nene valley living september 2011

NENE VALLEY Living

£1.50 September 2011www.bestlocalliving.co.uk

9 771740 052017

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H E L P I N G Y O U T O G E T T H E M O S T O U T O F L I V I N G L O C A L L Y

H E D G E R O W H A R V E S TForage for a feast

L I V I N G I N C O L O U RInterior inspirations

B A R G A I N H U N TOut and about at an antiques fair

NVLSEPT11.indd 1 18/8/11 15:12:41

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07917 45856901778 348865

Valuations Given

We have now opened our latest Antique Centre at - 1c West Street,

Helpston, PE6 7DU

Valuation Days held every Wednesday

Antiques Bought and SoldFree Valuations

Restoration Work UndertakenGold & Silver Bought – Best Prices Given

Please call to speak to one of our experts

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• NVL September ADS.indd 2 18/8/11 10:44:09

This issue September 5 Editor’s selection Back to school and college in style

6 Upfront A guitar craftsman in Oundle

9 Upfront Butterfl ies Cupcake House

10 Upfront A village pub reopens

12 The great antiques hunt Out and about at an antiques and collectors weekend

15 Food news The Red Lion reviewed, and artisan bread

17 Foraging for fungi Collect delicious mushrooms

19 A legacy that changes lives Good work from a local charity

20 The crafts revolution How handmade went hip

22 Health and Beauty Notes New dentist practice in Cathedral Square

25 Living in colour Bright looks for your home

29 Woodland Walk Short Wood, Southwick

30 The truth about care home fees Practical advice

33 Golf Club goes green Installing solar panels

35 Family adventures Canoeing and cycling

37 Diary dates The pick of this month’s events

EditorFiona [email protected] to Nene Valley Living, PO Box 208, Stamford, PE9 9FY www.nenevalleyliving.co.ukAdvertisement Manager Bridget Steele 01733 707538 [email protected] DirectorHelen Walton 01780 [email protected] of Design Steven [email protected] Designer Nik Ellis [email protected] Copy Rachel Beecroft 01780 765320 [email protected] Rudd-Jones 01780 765571 Email: [email protected] by Local Living Ltd, PO Box 208, Stamford, Lincs. PE9 9FY www.locallivingltd.co.uk Printed by Warner’s of Bourne

NENE VALLEY LIVING September 2011 3

NENE VALLEY LIVING

Life without hobbies would

be a dull place, but not only that, people who actively pursue their interests are far less likely to become depressed, according to a number of

recent studies. Singing is one pastime that bestows all kinds of benefi ts on participants, and even knitting has been found to have a therapeutic effect on those who like to knit and purl from time to time. I know that these sorts of surveys can be annoying, as they are often little more than a lesson in stating the blindingly obvious, but it’s uplifting to hear that enjoying yourself is actively good for you. I went along to the Handmade in Peterborough gathering this month, and met a lovely and very diverse group of women who have a regular Monday night slot where they take their crafts projects along to the Brewery Tap in Peterborough and crochet, stitch, knit and chat over a few drinks. Nobody batted an eyelid as they unpacked their yarn, patchwork and crochet and set to work. Read more about them on page 20 in Emily Bull’s fi rst report for us.

Next month we’ll be reporting on some of the area’s popular community choirs, which are going from strength to strength and bringing great pleasure to both participants and audiences. How great to hear so much positive community news, given the madness that gripped the country during August.

And on another happy note, I’d also like to congratulate regular NVL photographer and valued team member Lesley Anne Churchill and her partner Stuart, who have just had a beautiful baby boy called Freddie.

Enjoy your month.

SUBSCRIBE TO Nene Valley Living

For £20 (£30 for overseas’ surface mail) you can subscribe to Nene Valley Living for 12 issues. Please send your name, address and a cheque made out to Local Living Ltd to: NVL Subscriptions, PO Box 208, Stamford, PE9 9FY

20 THE CRAFTS REVOLUTION

25 LIVING IN COLOUR

Cover shot: Local produce by

Dave Phillips

F iona CumberpatchEditor

W W W. B E S T L O C A L L I V I N G . C O . U K @LocalLivingUK

12 THE GREAT ANTIQUES HUNT

35 FAMILY ADVENTURES

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Editor’s selectionThings to read, buy and see this month

3 For stylish students: handmade Rosehip notebooks, £8.50 each, Oundle Emporium, online only http://www.theemporiumoundle.com/

1Apple mouse mat, £5, John Lewis,

Queensgate Centre, Peterborough

2 Sock monkey dinner

money purse, £3.99, Jitterbug Toys (online only) http://www.jitterbugtoys.co.uk/

6 Messenger bag, from £10-£15 depending

on size, handmade in Peterborough by CherryCherry bags. Contact Claire Carter on [email protected] to order

8 Insulated lunch bag, £3.99,

Jitterbug Toys, (as above)7 College chic: tweed

jacket, £159.95, Jacks, 20 Market Place, Oundle.

Tel: 01832 270033

5 New term, new

menus? Pure Style: Recipes for Everyday by Jane Cumberbatch, Pavilion, £25. Order from Oundle Bookshop Tel: 01832 273523

4 A student essential: toaster,

£21, John Lewis, Queensgate Centre, Peterborough

5 ED CHOICE.indd 1 18/8/11 15:15:53

UpfrontfrontWhat’s new this month

LOCAL NEWS

6 NENE VALLEY LIVING September 2011

Autumn country marketEaston Walled Gardens, a short drive north along the A1, is hosting a seasonal country market on September 11th. There will be lots of plants on sale, as well as gifts, food and vintage items. Ceramic painting is just one of the activities on offer for children, not to mention 12 acres of beautiful grounds to explore. TV gardener Laetitia Maklouf will be there to answer questions as part of an expert panel. • Open 11am-4pm. Adults £5.75. Contact Easton Walled Gardens on 01476 530063 or visit http://eastonwalledgardens.co.uk/

Guitar craftsman in OundleMatthew Gleeson is a luthier – a maker of stringed instruments - and he has just opened for business in Oundle. With impressive credentials, including work for numerous professional musicians including David Gilmour, Pete Townsend, Chris Rea, Elvis Costello, Pat Metheny, Jon Bon Jovi and Paul McCartney, Matthew has just relocated to the area from London. “I have experience dealing with every kind of guitar repair from a simple set up, to complete custom built guitars with more onboard effects than you could shake a stick at,” says Matthew. “Most things are repairable. I’ve dealt with guitars that have been in warehouse fl oods, literally beaten on stage, and also guitars that have unfortunately been involved in some nasty break ups. All of which have come out the other side as good as new.” Matthew also plans to start manufacturing his own guitar parts and full custom guitars soon. He is keen to emphasise that he is as committed to working on guitars for amateurs as professionals. A musician himself, he is currently in two bands, but he diverted into the mechanics of guitar repair after his own instruments continually broke and required maintenance while he was at music college. Seizing the initiative, Matthew talked himself into an apprenticeship with the renowned Charlie Chandler in Kew, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Spotlight on South AfricaWith the summer fading out, and winter ahead, why not plan your next holiday and head for South Africa for a spot of sunshine?With only a two hour time difference, South Africa is a perfect sunshine destination during the British winter - with the best weather from November through to March.

South Africa offers exciting cities, outstanding game viewing, superb hotels and lodges and breathtaking scenery. A popular combination for a shorter break is to spend four nights in Cape Town - choose from the Victoria & Alfred Hotel, or the newly opened One & Only, the city’s newest luxury resort - combined with a stay in the Winelands. Add in a day safari to The Aquila Game Reserve, which is less than two hours from Cape Town, and home to four of the big fi ve! Then spend four or fi ve nights in Stellenbosch or Franschhoek in the centre of South Africa’s premium wine growing region. The fabulous Mont Rochelle Hotel is simply stunning and highly recommended by Oundle Travel. The favourable exchange rate makes South Africa an affordable winter holiday, where dining out is a well priced pleasure.

Travelling from Capetown via Oudtshoorn, the feather capital of the world (due to its huge ostrich industry), is one of the most beautiful drives in the world - The Garden Route. Visit the towns of Knysna and Tsitsikamma Forest before returning to Hermanus, home to some incredible whale watching sites. Why not end your trip by spending three to four nights in a game reserve, such as the Serengeti or Masai Mara? For an interesting beach combination, consider Zanzibar, Mozambique or Madagascar.• Oundle Travel. Tel: 01832 273600 - http://www.oundletravel.co.uk/

Art on displayFour of Peterborough’s best known artists have come together to create an exhibition called Elemental at the Andronicas café in Peterborough Garden Park. Running until September 20th, the show includes 25 land and seascape paintings by Garth Bayley, Prue Pye, Rene Viner and Wendy Dominguez. René Viner, curator and originator of the exhibition says: “we have such a thriving local artistic community but very few suitable spaces in which to show our work. When Andronicas Café approached us with the great idea to use their upstairs space, we jumped at it.” All the artists have taken the elements – air, water, earth and fi re – as their inspiration.

6 UPFRONT.indd 1 18/8/11 15:18:33

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LOCAL NEWS

UpfrontFive minutes with Laura Calvin, co-owner of Butterfl ies Cupcake House, Peterborough Describe your business We design and make cupcakes and celebration cakes for birthdays, parties, anniversaries and weddings. My mum makes the cakes, while I am responsible for all the sales and marketing. It’s a personalised service: you come in for a consultation and we’ll do everything we can to make sure you have the best cake possible for your event.When did you set up?2010. We tested the waters with a stand in the Grafton Centre, Cambridge, just to see if people were interested, and they were, so we decided to go for it. We now have a showroom, offi ce and kitchen in Fengate, Peterborough.Did you have previous experience?My mum is a trained chef and has been making cakes for over 30 years. I was previously the commercial manager of BHS in Peterborough, so I have a background in sales and marketing.Do you have any employees?At the moment, it’s just us, a mother and daughter team who have decided to turn our love for making delicious and fantastic looking cakes into a business.Most popular product?Our Rocky Road cupcake, with double

chocolate, and a marshmallow and biscuit topping.Where do you live?PeterboroughBest place for eating out locally?The Taj Mahal in Lincoln Road, Peterborough. Not only for its wonderful food, the service is also fantastic.Favourite shopping destination?For a day out, it has to be CambridgeBest thing about living in this area?I love Peterborough Cathedral and the fact

that it’s right in the town centre. I always take visitors there. Plus, it’s only a few miles drive to lovely countryside, good pubs and varied scenery.

• Butterfl ies Cupcake House, 9/10 Fenlake Business Centre, Fengate, Peterborough PE1 5BQ. Tel: 07825 347441 email: butterfl [email protected]://www.butterfl iescupcakes.com/Open 10am-5pm. Closed Thursdays and Sundays.

Have you taken part in Sacrewell Farm’s bread-making workshops, discovery trails or ghost hunts in the 18th century working watermill? Did you visit the historic building when you were a child? If so, the organisers would love to see your photos or drawings and hear your memories. Send your letters and pictures to Mill Memories, Sacrewell Farm and Country Centre, Thornaugh, Peterborough PE8 6HJ or email [email protected]. If you’d like to visit the Mill House and watermill, Sacrewell Farm and Country Centre is open seven days a week. Admission charges apply.

Ask the ExpertI’d like to set up my own small business. What steps do I need to take?Kerry Hilliard of accountancy fi rm Stephenson Smart replies:Decide what sort of business structure you will be using. Common types are sole trader, partnership, limited company or LLP. The appropriate structure will depend upon many different factors, including tax considerations and attitudes to personal liability.

Prepare a business plan. A good business plan is key to success and is invaluable in structuring your ideas. If your business requires funding, then a plan will help investors and lenders understand your business and your intentions for its future development.

Consider where you will work from and whether you’ll need to employ any staff. You may be able to

work from home if you require a small offi ce space, or opt to rent or buy dedicated business premises. If you are an employer then you have a responsibility to deduct income tax and National Insurance and account for it to HM

Revenue and Customs. You will also need to ensure that you comply with employment

law.Accounting records for your business

must be kept and reported to HMRC. If a company is formed, there are legal requirements as to the layout of the accounts and you may need to have an audit. You have three months to notify HMRC that you have started in business and you could face a penalty if you do not notify them in time. You may also need to register

for VAT. You’ll be obliged to register if your taxable

sales or services exceed the registration limit. For more information and help, contact Stephenson Smart & Co. Telephone: 01733 343275 http//www.stephensonsmart.com

Nene Valley People

Sacrewell’s watermill memories


9 UPFRONT.indd 1 18/8/11 15:19:24


LOCAL NEWS

Upfront

Mark Elliot in StamfordMark Elliott Furniture, under new ownership, has now relocated to premises at the east end of Bath Row, opposite Adnams. It is much larger than its previous home, allowing much more furniture to be displayed. Downstairs are sofas, chairs and tables, while upstairs there is a large selection of beds and bedroom furniture. All the furniture you see is 100 per cent British, and can be fi nished exactly to your specifi cations (size and material).• Mark Elliot Furniture, Bath Row, Stamford, PE9 2HG Tel: 01780 766284 http://www.markelliot.co.uk/

Evensong in St Peter’s, DeeneOn Sunday September 25th at 4pm, there will be a choral evensong for Harvest Festival at St Peter’s Church in Deene, just off the A43 between Stamford and Corby. The service will be lead by Canon Donald Gray CBE and music will be provided by the Northampton Bach Chorale. Parking is at nearby Deene Park. St Peter’s Church is thought to date back to the 13th century or possibly earlier, and was greatly rebuilt by TH Wyatt in 1868-69 under the direction of Adeline, wife of the 7th Earl of Cardigan who lead the Charge of the Light Brigade in 1854. St Peter’s is now in the care of The Churches Conservation Trust. • For further information, contact the Administrator of Deene Park on 01780 450278 or email [email protected]

The wonder of watercoloursThis September over 40 recent paintings by watercolour artist Michael Aubrey will be on show at The Old Hind Gallery in Oundle. The gallery, converted from the 16th century stables in what was once Oundle’s drovers’ inn leads off West Street, and is approached through a beautiful walled garden. The paintings include a wide range of subjects, from still lifes to landscapes. There will also be a number of oil paintings on display, as Michael has recently returned to his earlier love of oils.• The Old Hind Gallery, 34 West St, Oundle. Open 10am-6pm, Friday, Saturday and Sunday through September. Free admission. For information, telephone 01832 272492 or visit http://michaelaubrey.co.uk/

It’s an idyllic country pub which many people have missed during its brief period of closure, but now the Kings Head Apethorpe is open for business again, managed by new leaseholders Simon Forbes and Charlotte Bussey. The young couple will be offering traditional English home cooked food and all day Sunday lunches, and recreating the friendly, relaxed atmosphere for which the establishment was known previously.

“Simon has lived in the village for six years and it was the fi rst pub he worked at,” explains Charlotte. “He always said that he’d like to run it, and now we have the chance. It’s very exciting.” • For opening hours, events and up to date information, visit http://www.kingsheadapethorpe.co.uk or call 01780 470627

Refresh your home It’s amazing what a big difference new curtains, blinds or soft furnishings can make to your house. Kay Elizabeth Interiors provides a full design, make up and fi tting service on curtains, blinds, pelmets, cushions and lampshades. Owner Kay Jones has trained extensively over the years, and has a diploma from the Cambridge Fine Furnishing Course. “I enjoy bespoke projects and no task is ever unachievable, even though fabric doesn’t always behave as it should,” she explains. “I am a perfectionist and I aim to give my clients exactly what they require.” Kay’s previous projects include everything from small homes to manor houses and shop window displays.• Call 07958 559525 or email [email protected]

Singers wantedSinging with others has numerous health and wellbeing benefi ts, according to recent research, and the Nene valley area has many groups to suit different styles. Peterborough’s four part Male Barbershop Chorus has been established for 20 years, and has appeared at the Peterborough Festival, as well as some national events. It’s now looking to expand its 30 strong membership, and is running a free fi ve week learn to sing course starting on Thursday September 15th at the Orton Wistow Community Centre, 7.30pm-10pm. • There are no age restrictions, so if you’d like to give it a go, or just fi nd out more, call Alan Lund on 01733 260645 or Brian McDonnell on 0774 0987127.

Kings Head, Apethorpe, reopens

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Claire Williams from Peterborough was antique-ing with a friend. “I’m not a serious collector, I just like looking

for vintage pieces for the home,” she says.

Harry the dog, half Jack Russell, half King Charles spaniel, takes a rest with owner

Sara Challiner, from Sleaford, who had made one purchase: a nine carat go

ld stock pin.

She was visiting the fair with her parents Godfrey and Queenie Littlejohns. “It’s our first time

here and we’re very pleasantly surprised,” says Sara.

“It’s a beautiful setting and you can get around easily.”

Tracey Mathieson, florist, gardener and owner of the Foxtail Lilly shop in South Road, Oundle, came across

this huge vintage suitcase.

Wes Antiques and Collectables from Horncastle specialise in French and Continental collectables. The owners’ overnight accommodation came in the shape of this tiny Dutch caravan.

ACTIVITIES


The great antiques hunt

Antiques shopping for the home is a complete pleasure when it takes place on a sunny morning in the grounds of the splendid Grimsthorpe Castle, near Bourne. It’s worth getting up a little

earlier than usual to trawl around 150 stalls selling everything from garden statuary to vintage textiles, glassware and old signs. It’s best not to come with a fi xed shopping list – you’ll invariably end up falling in love with something you never knew you wanted! We spent several enjoyable hours wandering around, accompanied by the nostalgic sound of a scratchy ’78 jazz record, courtesy of a wind up record player on one of the stalls.

The fashion for vintage and antiques items for the home shows no sign of slowing down, as we found recently at the busy Antiques Fair and Collectors Weekend at Grimsthorpe Castle, near Bourne. Words and photographs: Fiona Cumberpatch

The great antiques hunt

end up falling in love with something you never knew you wanted! We spent several enjoyable hours

Grimsthorpe Castle, which dates to

1541, makes a

spectacular setting for the event, w

hich is run

by Field Dog Fairs

Helen Storey sells vintage treasures, curios and collectables

that she sources

with partner, Gordon. “We have a stand at Notions Antiques Centre in

Grantham, and our focus is more on vintage items rather

than antiques,

so that’s things from the 1920s to the 1960s,” she says. “M

y partner is the

toy person, whereas I like kitchenalia and old tins.”

12 13 GRIMSTHORPE.indd 2 18/8/11 15:21:52

Rusty Rails is the name of David Broughton’s business, specialising in transport memorabilia. He has a selection of lamps, signs, notices, signalling equipment, tickets, paperwork, watches, whistles, tools and uniform. He has weekly stalls at Newark,

Retford and Doncaster, and will be present at the next antiques fair on Stamford Meadows in September (see box for details).

Sifting through the finds is thirs

ty and tiring work,

and this coffee stall was doing

a roaring trade.Sifting through the finds is thirs

ty and tiring work,



ty and tiring work,



ty and tiring work,

NVL editor Fiona Cumberpatch found this length of mid-century modern fabric by Heal’s. “It’s not the kind of thing

I usually buy, but I’ll find a use for it somewhere,” she says.

Liz Cartlidge was

enjoying a day’s br

owsing, and she had

bought

these two vintage b

askets and an old M

ickey Mouse toy. “I’m

very pleased with m

y purchases and I’

m now thinking abo

ut

buying an old zinc

bath tub for the

garden,” she says.

Vintage shoes, dresses, fabric and china are

the mainstay at dealer Maureen’s stall.

Claire Williams from Peterborough was antique-ing with a friend. “I’m not a serious collector, I just like looking

for vintage pieces for the home,” she says.


Grimsthorpe Castle, which dates to

1541, makes a

spectacular setting for the event, w

hich is run

by Field Dog Fairs

A sturdy tin trunk was Lincoln dealer Sharon

Garner’s find of the day.

Field Dog Fairs is running another

antiques and collectors weekend

on Stamford Meadows, Stamford, on September 23rd,

24th and 25th. Admission £3.50

adults (£3 concessions),

accompanied children free. For

further information, visit

www.fi elddogfairs.co.uk or telephone 01780 410286 or 07889097400

12 13 GRIMSTHORPE.indd 3 18/8/11 15:24:12

14

01733 571721 125 Church Street

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Th

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8 NENE VALLEY LIVING July 2008 NENE VALLEY LIVING September 2011 15

FOOD & DRINK

All the latest on local food and drink

Food newsWe visited this village pub on a Saturday

evening: as on previous visits, it felt welcoming and friendly with a buzz of chatter. We sat in the bar enjoying pre-dinner drinks and looking over the menu. Food can be eaten in the separate bar or the cosy antique fi lled restaurant next door.Moving into the restaurant to eat, we tucked into our excellent starters: grilled goats cheese on a toasted crouton with a side salad and plenty of extra bread hit the spot. The cheese had just the right tang and came with a tasty chutney to compliment. The chilli prawns were large and succulent with plenty of fl avour without too much heat.

I enjoyed my fi llet of sea bass served with a prawn and dill sauce, new potatoes and seasonal vegetables. Mel chose the lamb shank, slow roasted in red wine and served with minty new potatoes and vegetables – she said the meat was tender and tasty. The men went for the pork fi llet cooked in a rich three mustard sauce. Everything was delicious, home cooked and served with a friendly fl ourish.

Only Tim could manage a dessert and he chose the home made treacle tart and custard. I had tried this on a previous visit and knew it would be a melt-in-your mouth moreish pudding - as it certainly was.

The Red Lion serves comfort food at its best and moves seamlessly from its loyal lunch time crowd of local groups, walkers and retired friends enjoying the popular Red Lion roasts served from Tuesdays to Saturday lunch times to an À La Carte menu in the evening that has something for everyone. Bridget Steele

NENE VALLEY LIVINGRECOMMENDS• The Red Lion, Warmington •Win a stay at

The Crown Inn, EltonDiners who review The Crown Inn Elton online could be rewarded with a free stay and a three course dinner for two. The initiative comes as part of the pub’s new interactive website. Customers are asked to rank their experiences, and once every three months, a lucky winner will be drawn. Chef owner Marcus Lamb says: “customer feedback is really important to us.”The Crown Inn. Tel: 01832 280232 http://www.thecrowninn.org

In a nutshell: Home made comfort food at its best, in comfortable surroundings.Food served: Tuesday to Saturday lunch times one course £8.95, two courses £10.95. Early doors Tuesday to Saturday 6-7pm, buy one get one meal half price. À La Carte evening menu.Open Tuesday to SaturdayTypical price for two in the evening: £50 with wine.Red Lion, Peterborough Road, Warmington, Peterborough, PE8 6TNTel: 01832 280362

A better bit of breadWhen Filam Smallridge moved from California to the Nene valley region, she missed two things: Thai takeaways and excellent bread. She solved the second problem by baking her own loaves, and the results were so successful that she has now started a small business. The Small Bread Company supplies Nassington Stores with artisan bread on Fridays and Saturdays, and Filam also bakes special orders, including organic scones and burger buns. “Real bread has four main ingredients: fl our, yeast, salt and water,” she explains. “I buy my fl our from Whissendine Mill in Rutland and I make the loaves in my own kitchen.” Her bestseller is a wholewheat seeded loaf. Research shows that artisan bread is richer in nutrients than mass produced loaves, and it is better tolerated by people who have a sensitivity to wheat. And above all: “it just tastes better,” says Filam.Tel: 01832 205540 Email: [email protected] The Small Bread Company is also on Facebook

William Cecil opensThe William Cecil Hotel in Stamford (formerly the Lady Anne’s) has reopened in all its refurbished glory. The hotel has been transformed by reorienting the downstairs space. Now there are two restaurants at the back of the building to make the most of the garden area, and a door straight into the street to attract non-residents. Perfect for a late summer’s drink outside.The William Cecil, St Martin’s, Stamford PE9 2LJ Tel: 01780 750070 http://thewilliamcecil.co.uk/

15 FOOD NEWS.indd 1 18/8/11 15:25:46

Food & drink


September is the prime month for gathering edible fungi, but Dave Phillips has some words of advice for would-be foragers

September is the time when many of us succumb to that hunter-gatherer instinct and go foraging or food in the countryside. It’s when you’ll find families gathering wild

blackberries for jams and puddings, or sloes and elderberries for more alcoholic tipples.Fewer go mushroom hunting, which is a surprise considering what a good area this

is for gathering fungi. The grassy meadows of the Nene valley provide rich pickings for the mushroom hunter, while the woods offer a harvest of fine fungi. But what puts most folk off is, of course, the fact that the mushroom’s close cousin – the toadstool – is often deadly poisonous.

An expert on fungi was once asked what was the difference between a toadstool and a mushroom. He replied: “A toadstool has a cap and a stem and you can’t eat it; a mushroom has a cap and a stem and you can.” It means you have to be very, very careful about what you pick. Handle with careNever eat any mushroom until you are 100 per cent certain of its identity. If you’re going foraging you’ll need a good identification book, like the Collins field guides to mushrooms and toadstools. Even better is the bible of fungi gathering, Mushrooms by Roger Phillips. The latter is a big book of almost 400 pages - too large to lug around the countryside, but good to have at home for reference before you commit your foraged fungi to the frying pan.

There are well over 2,000 species of mushrooms and toadstools in Britain. Of these, several are delicious, many are edible but bland, many more are inedible because they taste horrible, a lot are mildly poisonous and will causes stomach upsets… and a few will kill you.

But don’t let that dire warning put you off. Some of the best mushrooms are easy to identify – like field and horse mushrooms, which are found in unimproved grassy meadows – especially those fields grazed by animals. But do avoid the similar-looking yellow stainer mushroom, which smells like antispectic and, as its name suggests, discolours to a metallic yellow when cut with a sharp knife. It tastes unpleasant and can cause gastric upsets.

In the woods, the scaly wood mushroom is a real treat. It is quite common locally, often growing in rings around the base of oak trees in September and October. Like most mushrooms, it tends to die off after the first frosts of winter, but nearby you’ll often find groups of wood blewits – beautiful, blue/violet-tinted mushrooms that will often survive through to Christmas (unless we get severe early winter weather). Their close relatives, the field blewits, are fairly common in this area, where local folk call them “blue legs” on account of their blueish stems. They can’t be missed – they’re usually four to six inches across and grow in huge fairy rings on old pastures.

Also growing in fairy rings are the commonplace champignons, which are a delicious addition to any risotto, soup or pasta dish. But these lovely little mushrooms have tough stems, which need to be snipped off with scissors or nipped through with your thumbnail. Fact or fiction?It used to be thought that fairy rings were formed by fungi growing in the footsteps of fairies as they danced in circles in the moonlit meadows. Sadly, the truth is less magical. All mushrooms and toadstools are the fruiting bodies of underground organisms – vast networks of microscopic threads that are neither plant nor animal get their nutrients by breaking down organic matter. As the underground fungus grows, it throws up its fruiting bodies around its perimeter.

You don’t have to escape to the woods or meadows to gather delicious mushrooms. Ordinary verges and footpaths are where you’ll find shaggy inkcaps, delicious if you pick and eat them when they are very young and before their gills turn black and inky.

The biggest enemy of the mushroom gatherer is the mushroom fly, or, rather, its larvae – maggots. Always cut your pickings in half to look for the tell-tale burrows. But I can’t stress too often that the most dangerous bit is taking a chance and eating something you’re not sure of. For example, some good edible species have lookalikes that are poisonous. Avoid them, just in case...

Of course, you don’t have to eat what you find. With so many species of mushrooms and toadstools to discover, why not just go out to admire, and perhaps photograph, these wonders of the autumn countryside? After all, fungi should be fun.

Foraging for fungiEdible: fairy ring champignons

Edible: field blewits in frost

Poisonous Webcap

Poisonous: The Sickener

Edible: Scaly wood mushroom

Edible: Shaggy inkcaps

inedible: blackening waxcap

inedible: dryad’s saddle

inedible: dung roundhead

inedible: funnel cap

inedible: milkcaps

inedible: snakeskin grisette

16 FUNGI.indd 1 18/8/11 15:39:30

17

The Taste of the Orient

Upper Deck, Charters, Town Bridge, Peterborough, PE1 1FP

www.east-restaurant.co.uk01733 315 702Lunch 12-2:30pm Mon-Sat, 12-3:30pm Sun (Buffet)Dinner 5:30-11pm Fri & Sat, 5:30-10:30pm Sun-Thurs

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A genuine pub serving authentic food from England and Spain

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CELBRATING OUR 5TH ANNIVERSARY

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Matley Dental Surgery

Matley, Orton Brimbles, Peterborough PE2 5YQ(01733)230066

Accepting new patients forprivate dental care

Professional dentistry in a relaxed andfriendly environment

A family dental practice offeringpreventive care and cosmetic treatments

Denplan EnlightenWhitening

£15 discount on your initial consultation


PersPectives


When Huntingdonshire farmer Marshal Papworth took his first trip to Africa, he

saw more than the wildlife he’d been looking forward to spotting on safari. He looked at the land, learned of the difficulties rural communities were facing, and realised that lack of knowledge and practical skills were preventing them from getting the most from their animals and crops. So he did something about it. Over the years, until his untimely death in 2000, he made many friends among the small-scale farmers that he helped. What’s more, he left a legacy that would change the lives of thousands of people.

A long-standing member of the East of England Agricultural Society, Marshal bequeathed a trust fund to be managed by the Society for the further education of agricultural students from developing countries.

Charles Reynolds, who farms at Brigstock, is the ideal person to chair the Fund. Through friendships made with African fellow students at the Royal Agricultural College in Cirencester, Charles spent time working in development and on commercial farms in Zimbabwe, resulting in a love of Africa and an understanding of some of the land-use difficulties facing the continent. “In the ten years since the Fund was launched, over 70 students from Africa and Asia have received scholarships for post-graduate study,” he says. “I never cease to be amazed at the personal sacrifices so many of the students make to study here and their determination to put the knowledge they have gained to good effect in their home countries.”

Their subjects have included environment and sustainable development, water management, natural resources, forestry, international horticulture and project planning. These are one-year, MSc courses at UK universities and colleges and most beneficiaries are in their early 30s, often working in government departments or for non-

governmental organisations (NGOs). “In this 10th anniversary year, we’ve partnered with Shuttleworth College in Bedfordshire to develop an eight-week agricultural course covering crop and animal husbandry, appropriate machinery and small business skills,” Charles tells me. “It’s valuable knowledge and experience that the participants will transfer to their farming communities back home.”

the man and his visionMarshal Papworth grew up on Darlow Farm near Ramsey, now part of the Great Fen Project, and went on to farm at Upwood, where he designed and built much of his own farm equipment. With an interest in vintage machinery and his collection of old tractors, he was instrumental in setting up the Ramsey Rural Museum.

A quiet man with a sense of adventure, Marshal joined Cambridge University Gliding Club and later leased some of his land at Upwood to the Nene Valley Gliding Club. When he converted to power flight in the 1990s, he built his own plane from a kit. He was tragically killed when his plane crashed in bad weather.

His brother Stuart describes him as a thoughtful, forward-thinking person and a firm believer in helping people to help themselves. “He’d go to Africa on a safari holiday and be laden down with excess baggage containing bits of equipment he knew local farmers would appreciate,” Stuart remembers.

“He wanted his money to get to people who could put it to good use and in 1986 he came up with the idea of providing study scholarships. He’d seen how farming works in the developing world and knew that one person’s gained knowledge and skills would be handed down to improve the lives and income of hundreds of poor families.”

student successes Ugandan civil engineer Philip Tibenderana studied Water Management at Cranfield University, specialising in Community Water and Sanitation. Now Water Engineer and Deputy Programme Co-ordinator with a staff of 40 for a community-based NGO in south western Uganda, he’s instrumental in improving the lives of thousands of rural poor people.Isaac Kankam-Boadu from Ghana was a co-ordinator for the UN Millennium Villages Project when he gained a Marshal Papworth scholarship to study Project Planning and Management at the University of Bradford. Once home, he secured the role of Project Manager on the Northern Ghana Food Security Project, working with 10,000 small-scale rural farmer households (around 70,000 people). In the first year the project saw a 300 per cent increase in crop yields with most households having enough food to see them through the year.• For more information visit the website http://www.marshalpapworth.com/

A legacy that changes livesMarshal Papworth was a local farmer who believed in helping people to help themselves and today thousands of people are reaping the benefit. Sue Dobson explains

Marshal Papworth pictured on one of his vintage tractors

Bridget Nkor from Nigeria was enthusiastic about

the vocational course she attended at shuttleworth

college

Mccloud Kayira from Malawi, who gained his Msc in Applied Development studies at reading University

Participants in the first agricultural short course at shuttleworth college pictured at the 2011 east of england show

19 PAPWORTH.indd 1 18/8/11 15:27:28

computer game inspired products would mix too

well. I decided to start Handmade In Peterborough

(HiP), taking my inspiration from the “Stitch ‘n’ Bitch” social nights that

have swept America by storm. I set up a weekly Monday night meeting at the Brewery Tap pub, with the very fi rst one falling on Valentine’s Day. As the time drew near, I started to panic. Would anyone turn up? Would I end up looking like an insane jilted girlfriend making blankets on her own in a restaurant and crying? Luckily eight people arrived and the next week we had

even more! We now have an average of 15 to 20 people every week doing everything from card making to bead weaving and cross-stitch.

Micro-shopping centreThere’s a growing market for the products too. People are more aware of where their items are coming from, what they are made from, if they are fair trade or not; and there is no better way of fi nding out about that if you can talk directly to the person who made it. From our group, a few people are hoping to start the next generation of craft fair and Peterborough itself is a prime location. Setting up a small shop in

HOME AND GARDEN


With the help of people like Kirstie Allsop and her recent “Kirstie’s Homemade

Home” TV series, a new generation is getting interested in making their own homewares, gifts and clothing. The reasons vary from the recession and climate change to soaring business rates. For me it started with a new life - that of a little boy called Charlie, to be precise. His christening came just at the wrong time for our budget: we were faced with a choice of bland, high street tat when we really wanted to give him something that would stand out, and stay with him for years.

I’d always been creative so the idea of a hand made baby blanket came fairly quickly, and YouTube became a surprisingly good (and free) teacher of the basic crochet stitches I needed. A bit of a twist came when we began putting it together and a bolt of inspiration struck: my Space Invader blanket went down a storm.

Crochet: the new yoga?It seems I’m not alone in picking up a new skill in order to make gifts and even things to sell. Angela Watson from Art and Stitch in Woodston agrees. “More and more people are staying at home in the evenings rather than going out so they are looking for something they can do. We’re also seeing a growing trend in recycling and upcycling. People are doing things like getting an old tablecloth and turning into a bag or something else at very little cost. Craft has always been there, but it comes and goes and certain skills come into fashion and then die away again. Knitting and especially crochet are very popular at present.”

So, is crochet the new yoga? Could it go beyond a lonely pastime and bring people together? I decided to fi nd out. Surely I couldn’t the only person in Peterborough to think making stuff was cool? There were a couple of groups already in existence but they mostly met during the day, once every couple of months or were clearly aimed at the over 70’s, where I didn’t think my

The crafts revolutionThink of craft and what do you picture? A dignifi ed gentleman carving something out of wood? Or a scratchy knitted sweater from your childhood? But times are changing, and crafts have never been so covetable, reports Emily Bull.

computer game inspired products would mix too

well. I decided to start Handmade In Peterborough

(HiP), taking my inspiration from the “Stitch ‘n’ Bitch” social nights that

have swept America by storm. I set up a weekly Monday night meeting at the Brewery Tap pub,

to sell. Angela Watson from Art and Stitch in Woodston agrees. “More and more people are staying at home in the evenings rather than going out so they are looking for something they can do. We’re also seeing a growing trend in recycling and upcycling. People are doing things like getting an old tablecloth and turning into a bag or something else at very little cost. Craft has always been there, but it comes and goes and certain skills come into fashion and then die away again. Knitting and especially crochet are very popular at present.”

So, is crochet the new yoga? Could it go beyond a lonely pastime and bring people together? I decided to fi nd

Want to learn a new craft?

If you lack the confi dence to try a new craft on your own, a

workshop can provide the boost you need. Margaret Rowan at Rowantree Craft

Studio in Nassington runs a selection of courses designed to inspire. Rag rug making, crochet, knitting, sewing and paper crafts are

all on offer at the purpose made studio.• For details, call 01780 783323 or visit

www.rowantreeworkshops.co.uk Rowantree Craft Studio,

24 Station Rd, Nassington, Peterborough.

20 21 HANDMADE.indd 2 18/8/11 15:28:31

the city centre is an expensive business and this shows, with very few quality independents surviving. This in turn gives local makers little chance of getting into the major shopping areas.

Local poet and HiP member Keely Mills recognised this early on and when she was given the chance to start organising events at St John’s Church on Cathedral Square, she saw the potential immediately.

“With Handmade at St John, we aim to grow into more than a group of people sitting at tables.” she explains, “we want it to become a grassroots micro-shopping centre. It’s one

of the most beautiful buildings in the city and we want shoppers to expect the unexpected with music, entertainment and a café. We are starting to run late night shopping events once a month on a Thursday night. It’s early days yet but we hope by Christmas to be well known across the area.”

Craft is dead. Long live handmade!Stephen Reed from Pondskipper Crafts agrees that a city centre market could work. “There are so many shops on the High Street selling things that look handmade, and they probably are, but by people in China who are on tuppence a day. There is some interest in buying local but it’s just difficult to get the message out there, you have to clever with how you market things and don’t assume you can charge a premium just because you made it.”

One interesting point that HiP discovered by asking people, especially men, was that the best way to advertise a craft fair, is to ban the word craft. We posed the question: on Christmas Eve, if you had money in your pocket and presents to buy and you saw a Craft Fair would you go in? The answer was nearly always no. Surprisingly even husbands of women who craft still said no. Those images of naff products by Nannas, for Nannas just won’t go away. But the reaction to a Handmade Market was completely different. People tell us it sounds younger, and higher quality. Craft is dead. Long live handmade.

Stephen says that as well as getting people in, we have to concentrate on quality. “We used to see card makers charging £4-5 for pretty basic stuff but then it became popular and suddenly every fair you saw was oversubscribed with cards and that can put off the buyers. In a way, that’s a good thing as that leads to new innovation. You have to be a bit more creative to stand out. And you have to make people think you are a local version of Covent Garden if you want to form a retail sub-market.”

So the standards are set pretty high and for a bunch of novices, growing that reputation will be tricky, but perhaps not impossible.


Contacts:Pondskipper Crafts, 6 Woodston Business Centre, Shrewsbury Avenue, Peterborough. PE2 7EFArt and Stitch, 33 Aston Business Park, Shrewsbury Avenue, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, PE2 7BFHandmade in Peterborough meets every Monday night from 7pm at the Brewery Tap, 80 Westgate, PE1 2AAHandmade at St John will take place on Thursdays: September 15th, October 20th, November 17th December 1st, 8th, 15th and 22nd

Time will tell if craft is here to stay or whether it fades from view, but while we’ve got it as an excuse to have a great time and a pint of ale in our local pub, it will never disappear entirely.

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20 21 HANDMADE.indd 3 18/8/11 15:28:59

HEALTH & BEAUTY

8 NENE VALLEY LIVING July 2008

Health & beauty

notesBridget Steele rounds up the latest news from

local health and beauty businesses


Banish brown spotsMany of us get them as we age: small brown spots on the face, hands or other sun-exposed areas of the body. The new Energist UltraPlus VPL system, available at Peterborough’s BodyLaser Clinic, includes an exciting new treatment for these blemishes. Unlike freckles they tend to last for long periods and don’t disappear in the winter. Brown spots are caused by a combination of sun damage and a decline in the hormones that regulate the production of melanin. Melanin is a pigment that gives colour to the skin and hair. It helps protect the skin from the harmful sun’s rays but increased amounts of melanin pigment often result in the formation of dark, brown spots. Prolonged sun exposure causes the skin cells to produce more melanin and results in surface pigment changes. BodyLaser Clinic’s new UltraPlus machine uses light energy to break up the melanin into smaller particles. After a few days these particles fade and disappear without a trace. In most cases the brown spots are completely removed after only one treatment.• BodyLaser Clinic is located at 58 Broadway. www.bodylaser.co.uk. Tel: 01733 555200.

A facelift without surgeryA non-invasive cosmetic technique that safely and effectively improves the health and appearance of the skin is on offer at Elysia Health and Beauty, Tansor. The process uses technologies developed in medical and physiotherapy fi elds to activate the skin’s natural chemicals and promises great results with no risk of side effects. It claims to benefi t clients who want a healthier, younger and fresher looking appearance by toning muscles in the face and neck, lifting jowls and eyebrows, reducing fi ne lines and wrinkles, improving facial circulation, providing skin exfoliation, lymphatic drainage and lots more. It uses microcurrent technology by Pulsar which gently triggers the body’s own cellular renewal. This treatment is ideal for prevention as well as repair – and would benefi t anyone 25 plus. Elysia Health and Beauty specialize in skin care and the therapists are keen to for their clients to get the most out of a treatment. The exciting thing about these facials is that you can tailor make a course – combining galvanic, Microdermabrasion, micro-current and light therapy, for example. “People today want to combine a relaxing facial with long lasting results,” says Elysia’s owner Lisa Claypole. For visible results a course of 10 treatments is recommended. It costs £400 for a course of 10 facials or £45 per treatment. After an initial course, a monthly top-up is all that is required to keep skin looking its best. • For more information contact Lisa at Elysia Health and Beauty, Fotheringhay Road, Tansor, Oundle Peterborough. Tel: 01832 226328 or 07879 620196. Open Monday to Saturday 9am – 9pm

Dentistry in the city centreThe Cathedral Square Dental Practice (formerly Spa Dental) has now been taken over by Total Dentalcare which is a well established group of practices started in the south of England. The city centre practice has always provided high quality general dentistry as well as areas of speciality and this will continue under the existing team of dentists and hygienists. Facilities are being upgraded to provide a modern and soothing environment for patients. The facility will also incorporate an Implant Centre which provides teeth in a day. Cosmetic treatments are also available and the Practice will shortly be offering informal consultations where patients can see the treatments available, enjoy a nibble and meet the dentists involved.• For more information contact Total Dentalcare, 3rd Floor, Market Chambers, Cathedral Square, Peterborough PE1 1YW Tel: 01733 314131

Dentistry in the city centre

local health and beauty businesses

Attention, varifocal wearers!The Oculist opticians in Westgate Arcade is well renowned for

innovative eyewear; whether it’s the latest in engineered frames or

sophisticated lenses, this independent optician works hard to stay

ahead of the game. Varifocal wearers will be only too familiar with

the limitations of many high street lenses; peripheral distortions,

limited intermediate and near zones (see pic). The latest addition

to The Oculist lens family is the SEIKO SUPERIOR varifocal which is

described as a revolution in individual lens design.

It increases visual fi eld by:

• 5,740,000,000 variables to produce a personal lens for every wearer

• Several additional frame and facial measurements

• Lifestyle consultation for lens specifi cation

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All SUPERIOR lenses have the added benefi t of the extremely robust

SEIKO SuperResistantCoat as standard.

• Call 01733 555621 or pop in to 24 Westgate Arcade, Peterborough

Before After

22 H&B.indd 1 18/8/11 15:30:01

23

24 WESTGATE ARCADE, QUEENSGATE CENTRE,PETERBOROUGH PE1 1PY

T- 01733555621 W www.theoculist.com

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Exceptional Eyecare• Thorough 40 minute eye examination• Digital retinal photography• All glaucoma checks• Lifestyle, tailored eye examination• Contact lenses and aftercare• Top quality lenses & coatings

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Service• Honest advice• Personal service • Digital photography to compare frames • Fabulous coffee!

PLUS! Elysia also offers all beauty and holistic treatments, not forgetting our newly launched mineral make-up range, and our ever popular pamper parties!

You … only better NON-SURGICAL FACELIFTTones facial muscles, anti-ageing. Instant resultsBook a course for amazing benefits.

£45 per treatmentMICRODERMABRASION FACIALBoosts collagen and elastin. Treats lines and wrinkles, acne, pigmentation and tired skin. Great for teens upwards.

JESSICA GELeration NAILSFrom £20RETYLANE FILLERS AND ANTI-WRINKLE INJECTIONS - IPL LASER HAIR REMOVALNever need to shave or wax again

IPL LASER SKIN REJUVENATIONSee fine lines and signs of ageing reduce and often completely disappear. Treats sun-damage, rosacea, thread veins.

ST TROPEZ AIR BRUSH TANNING

Full body tan. £15


24

A local, family-run business with excellent service values• CUSTOMMADECURTAINS (pencil,pinch,eyelets,valances,pelmetboards,swags&tails)• ROMANBLINDS• VENETIAN,ROLLER&VERTICALBLINDS• CONSERVATORYBLINDSPECIALIST (perfectfitsystem)• WALLCOVERINGS• WOODENSHUTTERSBook a free home visit to measure and discuss your requirements and receive a no-obligation quotation.

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J & S Interiors

J & S Interiors30 Phorpres Close - Hampton - Peterborough - PE7 8FZ

Email: [email protected] - www.jandsinteriors.uk.comTelephone: 01733 558864

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INTERIORS

Continued on page 26

▲

Living in colourVibrant shades and bold prints feel fresh and energising and they’ll bring your rooms bang up to date, says Fiona Cumberpatch

Bright, beautiful colours are everywhere this season, and we shouldn’t be afraid

to embrace them. Bold shades look good in every room, and with a little know how, you can make them work for you. “Colours promote emotional reactions and you need to consider this when choosing your main colour,” says Jill at Tom McAlpin Interiors, Peterborough. “In general, bright colours make you feel energetic, so they work well in rooms used for lots of activities and entertaining.”

Jill suggests following a few golden rules to make your colour scheme sing. “Warm colours are reds, yellows or oranges. These are known as advancing colours because they bring surfaces closer, so they can make a room feel smaller,” she explains. “Cool colours are blues, violets, greys, and some shades of green. And they do the opposite. They’re receding colours and make surfaces appear further away. So they can make a room feel larger. But just to confuse things, you can warm up a cold colour like blue by adding touches of red, orange or brown, and you can cool down a warm shade by doing the opposite and adding blue, grey or green.”

The effect of light on colour could influence your choice. “South facing rooms get sun all day long, so they can take warm or cool colours. But

beware: really vivid colours intensify in bright sunlight,” says Jill. “Deep tones work, but

lighter shades can be too dazzling. In a north-facing room, the light is cool and blueish. Use a warm colour to brighten the room. Yellow and pink are good, but

white and blue won’t work. And if you do want to use a blue or a green, you must

select a shade with a warm base tone.”Continues Jill: “in an east facing bedroom,

the morning light is bright, so use warm or cool colours. West facing bedrooms get sun in the afternoons and evenings, so make sure whichever colour you choose has a warm base tone. And before you commit to a colour – try it out in practice.”

This year designers have produced some sumptuous collections featuring bold, graphic patterns as well as jewel colours. Candida, at Hunters Interiors says: “be brave! It’s fine to mix colours and patterns. If you want to use florals and stripes, for example, it will work so long as the colours blend nicely. Scale also has something to do with it. If you are using two florals in a room, one on a fabric, one on

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25 26 LIVING COLOUR.indd 1 18/8/11 15:30:51

INTERIORS


wallpaper, for example, one should be larger than the other.”

Remember, too, that bold colours need bold accessories. “The more textures and patterns that you add to a room, the more interesting it is,” says Candida. For modern accessories, try Hirst & Hirst Living in Oakham, NGI Design in Stamford, Reba, Peterborough and John Lewis at the Queensgate Centre, Peterborough.

If you know you want to use more colour in your home, but aren’t sure how to begin, Jill at Tom McAlpin Interiors suggests using a starting point such as a piece of fabric, a painting or a page that you’ve pulled out of a magazine. An interior designer can help you to translate this into a scheme that would work in your room, and advise you on how to best combine the various elements. It’s time to expand your horizons, open your senses and start living in colour!

CONTaCTS:Tom Mcalpin Interiors, Millisle House, 41-43 Culley Court, Bakewell Rd, Orton Southgate, Peterborough PE4 6SP Tel: 01733 230499Hunters Interiors The Dairy, Copthill Farm Enterprises, Deeping Rd, Uffington, Stamford, Lincs PE9 4TD Tel: 01780 757946 www.huntersinteriorsofstamford.co.uk

Shop the look

Turquoise bump chair, £1,400, John Lewis, Queensgate

Centre, Peterborough PE1 1NL Tel: 01733 322644

Rosa alba fabric by Nina Campbell, £50 a metre from Tom Mcalpin Interiors

Purple Snuggler Sofa, £299, John Lewis, Peterborough

Orange chair by Penny Banks, Hirst & Hirst Living, 18 Church St, Oakham, LE15 6aa Tel: 01572 723800

Multi-coloured Pip Studio Cushion, £50, John Lewis

“Be brave! It’s fine to mix colours and patterns.” Candida at Hunters Interiors

25 26 LIVING COLOUR.indd 2 18/8/11 15:31:11

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ACTIVITIES


Short and Southwick WoodsJust south of the village of Southwick are two small and delightful woods which are now connected by a piece of land which will also become a wood, providing a delightful circular tour up from the village

W O O D L A N D WA L K S

Distance: 4.5 miles Typical time: 2 hoursOS map: Explorer (1:25 000) 224 or Landranger (1: 50 000) 141Start & fi nish: Shuckburgh Arms, Southwick Terrain: Straightforward, good tracks all the wayStiles: A stile on the path up to the wood, otherwise straightforwardDog friendly: YesGetting there: 3 miles NE of OundleRefreshments:The Shuckburgh Arms, Southwick, PE8 5BL. Tel: 01832 272044 serves great beer, great pub food and has a huge garden looking up towards the woods. Open from 10am for breakfast/coffee

3

5

6

4

SOUTHWICK WOOD

DIRECTIONS

1 Park in the Shuckburgh Arms car park, and take the path heading south, over a stile

across the playing fi eld, and follow it up the side of the hill to the eastern edge of Short Wood,

2 At the entrance to Short Wood, turn left along a track across recently acquired

conservation land, to a metal gate which exits onto the road just to the left of the water tower

2

3 Cross the road, enter into Southwick Wood, and proceed for about half a mile along the

forest track

4 Where there is a path to the right, take this and follow the edge of the wood around

to the right, then head north until the second turning left, take that up a slight incline and starting to head south west back towards the exit

5 Veer left as you approach

the wood edge, then take the next right heading back towards the exit; at the next fork take the right and you will soon be back at the exit of the wood. Turn left a couple of hundred metres up the road past the water tower and take the footpath shortly after which takes off on the right back towards Short Wood

6 Enter Short Wood by the main entrance, taking a good look at the map on display

to orient yourself and determine your route; there is a shorter red and longer yellow trailed route, but although a circuit makes sense avoid going all the way around the edge as some of the most wildlife-rich rides bisect the wood (Primrose way, for example)

7 Eventually you will come out at the east end of the wood (Point 2), turn left and re-

trace your steps back down to Southwick.

Dodhaws Between Short Wood and Southwick Wood the Wildlife Trust has purchased an

area of former arable land, now called Dodhaws Wood. This area will be allowed to regenerate naturally to woodland with tree and other seed brought there by birds and wind.

Southwick Wood Much of this ancient woodland site was replanted to replace elm trees felled in the late 1960s due to Dutch elm disease. It now contains a mix of oak, ash, fi eld maple and hazel. The developing woodland provides cover for a range of visiting bird species including willow warbler, woodcock and tawny owl.An audio trail of a walk through this wood is available from www.wildlifebcnp.org/podcasts.htm along with a more

detailed map.

Short Wood is one of the remaining fragments of the ancient Rockingham Forest – a Medieval hunting forest – the site features areas of elm coppice and mixed coppice with large oak and ash trees. In spring a carpet of bluebells and dog’s mercury covers much of the wood. Primrose, wood speedwell and wood melick are also abundant.

1

SHORT WOODWater Tower

SOUTHWICK

7

29 WALK_DC.indd 1 18/8/11 15:32:11

PersPectives


Many of my clients have become concerned about the prospect of care home fees and

the possibility that their estate will be eaten up by these demands. They are worried about the impact this will have on their inheritance to their loved ones. We are an ageing population and these are issues which are receiving significant press coverage.

It may be crucial for you to consider taking professional advice on what might be one of the largest financial commitments you could make in considering the provision of payments of long term care.

Under the current system, when you move into a care home a financial assessment is undertaken. This is called the ‘means test.’ This test will be carried out by the local authority. They will assess the level of capital (savings, property and other assets) that you have in order to decide your ability to pay towards your care home fees. It is important that the means test is carried out to ensure that all the fees are paid from the right source.

Working it outThere are financial limits set down under guidelines which are updated annually. Currently if you have capital of less than £14,250 then the local authority will make the maximum contribution. It could be that if you are in a private home that this maximum contribution will not actually cover your entire fees and your family or another source may be asked to make up the difference. • If you have capital between £14,250 and £23,250 then the local authority will provide funding for care on a sliding scale.• If you have capital over £23,500 then you will be responsible for funding your own care.

Capital will include cash, money, investments (most types) and in certain cases the value of your home. Your interest in your home’s value will be disregarded for the first 12 weeks of any stay and it will be exempt if it is occupied by one of the following;-

spouse or civil partner• relative who is either 60 or over,• a chid under 16 who the resident is liable to • maintain, ora relative who is incapacitated.•

There are other possible disregards at the local authority’s discretion. Any bank or savings account you own jointly will also be taken into account, and the start point is that you own 50% unless you can show evidence otherwise.

There are valuation guidelines for the local authority which can work to significantly

reduce the assessed value of your interest in your home, depending on the circumstances of ownership.

The local authority will also look at assets that you might have owned previously and what you have done with them. There is no time limit as to how far back a local authority can look. They are trying to see whether you have deliberately given away assets in order to avoid paying care home fees. If you have, this would be known as ‘deliberate deprivation’. In these circumstances the local authority can try and balance the situation by deeming that you still own the asset concerned in your financial assessment. This can result in a ‘lose lose’ situation, where you no longer have access to the asset, but you still have to pay your care home fees.

safeguarding your assetsYou will be wondering if there is anything that you can do to try and plan for care home fees. There are some planning opportunities available, which can be complex depending on your circumstances.

You can choose to make gifts in your lifetime

and there are several options, including lifetime trusts, but specialist advice should be taken so that you can assess whether this would be a suitable route for you.

If you have a spouse or civil partner you might prefer to plan under your will, and to include a trust mechanism in your will to enable you to plan with your home.

When considering your options you should to try and ensure that both your needs and the inheritance you would like to leave your family and loved ones are met. You should seek specialist advice to suit your particular circumstances. If you would like further information, contact Jo Wild on 01780 750952 or [email protected].

• Jo Wild is a solicitor with almost 20 years’ experience; she specialises in inheritance tax planning, care fee planning, probate, the preparation of wills and powers of attorney and court of Protection work. she is a member of the Law society’s Probate section, the society of trust and estate Practitioners (steP) and solicitors For the elderly (sFe).

The truth about care home feesJo Wild, solicitor at Hegarty LLP, outlines the basic considerations for long term care funding, a subject which causes worry for many families

30 CAREHOMES.indd 1 18/8/11 15:33:19

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32



Advertisement Feature

Golf club goes greenLocal company Page Renewable Energy has installed solar panel system for environmentally-conscious Elton Furze Golf Club

Golfers know all about going green – there are 19 of them on most golf courses. But

Elton Furze Golf Club is greener than most, thanks to an environmentally-friendly solar panels system fitted on the clubhouse roof. It was installed by Hampton company Page Renewable Energy, which is fast achieving an enviable reputation for its expertise in this field.

Ben Martin, managing partner at the golf club, which is set in 135 acres of rolling countryside outside Elton, says: “This is a beautiful setting and we’re acutely aware of our environmental responsibilities. There is huge pressure on the environment and I feel strongly about looking after it. We all want to do our bit and be seen to be green, which is why we had the solar panels installed.

“I’ve been thrilled with how it has worked. It has actually generated more electricity than Page Renewable Energy promised, which means we are saving even more money than we expected. It has been a real bonus.”

The 18-panel system installed by Page Renewable Energy is discreetly situated on the south-east facing roof and generates 4 kilowatts of power, which in turn attracts a

tariff of 43p for every kWh (kilowatt/hour) generated and sold back to the grid. It is part of a Government scheme to encourage more homes and businesses to install renewable energy systems and is available until April 2012, with the tariff guaranteed and index-linked for 25 years.

According to Page Renewable Energy’s managing director, Rio Ricorda, that means most systems pay for themselves within eight years. “After that, you’re in profit,” he says. “These panels are designed to function in the UK climate, so they still convert energy when it is cloudy, so long as there is daylight. You shouldn’t need planning permission unless your home is listed or in

a conservation area, in which case we can obtain planning approval from the council for you.”

The current lucrative scheme that makes installation so cost-effective is known as the feed-in tariff, because surplus electricity feeds into the national grid. You pay nothing for the electricity generated and you are paid for every kWh of energy produced. All moneys received by the energy provider under the feed-in tariff will be tax free. “It is designed to help you save energy,” says Rio. “There’s no doubt that more and more people are becoming aware of their environment and deciding to try and go green.”

Among them are the 700 members of Elton Furze Golf Club. “Although it has only been installed a few weeks, I’ve had several members quiz me about it and ask how they can go about having one at home. They can see the real benefits,” adds Ben.

• For more information or a quote, contact Page Renewable Energy at Cygnet Park, 300 Club Way, Hampton, Peterborough PE7 8JA. Tel: 01733 568358. Website: www.pagegrouppeterborough.co.uk/domestic-solar-panels-peterborough

HOW MUCH WILL IT COST?The cost depends on the size of the installation, but a 16 panel array producing 4kWp would cost around £10,000 and take a day and a half to install. But this outlay is recouped after a few years thanks to the feed-in tariff scheme and savings on your energy bills.

Rio Ricorda (left) and Ben Martin

33 SOLAR.indd 1 18/8/11 15:34:25

34


Activities


Down to the riverJoe steele, 18, and friends tried a four day canoe trip along the River Nene, courtesy of local company canoe 2.

Andrae, Ben and I began our adventure at Ditchford, Northamptonshire, where we camped overnight, ready for our 8.30am start on Monday morning.

We received our canoe and transport for the next few days. Canoe 2 briefed us and advised us on the route. We packed our belongings into the three man canoe. We took small sleeping bags, food and clothes.

Our first day covered a stretch from Ditchford to Wadenhoe, which included lots of locks and portage points. At each lock, the canoe has to be carried out of the water and wheeled to the other side of the loch gate. We hadn’t realised how many loch gates there are on the Nene! But the scenery was amazing and the journey soon passed, followed by a luxury camping pitch for the night.

Following our first long day’s paddle, we were rewarded with a short four mile trip to Barnwell. This took just a couple of hours and we arrived at the well located site where an amazing yurt awaited us. The huge space suited the three of us perfectly. The cosy Moroccan style made it relaxing and a welcome break from the rain outside. We were also provided with the use of a fire, gas hob and a chemical loo.

After an excellent night’s sleep in the yurt, we were given a plentiful breakfast kit (locally sourced from Seven Wells). We tucked into bacon, eggs, sausages, mushrooms and fresh bread. Fuelled up for the day’s canoeing, we began a four hour paddle to Fotheringhay, where we spotted the campsite right on the mound by the village overlooking the Nene. We had water and disposal facilities, and we took a short walk to the local pub, The Falcon, in the village.

Our final day began early: we were on the river by 8am, slightly hampered by miserable weather, including a huge downpour. We paddled along a picturesque stretch for five hours, arriving at our final point at Wansford Station (on the Nene Valley Railway). We were hungry and wet, but very proud of ourselves. We enjoyed a great trip, very well planned and with everything we could possibly need, thanks to Canoe 2.• canoe 2. tel: 01604 832115 http://www.canoe2.co.uk/

On yer bikeOnly 20 minutes from Peterborough city centre, Fineshade Wood offers a great day out for kids of all ages. One of the best ways to make the most of your day is to bring your bikes and cycle around the marked family trails. These routes are very flat and designed for the novice cyclist, so it doesn’t matter if you’re not very fit or have very young children. If you want something more challenging, you can enjoy the more advanced cycling skills loops (that’s short off-road sections into the forest). If you can’t transport your bikes, or don’t have any, a cycle hire centre has just opened on site. It’s open from 9am-6pm.

If you prefer to walk, there are many trails throughout the beautiful ancient woodlands of Fineshade. The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) has a base in the woods as

Fineshade is well known for its Red Kite sightings. If you’re a nature lover, you will enjoy sightings of deer, butterflies, orchids and reptiles, which are all present in the woods. For lunch, there are plenty of spots for a picnic, or you can enjoy a bite to eat in the Top Lodge Café. There are also a number of independent arts and crafts shops near the café, with goods made from local sustainable materials. The visitor centre is open from 10am-5pm and there is a baby changing facility and toilets in the entrance atrium.• Fineshade is signposted from the A43, nine miles north east of corby, and six miles south west of stamford. Postcode is NN17 3BB. entry is free but parking costs £3 for a day or £1 for one hour. For further information, visit : http//www.forestry.gov.uk/toplodge/

It’s not too late to explore the great outdoors this summer with these great ideas for some active adventures.

Family adventures

canoeing the Nene

cycling at Fineshade

35 FAMILY ADVENTURES.indd 1 18/8/11 15:35:21

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Diary datesYasmin Bradley

selects this month’s event

highlights


September1 THURSDAY

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Saturday 17 September CONCERT: ‘Through Younger Eyes’ 1.30pm - 4.30pmListen to true stories told by Oundle and Rushden older folk magically transformed into song by folk band, Frumenty. • Contact: Serve, 19 Church Street, Rushden, NN10 9YU on 01933 315555 for a free ticket. Townsend Court, Rushden, NN10 0FR. http://www.serve.org.uk/

Thursday 15 SeptemberPLAY: Penny Dreadful’s Etherdome 7.45pmDisaster-comedy set in 1850s America, where the quest for pain relief takes a detour via lunacy, addiction and a duck pond!• Tickets: £9.50.The Stahl Theatre, West Street, Oundle, PE8 4EJ. Contact 01832 273 930, [email protected] or http://oscar01.savoysystems.co.uk/stahltheatre.dll/

Wednesday 28 September, PLAY: Crossed Keys - 7.30pm Be the first to see this play by Peterborough writer Greg Lyons: stories of love, laughter and loss are intriguingly united by a Crossed Keys pattern in block paving… • £3 or two for £5. Contact: 01473 211498 or www.easternangles.co.uk. The Brewery Tap, Westgate, PE1 2AA and later in September and October at other venues throughout the city. Visit http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=162633947142718 for full details.

Wednesday 28 September TALK: Langdyke Countryside Trust Meadow talk7.30pm - Natural England’s grassland specialist, Richard Jefferson talks about meadows and his forthcoming book ‘Jewels beyond the Plough’ stunningly illustrated by wildlife artist, John Davis. • Free. St Botolph, Church Lane, Helpston, PE6 7DQ

Friday 30 SeptemberEVENT: Storytelling with Polly Howat at Clare Cottage - 7pm - 9pm Fen folklore, old wives cures and horse magic!• Tickets: £5 including a glass of wine. (See above).

Tuesday 20 September GIG: Fenech Soler and special guests 7.30 pmA local band with a national reputation, this gig is part of the rescheduled tour, following lead singer Ben Duffy’s return to good health.• The Cresset, Peterborough. Tickets £8. Box office: 01733 265705

Saturday 24 September EVENT: Auction of Promises - 7pmBid for exciting, donated prizes - many which money could not buy - in aid of a once-in-a-lifetime expedition to Peru by King’s School students. Warwick Davis, star of Harry Potter and Narnia is auctioneer; adventurer and TV presenter, Benedict Allen is the after-dinner speaker. Dinner, bar and live music. • Tickets: £20. The King’s School, Park Road, Peterborough, PE1 2UE. Contact: [email protected], or 01733 5608210.

Tuesday 13 September WORKSHOP: Cooking from Clare Cottage garden10am - Enjoy a demonstration by Sarah Lyall using vegetables from Clare Cottage garden to create delicious dishes for your lunch. • Tickets: £7 on 01733 253330. Clare Cottage, Woodgate, Helpston, Peterborough, PE6 7ED.

Until Monday 5 SeptemberEVENT: Land Zorbs and HydroSphere in Ferry Meadows11am to 5 pm You’ve tried Hydrosphere (Lynch Lake) now give Land Zorbs a go (Coney Meadow) – weather permitting.• £3: 3/4-minute Hydrosphere session; £5: 5-minute Zorb session (over 3- year olds only). http:/www.zorb-leisure.com or http://www.neneparktrust.org. Telephone: 01733 234193.

WHAT’S ON

Thursday 29 SeptemberPLAY: Bart Lee Theatre presents Medea, My Dear7.45 pm. This explosive new version tells the story of Barbarian princess, Medea, and Jason of The Argonauts, who travel through time from the fantastical isle of Barbarus in 431 BC to Lloret del Mar, Spain in May 2010 to reveal that themes and taboos explored by Euripides still affect our society today.• Tickets: £9.50.The Stahl Theatre. (see above.) www.bartleetheatre.co.uk

37 DIARY DATES.indd 1 18/8/11 15:36:05

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Tickets: £5 in advance,

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The stunning and exquisite Regional Wedding Show returns to Burghley House

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nene valley living september 2011

Documents

o s t o u t o f

p i n g y o u t o g

n h u n tout

yh e d g e r o w h

o u rinterior inspirationsb

r v e s tforage

nene valley livinglife

local living