle magazine for Surrey - Inspirational Interiors, Fabulous Fashion, Delicious Dishes
The lifestyle magazine for Surrey - Inspirational Interiors, Fabulous Fashion, Delicious Dishes
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EDUCATION SUPPLEMENT <strong>inside</strong><br />
Inspirational Interiors • Fabulous Fashion • Delicious Dishes<br />
PRICELESS<br />
FEBRUARY <strong>2023</strong>
BESPOKE KITCHEN DESIGN<br />
DESIGN • SUPPLY • MANAGE • INSTALL<br />
SCAN ME
Come and visit our showroom:<br />
Bancroft Road, Reigate, <strong>Surrey</strong>, RH2 7RP<br />
01737240403<br />
www.rdokitchenstudio.co.uk<br />
rdokitchenstudio
<strong>Surrey</strong>, Sussex & Hampshire’s<br />
Premier Oak Framed Specialist<br />
Tel: 01483 420 258 I info@surreyoakbarns.co.uk I www.surreyoakbarns.co.uk
shampangroup.co.uk<br />
shampangroup.co.uk
Wood and Stone Floors<br />
Woodandstonefloors.co.uk<br />
Wood - Stone - Porcelain<br />
Studios across the south east<br />
Guildford - 189 High Street, GU1 3AW<br />
Tunbridge Wells - 6 High Street, TN1 1UX<br />
Design<br />
Home Consultation<br />
Supply & Installation<br />
Expert advice<br />
01483 577533
Contents<br />
<strong>February</strong> <strong>2023</strong><br />
26<br />
67<br />
70<br />
12<br />
21<br />
25<br />
26<br />
43<br />
45<br />
46<br />
HOUSE OF THE MONTH<br />
Dream homes on the market<br />
NOTEBOOK<br />
<strong>February</strong> events for your diary<br />
THE MUST LIST<br />
Keep up-to-date with the latest<br />
must-see and must-have goodies<br />
THE HOUSE ON THE HILL<br />
A stunning new home set<br />
into the Goudhurst hillside<br />
GET THE LOOK<br />
Emulate Garry and Camilla<br />
Elms’ modern chic look<br />
PIECE OF MY HEART<br />
Love-ly art to suit all tastes<br />
FINDING THE LIGHT<br />
Pale is certainly interesting<br />
in this Pantiles property<br />
63<br />
67<br />
68<br />
70<br />
76<br />
79<br />
GET THE LOOK<br />
Be inspired by Alex Jørgensen’s<br />
natural sense of interior style<br />
SWEET DISPOSITION<br />
Shop heart-themed<br />
adornments<br />
NEW ROMANTICS<br />
Rebecca Cuffe edits<br />
amorous aesthetic<br />
MIX AND MATCH<br />
Jo Arnell combines perfect<br />
flavour partners to create<br />
four irresistible pies<br />
SLEEPING BEAUTY<br />
Beautify overnight with<br />
Josephine Fairley’s run-down<br />
of perfecting products<br />
KEEP IN THE KNOW<br />
Sarah Maxwell gives us another<br />
dose of menopause advice<br />
Published by Priceless Media Ltd. Kettle Chambers, 21 Stone Street,<br />
Cranbrook, Kent TN17 3HF | Call 01580 714705 | Email info@priceless-group.com<br />
Visit priceless-group.com Copyright © <strong>2023</strong> Priceless Media Ltd. The views of the<br />
advertisers & contributors are not necessarily those of Priceless Media Ltd.<br />
81<br />
83<br />
87<br />
89<br />
90<br />
NOURISH TO FLOURISH<br />
Charlotte Lau’s tips for optimum<br />
postnatal nutrition<br />
GREEN ATTRACTION<br />
Jo Arnell explores the relationship<br />
between plants and their owners<br />
PATIENCE IS A VIRTUE<br />
Sue Whigham helps her son<br />
tackle a new garden project<br />
WHAT’S ON?<br />
Find out...<br />
FARM FABLES<br />
Livestock gossip straight<br />
from the farmer’s mouth.<br />
This month, Jane watches her<br />
pregnant cows like a hawk<br />
EDUCATION<br />
SUPPLEMENT<br />
32 pages of the latest<br />
news from thriving<br />
schools across the<br />
South East.<br />
After page 64.<br />
7
Our Alton Showroom has over 3000 products on display, why not visit us today.<br />
Elstead House, Mill Lane, Alton, Hampshire GU34 2QJ Tel: 01420 590510<br />
Open: 9:00am - 5:00pm Monday - Friday | 9:00am - 1:00pm Saturday<br />
www.distinctivelightinguk.com
Editor’s<br />
Letter<br />
C O U N T Y C L O T H E S<br />
M E N S W E A R<br />
Are you dying to breathe new life into a drab<br />
interior? With this issue, we’re beating the <strong>February</strong><br />
chill with inspiring spring decor courtesy of two<br />
beautifully fresh homes, where every corner has been<br />
carefully considered to maximise on style and comfort.<br />
If your children are just about to start in nursery or reception,<br />
or you’ve recently moved to the area and are searching for<br />
just the right school to enrol them, then look no further than<br />
our <strong>Education</strong> <strong>Supplement</strong>. You can read all the latest news,<br />
get to know a little more about the teachers and explore the<br />
curriculum with our comprehensive look at all things school!<br />
Health and wellbeing are always at the forefront of<br />
our minds, and this issue is no different with the second<br />
instalment of Sarah Maxwell’s look at the menopause.<br />
Josephine Fairley shares her beauty expertise with a list<br />
of overnight products that truly deliver results and<br />
Charlotte Lau takes a look at postnatal nutrition.<br />
Whilst she’s waiting for spring to wake her garden<br />
up, Jo Arnell has been busy in her country kitchen<br />
creating pie recipes to cosy up with on wintry nights.<br />
Try out her foolproof recipes from page 72.<br />
We couldn’t put out a <strong>February</strong> issue without a reference to<br />
Valentine’s Day. We’ve compiled some beautifully romantic<br />
fashion pages that every woman can enjoy, regardless of<br />
whether your stance on <strong>February</strong> 14th is to love it or leave it!<br />
Enjoy your <strong>Surrey</strong> <strong>Homes</strong>!<br />
U P T O<br />
7 0 % O F F !<br />
C A N T E R B U R Y - T E N T E R D E N -<br />
S E V E N O A K S - R E I G A T E - B E X H I L L<br />
S T O R E S<br />
( E X C L U D E S R O Y A L T U N B R I D G E W E L L S )<br />
W W W . C O U N T Y C L O T H E S M E N S W E A R . C O . U K<br />
CountyClothesWT249-SH.indd 1 16/01/<strong>2023</strong> 09:37<br />
Wealden Times & <strong>Surrey</strong> <strong>Homes</strong> Team<br />
Editor ............................................................................................ Lucy Fleming<br />
News & Features Editor ...............................................................Rebecca Cuffe<br />
Design Director ..........................................................................Anthony Boxall<br />
Sales Managers ..............................................................................Rachel Norrie<br />
Lisa Gordon-Hughes<br />
Senior Account Managers ............................................................... Maria Hurley<br />
Sarah Norwood<br />
Sub Editor/Features Writer ................................................................Emily Pavey<br />
Wealden Times Show Director ....................................................... Flo Simpson<br />
Events Manager .............................................................................. Liz Copping<br />
Senior Account Manager, Events ....................................................... Jude Brown<br />
Managing Director .............................................................. Vivien Cotterill-Lee<br />
Executive Chairman ...................................................................... Julie Simpson<br />
Bring some of your personality to your wardrobe<br />
with a personally tailored suit or jacket with a<br />
choice of fabrics, linings and trims. Complement<br />
your look with our stylish footwear.<br />
48 London Road, Sevenoaks, Kent, TN13 1AS<br />
01732 902019 | www.suitsshoessir.com<br />
9 priceless-magazines.com<br />
SuitsShoesSirWT248.indd 1 05/12/2022 10:56
Find your copy<br />
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Ashtead<br />
• Patrick Gardner<br />
Bagshott<br />
• Howlands<br />
Estate Agents<br />
• Longacres Nursery<br />
Banstead<br />
• King of Cotton<br />
Betchworth<br />
• Buckland Deli<br />
• The Community<br />
Shop<br />
Bookham<br />
• Patrick Gardner<br />
Bramley<br />
• Bramley Beds<br />
Buckland<br />
• Buckland Nurseries<br />
Camberley<br />
• Romans<br />
Cheam<br />
• Cook<br />
Chelsham<br />
• Knights Garden<br />
Centre<br />
Chobham<br />
• Melita<br />
• Pasha<br />
Claygate<br />
• Trew Art<br />
Cobham<br />
• Cobham Furniture<br />
• Fego Café<br />
• Oh So Coco<br />
Cranleigh<br />
• Notcutts<br />
• Roger Coupe<br />
Dorking<br />
• Dorking Travel<br />
• Patrick Gardner<br />
• Princess Alice<br />
Hospice<br />
• Sainsbury’s<br />
Epsom<br />
• Mayfield Lavender<br />
Nursery & Shop<br />
• Sainsbury’s<br />
Esher<br />
• Sandown Park<br />
Racecourse<br />
Farnham<br />
• Cook<br />
• ME Estate Agents<br />
• Sainsbury’s<br />
• Waterstones<br />
Felbridge<br />
• Doves Barn Nursery<br />
Godalming<br />
• Cook<br />
• Sainsbury’s<br />
• Sarah Louise Dix<br />
• Waterstones<br />
Godstone<br />
• Knights Garden<br />
Centre<br />
Guildford<br />
• BoConcept<br />
• Elm Nursery<br />
Farm Shop<br />
• Loaf<br />
• Neptune<br />
• Nuffield Gym<br />
Haslemere<br />
• Lythe Hill<br />
Hotel & Spa<br />
• Tesco Superstore<br />
Knaphill<br />
• Sainsbury’s<br />
Leatherhead<br />
• Patrick Gardner<br />
• Robert Leech<br />
& Partners<br />
Lingfield<br />
• Robert Leech<br />
Lyne<br />
• The Farm Shop Lyne<br />
Milford<br />
• Secretts<br />
Old Oxted<br />
• Fish Plaice & Grill<br />
Oxted<br />
• Cook<br />
• Jackson-Stops<br />
& Staff<br />
• Limpsfield Stores<br />
• Morrisons<br />
• Robert Leech<br />
Oxshott<br />
• The Bear<br />
Redhill<br />
• Priory Farm<br />
Reigate<br />
• County Clothes<br />
• Robert Leech<br />
• RDO Kitchens<br />
Ripley<br />
• Ripley Nurseries<br />
Farm Shop<br />
• The Talbot<br />
Surbiton<br />
• Sainsbury’s<br />
Walton on Thames<br />
• Waterstones<br />
• Sainsbury’s<br />
Warlingham<br />
• Botley Hill<br />
Farmhouse<br />
• Rayners Estate<br />
Agents<br />
West Byfleet<br />
• Roman Tiles<br />
Weybridge<br />
• Tesco Extra<br />
Woldingham<br />
• Fine & Country<br />
STATIONS:<br />
• Dorking<br />
• East Grinstead<br />
• Epsom<br />
• Esher<br />
• Guildford<br />
• Haslemere<br />
• Kingston<br />
• Redhill<br />
• Richmond<br />
• Surbiton<br />
• Weybridge<br />
• Wimbledon<br />
• Woking<br />
astionan carlton nouveau<br />
venice<br />
high quality, timeless design, authentic elements<br />
marina acme<br />
brunel<br />
alto<br />
11 priceless-magazines.com<br />
AstonMatthewsWT232.indd 1 06/08/2021 14:05
House<br />
Month<br />
of the<br />
£8,950,000<br />
Damien Pestell picks his favourite homes on the market<br />
Guildford<br />
The dream: A Grade I listed manor<br />
house that dates back to the 11th<br />
century and is thought to be the UK’s<br />
oldest continuously inhabited house.<br />
Updated and modified throughout the<br />
course of a century, it has been visited<br />
by royalty and figures of historical<br />
significance. Surrounded by a moat<br />
the house includes a host of incredible<br />
features including the west wing with its<br />
own entrance and the potential to be let<br />
separately, while the east wing features<br />
a remarkable 40 foot indoor pool.<br />
Where: The attractive and ancient<br />
village of Wonersh, surrounded<br />
by the <strong>Surrey</strong> Hills and less than<br />
4 miles from Guildford.<br />
Setting: Set in 10 acres of its<br />
own private grounds.<br />
Beds: 10 Baths: 6<br />
Special features: The sublime<br />
drawing room with panelled walls<br />
and fireplace has direct access to the<br />
indoor pool, should you fancy a dip.<br />
Pleasing details: The owner of the<br />
house allegedly contributed to the<br />
Crown during the battle against<br />
the Spanish in the 16th century, in<br />
return he was given some timber<br />
from the Spanish Armada, which<br />
is now in the dining room.<br />
Outside: The glorious gardens and<br />
grounds include a walled garden,<br />
formal lawn, a beautiful lake hosting<br />
an abundance of wildlife, and the<br />
wonderfully named Bog garden. A hard<br />
tennis court, WWII air raid shelter<br />
and meadow are further places to<br />
explore while a useful stable yard has<br />
the potential to be used as a helicopter<br />
hanger or for equestrian needs.<br />
Time to town: The main line station<br />
at Guildford offers a fast and frequent<br />
service into London, with journey<br />
times from around 36 minutes.<br />
Agent: Savills 020 7016 3780 savills.com<br />
priceless-magazines.com<br />
12
OIEO £3m<br />
Godalming<br />
The dream: A gorgeous Grade II listed cottage<br />
in an enviable position overlooking the village<br />
green in the peaceful hamlet of Bowlhead<br />
Green, with an abundance of character this<br />
home comes on the market with the bonus<br />
of additional accommodation, providing the<br />
potential for an extra income, if desired.<br />
Where: The pretty hamlet of Bowlhead Green is<br />
just 6 miles from the market town of Godalming.<br />
Setting: Set back in its very own walled garden.<br />
Beds: 5 Baths: 3<br />
Special features: The beautiful lounge with<br />
exposed timber ceiling and inglenook fireplace<br />
is a cosy place for those frosty winter nights.<br />
Pleasing details: The part tile hung aspect of the<br />
building combined with the high pitch roof come<br />
together to create a beautiful chocolate box cottage.<br />
Outside: The property sits in well maintained<br />
grounds of just under an acre and includes<br />
a barn incorporating a car port, garage<br />
and workshop, with store overhead.<br />
Time to town: From Godalming station<br />
a 15 minute drive away to London<br />
Waterloo in just 42 minutes.<br />
Agent: House Partnership<br />
01483 266 700 housepartnership.co.uk<br />
Holmwood<br />
£1,100,000<br />
The dream: A unique converted period barn<br />
on the edge of the <strong>Surrey</strong> Hills AONB. This<br />
former granary is set within a third of an acre,<br />
offering peace and quiet as well as a superb<br />
outlook over the surrounding countryside.<br />
Where: Holmwood, 5 miles outside<br />
the major town of Dorking.<br />
Setting: A stunning rural perspective, tucked away<br />
behind another property away from any prying eyes.<br />
Beds: 3 Baths: 2<br />
Special features: The spacious lounge with<br />
vaulted ceiling, exposed timbers and log<br />
burner is the perfect place to socialise.<br />
Pleasing details: The gorgeous spiral staircase<br />
with glazed balustrade provides access to<br />
the landing and two further bedrooms.<br />
Outside: The rear landscaped gardens are beautifully<br />
stocked with established shrubs, hedging and<br />
perennials all set within the well designed rear lawn<br />
garden. There’s even a secluded vegetable and fruit<br />
garden, positioned away from the main house.<br />
Time to town: From Dorking station, a 10 minute<br />
drive away, to London Victoria in just over an hour.<br />
Agent: Patrick Gardner<br />
01306 877775 patrickgardner.com<br />
13 priceless-magazines.com
Receive<br />
50%<br />
off of your rent<br />
for 6 months*<br />
Recharge<br />
Recreate<br />
Relive<br />
Rent now<br />
With Pegasus communities<br />
across the <strong>Surrey</strong> hills and beyond<br />
Choosing a later living home that’s<br />
right for you has never felt so good.<br />
Exclusively for the Sixty+<br />
Rent from £1,509<br />
Buy from £315,000<br />
rentnow@lifestory.group<br />
Cobham Bowers<br />
SURREY<br />
Moor’s Nook<br />
HORSELL<br />
Carriages<br />
PURLEY<br />
Taylor Place<br />
DORKING<br />
Highfields<br />
WEST BYFLEET<br />
1 & 2 bedrooms<br />
Rent from £2,669pcm<br />
Buy from £510,000<br />
1 & 2 bedrooms<br />
Rent from £1,509pcm<br />
Buy from £315,000<br />
1 & 2 bedrooms<br />
Rent from £2,060pcm<br />
Buy from £450,000<br />
1 & 2 bedrooms<br />
Rent from £2,022pcm<br />
Buy from £340,000<br />
1 & 2 bedrooms<br />
Launching <strong>2023</strong><br />
Buy from £400,000<br />
01932 321 033<br />
01483 431 072<br />
0203 3082 555<br />
01306 230 047<br />
01932 483 128<br />
lifestory.group/rentnow<br />
Terms and conditions apply. Your rent will be reduced by 50% for 6 calendar months if you reserve and move-in by 30th June <strong>2023</strong>. This offer is available on selected<br />
developments only. We reserve the right to extend, reintroduce or amend any such offer as we see fit at any time. Prices correct at time of print. January <strong>2023</strong>.
Show Home<br />
Launch<br />
<strong>February</strong> <strong>2023</strong><br />
Be one of the first to view at<br />
Queens Court, Leatherhead<br />
Just 9 elegant and luxurious new homes set within a mature, tree lined avenue<br />
Each property offers a garden, terrace or spacious balcony overlooking communal gardens<br />
Register today to attend the launch in <strong>February</strong><br />
One & two bedroom homes<br />
from £350,000
Life doesn’t have to be...<br />
In a seemingly never-ending rollercoaster<br />
of one thing after another, with the nation<br />
holding its breath to see what’s next, we<br />
believe life doesn't have to be on hold. If you<br />
want to enjoy a better quality of life now,<br />
why not consider this solution.<br />
Press ‘resume’.<br />
Birchgrove retirement communities offer<br />
apartments that are smart, comfortable, light<br />
and secure. Future-designed for later life.<br />
Our model is ‘renting’ rather than ‘buying’, and<br />
you’ve no worries about utility bills as our rent<br />
is inclusive – with no price increase until 2024.*<br />
Renting offers much flexibility. You can move in<br />
(or out) quickly – and don’t need to sell your<br />
home before you do; you could even rent it out<br />
until the market picks up.<br />
*<br />
Capped until 2024. Transparently reviewed<br />
against the Retail Price Index annually.<br />
‘on hold’<br />
Enjoy a better quality of life... now!<br />
Scan the code, visit the website, or call to find out more:<br />
www.birchgrove.life/better<br />
020 3929 5599<br />
Leading<br />
the way<br />
in retirement<br />
rental living<br />
Queensgate<br />
Apartments<br />
Sidcup, Kent<br />
Woodbank<br />
Apartments<br />
Hook Heath, Woking<br />
Lower Mill<br />
Apartments<br />
Ewell Village, <strong>Surrey</strong>
ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE<br />
Modern retirement living<br />
Downsizing for a better<br />
quality of life makes sense<br />
but bungalows are scarce.<br />
Research finds that over 25<br />
percent of retirees want to downsize, yet<br />
the vast majority are put off by moving<br />
costs and the logistics. Many retirees opt<br />
to sell their current home and buy as<br />
they believe it provides more security and<br />
allows them to keep some assets. However,<br />
the buying costs add up, especially as<br />
stamp duty rates are high, and often the<br />
resale value on retirement property is low.<br />
Birchgrove, the specialist developer of<br />
contemporary retirement properties offers<br />
an alternative way – a new retirement<br />
apartment that you can rent. A rental<br />
home provides more flexibility and<br />
enables you to release the full equity<br />
from the sale or rental of your property<br />
to boost your lifestyle and pension.<br />
Unlike most properties in the rental<br />
sector that aren’t adapted for mature<br />
residents, Birchgrove’s apartments are<br />
designed for people in later life.<br />
Birchgrove, offers modern and<br />
spacious apartments in Kent and<br />
<strong>Surrey</strong>. Each apartment is individually<br />
designed to maximise space and light<br />
and has the Birchgrove trademark<br />
of high-quality finishes so that the<br />
apartments are distinctly elegant -<br />
with details such as wide doors and<br />
corridors for freedom of movement<br />
and wheelchair access, appliances at<br />
waist height for ease of use in the fully<br />
fitted kitchens and en-suite showers.<br />
Birchgrove also offer complete<br />
packages to take the hassle out of moving.<br />
They will assist you with all aspects of<br />
the move, from putting your current<br />
home on the market to decluttering and<br />
selling unwanted items. Their ‘Moveasy’<br />
package, for example, even goes as far as<br />
helping you pick furniture for your new<br />
home! You can move into your new home<br />
stress free and with very little hassle.<br />
Once a resident at a Birchgrove<br />
retirement community residents have<br />
access to exclusive onsite amenities<br />
such as a restaurant, licensed bar,<br />
club room, a communal terrace,<br />
wellness suite, landscaped gardens<br />
and greenhouse. Regular events and<br />
activities programme also contribute<br />
to the friendly community lifestyle,<br />
and for added peace of mind there is a<br />
concierge and 24 hour staff presence.<br />
If you find yourself needing a<br />
little extra assistance, the Birchgrove<br />
tailored care support is offered through<br />
their homecare specialist partners<br />
who can personalise a care package<br />
for your individual requirements.<br />
There is a Birchgrove retirement<br />
community at Queensgate Apartments,<br />
Sidcup, Kent; Woodbank Apartments,<br />
Hook Heath, Woking; and Lower<br />
Mill Apartments in Ewell, <strong>Surrey</strong><br />
If you would like to find out<br />
more about living at a Birchgrove<br />
retirement community, contact the<br />
team who will happily talk through<br />
the options and tailor something that<br />
works to support your individual<br />
needs. Call 020 3929 5599 or<br />
visit www.birchgrove.life
S A N D O W N A N T I Q U E S H O M E & I N T E R I O R S F A I R<br />
SUNDAY 19TH FEBRUARY<br />
S A N D O W N P A R K R A C E C O U R S E , P O R T S M O U T H R O A D ,<br />
E S H E R , S U R R E Y , K T 1 0 9 A J<br />
OPENS 10AM - 3PM<br />
£2 ADMISSION<br />
(CASH ONLY ON THE GATE)<br />
(CHILDREN UNDER 16YRS FREE)<br />
FREE PARKING<br />
HOT & COLD REFRESHMENTS ON SITE<br />
INSIDE & OUTSIDE STALLS<br />
A N A B U N D A N C E O F A N T I Q U E S , C O L L E C T A B L E S , F U R N I T U R E ,<br />
P A I N T I N G S , V I N T A G E C L O T H I N G , C E R A M I C S , J E W E L L E R Y ,<br />
G A R D E N E P H E M E R A , S I L V E R A N D M U C H M U C H M O R E<br />
For all bookings & general enquiries please contact<br />
01932 230 946 enquiries@sunburyantiques.com<br />
www.sunburyantiques.com<br />
<strong>Surrey</strong>AntiquesWT249.indd 1 23/01/<strong>2023</strong> 09:23<br />
Des Oliver and The<br />
Atchison Quartet:<br />
What Does it Mean to be a<br />
Black Composer?<br />
Don’t miss this special evening of live music,<br />
film and discussion set in the atmospheric<br />
Historic Galleries.<br />
Find out more at<br />
wattsgallery.org.uk<br />
Compton, GU3 1DQ<br />
priceless-magazines.com<br />
<strong>Surrey</strong> <strong>Homes</strong> ad.indd 9 06/01/<strong>2023</strong> 11:38:53<br />
WattsGalleryWT249.indd 1 17/01/<strong>2023</strong> 16:36<br />
20
Notebook<br />
What to do and see near you this month<br />
Life on a plate<br />
istockphoto.com/ Zolga_F / tatianazaets<br />
Wheel of Fortune<br />
Combining a welcoming and inspiring atmosphere with<br />
fabulous facilities, The Ceramic Studio is located in<br />
beautiful orchards not far from Tunbridge Wells. Alongside<br />
their highly recommended courses and one-day experiences<br />
they host renowned potters specialising in a variety of skills<br />
including throwing porcelain, slab building and surface<br />
mark making and glazing techniques. We’re delighted to<br />
hear they’ve recently announced their line-up of fantastic<br />
<strong>2023</strong> Guest Potters, including Helen Beard and Emily<br />
Myers. So now’s the time to plan ahead and book yourself<br />
on a course. If you feel you need to develop your skills<br />
first then do take a look at their regular specialist<br />
courses, termly classes or single session options.<br />
theceramicstudio.co.uk<br />
Nothing is off the menu in<br />
‘Nothing in Moderation’<br />
Prue Leith’s frank, revealing<br />
and very funny all-new show.<br />
Prue will share a myriad of<br />
fascinating anecdotes about<br />
her life: taking audiences<br />
through the ups and downs of<br />
being a successful restaurateur,<br />
novelist, businesswoman and Great<br />
British Bake Off judge; feeding<br />
the rich and famous, cooking<br />
for Royalty and even poisoning<br />
her clients – all told for the very<br />
first time. You’ll find Prue at G<br />
Live in Guildford on Saturday 11<br />
<strong>February</strong>. For more details and<br />
to book tickets go to glive.co.uk<br />
Round<br />
& round<br />
Hever Castle and<br />
Gardens hosts half term fun<br />
this month. Visit the historic<br />
site between 11 and 19 <strong>February</strong><br />
to enjoy ‘Emerging Nature’ aimed<br />
at school aged children and families.<br />
Learn about animals that hibernate,<br />
get creative with a pebble painting<br />
workshop and have an animal themed<br />
face paint. As well as the Emerging Nature<br />
activities, feed the ducks or fish, explore<br />
the historic castle or let off some steam<br />
in one of three play areas including<br />
Tudor Towers adventure playground. You<br />
can find out which activities run on each<br />
day of half term at hevercastle.co.uk
Notebook<br />
Top spin<br />
Let’s go<br />
Be mine!<br />
This year’s unravel festival – held at<br />
Candle-lit dinners, atmospheric music and elegant<br />
Farnham Maltings on 24, 25 and<br />
rooms await you this Valentine’s Day at Leeds<br />
26 <strong>February</strong> – is set to be extra<br />
Castle. Arrive from 3pm, where the Castle Footman<br />
special, marking the festival’s 15th<br />
will welcome you both and show you to your room.<br />
anniversary, celebrating all things<br />
Delve into the Castle’s rich history as you are escorted<br />
yarn making, from knitting and<br />
on an after-hours tour, admiring its lavish interiors<br />
crochet to spinning and weaving.<br />
and stunning surroundings. From here, enjoy<br />
Held over three days, unravel<br />
a chilled sparkling reception in the Library<br />
welcomes makers and creatives for a<br />
ahead of dinner. The ultimate romantic<br />
unique community craft experience<br />
night away. Booking essential.<br />
with opportunities to participate in<br />
leeds-castle.com<br />
a special community project, watch live<br />
demonstrations and browse the beautiful works<br />
on display. At the heart of the festival is the curated<br />
marketplace which showcases independent producers and hand<br />
dyed yarns, hailing from across the UK, Europe and beyond. International<br />
exhibitors include Rauwerk, a Munich based yarn shop, Urth Yarns from<br />
Istanbul and Black Isle Yarns from the Highlands. Visitors will recognise leading<br />
names from the knitting fraternity and have the chance to discover new<br />
emerging hand dyers and designers. Tickets are £12 (plus online booking fee)<br />
in advance or £14 on the door. Festival and workshops tickets are now on<br />
sale and available from Farnham Maltings website. farnhammaltings.com<br />
WILD<br />
Wakehurst, Kew’s wild botanic garden in Sussex, has launched<br />
a brand-new family programme, Nature Heroes, to inspire<br />
budding young adventurers in its spectacular 535-acre<br />
biodiverse site. Launching in <strong>February</strong> half-term, young heroes<br />
will embark on an intrepid adventure every school holiday, with<br />
the option to sport their very own superhero cape, available for<br />
purchase online or at the Visitor Centre. The self-led mission<br />
encourages young explorers to get hands-on and protect the<br />
environment, discovering the secrets that plants, wildlife and<br />
fungi hold, with the chance to earn a beautifully embroidered<br />
badge. Kicking things off in <strong>February</strong> half-term<br />
will be the Bird Buddy badge, as budding<br />
ornithologists can join an interactive<br />
trail to discover different bird<br />
species and their habits. Add-on<br />
activities include creating a<br />
bird feeder and a fun birdsong<br />
workshop. On 16 and 17<br />
<strong>February</strong>, visitors will be able<br />
to watch the mesmerising<br />
birds of prey flying display<br />
from Horsham-based<br />
Huxley’s Birds of Prey<br />
Centre. Find out more<br />
info at kew.org/wakehurst<br />
LOOK FORWARD: JUMP FOR JOY<br />
Jump racing at Sandown Park reaches its peak<br />
this March! Join in on Saturday 11 March for Betfair<br />
Imperial Cup Day, one of their feature meetings<br />
in <strong>2023</strong>. With a day of high-quality racing and<br />
entertainment on the cards, this is a day not to be<br />
missed. Can’t join them then? Book your place<br />
at the bet365 Jump Finale instead, one of the<br />
biggest racing days in the British calendar. Watch<br />
on as Champions are crowned and the racing<br />
on track is second to none. Tickets start at £28.<br />
thejockeyclub.co.uk/sandown/ to find out more.
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Looking for a romantic<br />
getaway this Valentine’s?<br />
Pour L’Amour, lodge at The<br />
Bell in Ticehurst, East Sussex has<br />
just been lovingly redesigned!<br />
In this fairytale getaway,<br />
Batemans’ painted leather panels<br />
have inspired beautiful wall<br />
decorations, while the influence<br />
of Charleston Farmhouse can be<br />
seen in painted cupboards that<br />
depict Vanessa Bell and Duncan<br />
Grant reading love poems to each<br />
other. Rooms at The Bell cost<br />
from £165, including breakfast.<br />
thebellinticehurst.com<br />
Polish up your cooking skills with the help of Gordon<br />
Ramsay. The celebrity-chef’s new cooking school in<br />
Woking offers courses both online and in person on every<br />
culinary delight you can imagine – from sushi and steak to<br />
vegan and Valentine’s dinner. gordonramsayacademy.com<br />
must<br />
The<br />
From must-sees to must-buys and<br />
must-dos, don’t miss this month’s<br />
round up of what to buy, see, do,<br />
and generally get excited about!<br />
Investing in art is a smart place to<br />
put your money if you’re looking to<br />
update your home, and Belgravia<br />
Gallery in Cranleigh, <strong>Surrey</strong>’s charity<br />
art has a heartfelt way to spend<br />
while giving to charity too. This Ruskin Spear<br />
silkscreen is full of delightful movement and<br />
fun, costs £750, and is one of a number of<br />
works on which 100% of the sale proceeds<br />
will benefit The Sebastian Hunter Memorial<br />
Trust (which supports those suffering from<br />
poverty in India). belgraviagallery.com<br />
Aston Matthews celebrates their 200th anniversary this year with<br />
the launch of the Astonian Original cast iron bath. Still family run,<br />
the company is known for stocking everything for bathrooms from<br />
brass loo roll holders to concrete basins. This latest addition is based on<br />
archive designs, with generous proportions and classic claw feet, and is<br />
now on display at their Guildford showroom. astonmatthews.co.uk<br />
For any readers searching for the perfect ring<br />
for a Valentine’s proposal, we may have a<br />
solution. KATA Jewellery in Tunbridge Wells<br />
has a bespoke service which combines modern<br />
designs with traditional craftsmanship, to<br />
create a ring as unique as the one you love.<br />
They pride themselves on creating ‘futureheirlooms’<br />
using 100% recycled and sustainably<br />
sourced gold and platinum, and can do<br />
heirloom remodelling to transform older treasures<br />
if you have something you’d like to use. Bespoke<br />
engagement rings cost from £3,500. katajewellery.com<br />
Serve up your pancakes this<br />
year with one of Jimbob Art’s<br />
adorably quirky plates. The East<br />
Sussex company has a selection<br />
of pancake themed options (as<br />
well as many other foods), all<br />
adorned with founder James<br />
Ward’s animal illustrations for<br />
an extra sweet flavour. This<br />
one is £22 at jimbobart.com<br />
This Pancake Day, we want<br />
to create the perfect pancakes.<br />
These lacey ones with a sweet<br />
berry compote are great to start<br />
practising early as they can also<br />
double as a Valentine’s treat if you<br />
can master them on time. Find<br />
the recipe on Le Creuset’s website<br />
– all you need is a squeezy bottle<br />
and their Toughened Non-Stick<br />
Crêpe Pan (from £115) which<br />
is so smooth there’s no need for<br />
unhealthy oil or butter. Plus easier<br />
clean up! lecreuset.co.uk<br />
Anyone for a curry? How<br />
about the best in the South<br />
East? Shampan at the Spinning<br />
Wheel, in Westerham, Kent,<br />
has been crowned the “Best<br />
in the South-East” at the<br />
British Curry Awards 2022,<br />
and we can see why! Flavoursome<br />
dishes, delightful cocktails, and<br />
an ambience of cosy luxury,<br />
combine here for an elevated curry<br />
experience. shampangroup.co.uk<br />
25
priceless-magazines.com<br />
26
The house<br />
on the hill<br />
With the help of a practice of skilled<br />
architects, the Elms have succeeded in<br />
creating a stunning multi-functional family<br />
space that works in perfect harmony with<br />
both their professional and home lives<br />
Words: Antonia Deeson Photographs: David Merewether & Timothy Soar Styling: Holly Levett<br />
27 priceless-magazines.com
Courage | Confidence | Character<br />
An independent school for boys aged 4-13 years, with co-educational nursery.<br />
Set in 45 acres of beautiful countryside with school bus routes including to SW London.<br />
Open Event<br />
Saturday 4 March <strong>2023</strong> at 10am<br />
Reception Taster Morning<br />
Tuesday 7 March <strong>2023</strong> at 9am<br />
Everyone Welcome<br />
To register your interest,<br />
admissions@parkside-school.co.uk or call 01932 862749<br />
parkside-school.co.uk
Above & previous pages: An elegant<br />
powder-coated steel staircase pierces the<br />
impressive double height atrium below.<br />
A tranquil landscape by Peter Bonney<br />
(right) hangs in the entrance hall<br />
Garry and Camilla Elms had first<br />
glimpsed the dilapidated pump<br />
house when they and their three<br />
children Isabel (now aged 14) and Hugh<br />
and Xavi (now aged 13) became members<br />
at Goudhurst Tennis Club. They had been<br />
looking for a new family home for some<br />
time, since losing out on another house on<br />
sealed bids. “I’d been scouring Rightmove<br />
for ages,” says Garry, “The old pump<br />
house hadn’t shown up on any searches<br />
as it was listed as Price On Application.<br />
When we realised that it was for sale<br />
we came and had a look and saw that<br />
not only did it come with an old 1930s<br />
cottage but also a swathe of the most<br />
beautiful Capability Brown style parkland<br />
– we knew we had to go for it.” <br />
29 priceless-magazines.com
timothysoar.co.uk<br />
This page: A series of huge and very striking portraits by South African-based artist Solomon Omogboye are displayed on the<br />
landing. Just like the exterior of the house – which uses natural materials to counterbalance any austerity of the glass and steel –<br />
the interior incorporates nature throughout its design, from the wooden floors and joinery to the profusion of houseplants<br />
Sitting with Garry and Camilla in their stunning architect<br />
designed contemporary home they point at the original pump<br />
house, now artfully hidden in a small copse of trees at the<br />
bottom of the hill. “That’s where we all lived,” says Garry, “us<br />
and the three kids whilst we waited for the necessary planning<br />
to build our dream family home. It was a great house.”<br />
Whilst the family are today happily cocooned within their<br />
beautifully designed two floor upside down house (more of<br />
which later) it has been quite the journey for them, moving<br />
first into the original 1930s terraced cottage whilst renovations<br />
began on the pump house and then into the pump house<br />
where they waited for the second phase of the main build<br />
to take shape. Throw into the mix a two-year pandemic and<br />
it is understandable quite how happy the Elms family must<br />
have been when they finally moved into their new home.<br />
“When we first moved into the original cottage, we all got a bit<br />
of a shock as nothing had been done to it in decades. Dark blue<br />
carpets, pink and yellow walls in the wrong place, but it was also<br />
quite lovely and very cosy with the most amazing views across the<br />
old parkland,” says Camilla. Within a year the necessary work had<br />
been done on the pump house, stripping it back to its Victorian<br />
roots, dragging it back to life from quite a sorry state. “The<br />
pump house had no roof and it was full of water. We kept the<br />
renovation as sympathetic as possible,” says Garry, who wanted <br />
priceless-magazines.com<br />
30
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to preserve the authentic industrial feel with open brick work<br />
and conduits. However, for Camilla, not only did the industrial<br />
nature of the space suit her growing family, it also became<br />
the backdrop to her new business as a nutritional therapist.<br />
“I used to run a shop in Tunbridge Wells having worked<br />
in finance in the city. After I had my children, I started<br />
studying for a degree in Nutritional Therapy at the University<br />
of West London. As my business established itself, I started<br />
my first workshops at the pump house, collaborating<br />
with a local yoga teacher. It was a bit of a pain moving all<br />
the furniture out every time, but the concept of cooking<br />
and talking about food with my clients face-to-face really<br />
worked as I was able to run through recipes and ingredients<br />
with them, cooking for them and all eating together.”<br />
When it came to the main house build, although Garry had<br />
done most of the renovations in-house on the pump house,<br />
he decided to put the new family home out to tender, from<br />
the architects to the construction. “I work in construction, or<br />
at least I am very closely affiliated to it (Garry is Managing<br />
Director of The Cabling Group who specialise in structured<br />
cabling and AV) and so I knew it was a big enough job<br />
that I needed to outsource, and I wanted to find the best.”<br />
However, even with his <strong>inside</strong>r knowledge, designing and<br />
building a house to the aesthetic quality that Garry was<br />
after took several failed attempts. When they finally found<br />
pH+ Architects, based in London, they instantly knew that<br />
they had discovered the ideal people to design and project<br />
manage the construction of their perfect family home.<br />
“When Andy Puncher (co-founder of pH+ Architects) came<br />
to see us, he asked questions about our lifestyle, our possessions<br />
and our family life that really connected with us,” says Camilla.<br />
“Rather than enforcing his own criteria on the design for the<br />
house, he created something that worked for us. For instance, <br />
timothysoar.co.uk<br />
This page: Carefully crafted bookshelves, painted in rich colours<br />
of Farrow & Ball Downpipe and Zoffany Aubusson, divide up the<br />
space into perfectly functioning areas. The large marble and walnut<br />
island of the family kitchen sits alongside an ash dining table with<br />
blown glass pendant lights by UK company Rothschild & Bickers<br />
floating above. Movable slatted blinds, that open and close at the<br />
push of a button, reveal sweeping views over the countryside<br />
33 priceless-magazines.com
This page: Doors on the landing open up<br />
to reveal Camilla’s cosy office/den with<br />
inviting deep burgundy sofa and plenty of<br />
greenery from The Glasshouse in Cranbrook<br />
he didn’t laugh when I said I wanted<br />
two kitchens!” In fact, Camilla’s second<br />
kitchen, artfully secreted around a<br />
beautifully crafted floating partition set<br />
apart from the main family kitchen, seems<br />
completely logical. “I needed to continue<br />
to run my nutrition business from home,”<br />
she explains. “What worked so well in<br />
the pump house had been the face-toface<br />
groups and although I often have<br />
my clients sitting around the main family<br />
kitchen, I needed a ‘backstage’ area.” The<br />
second kitchen, which has a completely<br />
different atmosphere from the main family<br />
kitchen, is where Camilla prepares plates<br />
of food and ingredients that she whisks<br />
out for her clients. “I needed somewhere<br />
where all my seeds, nuts and powders<br />
could be stored away, separate from family<br />
life, so I can keep both areas working<br />
seamlessly and yet simultaneously.”<br />
The house itself is a masterpiece<br />
of modern family living and it is no<br />
surprise that is has been entered for<br />
several prestigious architectural awards.<br />
Constructed from glass and steel with<br />
Siberian larch wood panelling and<br />
movable slatted blinds – that open and<br />
close at the push of a button – it is an<br />
upside-down house, designed to make<br />
the most of its steep hillside position,<br />
offering sweeping views over the sculptural<br />
Goudhurst countryside that drops<br />
off beneath it. However, just like the<br />
exterior – which uses natural materials to<br />
counterbalance any austerity of the glass<br />
and steel – the interior too incorporates<br />
nature throughout its design, from the<br />
wooden floors and extensive joinery<br />
to the profusion of houseplants. <br />
priceless-magazines.com<br />
34
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“I needed somewhere where all my seeds, nuts and powders could be stored away, separate<br />
from family life, so I can keep both areas working seamlessly and yet simultaneously.”<br />
This page: Camilla’s second kitchen is artfully secreted around a beautifully crafted floating partition set apart<br />
from the main family kitchen. It is where she prepares ingredients and plates of food for her clients<br />
There are pops of rich colour and<br />
texture in the confident use of upholstery<br />
and curtains, which many owners often<br />
find hard to handle in a contemporary<br />
house. “I love houseplants,” says Camilla,<br />
“they are so important to our wellbeing<br />
and I worked with Kali at The Glasshouse<br />
in Cranbrook who has been amazing<br />
at sourcing just the right thing.”<br />
The sense of family is everywhere.<br />
Whatever the architectural merit of the<br />
house – which is undeniable – ultimately<br />
at the heart of this project is a home that<br />
has been beautifully engineered to meet<br />
the ever-changing needs of a large family.<br />
“We designed this place just before Covid<br />
struck and it was constructed as we were<br />
in lockdown,” says Garry. “I didn’t <br />
37 priceless-magazines.com
This page: Camilla and Garry’s bedroom suite sits just to the bottom of the stairs<br />
intend to be on site but as I was working<br />
from home, it turned out I was here all<br />
the time. We did end up with nearly 200<br />
changes to the original plans and they<br />
probably all thought it was a bit much,<br />
but I think that, in a large part due to<br />
the pandemic, it was essential for our<br />
forever home to be just that, somewhere<br />
that would act as a nest for our family,<br />
offering us protection during what seemed<br />
to be a very troubling time. It had to<br />
be just right, it had to be perfect.”<br />
Walking through the house is an<br />
essay in how modern family living<br />
could and should be. The large marble<br />
and walnut island of the family kitchen<br />
(the black walnut lovingly cured by a<br />
local carpenter in Biddenden) sits<br />
<br />
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38
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MediaForceWT249-RHSWisley.indd 1 20/01/<strong>2023</strong> 16:19
Clockwise from top: The contractors had<br />
to dig into the hill to support the larger<br />
structure of the new house, which resulted<br />
in some unplanned underground spaces<br />
– one of which is now a home cinema.<br />
A guest bedroom opens straight out into<br />
parkland that slopes down into a valley<br />
alongside a beautiful ash dining table.<br />
Hanging blown glass pendant lights by<br />
UK company Rothschild & Bickers float<br />
overhead offering both colour and texture.<br />
The exquisite carpentry by Simon Shaw<br />
(who Camilla found on Instagram) divides<br />
up the space into perfectly functioning<br />
areas. The partitions are painted in rich<br />
colours of Farrow & Ball Downpipe<br />
and Zoffany Aubusson accessorised with<br />
textural Buster & Punch handles.<br />
Around the opposite side of the<br />
partition is the sitting area which is filled<br />
with rich coloured upholstered sofas and<br />
midcentury modern chairs in charcoals<br />
and mustards. “Kate Malone Interiors in<br />
Tunbridge Wells helped us hugely with<br />
all the curtains, which add another level<br />
of texture and warmth,” says Camilla.<br />
“The curtain fabrics are from Italian brand<br />
Casamance and they really work perfectly,<br />
being luxurious but also modern and<br />
unfussy.” Around the house individual<br />
pieces of considered furniture and lighting<br />
sit perfectly, sourced in the large part by<br />
Willem from Dutch supplier De Jong<br />
Interieur, who Camilla met at Ardingly.<br />
On the landing a series of huge and<br />
very striking portraits by South Africanbased<br />
artist Solomon Omogboye, who<br />
the family had discovered on a holiday,<br />
takes you to Camilla’s cosy office/den<br />
which sits atop an elegant powder-coated<br />
steel staircase that pierces the impressive<br />
double height atrium below. Camilla<br />
and Garry’s bedroom suite sits just to<br />
the bottom of the stairs, whilst a long<br />
corridor lined with discreet-yet-endless<br />
storage, is home to the kids’ bedrooms<br />
(all ensuite) and the guest bedroom<br />
suite. “We really based the bedrooms<br />
on our perfect hotel – big enough for<br />
a good size bed and built-in cupboards<br />
and generous ensuite bathrooms with<br />
walk-in showers. “Each of the kids picked<br />
their own bathroom tiles so they got to<br />
take ownership of their room, not that<br />
it helps them to tidy up!” quips Garry.<br />
The guest bedroom also has a very<br />
cunning indoor/outdoor wall that joins<br />
“To be honest, I always thought home cinemas<br />
were a bit OTT,” says Garry, “but now we<br />
have one, it’s the best, as is the home gym.<br />
We use them all the time and they really do<br />
make this house completely lockdown proof!”<br />
the interior of the house to its exterior.<br />
This sense of conversation between the<br />
interior and exterior of the house has<br />
also been achieved through the extensive<br />
glazing throughout both the lower and<br />
upper levels of the house, each window<br />
revealing yet more views to the outside.<br />
On the lower level, as construction<br />
had to dig into the hill to support the<br />
larger structure of the new house, the<br />
family ended up with some unplanned<br />
underground spaces. “To be honest, I<br />
always thought home cinemas were a bit<br />
OTT,” says Garry, “but now we have one,<br />
it’s the best, as is the home gym. We use<br />
them all the time and they really do make<br />
priceless-magazines.com<br />
40
timothysoar.co.uk<br />
dream. A home that is impressive and<br />
yet homely, modern yet approachable.<br />
Outdoor terraces wrap around the<br />
different levels with entrances that lead<br />
to and from the house. The next phase<br />
of the garden and a planned swimming<br />
pool will happen next year. “I cannot wait<br />
for the summer,” says Camilla, “when<br />
I can sit outside this beautiful home,<br />
looking over the stunning countryside<br />
that we are lucky to look after and<br />
think to myself – wow, we did it!”<br />
Address Book:<br />
Find out more about Camilla Elms<br />
Nutrition @camillaelmsnutrition<br />
or see camillaelmsnutrition.com<br />
this house completely lockdown proof!”<br />
From the gym, backstairs take you into<br />
a huge family utility/boot room which<br />
Camilla says she designed like the ones she<br />
had seen in the US. “I have twin teenage<br />
boys, who are into sport so to have a space<br />
like this where all the sports bags, trainers<br />
and boots get dumped and can be cleaned<br />
timothysoar.co.uk<br />
off is a god-send,” she says. The area is<br />
also home to their two dogs, cockapoo<br />
Tambour and golden Labrador Chia.<br />
Off the utility space is a separate kids<br />
games room. “It’s away from our main<br />
space,” says Camilla, “so it’s utterly ideal<br />
for teenagers, play stations and noise!”<br />
Camilla and Garry have created the<br />
pH+ Architects @phplus_arch<br />
phplusarchitects.com<br />
De Jong Interieur @dejonginterieur<br />
dejonginterieur.com<br />
The Glasshouse @theglasshousebotanics<br />
theglasshouse.co.uk<br />
Kate Malone Interiors<br />
@kate_malone_interiors katemalone.com<br />
Walker Shaw Kitchens & Joinery<br />
@walkershawkitchensjoinery<br />
41 priceless-magazines.com
CATHY Mc CLYMONT<br />
PAINTINGS<br />
07763 524069 | cathy.ge@hotmail.co.uk<br />
cathy mcclymont paintings<br />
cathymcclymont<br />
CathyMcClymontPaintingsWT249.indd 1 11/01/<strong>2023</strong> 15:20<br />
West End House<br />
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42<br />
CurtainCallWT247.indd 1 02/11/2022 WestEndHouseGalleryWT249.indd 10:56<br />
1 16/01/<strong>2023</strong> 09:56
Get the<br />
LOOK<br />
1 Ocean waves glass pendant light £125 French Bedroom frenchbedroomcompany.co.uk 2 Dark blue panels wallpaper<br />
from £32/m 2 wallsauce.com 3 Sensibility original painting by Flo Lee £450 One Off to Twenty-Five oneoffto25.com<br />
4 TLC Imogen corner sofa in summer punch £4,365 The Lounge Co theloungeco.com 5 Monstera faux plant<br />
£209.99 Dowsing and Reynolds dowsingandreynolds.com 6 Jaipur handwoven kilim cushion £24.99 <strong>Homes</strong>capes<br />
homescapesonline.com 7 Machu cushion £92 Sweetpea & Willow sweetpeaandwillow.com 8 Dactyl table lamp £30 B&Q<br />
diy.com 9 Glass display side table in aged bronze £221.25 Cox & Cox coxandcox.co.uk 10 Parlor spruce beech wood<br />
effect tiles £29.95/m 2 Walls and Floors wallsandfloors.co.uk 11 Tarma armchair in soft charcoal £1,695 OKA oka.com<br />
43 priceless-magazines.com
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ParkerFineArtAuctionsWT249.indd 1 23/01/<strong>2023</strong> 17:47<br />
PAINTINGS | SCULPTURE<br />
ART ADVISORY | INSTALLATION<br />
Peace | Nelson Mandela (left)<br />
Love (Red) | Nelson Mandela (below)<br />
020 7495 1010 WWW.BELGRAVIAGALLERY.COM<br />
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44<br />
BelgraviaGalleryWT249.indd 1 10/01/<strong>2023</strong> 15:08
Piece<br />
heart<br />
of my<br />
This Valentine’s, we’re celebrating with our list<br />
of eight pieces of art to get you feeling romantic<br />
From the sensation of a ‘dancing-on-air’ whirlwind<br />
romance, to the warm comfort of having<br />
someone to grow old with, sipping on a cuppa;<br />
love – much like art – comes in all shapes and<br />
sizes, and now is the time to appreciate it all!<br />
1<br />
3<br />
2<br />
istockphoto.com/ Vadim Cherenko<br />
1 This starlit scene conjours up ideas of being swept off<br />
your feet in love, dancing as the world melts away.<br />
Dancing To Heaven by Sir Peter Blake CBE RDI<br />
RA (61x45cm Limited Edition Signed Screenprint)<br />
£1,950 at Belgravia Gallery belgraviagallery.com<br />
2 A couple sits happily here, under an old tree that still<br />
flourishes – as we can imagine their relationship does.<br />
Now & Then by Graham Clarke (170x216mm limited<br />
edition etching of 300) £125 at grahamclarke.co.uk<br />
3 This temptingly vibrant pomegranate is a potent symbol<br />
of love, said to have been born of the blood of Adonis, and<br />
known as the forbidden fruit of Eden in some cultures.<br />
Pocket Pomegranate by Dani Humberstone<br />
(19x19cm oil paint on canvas) £195 at West<br />
End House Gallery westendhousegallery.co.uk<br />
4 The cheeky Rococo painting The Swing is given a<br />
modern update. The central female’s husband and lover<br />
are forgotten under veils of paint, leaving her frivolously<br />
4 5<br />
swinging in a swirl of pink, an expression of joyous female sexuality.<br />
The Swingers by Young & Battaglia (62.08x79.33cm original<br />
mixed media painting) £2,649, or also available as a digital<br />
print on canvas £402, at Mineheart mineheart.com<br />
5 Gill Wright depicts the intimate warmth of an embrace, or literal<br />
romantic entanglement, in fashionably romantic pinks and reds.<br />
Stella Hug by Gill Wright (29.7x42cm giclee print<br />
from a hand-drawn graphite/acrylic/watercolour<br />
painting) £69 at One off to 25 oneoffto25.com<br />
6 Passionate pinks bloom on this beautiful tree. Entitled Never<br />
Alone, we can take it as a metaphor for a blossoming love and<br />
6<br />
the exuberant sensation that you never need be alone again.<br />
Never Alone by Inam (24x25” framed original painting<br />
8<br />
on canvas) POA at Trew Art trewart.com<br />
7 Regular visitors to Wealden Times Fairs will be familiar<br />
with Cathy McClymont’s romantic style. Here she depicts an<br />
idyllic, dreamy home in which we can imagine love lives.<br />
Pink skies and sprite by Cathy McClymont (1x1m oil on canvas<br />
with chalk and gold leaf) £520 instagram @Cathymcclymont<br />
8 The coy look of a woman smelling a red rose, here gazes out across<br />
the centuries, a youthful smile capturing the poetic first bloom of love.<br />
The Fragrance Of The Rose by Jean Francois Portaels (52” x<br />
39” 19th century oil on canvas in its original antique gilt<br />
frame) £12,500 at <strong>Surrey</strong> Fine Arts surreyfinearts.com<br />
45 priceless-magazines.com<br />
7
Finding<br />
the light<br />
Words: Damien Pestell<br />
Photographs: David Merewether<br />
Styling: Holly Levett<br />
Alex Jørgensen guides us around<br />
his Edwardian townhouse, a<br />
renovation project that he’s managed<br />
to complete in just one year<br />
priceless-magazines.com<br />
46
47 priceless-magazines.com
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Whealdon Times half ad2.indd 1 17/01/<strong>2023</strong> 14:38<br />
BorderOakDesignWT249.indd 1 17/01/<strong>2023</strong> 15:02<br />
48
Previous pages: Symmetrical double aspect doors lead off the hallway and into a study on one side (above) and a family room on the other<br />
Above: Alex bought the artisanal rug from A Rum Fellow. The period marble fireplace is one of many immaculately restored in the house<br />
It was a Monday in November and despite some<br />
unseasonably good weather recently, the rain had settled<br />
in today. Nevertheless I was delighted to be travelling<br />
to the historic spa town of Tunbridge Wells, passing some<br />
of Kent’s most beautiful countryside on the way to visit<br />
a property which was just a stone’s throw from literally<br />
everything, including the elegant Pantiles, the Georgian<br />
covered colonnade in the popular ‘village’ area of town.<br />
I was meeting Alex Jørgensen – a Danish interior designer<br />
who has lived in the UK for the last 15 years – to see the<br />
Edwardian townhouse he has comprehensively remodelled<br />
in just a year, sympathetically restoring period features to<br />
create a functional family home, which is both bright, open<br />
and with more fireplaces than you could shake a stick at.<br />
Walking through the old High Street and down a narrow<br />
path I find the house in no time, where I am greeted by Alex<br />
and welcomed in. Moving through the hallway to the rear<br />
of the house, we enter the spacious kitchen/diner and I find<br />
a seat at the stylish breakfast bar as Alex pours me a glass<br />
of water. Turning around I start to survey the light-filled<br />
room which was transformed from three smaller rooms into<br />
a single open plan space. “It was very compartmentalised<br />
before,” Alex tells me, “the extra space is a real bonus.”<br />
Alex shares the home with his wife and their nine year<br />
old son, learning the ropes of interior design on the many<br />
house renovations he and his wife have embarked on over <br />
49 priceless-magazines.com
the years, he says, “This house isn’t<br />
our first rodeo! My wife and I have<br />
done quite a few homes together – I<br />
think we did five or six in the first five<br />
years.” He took things a step further in<br />
2016 when he swapped his career as a<br />
shipbroker to follow his life’s passion<br />
and become an interior designer,<br />
studying at the distinguished Inchbald<br />
School of Design, followed by a number<br />
The living room is full of<br />
richness and warmth. “It’s a<br />
more adult entertaining space<br />
which is classic contemporary,<br />
not too modern and not<br />
too old fashioned, a good<br />
description of my style”<br />
of successful years at a top 100 interior<br />
design firm. He then set up his own<br />
studio, “I always loved property and<br />
around the time my son was born I<br />
took some time off and retrained.”<br />
Stepping back into the kitchen/<br />
diner, Alex’s objective of bringing lots<br />
of light in has been realised. Multiple<br />
light sources allow the room to adapt<br />
to any mood, while the skylight above<br />
the large dining table illuminates the<br />
whole area. Bifold doors open up <br />
priceless-magazines.com<br />
50
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ThomasMansfieldWT240- SURREY (Family Law).indd 1 06/04/2022 SitSmartWT248.indd 09:43<br />
1 16/12/2022 11:03
This page: The family<br />
room. Alex wanted<br />
to create a sense of<br />
cohesion throughout<br />
the ground floor, so a<br />
new doorway was put<br />
in to connect with the<br />
hallway and kitchen/<br />
diner beyond. A large<br />
dresser is a purchase<br />
from one of his trade<br />
contacts, illuminated<br />
by brass spotlights<br />
from Pooky. The<br />
wooden ladder gives<br />
a hint of a library<br />
to a good-sized patio and the terraced garden beyond. At<br />
the other end of the room, the off-white Neptune kitchen is<br />
fitted with white Silestone worktops and is completed by a<br />
substantial island, which sits opposite the large range cooker.<br />
Alex tells me his ambition was to create a multifunctional<br />
space, “The idea was to create a big family<br />
kitchen, because we cook quite a lot. It’s also a place for<br />
my son to do his homework and it’s great for casual dining<br />
and parties.” As we leave I admire some of the landscape<br />
artwork, including several pieces by Margate-based artist<br />
Michael Richardson, displayed next to the open storage<br />
units which feature a range of ceramics (a favourite of<br />
Alex’s) and an extensive collection of cookbooks – “My<br />
son has a sweet tooth so we make a few cakes together.”<br />
In the family room further remodelling has taken place. A<br />
fireplace has been removed to create a new utility room behind<br />
and a new doorway has been put in, connecting the hallway<br />
and kitchen/diner beyond. Alex explains, “We wanted a<br />
greater feeling of spaciousness, so that you could sit anywhere<br />
and not feel disconnected.” The television sits on a narrow<br />
table painted slate grey and the large dresser is a purchase<br />
from one of his trade contacts, jammed full of books (Alex<br />
loves to read) it fills most of the main wall and is lit by brass<br />
spotlights from Pooky. The wooden ladder gives a hint of a<br />
library and on the floor a tactile Scandi-style rug spreads out<br />
to provide a cosy activity area for the couple’s son, “It’s a <br />
53 priceless-magazines.com
This page: The spacious kitchen was created when three smaller rooms were knocked into a single open plan space<br />
space for him to play Lego, board games and even Nintendo.”<br />
Stepping into the voluminous hallway I pause to admire<br />
the double aspect door into the study, which mirrors that<br />
of the family room, creating a wonderful symmetry and<br />
opening up the space. Alex explains, “When we first moved<br />
in it was a traditional Edwardian hallway, which was quite<br />
dark, so we moved the doorways and extended them to<br />
get a better feeling of light and space, this also helped<br />
<br />
priceless-magazines.com<br />
54
RichmondOakWT249-HallmarkGlazedExtensions.indd 1 20/01/<strong>2023</strong> 12:07<br />
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Top right and left: The main spare bedroom is decorated in Alex’s signature colour palette of subdued tones of whites, greys and<br />
browns. Romanesque pottery sits on top of a small cabinet that houses neatly stacked magazines Above right and left: Alex’s enviably<br />
tidy son’s room features pops of blue and teal; the master bedroom is a cosy space layered with earthy tones, blankets and cushions<br />
to create views through the house and into the garden.”<br />
Attention to detail has not been spared on the smaller things<br />
either, with skirting recreated for the entire ground floor<br />
and new coving throughout that Alex designed himself.<br />
Entering the study, which is also Alex’s workspace, a<br />
stylish desk looks out over the front of the house, while the<br />
floor is adorned with a striking artisanal rug from A Rum<br />
Fellow. In the centre of the room a beautiful period fireplace<br />
is one of many immaculately restored in the house. Sitting<br />
on top is a Meissen style porcelain greyhound, a birthday<br />
gift from his wife and next to it a silver dish catches my<br />
eye, I find out it’s from Copenhagen where Alex grew up.<br />
Moving back into the hallway we pass what could have been<br />
a nondescript wall, opposite the staircase, that could so easily<br />
have been redundant space, but the addition of a circular<br />
mirror and small table has turned it into a lovely little feature.<br />
The final room downstairs is the living room, a<br />
noticeably more intimate space, full of richness and<br />
warmth. Alex explains, “It’s a more adult entertaining<br />
space which is classic contemporary, not too modern and<br />
not too old fashioned, a good description of my style.”<br />
Inside, gold picture frames, brass fittings and a refined<br />
Swedish chandelier contrast with the dark wood from<br />
the midcentury cabinet and the antique George III table.<br />
A large painting from his grandparents’ home depicts<br />
a rural Danish scene and below, the large four seater<br />
sofa and footstool is a cosy purchase from sofa.com.<br />
Natural fibre runners guide me past original stained glass<br />
windows as we walk up the grand Edwardian staircase to<br />
the first floor. Past the landing we move into Alex’s son’s<br />
room, which clearly has a lot of love in it. Vintage framed<br />
prints give the feeling of an old fashioned boys’ room,<br />
<br />
57 priceless-magazines.com
This page: Right at the top of the house this cosy guest bedroom is very private, it has amazing views and a beautiful marble bathroom<br />
with toy wooden soldiers furthering the nostalgia. The red<br />
armchair stands out as a fun and playful addition, while<br />
the vibrant blue mantelpiece is surrounded by built-in<br />
bookshelves bursting with books and a treasure trove of toys.<br />
The main spare bedroom is filled with Alex’s colour<br />
palette of subdued tones of whites, greys and browns,<br />
while art clustered on the wall depicts a mixture of<br />
scenes from around the UK interspersed with some<br />
abstract pieces. Below, Romanesque pottery perches atop<br />
a small cabinet packed with neatly piled magazines<br />
<br />
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Above: Lack of space is no issue in the gorgeous master bedroom ensuite, where a roll top bath sits in the middle of a tiled herringbone<br />
floor, taking in the views over the back garden. Large gold-framed mirrors and brass swan-neck globe lights offer a 1930s vibe<br />
and next to the bed an original fireplace with ornate<br />
cast iron and tiled surround is something to admire.<br />
Back in the landing area we enter the master bedroom, a<br />
cosy space layered with earthy tones, blankets and cushions<br />
bestowing a touch of hygge, in an otherwise fairly minimalist<br />
bedroom. Of course there is a fireplace, this time an exquisite<br />
marble one which Alex has put in. As we move into the<br />
ensuite, I am rendered momentarily speechless taking in the<br />
stunning bathroom for the first time, it’s absolutely enormous!<br />
A gorgeous roll top bath, with has views over the back garden,<br />
sits on the tiled herringbone floor, while the exquisite vanity<br />
unit reveals his-and-hers sinks set in a white marble top. Large<br />
gold-framed mirrors and brass swan-neck globe lights offer<br />
a 1930s vibe and to top it all off there is a walk in shower.<br />
Peeling myself away from the ensuite we go up another<br />
flight of stairs. I start to think this house is never ending<br />
but there is just one final bedroom to see. This one at<br />
the top of the house has privacy and amazing views.<br />
As Alex and I walk back down to the ground floor, I<br />
consider all the work that has gone into this home and I<br />
still can’t quite get my head around how Alex has done it in<br />
a year. But he has and it’s beautiful. He has sympathetically<br />
restored a grand old house, opening it up and making it<br />
work for the future, fulfilling his family’s needs. Subtle<br />
details are everywhere and when you put them all together,<br />
you have a warm and welcoming family home.<br />
Address Book:<br />
For more information on Alex’s interior design services,<br />
contact Alex Jørgensen Studio on 07415 186622<br />
and see www.alexjorgensenstudio.com<br />
A Rum Fellow arumfellow.com<br />
Michael Richardson michaelrichardsonfineart.com<br />
Pooky pooky.com<br />
61 priceless-magazines.com
Studio Open Days <strong>2023</strong><br />
17 18 19 <strong>February</strong> 17 18 19 March<br />
11am to 3pm<br />
Etchings, watercolours, posters, books, cards and more...<br />
Up The Garden Studio<br />
White Cottage, Green Lane, Boughton Monchelsea,<br />
Kent, ME17 4LF<br />
We are open by appointment throughout the year,<br />
wendy@grahamclarke.co.uk 07801 922081<br />
www.grahamclarke.co.uk<br />
GrahamClarkeWT249.indd 1 18/01/<strong>2023</strong> RoseberysWT249.indd 15:29<br />
1 23/01/<strong>2023</strong> 11:09<br />
RUG STORE specialise in a wide selection of new, old and Antique Persian, Turkish, Caucasian and Turkmen<br />
Carpets. Various antique, old and new Kilims are available. We offer a professional hand-cleaning and restoration<br />
service. We buy old and antique carpets - even damaged rugs. Part exchange and evaluations.<br />
312 UPPER RICHMOND ROAD WEST, EAST SHEEN, RICHMOND, LONDON, SW14 7JN.<br />
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RugStoreWT249.indd 1 10/01/<strong>2023</strong> 14:40
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1 Adams 4 light pendant chandelier Elstead Lighting elsteadlighting.com 2 Tamara wall light with ribbed glass<br />
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4 Autumn Landscape by A Wyant print £216 Mindthegap mindtheg.uk 5 Country Blue paint £44/2.5l Zhoosh<br />
Paints zhooshpaints.com 6 Light blue wicker cushion £135 Fermoie fermoie.com 7 Cenova sofa £4,424.25 BoConcept<br />
boconcept.com 8 Cube beanbag in platinum grey jumbo cord £29.99 rucomfy rucomfybeanbags.co.uk 9 Engineered<br />
European oak Blanco Prime Herringbone flooring from £104.95/m 2 Havwoods havwoods.com 10 Spindle back dining<br />
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63 priceless-magazines.com
"Parents report how delighted they<br />
are that their children play, learn<br />
and grow in such a supportive<br />
environment" Independent Schools Inspectorate<br />
Prep School & Nursery<br />
Open Morning<br />
Saturday 4th March<br />
Lingfield College Prep is a vibrant and successful day school.<br />
Blending academic excellence, supportive pastoral care and a<br />
rich programme of co-curricular opportunities to inspire,<br />
motivate and nurture every pupil.<br />
Racecourse Road, Lingfield, <strong>Surrey</strong> .01342 838153<br />
www.lingfieldcollege.co.uk
A H<br />
in what happens if?<br />
(and certainties)<br />
Independent Day School for Girls aged 4-18 years<br />
2024 Entry<br />
Open Mornings<br />
Prep<br />
Friday 3 March<br />
Saturday 20 May<br />
Friday 9 June<br />
Saturday 30 September<br />
Friday 20 October<br />
Contact us via<br />
admissions@tormeadschool.org.uk www.tormeadschool.org.uk<br />
Tormead School, Cranley Road, Guildford, <strong>Surrey</strong> GU1 2JD7<br />
@TormeadSchool<br />
Senior<br />
Thursday 4 May<br />
Wednesday 21 June<br />
Wednesday 20 September SIXTH FORM OPEN EVENING<br />
Saturday 30 September<br />
Friday 13 October
11<br />
7<br />
Contents 30<br />
4 BUSY BEES<br />
We get an update of the latest<br />
news from our schools<br />
Thomas<br />
Mansfield<br />
Wills Wills & & Wills Inheritance & Inheritance Planning Planning<br />
Planning Planning for for your your for future future your does future does not does not have have not to have to to<br />
be be costly costly be or costly or complicated or complicated<br />
4<br />
23<br />
7 CREATURE COMFORTS<br />
Find out about all the fun going<br />
on at Saint Ronan’s school farm<br />
9 MEET THE HEADMASTER<br />
Get to know Matthew Bryan,<br />
Longacre School’s Headmaster<br />
11 CRACKING THE CODE<br />
Hear two perspectives<br />
on how IT is evolving<br />
15 GO FOR IT!<br />
Learn about Ashford School’s<br />
inclusive ‘Sport for All’ ethos<br />
17 STRONGER TOGETHER<br />
How are local schools<br />
having a positive impact<br />
in their communities?<br />
23 SOCIAL LIFE<br />
Two schools share how they are<br />
teaching their students valuable<br />
skills beyond the classroom<br />
27 MEET THE PRINCIPAL<br />
We enjoy hearing from the new<br />
Principal of Claremont School<br />
29 OUT & ABOUT<br />
Discover stories of students<br />
exploring local and international<br />
destinations<br />
30 THE BALANCING ACT<br />
Parkside School tells us how<br />
balancing work and play brings<br />
out the best in their students<br />
Cover image by Parkside School<br />
9<br />
15<br />
29<br />
4<br />
29 30<br />
Having Having a Having Will a Will gives a gives Will you you gives control control you over control over who<br />
who over who<br />
receives your receives your assets assets your and, assets and, if you if and, you have if have younger have younger<br />
children, children, it allows it allows you it allows you to assign to you assign to legal assign legal guardians, legal guardians,<br />
should should should anything anything happen.<br />
happen. happen.<br />
If you If you are If are you intending are intending to leave to leave to leave everything everything to your<br />
to your to your<br />
partner partner and/or partner and/or and/or children without children without any without any complex any complex<br />
wishes, wishes, then wishes, then we we are then are now we now offering are offering now a offering new a new Simple a Simple new Simple<br />
Will Will service service Will at service an at an affordable at an affordable price price but but price without<br />
without but without<br />
compromising compromising on our on our on specialist our specialist advice advice and advice and and<br />
service.<br />
service. service.<br />
And And we we have And have now we now have extended now extended this this offer offer this to Lasting<br />
to offer Lasting to Lasting<br />
Powers Powers of Powers of Attorney of (LPA). Attorney (LPA). If your (LPA). If your If circumstances<br />
your are are straightforward are and and not not and complicated, not complicated, we<br />
we we<br />
can can draft draft can Simple a draft Simple a LPA Simple LPA for for a LPA fixed a fixed for fee. a fee. fixed fee.<br />
Thomas Thomas Mansfield Mansfield Solicitors Solicitors<br />
Legal Legal experts Legal experts in experts in Inheritance in Inheritance Planning, Planning, Powers Powers of Powers of of<br />
Attorney, Attorney, Wills, Wills, Court Wills, Court of Court of Protection of Protection and and Probate. and Probate.<br />
OUR OUR NEW NEW OUR NEW SERVICES SERVICES<br />
Our Our new new Simple Our Simple new Will Simple Will Service Service Will costs Service costs costs<br />
£240 £240 plus plus £240 VAT VAT for plus a for single VAT a single for Will a single Will Will<br />
£310 £310 plus plus VAT £310 VAT for plus two for VAT two “mirror” for “mirror” two Wills “mirror” Wills Wills<br />
Our Our new new Simple Our Simple new LPA Simple LPA Service<br />
Service LPA Service<br />
From From £365 £365 From plus plus £365 VAT VAT for plus a for single VAT a single for a single application application<br />
Call Call today today Call on today on 01483 01483 on 01483 679333 679333<br />
For more For more For information more information and and the terms the and terms of the these<br />
of terms these of these<br />
offers offers please please offers visit visit please our website:<br />
our visit website: our website:<br />
www.tmwillsandprobate.co.uk<br />
GUILDFORD GUILDFORD WOKING WOKING WOKING WEYBRIDGE WEYBRIDGE ESHER ESHER ESHER LEATHERHEAD LEATHERHEAD<br />
3 priceless-magazines.com<br />
ThomasMansfieldWT240-SURREY (Private Law).indd 1 06/04/2022 09:25
<strong>Education</strong> <strong>Supplement</strong><br />
Marlborough House takes a new<br />
individual approach to teaching<br />
Marlborough House School has a new individualised<br />
enrichment programme for Years 7 and 8, offering pupils in the<br />
top two years a more bespoke path and the opportunity to follow<br />
their own passions and interests. What’s more, in light of the current<br />
climate, they will offer a 30% reduction on fees for Years 7 and 8.<br />
From September, Marlborough House will further individualise their learning<br />
approach so that the children can follow their interests and strengths, and have<br />
more freedom to step away from the constraints of the timetable – choosing drama<br />
rather than a fourth games session in a week for example. Trips to senior schools for an<br />
afternoon, hearing from guest speakers or trying a themed day off-timetable will all become<br />
things that pupils can learn from alongside regular lessons. And the Year 8 Leadership Programme<br />
offers even more trips and challenges enabling children to grow in confidence and independence at<br />
the top of the School and finish in style! In this way, all pupils will get extra preparation for senior<br />
school entrance or scholarships as well as an enriched experience that will serve them well,<br />
long after they leave education. This individualised learning approach will sit alongside<br />
school’s well-established Pre-Senior Baccalaureate (PSB). A forward-thinking school, the<br />
PSB was adopted in 2019 to maintain the rigour of the curriculum, while allowing<br />
children to learn more relevant skills for later life too, like how to present,<br />
communicate, lead, collaborate, debate and research independently. This sits<br />
alongside the school’s emphasis on educating characters as well as young<br />
minds, helping children to develop practical wisdom, joy of learning<br />
and self-belief that will support them at senior school and beyond.<br />
To find out more about Years 7 and 8 at Marlborough<br />
House, and book a private tour or a spot on their<br />
Open Day on Wednesday 8 March <strong>2023</strong><br />
visit marlboroughhouseschool.co.uk<br />
Weston Green School rated<br />
“Excellent” in ISI Inspection<br />
Weston Green School in Thames Ditton, <strong>Surrey</strong>, was<br />
awarded ‘Excellent’ in all areas by the Independent Schools<br />
Inspectorate (ISI) for the academic achievement and personal<br />
development of its pupils, reinforcing its aim to celebrate childhood<br />
and give pupils a breadth of opportunity to achieve individual success.<br />
The school prides itself on providing opportunities for each child to reach<br />
their academic potential within an enriching environment where they feel valued,<br />
fulfilled, confident and emotionally secure. Since the school’s last inspection in 2017,<br />
the school has grown from strength to strength with the new inspection commenting that<br />
pupils have “outstanding levels of self-confidence” and that “opportunities abound for pupils<br />
to experience excellence in achievement”.<br />
The Headteacher, Sarah Evans said, “I am thrilled that the Inspectors have given such high praise<br />
to every aspect of school life and have acknowledged the excellent academic achievements,<br />
as well as the incredible personal developments our children achieve throughout their<br />
time at Weston Green School”. The ISI report said the school is “successful in its<br />
aim of providing pupils with opportunities to achieve their academic potential”,<br />
that “pupils work with evident enthusiasm and relish their learning”, and<br />
that “principles and values are actively promoted which facilitate the<br />
personal development of pupils”. One parent also said that the school is<br />
“academically rigorous but incredibly friendly and warm”.<br />
If you are looking for a prep school place (for boys and girls<br />
aged 2-11 years), you can see Weston Green School yourself<br />
at their Open Morning on Thursday 16th March.<br />
Individual tours are also available on request. Find out<br />
more at wesstongreenschool.org.uk<br />
priceless-magazines.com<br />
4
Tonbridge teams excel in<br />
international Physics contest<br />
<strong>Education</strong> <strong>Supplement</strong><br />
istockphoto.com/ Valeriya Pichugina<br />
Two Tonbridge School teams, in Lower and<br />
Upper Sixth categories, achieved the status of<br />
‘Top in the UK’ after competing in the International<br />
Physics Brawl, an event organised by Charles University,<br />
a renowned institution in the Czech Republic.<br />
Nearly 200 teams, from schools across the world, took part<br />
in this annual online event which tests problem-solving skills<br />
under time pressure. The Tonbridge boys named the best UK team<br />
for the Lower Sixth were also ranked seventh in the world.<br />
Chris Powell, Head of Physics, said, “Super-curricular activities such<br />
as the Physics Brawl give our students opportunities to be exposed<br />
to the subject outside of taught lessons, adding valuable depth<br />
and breadth to their experience. We saw plenty of strong<br />
performances, and huge credit must go to our team finishing<br />
seventh in the world, which is a fine achievement. It’s<br />
an exciting prospect that these students may have<br />
another chance to shine in the Physics Brawl<br />
Busy<br />
next year.” Find out more about Tonbridge<br />
School online at tonbridge-school.co.uk<br />
The launch of the Granville<br />
Graduate Programme (GGP)<br />
The latest news from our thriving education providers<br />
This January the Granville School in Sevenoaks<br />
launched GGP to combine five strands of learning<br />
and create a robust, challenging programme of study<br />
that enriches and extends Year 6 girls’ learning and<br />
prepares them for their transition to secondary school.<br />
Taught by a team of subject specialist teachers, modules include<br />
debating, finance and business, sports leadership, engineering,<br />
computer science, art history, further maths and English<br />
and Junior Leadership. Aside from the academic challenge it offers,<br />
the programme has a strong wellbeing focus. They use both<br />
Girls on Board, an approach that supports girls to navigate<br />
social and friendships issues, and Positive <strong>Education</strong>,<br />
a research-backed programme, explicitly teaching<br />
positive approaches to emotions, relationships,<br />
health, purpose and accomplishment. The GGP<br />
ensures that the girls are fully prepared for<br />
further success in Year 7 and beyond.<br />
granvilleschool.org<br />
A new kind of education<br />
for a changing world at ACS<br />
International School Egham<br />
The traditional academic system doesn’t work for<br />
everyone. For too many children, it means rote learning,<br />
and a lack of motivation, which ultimately makes it harder<br />
for them to think for themselves. At ACS International School<br />
Egham, they offer students a different type of education, suited to<br />
the challenges of the changing world: the International Baccalaureate<br />
(IB). ACS Egham has a broad intake with no entry exams. ACS is one of<br />
only two schools in the UK to offer all IB programmes for students aged<br />
4 – 18. In place of A Levels, they offer the IB’s Diploma Programme<br />
(DP), which allows students to continue learning six subjects in<br />
their final years. Research has shown this prepares students<br />
better for university than other curricula and is advantageous<br />
for students wanting to thrive at university in the UK or<br />
around the world. For the past two years, the students<br />
have achieved a 100% pass rate in the DP. In<br />
2022, the average point score in was 36, which<br />
is equivalent to two grade A* and 1 grade<br />
A at A Level. acs-schools.com/egham<br />
5
Our Values: An <strong>Education</strong> for Life<br />
NEXT OPEN MORNING<br />
SATURDAY<br />
22 nd April <strong>2023</strong><br />
For further information:<br />
t: 01932 869001 | w: www.reeds.surrey.sch.uk<br />
| e: admissions@reeds.surrey.sch.uk<br />
Sandy Lane | Cobham | <strong>Surrey</strong> | KT11 2ES
<strong>Education</strong> <strong>Supplement</strong><br />
istockphoto.com/ Roman Kybus<br />
Creature Comforts<br />
From rugby-loving donkeys to an immortalised duck, we’ve enjoyed<br />
hearing all about Saint Ronan’s school farm<br />
“<br />
We opened our school farm with the aim to have a few rescue chickens<br />
– modest and easy to maintain. Our first batch of chickens were<br />
bald, squawky and reluctant to part with their eggs! Nothing would<br />
persuade the children to pick them up (or the chickens to allow them to). Today,<br />
we have lustrous and robust chickens who deliver the yellowest of yolks and run<br />
to be cosseted by little Ronians, and many other creatures besides.<br />
“First, we have the escapologist pygmy goats who are taken for walks on leashes,<br />
for which the children bring leaves to be nibbled enthusiastically. Then there are<br />
our two sports-enthusiast donkeys, who love watching school matches and bray<br />
approvingly when the home team score a point, knowing that a carrot may soon<br />
arrive from an overexcited child.<br />
“Next on the list are the rabbits and guinea pigs, and two imperious peahens,<br />
along with three adopted underweight hedgehogs to nurture through hibernation.<br />
We also have a herd of Ryland sheep known for navigating their public shearing in<br />
front of excited children with no sense of embarrassment in their nakedness.<br />
“The democratically elected ‘President’ of the animals, Basil the Duck, shot to<br />
fame in lockdown, and remains immortalised in a brass effigy, after sadly being<br />
eaten by Mr Fox (not the Director of Sport – the wily sly one who expectantly<br />
saunters past the chickens with a twinkly glint). Lastly we have three large, well<br />
fed, and friendly pigs, Ivanka, Winnie and Clemmie – the latter two of which were<br />
gifted to us by the Dean of Canterbury who needed a loving home for them when<br />
he retired. We were only too pleased to step in, and now these piggies are washed,<br />
brushed, fed and pampered. In return, they are positively brimming with affection.<br />
“Pre Prep children alternate their weekly trips to the Farm with the Forest<br />
School, so they get plenty of time outside. In the Prep School we run an active<br />
and popular weekly club, as well as participating in the local County shows.<br />
The farm has come a long way since those first bald, squawky, egg-free days<br />
saintronans.co.uk<br />
”<br />
7 priceless-magazines.com
CELEBRATING HAPPY<br />
HEARTS FOR OVER 75 YEARS<br />
Pupil achievement: Excellent<br />
Pastoral care: Excellent<br />
FOUNDED<br />
1946<br />
START YOUR NEXT ADVENTURE<br />
A co-educational independent school for children aged 2 – 11 set in<br />
the glorious <strong>Surrey</strong> Hills, Longacre makes education exciting and<br />
enjoyable for all pupils. During their time here pupils are inspired<br />
to develop a joy for learning that leads them to deliver outstanding<br />
results and move on to a number of exceptional senior schools.<br />
JOIN US FOR OUR<br />
OPEN DAY<br />
3 RD MARCH <strong>2023</strong><br />
www.longacreschool.co.uk
Meet the<br />
Headmaster<br />
From chart-topping ex-pupils to psychology podcasts, we get<br />
to know Matthew Bryan, Headmaster at Longacre School<br />
What makes Longacre school special?<br />
It’s a combination of the people and the<br />
ethos. The children are so lucky to come<br />
here, but equally it’s they who make<br />
it such a great school. They’re kind to<br />
each other and particularly take pride in<br />
looking after younger children, which has<br />
created a self-perpetuating virtuous circle.<br />
Teachers and parents buy into a school<br />
which centres itself around the mission<br />
to ensure that everyone is happy. Markers<br />
of success are products of that happiness,<br />
rather than being goals in their own right.<br />
What is your favourite part of your job?<br />
The job is always about children,<br />
especially the transformational power<br />
to allow children to achieve more than<br />
they thought possible. That series of<br />
expressions, from disbelief and wonder<br />
to delight and pride, is unbeatable.<br />
Working with incredibly talented<br />
colleagues and getting lovely feedback<br />
from grateful parents come close second!<br />
What inspired you to work in education?<br />
I came into it by accident – I signed<br />
up for teacher training at university<br />
because I wasn’t ready to leave yet, and<br />
that turned out to be good fun. I then<br />
went for a job interview to get some<br />
practice. When they offered me the job I<br />
didn’t know what to do, so I figured that<br />
I’d stay in teaching as long as it stayed<br />
fun. That was 22 years ago now…<br />
Can you share any career highlights?<br />
I keep every thank you note from pupils<br />
and parents: they’re useful on the more<br />
difficult days! Teaching is the best job<br />
in the world, the times you feel you<br />
made a real difference – comforting,<br />
encouraging, role-modelling – are the<br />
highlights. I fondly recall the Upper<br />
Sixth form student who got 100% in<br />
A level Latin and went on to be the<br />
lead singer of a chart-topping band,<br />
but I’m not altogether sure how crucial<br />
the Latin was to his success…<br />
What about your own school days?<br />
It was pretty traditional! I have lots of<br />
memories, good and bad, which heavily<br />
influence the way I try to lead my<br />
school. I was incredibly privileged to<br />
have the most wonderful time at prep<br />
school – making great friends, learning<br />
from inspiring teachers, building a<br />
sense of self-identity, confidence and<br />
the value of having fun at school.<br />
What do you enjoy doing outside of work?<br />
Family time is hugely important – we<br />
enjoy a dog walk that ends in a pub<br />
lunch. I enjoy endurance sports (in<br />
my case, plodding around on foot<br />
or bike) and am in training to ride<br />
the King Alfred’s Way. I wouldn’t<br />
always call it enjoyable, but I probably<br />
spend too much time and energy<br />
following Tottenham Hotspur!<br />
Tell us your favourite book or author.<br />
Any kind of swashbuckling historical<br />
fiction – Dumas’ The Count of Monte<br />
Cristo is an epic revenge story. As<br />
a child, the book I reread most was<br />
The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar<br />
by Roald Dahl. Rightly or wrongly,<br />
most of my reading is non-fiction,<br />
often on psychology. I particularly<br />
love Malcolm Gladwell’s books (and<br />
podcasts); The Tipping Point is a lifechanging<br />
read! Thinking about it, these<br />
all refer to the depth of potential power<br />
that lies within ordinary people.<br />
What are you excited for in <strong>2023</strong>?<br />
Adventures! My family has a new tent<br />
and I can’t wait to use it to explore.<br />
longacre.surrey.sch.uk<br />
9 priceless-magazines.com
Believe. Brave. Bold.<br />
Instilling inner strength to create brave,<br />
young students for the future.<br />
Our innovative approach to teaching helps create a love for learning.<br />
This empowers students with an inner belief to help every child<br />
fulfil their utmost potential.<br />
Our latest ISI Inspection<br />
Report rated the school<br />
as EXCELLENT in all<br />
aspects of teaching.<br />
An independent Nursery and Prep School for girls and boys aged 9 months – 13 years<br />
Book a private tour to find out more<br />
www.hazelwoodschool.co.uk<br />
Wolf’s Hill, <strong>Surrey</strong>, RH8 0QU. 01883 733841
Pavel Malik, Assistant Head & Director of Digital<br />
Learning at Radnor House Sevenoaks (below), discusses<br />
the benefit of teaching coding skills from a young age<br />
Learning coding offers many educational benefits. From<br />
helping to develop digital skills and building future career<br />
opportunities to teaching mathematics, computational<br />
thinking and problem-solving. Coding also links to different areas of<br />
the curriculum, particularly STEM subjects.<br />
Setting the foundations for coding<br />
Technology plays such an important role in our lives that we want<br />
to instil interest and understanding of technology from a young age.<br />
Creating a programme of study where Coding and Robotics start<br />
in Reception enables us to build interest. Furthermore, it develops<br />
IT skills at the same time we are introducing reading, writing and<br />
arithmetic. Our focus is on robotics, using block coding instructions<br />
in Year 1 and progressing to text-based coding in Python in Year 5<br />
and above.<br />
Developing digital thinking<br />
All pupils in the Prep School receive one hour of computing per<br />
week, helping them to develop computational skills which transfer<br />
across different educational disciplines, including logic, writing and<br />
research. When our Prep School students enter our Secondary School,<br />
they are much more advanced at handling technology than many<br />
new entrants and often help new students get up to speed.<br />
Closing the digital skills gap<br />
Reports show that the global jobs market is suffering a shortage<br />
of digitally able workers, making skilled individuals highly desirable<br />
and necessary for progress and economic growth. By investing in<br />
skills from a young age and continuing this support throughout the<br />
school, we are equipping students for global workplace success and<br />
hope to inspire more under- represented groups to achieve careers in<br />
technology.”<br />
Radnor House Sevenoaks has an Open Morning on Saturday 18th<br />
March <strong>2023</strong>. Register interest at radnor-sevenoaks.org/opendays-tours<br />
Cracking the Code<br />
Two schools give us the<br />
lowdown on coding and<br />
computing<br />
St Andrews Prep share their coding education know-how<br />
How is technology integrated into your curriculum and school life?<br />
Our rich and varied D&T curriculum encompasses a wide range of<br />
technologies. As early as year 5 children work with and use computer<br />
aided design and a laser cutter to manufacture their design ideas. In<br />
Engineering children use civil engineering software to design and<br />
simulate bridge designs.<br />
Which year groups get involved in coding?<br />
From year 5 to 8 children construct a wide range of electronic<br />
products, including a Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer project where<br />
children programmed their product to play different Christmas songs<br />
and display different sequences of lights dependent on different light<br />
levels, Silent Night being a popular choice as light levels dropped.<br />
How do you encourage kids to get coding?<br />
In D&T children develop their understanding of programming<br />
through System and Control projects. Children use a software to<br />
develop and simulate their programs before downloading their<br />
program to their finished product. Year 8 have just finished making<br />
and programming their electronic dice, where they developed their<br />
understanding of electronic systems and micro-controllers.<br />
Do you have any technology clubs?<br />
We have an electronics club where children have extended their<br />
learning by programming and constructing different electronic<br />
products. In another D&T club children are developing technical<br />
drawing and architectural modelling skills.<br />
standrewsprep.co.uk<br />
11 priceless-magazines.com
Prep School Open Morning<br />
Saturday 4 March<br />
9.30am to noon<br />
Boys and girls 3 months to 13 years<br />
IAPS – Boarding, flexi-boarding and day<br />
To register or to book a personal visit please contact:<br />
prep.admissions@bedes.org<br />
T 01323 356939<br />
bedes.org<br />
Senior School Open Morning<br />
Saturday 11 March<br />
9.30am to noon<br />
Boys and girls 13 to 18 years<br />
HMC – Day, weekly and full boarding<br />
To register or to book a personal visit, please contact:<br />
admissions@bedes.org<br />
T 01323 356609<br />
Bede’s Senior School<br />
Upper Dicker<br />
East Sussex BN27 3QH<br />
Bede’s Prep School<br />
Duke’s Drive, Eastbourne<br />
East Sussex BN20 7XL
CO-EDUCATIONAL | AGES 4–18<br />
SURREY & BERKSHIRE<br />
THE WORLD<br />
HAS CHANGED.<br />
SO WHY HASN’T<br />
EDUCATION?<br />
Rote learning, spoon feeding, box ticking - no wonder so many children struggle to<br />
succeed in today’s world. ACS Egham’s challenging, proven, and truly modern IB<br />
programme gives children the tools they need to become independent learners. As one<br />
of only two schools in the UK to offer the entire IB programme, we are uniquely placed<br />
to create unforgettable experiences that transform the way children see the world.<br />
International Baccalaureate through school | Extensive busing | Bursaries available<br />
DISCOVER THE IB DIFFERENCE BY ATTENDING ONE OF OUR OPEN DAYS
Nursery & Kindergarten Lower Prep School Upper Prep School Senior School<br />
Nursery Kindergarten Lower Prep School Upper Prep School Senior School<br />
Nursery & Kindergarten Lower Prep School Upper Prep School Senior School<br />
Register for our Open Day<br />
Wednesday Wednesday 1<br />
March March<br />
2022<br />
2022<br />
www.manorhouseschool.org | 01372 457077 | admissions@manorhouseschool.org<br />
www.manorhouseschool.org 01372 457077 admissions@manorhouseschool.org<br />
www.manorhouseschool.org | 01372 457077 | admissions@manorhouseschool.org<br />
ManorHouseSchoolWT249.indd 1 21/12/2022 15:10<br />
Looking for a school place?<br />
Visit our open morning on<br />
Thursday 16th March<br />
Independent school for boys<br />
and girls aged 2-11 years.<br />
To book call 020 8398 2778 or email<br />
info@westongreenschool.org.uk<br />
Weston Green School,<br />
Weston Green Road,<br />
Thames Ditton. <strong>Surrey</strong>, KT7 0JN<br />
020 8398 2778<br />
westongreenschool.org.uk<br />
priceless-magazines.com<br />
14<br />
WestonGreenSchoolWT249.indd 1 19/01/<strong>2023</strong> 12:53
<strong>Education</strong> <strong>Supplement</strong><br />
Go for it!<br />
Ashford Prep School wholeheartedly believes in an ethos<br />
of ‘Sport for All’ which means every child – no matter<br />
their ability – is provided the opportunity to represent<br />
the school competitively; we field up to ten teams on any<br />
given matchday.<br />
Whilst particularly strong across the traditional<br />
team sports, Ashford Prep School also actively seeks<br />
opportunities for pupils to enjoy a far wider range of<br />
sporting activities. This is predominantly achieved through<br />
the co-curricular programme of over 100 different<br />
enrichment options, with sports being rotated so that there<br />
is something new each term – judo, hula-hooping and<br />
competitive dance all being recent popular additions. Last<br />
term saw pupils represent the school in table tennis for<br />
the first time at the Kent Schools’ U11 Tournament and<br />
a small group of Year 5 and 6 pupils will soon be dipping<br />
their toes into the world of motorsport with the Formula<br />
Goblin Go Kart that they are currently constructing.<br />
“A small group of Year 5 and 6 pupils will<br />
soon be dipping their toes into the world of<br />
motorsport with the Formula Goblin Go<br />
Kart that they are currently constructing”<br />
An area that is growing in popularity is the family of<br />
sports that sit under the umbrella of the Olympic sport of<br />
Modern Pentathlon. Head Girl of Ashford Prep School,<br />
Zara, recently became the U11 European Champion<br />
in biathle and triathle, representing Team GB at the<br />
European Championships in Marathon, Greece.<br />
Biathle races consist of swimming and running as part of<br />
a single race, whilst triathle involves shooting, swimming<br />
and running in a continuous shoot/swim/run format.<br />
Races generally take place outdoors beginning with a<br />
pack start, and the winner being the first to cross the<br />
finish line. Zara trains with Ashford School Swimming;<br />
a performance programme encompassing swimming,<br />
biathlon and laser run. Zara swims three times a week as a<br />
member of the Prep Potential Squad, as well as attending<br />
weekly runfit and laser shooting sessions. Zara also trains<br />
outside of school. Zara had the following to say about her<br />
recent success and sport in general:<br />
“I have always enjoyed sport particularly running and<br />
swimming, which was popular at school. I first had the<br />
opportunity to try shooting (both pistol and laser) at<br />
Ashford School – I wasn’t very good at it to begin with,<br />
but I have enjoyed the challenge of getting better at it. I<br />
also like the fact that it is very different from any other<br />
Ashford School explains how broadening<br />
options enhances enjoyment and<br />
participation in sport<br />
sports that I am involved in. Biathle and triathle<br />
combines these disciplines, which I love.<br />
It was an amazing experience to compete in<br />
Greece. It was unbelievably tough, especially<br />
the swim as the wind was really strong, but the<br />
feeling at the end is almost impossible to put into<br />
words. I have aspirations to go to the Olympics<br />
as a middle distance runner in the future, but I<br />
know that there is a lot of hard work ahead of<br />
me if I want to achieve this. My advice to anyone<br />
who wants to try a new sport is go for it!”<br />
ashfordschool.co.uk<br />
15 priceless-magazines.com
WHERE CHARACTER IS MADE<br />
Join us for our<br />
Open Morning<br />
Friday 24 <strong>February</strong><br />
standrewsprep.co.uk
<strong>Education</strong> <strong>Supplement</strong><br />
STRONGER TOGETHER<br />
We’ve been asking our schools how they connect with their communities<br />
Eastbourne College tell us about a wide variety of projects which<br />
enrich their school life and beyond<br />
Eastbourne College is one of thirteen schools/colleges in the Coastal Schools<br />
Partnership (East Sussex). We love working together as it provides a high level of<br />
benefit for the young people and staff across all our schools; we genuinely are stronger<br />
together. The group encompasses schools from Seaford across to Bexhill. There have been<br />
many highly successful projects since we started in 2014 encompassing academic, artistic and<br />
environmental initiatives.<br />
One initiative is the work started in 2018 by the Your Town, Your Ideas, Your Future project which<br />
worked with professionals exploring ideas about how to make Eastbourne a more vibrant place to live in<br />
and to visit. Eastbourne Borough Council, the Chamber of Commerce, and Lord and Lady Lucas continue<br />
to work with us. Sir Tim Smit from the Eden Project has also been greatly inspired by the commitment of our<br />
young people. A working party of young people from across the Partnership, the Reconnect Group, are now actively<br />
engaged with making our area a vibrant, environmentally engaged place to live.<br />
We were delighted to be a major partner in the Making Natural History Conference in November 2020. This online<br />
conference brought together major environmentalists, with key appearances from Sir Tim Smit, Dr William Bird and<br />
Baroness Floella Benjamin. There was also a live stream with Millennium Kids in Australia.<br />
We are presently working with the Environment Agency giving a voice to young people around coastal defences and continue<br />
to develop our Pupil Premium engagement project which has successfully started with Saturday morning basketball sessions. We<br />
also run an annual dance residency previously with Rambert and this year with Motionhouse Dance Company.<br />
Continuing professional development opportunities for teachers abound at Eastbourne College; we recently hosted a highly<br />
successful twilight session focused on SEN strategies and another on the opportunities afforded by the Turner Prize coming to the<br />
Towner. We are closely involved with the Towner/Turner Wrap Round Project which will run throughout <strong>2023</strong>. Exciting times<br />
for our community as the world’s leading prize for contemporary art will be presented at Towner Eastbourne in <strong>2023</strong>.<br />
For more information visit eastbourne-college.co.uk<br />
17 priceless-magazines.com
FREE TO<br />
BE ME<br />
I am smart, funny, brave, kind, curious, unique,<br />
creative, energetic, honest, fearless, caring,<br />
surprising, determined, playful, musical and<br />
a loyal friend.<br />
And that’s just today.<br />
I’m free to be wonderfully<br />
and wholeheartedly me.<br />
Visit www.bansteadprep.com for information on our open days and personal tours.<br />
instagram.com/bansteadprep facebook.com/bansteadprep twitter.com/BansteadPrep<br />
BansteadPrepWT242.indd 1 20/06/2022 11:16<br />
The Power of<br />
<strong>Education</strong><br />
Aspirational academic aims, exceptional pastoral<br />
care; enabling confidence to flourish and<br />
unleashing potential.<br />
Visit battleabbeyschool.com to register for our<br />
Open Days.<br />
March<br />
04<br />
SATURDAY<br />
March<br />
11<br />
SATURDAY<br />
Battle Abbey School<br />
Founded 1912<br />
Battle Abbey School<br />
Tel: 01424 772385 www.battleabbeyschool.com<br />
OPEN DAY<br />
10.00am - 1.00pm<br />
Senior School<br />
(11-18 years)<br />
OPEN DAY<br />
10.00am - 12.00 noon<br />
Prep & Nursery School<br />
(3 months -11 years)<br />
priceless-magazines.com<br />
18<br />
BattleAbbeySchoolWT249.indd 1 06/01/<strong>2023</strong> 11:44
<strong>Education</strong> <strong>Supplement</strong><br />
Reed’s School tells us about their award-winning outreach and community projects<br />
The school’s own charitable Foundation was established in 1813 as an orphanage. Ten percent of the pupils are helped to<br />
attend the school because they have lost the support of one or both parents and have experienced family trauma as well<br />
as financial and social hardship.<br />
The Outreach Programme at Reed’s School extends the reach of the Foundation by partnering with over 40 state primary and<br />
secondary schools in economically-deprived areas. The programme benefits over 3,000 children annually, running a series of<br />
exciting and attainable activities to raise the aspirations and attainment of children in the state sector.<br />
These activities are hosted at Reed’s using their own staff, pupils and facilities and range from sport and the arts to STEM across<br />
a variety of formats. Pupil involvement facilitates their ethos to ensure they leave Reed’s possessing a strong moral compass and a<br />
desire to go into the world and improve it. Examples include First Form (Year 9) pupils hosting an Arts Event for Year 5 children<br />
to share their skills in drama, art and music; Sixth Form pupils assist with Maths and Squash lessons in the RacketsCubed<br />
initiative. Pupils learn that their own skills can be used to help others less fortunate than themselves.<br />
In developing the Forum, Reed’s has built close relationships with the Headteachers at their partner schools which allows them<br />
to evolve the programme to best meet the needs of their pupils. Operational partnerships with Chelsea FC Foundation, <strong>Surrey</strong><br />
CCC and the Golf Foundation assist with the delivery of some programmes.<br />
Reed’s offers many opportunities for the local community to use their facilities. These range from providing science facilities<br />
for a one-day course for Year 10 and 11 pupils to running weekly after-school groups for refugees, as well as letting schools, scout<br />
groups, sports clubs etc. use their amenities such as the swimming pool and performances spaces.<br />
In 2020 Reed’s were shortlisted for the TES Independent-State School Partnerships Award and in 2021 they won the AMCIS<br />
Partnership/Outreach Impact Award. For more information email Kathryn Bartram, Development & External Relations Director<br />
at kbartram@reeds.surrey.sch.uk or visit the school’s website reeds.surrey.sch.uk<br />
istockphoto.com/ melitas<br />
19 priceless-magazines.com
SUTTON VALENCE SCHOOL
Help find their<br />
own superb<br />
Be anything but ordinary<br />
at Eastbourne College<br />
Open Morning<br />
Saturday 25 <strong>February</strong><br />
eastbourne-college.co.uk
<strong>Education</strong> <strong>Supplement</strong><br />
Social Life<br />
Two schools share how they build social skills in students<br />
Richard Mills, Registrar at Bede’s tell us how they build their boarding community<br />
Bede’s<br />
For boarding pupils, building<br />
relationships at school is even more<br />
vital because their school peers are<br />
more than just classmates — they are a<br />
close–knit community, a family who rely<br />
on each other for support, guidance and<br />
friendship. Creating such a community is<br />
about forming a home away from home<br />
and our activity programme is an essential<br />
part of boarding life as it helps create a<br />
stronger sense of home and belonging.<br />
Children can board from Year 5 at Bede’s<br />
Prep School and from Year 9 at Bede’s Senior<br />
School. Our boarding children come from<br />
across the country and from 38 countries<br />
around the world. Our aim is to quickly<br />
establish children into boarding life to help<br />
them to settle into their new surroundings<br />
and make friends (and memories) for life.<br />
Our activity programme and boarding house<br />
routines are pivotal to this.<br />
Each child, whether a full, flexi or weekly<br />
boarder, is attached to a boarding house,<br />
where they will find a strong sense of<br />
community and camaraderie. The moment<br />
a child joins a house they are matched with<br />
a ‘boarding buddy’ and are encouraged to<br />
engage in all the activities on offer to them.<br />
Each house will nominate a charity that<br />
they will fundraise for over the course of<br />
the year, and pupils are encouraged to give<br />
back to the local community and support<br />
good causes with invaluable experiences such<br />
as distributing supplies to the homeless or<br />
raising vital funds – all of which teach pupils<br />
skills beyond just the classroom.<br />
“Mountain biking in the<br />
South Downs National Park,<br />
visiting the trampoline park,<br />
outdoor activity centres, theatre<br />
trips, beach days, paintballing,<br />
kayaking, paddle boarding,<br />
roller disco and cinema and<br />
shopping trips, are all activities<br />
on offer throughout the year.”<br />
We aim to give children the opportunity to<br />
make the most of their local surroundings<br />
and culture. Both the Prep School and the<br />
Senior School are idyllic. The Senior School<br />
sits in the heart of the English countryside<br />
in the pretty village of Upper Dicker, and<br />
the Prep School is at the foot of the South<br />
Downs National Park, overlooking the<br />
stunning coastline in Eastbourne. Children<br />
are fully immersed in their environment and<br />
are given endless opportunities to explore<br />
activities and discover new hobbies or<br />
interests. Both schools run a varied activities<br />
programme during the week where pupils<br />
can try anything from sports to debating, art<br />
to creative writing, dance to chess and more<br />
– not only enriching their education but also<br />
helping to form bonds with each other.<br />
Weekends provide our pupils with both<br />
fun and relaxation – there is just the right<br />
balance between relaxation, structured<br />
activities and schoolwork. Mountain<br />
biking in the South Downs National Park,<br />
visiting the trampoline park, outdoor<br />
activity centres, theatre trips, beach days,<br />
paintballing, kayaking, paddle boarding,<br />
roller disco and cinema and shopping trips,<br />
are all activities on offer throughout the year.<br />
The activities are chosen by the boarders<br />
in weekly boarding house meetings, with<br />
cooked brunches and movie nights being<br />
very popular amongst pupils.<br />
During their spare time, when not in<br />
lessons or enjoying activities, pupils have<br />
time with their tutor and housemaster/<br />
mistress to discuss their progress, workload<br />
and phone home to stay connected with<br />
their loved ones. Every evening there are<br />
activities in-house including movie and<br />
pizza nights, games, reading, and socials.<br />
Our extracurricular timetable includes<br />
many wellbeing and health-promoting<br />
opportunities too, like yoga or even helping<br />
care for the animals at our onsite Zoo!<br />
Our ultimate aim is to create a supportive<br />
environment where children can thrive. We<br />
are dedicated to the mental and physical<br />
wellbeing of our pupils, as well as their<br />
academic success.<br />
Join Bede’s for their Open Mornings on<br />
4 March (Prep) or 11 March (Senior)<br />
and see their boarding houses for<br />
yourself, including the new state-ofthe-art<br />
boarding house at Bede’s Senior<br />
School which opened in Autumn 2022.<br />
Sign up at bedes.org/open-morning<br />
23 priceless-magazines.com
Don’t miss our next<br />
<strong>Education</strong><br />
<strong>Supplement</strong><br />
available in our<br />
June issue<br />
Where Children Thrive<br />
Open Events<br />
Whole School Open Event: Friday 10th March 9.15am - 10.45am<br />
Prep Open Event: Wednesday 26th April 9.15am - 10.45am<br />
Senior School Open Event: Thursday 29th June 6.00pm - 8.00pm<br />
Through School 3-18: Nursery, Pre-Prep, Prep, Senior & Sixth Form<br />
Ewell Village, Epsom, <strong>Surrey</strong><br />
www.ewellcastle.co.uk<br />
priceless-magazines.com<br />
WilliamLawrence-EwellCastleSchool-WT249.indd 1 19/01/<strong>2023</strong> 16:06<br />
FROM<br />
TOP SPOTS<br />
TO<br />
OLD SPOTS<br />
The UK’s International Mathematical<br />
Olympiad (IMO) team is made up of the<br />
country’s top six school-age<br />
mathematicians. Two Tonbridge boys<br />
were selected to represent the UK at the<br />
most recent competition in Oslo. This<br />
was only the second time in two decades<br />
that two IMO members had been chosen<br />
from the same school.<br />
Also known for their intelligence are our<br />
Old Spots – a versatile breed of pig that are<br />
great favourites here in our School Orchard,<br />
and along with our bees provide valuable<br />
lessons of a slightly different kind.<br />
Visit website<br />
Arrange a visit:<br />
admissions@tonbridge-school.org<br />
tonbridge-school.co.uk<br />
priceless-magazines.com<br />
24<br />
TonbridgeSchoolWT249.indd 1 13/12/2022 13:08
Sutton Valence School<br />
istockphoto.com/ Pattadis Walarput<br />
At Sutton Valence School, we place<br />
a high value on the importance<br />
of developing students’ and<br />
boarders’ social skills. We believe that<br />
these skills are essential for success in<br />
life and are integral to our approach<br />
to education. Our boarding system<br />
has been designed to foster a balance<br />
between achieving academic potential,<br />
great learning outside the classrooms and<br />
developing social skills. (Boarders also<br />
benefit from superb living facilities – we<br />
were national finalists in the Boarding<br />
Schools Association awards last year<br />
following significant refurbishment and<br />
investment in boarding areas.)<br />
“Once a month, we have<br />
a cultural food celebration<br />
theme at dinner, which<br />
helps to broaden students’<br />
understanding of different<br />
cultures and cuisines.”<br />
One of the ways we encourage bonding<br />
is by having all boarding students share<br />
breakfast and dinner together each<br />
day. This not only provides a sense of<br />
community, but also allows students<br />
to practise social skills. Additionally,<br />
once a month, we have a cultural food<br />
celebration theme at dinner, which helps<br />
to broaden students’ understanding of<br />
different cultures and cuisines.<br />
After dinner, students have designated<br />
prep time in which they complete<br />
homework and consolidate their learning.<br />
This allows them to focus on their studies<br />
while also having time to socialise with<br />
their peers afterwards. Many students<br />
choose to do this by participating in<br />
supervised sporting activities in the sports<br />
hall or other social gatherings of a creative<br />
nature.<br />
At weekends, our boarding team<br />
arranges trips for our students. These<br />
range from outings to local bowling<br />
alleys and cinemas, to adventures further<br />
afield such as theme parks and theatre<br />
visits. These trips provide opportunities<br />
for students to bond with their peers<br />
and experience new things together. A<br />
number of boarders also volunteer at local<br />
charities and in the community in their<br />
spare time.<br />
From film nights to charity work, we hear how Sutton<br />
Valence School help their students develop social skills<br />
“All boarding students share<br />
breakfast and dinner together<br />
each day. This not only<br />
provides a sense of community,<br />
but also allows students to<br />
practise social skills.”<br />
We are particularly proud of our<br />
boarding student leaders, who take<br />
an active role in organising studentled<br />
activities such as house singing<br />
competitions, film nights and quizzes.<br />
These activities provide a platform for<br />
students to showcase their talents and<br />
develop leadership skills. In the Houses,<br />
students have great relaxation and<br />
cooking facilities that they share with<br />
each other.<br />
At Sutton Valence School, we believe<br />
that developing social skills is an essential<br />
part of a well-rounded education. Our<br />
boarding system is designed to foster a<br />
balance of academic achievement and<br />
socialisation, with a range of activities and<br />
opportunities for students to socialise,<br />
bond and develop their social skills. Find<br />
out more at svs.org.uk.<br />
25 priceless-magazines.com
Be Yourself<br />
at Claremont<br />
...unless you’re being someone else<br />
Open House Week<br />
Monday 13 - Saturday 18 March<br />
Nursery & Prep School<br />
St Leonards, East Sussex TN37 7PW<br />
01424 751555<br />
Senior School & Sixth Form<br />
Bodiam, East Sussex TN32 5UJ<br />
01580 830396<br />
To register for Open House Week or book a tour,<br />
visit the events page claremontschool.co.uk/events<br />
admissions@claremontschool.co.uk
<strong>Education</strong> <strong>Supplement</strong><br />
Meet the<br />
School Principal<br />
We’ve been getting to know Claremont<br />
School’s new Principal, Severine Collins<br />
What excites you most about<br />
joining Claremont School?<br />
Claremont’s principles align with<br />
my own belief that every child is an<br />
individual who needs to be nurtured,<br />
developed and challenged to become<br />
the best they can be. The young people<br />
who will shape our future need to be<br />
agile, empowered with a deep love of<br />
learning that enables them to take risks,<br />
be creative and innovative, solve complex<br />
problems and drive societal change. At<br />
Claremont pupils are given opportunities<br />
to improve their self-esteem in social<br />
contexts, teamwork and collaboration<br />
activities, sporting, performing,<br />
debating, musical performances… the<br />
list is endless. Claremont is the ideal<br />
setting for young people to thrive<br />
and achieve their dreams, and I feel<br />
privileged to have joined the team.<br />
What do you most enjoy<br />
about being a Principal?<br />
Working with young people. Their<br />
creativity, their thirst for knowledge and<br />
for a brighter future is contagious. You<br />
have to work hard to achieve success,<br />
and I am honoured to be supporting<br />
them in developing those attributes<br />
What are the greatest<br />
challenges of the role?<br />
An African proverb rightly states, “If<br />
you want to go fast, go alone; if you<br />
want to go far, go together”. I much<br />
prefer to make decisions through<br />
collaboration, allowing teamwork,<br />
creativity, and innovation to happen.<br />
I like to receive ideas and input<br />
from all, including students. I have a<br />
genuine interest in the achievements of<br />
others too, and I am a firm believer in<br />
professional development of all staff.<br />
Tell us about your own school days.<br />
I am a French national and did all my<br />
schooling in France, including university,<br />
before I came to the UK to do a degree.<br />
Languages were my thing but I used to<br />
think I couldn’t do maths., thankfully<br />
my maths teacher was amazing, she<br />
explained that arithmetic is actually<br />
another form of language, it made<br />
such a difference. I went on to study<br />
Artificial Intelligence at Sussex University.<br />
Programming computers to do what<br />
humans do using their intelligence was<br />
yet another form of language, but it also<br />
taught me so much about the human<br />
brain. It was absolutely fascinating.<br />
Did you always want to go into<br />
education?<br />
Always! It is such a humbling experience<br />
knowing that you are equipping young<br />
people with key personal characteristics,<br />
attributes to positively impact their local,<br />
national and international communities.<br />
I am also a passionate supporter of new<br />
technologies and how they enhance<br />
learning so I did a Masters Degree at<br />
Kings University in ICT and e-learning.<br />
How do you relax away from work?<br />
I spend time with my family, my dog, go<br />
to the gym or go swimming, cook and<br />
socialise. During holidays I like to travel<br />
and see my family in France, or I will go<br />
hiking or visit galleries, museums and<br />
historical houses. But my big passion is<br />
DIY and interior design. I love looking<br />
for a bargain, vintage furniture or<br />
decorative objects, and like to upcycle<br />
tired pieces.<br />
What are your hopes for the year ahead?<br />
I first want to get to know everyone and<br />
understand their views. Being surrounded<br />
by gifted professionals who realise the<br />
vision we uphold for our young people is<br />
what gets me out of bed every morning.<br />
claremontschool.co.uk<br />
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Spring Grove School on broadening horizons<br />
F<br />
rom<br />
Out &<br />
WeAbout<br />
learn about the many benefits of school trips<br />
visits to the local beach to week-long residential trips to<br />
France, school trips play an important part in school life at Spring<br />
Grove School. Experiences that take children out of the classroom - and<br />
sometimes out of their comfort zone - are an important part of the school’s<br />
growth mindset learning. A well-chosen trip can support and extend<br />
learning, while adding new perspectives and excitement to a topic.<br />
Many of the trips are to local destinations such as Canterbury<br />
Cathedral, Samphire Hoe or Chatham Docks. To support their<br />
learning about China in Year 2, the children visit a Chinese restaurant<br />
in Ashford (and experience eating with chopsticks!). A visit to Hever<br />
Castle brings a new perspective to Year 4’s Tudor projects. For the<br />
younger children, the journey, packed lunch and a visit to the gift<br />
shop are often just as exciting as the outing itself!<br />
Spring Grove also runs week-long residential trips further afield<br />
for children in Years 5 and 6, to a chateau in Normandy and a<br />
watersports centre in Gloucestershire. These trips are often the first<br />
time a child has been away from home for any length of time and<br />
offer a taste of independence. As one of our Year 5 pupils said, “I<br />
tried out canoeing and bread making, I helped out in the mini farm,<br />
Mayfield girls attend Model United<br />
Nations Conference in Poland<br />
I<br />
n<br />
October, six girls from Mayfield School attended the 7th Annual Model<br />
United Nations (MUN) Conference in Poland, with pupils from across Europe.<br />
MUN is an educational simulation of the United Nations in which students<br />
can learn about diplomacy and international relations. Students represent a<br />
country and debate issues with the aim of reaching a resolution.<br />
The girls attended as delegates for Russia, Iran, Canada, the USA, DPRK and<br />
Nigeria, sitting on committees for Human Rights, UN Women, and the Future<br />
Security Council – the latter set in 2050 amidst concerns about overpopulation.<br />
They stayed with host families in Torun and had a great time experiencing<br />
Polish culture in their downtime following heated debate about global issues<br />
during the day. Sixth Former Cosima finished the conference as Best Delegate<br />
on the Human Rights Committee, while Rosie was voted Best Delegate in the<br />
General Assembly. She also managed a star turn on TV Torun!<br />
Rosie said: “Words fail to describe the exhilaration I felt being surrounded by<br />
so many enthusiastic and intellectual people who share my passions for politics,<br />
international relations, and debate.”<br />
Mrs Kasia Kilvington, MUN lead at Mayfield, said: “MUN has transformed<br />
the lives of some of the girls at Mayfield, enabling pupils who never believed<br />
they could speak in public to do just that. It has made them keen researchers<br />
and critical thinkers, having to scrutinise nuance in the delicate wording of<br />
resolutions, and given them immense confidence.”<br />
mayfieldgirls.org<br />
and I was so sad to leave the Chateau… but I’ll have great memories<br />
of our trip.”<br />
Spring Grove’s next open morning is on Saturday 11 March,<br />
register and find out more at springgroveschool.co.uk
<strong>Education</strong> <strong>Supplement</strong><br />
The Balancing Act<br />
According to their ISI EQI Inspection Report from<br />
September of last year, Parkside School’s pupils<br />
“consistently attain well in relation to the abilities<br />
of others taking the same tests”. We ask them how<br />
they bring out the best in their pupils<br />
We believe good schools are about experiences<br />
and opportunities promoting the personal<br />
growth of all – pupils, parents, staff and the<br />
community. Parkside is a great example of this as we use our<br />
extracurricular, community and school trip programmes to<br />
complement and enhance our innovative curriculum.<br />
Experiencing new opportunities to discover and develop<br />
unique passions and talents is at the heart of Parkside’s<br />
philosophy. The motto, “Courage, Confidence, Character”<br />
underpins all learning and teaching. It is about having the<br />
courage to try new things, which builds the confidence<br />
and motivation to succeed. The understanding gained<br />
through participation establishes a strength of character<br />
which translates in each of the boys as they leave after Year<br />
8, to go to senior school. Our ISI EQI Inspection Report<br />
from September 2022 noticed how our pupils “feel safe to<br />
take risks and attempt new challenges, supported within an<br />
environment where warm and trusting relationships prevail”.<br />
The extracurricular programme incorporates the expected<br />
range of sporting activities such as tennis, football and cricket.<br />
However, more adrenaline-fuelled activities such as trail<br />
biking and target shooting spice up the programme nicely.<br />
Those who prefer something slightly more mindful enjoy<br />
yoga, knitting, nature and papercraft. Academic clubs and<br />
clubs for the designers, chefs and potters are all up for grabs<br />
and these change termly with new activities.<br />
The academic rigour of the school is effectively<br />
complemented by the emotional and mental health benefits<br />
of exploring new experiences, the local community and the<br />
wider world around us. The privilege of being able to travel<br />
together, as a school, on a residential trip were championed by<br />
Parkside last year, being one of the first schools to take their<br />
sports tour out to the Caribbean after the pandemic.<br />
This academic year will see the more senior boys travelling<br />
to France and Italy on separate trips to immerse themselves<br />
in language, culture and even more dare-devil activities such<br />
as skiing, climbing and orienteering. Boys in Year 7 and 8<br />
are offered leadership opportunities through adventure and<br />
activities centres, which take them outside their comfort zone<br />
and challenge their status quo. Trips to the beach, Harry<br />
Potter World, London and residentials to such destinations<br />
as Stratford upon Avon are all planned into the calendar<br />
meticulously. The younger boys visit art galleries, museums,<br />
adventure centres, boat trips on the Thames and Legoland!<br />
Whilst the Nursery children enjoy trips to local farms and,<br />
importantly, the local high street and library.<br />
The whole school community is encouraged to take part<br />
and get stuck in with new activities. Parkside parents are<br />
always welcomed and encouraged to take part in school life<br />
through weekly tennis clinics with Parkside’s resident coach,<br />
Nicky Draper (yes, Jack Draper’s mummy), movie nights,<br />
cheese and wine tasting and sports dinners.<br />
Pupils at Parkside are recognised for their individual talents<br />
which are often unleashed and enhanced through the range<br />
of extracurricular activities and experiences. Food technology,<br />
languages, forest school, the humanities, design and<br />
technology are all taught as part of the curriculum and topics<br />
within these are consistently reinforced by life experiences. A<br />
rich education is one full of risks and adventures, after all you<br />
only live once (YOLO)!<br />
Join Parkside’s Open Event on Saturday 4 March 10am<br />
to 12pm. Register your interest by e-mailing admissions@<br />
parkside-school.co.uk or visiting parkside-school.co.uk<br />
priceless-magazines.com<br />
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Sweet Disposition<br />
Candy coated treats to show your love this Valentine’s Day<br />
Photograph: David Merewether Styling: Lucy Fleming<br />
Devotion necklace, £27, Odyl odyldesign.com; Kayali Lovefest Burning Cherry eau de parfum with notes of<br />
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all Duck and Dog, Cranbrook Instagram @duck_and_dog; heart shaped box, from a selection,<br />
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trousers £150 John<br />
Lewis johnlewis.com<br />
Rosebud earrings<br />
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Kate Spade Bijou Top Handle<br />
Cross Body Bag £350 John Lewis<br />
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Hai ballerina pump £103<br />
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Mix & Match<br />
Jo Arnell gets creative with pie fillings for a<br />
satisfying <strong>February</strong> feast Photographs: David Merewether<br />
In the days before tupperware,<br />
pastry was just a convenient<br />
and portable container – a<br />
way of keeping the food <strong>inside</strong><br />
protected until you were ready<br />
to eat it. It’s comforting to know<br />
that the outer casing is now just as<br />
edible as the filling – and comfort<br />
is, after all, a by-word for pie. And<br />
a pie does not have to be pastry<br />
based – potato, or even whipped<br />
cream, make great pie toppings.<br />
The main thing is to keep things<br />
simple – as easy as pie…<br />
Squash, Caramelised<br />
Onion and Feta Filo Pie<br />
Prep time: 40 mins Cooking<br />
time: 25-30 mins Serves 6<br />
You will need a spring-form<br />
tin and a pastry brush<br />
Filo pastry is tricky to handle as<br />
it dries out as soon as you look<br />
away from it, so have a damp<br />
tea towel/kichen roll handy to<br />
cover it if needed – and ensure<br />
that all the other ingredients are<br />
prepped and ready to assemble<br />
before you open the packet.<br />
• 200g ready-made filo pastry<br />
(at room temperature)<br />
• 1 butternut squash, peeled<br />
and cut into chunks<br />
• 5 red onions, sliced<br />
• 2 tbsp olive oil<br />
• 1 tbsp balsamic (or<br />
red wine) vinegar<br />
• 2 tsp brown sugar<br />
• 200g feta cheese (or<br />
vegan version)<br />
• 2 tsp dried oregano<br />
• ½ tsp chilli flakes (ie not much)<br />
• 2 sprigs rosemary<br />
• 50g pine nuts (optional)<br />
1. Peel and chunk the butternut<br />
squash (approx 1-2cm cubes). Tip<br />
into a baking tray and coat with 1<br />
tablespoon of the olive oil. Sprinkle<br />
with oregano and bake in the<br />
oven (180°C) for 20-30 minutes.<br />
2. Meanwhile slice the onion<br />
thinly and slowly caramelise in a<br />
frying pan – basically fry gently for<br />
as long as it takes for the onions<br />
to cook right down, adding the<br />
vinegar and sugar about halfway<br />
through this process. Cut the feta<br />
cheese into rough cubes and then,<br />
once the onion and squash have<br />
cooled a little, assemble the pie.<br />
3. Line a loose bottomed tin (I<br />
used a 23cm diameter springform<br />
tin) with greaseproof paper.<br />
Melt the butter and keep ready<br />
in a bowl. Then fold 2 sheets of<br />
the filo pastry into the bottom<br />
of the tin, brushing each side all<br />
over with melted butter. Place<br />
further buttered layers into the<br />
tin, allowing the excess pastry<br />
to loosely overhang the sides.<br />
4. Working quickly, add the filling,<br />
alternating squash, onion and<br />
feta cheese, dotted with a little<br />
chilli and approx 1 teaspoon of<br />
rosemary, until you reach the top<br />
of the tin. Fold the overhanging<br />
filo back over the filling, decorate<br />
with the rest of the rosemary and<br />
pine nuts, and bake in the oven<br />
for approx 25 minutes, until the<br />
pastry is golden. Serve warm<br />
(or cold) with a green salad. <br />
71 priceless-magazines.com
Apple and Rhubarb Lattice Pie<br />
Prep time: pastry – 1 hour;<br />
fruit filling 20-30mins<br />
Cooking time : 30 minutes Serves 6-8<br />
You will need a nice deep pie dish<br />
(26cm) and a pastry brush<br />
I have made this pie with two types<br />
of pastry – shortcrust for the base<br />
and puff for the latticed top. It works<br />
just as well with all shortcrust. The<br />
trick to making good pastry is to keep<br />
everything as cold as you can and to<br />
rest it in the fridge prior to cooking.<br />
I used butter in the shortcrust, but<br />
another shortening (lard for instance)<br />
is fine. Or buy ready-made. I have to<br />
admit to buying the flaky pastry ready<br />
rolled from the supermarket – it saves<br />
a lot of time, but if you are making<br />
your own, the same applies in terms<br />
of keeping the pastry cool. Substitute<br />
raspberries for the rhubarb if you must.<br />
For the shortcrust pastry base (double this<br />
if you are using shortcrust for the top too):<br />
• 280g plain flour<br />
• 150g salted butter<br />
• 2-3 tbsp cold water<br />
or just use 1 ready rolled pack<br />
of puff pastry (you can also use<br />
ready-made shortcrust and omit<br />
the recipe for the pastry base)<br />
For the filling:<br />
• 850g Bramley cooking apples<br />
(approx 3-4 apples) peeled,<br />
cored and cut into chunks<br />
• 200g rhubarb (approx 3 stalks),<br />
washed and cut into 2cm chunks<br />
• 100g sugar, plus 1 dsp to<br />
sprinkle on top – or to taste<br />
• 1-2 tsp lemon juice (to stop<br />
the apple browning)<br />
• 2 tsp milk<br />
1. If you are making shortcrust pastry,<br />
cube cold butter into 1cm cubes and<br />
place in a large mixing bowl. Sift the<br />
flour onto the butter and, with nice<br />
cold hands, quickly rub the butter<br />
into the flour until you have a fine<br />
crumble topping. Spoon in the icy<br />
cold water, a little at a time, and<br />
combine into a ball without kneading<br />
more than necessary – over-handling<br />
makes pastry tough. Cover and rest<br />
in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.<br />
2. Meanwhile pre-cook the filling – I<br />
braise the rhubarb in the oven in<br />
a covered dish with some sugar (1<br />
tbsp) and a tbsp of water for 15-20<br />
minutes (150˚C), this method keeps<br />
its shape. Cook the chopped apples<br />
(sprinkle with a bit of lemon to stop<br />
them browning) in a pan with 50g<br />
or so of the sugar for 10-15 minutes<br />
until that are soft, but not a complete<br />
mush. Leave to cool. I prefer less sugar<br />
in this pie, but add to taste. If you<br />
have substituted raspberries, do not<br />
cook them prior to baking in the pie.<br />
3. Roll out the pastry on a cold, floured<br />
surface – approx 2mm in thickness. Lift<br />
carefully and drape over the pie dish,<br />
pressing it gently into place. Spoon in<br />
the cooled fruit, mixing a little, but<br />
not mashing together. Trim off the<br />
excess pastry and brush around the edge<br />
with a little milk (you will be ‘gluing’<br />
the lattice top to the pastry base).<br />
4. Cut the pastry for the lattice top<br />
into equal strips (approx 1cm by the<br />
width of the pack or the pie). Layer<br />
alternate strips over the top of the pie<br />
to make a lattice, weaving them over<br />
and under. Brush pastry with milk,<br />
then sprinkle with sugar and bake in<br />
the oven for approx 30mins until the<br />
lattice top is a light golden brown. Serve<br />
with cream or ice-cream (or both!).<br />
priceless-magazines.com<br />
72
73 priceless-magazines.com
Easy Fish Pie<br />
Prep time: 30 minutes<br />
Cooking time: 20-25 minutes<br />
Serves 4<br />
Supermarkets sell ‘fish pie mix’<br />
containing pre-cut chunks of salmon,<br />
cod and smoked haddock, which works<br />
well, but feel free to choose your own<br />
selection. I like to go for a white fish, a<br />
smoked type and something with a bit<br />
of bite – usually small Atlantic prawns,<br />
or if I’m pushing the (fishing) boat out,<br />
scallops or mussels. Both béchamel or<br />
cheese sauce work as a base, but crème<br />
fraîche, with a little thickening, really<br />
complements the flavours of the fish.<br />
• 500g floury potatoes<br />
• 450g fish fillets cut into<br />
chunks, or fish pie mix<br />
• 100g prawns, or other<br />
firm textured fish<br />
• 75g spring onions, chopped<br />
• 50g butter<br />
• 4 tbsp milk<br />
• 1 dessert spoon plain flour<br />
• 300ml carton crème fraîche<br />
• 50g slivered almonds (optional)<br />
1. Peel the potatoes, cut into chunks<br />
and boil until soft. Mash together with<br />
40g of the butter and 1 tbsp of milk.<br />
2. Place fish pieces in a pan with a lid,<br />
cover with the rest of the milk and the<br />
pan lid and poach gently for 5-10 mins<br />
until the fish is very lightly cooked.<br />
Drain, but keep the poaching liquid.<br />
3. Add the remaining 10g butter<br />
to the pan the fish was poached in<br />
and mix with the flour, bubble this<br />
for a minute and then stir in the<br />
poaching liquid to make a thick<br />
sauce. Combine with crème fraîche.<br />
4. Place the fish and spring onions in<br />
an oven proof dish and stir in the sauce.<br />
Top with mashed potato and flaked<br />
almonds (if using) and bake in a preheated<br />
oven (180°C) for 20-25 minutes.<br />
5. Serve with a parsley garnish,<br />
steamed French beans, peas or other<br />
green vegetables of your choosing. <br />
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TELEPHONE: 0208 9440624 • E-MAIL: WIMBLEDON.STORE.UK@LECREUSET.COM
leeping<br />
eauty<br />
Josephine Fairley reveals night treatments that really do work<br />
It’s not called ‘beauty sleep’ for<br />
nothing. Now, you might have<br />
thought that while you snuggle<br />
down beneath your sheets at night,<br />
relaxing and restoring energy was all<br />
that was going on. But scientists have<br />
now pinpointed that at around 1am,<br />
your body is at its most resourceful<br />
– helping to repair and renew skin,<br />
as well as other body cells, while you<br />
slumber sweetly. So it’s official – beauty<br />
sleep really is that, which is why it’s so<br />
vital to make sure you get your zzzs.<br />
But more than that, the right<br />
products let you take advantage of the<br />
body’s repairing power, harnessing your<br />
natural circadian rhythms to wake up<br />
not only rested, but more radiant. In<br />
fact, there’s now a raft of products which<br />
are specifically designed as ‘sleep-in’<br />
treatments, specifically to take advantage<br />
of this – variously referred to as ‘sleep-in<br />
creams’, ‘sleeping creams’ or ‘sleeping<br />
masks’. How are they different from the<br />
night creams most of us already have in<br />
our skincare arsenal? Well, this relatively<br />
new category has been influenced by<br />
the multi-step, multi-product regimes<br />
of women in Korea. Frankly, just<br />
reading about the effort involved and<br />
the many different products ‘required’<br />
for a Korean woman to look gorgeous<br />
generally makes me want to have a<br />
lie-down – but in my experience, this<br />
particular step in the Korean process<br />
really does deliver benefits when used<br />
a couple of times a week as a ‘booster’,<br />
with these sleeping masks tending to<br />
offer a jolt of specifically face-waking<br />
ingredients. Sort of in line with<br />
what a regular face mask offers, but<br />
working their magic as we slumber,<br />
and left on the skin till morning.<br />
I’m certainly a fan. A couple of nights<br />
a week, in place of my regular facial<br />
oil or night cream, I now slather on<br />
a ‘sleeping mask’ – on my dry skin,<br />
more is always more – and definitely<br />
wake up looking more rested<br />
and glow-y. But as with<br />
everything in beauty,<br />
not all products are<br />
created equal – so<br />
here are some<br />
favourites.<br />
(And I’m<br />
also<br />
going<br />
to<br />
share some of my favourite sleepbeckoning<br />
products at the end,<br />
too – because when it comes to<br />
slumber, more is also more, and<br />
after listening to Johann Hari’s<br />
book Stolen Focus on Audible, I’m<br />
more convinced of the importance<br />
of good, quality sleep than ever.)<br />
Jane Scrivner Overnight Recharge<br />
Balm, £54 for 50ml. A balm that<br />
morphs into an oil when applied to<br />
skin – and only a tiny bit is required<br />
for a recharged look; it works to<br />
restore the complexion’s barrier<br />
function with Indian neem oil and<br />
a blend that includes an alphabet of<br />
vitamins (A, B, C, D, E, F and K).<br />
L’OCCITANE Immortelle Precious<br />
Overnight Mask, £55 for 50ml. I reach<br />
for this at least twice a week – more<br />
often if I feel my skin’s looking dull.<br />
Luscious, pillowy in texture, it’s powered<br />
by immortelle – one of L’Occitane’s<br />
signature ingredients, harvested in<br />
Corsica, and rich in antioxidants.<br />
Smells divine: a little <br />
<br />
priceless-magazines.com<br />
76
istockphoto.com/ ill0gique<br />
bit aromatic, a little bit powdery.<br />
Boots Vitamin C Brightening<br />
Sleeping Mask, £4.50. An incredible<br />
steal – less than a fiver (wowzer!).<br />
In this case, Boots recommend that<br />
the zingy, citrusy, gel-like product –<br />
featuring lots of brightening vitamin<br />
C – is used as an overnight blitz for<br />
14 days (or rather, nights), massaged<br />
into skin before bedtime and then<br />
rinsed clean away in the morning.<br />
Liz Earle Superskin Overnight<br />
Mask, £40 for 50ml. You can either<br />
use this like a regular night cream,<br />
on a nightly basis, or slather on more<br />
generously as an overnight mask, when<br />
its plumping blend of cranberry seed,<br />
avocado, rosehip and borage oils, shea<br />
butter and vitamin E can work their<br />
plumping magic. I’ve been a massive<br />
fan of the Superskin line-up since it<br />
launched, and this doesn’t disappoint.<br />
Temple Spa Quench Rejuvenating<br />
Mask, £30 for 65ml. ‘Quench’ by<br />
name, quenching by nature – powered<br />
by apricot kernel oil, glow-getting<br />
vitamin C and avocado oil. I<br />
swear I can almost hear my skin<br />
slurping this up, as I drift off!<br />
Plus, to make even more of your<br />
beauty sleep (and even improve<br />
the quality of your kip, itself)…<br />
Create a wind-down ritual, to<br />
improve your sleep benefits. In terms<br />
of beckoning sleep itself – so that<br />
those cells get the maximum chance<br />
to re-charge and renew – I personally<br />
think it’s really important to develop a<br />
series of steps which becomes part of<br />
the process of heading dream-wards.<br />
For me, that’s a generous spritz of This<br />
Works Deep Sleep Pillow Spray,<br />
from £15.75 for 75ml, which is almost<br />
like knockout drops for me, with<br />
its blend of chamomile, vetiver and<br />
lavender. (It’s actually clinically proven<br />
to help with sleep challenges, so you<br />
don’t have to take my word for it.)<br />
Try switching to a silk pillowcase.<br />
Legendary beauties have always<br />
sworn by them, as the face seems to<br />
glide over the surface and doesn’t get<br />
‘scrunched up’ while you slumber. I<br />
love the This Is Silk pillowcases, which<br />
are from £26 for the half-silk version<br />
to £60 for the full silk offering (and<br />
this comes in a beautiful range of<br />
shades from boudoir pink to black).<br />
Try sleep ‘gummies’. I’m a recent<br />
convert to these chewable supplements,<br />
and have been enjoying improved<br />
sleep – and some pretty crazy dreams<br />
– thanks to YUMI Bedtime (5-HTP),<br />
£16.99 for 60 gummies, a formula<br />
based around passiflora and griffonia<br />
seed extract, with an effect akin to<br />
that of melatonin (a supplement<br />
that’s currently banned in the UK).<br />
Harness sleep-time to boost your<br />
hair, too. Well, well, well: these are<br />
now a whole new beauty category, too!<br />
But it makes sense – any repairing hair<br />
product tends to work better the longer<br />
you’re able to leave it on – unless you<br />
have oily roots, in which case such a<br />
long treatment is best avoided. Here’s<br />
the how-to: cover your pillowcase in<br />
a towel. Towel-dry your hair (with a<br />
different towel), then comb your chosen<br />
mask through the hair; next morning,<br />
shower or rinse out any remaining<br />
product and hey, presto – silkier, shinier<br />
hair, which you can style as normal.<br />
My favourite masks, currently, are<br />
the fabulous, Ayurveda-inspired,<br />
rich and creamy Fable & Mane<br />
HoliRoots Repairing Hair Mask,<br />
£30 for 237ml, and Body Shop<br />
Banana Truly Nourishing Hair<br />
Mask, £15 for 240ml, which revisits<br />
a legendary Body Shop product,<br />
in a nourishing, de-frizzing form.<br />
(Still that fab, good-enough-to-eat<br />
smell, though!) Meanwhile, if you<br />
want a lighter-textured overnight<br />
treatment, check out Pantène 8H<br />
Active Serum Overnight Beauty<br />
Reset, £19.99 for 70ml: weightless<br />
but powerfully shine-boosting.<br />
So, at a time of year when hibernation<br />
seems to come naturally, I reckon<br />
we might as well make the most<br />
of that natural tendency to sleep<br />
for longer. And with a little help,<br />
awake more beautiful, rested-looking<br />
and glowing, in time for spring<br />
to unfurl its many wonders…<br />
See beautybible.com for more of Jo’s<br />
tried and tested beauty reviews.<br />
77 priceless-magazines.com
Sleep Better : Feel Better<br />
dressing undeniable beauty<br />
www.healingalternatives.co.uk<br />
We are moving!<br />
Come and join us as we open the doors to our NEW store<br />
<strong>February</strong> 4th, 11am onwards<br />
See you for a glass of fizz!<br />
49 High St, Cranbrook, TN17 3EE<br />
www.odyl.co.uk | 01580 714907<br />
HealingAlternativesWT249.indd 1 09/01/<strong>2023</strong> OdylWT249.indd 09:34 1 11/01/<strong>2023</strong> 15:11<br />
KARL TERRY RSMA<br />
Rooted in the Landscape<br />
28th January — 12th March <strong>2023</strong><br />
Karl Terry RSMA Afternoon Light, Camber<br />
An arts and crafts gallery with fine<br />
art for sale — hosting contemporary<br />
art exhibitions with its own<br />
remarkable permanent collection<br />
Rye Art Gallery<br />
107 High St<br />
Rye, East Sussex<br />
TN31 7JE<br />
Open<br />
Mon to Sat 11–5<br />
Sun 11–4<br />
Closed all day Tuesday<br />
01797 222 433<br />
ryeartgallery@gmail.com<br />
ryeartgallery.co.uk<br />
@ryeartgallery<br />
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78<br />
RyeArtGalleryWT249-HLFH.indd 1 20/01/<strong>2023</strong> 11:38
Wellbeing<br />
Sarah Maxwell shares a second<br />
instalment of vital menopause info<br />
istockphoto.com/ vvmich<br />
Menopause is a hot topic at the moment and<br />
has had a seismic shift in interest, giving<br />
us information and essential knowledge<br />
that we didn’t have previously. With this in mind, it’s<br />
surprising that post menopause isn’t a bigger subject,<br />
especially considering that the post menopausal stage<br />
is the longest period of time in a female’s life.<br />
Just like puberty, pregnancy and peri menopause,<br />
post menopause can be entirely different again. You<br />
may think we’ve done menopause to death, but there<br />
is so much more for us to learn about ourselves and<br />
the stages we go through in order to support ourselves<br />
and enable us to pass on what we’ve learnt to those<br />
starting to navigate their way through the minefield of<br />
information and the distress that can often come with it.<br />
Post menopause symptoms<br />
You may have none of the below, you may<br />
have some, you may have all and more.<br />
• Mood swings<br />
• Anxiety<br />
• Disturbed sleep<br />
• Night sweats<br />
• Recurrent cystitis<br />
• Exhaustion<br />
• Thinning of hair<br />
• Lack of libido<br />
• Bowel and urination problems<br />
Whilst many of the above post menopausal symptoms<br />
– such as mood swing and hot flushes – will resolve<br />
over time for many, it’s important to know that some<br />
may remain. This is why I encourage all women,<br />
particularly at this stage in their lives, to look after their<br />
health and wellbeing. Now is the time to build a good<br />
foundation for your overall health and wellbeing.<br />
It’s never too late to start putting a few things in<br />
place, especially those that make you feel good.<br />
It’s important to focus on good nutrition,<br />
making sure you include more fibre, calcium,<br />
essential vitamins and nutrients in your diet.<br />
There is a great podcast series by Naturopath Jennifer<br />
Harrington on Spotify called Menopause Natural Solutions<br />
which was developed to help women transitioning into<br />
menopause rediscover their health and happiness in<br />
midlife, which you may be interested to listen to.<br />
Post menopause health checker<br />
It’s important to pay close attention to the following:<br />
• Gut health issues<br />
• Thyroid function<br />
• Heart disease<br />
• Obesity<br />
• Type 2 diabetes<br />
• Metabolic syndrome<br />
• Plus, remember to book regular smears and breast checks.<br />
A health check is available from your GP for anyone aged<br />
40 and above. mygp.com/what-does-a-health-check-include<br />
Services available to you<br />
Menopause Support is a service you can be referred to by your<br />
GP menopausesupport.co.uk. I understand that not everyone<br />
is lucky enough to have access to a GP who has an interest<br />
and understanding about menopause and how it presents in<br />
so many different ways. If, unfortunately, your doctor doesn’t<br />
support you, you may want to show them this page and, if<br />
that doesn’t work, change your doctor to one who wants to<br />
support you and others like you. There’s a helpful leaflet that<br />
you can download from The Menopause Charity’s website:<br />
themenopausecharity.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/<br />
How-to-ask-your-GP-for-help-rev.pdf<br />
In a nutshell<br />
A well balanced diet and regular exercise you enjoy doesn’t<br />
mean starvation diets and extreme exercise – something I never<br />
recommend. A healthy sprinkle of good food, movement,<br />
relaxation, rest and play is all we need. Take baby steps so that<br />
you are in a strong position to start what is the longest phase of<br />
your life as a woman and make a plan to enjoy every moment.<br />
Sarah Maxwell is a multi award-winning weight loss, lifestyle and fitness coach. Find out more about her work...<br />
Facebook & Instagram: @sarahmaxlife Twitter: @sarahmax100 sarahmaxwell.com<br />
79 priceless-magazines.com
BALFOUR DINING CLUB<br />
MUSIC SESSIONS<br />
Set in our beautiful tasting room, The View, these unique<br />
dinners with music are a wonderful way to spend a Saturday<br />
evening with friends or family.<br />
Arrive at 7.30pm for a welcome drink, before being seated for a<br />
tasting of a selection of our Balfour Wines.<br />
A delicious four-course meal is then accompanied by<br />
marvellous live music performed by a local artist.<br />
Saturdays available:<br />
11th and 18th <strong>February</strong><br />
4th and 11th March<br />
7.30pm - 10.30pm | £60pp<br />
Visit www.balfourwinery.com to reserve your table<br />
This event must be booked in advance<br />
Balfour Winery, Five Oak Lane, Staplehurst, Kent, TN12 0HT<br />
01622 832794 | info@balfourwinery.com<br />
M O T HER'S DAY<br />
AFTERNOON TEA<br />
C e l e b r a t e M o t h e r ' s D a y w i t h a<br />
S p a r k l i n g A f t e r n o o n T e a a t<br />
B a l f o u r W i n e r y<br />
A d e l i c i o u s a n d b e a u t i f u l l y p r e s e n t e d<br />
s e l e c t i o n o f s a n d w i c h e s , s c o n e s a n d c a k e s ,<br />
a l o n g s i d e a g l a s s o f o u r s p a r k l i n g B a l f o u r<br />
W i n e . Y o u a r e w e l c o m e t o e x t e n d y o u r v i s i t<br />
b y t a k i n g a s e l f - g u i d e d s t r o l l t h r o u g h o u r<br />
v i n e y a r d s a n d a n c i e n t o a k w o o d l a n d s .<br />
S a t u r d a y 1 8 t h M a r c h<br />
S u n d a y 1 9 t h M a r c h<br />
1 p m - 4 p m<br />
£ 4 5 p e r p e r s o n<br />
Visit www.balfourwinery.com<br />
to reserve your table<br />
balfourwinery.com | 01622 832794<br />
Balfour Winery, Five Oak Lane, Staplehurst, Kent, TN12 0HT
Nourish to Flourish<br />
Nutrition & Lifestyle Coach Charlotte Lau<br />
looks into post-natal dietary requirements<br />
Step away from… ALCOHOL & CAFFEINE<br />
Increasing your fluid intake after birth, and especially for<br />
breastfeeding mothers, is important. Dehydration can cause<br />
headaches, confusion and reduced energy so keeping well hydrated<br />
is key. The amount of fluid needed varies, but aim for around<br />
10-12 glasses a day. Try to make water the majority of your fluid<br />
intake and limit your consumption of alcohol (to a maximum<br />
of 14 units a week for women) and caffeine, as these can pass to<br />
breast milk and may affect the baby’s digestion, sleep and feeding<br />
patterns. Don’t forget that caffeine is also found in chocolate,<br />
some fizzy drinks, energy drinks and often cold and flu remedies<br />
as well as tea and coffee. The amount of caffeine passed into the<br />
breastmilk is about 1% of what the mother consumes and it<br />
reaches a peak in the breastmilk about an hour after consumption,<br />
so be aware of when you are ingesting caffeine and feed times.<br />
It’s no secret that the food we eat fuels our daily activities<br />
and it is especially important when those activities<br />
include caring for a newborn or breastfeeding. The time<br />
after a mother has given birth is an important phase to be<br />
looked after, to recover and to plan the right nutrition and<br />
support. It is common, however, for the desire to lose the baby<br />
weight to take precedence over nourishing the body with the<br />
right foods to support recovery, milk production and rest.<br />
istockphoto.com/ miwa_in_oz / Magone / chokja / Elena Tsvetkova Andrii Zorii / Max Lirnyk<br />
Learn to… REPLENISH<br />
The time after giving birth can be physically and mentally<br />
challenging and keeping up with the demands of a new born,<br />
feeding, sleep deprivation as well as recovering from the birth<br />
can be hard. It’s not a time for reducing calories or cutting food<br />
groups to achieve pre-birth weight, instead focus on a healthy,<br />
balanced diet which includes lots of fruit and vegetables (aim<br />
for 30 different sources a week) as well as protein to support<br />
recovery, complex carbohydrates for energy and iron rich foods<br />
such as soy beans, lentils, oats, lean meats, spinach, tofu or<br />
chickpeas. If you are breastfeeding, then you will need to increase<br />
your calories by 500 a day to support milk production and<br />
replenish calcium stores. Try to include milk, cheese, yoghurts,<br />
tofu, leafy greens and nuts in your diet. Zinc is important for<br />
breastfeeding mums and supports the immune system; beef,<br />
fish, tofu, nuts and seeds are all good sources. Omega-3s, found<br />
in oily fish, nuts and seeds, are important for brain development<br />
in babies, so make these a priority if you are breastfeeding.<br />
Give it a go… PRIORITISE YOURSELF<br />
To help restore pre-pregnancy health, replenish nutrient stores<br />
and support lactation after giving birth, it is essential that you<br />
take time amongst the chaos to prioritise yourself. Newborns<br />
are demanding and without giving yourself the right care and<br />
support, looking after your little bundle can be even harder.<br />
Try to sleep when you can, (and I say this as a mother of 3),<br />
I know this can be difficult! Lean on your support network to<br />
plan in times for rest, a shower or to just sit! Ask a friend for<br />
meal donations or batch cook and freeze easy, nutritious meals<br />
in the lead up to the birth, so you don’t have to think about<br />
what is for the next meal and enjoy time with other mothers<br />
and their babies… a good chat with someone who understands<br />
can do wonders for your mood. When you can, arrange walks<br />
with friends in the fresh air and lastly, don’t put any pressure<br />
on yourself to achieve to-do lists – most things can wait!<br />
Charlotte runs Plume Nutrition, where she offers support and advice for weight management, controlling<br />
cravings, sleeplessness, stress and increasing energy levels. Find out more at plumenutrition.com<br />
81 priceless-magazines.com
Don’t miss our<br />
Garden<br />
<strong>Supplement</strong><br />
available in our April issue<br />
www.charityfarmcountrystore.co.uk I 01580 713189 I info@charityfarmcountrystore.co.uk<br />
Swattenden Lane, Cranbrook, TN17 3PS<br />
Nesting season is almost here!<br />
While the main nesting season starts in March, birds are traditionally<br />
thought to have paired up by Valentine's Day and will be looking for shelter.<br />
With the decline in natural habitats, garden birds are relying<br />
more and more on us to provide a clean, warm environment to<br />
lay their eggs and raise their chicks.<br />
Visit us in store to pick up a nest box, feed and treats<br />
for your garden birds!<br />
P E T | A N I M A L | W I L D L I F E | E Q U E S T R I A N |<br />
F I R E S I D E | H O M E & G I F T S | C L O T H I N G |<br />
C O U N T R Y P U R S U I T S | O U T S I D E L I V I N G |<br />
Open Monday - Friday 8:30 - 17:30, Saturday 9:00 - 17:00, Sunday 10:00 - 16:00<br />
Enhance Do you need your shelter outdoor and living shade?<br />
space<br />
CharityFarmWT249.indd 1 12/01/<strong>2023</strong> 16:09<br />
Verandas • Glass • Rooms • Awnings • • Pergolas<br />
Carports • Solar • Garage Doors & Shutters & Shutters<br />
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SBI SBI Ltd Ltd 0800 0742 721 sbiproducts.co.uk<br />
SBIWT247.indd 1 25/11/2022 09:32
Green<br />
Attraction<br />
Jo Arnell looks into houseplants with benefits<br />
istockphoto.com/ abibe vida / yuqian liu<br />
Keeping houseplants will make<br />
you more attractive. This is not<br />
just a ploy by the houseplant<br />
marketing board – according to some<br />
research commissioned by The Joy of<br />
Plants, all you need to boost your allure<br />
is a houseplant or two. It turns out that<br />
showing love to your houseplants is also<br />
showing the world – and prospective<br />
dates – that you are a kind and nurturing<br />
person, and most likely to bestow the<br />
same sort (well maybe not quite the<br />
same – some people aren’t keen on regular<br />
watering and dead-heading) of affection on<br />
a partner. But before you substitute ‘good<br />
sense of humour’ with ‘keeps houseplants<br />
alive’ on your profile and rush out to buy<br />
some, have a think about which plants to<br />
choose, because some are easier to keep<br />
alive than others and, judging by some<br />
of mine, attraction can be short-lived.<br />
Show you care<br />
It helps to understand how to<br />
look after the plants in your care,<br />
especially if you want them to thrive<br />
and look well tended and loved.<br />
I bought a few houseplants last year.<br />
Not to attract anyone you understand<br />
(and my husband won’t read this, but<br />
just in case), but mainly because I didn’t<br />
have any (I’m too busy trying to keep<br />
the outdoor plants alive) and I live in a<br />
very low-beamed dark house with central<br />
heating – conditions that even plants<br />
from the floor of a very dense jungle don’t<br />
much enjoy. Even in the brightest rooms<br />
in houses with much higher ceilings<br />
than mine, far less light is available to a<br />
plant than we imagine – and so most of<br />
our houseplants, certainly the lush and<br />
leafy ones, come from warm woodlands<br />
and rainforests, where light levels are<br />
typically very low. Tropical forests are<br />
humid places too, which is why so<br />
many of our indoor plants do well in<br />
bathrooms and kitchens – and shrivel up<br />
when forced to watch Bake Off with us<br />
in our centrally heated sitting rooms.<br />
Plants that will manage in warm, dry<br />
shade tend to have dark, leathery leaves –<br />
dark green because they are packed with<br />
chlorophyll to try and absorb as much<br />
light as they can, and leathery to prevent<br />
water loss. A good example of this is<br />
an Aspidistra – a plant associated with<br />
gloomy Victorian hallways and darkened<br />
living rooms. Parlour palms (the clue is in<br />
the name) and some ferns will also cope<br />
in this sort of dry shade. Do not subject<br />
a delicate Adiantum (Maidenhair) fern<br />
to such conditions, though. I love these<br />
little plants, but they are tricky and need<br />
humidity – sit them on a tray of damp<br />
gravel, mist at least twice a day. You<br />
probably won’t have time to show love<br />
to much else if you have one of these.<br />
If you are lucky enough to have a<br />
conservatory, or have south- or westfacing<br />
windowsills, then succulents,<br />
cacti and other desert-type plants will<br />
thrive. A favourite with students, because<br />
succulents don’t mind if you forget to<br />
water them, not that all students neglect<br />
plants (certainly not once they know<br />
how attractive plant-keeping might<br />
make them). Contrary to popular belief,<br />
they do need watering, mostly as they<br />
come into active growth in the spring<br />
– and they will even enjoy a summer<br />
holiday in the garden – just remember<br />
to bring them in again in the autumn.<br />
Something to love<br />
You might not be looking for a human<br />
companion right now, so the houseplants<br />
in your life could be there for your<br />
own pleasure. Most of us – even if it is<br />
buried deep – are nurturers by nature<br />
and watching a plant in your care grow<br />
and flourish is rewarding. It’s also much<br />
cheaper and less of a commitment than<br />
having a pet (I won’t say partner, but…)<br />
and, although a plant won’t necessarily<br />
show actual love to you in return, it will<br />
respond by unfurling a new leaf, bursting<br />
into bloom and generally looking healthy<br />
and well cared for. If you’re a gardener<br />
you’ll know this and most likely will be<br />
completely hooked into plant care already.<br />
Romantic houseplant gifts<br />
I know it’s traditional to give red roses<br />
at this time of the year, but roses don’t<br />
usually bloom in <strong>February</strong>. They will have<br />
been forced in an unromantic polytunnel,<br />
or flown in from a far flung field. Also,<br />
once cut and plonked in a vase, the only<br />
way is down and out onto the compost<br />
heap. A houseplant gift, however, chosen<br />
carefully to suit the recipient, could<br />
last a lifetime, or at least several weeks<br />
longer than a bunch of cut flowers.<br />
You don’t want to give something called<br />
‘Mother-in-law’s Tongue’ or a snake plant<br />
to someone, despite its indestructibility<br />
and ability to purify the air. There are<br />
more romantic looking and sounding<br />
gifts to try. Anthuriums, with their heartshaped<br />
spathes (a spathe is like a flower,<br />
only longer lasting) fittingly available<br />
in red, pink or white, look the part and<br />
with their elegant waxy leaves, are easy<br />
to care for too. Another plant with<br />
<br />
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GardenproudWT249.indd 1 18/01/<strong>2023</strong> KarlTerryWT229.indd 16:44<br />
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84<br />
HarrierGatesWT247.indd 1 31/10/2022 11:39
heart-shaped leaves is Ceropegia linearis subsp<br />
woodii, the silvery-leaved ‘String of Hearts’<br />
plant. This is a dainty looking little thing,<br />
trailing prettily out of a pot, but like<br />
many that appear delicate, it is tough,<br />
with wiry stems and a forgiving nature.<br />
Phalaenopsis, or the Moth orchid, is<br />
another that looks difficult to keep, but<br />
these exotic plants are also easy to look<br />
after – just water the container (they are<br />
epiphytic, so won’t need repotting into<br />
soil) occasionally and place somewhere<br />
bright, but out of direct sunlight.<br />
Easiest of all is a heart-leaved<br />
Philodendron. It is a trailing plant<br />
– occasionally made to climb up a<br />
damp mossy pole. As I might have<br />
hinted, I am a notorious houseplant<br />
murderer, but despite my best<br />
efforts to kill it, the Philodendron<br />
in my house has remained<br />
steadfast, coping with all sorts of<br />
extremes and managing to cling<br />
on in virtual abandonment for years.<br />
Beauty from houseplants<br />
Just being among plants in your house will<br />
make you more beautiful. They will be filtering<br />
toxins and reducing the drying effects of the<br />
central heating to ensure that your skin is<br />
kept moisturised and free from impurities.<br />
Peace lilies are especially good at air purifying,<br />
absorbing ammonia, benzene, formaldehyde and<br />
trichloroethylene and even eating mould spores.<br />
The gel-like sap of Aloe vera can even be<br />
directly applied to the skin and is very useful<br />
for soothing burns, cuts, and dry skin caused by<br />
harsh winter winds. Keep both of these plants in<br />
the bathroom and even if you don’t fancy rubbing<br />
your skin with Aloe sap, at least the Peace lily<br />
can be getting rid of mould in the shower.<br />
Love among the leaves<br />
It has long been known that plants enhance our indoor<br />
environments, help us to breathe, purify the air of toxins –<br />
and now it appears, they also help improve concentration<br />
and boost productivity. Plants in office situations are used<br />
to soften and beautify otherwise drab and business-like<br />
interiors. They have a multitude of beneficial properties,<br />
including improving our mood, so houseplants could<br />
definitely be an important part of a romantic setting, helping<br />
to relax – and perhaps even inspiring amorous thoughts.<br />
Who knew that owning houseplants could bring so many<br />
benefits? They could be all we need to spark joy and love in<br />
our homes and work spaces. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have<br />
an ailing Philodendron that needs some love and affection.<br />
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CheekyMonkeyWT249.indd 1 24/01/<strong>2023</strong> 17:06
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Patience is a<br />
Virtue<br />
Sue Whigham advises it’s worth taking your<br />
time to discover how your new garden<br />
grows as she contemplates the revamp of<br />
her son’s new outside space near Bath<br />
Having lived in a Brixton flat with a small but<br />
perfectly formed garden for a decade, my son<br />
and his wife made the big decision to move out of<br />
London last year. Over the years their garden had become<br />
absolutely full of mature plants, shrubs and a couple of trees.<br />
We hadn’t expected the olive tree to get so large to be honest<br />
or the crab apple to spread as it did. The latter might have<br />
been my mistake as I was going through a period of absolutely<br />
loving Malus transitoria which I still do – it’s a fabulous tree.<br />
The fences were painted a dark browny black which looked<br />
great draped with plants like the highly scented Trachleospermum<br />
jasminoides and R. ‘New Dawn’ and the raised beds filled up<br />
every summer with clouds of shrubby salvias and all manner<br />
of lovely things. There had been a large white hydrangea there<br />
when they arrived and we took half a dozen cuttings late last<br />
year, which seem to have taken and are now ready to grow on.<br />
And the raised beds, created using old railway sleepers<br />
which had begun to rot, had added interest as they became<br />
home to stag beetles who emerged into the garden in the<br />
summer to find a mate. It was wonderful to see them<br />
actually. The male has jaws which look like a stag’s antler,<br />
hence the name. And, like stags, they use their ‘antler’ jaws<br />
to fight other males for the females. London is apparently<br />
a national hotspot for stag beetles and considerable<br />
conservation work is being done to conserve their habitats.<br />
But despite having a tree-filled park a few streets away, the<br />
urge to have more space and fresh air worked its way to the<br />
top on the list of priorities. And having made an offer on the<br />
second house they viewed, the Brixton flat and its garden have<br />
been replaced by a property in a village just south of Bath. And<br />
what a journey that was with several months spent in Airbnb<br />
properties whilst the chain sorted itself out and fears that their<br />
mortgage provider would renege on their offer were resolved.<br />
So now they are the proud owners of a sloping (and boy, what<br />
a slope) garden of just under half an acre. Thankfully the area<br />
nearest to the house is quite big and, luckily, perfectly flat – but<br />
it is just getting there from where the cars are parked that<br />
is the problem. But perhaps one should not worry about<br />
that and just see it for the wonderful south facing views<br />
they have over rolling countryside. And of course the slope<br />
can be tamed one day with the help of a digger and some<br />
innovative landscaping. Project Number 20 most probably.<br />
So, picture a garden on a slope which has been well loved but<br />
is now in need of a bit of sorting out. Where do you start...<br />
I think the first thing to think of is not to rip everything out<br />
immediately. Wait until you have been there for a while and<br />
can see what appears in the spring that you like the look of.<br />
Also it’s an idea to check what sort of soil you have<br />
before planting anything. Have a look round to see what<br />
is thriving in other local gardens perhaps. In this case, the<br />
local houses, many of them listed, are built from local Bath<br />
Stone, an alkaline limestone. So no acid lovers here.<br />
Then think about the aspect of the garden. For instance<br />
the vegetable patch is not only on a slope at the back of the<br />
house but a good half of it gets a limited amount of sun –<br />
especially in the winter when the light levels are so low. It<br />
is pretty stony here too, but that’ll help with drainage. The<br />
weeds are happily growing away but as old carpets from the<br />
house have been ripped up already, some of them have been<br />
turned over to be used as weed suppressors. Luckily they were<br />
all fairly neutral colours so there haven’t been any comments<br />
from the village on their way to the pub next door.<br />
Something that might be worth doing whilst there is so<br />
much else to do in the garden would be to sow a green manure:<br />
a cover crop grown solely to improve the soil. The one that<br />
I would use would be Phacelia which, whilst acting as a soil<br />
improver, also looks very pretty with its blue flowers and the<br />
added bonus of being very attractive to beneficial insects. Actually,<br />
when you eventually dig the plant in to work its magic on<br />
the soil, it’s worth leaving a few clumps here and there for the<br />
insects. You can sow Phacelia from spring through to autumn<br />
and as it is particularly leafy, it helps prevent nutrients being<br />
leached out of the soil whilst also helping to smother weeds.<br />
The previous owners have left a few bits of this and that<br />
in this area. There’s rhubarb and Jerusalem artichokes up at<br />
the back – it is very hard to get rid of Jerusalem artichokes<br />
even if you wanted to – and surprisingly some of the herbs<br />
like sage and rosemary are perfectly happy even in quite<br />
a shady spot. I suppose the drainage suits them well.<br />
Don’t forget to take photographs of the borders as they are now.<br />
As nothing had been cut down in this garden, it has been quite<br />
easy to identify most things. I’m a great fan of the Picture This<br />
app. You have to pay for it but it seems to be better than most at<br />
identifying plants that you are having trouble recognising yourself.<br />
We’ve already spent a wet afternoon identifying umpteen exotic<br />
houseplants that have made the transition from South London<br />
to the West Country. Apparently there is a fabulous houseplant<br />
shop called Cornucopia somewhere on Streatham High Street<br />
which was difficult to walk past without being tempted. The<br />
border plants were easier to recognise without any problem but<br />
it’s obvious that some of them are either totally overgrown or <br />
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out of place. There are at least<br />
half a dozen mature hazelnut<br />
clumps. One or two have already<br />
been cut right back and any good<br />
stems stored away to use as pea and<br />
bean supports in the summer. I must<br />
say that the borders look better<br />
already and definitely less congested<br />
although seven huge plants are about<br />
five too many. A Lonicera nitida hedge<br />
has been pulled out as it was as good<br />
as dead and perfect for the basis of a first<br />
bonfire. Lonicera, if kept under control, it is<br />
a fast growing alternative hedging plant but<br />
it soon topples over if left to its own devices<br />
and becomes unwieldy and ugly. Give me<br />
a native hedge any day – think of the advantages for wildlife.<br />
An overgrown rambling rose has had dead wood taken out<br />
so far but, as it is growing just by the one and only seating area,<br />
it may be replaced unless it is particularly fragrant or beautiful.<br />
Bath Stone walls on one side of the garden aren’t improved by<br />
having a couple of very elderly tree peonies looking very tired<br />
and soggy leaning against them. There’s not much else there<br />
but what fun they’ll have ‘clothing’ this wall and perhaps doing<br />
away with the narrow border at its base. But as there are some<br />
bulbs poking through as we speak, there may be something there<br />
that is worth hanging on to, so it’s worth waiting to find out.<br />
And then we come to the buddleias. They really do self sow<br />
like mad. Think of all the ones we see from the train on the way<br />
into London. As they are a great source of nectar for butterflies,<br />
it is great to have one or two in a garden but perhaps where their<br />
height fits in with everything else. Cut them back in late <strong>February</strong>/<br />
early March so that they’ll be flowering as the butterflies emerge.<br />
There is a laurel hedge that hides the pub garden next door<br />
– the house is wedged between an ancient church on one side<br />
and an ancient pub on the other! The Packhorse Inn dates<br />
from circa 1498 but was rebuilt in the 17th century. It closed<br />
in 2012 when its owner intended to change it into flats. The<br />
villagers had other thoughts, managing to raise over a million<br />
pounds from 430 investors to buy back the pub. It reopened as<br />
a community pub four years later having been totally renovated.<br />
The garden alone took 1,000 hours of volunteer help to landscape<br />
and it seems that 25 tonnes of earth was shifted by hand!<br />
But back to the laurel hedge. Laurel is one of my least favourite<br />
plants and, as we know, is used as instant evergreen planting on<br />
new developments everywhere we turn. At the moment this one<br />
is too tall for its space, but bearing in mind that it is affording<br />
privacy from the pub garden, a couple of feet off the top in<br />
late spring will improve things – unless there are nesting birds<br />
in there which will mean that it can’t be touched until July.<br />
And finally, on wet or frosty days what better way is<br />
there to spend your time than peering through gardening<br />
catalogues and perhaps ordering a few dahlias and flowers<br />
for this season’s cutting garden. Have you seen the<br />
choice of cosmos there is now? So deliciously pretty.<br />
Sue Whigham can be contacted on 07810 457948<br />
for gardening advice and help in the sourcing<br />
and supply of interesting garden plants.<br />
priceless-magazines.com<br />
88<br />
Ashford&CranbrookRoofingWT248.indd 1 30/11/2022 17:50
ART & AUCTIONS<br />
Sat 28 Jan – Sun 12 Mar<br />
Mon-Sat (excluding Tuesdays)<br />
11am-5pm & Sun 11am-4pm<br />
Rye Art Gallery, 107 High St,<br />
Rye, East Sussex TN31 7JE<br />
KARL TERRY ‘ROOTED<br />
IN THE LANDSCAPE’<br />
AT RYE ART GALLERY<br />
Rye Art Gallery celebrates the<br />
painting career of plein air artist,<br />
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Having only started on this path<br />
following a chance encounter with<br />
a former art teacher, Karl is now<br />
well-known and established. You’ll<br />
find the very best examples of<br />
Karl’s most recent work, depicting<br />
local landscapes in Sussex as well<br />
as far off views from places like<br />
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Entry: free<br />
ryeartgallery.co.uk<br />
Tues 21 Feb<br />
70/76 Knights Hill<br />
London SE27 0JD<br />
ROSEBERYS: FINE &<br />
DECORATIVE AUCTION<br />
Roseberys specialist fine art<br />
and antiques auction house<br />
is presenting two important<br />
collections in this exciting<br />
upcoming sale. The collection of<br />
the late Sir Nicholas Goodison<br />
includes hundreds of traditional<br />
mechanical and hand-operated<br />
automatons and commercial toys<br />
dating from the 1950s onwards.<br />
Their ingenious design and witty<br />
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key aspect of the history of toy<br />
making. The other collection is<br />
the Vater collection, put together<br />
by Robert G. and Ilse Vater in the<br />
20th century. It is an important<br />
and wide-ranging academic<br />
collection of European ceramics,<br />
which includes representative<br />
examples from many of the<br />
key manufactories and pottery<br />
centres from as far back as the<br />
Renaissance, right through<br />
to the early 19th century.<br />
roseberys.co.uk<br />
MUSIC & THEATRE<br />
Sat 11 <strong>February</strong><br />
G Live, London Road,<br />
Guildford GU1 2AA<br />
PRUE LEITH – NOTHING<br />
IN MODERATION<br />
In Prue’s frank, revealing<br />
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MFM23 <strong>Surrey</strong> <strong>Homes</strong> Magazine.qxp_Layout 1 12/01/<strong>2023</strong> 16:38 Page here 1 we go again! The third (and<br />
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Listings are correct at time of going<br />
to press but may be subject to change.<br />
Readers are advised to check with<br />
venues before making arrangements.<br />
We can list your event in the next<br />
issue of <strong>Surrey</strong> <strong>Homes</strong> for only<br />
£50+VAT. Please supply up to 200<br />
words that should include date, time,<br />
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Media reserves the right to edit<br />
text to fit space allocated. Deadline<br />
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RNRMEnterprisesLimitedWT249.indd 1 13/01/<strong>2023</strong> 11:08
Jane Howard looks forward<br />
to welcoming the first of<br />
this year’s new arrivals<br />
It’s extraordinary how much<br />
lighter the evenings are now<br />
than they were at Christmas.<br />
I know that’s how it works but it’s<br />
always surprising and thrilling. And<br />
along with the first snowdrops and<br />
crocuses there’s also lots of new life about<br />
to arrive on the farm to get excited about.<br />
The bull went out with the cows last May and<br />
ran with them for a couple of months. We used<br />
to be much more relaxed about leaving him with the<br />
girls for a long lazy summer of love, but we learnt the<br />
hard way and found ourselves calving for months on<br />
end. Now he goes in in May and out by July, back to a<br />
bachelor existence, which means we will only be calving<br />
for a couple of months – quite long enough to be keeping<br />
a 24 hour vigil to make sure everything goes smoothly.<br />
All the cows were pregnancy tested in August and<br />
all that information is recorded in my<br />
Herdwatch app, so a quick glance at the<br />
phone and I can easily tell which order<br />
they will calve in. The first sign that a cow<br />
is going into labour is a hunched back<br />
and a tail held out at a strange angle –<br />
she looks and feels very uncomfortable.<br />
That might be all that happens for a few<br />
hours before the water bag appears and<br />
then, if all is well, a pair of hooves and<br />
a nose – an indication that everything<br />
is in the right position-- and it will be<br />
born without the need for assistance.<br />
But even then the job isn’t over.<br />
However deep and clean the bed of<br />
straw, a cow shed is far from hygienic,<br />
and the calf will need good immunity from the moment<br />
it arrives. This comes from the mother’s colostrum,<br />
the first thick milk that is stuffed with antibodies and<br />
in the first few hours they must consume at least two<br />
litres -- without which their future is precarious.<br />
So a few minutes after she’s given birth the cow<br />
needs to stand up and start vigorously licking<br />
her calf dry – it’s where the saying lick into shape<br />
comes from – and then start pushing it to get up<br />
and nudging it into position to find her udder.<br />
All the cows were<br />
pregnancy tested<br />
in August and all<br />
that information<br />
is recorded in my<br />
Herdwatch app, so a<br />
quick glance at the<br />
phone and I can easily<br />
tell which order they<br />
will calve in<br />
An older experienced cow will know exactly what<br />
needs to be done and she’ll encourage it every step of<br />
the way but sometimes the heifers (first time mums)<br />
are far from impressed by the effort of giving birth<br />
and see no good reason to pursue motherhood and<br />
its associated responsibilities any<br />
further, thank you very much.<br />
So imagine, it’s three in the morning<br />
you’ve pulled and tugged a healthy calf<br />
into the world, all is well and it’s time<br />
for a cup of tea. It’s sooo annoying then<br />
to return half an hour later to discover<br />
the wet, confused and shivering calf<br />
still lying where it was born while its<br />
mother is nonchalantly munching hay<br />
with the other cows with a ‘nothing<br />
to do with me’ attitude. Grrr.<br />
What then follows is an hour of catching<br />
the heifer and keeping her restrained<br />
behind a gate while trying to get a slippery,<br />
wet, heavy (about 40kg) calf to stand<br />
up and find the udder through the railings – and sorry,<br />
but the bull calves are always far lazier than the girls and<br />
would far sooner just expire! Frequently, in an attempt<br />
to squirt the milk into the calves mouth, everything –<br />
including me – gets covered in sticky yellow colostrum<br />
(though it’s apparently very good for the skin) and I<br />
wonder why I gave up the day job. But then eventually it<br />
happens and nothing, absolutely nothing, sounds better<br />
that an enthusiastic slurp slurp slurp with the heifer gently<br />
mooing encouragement to her new arrival. Happy days.<br />
Find out more about daily life at Coopers Farm by visiting coopersfarmstonegate.co.uk<br />
priceless-magazines.com<br />
90
Would a lawyer make a good<br />
birth<br />
partner?<br />
The answer, as it turns out, is ‘yes,... if by being<br />
there they manage to finalise a time-sensitive<br />
property deed so that you and your new baby<br />
will have the perfect house to live in.’<br />
True story from one of our partners who showed<br />
up at his client’s maternity ward to get her signature in<br />
the nick of time. Midwives’ eyebrows were raised, papers<br />
were signed, and thus the dream house was secured.<br />
An impressive delivery, whichever way you look.<br />
If you need expert legal advice for you<br />
or your business, we’re here to help.<br />
T 01483 748500<br />
moorebarlow.com<br />
who cares wins<br />
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